A BOAST

Here; is to a time for giving Thanks. This isn’t a cliché for family and friends as they know where I stand; unconditionally, with out word. This isn’t for those who have helped me along the way when a hand was needed most. This isn’t about any prized possessions I deem dear. This is Thanks for the gift you didn’t even know you gave…

I found something inside me this last year that I didn’t even know existed. Though I am not fully sure what it is yet or where it will go; I know I like it. As I have found my voice…

I would have never found it; if it weren’t for something I felt so obligated to share.

I would have never known how to write it; if it weren’t for a framework I understood.

I would have never had the words; if I wouldn’t have had the practice.

I would have never heard my voice; if you wouldn’t have told me to listen.

With the subtle guidance from the literary greats; Mike Rich, Woody Allen and Malcolm Gladwell I have found my barometer and Thanks to you I have found my meter.

Baily; I say Thanks for giving me something to write about.

Garret; I say Thanks for showing me the one word anecdote.

Frank; I say Thanks for the decades of practicing my Snarkiness. 

FINDING COLEMAN

SNAP CHAT

“Dad wanna have a catch?” - Arguably the most memorably moment in all of film. No wonder why it is a past time favorite for a Son and Father to play catch. In the day of Vicarious and Specializing; I wonder why we are still picking daisies out in these fields of dreams…

The true athlete has been forever lost; as we don’t have 3 Sport athletes anymore, just 3 Team athletes. This is a product of the overzealous dad trying to re live his glory days or the kid with lofty dreams. I am not questioning your dreams or approach; as if your talent is god-given, you are well on your way to the bright lights.

I am however going to question the kid with inherited talent. If you have any self awareness you know early on where your ability and potential stacks up. This shouldn’t change your dreams but I ask you to not dream bigger but to dream smarter.

Why in life do we take the path of least resistant but we dream the opposite? If it is in fact your dream to play in the NFL why are you dreaming of Stars. Every other boy wonder is dreaming of the same thing and you all ready know where you stand. I say instead get in your stance.

To be a Long Snapper in the NFL you need to know how to snap the ball to two different spots and then be in the way. There is no predetermined mold for a Long Snapper nor innate ability required. A Long Snapper plays just a handful of times a game and rarely gets hit. A Long Snapper will make at least league minimum; have one of the longest careers and literally walk away when done.

...You will still have to dream as it won’t be easy but we are all born with the ability. Who knows someday my boy will ask me: “Hey dad, wanna have a hike”.

DREAM CENTER

LONG SHOT

Howard Moskowitz taught us that a person doesn’t always know what they want and sometimes you have to tell them. This is why we now have endless varieties of spaghetti sauce. I just wish I would have dreamt of spaghetti as a kid…

No child dreams of being a Shift Supervisor, Middle Management or even Vice President. They dream of changing the world or better yet being the world.

As a child; like most, I dreamt of being the cliché when I grew up. However none was more exciting than that of being a professional athlete, specifically a Football Player. I didn’t want to be a professional athlete for the star power, glamour or money. I was a kid that was as foreign as the opposite sex. I did however understand at an early age the saying if you find something you love you will never have to work a day in your life.

That dream never came true. I even had some built in advantages; I would have good size, I would have good athleticism and what I lacked in speed I made up in awareness. I even had some genes with experience. The only thing that stopped this dream from coming to fruition was in fact my inability to dream. Though I had a good perspective on life at a young age I was limited by my own imagination.

…As children we dream of being one of the Skilled Players. But what if I could have let my mind wonder outside the tackle box? Moskowitz showed us our path to happiness when it comes to spaghetti sauce. Imagine if he would have shown me my imagination. 

LONG SNAPPER

ROGUE

Sex sells; Marketing 101. The more skin a female shows the less to the imagination; too far, the truth. The art is in the balance but can the same apply to the male?...

Fashion has a unique way of connecting us all; as it is who we are. Collectively fads are born; they come and ago and sometimes come around for another look. I’m not here to talk about skinny jeans and why they are in style or the Rachel Ray conundrum of the Jean Jacket. I’m just raising my hand as I want another look; as I want more skin.

…There was a fad on Saturdays that has come and gone and it’s time for a button hook. Visualize the college years of Ray Lewis, Deion Sanders and even Kenny Wheaton himself. What did they have in common? They showed a little skin, a little mid-drift. Lewis was selling the most; Neon threw a little twist in with his knottical look and Wheaton scored with the undershirt. Alvin Mack and Steven Lattimer even gave you a sneak peak of what they were selling in their Program.

