Stuart Scott's "Every Day I Fight"

It took me a couple of months to get thru this book.  Not at all because it was a hard read, but because I had to go back to work in August!  I would pick it up in between studying US and World History and I would try to read a chapter or two.

Scott's book is actually a very easy read.  It is one of those books where you start reading and an hour later, you are like, dang...where did the time go.

Scott gives great insight into his fight against cancer.  He describes his childhood and the tough road it took to get his job at ESPN and how he became one of the greatest sports icons of our generation.  All of this was an important build up that lead to the day he receive the news that he had cancer.
Any time you read about bad things in people's life it is not really fun.  However I am glad that I read this book.  I hope that I never have to go thru anything like what Scott went thru.  I hope that in anything in my life, I will fight like Scott did and always be honest about life.

Scott was a good man.  A good father, friend and icon.  We must do everything we can to cure cancer.  This is a disease that has taken too many good people from us way too early.

I'll end with a quote from Stuart Scott that kinda became his motto:

"F@#* Cancer!"

Ronda Rousey's My Fight/ Your Fight

I've been wanting to read this book for a while.  I finally decided to but I still didn't go out to buy it.  I waited until Ronda's last fight just in case she lost.  If she wasn't the champ, I figured I wouldn't read it.  

I finally picked the book up at Barnes and Noble and after reading it, I'm glad I did!  I even more glad that she won her last fight because if she had've lost, then I would not have read this book and I would have missed a great read!

What a great story Ronda Rousey has.  She is easily someone that you can cheer for.  She definitely has not had things handed to her and has worked for everything that she has received.  

Ronda tells the story of her life from the suicide of her father to the Olympic games all the way to winning the UFC belt.  The book kept me captivated the entire time.  It was one of those books where you finish one chapter and you have to read the next because you are wanting to know what happens next.  She did an outstanding job with her book!  

I recommend this book to any UFC fan.  I also recommend it to anyone who wants to know how hard it takes to get from the bottom to the top.  So many life lessons can be found in this book.  I can't wait to see how many more fights Ronda wins.  She is a true champion!

Game Day in Athens

The alarm clock sounds at 7 a.m.  It doesn’t effect me because I have been awake off and on all night long.  It’s the type of night where you can’t sleep because you are so excited.  You are excited about the day to come and whenever you doze off, you immediately wake up because you are scared that you will sleep thru your alarm clock.  I usually just give up and stay awake staring at the ceiling.

I turn the alarm off on my phone and I jump out of bed.  I wake up my wife and my kids and I head to take a quick shower.  The shower leads me to my already laid out clothes for the day.  Tennis shoes, khakis, black hat and a red polo.  This is my gameday attire.  And of course, every piece of it has a ‘G’ on it!

As I rush the family to the car for our departure time (which if you miss...you get left), I double check a list I made on Monday.  I’ve already packed the car.   Chairs, cooler, food, radio, and a football are all loaded.  And of course, the red and black car flags will be flying from each side of our vehicle.

We pull out of the driveway with plenty of time before kick-off.  Even though we are still seven and a half hours away from the start, I always feel like I have to drive as fast as I can.  I can’t miss a single minute of this day!  Even though most of the day will be spent sitting in a chair telling stories with my college friends, I can’t miss a thing and I can’t wait to get there!  

The drive is always the same. It will take two hours.  Doesn’t matter how fast you go, doesn’t matter how slow you go.  I could probably make this drive blindfolded.  Since I began college at the University of Georgia in 1997, I can not even try to count the number of times that I have traveled this route to Athens.  The journey always makes a stop in Forsyth for a quick biscuit and to fill the car up with gas.  Then it’s non-stop trip through downtown Monticello to Athens.

The drive is one of the most beautiful drives there are in the state of Georgia.  The farms seem to be perfectly manicured and all the small towns you travel thru with the ante-bellum houses makes it feel like you are straight out of an article from Garden and Gun magazine.  The rest of the trip takes us thru Madison, Georgia.  Once we get to Madison I feel my blood starting to flow a little bit faster because I know that it’s only thirty minutes before I reach the Classic City.

Entering Athens on game-day is a beautiful thing.  Over 100,000 people mostly dressed in red and black are running around with smiles on their faces ready for the day ahead.  You can be overwhelmed by the traffic if you are not careful.  Luckily because I spent some great years here receiving my education, I know a few short cuts to our tailgate spot that gets us where we need to be without too much stress.

