Break the Chain

Teaching in an area where I teach, I deal with a good bit of conflict with lack of conflict resolution skills. But a phenomenom that exists in every school across the country regardless of area is this bully mentality that certain students take on. As a teacher, it is my job to not only educate my students but teach them how to handle life situations such as dealing with a bully. I used to think parents would take care of this ( I do with my daughter and plan to continue to do so), but as I have learned, that doesn't always happen. The instances where parents to teach their children how to deal with bullies, it isn't in a manner conducive to the educational process.

I do not disagree with the frame of mind that one needs to stand up to a bully. I think that is important. Although I do feel that there are ways in which to do this that go beyond "hitting back." This line is a tough one to walk as an authority figure in this scenerio. I do not want fights breaking out in school. This is not a positive situation and impedes the process of education. On the other hand, I am a firm believer in standing up to a bully and defending yourself or friend. I also think letting it go can many times lead to built up frustration and major blowups like Columbine and other unfortunate events.

I try to teach my students alternatives to fighting even in circumstances where they are being intimidated. But many times in fourth grade this leads to "snitching" which is a whole other blog post waiting to happen. I try to get my students to learn to address the intimidator directly according to situation, Simply stating they do not like what is happening and to stop it. Unfortunately, this opens them up to more riducule compounding the problem. Specific situations have specific ways to handle them and I feel like this year I have been able to handle these better than past years but the overall problem remains.

Therefore, I think to myself as I reflect on this, "What is the core of the problem? How can I address the beginning of the issue?" Nip it in the bud so to speak. If I had a penny for the times I find myself dealing with a confrontation that is the part of a long series of interactions between two or more people, I could quit teaching now with two decades left before retirement. Where is the staring point and how do I identify that and squash it there?

I brought this up to my students one year and used a chain analogy. I tried to describe this issue with them and relate it to specific events in the class. I told them that we need to break the chain. Nobody is admitting to being a bully. Everybody claims to be the victim. But that is not possible. In order to have a victim you have to have an offender. Somebody in the class or some bodies in the class are the offender(s). I am not paid to be a detective and figure it out. I am paid to teach. As a result my lesson is: BREAK THE CHAIN! Victim or no victim, QUIT intimidating or fighting or insulting other students. Just stop it. If everyboy stops it from now on, we won't have it anymore.

But then I worry I am taking a survival skill from them. Where they live, there are a lot of angry and mean people. There are everywhere but it just seems like there is more anger and negativity there. In order to make there amidst all these negative behavior, one needs to defend themselves by attacking. Kill or be killed, sometimes literally in the case of a former student of mine shot and killed in gang related activity. Can I justify taking this trait from them considering their situation?

I would think yes. I would think we need to end this bad stuff. The way to do that would be through education and teaching our youth how to deal with problems without resorting to violence.

It is a nasty chain. A strong one at that. We need to break it as a society, country and humanity. Whoever is bullying others and initiating a new chain needs to stop. Somebody needs to take one for the team and resist the urge to act out violently.

Break the chain......please!

An Apology From a Rowdy Fan

Recently I have heard several references to tasteless fan behavior at sporting events. Coincidentally I blogged about this very topic as well. When I read "The Celestine Prophecy" by James Redfield, he wrote about how coincidences have meaning. I am a firm believer in this. They are related to a higher power depending on your chosen faith or belief system. So I feel like these coincidences are a sign that I owe many people an apology for my foul behavior in the past. Most people want to talk about other people's behavior, but I am going to avoid that and hold myself accountable.

I have made an effort to clean things up over the past few years. I have also grown up since many of the events of which I am ashamed. Honestly, alcohol is the main fuel to most people's inappropriate behavior including my own. It would make sense then that my improvement in this area coincides with my significant decrease in drinking, both with frequency and amount.

Unfortunately, my rage is also pure. Long before I thought about tasting a beer let alone consuming one, I was overreacting to games. I remember getting livid because the AFC lost the Pro Bowl. I would be in a bad mood over preseason Browns' games. So I can't blame this all on tailgating and drinking too much.

I will not apologize for yelling, standing or any of that. I will apologize for throwing that empty popcorn box at the Michigan fan in Ohio Stadium. And starting mosh pits after touchdowns with my friends in the stands...although that was alot of fun! Anytime I dropped the F bomb... I am sorry. My friends who have felt uncomfortable by my immaturity...I apologize.

I'd like to think the people who know me best know where I am coming from. I hope and trust they know my passionate personality. I also would like to think that more often than not I am under control. I also would like to think I have treated fans of the other team decently even if I did jab with them from time to time. For crying out loud my buddy and I defended a Bengals fan leaving the stadium after we lost one time. That is noble isn't it? I hope I have kept it clean enough and always related to the team and the play on the field and not anybody personally. But in case I have not......I am sorry.

