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.