One and Done

John Calipari, from The University of Kentucky, encourages players to go straight to the pros. The past couple of years at the University of Memphis, and at Kentucky, Calipari has proved to one of the best coaches to help college players get prepared for the NBA. But is his encouragement for freshman to leave early right? Now-a-days a lot of high school athletes that play sports at the college level, ,make decisions based on education, how nice a facility is, how good the team is, and campus lifestyle. When I hear players make decisions based on education before they sign with a school, I kind of take it as a joke. I take it as a joke because a lot of these players recently have been leaving early. Under John Calipari, within the last two years, five freshmen have left early and declared for the NBA draft. What ever happened to an education? Last year alone, four freshmen left the Kentucky squad and even before at Memphis players were leaving early too. Examples of this are Derrik Rose, and Tyreke Evans, who ended up to be pretty good players in the NBA. Not only is it freshman that are leaving early but it is also other underclassmen such as Patrick Patterson, and Rajon Rondo. If players are going to make a decision on college I think they should not base it off of education if they are not even sure if they are going to stay the entire time. Not only do I think that some players should stay for more than just one year at least, but I also think they should consider their education. Players that are prime examples of this are Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow. I believe rules and regulations should be made just like they were made in college football for education purposes.

Clutch

Throughout my life I have played in many games. Whether it be football, baseball, or basketball, I have had my share of games that I have played in. Of those sports I have to say that my most clutch moment happened in little league baseball in 12U baseball. There are other moments like when I had my 85-yard punt return for a touchdown against Hornell but we lost that game so I would prefer that I do not mention it. This moment in my life happened about four years ago and took place in a little league baseball game. It was the district championship and my team had dominated the tournament for the most part, but there was another team on the other side of the bracket that we had barely beaten earlier in the tournament. They had a pitcher that threw harder than any kid that our team had ever seen and if he would have pitched the entire game we probably would have lost. But it was time for the championship now and it turned out that he pitched the semi-final game so he was not going to start. After a couple of innings passed, the score was now tied and it came down to the last inning. I was coming up this inning and was hoping I could get the opportunity to get the game winning hit. After a couple batters later and a man on base, with the score tied and two outs, I was up. Right before I had gone up to bat, the coach from North Buffalo called in their pitcher. It was the kid that played us earlier in the tournament; the kid that threw harder than any pitcher I had seen. After he was done warming up, it was time to bat. I stepped up to the plate and took the first pitch for a ball and the next two for strikes. With one ball and two strikes on me, I took a quick swing at it and lined one down the third baseline for the game-winning hit. It was clutch and we won the championship. End of Story.

Being Me

I sat here trying to think of an idea for a blog and the first thing that popped up in my head was what my life is like and just the type of person I am. I am the kind of person that does not really care what people think about me although sometimes I probably should. In my opinion I think that I have a lot of friends but I could always have more I suppose. If my friends were to describe me I think they would say that I am funny, opinionated, outgoing and think very highly of myself (but it is all out of fun). People that are not my friends would probably think that I am arrogant but that is when the “not caring” comes into play. I try not to be judgmental of people but if people want to be judgmental towards me then that is their choice. I say a lot of stupid things like, “I’m a boss” and “I’m money,” but it is all of out of fun and an attempt to try to make people laugh. I also am the same way when I am at home with my parents. My parents are very laid back and I think that is an advantage to our relationship. Being laid back with them and being able to joke around, gives me the opportunity to have fun and also lets me be open with them also. I am also very open with my friends. I am always willing to help out any one of my friends or listen to anything that they have to say as long as they prove to be trustworthy. I also think that I have a love for sports like no other. Throughout the day I give all my attention to what’s happening throughout the area and also throughout college and professional sports. There is no way I could tell my whole life story in one day or on a single page but this is a brief summary of it.

Poem Response

This poem really speaks to me and I agree to it. If you read it and do not understand it right away you may not be that “all into football.” But what the poem is saying is that professional football is no longer just a game but it’s the focus has been about 30% football and 70% business. This poem may have been written a decade ago or recently, but regardless, the business part of the NFL and any professional football league has been obvious to whoever wrote this poem. And in my opinion, I have to agree with him/ her. Throughout my years of watching the NFL and college football there is one huge difference, and that has been money. When you hear about college football you think of players who love the sport, for not the money, but for the opportunity to play. I think through the NFL you don’t see the heart or love for the game as much. Money and the NFL “business” is part to blame. As a sports fan, I hear a lot of professional athletes, not just football players, complain about their salary. Some players that I can see have a “true love” for the game are guys like: Ray Lewis, Andre Johnson, Brian Urlacher and Peyton Manning. Those players are the definition of competitors and you hardly, if ever, hear them complain about their contract and money. I realize that being in the NFL, and being a professional is a job but some players take it too far. Some players or even rookies that have had one good year or have not even played a down yet in the NFL after they are drafted, right away expect a huge signing bonus or a raise on their pay. Not only do I think it takes a couple of years to prove yourself in the NFL, but I also think that players need to start playing for the game and not their salary.




