Role Models?

(Disclaimer:  If you're the mother of an athlete, please do not get offended by this post.   I am merely voicing frustrations and my opinion.)

What is this world coming to?  LeBron James' announcement warrants it's own 1 hour special on ESPN?  I guess I should be thankful it's not on one of the major networks.  Here's what I think about the NBA and their championship:  Why in the world do they play the best 5 out of 7 games?  They should do like the NFL does:  play one game in a neutral (sometimes, anyway!) city.  Period.  June isn't basketball season.   Winter is bball season, not late spring or summer.  Let's make March really "mad" and have the NBA  Championship at the end of the month.  (HA!) 

Mr. James' (I refuse to call him "King James") mother took out a loan for his 18th birthday to buy him a Hummer.  She got the loan based on a prediction of his future earnings.  Seriously.   Isn't this also the guy who was caught cheating on his wife who was his high school sweetheart?

Then there's the University of Ga. football player who just got arrested.  The police responded to a complaint about someone shooting off fireworks.  When they asked the player his full name, he said he didn't know his middle name.  Then, he said he knew it, but he didn't know how to spell it.   (The policeman thought he was being a smart-aleck,and arrested him for misdemeanor obstruction.) How did this young man get into a higher institution of learning?  How in the world did he get a high enough ACT or SAT score to get in?  Better yet, how did he even graduate from high school?  Oh, I guess I should tell you his middle name:  Lawrence.  His mom's  explanation was that "he doesn't go by his middle name for personal reasons." (Athens Banner-Herald)  I don't go by my middle name either, but  I definitely know what it is and how to spell it.  Has this young man never filled out personal information on any forms?  What about the form for his driver's license?  

These are the role models for kids today?  It just burns me up that some parents are so into their kids playing sports and being the best.  I know it's only natural for parents to want their kids to be the best, but when did playing sports stop being about having fun, improving coordination, and learning life lessons?  The percentage of kids who will  go on to play sports in college is a mere 5% (according to NCAA estimates), and the percentage of those kids who turn professional is 1%.  To me, it's more important that the kids have fun and learn the life  lessons that go along with sports (hard work = success; knowing how to lose, etc.).  I know people who spend most of their kids' school lives at practices and games, and,  if that's what they want to do, great. As long as it's the kid who wants to do it.  The summer that OS was an alternate for his baseball team just about did me in.  The daily practices, the away games,  the eating out, the hotel  rooms...I don't see  how people do it.   One of MS' friends was big into soccer:  he played year-round in club leagues, plus his high school team.  He was on the All-State First Team, and was Offensive Player of the Year  for the state.  So, where is he going to play soccer next year?  He isn't.  He's  decided he's  had enough, despite the offers and interest he's had.  


I just realized I'd gone off on a huge tangent!  Sorry.  Back to the role models.  You mothers of young sons:  Do you want a good role model?   Here's a perfect one for  you:

He's smart, he's humble, he's an incredibly hard worker, and on top of that, he's a great athlete. Okay, I'm a little biased:  he was OS' and MS' teammate in high school. 

I know there are a lot of athletes out there who are good role models.  The whole sports thing has gotten way out of hand.  Yes, this from a woman who loves to watch sports!  I see kids whose parents define who their kid is by what sport he plays or how he did in the last game/match.  On the other hand, I know there are parents out there who find a good balance between sports & the rest of life...I have one in my family!  Could our boys had been more driven? Probably.  But, we stressed that they were Scholar Athletes (with the emphasis on "scholar"), and that if they weren't having fun, they should find something else to do.

Okay.  I'll come down off of my soap box now.   Who are your children's role models?  What athletes do you think are good role models for children today?

My Blog has Substance?

My new blog friend Candace gave me a new award!  Although I don't fell  like I'm deserving, I will graciously accept and pass on.