Meeting up with my best friends from college at our tailgate spot is always like a wonderful homecoming. As soon as we walk up it’s smiles, laughs and hugs.  For the next several hours it seems as though none of them will stop.  We tell each other’s families stories of our college days.  We throw the football and play cornhole.  Best of all, we eat!  

Tailgates in Athens are like no other.  I have been to many different places for college football games.  I’ve been to, among others, Auburn, Nashville, Jacksonville, and even Colorado Springs.  There is nothing like gameday at the University of Georgia.  There is an aura about the place.  Excitement is everywhere.  Men and women alike are discussing the game.  Even more are of course discussing the game the weekend before and what Coach Richt should or shouldn’t have done.  

The smell in the air is unique.  I’m sure it’s just a mixture of bourbon, beer and bbq, but it’s special.  During the off-season, I can get a whiff of any of the ‘3 B’s’ and it automatically takes me to fall in Athens and I usually give myself a wry smile.  

Music is blaring anything from REM to Hank Williams Jr.  As the hours pass the excitement increases.  It’s like a countdown that you can actually feel.  Each fan there has that internal clock where you don’t even have to look at your watch to know what time it is.  You know exactly when it’s time to start walking to the stadium.

When the time comes to pack everything up, it doesn’t even seem like a chore.  People (even my kids) will gladly help you throw the tailgate supplies into the back of the car.  It’s time to make the journey.  A couple mile walk doesn’t even seem that bad when you know the finish line is the greatest place on earth!

A quick detour to the Student Center to catch a glimpse of the Dawg Walk intensifies the moment as you hear the Red Coat band blaring ‘Glory, Glory to Ole Georgia’ as you come down the hill.  It’s fun to look over the bridge and to see the boys who are about to buckle their helmets and strap up their shoulder pads to represent you for a couple of hours walk thru a sea of red and black.

A quick visit to the UGA bookstore to see all the things that you will want to ask your family for Christmas leads you to finally reaching the gates to Sanford Stadium.  It’s time to enter the arena that you will share with 92,746 of our closest friends.

The actual game is still an hour or so away.  But ever since my college days, my best friend and I had to be in the stadium to watch the team warm-up.  We have to see what kind of energy the team has and then make a last minute prediction about the result of the game.  We MUST be in the stadium to hear Phil Collin’s ‘In the Air Tonight’ as team goes thru stretches.  We MUST be there as the Red Coat Band takes the field and performs the “Spell GEORGIA cheer”.  We MUST be there for the National anthem and as the trumpet player plays the first few chords of the “Battle Hymn” from the Southwest corner of the top level of the stadium.  This may be the most electric moment of the pregame show and if you haven’t got chills yet, you will when the legendary Larry Munson’s recorded voice comes over the loudspeaker!

Finally it’s gametime!  The band forms a lane as the cheerleaders and the team come running thru the breakaway banner. The decibel level in the stadium has reached a level that pierces your ears.  No sense in trying to say something to your neighbor, so do what everyone else is doing… bark as loud as you can like a true Dawg!

The game itself can go up or down.  It’s a three hour experience full of emotions.  Over the years I’ve gone from euphoria to cursing everything in sight!  Wins will come and so will losses.  When you win it’s the greatest thing in the world (especially when you beat Auburn).  When you lose...well it’s not great, but I always remind myself that it’s always great to be a Georgia Bulldog and it’s seems to end a little of the pain.   

As the final horn sounds, the game is over and the day is almost too.  Wins usually lead to us staying in the stadium to listen to the band’s post game concert and maybe even a post-game tailgate to celebrate the day.  Losses end with quiet walks back to the car.  Hugs goodbye to our friends and then the long drive back to Thomaston.

The drive back is equally special.  From Athens to Thomaston, we usually are in a long line of cars.  All with their lights on and all with their red and black flags still flying in the dark of the night.  It’s a really cool moment knowing that this many people just went thru the same experiences as you.  It’s awesome knowing that people have traveled from all parts of the state to cheer on the team that they feel best represents us all.

Typing this article has been the easiest article I have ever written.  When talking about game day in Athens, no UGA graduate or fan will ever have ‘writer’s block’.  There is nothing like it in the world!  I can not wait until September 5th!  As I finish this article there are 26 days, 16 hours, 56 minutes and 19 seconds away from gameday!  I hope to see you there and last but not least, GO DAWGS!!!  