The State Of Play
The pitch war rages; It’s kick off time
The cloth cap Kings begin to sing
Weather worn faces chant in line
Cursing and urging the team to win
But behind closed doors
There’s so much more
Than there was before
A Brand
A Label
Transfer cash on the table
Agents and players
On maximum wages
It’s the state of play in the English game
‘The Beautiful Game’ of the proletariat
The Prawn Sandwich Brigade support the overpaid
While we’re being used to feed the fattest of cats
Billionaire ‘benefactors’
Outpaying all detractors
Gangster wheeler dealers
Totaletarian ex-leaders
Sweat shop merchandisers
Buying clubs then capitalising
The punters cough up the coffers
Ticket prices always rising? Not surprising
Cheap ‘this and that’ tat that up’s the profit
Multi millions in sponsors and advertising
Grand ground improvement schemes
Who’ll build the next Theatre of Dreams?
At the cost of those who have the least
The ones who turn up every other week
We pay for those in the directors box
Who throw money around like it’s out of date
A continual profit at the supporters cost
Those cloth cap Kings outside the gates
Until…
The pitch war rages; It’s kick off time
The cloth cap Kings begin to sing
Weather worn faces chant in line
Cursing and urging the team to win
-Anonymous

Beauty

“What is beauty?” is not a question that I have ever been asked. To be honest, I don’t think I have ever even thought about it. So I guess I’ll have to brainstorm for this one. Well, the term “beauty” means, “the qualities that give pleasure to the senses” according to Princeton University. In my opinion, I think that the definition is right on. When you think about it, you realize all of things that make something or give something the title of “beautiful.” But then again, we all have different opinions and may have different ideas of what is truly beautiful and what is not. I mean, one of your friends might think a girl or boy is good-looking, and depending on the taste you may have for girls or boys, you may think that that person is the exact opposite. So in reality, beauty is based all off of opinions that someone may have. There are also some traits that may make something beautiful. Again, this is based off of opinion but some possible traits that might make something beautiful are: scenery, looks of someone, time of day, weather, etc. Today, you hear a lot of people saying, “Wow that woman is beautiful” or maybe even you hear, “What a beautiful day.” When people say things like that, they are basically telling you that a certain something really grabbed their attention and they like looking at whatever it is. Coming from a sports aspect of the word, “beauty” could also describe a play or series of plays that take place during the game that really made you go, “Wow.” But overall, the term beauty is an opinion and people describe it as a number of things. Now that I actually got the opportunity to answer this question, that I have never really been asked before, I will now be able to provide a deeper meaning of the word other than just pretty.

Online Publishing Impact

One thing that I learned, but I also kind of knew is that I have a true interest in writing. I like being able to describe things or put things into my own words. I also like being able to express my feelings through writing and my opinions. Being in this class gave me the opportunity to write about topics that I enjoy which include: sports, school, and music. My writing process is pretty simple, and is usually random as well. First, after I receive an idea for a topic, I try to brainstorm and think of how I’m going to write about it. Next, while writing about it, I try to be as descriptive as possible by listing things and describing them. After that, I try to include information that is useful and will help support my article or blog. Lastly after all of the writing is done, I make sure that all of the requirements of the assignment are met and also that all punctuation/ spelling is correct. Things that I do not like to write about are basically the things I have no interest in like: politics, the economy, or things that I do not know much about. Writing about things I am interested in makes it easy for me and I always feel like they are written better compared to topics that I do not know much about. This class has actually made a pretty big impact on me and has really given me an interest in all aspects of writing. In fact, this class and even last year’s English class has opened me up to writing and I plan on majoring in journalism when I get to college. I hope to be a writer when I’m older and have already looked into the job opportunities in the future. But as of now, I can only hope for the best.

Lawn Gnome

So one day, I’m walking outside to get the paper and the most ridiculous thing happened. I looked over near our lawn gnome and I start to see it moving. At first, I thought there was an animal of some sort but it until it actually started to walk towards me! I didn’t know how to react. You could even say that I was a little scared at first until I heard the softest voice coming from it. The gnome acted as if everything was fine and like everything was perfectly normal. He asked me, “How’s everything going?” I simply reply with a, “How are you talking right now and am i dreaming?” He told me that he had always been able to talk and then told me that it was not a dream. Once I had grown comfortable with the gnome I continued to ask him more and more questions. He then informed me that he was sent by one of his fellow gnome members. He was supposed to gather some food for them and the only way he could was by sneaking into a house, my house to be exact. He told me that he felt wrong doing it so he figured he would just ask me for some food. Because of the fact that he was so nice and decided not to break into my house, I told him that I would gladly help him out. I grabbed him a couple bags of chips and some bread with peanut butter and jelly. When he had left, he couldn’t wait to tell his fellow gnomes the story and how he met the great Nate Bailey.

Childhood Shows

As a child, I watched many shows that were popular and are still popular today. Some of those shows include Barney, Little Bear, Franklin, Power Rangers, and I also loved to watch Blue’s Clues. I’d say that when I was about three or four my favorite show was Barney and Blue’s Clues. Yeah that’s right; I was one of those kids. I used to have my own Barney blanket and toys. Barney just happened to be one of my idols. Blue’s Clues was also a very popular show when I was a child. But I like it when Steve was the host of the show. Not when Joe in the Blue shirt was. By the age of five or six I put those shows behind me and I moved onto bigger and better things. It was now the era of Little Bear and Franklin. If you do not remember, Little Bear and his friends were always imagining things and going on adventures. Franklin was a little green turtle that also had many other friends that were different animals. That stage of my life probable lasted till I was about eight years old. As I grew older I started watching this little show called Power Rangers. After watching a lot of Power Rangers, I convinced myself that I was A Power Ranger. I had all of the gear and even dressed as a Power Ranger one year for Halloween. Going back to all of these shows I kind of miss them and miss being a kid.

What is Art?

Art, to many can be defined as paintings, drawings, sculptures and what not.  But to others, Art has a different meaning such as music, chemistry with friends and family and you could even maybe include sports. For example, music for many can be viewed as a type of flow or create a vision in your mind that makes you imagine things. Types of music such as hip-hop, reggae, pop, country and even classical music can help create an image in your mind. Maybe a beat that is played throughout a song or the lyrics within a song tells a story which also could bring an image to your head. Some song-writers and lyricists not only sing a song but they also tell a story which to me, is a perfect example of art.  Another thing that comes to mind when thinking about art for some reason is chemistry. It does not seem like an art of any type but when you think about it, the chemistry between friends and family really has a nice flow to it. Picture this, you have a great bond with your family and friends and you guys are really close to each other. That is like a having a group of colors that flow together nicely. Having great chemistry throughout a family is very important. If you have a broken family or do not have many friends, it is a sloppy painting, drawing or photo that is not acknowledged as much as it should be. And lastly, when thinking of art, for some reason I bring sports into the equation. A sports team is like a family and much like I just said, they blend together nicely. Also during sports you can have a player that just always makes the right moves or right plays which to me, can be like a beautiful piece of artwork. Like art, sports can make people feel a certain way. There is always excitement, depression, anxiety, and also happiness. Which is why I believe sports can compare to art. As you can see there are many different ways you can look at art, but the ways I look at it have to do with music, family, friends, and sports.