Since I know I will probably do something regretable in the future....I apologze ahead of time. Just understand I won't compromise my right to yell, talk innocent trash, stand, clap, cheer, boo the other team or bad calls and slam my hat in the ground. I mean the hat throw is my signature move!! I will try to refrain from insults, or profanity laced tirades though.

Go Cleveland!!!!!!

Go Bucks!

Karma strikes again...

So why did I say I liked the trade again? Apparently a Cavs jersey is the same as kryptonite when it comes to shooters. Wally can't hit anything and it seems to be getting in his head meaning...it isn't going to improve anytime soon. We could have another Larry Hughes on our hands.

Now I know I am overreacting to a game where Milwaukee threw the ball in the air and it somehow always landed in the basket and then with an and one to go with it. And I know it was a game where Redd hit an amazing three pointer at the end to win it that I normally would call bull#$%&. Coming from Redd, a cold blooded shooter, I really cannot say that. Those clutch shots are what he does. Nevertheless, this game also had every loose ball go the home team's way and no calls go our way. Wally called for a foul as he AVOIDED the player??? Clearly he did not touch him. So many other calls that weren't called when we had the ball and ridiculous calls when the opponent had the ball. Sounds like sour grapes, but this was pure crap tonight.

But I am more concerned with Wally inability to get in a rhythm. He may turn out like Damon Jones who just now (three seasons later) is hitting shots like he was hyped to be able to do coming in.

Just great. The Huey Karma got me again. I should not have fallen for it. I retract my statement. On the record, I say this trade sucks. And the Cavs are in trouble. Then LeBron will leave to be with his man crush JayZ in Brooklyn and we will be left with mediocre at best scrubs.

Sigh.

And FINALLY........

I can't go much longer without sharing my opinion of the Cavs' big, 11 player deal just before the trading deadline last week. The trade sent Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Ira Newble, Cedric Simmons, Donyell Marshall and Shannon Brown to various teams and received back Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West (and a 2nd round draft pick).

First, the only significant losses for the Cavs were Gooden and Hughes. The others played only when rashed of injuries inflicted the team if at all. Both Hughes and Gooden were painfully inconsistent. On fire one night and cold as ice the next. But, as you have read in previous posts, I felt as though these players were enough to carry us beyond the expectations of every national talking head. Therefore, I will remain consistent in my statements and acknowledge their loss.

With that said, I feel that consistency is better than inconsistency even the the averages state otherwise (thank you Doug). For instance, if you have a guy who consistently scores 10-12 points a night you can game plan around these points feeling secure you are going to get them. But if you have a guy that will score 26 points one night and 2 the next night and have no idea how much is coming any particular game, you can't plan for it. Even though he may average more than 10-12, you can't count on it. You will lose 50% of the time...theoretically. Again, this comes from my intelligent bro.

So, Joe Smith alone offsets the loss of Gooden. And he brings better defense and a gritty attitude to the floor. Ben Wallace only adds to the defensive gain inside. Although he did not pan out in Chicago (a bold prediction you would have heard here first if I blogged back then), his style will fit much better in Cleveland where his only offensive responsibility is to rebound and dunk. He will be much closer to the Detroit Ben than the Chitown Ben. Wally and West bring two guards that can score. They may not drop 40 like Hughes finally did the other week, but they won't be out of their element shooting the ball and stretching out the defense to the perimeter. Wally is big and West is a point guard. A better point guard than what we have had in recent memory anyway...offensively anyway. Say what you want about Snow and trust me I will, but that dude and D up. No jump shot at all. But gritty defense.

I am eager to see how things develop. I am glad they pulled out a win against Washington with 8 guys. I am glad they played Memphis at home as a warm up with the new lineup. And it is looking like a blessing in disguise that we have the injuries to Sasha, Boobie and Andy because these new guys can come in and get into the flow and learn the playbook so to speak without breaking thinkgs up too much.

All in all, this team is 11 deep now. James, Z, Wallace, Smith, Andy, Wally, West, Sasha, Boobie, Brown, Jones. ELEVEN!!!!! Think of the rest LeBron and Z can get now. Think of the defensive stops this team can get. Think of the multiple options on offense when LeBron drives and dishes?

I like the trade.

Versus

Do you remember how good that album by Pearl Jam was? "Animal" just popped up on my ipod while I was exercising tonight and it just "felt" so good. I got into it and realized that I really liked that album. Amazing how I forgot. And they were HUGE at that time.

Thank you!

I am currently reading a book called, "Do You Think What You Think You Think?" by Julian Baggini. It is a Philosophy for Dumbies type of book that is very fun, easy and interesting to read. Each chapter has a exercise that basically takes your philosophical temperature for a different basic general philosophical topic.

If you are interested in the exercises, check out: www.doyouthinkwhatyouthink.com

I want to share part of chapter 6 with you:
"One difficulty with encouraging philosophical self-examination is that many people miss the point of it. You question the reasons for believing God exists and they assume you are trying to convince them he doesn't. You question our capacity for rational thought and they assume you are trying to say they are stupid. You question the rational basis for taboo and they assume you're trying to overthrow them all and campaign for a nation in which incest, pedophilia and desecrating graves are the norm."

