In addendum to the previous post - what a week!
The week has just started, but feels like it should be over. With the holidays approaching, many of us have said "Today feels like it ought to be Friday (or Saturday)." However, it is only Tuesday.
A large portion of that of course because we are planning our vacations. But also, because of basketball games at Martin Methodist on this past Monday and Tuesday night.
Below I mentioned that this is my final week as a member of the RedHawks' Athletic Department staff. To say the least, it has been one heck of a ride with a great swan song duet.
On Monday, Dec. 18, the men's basketball team rewired the electricity in the Curry Christian Life Center with an 83-72 upset over No. 4 Faulkner University. This was the program's highest upset since joining the NAIA. In addition to that, Kirk "Bam-Bam" Newnham scored his 1,000 career point. The lone four-year senior was severely injured in January 2005, cutting short his best season of his career. Averaging 13.5 points per game, he was on pace to score at least 350 points, however finished with just 257 through 19 games. Had the season been completed in 2004-05, Bam would have passed 1,000 last season and pushed for the school record this season, unofficial set at 1,267 (as far as I've tracked down so far).
That is not to say that Bam will not score 266 points in the remaining games of this season's soon to be magical run.
The victory puts the men's team even at 6-6 on the season, with four of their six loses coming to teams at least receiving votes in the Top 25 poll. They are also on an amazing three game win streak.
Tonight (Tuesday, Dec. 19), the women's team improved to 9-2 on the season, continuing their best start in NAIA history, with a 71-60 upset of No. 16 Georgetown College. MMC's three starting guards combined for 47 points, as the RedHawks out rebounded the Tigers 49-29, collecting 34 defensive rebounds.
So, the MMC Athletics portion of my life begins it's close to the tune of "Over Rated!", the chant that echos through the CLC, lingering until both teams host nationally ranked Trevecca Nazarene teams on Jan. 4, 2007 for the TranSouth Athletic Conference opener.
Hopefully, as I turn to cover the fastest growing county in Alabama, the RedHawks will sore into the spring, hearing their fans recite the chant over-and-over again.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Winds of Change
"To everything there is a season..."
For those of you who don't know, I am entering my final week as Sports Information Director at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn., possibly my final week in full time sports information for my life. I am turning over a new leaf (and considering using every change cliche possible in this post). On Tuesday, January 2, I will begin a post as sports editor at the Shelby County Reporter, a weekly newspaper based out of Columbiana, Ala.
The timing of this change is not the best. Since receiving a phone call in early November informing me that the paper may be calling me out of interest, I have served on a committee to help launch a public access channel in Pulaski, strengthened local friendships, enjoyed the scenery and as always enjoyed the sports memories here. MMC is either in her prime or entering her prime athletically. I hope the latter. That makes it a tough time to leave, not to mention that this departure comes in the middle of an academic and athletic calendar on December 22.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at MMC and will miss the character of Pulaski and Middle Tennessee. I'll miss walking out to Sam Davis Park to the smell of the baseball diamond and the smoke rising from Hickory House. I will miss the 4.5 minute commute from home to work. I will miss seeing chickens cross the road to go to the liquor store (ask and I'll tell). I'll miss students stopping by my office. I'll miss Borders bookstores since there are none in Alabama, and the random trips I made to Cool Springs and West End to waste time in Borders. I'll miss the wins, the loses and the what ifs. I'll miss the red and black of the RedHawks after allowing it to cover up and blend with the purple and gold of the Falcons. I'll miss the columned gates, the drive after merging right off Exit 1 and knowing that I'm almost home. I'll miss the site of the three stars inside the blue circle on the red, Tennessee state flag that flies above the Giles County Board of Education as I turn behind the Curry Christian Life Center.
I will miss the square, the courthouse and the wave at random passers by. I will miss frequently eating fresh and being served by Teresa, Al and P.M. I will miss the giant painted turkeys. I will miss the family that is MMC and Giles County.
When I first moved here, I did not allow myself to get adjusted. I had a feeling that one day I'd uproot and move somewhere else. Despite an interview in July for a position in Birmingham, I was not looking to leave, and decided last December that I enjoyed being here.
"Pulaski grows on you once you let it," I'd tell people.
Everyone who came to visit loved it. Now, if that is the case, then why am I leaving after just 16 months? Why, if I was glad to get out of Birmingham, am I going back?
God only knows. No, that is not a figure of speech cliche, but the truth. Only God knows why he stirred me to listen to and accept the position at the Reporter. Only He knows what is in store for me in Birmingham and what lessons I will learn over the next however many years. Only He knows what will happen with the relationships I have built over the past 16 months or even weeks. For the past few years I have known that I do not fully rely on trusting the promises of God. That may be one reason for this change. I expect this move to open countless opportunities, whether that be professionally through the Reporter or outside work, or personally through straightening relationships both in the middle of the Volunteer State and in the Heart of Dixie.
"It's not why God has called, but for what..." - wisdom given by a co-worker at MMC.
So, as this Christmas week begins, I reflect more on a departure than get excited about a new position, to answer all of you who ask if I'm excited. To refer back to the top, "to everything there is a season" - a time and purpose.
