Hot Topic: Ray Rice Suspended by the NFL and Contract Terminated by the Ravens....

I am aware it has been a long time since I have posted to this blog.  I recently started up a food blog From the Keyboard to the Kitchen, and I have been putting a lot of my blogging efforts there.  Mainly because I really have not had a whole lot of ideas for what to post on here.

At least... Until today.  I was on Facebook when a friend messaged me to talk about Ray Rice, since he had just been suspended not minutes before this conversation.  It didn't occur to me that people had a different opinion on the situation until she said something to the tune of "I saw people arguing that it was his personal life and he shouldn't be punished professionally because of it."

................. I just need a minute to think about this, because that sentence got me horribly fired up.

I suppose I could understand that argument, maybe for any common person.  Your average Joe as it were...

But for a professional football player? A celebrity? Not only does he represent the Baltimore Ravens organization, he represents the NFL.  So you're telling me, that a man who represents two organizations of that size, shouldn't be punished for knocking a woman out and dragging her limp body off an elevator? That's alright for him to do, and still continue making all the money that he makes?

Exactly where would he learn his lesson from this? Oh yes, Goodell, let me give you a round of applause for your whopping two game suspension.  Here. Let me just give you a ruler and you can crack it across his knuckles while you're at it.  That'll teach him!

No.  False.  This is ridiculous.  This man got into a career that put him in the spot light.  It made him a celebrity. Ray Rice, just like any other human being on this planet, needs to be held responsible for his actions. You know what I like most about all of this? Even the other football players in the league feel this way! My favorite tweet so far came from Chris Harris from the Denver Broncos....

The NFL should have zero tolerance for domestic violence. There is never a reason for any man to be violent towards any woman.
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) September 8, 2014

 Honestly, I can't even say that is my favorite tweet so far.  There are so many players who are outraged by the way the NFL has responded to this incident.  

Domestic violence is a major issue in the world.  For people to argue that "what he does in his spare time shouldn't effect his playing career"... I have no words for you. I'm not saying you're supporting what he did, but I'm saying you need to rethink the people your children are looking up to as role models.  

Let me share some domestic violence facts for this post... I gathered this information from Safe Horizon and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

1. One in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime 
2. An estimated 1.3 million are victims of an assault by their partner each year.
3. Domestic violence does not just happen to women - it happens to men too.  But the percentage of women impacted is significantly higher than men.
4. Children who witness this behavior are more likely to repeat it.
5. Children are also likely to intervene, which in turn puts them in harms way. 
6. Less than one fifth of the victims who reported an assault by their partner sought medical treatment.

Those facts don't even begin to cover the amount of information that is available about domestic violence here in the United States.  It is a real issue, right here in our backyards.  In our neighborhoods. In our cities.  And you want to try and tell me that what celebrities do in their "down time" shouldn't impact their careers? You want to tell me that this should be brushed under the rug and ignored? 

Let me put it this way.... I don't care who you are.  Domestic violence is a serious issue, and one that has gone so far as to kill people who are too scared to seek help because they are afraid for their lives, as they obviously should have been.  It is something that needs to be stopped.  If an organization like the NFL is going to permit men to play, and not enforce a zero tolerance policy, then you can bet I am walking away from their organization.  Letting that happen is indirectly saying "It's ok! It doesn't matter what you do when you're off the field! You still have a job when you show up."  Honestly, that is not alright with me.  Not with the money those men make and the lack of consequences they get for it happening.  

I could go on forever on this topic.  Please feel free to argue or add your own commentary.  I've always been open to any additional comments.  But just the inkling of an idea that people think he should still be allowed to play, simply infuriates me.  

There is Always Room for Growth

"We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations."

- Anaïs Nin

My graduation post got me thinking about my own personal growth since I've moved away from home. I'd like to think I've changed to some extent. 

I think I've become a better individual. I've learned to harness my well known temper to some degree. But heck, who is perfect. I've tried to find ways to focus my frustrations into things, to make them better. It relieves my stress and removes the anger. Sometimes, I can do simple tasks like listen to music to calm myself. 