"It would be pointless to think the unthinkable if you never allowed for the possibility that the unthinkable might sometimes be true."

"......the main purpose of probing our ideas and values ever deeper is not to change them but to understand them." (Baggini, 105-106)

I include this quote because it articulates perfectly how I feel about many of my posts. I have wanted to do this for a long time. I have longed for these types of conversations. This blog has provided that.

I wanted to post a personal Thank You to Comoprozac, Nathan IV, Jenn (dailyliving), douglas, beam, sven, katejack, anonymous, any other commentators and future commentators!!!!!!!!!!!

You have given me a forum to express these thoughts and I appreciate it! I wish there was an easier way to display recent comments to old blogs to keep some of those old conversations going. I still am interested in people's opinions regarding morality, taboo, religion and so on. But while I seek this, keep reading and commenting.

Dedicated to My Sister

My sister grew up in a family consisting of two older brothers and a father (and even mother) who loved sports. She, on the other hand, chose the route of theater. She spent her years at Ohio University studying this very subject and moved to New York City to pursue a career in theater. Currently she resides in Florida not working in theater so to speak, but no less a coniseur of good theater.

To this day I have excellent conversations with her regarding many things, almost all of which are fascinating, but the one conversation I think she may be most passionate about it the sports versus art discussion. This is not a debate of which is better or more legitimate or entertaining or whatever. Instead, it is more of a comparison between the two and how I should really be more interested in theater because of the striking similarities in the fundamental enjoyment of both.

It is fascinating to me how stereotypical "sports fan" and "theater fan" are so different in behavior. Each seems to have little or no interest in the other entertainment. Yet, when you examine what we love so much in our sports or art form, there are numerous similarities.

I want to share with you in our own words just a small example of what we have discussed and would love to hear your comments and insight on this topic.

Here is an excerpt of our conversation:

Dear Beau,

(She quoted "One Tree Hill")
"Your art matters. It's what got me here" It might have been cheesy in context (but I like cheese) but it got me thinking, and I decided to write it out.

Sports v. Art: This is a show arguably about sports – that and pretty people. So why are they talking about art? Why did they make their main character be not only a jock but a writer? (I'm looking for a deeper answer here than "because young girls think both are hot"). What is the difference between athleticism and artistic ability? Isn't there a finesse in a basketball player's lay up? Isn't there a beauty to a quarterback throwing the perfectly placed ball? Isn't baseball made up of mathematical perfection which is in it's own way beautiful? Watching the way Rugby players run in formation – it's absolutely breathtaking. Hell, an athlete's body – isn't that a work of art? The amount of time an energy to sculpt ones own body similar to that of an actual sculptor? And conversely, as a former dancer, there is a lot of athletic ability in these artists. I work with performers every day who have to stretch before they can go on stage – to play drums. My friend Casey loves to say how he always got picked last for teams in gym, and now he makes his living throwing accurately – if he misses his friend gets hit in the face with paint.

I've waxed on and on about the similarities between modern day sports and ancient theatre – how live entertainment and sports are more similar than they are different. I don't know why this is such a huge theme in my life. I guess being the lone artistic minded member of an All-American Sports family makes me want to desperately bridge the two.

All this brought me to my next thoughts – how does this statement pertain to my life. Whose art and where did it get me? And why not my own art? Why is it someone else's? Perhaps we are never truly inspired by our own art. Our own art is what gets us through – our mood, our thoughts, our worries, our happiness. Other people's art is what gets us to think, to act, to create our own. They feed off of each other in a vicious circle. One does not exist without the other. Team members in a way. And I'm back to sports. Just like One Tree Hill, I like to come full circle too.

Snippets of my reply:
I have always loved your Sports and Art comparison discussions. It is fascinating. The people involved in each area many times are vastly different or at least considered different. Yet, there are so many similarities in the fundamental part of what they do. Athletes and dancers. Drama of competition and creatively written drama. Spectators that obsess with them.

I like what you said about your own art just getting you through while other's art inspires you or motivates you or whatever the right word is here. Isn't that so true. You hear of musical artists writing angry or sad songs to help them through tough times. I have a good friend who has done that. He has written songs about things that can be considered difficult and he has done pretty damn well with it if you ask me.

This is a Community Post...You must add to the list!

I want to compile a list of awesome sports experiences. Let's relive some of our favorite memories, emotions, experiences.

I'll start it off:
Going to old Cleveland Municipal Stadium in the winter months for Browns games. I fondly remember walking out to the stands and looking at the field goal posts. Scanning the field as the players were warming up with their long sleeves on. Blowing into their hands because of the cold. I loved the passion of the fans and the noise of the crowd and screaming my lungs out for every play.

I had similar feelings walking into the same stadium on hot summer evenings or afternoons to watch the Tribe and its collection of scrub players that I still adored. I loved begging to God that we get a foul ball hit to us knowing that sitting in the general admission seats near the foul poles was the best place to get them.