National Geographic Picture #2

I love this image. This picture makes me feel like fighting. Stallions are such interesting animals. When I think of a stallion I think of myself and how I am as fast as a stallion. I also carry people on my back, such as football teams, basketball teams, baseball teams, and the entire district of Alden. I try to put myself in the “hoofs” of a stallion and picture myself running free in the Great Plains with all of my stallion friends and family. This picture makes me feel like I am there and like I am the stallion. If I was the stallion I don’t know why anyone would want to challenge me. But I guess they already made their funeral arrangements. This picture also relates to me because I have a “never back down from a challenge” mentality. Stallions never cease to amaze me. They really seem like they are living the life. They get to roam the grassy plains all day with fellow horses and get to eat nutritious grass all day. The main reason I chose this image was for the reason that not only am I fascinated by horses but also for what they stand for. Stallions stand for freedom and energy. Whenever I see a Stallion my ears to perk up because they make me really excited. I can honestly say that if I had the choice of being a man or a Stallion. I would be both. Half man and Half Stallion would be pretty sweet. I mean to have a great looking man with a Stallion’s muscular legs would really make everything better for me. I wouldn’t need any other type of transportation but myself and I could beat anyone one of my friends in a race. A     s you can see I can clearly love stallions.

National Geographic Picture #1

I was necking with this one broad, her name was Matilda. I had just left the watering hole, when I came across this pretty gal. She was giving me eyes the whole time as I gandered across. So I decided to approach her. We  talked and talked until I couldn’t take it anymore. She did not come off as the most interesting girl in the world but was definitely one of the better looking giraffes that I had seen in my lifetime. That is when it all started and we began to neck. I then told her I had a little piece of land that me and her could have dinner at and she accepted my offer. I mean you couldn’t pass up a once in a life time  opportunity to hang out with Geoff the Giraffe also know as Me. By the time we had made it back to my place it was night time. We spent hours gazing at the midnight stars after our dinner and talked about life. I had never met a giraffe like her before and I felt that a man like me needed that kind of woman. A woman who I could rely on and to start a family with. It seemed to me that she wanted that too. After a couple of days we began to hang out more and more. But then she told me she had to go on a business trip to Kenya. I thought I’d see her again, but it turns out, she never came back. I blame myself every day for letting her go like that. But then again, how did I know this was going to happen? Why didn’t she come back to me? All I guess I can say is…on to the next giraffe for me.

Top 10 about Nate Z

Top Ten Things about Nate Zobrest
10. His ability to get money
9. His way with the ladies
8. His love for Matt Barkley
7. He is a genius
6. He loves Wu-Tang
5. He is last alphabetically in the school
4. He is a funny guy
3. He has a romantic deep voice
2. He is a member of the Alden Football Team
1. He has the greatest first name in the history of man-kind

Fear Builds Walls

In my opinion I believe the idea that “fear builds walls” is completely true. I agree with this statement because when you are scared of something, you restrict yourself from what you are able to do or from your goals. In most cases I wouldn’t agree with Pink Floyd but in this case I think they make a good point. For example, in a football game if the other team is ten tiems bigger than you and you go into the game with a losing record while the team you are playing is undefeated, you may be a bit nervous and not as motivated to play them. But you cannot let things get to you otherwise you will not be able to perform to the best of your ability. Thinking too much can also result in fear which can restrict you from accomplishing your goals. By thinking and thinking you create a wall of fear and the only way you can get over that wall is just by doing it. I know for me, fear does play a part in the things in what I do and the decisions that I make. Although that fear should not play a part in the decisions that I make, sometimes it is a good thing. In some cases fear plays a good role in the choices that are made. When you think what may happen if you are to steal something from a store or something like that, you start to reconsider which helps.

Favorite Holiday

There are so many holidays that I love but my favorite has to be Christmas. It’s not even just the holiday but everything that involves Christmas. It is a holiday that is recognized for all of the time that families spend together. It is my favorite time of the year and favorite holiday for many reasons. I like the idea of my family being together and everyone getting along. Having my family all together to celebrate is a big deal to me and Christmas gives all of us another opportunity to give and “catch-up.” I am not going to lie, I love receiving new gifts and going through the excitement of unwrapping a present, wondering what it is. There are so many other things that are involved with Christmas. There are television specials, sporting events, outdoor events and decorations. Every year my family and I go look for a tree together and always decorate it together. My family has a lot of things to do on Christmas day. In the morning we wake up and open our gifts together. Later in the afternoon we head over to y grandma’s to eat some grub and exchange gifts with other people in the family. We usually stay late and go snowmobiling and if we have enough time we end up eating some more dessert. It’s really a day full of food and presents and I love both. By the time we are ready to leave my grandma’s house, I gather all of my gifts together and pack them up in the car. When I get home I try on any new clothes I may have gotten or play any new games that were bought for me. Again, Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year and I’m glad I get a chance to spend it every year with my family.

