The Meaning of Sports.

I have spent that last 20 years of my life in sports. It has been one of the most important things in my life. It has been so important that my first word was "touchdown". It also has become my future. A lot of people don't understand why I would want to go to school to be a sports broadcaster. When they ask me why, I often respond simply... "because I love sports". But over the last few weeks I have strongly been wondering why I love sports so much. What is it that draws me to sports and grabs my attention, no matter what sporting event it is. Now, obviously there are some easy answers. They are fun, they are a complete blast to watch or play. I also love the competition. But ultimately I don't think there is one exact reason, I think it is a culmination of things.

So often people talk about how it is just a game. They talk about how people make sports seem more important than they really are, that people get too upset when they lose, or their favorite team loses.

I would agrue that sports are what made me who I am. At a very young age I started playing organized sports with my brother. My parents did a great job of raising us, but sports gave us a type of discipline that honestly can't be taught, it just kinda happens. My family slowly became a football family and weekends were spent either at mine and my brother's games or in front of the TV watching football. It gave my family something that we all had in common. I remember watching every SuperBowl with the family and the memories created by that, I remember losing important games and my mom and dad just hugging me because of how sad I was. I remember watching my brother dominate after I graduated and sharing the joy with my entire family. All of those things were because of sports.

Sports were the only thing that got me through the tough times. When I found out my Mom had cancer I was able to let that frustration out in sports and I had 50 "brothers" there to hug me when times were hard. I had other families that took care of me because we were all part of a bigger family, and they knew I would do the same if the tables were turned. I had coaches that were great men of faith that truely cared about me. I still view these men as important male figures in my life.

As I got older I began to play middle school football. This is where I met my best friends. I played with the same teammates for 6 years and as some would quit, those of us that didn't grew stronger and became more like brothers than teammates. I spent every moment with my "brothers" all the way up to my last game as a senior in high school and the great thing was that friendship never ended. Some of those teammates ended up being groomsmen in my wedding. That is something I will never lose. I like to think that I was always a good kid, but honestly without those guys to keep me accountable who knows what I would have done instead of turning out the way I have. Do you get hit a lot? Absolutely, there is even a pretty good chance that you will get hurt (tore my acl in both knees twice) but would I go back and not play to avoid those knee injuries? I might jump out of the way of a D-Lineman, but no way, those injuries are a reminder everyday of the memories and friends that I made. Parents are always so affraid to let their kids play sports because they could get hurt, but don't we get hurt everyday in life, sure it may not be physically, but definitely emotionally. And it's worth all the hurt for those moments in life that you wouldn't trade for anything, that's exactly how sports are. You play the game through the bumps and bruises to get to the reward. Very rarely do you hear people regret playing sports, but you always hear people regret not playing, not because of the games they didn't get to play, but instead because of the memories they missed out on.

Game On!

We are now just 4 days away from college football season. Man I love college football season. Now it will be slightly different for me this year because I won't be able to sit around and watch game after game because I have a duty to call games for Indiana State University, but you can guarantee that the times I am not in the press box I will be in front of a TV watching game after game. Many people don't believe me but last year before the season started I picked Auburn to win the SEC and play in the championship against the Oregon Ducks. I can completely understand why people would not believe me, but I also said that Cam Newton would be heavily considered for the Heisman trophy and he won. So this year I am going to make predictions in writing so that nobody can say I am a liar. I gave my predictions about a month ago but I am revamping them a bit and giving you my BCS bowl match ups as well this time.

ACC Champion- Florida State

Big 12- Oklahoma

Big East- West Virginia

Big Ten- Ohio State (This is a shocking pick I know, but I think people will be surprised)

Conference USA- Central Florida

MAC- Miami (OH)

Mountain West- Boise State

PAC 12- Oregon

SEC- Alabama

Sun Belt- Middle Tennessee

WAC- Hawaii

Heisman Trophy Winner- Andrew Luck

Fiesta Bowl- Boise State vs. Oklahoma- Winner Oklahoma

Sugar Bowl- Arkansas vs. Nebraska- Winner Nebraska

Orange Bowl- Florida State vs. West Virginia- Winner Florida State

Rose Bowl- Ohio State vs. Stanford- Winner Stanford

National Championship - Oregon vs. Alabama- Winner Oregon

There you have it. Those are my predictions. I could be very wrong by week 2 of the season but I was spot on last year so we'll see ;)

In the words of Bart Scott... CAN'T WAIT!!!

We are just about a month from college football season. You know, that magical time of year when you wake up on a Saturday and turn it to ESPN for College Gameday, and you hang out with your friends Kirk, Reese, Desmond, and good ole Lee Corso. Is there anything better than watching a game on Thursday night and then waiting all day Friday for the big match ups on Saturday. Man I love college football season. Now it will be slightly different for me this year because I won't be able to sit around and watch game after game because I have a duty to call games for Indiana State University, but you can guarantee that the times I am not in the press box I will be in front of a TV watching game after game. Many people don't believe me but last year before the season started I picked Auburn to win the SEC and play in the championship against the Oregon Ducks. I can completely understand why people would not believe me, but I also said that Cam Newton would be heavily considered for the Heisman trophy and he won. So this year I am going to make predictions in writing so that nobody can say I am a liar.

ACC Champion- Florida State

Big 12- Oklahoma

Big East- West Virginia

Big Ten- Ohio State (This is a shocking pick I know, but I think people will be surprised)

Conference USA- Central Florida

MAC- Miami (OH)

Mountain West- Boise State

PAC 12- Stanford

SEC- Alabama

Sun Belt- Middle Tennessee

WAC- Hawaii

Heisman Trophy Winner- Andrew Luck

National Championship - Stanford vs. Oklahoma- Winner Stanford

There you have it. Those are my predictions. I could be very wrong by week 2 of the season but I was spot on last year so we'll see ;)

Welcome Back!!!