Oh there are so many more....I will save them for my follow up comments.

So join in. Give us your moments. They can be live at the game or watching from tv. They can be personal like your high school state championship. Whatever. Just keep it sports related. We can share concert moments or job moments or whatever later.

Slices of Pizza

I like my pizza sliced in triangles. I consider this the proper way to slice a pizza. But about 15 years ago when I moved to Columbus from Mentor (Cleveland area), I noticed that a popular pizza establishment called Donatos was cutting their pizzas in squares or rectangles.

At first I thought it was just their unique deal but other establishments were doing the same thing. It got to the point where I couldn't find a regular sliced pizza pie anywhere!!!

I dealt with the situation but soon grew weary of the crustless pizzas and the constant grabbing for another tiny piece. I sought out pizza joints with the properly sliced zas.

During my visits back home I knew I could get the traditionally sliced pies and began to wonder. Is it a Columbus, Ohio thing to have so many four sided slices of pizzas? Or is it a development whose timing just coincided with my move to Cbus?

Let me know...how are most of the pizza joints slicing pizzas where you reside? If quadrilaterally, how long has this been going on? What do you prefer and why?

The Huey Karma

Karma can summed up as "what goes around, comes around." But The Huey Karma twists it to the point of Murphy's Law. Want to see how I get from here to there? Read on.

Throughout my decades of sports watching and borderline fanaticism, I have made numerous observations. Not least of which is that everything in sports revolves around me and what I do. But it goes deeper than this.

I have also noticed through my supersticious behavior that anytime I begin to think positive about any of my teams, things inevitably go bad. It can be within the context of a single game. My team gets a big lead......just to blow it down the stretch. I assume the game is won because there is no way the opponent can come back with such little time left......my team somehow finds a way to lose. Or it could be within the context of a season....my team as a sure shot at making the postseason....they don't make the playoffs at all.

Here are some examples:
Exhibit A) 2001 Cleveland Browns vs. Kansas City Chiefs.
The clock says 0:00. The Browns have more points than the Chiefs. We Won! Nope. Dwayne Rudd get flagged for taking his helmet off. Never seen this penalty before in my life. Penalty results in field goal attempt for Chiefs. KC wins.

Exhibit B) Same season vs. Chicago Bears.
Fourth quarter with a 14 point lead for the Browns. Everybody thinks the game is over. The Bears proceed to score a touchdown, get an onside kick and Hail Mary another touchdown. Go to OT, Browns win the coin toss only to throw a pick 6 and lose the game.

Exhibit C) Same Season vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
My memory is vague for details but it was the infamous beer bottles on the field game when the instant reply wasn't supposed to be used but was anyway despite the Browns snapping the ball. Led to Browns loss.

Exhibit D) The Drive....'nuff said.

Exhibit E) The Fumble...c'mon.

Exhibit F) The Shot....poor Craig Ehlo.

Exhibit G) 2007 season Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills
After the huge victory my friend and I walked out of the Stadium chanting "Playoffs!" knowing we just needed to beat Cincinnati to all but clinch a berth. The following week the Browns promptly lost to the Buungles.

Exhibit H) 2007-2008 Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets start off well this season and I text for free tickets. As a result I get updates after each period of Jacket scores. They have lost all but two games since I began.

Exhibit I) 1997 World Series Cleveland Indians vs. Florida Marlins
Tribe takes a lead into the 7th inning of game 7 only to have Jose Mesa come in later to blow a save and game and ultimately the series.

Exhibit J) 2007 season Cleveland Indians
The Tribe has a 3-2 lead on the sox with our best two pitchers due up in the next two games. We lose both and end up home watching the World Series.

Exhibit K) 1998 Ohio St Buckeyes vs. Michigan St SpartansShamefully, probably the best OSU football team during my years at OSU (technically I graduated before football season though) and they couldn't represent it with a National Championship.

Exhibit L) 1990s Pre-Tressel Football Buckeyes
Loss after loss after loss to the team up north unless the season was already shot.

I could go on. It has happened on my softball teams, soccer teams, intra-mural basketball teams and more. Almost every time I feel positive, something negative happens to bring me back to earth and reality.

It has gotten to the point that I just refer to it as the Huey Karma. In order to make it fit the Karma label though I have to twist things. So here it goes:

When I begin to assume anything for my team that is positive, it is looked at as disrespectful to the opponent and therefore the disrespect is negative energy coming from me. So in return I get negative energy back which is a loss or lack of postseason.

This goes back to the 80s when I would go to Browns games with my dad and brother and the fans would chant "we will rock you." I refused to join in because of the ramifications of the "karma police." This is not a lie. 100% truth. I had no idea what karma was, but I felt something wrong about chanting that. It would come back to haunt me for sure...I was convinced of it. And it did.

You don't believe me? Ask two good friends of mine Chad and Ernie. They doubted me at first as well. Laughed at me even.