Book Review: A Time for Truth by Ted Cruz

Another auto-biography down this summer.  My parents gave me this book for my birthday.  I knew of Ted Cruz and knew that he was running for president.  I didn't think he even had a shot to come close to winning.  To be honest, when they gave me the book, I didn't want to waste my time reading because I didn't think he'd be in the conversation.

The same night they gave me the book, I went home and read a chapter.  Well, one chapter led to two.  Two led to three.  To make a long story short.... I read the entire book!

After reading it, I truely believe Ted Cruz is in the race to win the GOP nomination!  He has a great story.  He is probably one of the smartest men in America when it comes to conservatism and the Constitution.  He has an incredible story and a great vision for America!

I don't think he will win the GOP nomination for 2016 but you may want to keep your eyes on him.  He could make some noise in 2020 or beyond.  I do believe he is doing a great job as a US Senator and I admire him for standing up for all Americans!

I encourage you to read this book.

Tim Howard's The Keeper

It has been a while since I read an autobiography.  After reading Tim Howard's The Keeper, I'm going to try and read more.  This was an outstanding book and a very easy read.  Probably because I am a huge fan of the US Men's National Soccer Team.  None the less, I enjoyed it tremendously and I can say it is probably one of my favorite books I've ever read.

This book followed Howard's life from childhood all the way until the time it was written.  It covered his days in youth programs, the MLS, playing in the Premiere League and for the National team.  It was a great read.

Chapters were not long and they were all very interesting.  He really gave you a great look into his life.  I loved it because his chapters were short and precise.  He didn't dwell on one thing for too long but gave you just enough information to keep you interested.

In summary, this was a great book!  It has me even more fired up to watch the US National Team.  In fact, tomorrow we are going to see them play at the Georgia Dome.  Even though Howard won't be playing, it did give me enough excitement from reading that I'm ready to go!

Women in Sports

About five minutes before the halftime whistle sounded during the Women’s World Cup championship game, I realized what I was doing.  My family was all sitting in the living room, everyone was wearing red, white and blue, and I realized that I was 100% entrenched in the game.  For all of the US women’s previous games, I was pretty “in to” the games, but not like this one.  I was on the edge of my recliner, biting my fingernails, and my right leg was nervously going up and down.  Now granted, the United States women were up a comfortable 4-1, but this was the World Cup Final!  This was a chance to show the world that we do have a say in the world of international soccer.  Heck, this really wasn’t about soccer at all.  This was about America. And by george, we are the best nation in the world!

Usually, the feelings that I was experiencing only show up on Saturdays in the fall as I sit in front of my TV watching my Georgia Bulldogs.  I know people get excited for college football, but the University of Georgia is my alma mata.  It is where I spent some of the best years of my life. Athens is where I met many of my closest friends and this is where I became the man I am today.  I live and breath with the Dawgs.  It is a great week at my house when we beat our arch rivals (especially Auburn), and it’s like a morgue around here when we lose to a rival.  Two Sundays ago, I found myself having these feeling for a Woman’s soccer game…. and I liked it!

I woke up the next morning after the US women won the World Cup trophy and still had a smile on my face.  I couldn’t wait to watch Sportscenter and Fox Sports to see all the stories and segments that they would be doing on the girls.  I watched for most of the morning and loved every second of it.  That evening I decided to go for a jog.  I loaded up a podcast on my phone and took off for a few miles.

I was listening to ESPN’s Colin Cowherd as he started the show discussing the women’s championship win.  He was discussing the huge numbers of viewers for the game and how this wasn’t just a win for women’s soccer but a win for all of women’s sports.  While I made the midway turn on my jog, I started thinking.  This WAS a huge win for women’s sports.  I began to think about all the women who are involved in sports and how they don’t get the credit that they deserve.  Right then I told myself that the next time I was asked to write a column, this would be my focus.  Women play such a huge role in sports, this would be the least that I could do!

First, I thought about the “Sports Mom”.  I sat down to figure out how many miles my mom drove taking me, my brother and my two sisters all around the Southeast to our games and our competitions.  She spent  so many hours driving us to practices and games for soccer, baseball, football, golf, basketball and my sister’s cheerleading competitions.  My mind was blown!  No way I could count the thousands and thousands of miles that she has traveled!  