Winning

Winning is another word for accomplishing a goal. Though that goal may not be as challenging as some goals in the future, accomplishing it is still a great feat. For example, you may be playing in a game against an opponent that you know is not as good as you but if you won it would still be a big deal. But losing to that same team would be an even bigger deal just because you are expected to win. Winning can be a kind of funny thing sometimes. To me, winning isn’t that big of a deal. But the big deal to me is, winning on a consistent basis. If you only win every once in a while, no one will recognize you or the team that you played on. People remember the teams that are successful. You never hear people talking about a team ten or fifteen years ago that lost every game or barely won at all. I want to be remembered as someone who was competitive and at the same time won a good majority of the games I played in. Sometimes winning doesn’t always take place on a basketball court, football field or baseball diamond, but in schools, hospitals and even your homes. But overall, my fondest memories of winning all take place during sports. Lastly, to be a winner is very important to me, because not only do people respect you for your accomplishments, but people look at you in a “different light.” When you’re a winner, people recognize you and you tend to have more of a chip on your shoulder. You’re almost expected to be successful whenever you have an opponent. Between all of the sports that I have taken part in I must say that winning is very important to me and there is nothing worse that defeat.

I am Thankful

I am thankful for many things that I have today. I think that some people regret the things they have or are not very appreciative of what they have in life. But for me, I am thankful for a lot and in my life and where I was brought up I have a lot of advantages. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, people start to realize what they are truly thankful for in life. In my life I am thankful for things like family, friends, and the opportunities that I have been given. Without my family, there would be no thanking taking place. My family has been loyal to me and at the same time is close which has shown me how important relationships are. My family has always supported me no matter what and even if they did not like some of the decisions that I have made, they are honest with me so that I know where I stand. Because of the relationship with my family, it’s been easy to tell them anything on my mind, joke around and share all of my opinions without worrying about being judged. My friends are similar to my family in that they are always they for me. But they help me deal with girls, school, sports or maybe any problems I may have with someone else. My best friends are the ones who I talk to everyday and that I can talk to about anything. I am thankful for the times I have with them and the laughs that we have together. My friends show me how to be laid back and just relax. Without my friends, I feel as if I would be a robot and would just go to school, go to sleep, wake up and repeat. I don’t think any of my true friends will ever know how thankful I am for having them. Lastly, I am thankful for the opportunities that I have been given in my life. These opportunities consist of being able to play at Ralph Wilson Stadium back-to-back years, playing in a regional football championship, playing AAU basketball, and being able to travel. I have been given too many opportunities to name and I am thankful for every single one of them. But to summarize it all up, I am thankful for being put in the position I am in and the people who are associated with me.

Three people for Lunch

If there could be three people that I could sit down and have lunch with it would be my favorite singer, favorite athlete, and some good-looking woman. The first person I would like to sit down and have lunch would be my main man Lil Wayne. I love Lil Wayne’s music and his perspective on life. He is hard-working but at the same time is very laid back when dealing with life. I would ask him various questions having to do with what it’s like to be famous, how he deals with never being home and things like that. The next person I would like to sit down with, even though he has been getting a lot of bad publicity lately is LeBron James. I would like to sit down with him because I would like to know what it’s like to be in his shoes. How does he deal with all of the things that people say to him? What else does he do aside from playing basketball and sign autographs. I mean it has to be hard hearing everyday how he should of stayed in Cleveland or how he shouldn’t have had an hour show of where he was going to go from his free agency. That alone I think mad people hate him, even before he had made “The Decision.” Lastly, the third person that I would love to sit down and have dinner with would be Eva Mendez. Even though would absolutely no shot with her ever, she is very talented and good-looking.

Three people for Lunch

If there could be three people that I could sit down and have lunch with it would be my favorite singer, favorite athlete, and some good-looking woman. The first person I would like to sit down and have lunch would be my main man Lil Wayne. I love Lil Wayne’s music and his perspective on life. He is hard-working but at the same time is very laid back when dealing with life. I would ask him various questions having to do with what it’s like to be famous, how he deals with never being home and things like that. The next person I would like to sit down with, even though he has been getting a lot of bad publicity lately is LeBron James. I would like to sit down with him because I would like to know what it’s like to be in his shoes. How does he deal with all of the things that people say to him? What else does he do aside from playing basketball and sign autographs. I mean it has to be hard hearing everyday how he should of stayed in Cleveland or how he shouldn’t have had an hour show of where he was going to go from his free agency. That alone I think mad people hate him, even before he had made “The Decision.” Lastly, the third person that I would love to sit down and have dinner with would be Eva Mendez. Even though would absolutely no shot with her ever, she is very talented and good-looking.

Meaningful Quotes

If you need an example on how to live then you just should have not been born
- Dwayne Michael Carter

I like this quote because it is another way of saying to be a leader and follower. I think I could say that I follow this quote. I do not like being like everyone else. Being original to me, is just boring. I like to be my own person and if there are going to be people who judge me for my personality, abilities, and work ethic or for something like the way I dress it's not going to affect me. I don't want to be what everyone else expects me to be. I am just going to be me.

I’m lookin in the mirror and I see a dollar sign. I had a cat scan and I had money on my mind
- Lil Wayne

I think this quote is pretty funny. I like it because it relates to me and my personality. I’m the type of person that is very sarcastic and I joke around a lot to be funny. This line was in one of Lil Wayne’s songs and I thought it was clever. That’s my main reason for liking it. But other than that I like it because I always say how I get so much money.

It isn't hard to be good from time to time in sports. What is tough, is being good every day.
- Willie Mays

This quote to me is something that every athlete should live by. In sports if you do not give your all every day it is just going make you weaker. It also says that anyone can be good when it doesn’t count or when you want to but it’s when you need to be good that matters. Also by being good every day or working to get better, you make yourself better.