 Before I started my blog, I read a friend's and a niece's quite frequently.  I never kept a diary when I was younger, and was really bad about keeping up with my boys' baby books.   So, I wasn't sure I would have anything to say.  I'm not a world traveler; heck, I've only been to a handful of states. We live in a small town, although, to be perfectly honest, the town does feel bigger than it is since we have another town "attached" to  ours.  But  don't call us "twin towns", 'cause natives won't like that one bit!  


I wasn't sure I'd have anything to say, or if anyone would follow me.  But I was okay with no one following me:  I was doing this for me.  Of course, if no one had followed me, I  probably would've given up!  If I can say something that brings a smile so  someone's face, then it's worth it. 


As part of the acceptance of the award, I have to sum up  my blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience in five words.

Faith

Family

Friends

Learning

Humor

My faith and my family are a big part of who I am.  I love learning things about new friends and different parts of the country and the world, and, I can find humor in the weirdest ways!

Now  for the big "pass on".  Every blog that I read has substance, so it's really hard to pick just a few, but here it goes:

Karen at Crooked Lines  

AuburnChick

Jewel at Down in My Little Valley

Katie at Can't Get There From Here

Suz at Day by Day with Suz

Joyce at  from this side of the pond

Tina at a View From a Hill

Karen at Karen's Korner

Being the rule-follower that I am, I hope I'm not breaking the rules in saying that if anybody else that I follow wants to participate, grab the award and send it on!  It was incredibly hard to pick out  a few blogs that I read; there are so many good ones out there!  I could've  just copied the blogs from my front page, but I'm just too lazy!  So, please, feel  free to accept the award!

Once again, I 'd like to thank Candace at Mi Chiamo Candace for the honor!

Reminiscing the 4th

Believe it or not, I did not watch fireworks last night.  In fact, I haven't really seen any since we went to DC and saw fireworks while we sat at the National Mall.  Nothing can compare to this sight:

That 4th of July stands out in my mind for obvious reasons.  Another 4th that stands out in my mind is one that we spent with my in-laws.  OS must have been 2, and we went down to their house to spend some time at the beach.  We went to the Army Post where my FIL was stationed for the fireworks.  There was just something really emotional to be surrounded by men and women who love this country so much that they would be willing to give their life so that we can continue to enjoy the freedoms we have.

Our small town used to have "Freedomfest" (but it wasn't held on the 4th...it was held the weekend before), and it actually grew to be fairly large.  It became more of a festival feel (thus the "fest"!) with a lot of different booths around the park, and the swimming pool in the middle of the activities.  A radio station from the big city would come and give stuff away.  Streets around the schools & swimming pool were blocked off.  (Fortunately we live close  enough that we could walk down and enjoy the festivities.)  The night ended with the fireworks being shot over the duck pond.  This was  the biggest 4th festival in our county, so there were thousands of people who came.  Some people  even came from other counties to celebrate with us.  But, due to the economy, Freedomfest was put on hold last year.   This year:  no Freedomfest either.  There are just too many other things that need the money more...like the schools. 

One of my brothers and his wife usually invite the family over for swimming and a day of talking, laughing,  and  enjoying each other.  Last year they went to see their oldest son & his wife instead, so the 4th was extremely quiet around here.  This year, the celebration was revived!  What a great day we had!  It was hot, but a little overcast.  It was so much fun being in the pool with nephews, nieces, siblings, and their grandchildren.  There may have been one or two squirt gun fights.  And, somebody may have been squirted by somebody's grandson (at Grams urging) when all she had was a little bitty squirt toy.  You use what you've got, right?  

I took some pictures, but, since I don't know if my siblings want their picture to be on my blog, I'm not going to post those.  Well, except for this one:

I'm posting this one because my sister, Tina, also has a blog.  If you haven't checked it out, take a minute and go visit her.

I have to show you this video from yesterday.  My brother has 2 dogs, Joey & Chandler (from Friends, get it?) who are hoots!  If you squirt Joey with the water gun, he'll try to eat the water and growl.  Here's a clip of one of my nephews squirting him:

 Those kids stayed in the pool all day, except to eat.  We had some really good food, but have you ever heard anybody say they went to a get-together  and had bad food?    Just something for you to think about!


Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th!