I then told myself I would try to do the same math for my wife.  I mean she only has TWO kids.  I starting trying to figure out the number of soccer tournaments, golf matches, and volleyball games that she has driven to for our kids, even the numbers of hours and miles she has drove around to watch me coach my Upson Lee teams.  I was floored that I couldn’t even come close to a figure.  I was actually impressed!  What’s even more impressive is watching my wife get red dirt stains out of white game jerseys, making sure everyone has enough gatorades to stay hydrated, checking to see that no one forgets their shin guards or game shorts.  I guess growing up, I didn’t get to see all that happens “behind the scenes” from a sports mom. Maybe I should not call my wife, my mom and all you other moms “sports moms”, but “super moms!”   So to all of you sports moms out there, I’m sure I speak for all guys when I say THANK YOU!  Us guys definitely could NOT do what you do!  You make sports happen for kids every single day!

Second on my list of females in sports are the women athletes.  I got in a discussion with some buddies while playing pick-up basketball last week.  The discussion led us to talking about how good of athletes the U.S. Women's soccer team are. Women do not get the credit that they deserve for the time and the effort they put in to sports.  A great example is the World Cup MVP, Carli Lloyd.  I read an article about how she had dedicated the last 12 years of her life for one reason, to be a World Cup champion.

Go to most of our Upson Lee girls sports programs and see how hard they work.  Their hard work and dedication to their sport and their team is second to no guy!  They work just as hard as any boy that has played for me.  I’ve even said in the past few years, while watching our Upson Lee girls athletes, things like “I’d take her as my goalkeeper any day!” or “I love how hard she plays, I wish my guys would play that hard!” I also know first hand as a coach because I coached middle and high school basketball for 9 years and had tremendously hard-working girls on my teams.   We do not give women athletes the credit that they deserve.  This must change, these girls deserve it!

The last group of women in the sports world that deserve a ‘shout out’ are the women sports fans.  Guys, go ahead and admit it, when you hear a women talk about sports, you usually tune her out.  But I’m here to tell you, you better start listening!  I was watching the NFL network a few weeks ago and was more impressed with what the woman analyst was saying than what the three guys at the table were saying about the upcoming season.  Now granted, most women can’t tell you what technique the defensive tackle is lined up in, but let’s be honest, most “know-it-all” men sports fans can’t either!  

Women love sports!  They love watching sports!  My favorite person to watch Georgia Football with isn’t my brother-in-law or one of my friends, it’s my step-daughter.  She knows her Dawgs!  She loves her Dawgs and I love watching the Dawgs with her!  Come on guys, how many times has a women won the March Madness pool that you entered?  How many times has a women beat you at Fantasy Football or can name more of the 2015 Atlanta Braves than you can?  Let’s be honest, women also deserve to be treated as equal sports fans!

I’m sure this article has ruffled some feathers.  I’m sure there are some people who didn’t even make it past the first paragraph because they thought it was an article about women’s soccer.  I’m sure there are a ton of you who are still saying there is no room for women in or around sports.  But I am here to tell you that you need to wake up!  Women deserve to be involved in sports!  They deserve to be treated like equals!  So, thank you United States Women’s National team. Thank you for opening my eyes a little more and helping me realize that women might just help make the sports world go ‘round.

Book Review: Jesus is _________

I have a pretty serious problem.  I love books.  In fact, as we speak, I have a stack of about 10 books that I want to read.  

Another problem that I have is that I start too many books and it takes me forever to finish just one because of this.  I have books laying every where.

I am making a conscience effort for the remaining part of the summer to finish each book that I have started.  I will not start another until I finished the one I am working on.  Let's see how long this last....

The first book that I finished is one I've been working on since about January.  I had a friend give me this book because it was in her office and she said she didn't read.  I asked her if I could borrow and she said I could have it.

I had been wanting to read the book "Jesus is _____" or a while and was intrigued by it's author Judah Smith.  

I am glad that I picked this book up.  It was a very easy read.  I could have read it in a couple of days if I didn't have an arsenal of other books I was working on at the same time.  

The book was great.  Simple lessons about Jesus that I has mostly heard before, but that I needed to hear again. Judah Smith puts things in a clear perspective and really illustrates his points with interesting stories.  I really needed to read this book.

This book gave me a better understanding of who Jesus really is.  This book has motivated me to grow closer to Jesus and hopefully I can follow up on improving my relationship with him.

I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Christianity and improving your Christian life.

So in conclusion, great book, highly recommended.  Now on to the next book that I need to finish.....