Monday, men all over the country were screaming and yelling out of pure happiness for one reason, the NFL is back. For that past few months men (and some women) were slowly going crazy, the thought of a year without football would be like having to listen to Rebecca Black sing "Friday" for 4 months straight, it is enough to make you jump off of a bridge.

As owners and players fought over the tiny amount of 9 billion dollars, fans were slowly trying to come up with excuses as to why they can't do yard work or go grocery shopping on Sundays. But luckily everything was sorted out this passed Monday and all day Tuesday teams were cutting players and negotiating with free agents. In less than 2 months the NFL will be in full swing and be right back where it belongs in the world of sports, right on top.

Fans can now breath a sigh of relief, everything important in life has been restored. Sundays are once again an entire day of bliss, where nothing can bring you down (unless of course you are a Raiders fan, then it doesn't really matter because life can't get any worse). So I say to all of the NFL fans out there in the great words of Hank Williams Jr. "Are you ready for some football?"

I Don't Believe In Color, I Believe In People.

As most of you know I am not a big baseball fan. But in my Spanish class I had to write a paper about something Spanish and since I know nothing except sports I wrote mine over Roberto Clemente. Now I will warn you it is more reading than usual, but it is one of my favorite papers of all time.... Enjoy!

Many people had a hand in breaking the racial barrier in baseball, every sports fan knows the name Jackie Robinson and knows that he was the big reason the game is where it is today. A lot of people don’t give some of the credit where it is due; Roberto Clemente further solidified the fact that African-Americans and Latinos can play in the majors. Clemente proved it by his play, racking up 14 all-star games, four batting titles, 12 consecutive Golden Glove awards, National League Most Valuable Player in 1966, and two world championships in 1960 and 1971. He did all of this in his 18-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates that would eventually land him in Cooperstown, in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

Roberto Clemente was born in 1934 near San Juan, Puerto Rico. As Clemente grew up he found a love for the sport of baseball. His love for the sport grew stronger as Puerto Rico became a main stable for barnstorm teams. Many African- American players from the United States would come and play because at the time they were not allowed to play in the big leagues. Clemente’s favorite player to watch in these barnstorm games was Monte Irvin, who went on to later join the Hall of Fame. Watching players like Irvin solidified the fact that Clemente wanted to play in the big leagues some day.

Clemente would make it in the Big leagues at the age of 20. Clemente played one year in the minor leagues in Montreal and in 1955 the future Hall of Famer would make his major league debut. As Clemente entered the Majors he faced a lot of racial scrutiny from fans and some teammates. But when media would ask Clemente how he was handling it, he answered with a simple but famous quote “I don’t believe in color, I believe in people.”

For what Jackie Robinson became to African- Americans, Clemente became for Latinos. Latino children in New York were pretending to be Roberto Clemente. After Clemente entered the league in 1955 he would play 18 years in the Majors, which turned out to be an outstanding career. The New York Times said of Roberto Clemente “There is nothing he can’t do.” The New York Times was right, he could swing the bat like few others and was one of the greatest fielders of all time, however possibly more important than what he accomplished on the ball diamond is what he accomplished off the field. Clemente was a humanitarian, someone who was always quick to help and volunteer his off time back in his home country of Puerto Rico.

On December 23, 1972 a tragic even occurred. In Managua, Nicaragua an earthquake took place killing 10,000 people. Eight days later, December 31, 1972, Roberto Clemente had heard that the dictatorship of Nicaragua was misusing the donated aid and would board a flight full of supplies for the victims in Nicaragua in hopes that his help could convince the dictatorship to do the right thing. However shortly after the plane took flight it crashed in to the Atlantic Ocean, Clemente’s body was never found. Clemente compiled an illustrious 18-year career that made him the first Latino in the Hall of Fame; Clemente was also the 11^th player in the history of the sport to record 3,000 hits.

Well unfortunately it is that time of year. That time when football has come to an end.

It may seem a bit odd or ridiculous to many of you, but I truly get an extremely sad feeling for a few days after the Super Bowl because I know I have to wait 7 months before I get to see football again.

But while I deal with my sadness for the next few days, I also get to look back and remember the year and the reasons that I love this game.

We watched America's team the Dallas Cowboys crumble right in front of us. We saw the current longest tenured coach get fired. And we watched a 7-9 Seattle Seahawks upset the defending Super Bowl champs in the first round of the playoffs.

We watched a one-time super star get another chance at glory in Michael Vick. Many thought he would never get a shot to redeem himself, but with one quick injury to Eagle's starter Kevin Kolb, Vick got his chance and never looked back. He won a large majority of the country back over with his new image and with the way he played. He went on to win comeback player of the year.

On the flip side of watching a player rise above the odds, we cringed as we watched an all-time great in Brett Favre fizz out. We saw his 300 consecutive starts come to a close in Minnesota and watched him stand on the sidelines for the remainder of the season like a washed up, old man.

Across the state line in Wisconsin we got to watch a star be born. And in the biggest game of the year we watched Brett Favre's replacement in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, win his first Super Bowl and propel himself into elite quarterback status.

That is what's so great about football. The passion and drama that surrounds the game is above all other sports. The NFL is a complete roller coaster all year and that is why it is so entertaining.

So while it is another 7 months until the opening game (assuming there is no lockout), we get to enjoy all of these memories that were made this year. And we get to look forward the memories that will be made next year. Congrats to the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.