They weren’t selling sex per say but they were letting you know you were about to get Fucked Up. It’s time for someone to bring sexy back.

VOGUE

EASLEY THE BEST CALL

Sport has a way of shaping our lives and teaching us some of the fundamentals of life, culture, social behavior and even vocabulary. In ’09 we learned words such as “schism” and “indiscretions”. More recently we have added “tebowing” and “kaepernicking” to our wardrobe. But let’s celebrate a word; as today is its anniversary: Hullabaloo…

It was Week 3.

It was MNF.

It was the games final play.

It was a great call.

A Strike ended because of it…

A strike would have ended it…

SECONDARY MATTERS

MANZEALOUS

If you live under a rock you might have missed the summer of Football; Johnny Football.

Amidst all the Non-News News this summer we have overlooked that that non-news is news…

Let’s go back to the summer of ’08; you remember the summer we all went to Church Camp. The Non-News News that summer was of the young Tim Tebow and his life as the All-American Christian Boy. The media obsessed on his idealisms and lifestyle and over the course of the summer forced a church vs state rift. This dichotomy added fuel to this non news news again creating news. What did we learn about Tebow as he jump passed into the spotlight; the brighter that light the shinier he got.

…Which brings us back to today: As the college football season is upon us and from this point forward news will actually be news. What I learned from this summer and media exploitation of nothing is that Johnny Manziel is the All-American Boy; young, passionate and accident prone. He like every college student has an opinion and knows it is right, has some freedom and wants to test it. The media once again failed as all they did was make us see ourselves in the mirror. Johnny Manziel still had the greatest football season in my lifetime and you can’t take that away from him nor me.

[To an earlier point I don’t want to know; so quit asking. I want Johnny Football to be Johnny Heisman not Johnny Manziel.]

Who is Johnny Football? Is the question I assume the media is and trying to answer. Let me help; he is you. Assuming you are an American Boy that was gifted some talent and some passion for that talent. Not obsessed nor negligent but right down the middle. In the adult world we call this work/life balance. In the academic world we call this a C average. In my life I have always sought out the C average people as they are the most well rounded and prepared. Yes you have your 4.0 students but what did they give up to achieve. Yes, there are two types of C average folks; those who maxed their potential and those who exploited their potential.

[Johnny Manziel took my advice and has stood up for who he is. He just might be my King on a White (& Maroon) Horse]

Manziel is going to C himself to a successful college career and let’s be realistic on our report card (for this year) as it will be impossible for him to repeat but then again why would he want to… he all ready got his A for the class.

A&Mazing

SOCIETAL KING

I have been sitting/pondering on this notion of emotion for sometime now... It all arose during the Rutgers situation earlier this year followed by Ohio State and others in higher seats, positions and jobs… and now this Paula Deen situation…

I am not a history expert nor buff but wasn’t the American Revolution based upon differencing of opinions by a small few and standing up for what they believed in. They felt that over time the King was misguided and not for the benefit of thyself.

I am not a Poly Sci major either; nor have any invested interest in the matter but isn’t the first amendment Freedom of Speech. I understand it has it’s inherit limitations and guidelines but it is first on the list for a reason.

…The Athletic Director at Rutgers and Ohio State and many others expressed their opinion both in speech and action because at the time they felt that was the best for the situation. Paula Deen says something from her childhood that was common speech of her yester year. All were ousted by this new governing body; Society.

Malcolm Gladwell references studies of groups consisting of normal citizens will test lower as a group than individuals. Hmmm…. Society is slowing becoming disconnected from the individual perspective and their inherit opinion. Who is this Society and why do we care what they think? Aren't we taught as children to be ourselves and to not focus on what others think?

These individuals were forced out of their livelihood because of someone they have never met; who said they were wrong. Who’s they? Society is becoming the new King; unelected. It’s time to STAND UP.

Jeff Daniels said it best on the Newsroom “America Was the Greatest Country”.

At some point these individuals will finally stand-up for their speech, opinion or action and call Society out. This will be the start of a new revolution; The Figment Revolution.

Everyone has a couple things that they truly believe in that are theirs and only theirs. All I ask is honor your independence by being independent. Don’t let things you’ve never seen or met control you. I’ve stood up for two in my life that I felt strongly about and in result lost one of the loves of my life but I too this day prosper in me.

Independence Day is a time to reflect and celebrate the ground work the forefathers laid out for us; but it is also time to renovate.

This Independence Day I ask you to celebrate the RED, WHITE, BLUE and YOU

This Independence Day I celebrate my freedom as I am KING