Now? Before you could finish your question they would tell you to fear the karma. The Huey Karma is real. It is powerful.

Don't mess with the karma or the karma will mess with you!!

Ignorance of National NBA Fans!

LeBron James had an amazing dunk at the end of the All Star game and nearly dropped a triple double. He was MVP. Here is a review of his performance on Yahoo! Sports.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebronallstar021808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Unfortunately, like most people around the world who follow the NBA this writer and fans who respond to articles like these, decided to pound home the point that the Cavs are overmatched in the JV East and LeBron has no supporting cast around him. Last year's appearance in the NBA Finals were a result of "smoke and mirrors" as Adrian Wojnarowski puts it.

Did he watch the Detroit series? Cleveland played better than the Pistons even in the games they lost. There were no "smoke and mirrors." That was a legitimate series victory.

Is anyone ever going to give Daniel "Boobie" Gibson some love? He drilled 11 three pointers in the rookie game. He finished second in the 3-point shootout. He stepped up in the playoffs last year in a major way. He has had a solid season this year.

How soon has everybody forgotten the run the Cavs were on this very season once this supposed weak supporting cast was playing together? The Cavs went from 4 games under .500 to 8 games above .500 once the team was back together. They have beaten the mighty Celtics two out of three times this season. Don't give me this without Garnett garbage either. The Cavs didn't have LeBron for the one game they lost. They have beaten mighty Kobe and the Lakers in Los Angeles. They beat The Spurs in San Antonio and the Mavs in Dallas.

Look, I'll be the first to admit the Cavs need more. They need a point guard in particular. Larry Hughes has not lived up to the hype. There is no "Scottie Pippen" on this team. I get that. But Danny Ferry has busted his rear end to improve this team. Paxson left him with a mess. But he has drafted Gibson. He traded Mike Wilkes for Flip Murray in a masterful move. He got Larry Hughes who was close behind Redd in that offseason Free Agent crop. It is not his fault Hughes has had personal trauma and has let the team down in performance.

What this team did last year against Detroit and what I see this year shows me much more than the played out, old excuse that James is all by himself here. He knows we need more. He also knows Gibson and Z are important contributors and Hughes just needs to get kick started.

You heard it hear first (and again if you read my old blogs), the Cavs are better than they are getting credit for. The supporting cast is not as bad as everybody wants them to be. Look a little deeper. These guys bring their own strengths to the table.

And one more thing. If Dwayne Wade is so much better than LeBron, why isn't he having the same success in Miami with his supporting cast as James? Don't tell me his supporting cast isn't good enough. Because apparently either is James but the Cavs have been in the playoffs several seasons in a row now and they are 28-23 now. And don't tell me the conference is affecting it. Both teams are in the East. Don't tell me injuries have hurt the Heat, the Cavs have had four of their top seven players out at the same tim. And three of them for an extended stretch.

Fan Behavior

Where do you draw the line with people's behavior at sporting events? What variables do you take into account? For instance, does the venue matter? Does it matter which sport you are watching? Does time of day make a difference? What about whether the players are professionals or student athletes? How about the quality of the team overall? And what kind of behavior is considered "too far" for you.

I have two types of behavior I want to focus on: booing and standing during the game. I am a proponent of booing. I do not think simple booing is wrong. I think booing the opposing team, the refs bad calls and even your own team are all part of the game experience.

If booing is too much for your fragile ego, you don't belong on a professional or D-I college sports team. There is a bright spotlight on you and you need to be able to handle it just like you need to be able to handle the ball better than jokers like me that try to play. With all the popularity, money and other positive things you get by playing these sports, you also have to deal with negative stuff like displeasure from adoring fans. I realize D-I student athletes are not paid. It is tough to support the side of booing them.

When entering an opposition's arena of play you should anticipate getting booed. That is why we say home teams have homecourt or homefield advantage. We all have to face opposition in life, this is yours.

And when the players are performing bad, guess what? People who pay your salary and buy your jerseys or shoes and put up your posters and watch your commercials are going to be displeased. Toughen up. ESPECIALLY, if there is a lack of effort there should be booing. Just like we should get reprimanded by our boss when we slack off at work, so should these athletes. I get it from 25 kids on a daily basis. Cry me a river. Wait a minute, my effort is there everyday, I never get booed. Scratch that last sentence.

But there is a line. Booing is one thing. Insulting a player for there physical characeristics, religion, private situations that unfortunately become public, race or other personal things is wrong. Booing or commenting on play of the individual is one thing, but personl attacks are another. I do not accept that. I think most people don't.

Alcohol plays a MAJOR role in that kind of thing. It makes people do or say things they otherwise wouldn't do or say. I, for one, will admit to falling in that category. Youth also plays a role. As you grow up and mature, you realize things you didn't at a younger age and begin to control yourself a bit more. Again, I for one, admit to falling in this category. Lastly, passion for the team or game fuels some regretable behavior. You care so much and want your team to win so bad that you get so mad and say things you wish you didn't. One more time, I am part of this scenerio as well.