Thanksgiving With My Fam

Thanksgiving is a holiday that everyone in my entire family celebrates together. I usually spend it by going to my grandma’s house on my mom’s side of the family. At my grandma’s, we have all of my family members like my aunts, uncles, cousins, great grandparents, and some friends of the family. My grandma’s home is not that big so sometimes things get a little hectic. Our Thanksgivings’ consist of some polish food, turkey, stuffing, potatoes, corn and so many other foods. Not only do our Thanksgivings’ consist of a lot of food and people, but they usually result in a couple arguments and some hurt feelings. The people in my family who create a lot of ruckus are usually my mom, who is a loud mouth, and my grandma Sue. My mom enjoys picking on people in the family and is kind of the bully of the family. She also is one of those kinds of people that think she is Dr. Phil or something. She tries to solve family problems or give advice to family members when she is the actually the last person anyone would take advice from. Now when it comes to Thanksgiving for my grandma Sue, she has to make sure everything is perfect and if anything gets messed up she freaks out. Even though my family can get a little crazy sometimes, we always manage to have a good time. It’s always nice to be able to spend one day like this with your entire family.

Respect is very important to some people. But to others, like me, I don't find respect to be a necessity in life. For those who want respect, they try to do a lot to gain it from peers. Some just think they should get respect and not have to earn it. Personally, if you are close to me you have my respect. But if you do not know me, you have to earn my respect. I earn respect from people from my success and being a great role model to all of the young bosses. But respect is a form of kindness in my opinion. I think to earn respect you must be able to talk or do something maturely not just for someone but to benefit yourself. Respect is also a form of admiration. You are respected for the positive things that you do and say. By being you and not being a follower I think it is very easy to earn respect. This means that, you do what is expected of you and not just what other people around you are doing. By doing this you can earn much respect. Many people are respected for their actions and it is essential that you are respectful in return. For me I may come off as someone who is not respectful at all, but in reality I try to show as much respect for those who deserve it and for those who have made an impact on my life today.

Dream Job

Most people would say that their dream job would be to sit around all day and get paid for it. But to me, that sounds a little boring so I would have to say that my dream job would have to do be sports related, preferably, a professional basketball or football player. Think about it, when you’re a professional athlete people know who you are. Not only do they know who you are, but they look up to you. As a professional athlete you are also asked to set an example for children. Having everyone look up to you and wishing they could be in your shoes would be a great feeling. Also, people that play professional sports get the opportunity to play a sport that they love and they get paid a lot of money for it. If you are good enough, you could even get your own sponsor that could create a shoe line for you and clothing. You are given so any opportunities as a professional athlete. With being a professional you have the chance to make an impact on an entire city, and in Kobe Bryant’s case a whole country. As a kid I always thought that one day I could be a professional athlete, but as I started to get older I started to realize that, that goal would be more difficult than I expected. If I could go back, I would train every day just to have the opportunity to make it. It must be nice.

Hilarious Incident

There are so many times in my life where I can recall something crazy happening to me or something happened that made me laugh pretty hard. But the most recent happened this past week after gym class. It was gym class, first block when it all had happened. All of the guys (Tyler Stoldt, Dakota Peel, Steve Anstett, Nick Foss, Josh Skowronski, Travis DeMuth and Nick Orlowski) and I just got done with an intense game of Ultimate Frisbee and it was now shower time! We had already gotten yelled at for going in early but it made matters worse when the fire alarm started to go off. No one could believe it so our first reaction was to stay in the showers because we knew it was a drill. Our substitute yelled into the locker room telling us to get dressed and come out but half of us were still soaked from the shower. Barely any of us were dry at all and it was tough to get ready fast enough. So we ignored our teacher and decided to just take our time. Then, Mr. Carll came into the locker room telling us we better get dressed and go out no matter what. Dakota ran out the wrong way so Mr. McCowan yelled at him making him turn around and go out of the back door. Not one of us had all of our clothes. Some of us were missing shoes, socks, and some even had towels still wrapped around them (Nick Foss). We didn’t care too much because we were where no one could see us but it was still pretty embarrassing and funny at the same time. We had finally managed to get dressed when we got back in but that is one thing that I will never forget.

Day in the Life of Pinky

When thinking of Ryan Pinkowski, and what he does with his life outside of school, I draw a blank. I have no idea what the kid does outside of school. It could be one of many things such as; draw, listen to some music, watch television, or maybe even spend some quality time with his family? But to be honest, I don’t think that is how “Pinky” rolls. I can see him being a role model throughout the community of Alden and doing many activities to make him look like “the man.” But who knows. When he isn’t putting time and effort into the town of Alden, I’m sure he spends a lot of time with his friends. I have even heard that he and his friends gather every Thursday night around ten o’clock to watch Jersey Shore. With his other free time, he does a little bit of GTL. For those of you who do not know what the term “GTL” means, it means gym, tanning and laundry, which are the essentials of being a true Guido. He makes any gorilla juice-head look like an amateur. After he GTLs, he makes a quick run to Pure Night Club to pick up some women. He brings back a minimum of three girls per trip. I have even witnessed him bringing back ten, but that was back in his prime. When he isn’t working on his tan, or his situation, he likes to listen to some Lil Wayne and Waka Flocka Flame. At this point in his life he has lost all respect for Pink Floyd, Sublime and their “hippy-like” music. Ryan also works at Carbone’s where he rakes in mad money. Some people even refer to him as Ryan “Cash-flow” Pinkowski. As of now he currently lives with his parents but it doesn’t stop him from continuing his Mr. big time lifestyle.

People I Look Up To

There is not just one person that I look up to, but I think I have many role models in my life. When thinking of a role model, my definition is a person who leads by example and does everything that is expected of them. They are someone who may have completed goals in their life that you wish you could accomplish in the future. A role model to me, is also someone who is friendly and have the ability to get along with anyone. One person that I look up to in my life is my grandma. My Grandma has been through a lot in her life and is always organized. She is never about herself and is always there for anyone when they need her. She always makes sure that I am on task and tries to be involved with me as much as possible. She is very family-oriented and that is what I love about her. I think my grandma has many qualities that make her one of my role models. My second role model has to be my Uncle Keith. He is just like me, or I am just like him, however you want to put it. He is a hard-worker and he supports everything that I do. Although he supports me, he also knows that I can always better myself and he is always there to coach me up. He and his family are always doing things together and he is always “family-first.” He gets the opportunity to take his family on vacation at least three times a year and has a very strong relationship with everyone in my family because he is outgoing. My last role model is anyone that can make an impact on my life. These people who I look up to are people who are not family-related and that I do not know. These role models are athletes, leaders or just any of my friends. I look up to more than just one person.