I learned how to focus my energy into individual tasks, as well as spread it so that I can multitask. I've learned that even though I think I can, sometimes I can't and I need to ask for help. 

I think I'm in a very adult relationship. What do I know though, I'm only in my early twenties? I still revert to childish actions here though. Jealousy. Envy. The need for attention. The thought of losing him kills me. The thought of losing him to someone I am skeptical of kills me even more. I love to think that I'm an adult. But this is where I find so much truth in the above quote. We grow unevenly. We grow in some areas and not others. One day it will balance out. 

Some of the issues I have spurs from lack of self confidence. Weight has been a struggle for me for years. I got on track and lost a good bit, and over time gained it back. Sometimes depression gets the best of me which never helps. That's when the negative thoughts pour in and consume me. This is another area I need to find growth and development in. Do I need to get healthier? Yes. But should I be beating myself up over it so much? No. 

Being positive and having a better outlook on things will help me to grow and develop in these areas. In order to be happy on the outside I need to find strength and be happy on the inside. This is not something someone can change for me. I must do it alone. 

So how do you grow? Slowly over time. These things don't happen over night. I do find myself teetering on the fence on both these issues regularly. One day I find myself controlling my emotions and not letting things get to me. The next day I beat myself up and revert back to where I was before. 

But the fact that I'm teetering shows me I'm trying. I'm working on the growth I want to see. I'm not forcing it. But I'm trying. And that, I think, is the first sign that the change is coming. 

Graduated College.... Now what?

I sit here, on the eve of graduation... Like most, I'm sitting here trying to wrap my head around what I have accomplished; the memories I have made; the challenges I have faced; and the incredibly scary, looming thought of what comes next...

In my four years in college I have experienced a wide range of things: good and bad.  I've had bad roommates.  I've had great roommates. Let me tell you - having bad roommates really teaches you to appreciate the good ones.  I've made friendships, I've lost touch with people - some of which I've reconnected with.  Others, its like we never missed a beat.  I was in a car accident (during finals week none the less).  I lost family members due to death, but gained new ones when I was welcomed in by my aunt's loving sisters and their families.  I learned that I could work under pressure, stress, and deadlines.  I solidified my hatred of group projects, but came to terms with the fact that the work place is a group project, and you've gotta get over it at some point.  I faced rejection, as well as success.  I had not one, not two, but three internships, in a field I never thought about going into upon entering as a freshmen: radio.

So, what did I learn from college?

1. Always expect the unexpected... and usually at the worst time.  Life happens.  You've gotta roll with the punches.  Sometimes, good things happen! Sometimes, not so good things happen.  Take things as they come, the reason life is so good is because the hard times make the good things as great as they are.  Embrace the unexpected - in the end, things work out!
2. A closed door means another one is opened... you just have to find it! If you would have told freshmen me that radio was what I wanted to do, I would have laughed and said you were crazy.  Sports was my world.  After facing rejection, I took a desperate leap to find something, hell, ANYTHING, that would accept me.  I was beaten down, lost, confused, and had no idea where to go.  Someone was kind enough to give me a chance, and I somehow built up enough strength to give something unknown a chance... And I LOVED it! 
3. Get out of your comfort zone... sometimes, its not so bad! Sometimes, you've just gotta try new things.  I don't mean go shoplifting.  I mean new experiences! Try new foods, talk with people of different opinions, try a new religion, go crazy.  You can always go back :)
4. The best things come in small packages... this is not a joke. Sometimes, look past the big and glamorous! Great things can come from the most unexpected, overlooked areas.  And sometimes, bigger isn't better.
5. Travel any chance you get... there is a great big world out there! Need I say more? Explore! Find new places. Who knows, it could be you're future home!

There is a lot more I could talk about... College went by in the blink of an eye for me.  I moved 3,000 miles from home, lived on my own, and experienced so many things.  I made new friends, expanded my network, and learned who I am as a person.

You'll never be able to keep in touch with everyone you met, but hopefully you'll be able to remember the times you spent together, and look back on college as a great experience.  It was a lot of work, and a lot of stress, but it was also a lot of fun and something I'll never forget.