What an a#$hole I must have been about ten years ago at games after tailgating!!! Boy oh boy. I am sorry to anyone I bothered.

But one thing I am NOT at ALL, EVER sorry for is standing at a game. I go to a game to be part of the action. I want to yell as loud as I can to support my team and get in the head of the opposing team. I want to jump up and down in excitement. I want to see the game. I am not there to sit on my hands and look up every so often. I paid for my ticket too. When people stand in front of me, I stand. I don't complain. But when I go to a game and the Tribe is rallying with two runner's in scoring position and 2 outs, I am standing up! If the Browns are driving inthe fourth quarter, hell the first quarter...I'm standing. If the defense is out there defending a third down, I am standing!!!! Don't give me this, "there's a game going on" line with a tone of disdain. Of course there is, so stand up damnit!!!!!!!

I am all for calming down my behavior out of consideration of people around me. I like to think I have over the past couple years. Ask my wife how I handled the flat out arse kicking we took from the Steelers this past year and all the obnoxious Steeler fans sitting around us. She'll tell you I was very well behaved. That wa worst case scenerio. Black and gold high fives over my hanigng head. Dudes wanting to fight and claiming two stints in jail was a sign of his manhood. Not a word out of me.

To wrap this up, I want to share a story that defines my outlook on fan's behavior at games, football games in particular. My Dad took my brother and me to a Browns game back in '85 if I recall correctly. We sat in the Dawg Pound. The fellow fans were drunk, reaking of canibus, throwing up, mooning opponents' fans, swearing up a storm and any other bad behavior my Dad never displayed to us and never accepted from us. At one point, the fans started chanting "bulls#$@" as fans do when there is a bad call. My brother and I looked at each other not knowing how Dad would react since we weren't allowed to talk like that and it was a bad thing and all that. We then looked at Dad and there he was fist in the air, chanting with the drunk guys with missing teeth. Later he explained that when you go to things like this people are going to do things they shouldn't do. While it doesn't mean we should do them, it isn't his place to tell them not too.

I look at that in this way. If you want to go somewhere when certains behaviors are common, expect it and deal with it. Don't walk out appalled by their behavior. You shouldn't have gone inthe first place. You don't go to a punk rock show and expect people in suits speaking proper English drinking tea and crumpets.

What's worse than a poser?

First off, let's define a poser. A poser is someone who who "poses" as something they are not. It can be used in many different contexts. Most of these contexts are unimportant. And those of us who have a major problem with posers are really immature. It is something teenagers are more concerned with than grown, emotionally secure adults. But I am neither grown nor secure in much of anything.

My issues with the poser mentality came about in the mid-90s when my beloved Cleveland Indians suddenly were dominating Major League Baseball. They had been so bad for so long and nobody was going to their games. The good citizens of Cleveland trashed the team year after year. It was a running joke how bad they were. The common folk that didn't care too much about sports never had anything good to say about them....and really, who could blame them at that time. The team was really bad. There was a core group though that still watched the games, went to the games and claimed the Indians as "our" team and remained eager to cheer for anything.

So as the mid 90s came about and those of us who hung in there with the bad teams (and can still give you the starting lineup of the atrocious '87 team that lost over 100 games after beginning the year on the cover of Sports Illustrated) were completely estactic over the new found success despite the ugly strike that took the 94 World Series away, we found ourselves unable to go to games. We were suddenly surrounded by people all dressed up in their brand new, fancy, expensive, "trendy" Tribe attire. When we did get lucky enough to go to the games, the people around us told us to "sit down," "relax," "it's not that big of a deal." What? Who are YOU to tell ME to sit down! If you don't care that we are only down 2 runs in the 8th inning and Jim freaking Pool is being called from the bullpen (or my favorite Eric KER-Plunk) then, get the F*&$ outta here!

Then people started acting like they were life long fans. And I began to notice some of these people were people who bashed the Tribe in the past. Not the bashing that avid fans do with their own team when they are so upset. I for one will admit I trash my most beloved teams (Ohio St and the Browns) in my most beloved sport (football) and talk about how much they suck and how pathetic they are maybe 100 times a week during their games. That is different. Yes, it is. It is different because these "posers" bashed them and rarely turned an eye towards them. They just did because everyone else was bashing them. Also, they were very general in their bashing. There wasn't anything specific. If there was, it was wrong and ridiculous.

So I was getting very angry because these so called fans were getting enjoyment out of my team without paying the emotional pricetag I did. I and my fellow die hard fans somehow deserved the feel good-ness of a winning team more than they did. And I was jealous that they seemed to get as much out of it as I did. And they were the ones at the games sitting on their hands talking about stupid crap during the game giving me an attitude then calling into the radio shows talking about obnoxious fans. I don't mean the times I drank too much and really was obnoxious, I mean the times I was standing or yelling or cheering or booing. I deserved getting yelled at when I went too far. (Booing could be a good debate blog)

So as time passed I noticed this with other teams I love. I notice it in other arenas, mainly because I am one. I'll be the first to admit I miss out on a lot of bands until they "make it big." And I have grown out of much of the anti-poser sentiment I once had. I and my teams need these fringe fans. They help pay the bills. They keep the critical mass afloat for the team's popularity and pressure the owners to be successful. And in the end they deserve to root for their geographical affliated team as much as any of us.