Scariest Place

The scariest place I had ever been was by far Goodleburg cemetery and Goodleburg Street. These places were so scary to me for many reasons. Not only just because it was a cemetery and an abandoned street leading into the woods, but because of the history. Many stories have been told about these two locations which makes it just that much scarier. What made it easier for me was the fact that my friends were going with me and they were just as scared. It helps a little bit knowing that someone is just as afraid as you are when you’re doing something like that. About six of my friends and I headed to the cemetery before went to the road. We heard rumors saying that the cemetery was the host to many aborted babies and mothers who did not survive some abortions. By the time we had gotten there we were just as scared as we imagined. The only thing that made it a little less scary was the fact that a couple houses were right across the street. At the cemetery, we had walked through and everyone was terrified. Then someone claimed that they heard a noise. Hysteria started to lurk a little bit between the seven of us, but we managed to escape alive ha-ha. Next we were on the way to the street and there were no lights at all. We went down a long hill where at the bottom there was a stream with a bridge. We stood by the bridge and someone thought that they heard a rock or something in the water so everyone hauled out of there and we made it home wondering what it could have been.

Halloween Story

It was the night of Halloween and everyone in town had one thing on their mind. Who was Nate Bailey coming after this year? Every year Nate “Boss” Bailey hunts down a victim on Halloween and makes them give them his candy. He creeps at night and tries to find the biggest bag possible. Within the last couple of years, a lot of people have stopped going trick-or-treating because of their fear of the beast (Nate Bailey). But the bravest of the brave continued to go out that night and one of them happened to be Brian Stoldt. He and his brother, Tyler, have trick-or-treated every year together since they were little boys and made a pact that they would continue to do this no matter what. The Stoldt’s mother, Deborah, made sure they dressed warm underneath their costumes and had their bags ready to go. Fear had lurked their minds but it was not going to stop them from their yearly ritual. As they headed out the door, they eagerly traveled to the nearest houses to get their candy. Nate “The Beast” had other plans for the boys. He had been following them for quite a while now, and by the time they had gotten around the block Nate was ready to make his move on them. Brian in his brother’s jersey, decided to walk over to the bushes and go to the bathroom. Nate knew that Brian would have no way to defend himself and this is where he would be most vulnerable so he attacked him! Brian then kicked him and ran away. Hwe told his brother that a man was over there and Ty then realized it was Nate his good bud. So they hugged it out and Nate slept over.

Nate Bailey- The life of a Boss

What does it take to be the boss? Well in my everyday life I rarely ask myself that question because all I really have to do is take a quick look in the mirror. But if I had to describe my boss lifestyle and inform others of what it takes to be me I would say many things. First off, you have to be able to do whatever you want and you usually do the exact opposite of what anyone asks you to do. Bosses simply do not answer to anybody. That means, if your mother asks you to clean up your room, you simply tell her no and close your door. Another characteristic of being the boss is that you must have your way with the ladies. I clearly demonstrate this trait. A woman comes up to YOU and asks for your number. Bosses do not go out of their way to waste their time with some female who they will never see again in their life. You also have to be able to get money, and by money I mean a lot of it. Money must be falling out of your drawers basically. I usually don’t even use water to take a bath. My baths consist of money, my toilet paper consists of money and same goes for my tissues. As the great Tupac said,” Mo’ money more problems,” but I get a lot of use out of my money. When you have so much, you find different uses for it. The final requirement of being a boss is that you must have the initials N.B. All of those who do not have these initials do not qualify to be a boss. So I close with this statement, Nate Bailey is the boss and no one can top his boss-like qualities.

Favorite Class

Online Publishing has become my favorite class and I am not even done with it yet. It’s kind of funny that out of all my classes that I have had in my schooling career, I came across my favorite class in my last year of high school. I like this class because it gives you a chance to write about whatever you want. Well, as long as it is school appropriate. We get a chance to cover topics that are related to the school like sports, clubs and other school activities. The class also gets the opportunity to write about topics that have to do with things outside of school like music, movies, television and upcoming events. It is also one of my favorite classes because we are led a great dictator. He goes by, Mr. Currin or sometimes he likes to be called “The Bengal.” He is not your everyday dictator though, he makes class worthwhile and it makes me look forward to fourth block. I am also surrounded by a good group of people. There is a great atmosphere when we are in Online Publishing. I sit next to the Tyler Stoldt. Yes, the quarterback for the undefeated Alden Bulldogs. He and I have great chemistry on the football field and also in the classroom which I believe is necessary to be motivated to get work done. I am also honored to have the privilege to sit by Brian Stoldt and Travis DeMuth. And that is why I love this class.

Favorite Artist

When I think of my favorite artist, without any hesitation, I think of Lil Wayne. I cannot get enough of his music. I am always searching for new music by him to stay updated. On my IPod, right now I have 922 songs where he is featured. I love his music for many reasons, but the main reason why I love his music is because it has always has some sort of “swagger.” This in a way, I think relates to my personality. Lil Wayne also is very confident which also is related to me. He always says how he is the best rapper alive and whatnot. While I sit here also thinking very highly of myself. I am confident that everyone in the school listened to Lil Wayne for a day; they would find at least a couple songs that they like. Although he has been in trouble with the law and other things like that, I still have respect for him. He started his career at an early stage in his life and never really got a chance to have a “real” childhood. Like many artists, he followed through with his dreams even though he never had a father that was there for him. He actually started rapping when he was just eight years old and eventually signed with Cash Money Records at the age of eleven. As you know he is very successful and loved by many today. Although I know there will be a point where I have to stop listening to him as I get older. But, I am thankful for being able to go through the Lil Wayne experience.