I leave my fellow graduates with the following.... It may be an old song but I feel the message still applies...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

Battle of the Breeds

If you've read my blog before, you know I am a Penn State supporter.  You also know that I am a fan of Joe Pa, and there isn't a whole heck of a lot that will change that.  I applauded Bill O'Brien's efforts to take what appeared to be a sinking ship and try to resurrect it.  As a former athlete, I loved his "were not going to quit" attitude, and his support of the students that stuck it out at Penn State...

And then came December 31, 2013... The day he left. The day that Bill O'Brien failed Penn State.  At least, that is the reaction you got from most who were in an uproar over the incident.

If you read the news, or blogs, or opinion articles, you know how people reacted to this.  That is not what I want to focus on.  I want to take a moment to talk about how I think coaching has changed over the years.  How it has gone from being a passion to being a profession.

Here's my feelings.  There are two breeds of coaches out there.  One, is a dying breed, if not already long extinct.  Coaches who are passionate.  Joe Paterno, is an example of one of these coaches.  He cared about his players, but more importantly he cared about their success - both on and off the field.  Paterno and his wife, Sue, were both huge supporters of Penn States liberal arts college.  They also donated money to the university on several occasions for various things, including THON and the library.  Sue even tutored football players who were struggling so that they could keep playing football as well as graduate. 

From what I could tell, Paterno's goal was to see his players excel in life - not football.  He wanted to see his kids become successful, well rounded individuals with an education that would get them somewhere in life.  Paterno coached because he loved helping young men become something great.  Paterno coached because he had a passion for coaching. 

So as a passionate coach, you coach for the love of assisting someone to become a better person and athlete.  And that, is enough to satisfy you.

I could beat you to death with what makes a passionate coach what they are.  But I think its pretty well understood.  Money doesn't matter (although it is nice).  The players and their own success matters.  Well just leave it at that.

Now for the second breed... The coaches who coach for a profession.  I want to start off by saying that this is not a bad thing! I'm just trying to put this into perspective.

Lets say you're an athlete - of any sport.  Maybe you get injured, or can't perform at a professional level outside of college.  But you still love your sport.  What is the next best thing you can do? Coach!

Alright. So you're no longer going to be a professional athlete - you're going to be a professional coach.  I state again... PROFESSIONAL.  You probably want to make this your career.  What is the ultimate position for a professional coach? I cant speak from experience here, but I'm gonna go with probably coaching a professionally recognized team of some sort.  Be it the Olympics or be it in a nationally recognized organization, like the NFL, NHL, NBA, etc.

Now... Bill O'Brien.  Professional coach.  Bounced around a little as an assistant coach at a few colleges.  Then lands a job working with the New England Patriots.  That's a pretty sweet deal - he's working his way up the ladder.  And then, this head coaching job opens up with Penn State... Now he would be moving down to the collegiate level (not that there is anything wrong with that) from the pros... It is still a head coaching position - that looks pretty nice on a resume.  Along with that, its taking a team that is hurting pretty bad from not only the death of their coach, but the crippling NCAA Sanctions.  If you can turn that team into something strong and great, you're looking pretty good.

In my opinion, despite how tough of a position it is, you've got a chance to make a pretty good name for yourself there.   So why not take it?  This could lead to bigger things - like a head coaching job in the pros. 

We all know how that story ended.  Well, not ended.  Progressed.  His story isn't really "over" so to speak.  But he's thinking from a career stand point.  Something that someone who is using coaching as a career should do.  So does this make Bill O'Brien a bad person? No! Does it mean he doesn't care about the players? I sure hope not.  I hope that he does care about his players - and I am sure to some degree he does.  But instead of putting all of his focus on them, he's thinking about himself too.  There's nothing wrong with that. 

So here's the deal.  There are, or were, two breeds of coaches. Your Joe Paternos, and your Bill O'Briens.  Ones who coach for the love of their players, and ones who coach for the desire to move up the ladder.  Now I'm not saying you can't have a hybrid of these two coaches.  But I do feel that we have lost a lot of those coaches who are there specifically for the players.  Who turn down professional contracts because of the love they have for where they are, what they stand for, and the number of people they can impact by being simply who they are.