Since I moved to Columbus and have noticed the power and sheer number of people in Buckeye nation, I have also noticed the spitefulness of people in this town. If I wasn't a Buckeye fan myself, I would probably understand it. We, as Buckeye fans, are pretty obnoxious and annoying. I will admit that. BUT......the people in this town who root for the Wolverines purposely make me sick!!!!!!

These fans couldn't name the starting QB for the team this year WHILE THEY WERE WATCHING THE GAME! The only reason they could name the coach is because of the jokes Buckeye fan makes about him constantly. (6-1 by the way) Oh but they love Michigan and they sport all their shirts and coats and hats and the stinkin time. They love to talk trash about "their" Wolverines, but act like they don't really care after a loss.

I actually don't have a problem with Michigan fans. Even ones living in Columbus who went to UM, have family there, or grew up in Michigan. Obviously, it is a rivalry and there are rivalry type of feelings towards UM fans, but I can respect it. They are a necessary evil.

BUT...these stupid, spiteful fans that only root for a team out of spite are in the same line of logic as posers but worse. I have no respect for it. It is stupid. Dumb. And ignorant. Not the kind of ignorant people use incorrectly as in rude, but ignorant as it really means...not knowing.

Fatherhood

I recently heard some awesome news that a good friend of mine and his wife are having their first baby! My brother and sister-in-law had twins recently. Another good friend just had a second daughter. The list goes on but my point is that all of these new children got me thinking about fatherhood. So I am sharing my thoughts with you.

I thought of manhood and how we define being a "man." It seems as though the first things that come to mind are attributes of physical and emotional strength. The more muscular you are, the more of a man you are. The tougher you are, the more macho you are. The more emotional pain you can endure without crying makes you more manly. Going out and making a living to support your family and put bread on the table defines your success as a man. These are all legitimate characteristics of being a man. I am not writing this blog to discount the traditional definition of man.

The reason I am writing this blog is to shine a light on another aspect of being a real man....Fatherhood. The word "Father" is so empowering. The strength of "father" is intense. While "daddy" tears at your heartstrings, father's connotation is very powerful.

It means providing for your family in the way you are able to depending on your specific situation. It means listening to your child. Knowing your child and what makes them tick. Loving them unconditionally. Giving and giving. Turning on the discipline when needed and letting go when the time calls for it. Putting your kid before yourself. Changing your lifestyle, if needed, for the good of your child. Putting high value on education. Being a positive role model. Instilling a caring and loving sense of being in your kid. Hugging and kissing and patting on the back and rubbing the top of their head. Watching your language. Explaining yourself. Letting go and being the better person. Biting your tongue and not saying what you really, really want to say. PATIENCE! Reading lots of medical stuff you hardly understand, trying to find answers or help with health conditions that arise. Consistency. Doctors appointments. Meetings with teachers. Bugging people for answers. Following through on things that you may have been lazy with when it was just you. Cleaning up. Being a good partner or husband. Surrounding yourself and your child with good people. Not being afraid to say, "HELP!" Listening to trusted people's advice even if your ego makes it difficult.

I know I could go on. Some of these things may have been personal to me or you may disagree with some or add others. Feel free to do so. I know a couple of things:

1) Father is not easy
2) Father is humility
3) Father is the perfect example of gaining by giving
4) Father is worth it

I do realize this could have been entitled, "Parenthood." But within the definition of manhood, maybe on the top of the list, I wanted to add these things.

A Posiblog!

In a blatant rip off of my sister-in-law's blog, I give you my antithesis to my "Bad Stuff" post. Here are the things in my life I am grateful for on Saturday, February 9th:

• My wife
• My daughter
• My parents
• My kick ass brother and sister
• Two sweet sister-in-laws
• The cutest nephews on the planet
• A job
• An opportunity to laugh at work everyday
• Mariokart with Ally and Vicki
• Sports
• Basketball on wednesdays
• The Cleveland Browns going 10-6
• My house
• Heat
• A car
• Friends who support and friends who keep me in check
• My sense of humor
• Co workers that I can get along with
• Bills are paid
• This whole blog thing (Thanks Zac and Jenn)
• The Cavs winning despite these endless injuries
• Upcoming NCAA Tourney
• Excitement of hitting up Las Vegas again this summer with Norm, Chris et al

Yep, and THAT's just the tip of the iceberg too!!!

A little football will cure your ills.....

I got a good thing going at recess. Let me first acknowledge my colleague Chad who has contributed. But this goes back to the days before our duties overlapped.