My Favorite Meal "Four-Cheese Pasta"

My favorite meal that I have ever had was at the Cheesecake factory. There, I enjoyed a nice four-cheese pasta that would make any Italian’s mouth water. Although the meal was very expensive, it was well worth it. It was topped with a red sauce that I cannot even put into words. The four-cheese pasta consisted of Mozzarella, Ricotta, Romano, and Parmesan, which added much flavor to it. Before the pasta I had an appetizer which was called “Buffalo Blasters.” These were crispy pieces of chicken served with cheese and buffalo sauce to dip in. Even before the appetizer, my grandma, my cousin and I experienced some delicious bread that is handed out before the meal. There were two types of bread. My personal favorite was the pumpernickel but we also received rye bread as well. From there, that is when I had Buffalo Blasters and later onto the main course, the four-cheese pasta, which I could eat every day. After being treated to pasta and Buffalo Blasters, I was full but my grandma offered to get me dessert so of course I accepted the offer. I searched and searched and finally came across what I had wanted. I had decided to finish the meal with a Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake. This cake was made of layers and layers of fudge cake with chocolate truffle cream finished off with chocolate mousse. I have to say that, I was the most full I have been in a while. All thanks to my grandma.

Favorite Movie 2 of 3: Superbad

One of favorite movies is Superbad. I love this movie because it takes place in high school in a similar atmosphere compared to the one that I am in every day. In addition to that, it also has three very funny actors that make the movie just that much better.
Throughout the movie, three high school students who are about to graduate, want to be a part of the biggest party of their high school career. They show that are sick of being losers and actually want a chance to date some better looking girls in their school. But to do that, they feel as if they need to help supply alcohol for a party that a girl is holding.
The story starts off with them being invited to the party and they are then asked to help supply some alcohol for the party. So the three boys do whatever they can just to help. Fogell (One of the main characters) gets a fake I.D. to buy the drinks. After getting punched in the face in a local liquor store, Fogell gets questioned by cops which makes Seth and Evan think that he is getting arrested.
Seth and Evan both then, get out of there as soon as possible and end up getting dragged to a party of adults where they once again escape. By the time they make it to the party that they had been waiting to get to, they realize that Fogell does not get arrested and they have the time of their lives at the party.

Favorite Movie 1 of 3: Hardball

One of my favorite movies of all time has Hardball. It is a true story about a group of younger boys from the city that have to deal with the “hood life.” These boys are only eleven and twelve years old trying to put up with the hardships of broken families, gang violence and living scared in their neighborhoods.
The main character is played by Keanu Reeves who also has some problems of his own. He has a gambling problem and is caught up with some bookies. So to get some extra money towards paying them back, he has to take over a little league baseball team in the city.
The team starts off with many problems and can barely fill in all the spots on the field. Coach (Keanu Reeves) does whatever he can to make it easier for him and the team. Throughout the entire season, the team is looked down upon and isn’t expected much from. After a couple games, the season starts to get a little better. The team even beats a number one seeded team that beat them earlier in the year with a hit from a ten year old (G-Baby) to win the game. After the game, G-baby is shot and killed in the projects by a drive-by shooter.
His brother, Coffey is crushed and gets the team together and tells them to win the championship for his brother. And they do that with no problem.

Interview with Amber Breyer

In an interview with Amber Breyer, I, Nate Bailey, aka the Boss learned many interesting facts that I had not known before. When asked “How is your junior year going so far?” Amber simply answered, “I am enjoying it, and it seems the same as my past years here” Let us note that she said all of this without any hesitation at all. Although that has nothing to do with anything, I just thought I would throw that in there.
I then asked her where she would like to go to college; she had told me that she would love to attend Niagara University or possibly a college in Albany. She had a look in her eye like she was surprised that the Nate Bailey was actually interviewing her. So I had to pinch her because she thought she was dreaming. When asked about her future after college, Amber says that she hopes to teach English in High School. This is also a possibility for me as well.
Amber also told me that she is a part of the school volleyball team. She is currently being recruited by top Division one college such as: Penn State, Stanford, Virginia and Florida. Which I thought was astonishing. Lastly, I asked her what she does in her free time, and she said that she usually sits on her couch eating cheese puffs. And I had just thought to myself, “wow what a life.”

Favorite Season 9/29

My favorite season hands down is summer. I mean there is so much to do during the summer and it is a time to meet new people. It is also my favorite season because my birthday is the first day of summer. When I think summer, I think of walking around or driving around at night doing whatever I wanted to with my friends and the start of football season. Summer is a time to relax but to me I think I get a lot less rest. My summers always consist of staying up late at night and doing something with your friends until you just pass out because you’re so tired. Another thing I think of when I think of summer is bonfires. It’s you and all of your friends, just sitting around a fire talking about the past, the present or the future. It’s a nice time and although you don’t see everyone as much as you would normally during the summer, you always make time for your true friends. I always spend so much money during the summer, which kind of sucks but it is always for a good cause. Late at night, there is always someone who wants to go get something to eat from mighty taco or maybe wants to get ice cream from frosty’s. So every time I would head to the mall or be sitting at home we would always find something to eat which made me go bankrupt. But I just say whatever because hey that’s what summer is about. Oh yeah and the ladies of course.