The excitement will come in the next week for my new position, but until then, I'm going to open my pores and soak in what I can of my time in Tennessee.
For those of you who don't know, I am entering my final week as Sports Information Director at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn., possibly my final week in full time sports information for my life. I am turning over a new leaf (and considering using every change cliche possible in this post). On Tuesday, January 2, I will begin a post as sports editor at the Shelby County Reporter, a weekly newspaper based out of Columbiana, Ala.
The timing of this change is not the best. Since receiving a phone call in early November informing me that the paper may be calling me out of interest, I have served on a committee to help launch a public access channel in Pulaski, strengthened local friendships, enjoyed the scenery and as always enjoyed the sports memories here. MMC is either in her prime or entering her prime athletically. I hope the latter. That makes it a tough time to leave, not to mention that this departure comes in the middle of an academic and athletic calendar on December 22.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at MMC and will miss the character of Pulaski and Middle Tennessee. I'll miss walking out to Sam Davis Park to the smell of the baseball diamond and the smoke rising from Hickory House. I will miss the 4.5 minute commute from home to work. I will miss seeing chickens cross the road to go to the liquor store (ask and I'll tell). I'll miss students stopping by my office. I'll miss Borders bookstores since there are none in Alabama, and the random trips I made to Cool Springs and West End to waste time in Borders. I'll miss the wins, the loses and the what ifs. I'll miss the red and black of the RedHawks after allowing it to cover up and blend with the purple and gold of the Falcons. I'll miss the columned gates, the drive after merging right off Exit 1 and knowing that I'm almost home. I'll miss the site of the three stars inside the blue circle on the red, Tennessee state flag that flies above the Giles County Board of Education as I turn behind the Curry Christian Life Center.
I will miss the square, the courthouse and the wave at random passers by. I will miss frequently eating fresh and being served by Teresa, Al and P.M. I will miss the giant painted turkeys. I will miss the family that is MMC and Giles County.
When I first moved here, I did not allow myself to get adjusted. I had a feeling that one day I'd uproot and move somewhere else. Despite an interview in July for a position in Birmingham, I was not looking to leave, and decided last December that I enjoyed being here.
"Pulaski grows on you once you let it," I'd tell people.
Everyone who came to visit loved it. Now, if that is the case, then why am I leaving after just 16 months? Why, if I was glad to get out of Birmingham, am I going back?
God only knows. No, that is not a figure of speech cliche, but the truth. Only God knows why he stirred me to listen to and accept the position at the Reporter. Only He knows what is in store for me in Birmingham and what lessons I will learn over the next however many years. Only He knows what will happen with the relationships I have built over the past 16 months or even weeks. For the past few years I have known that I do not fully rely on trusting the promises of God. That may be one reason for this change. I expect this move to open countless opportunities, whether that be professionally through the Reporter or outside work, or personally through straightening relationships both in the middle of the Volunteer State and in the Heart of Dixie.
"It's not why God has called, but for what..." - wisdom given by a co-worker at MMC.
So, as this Christmas week begins, I reflect more on a departure than get excited about a new position, to answer all of you who ask if I'm excited. To refer back to the top, "to everything there is a season" - a time and purpose.
The excitement will come in the next week for my new position, but until then, I'm going to open my pores and soak in what I can of my time in Tennessee.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
A Wealth of Blogging
I just thought I'd let you know that since I have been bombarding you with blogs every day for the past three months (if you can't catch the sarcassim here, then you might want to consider mental help), I'll give you a break for a little while and not post anything.
Seriously, I have no excuse for not posting anything on here, except for a four letter word "work". But still, that's no excuse, right? I have been doing a lot of "blogging" in my head, in conversation with others or on random scrap pieces of paper or notebooks. If only there were an invention that could take your thoughts and apply them straight to paper or to a Microsoft Word Document. While this would be a great invention, it could be a very scary one at the same time.
Before I go on rambling about mind reading software, I just wanted to let those of you who still read this that I will be moving back to Birmingham at Christmas. Considering the only people reading this now that I have been in hibernation the past three months are close family and friends, if even that, then you probably already knew that. Hopefully with the job change and location change, there will also be a frequency of blogging change.
Stay tuned to find out. Until then, have a wonderful Christmas holiday.
Seriously, I have no excuse for not posting anything on here, except for a four letter word "work". But still, that's no excuse, right? I have been doing a lot of "blogging" in my head, in conversation with others or on random scrap pieces of paper or notebooks. If only there were an invention that could take your thoughts and apply them straight to paper or to a Microsoft Word Document. While this would be a great invention, it could be a very scary one at the same time.
Before I go on rambling about mind reading software, I just wanted to let those of you who still read this that I will be moving back to Birmingham at Christmas. Considering the only people reading this now that I have been in hibernation the past three months are close family and friends, if even that, then you probably already knew that. Hopefully with the job change and location change, there will also be a frequency of blogging change.
Stay tuned to find out. Until then, have a wonderful Christmas holiday.
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