During my recess duty I prefer playing around with the kids than standing there putting out fire after fire. I figured if I can keep their minds off of messing with each other, they wouldn't. To my surprise, they bought in easily. At first, kicking a red rubber ball high into the air and letting them run for it to catch it was the game of choice. I couldn't believe how many kids were excited to do this. No winners. No prizes. Nothing but chasing a ball in the air. Soon we all figured out how to score it and came up with rules and standards. But it was all so simple.

Then.......a student brought in a nerf football and it was on. Now we had a TON of kids joining in. Seriously, each team went like 15 deep. I was all time QB drawing on my days with my brother and the neighborhood kids (just like I did making up the rules as we went along with the ball kicking game). I was finally able to implement the plays my bro and I came up with from P1 to P2 in the bushes without the bushes.

Football attracted a different crowd. The crowd I originally wanted to attract. The rough kids. The ones I was tired of dealing with during recess with the trouble they kept getting in. Mixing a physical sport with rough kids was tricky at first. Lots of inappropriate language, quick tempers and insults were about to ruin the whole thing. Lucky for me, most of the kids wanted to play though. Kicking them out of the game meant something. Not passing them the ball even when they were as open as a prarie in Kansas also hit home. Letting them know their behavior "ain't gonna get you any action on this field" sent a message.

Soon, Chad joins in and we have a tangible arena for our competitive banter our students love so much. Now, even more kids join in wanting to "beat Mr. Baddeley" or "beat Mr. Huey." But the precedent is set. Keep your negative crap out. Pick up a player on the ground. Don't complain about not getting the ball. Cheer for your team. Come back the next day if you didn't like losing that day. And our football games are a well oiled machine. We even play on the blacktop when the grass is too wet.

The kids block for each other when they don't get the ball. They don't intentionally push anyone. They quit talking trash (unless to me or Mr. B). They plan plays to help each other out. They apologize when they inadvertantly knock someone over. They don't whine about calls more than 2 seconds. And when some newcomer, too afraid to join, stands off to the side yelling that people suck or a play sucks, they all ignore it.

After a blog about "all the bad stuff" I felt I'd write about the great feeling in my belly as I watched a former reading student of mine who just couldn't let things go in the classroom. He was extremely negative and inappropriate. He had anger management issues. To watch him playing football with such postive sportsmanship, and leadership is so refreshing. If he could only transfer that to the classroom. He is a bright kid. He needs an attitude adjustment. Like adjusting it to how he, himself behaves on the football field.



BTW- after watching this video I now know why those SNL guys were watching me an Chad that one time. They were taking notes for Peyton! He's a freakin' copycat! The portopotty part? All me. Pegging the kid in the back? An everyday throw for Chad. Man, we missed our payday.

All This Bad Stuff

I realize this isn't the healthy way of doing things. Right now I should be exclaiming all the positive in my life, but "that ain't gonna happen!" You are lucky enough to read a list of things I am tired of in my life right now (and others):

1)Middle school kids coming to my elementary school to fight. Sometimes the elementary kids themselves? What does that prove?

2)People with no clue telling me how to do my job.

3) My boss' boss trying to blame everything on her instead of taking the heat like a man and standing up for a decision he and his other "people" made for her.

4)Kids doing the wrong things and just staring at me when I tell them to stop like I mean nothing to them because....I do mean absolutely nothing to them.

5)Kids consumed with bullying other kids. Just flat out meanness.

6)The impending economic demise of our country. Not to mention the current problems (i.e. gas prices, weakness of the dollar, unemployment etc)

7) The closed mindedness of people in this country and the results of their closed minded votes. (i.e. banning gays from marriage without giving religions the choice themselves to recognize it or not and the concealed weapon law here in Ohio)

8)Lack of legal funding for our schools.

9)Teaching overcrowded classrooms and losing support staff.

10) Being held accountable for someone else's results and being vulnerable to their mood or disposition on a given day.

11)Busting my butt all day at work just to come home and realize how lazy I really am.

12)Feeling like I've done everything wrong in one of hte most important roles in my life....fatherhood.

13)Dealing with school districts that won't cooperate in giving my daughter the attention she needs. And wondering how parents of kids with same needs get what they need for their kids knowing even less than I do.

14)This weather and time of year.

15) The Jackets can't seem to get their stinking rear ends in the playoffs.

16) Drew Gooden now joining Andy and Sasha on the injured list.

17)Nobody reading my blogs.

This is the tip of the iceberg, I just have to go to work.

Snow Day Observations

So I got today off of school due to ice I suppose. No complaints here.

But I have taken a temporary break from watching the same recycled storylines on ESPN over and over to watch CNN. I noticed two things:

1) Exxon made a ridiculous amount of money this year. Hmmmm. They sell gas. I wonder how they managed that? Not because the prices were jacked up so high. No way.

2) Snoop Dog is going to be on Larry King to discuss family, business and politics? WHAT?!!!! Not gin and juice? No hoes? Reefer? Guns and gangbanging? Treatment of snitches?

Wow.