Was I upset that O'Brien left Penn State? Yeah sure.  But I was upset because there were promises made to prospects that he wasn't leaving.  My deal is, be up front! Make your intentions known.  Ha! But in their lies another issue.  If O'Brien came to Penn State and said "Hey, I'm just using this to help boost my resume.  I'll help you out for a year or two, and if a professional contract rolls around, I'm walking away."  Well.... Isn't that... Considerate? If I were an athlete, I wouldn't be too thrilled about that. "Cool. So this guy is coming in just to pity us, and move on."  That isn't the best attitude to have toward your coach...

So as fans I think this is something we need to consider.  We have on our hands, the battle of the breeds... That I think we have basically lost.  Not because of anything we did, but just the nature of the game.  We all want to have our coaches who we love, who stay forever, who we don't want to see go.  But by the flip side - we want to win too.  So maybe the loved coach with an alright team isn't as good as the professional one whose helping lead an undefeated team? Once again another argument... All of which is food for thought.

(Note: Please take this for what it is worth.  Leave the money factor out. Leave the W/L columns out. There are so many factors that go into a topic like this that I know I didn't touch on. So just take this for what it is worth - an opinion about styles of coaching.)

Going off air on accident!

Hey everyone,

I apologize for the inconvenience, again, but apparently my YouTube account kicked all my videos over to private! So if you have been trying to view any of my previous posts that are heavy with multimedia content you may have encountered some errors.... The problem should be solved now and you can continue watching the videos I have posted!

I apologize again! I don't know what happened.

-Heather

Just some stories to share from the wide world of sports...

I apologize that it has been so long since my last blog post.... Life has been a bit on the insane side.  I still have every intention of posting those extra videos with the more detailed THON interviews (if you don't know what I'm talking about, you better click this link and visit the post, because you're missing out!).

I just wanted to share two links to stories that I felt were incredibly awesome stories that recently occurred in sports!

• Derrick Coleman meets two fans - For those of you who don't know me - I took three years of American Sign Language classes in high school.  Although much of what I learned as far as communicating has escaped me from lack of use, I still remember learning about deaf culture.  One of my the people I did a report on in that class was former NFL player, Kenny Walker.  Personally, I think there is something incredible about a person with difficulties hearing becoming a professional football player - be it offensive or defensive.  If you don't know anything about the Seahawks player Derrick Coleman, I suggest you look him up. 
  
  I love this story because even though I am not a member of the deaf community, and I know nothing of what it would be like to be deaf, I think it is great how he is representing the community, and that he got in touch with these girls who are supporting him.  I feel like this is just such an incredible story, and it is one that shows that not all athletes are getting into trouble, like Aaron Hernandez and A-Rod (even though neither of these two have been proven guilty as of right now).

   

• NBA has first female PA - For those of you who remember the post, I won't kill you with rereading the story, for those who don't remember the post, here is a brief story of what I learned about women in sports.... They aren't wanted... Women are looked down upon in the sports field, even in this day in age. And after my harsh awakening to that fact, I turned away from wanting to enter that field. However, I wanted to share this video with you all.  The NBA just had a first.  The Sacramento Kings had the first ever female NBA PA, Jaime Coffee.  I don't care that she was just a fill in, I think this is a huge step for women in the sports field.  And I am incredibly excited that this happened!

Oh no!

Hello Keyboard is my Microphone followers! I want to apologize for anyone who has recently tried to view the "When you wish upon a star" post or the "I wouldn't have nothin' if I didn't have you post".  It would appear to be that something went wrong with the Dipity Timeline's that I created for those posts.  This is horribly upsetting to me, more so for the first one, because I worked incredibly hard at putting it together, and it was a story that was heavy in multimedia.... Unfortunately, I am not sure that I will be able to successfully recreate that timeline, and I greatly apologize for the inconvenience it may have caused you.

This is a great example of the downside of using internet technology for reporting!!

I'll be back to blogging soon I promise! I already have a few topics up my sleeve!