Getaway Spot 9/29

I have been many places recently but none of which, would I classify them as vacation spots. One place where I go to get away, which isn’t that far away at all, is my grandma’s house. I go there to rest and when I want to spend time with family I go there. My grandma hosts many dinners and always has members of the family over. Although it gets a little hectic sometimes, we always have good time and have stuff to talk about. My grandma’s is like a place you want to go when you’re really hungry. She has all the food you could ever imagine. Sometimes I wonder, “Why do grandmas always have so much food?” To me, it seems like the food is endless at gram’s house. Another thing I love and makes me feel like I’m on vacation is the fact that my grandmother waits on me and always wants to make sure I am happy. I guess you could say I am a bit of a grandma’s boy. But I don’t mind. If being a grandma’s boy means that I am going to be spoiled and waited on, then I am a grandma’s boy. I love being able to rest there and kick back on the couch. I think that is what makes it the best. But most of all, I think the best part is just being able to not have any worries and knowing that I’ll be happy while I am there.

My Past 9/24

My life has consisted of many life lessons. But one that comes to mind and sticks out the most was last year or actually, pretty recent. I was in a bit of a jam with some girl and for some reason I put her before family and friends. I would sneak out and do things that my mother would not like. When I was with my friends I would ditch them to hang out with her and then i would also lie to my mom and tell her I was somewhere else. So eventually, it got to the point where i had lost all trust with my mom and some of my friends. Once I started to become more relaxed and realize that a girl is not as important as family, or any friend. When it had gotten to that point, I stopped talking to the girl and started to spend more time with my friends and try to not be involved with all of the drama that surrounded it. Now, the reason I say that I am still learning the lesson is because of people I see today. I see people with their girlfriends or that are involved in drama and then I just ask myself like, why? Why must people be involved with something that doesn't make them happy? I'm sure that it may have its positives. But right here, right now all I know is that in the end my friends and family will always be here to make me happy.

My Present 9/23

Right now I am right where I want to be. I am finally into my senior year of high school and things couldn't be any better. I have a lot of friends, or what seems to be a lot to me. And I know if anything ever came up where I needed them, they would be right here for me and have my back. I'm also playing football for a team that has been rebuilt over the last couple of years and is currently 3-0 heading into the homecoming game against Newfane. We're hoping to return to Ralph Wilson Stadium again from last year. So as far as football goes, everything is good. Life in school is also great. It's nice going around school and pretending like you’re the top dog, which is kind of funny when you think about it. I think I get along with everyone, even though I'm sure people may think differently. But I try to get along with everyone. Even if I don't talk to someone, when they try to talk to me I listen and show them I'm not that bad.  As far as life outside of school, everything continues to be going how I could want it. Even though I don’t have as much free time as I would like with work and football, I can’t complain. I usually always try to keep myself occupied by hanging out with any one of my friends or just doing something. I don’t care what it is, if I’m bored, I’ll usually do it. I’ve convinced myself that I have A.D.H.D. because I always have to be doing something or I am always so talkative. But overall, I am happy with who I am and if someone doesn’t like who I am, then it’s whatever.

My Future 9/22

For me, thinking what I want in life or in the future, is the most difficult for me to think about. I mean I'm already a senior and I had no idea it would go this fast. But I guess this is growing up. I want to be able to say that I have it all figured out from here and that I know I will be successful in the future. But for now, all I can do is, wonder and predict how the rest of my life is going to turn out. I don't know for a fact if I will be where I wanna be ten years from now. To be honest, I don't even know what I want to even do in college yet. You would think that after going through schooling my whole life, that I would be set on what I want to do. But in all actuality, I can't decide or pick one thing that I want to do for the rest of my life. So for that, I keep my options open and continue to think about what or where I want to be. I hope that one day I can be something that I will enjoy doing. I see people today and how they complain about what they are doing all the time, or how they made the wrong decisions in life to get them where they are today. I don't want to be like that. I want to actually make a mark. I know I have said a lot of "I want to do this" or "I want to that," but by the time it's all said and done...I should be able to say I've done everything I wanted to.

Blog #1 9-13/9-17

Living in the coldest part of the country isn't easy. I mean you have no idea how limited I am to entertainment. Its too cold to go outside and other than that all I have is a couple video games and a computer. So I have to little bit of my imagination. I'd like to actually live it instead of imagine it, but what can you do? Nothing. So one way that I cope with my boredom is by creating scenery and pretending I am in different parts of the world. One day I'm on a beach, the next day Niagara Falls, after that, the Sahara Desert. Although I do not have many friends, I have enough fun by myself when i do these things and use my imagination. Of all of the things that I had mentioned, a beach happens to be my favorite. Although I have never been to a beach before, I picture it to be as great as I imagine.

Blog #2 9/13-9/17

It was just one of those days where I had felt totally out of it. I woke up and felt even more sick than the last couple of days. I'd been sleeping all day with the blinds closed, and lights off in my room. Dream after dream, it felt like a series of illusions. I couldn't help but toss and turn at the thought of being alone in my room all day with no one to talk to or interact with. After about fifteen minutes of watching television, i dozed of into an even deeper sleep. I woke up under water swimming with types of fish i have never even heard of before. But in my head all i was thinking was,"What am I doing here?" I couldn't wrap my mind around it but all i knew is that i was somewhere with a whole lot of water. It was getting hard for me to breathe and all I needed was air. I was stuck. There seemed like there was no way for me to get to ground level. But finally, I had managed to make it. My head was above water and I could see nothing but, blue skies and the body of water below me. At that point I had realized that i was lost. Lost at Sea.

Blog #3 9/13- 9/17

It was a long day of work, and I had just gotten home. Everything seemed to be going fine until...I heard my dog barking and the sound of a tornado coming from the bathroom upstairs. Knowing my dog, I was sure he was over exaggerating. But by the time i had gotten to the bathroom door, i realized that it was anything but any exaggeration. It was as if a typhoon had erupted from my toilet! My dog was about to get sucked down the toilet until i reached for him. I had managed to save him, but by then i had already lost three rolls of toilet paper, a couple knick-knaks, and a rubber ducky. My dog on the other hand, suffered a couple broken ribs and a mild concussion. I took to the vet as soon as I could. And although I will never know what truly happened that day, I will know that I save my dog’s life.