Watch the Inauguration

Today, all eyes are on the United States of America as the Presidency changes hands in front of a worldwide audience. While some have chosen to boycott the 58^th Inauguration Day festivities, I will be watching. I will be watching because today is historic no matter the name, party or platform of the individual taking the oath of office. It’s a time when all of America should turn their ear to hear the new President’s first message as leader of the free world.

It’s been 92 years since Calvin Coolidge’s inauguration became the first to be broadcast nationally on the radio. It was the sixth-longest Inaugural Address in U.S. history, yet not one that stands out for a defining quote we all know today. It was March 4, 1925. My grandmother was 35 days old.

Twenty-four years later, Harry Truman was the first to deliver his address on national television. Twelve years later, John F. Kennedy urged citizens to “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” in the first Inauguration televised in color. In 1997, President Bill Clinton’s second oath of office was the first to be streamed online. Since then, with the creation of smart phones and more and more internet media, the opportunities to watch or listen to an Inauguration have grown. Eight years ago, Barrack Obama’s first Inaugural set a world record with 45.5 million viewers via video stream, in addition to the 2 million in attendance and millions watching on TV.

There will be no shortage of ways to watch President-Elect Donald Trump take the oath of office today at noon (ET) to become the 45^th President of the United States and deliver his Inaugural Address. The ceremony will be broadcast live on television, radio and streamed live through various platforms and media groups.

Today, as my daughter turns a year old, we will watch via ABC’s Roku app. It will be the first Inauguration in either of my children’s lifetime and a moment my daughter will have as part of her birthday every four years (1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, etc.). My wife watched her first one a day shy of eight months old when Ronald Reagan took his second oath of office.

Currently our nation continues to divide into partisan politics. It is reported that 65 Democratic members of Congress will skip the Inauguration events in boycott. It shouldn’t be missed though that the boycotts are from among the party and not that of the 2016 2016 Presidential runner-up Hillary Clinton, who will be in attendance. While some Democrats have dismissed her attendance as that of a former First Lady, only two runner-ups have not attended in the last 30 years: Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1989 and Gov. Mitt Romney in 2013. In fact all Presidents who lost re-election bids have attended their successor’s inauguration (most recently George H.W. Bush in 1993 and Jimmy Carter in 1981), except John Adams in 1801 and his son John Quincey Adams in 1829.

This is not a day to turn a deaf ear in America or try to make our voices louder than that of the incoming President.

This year’s address by Trump, estimated to last 20 minutes, is believed to be a call for unity. While many may find that call hard to believe given campaign rhetoric and our political climate, we should listen, and we should do so with an open mind, regardless of our political stance or view of our new President. Not doing so cheats ourselves and our country.

Our new President, deserves our ear. We don’t have to agree, but we should listen. We don’t have to show our face, but we should watch.

Happy New Year!

(Enter cliche lead here)

It's 2016, and I'm kicking it off like most do with on New Year's - attacking my new year's resolutions. Only this year, it's not resolutions I seek to complete, but goals.

On Dec. 27 I started thinking about the idea of new year's resolutions, and I was reminded of the last list I made. I couldn't remember if it was 2015 or 2014, so I scrolled through my iPhone notes to find it.

The list reads: spend more time with family, enjoy life more, better productivity on projects at work and home, restore old hobbies or add new ones, make time for friends.

I'm not sure how much of that was actually done in 2014. However, a decision in late 2014 opened the door for those resolutions in 2015, only I didn't realize it until now.

A friend recently posted on Facebook to describe 2015 in one word. I chose "Transition."

It was the year I resigned my job as sports information director at Campbellsville University after 5 1/2 years without another job lined up, all to move back to Alabama to help my wife pursue her career track. Initially, we planned to live short term with family until our house in Kentucky sold. I would take an extended "vacation" from work and freelance some until the right job opened up. By summer, the house hadn't sold, we found out we were pregnant with our second child, and we decided as a family for me to stay home with the kids while pursuing freelance work. This is just a taste of the transitions we had within our family. But looking back, these transitions allowed for more time with family, some improved productivity at home, a little more time with friends and an improved enjoyment of life outside of work.

That realization also showed the 2014 resolutions are actually annual resolutions and became the basis for my 2016 New Year's Goals. While I've never been big on resolutions, starting this year, I am shifting my philosophy to set achievable daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual goals instead of resolutions.

Daily
- Write (blog, notebook or other - not including work)
- Budget time and stay on schedule
- Set aside a minimum of 30 minutes a day to spend with each child individually.

Weekly (minimum of once a week)
- Bible time outside of church
- Exercise once a week (not counting family walk)
- Take a walk with the family
- Cook two dinners
- Update spending and evaluate monthly cash flow plan (budget)
(read the Bible more, exercise, eat healthy, more family time, get out of debt, etc. seem to be common resolutions, I figure this is a realistic start).

Monthly
- Date with my wife
- Schedule a lunch/dinner/visit with each local family member
- Schedule a call/lunch/coffee with each of my closest friends
- Read a new book
- Evaluate and revise monthly cash flow plan (budget)

Quarterly
- Organize storage closet
- Make one trip to Salvation Army, etc. to donate items we no longer need.

Annual
- Become debt free


This is just a start. There are a few not listed, and I hope to add a few more here and there without compromising the others. For example, notice volunteering isn't on the list. It should be, but for now that's a resolution. I'll need to work on turning it into an achievable goal.

So, to begin 2016, I'm tackling my list and checking off daily goal No. 1.

Hopefully it won't be two years between blog posts (though that seems to be the pattern). I hope to do some of the daily writing here from time-to-time.

Until then, Happy New Year (said with my best Frosty the Snowman "Happy Birthday" impression).

April 15-20 - A Week To Remember

“All in all, this has been a tough week.”

Those were some of the last words in a Friday evening statement issued by President Barack Obama on Friday, April 19, 2013.

The statement (here) came after a week-long man hunt for two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing came to a close and within days after an explosion in West, Texas.

In the two events combined, 17 have been confirmed dead, more than 380 injured and as of 10 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 20, many were still missing in Texas.

But little did President Obama recognize with his statement, that he spoke not only for this week in 2013 but for the third week of April throughout American history.

The moment I learned of the attacks in Boston on Monday, I realized what week this was. The Boston Marathon is designed to celebrate Patriot Day – honoring both the beginning and the end of the American Revolution. It was April 17, 1775 when Paul Revere road through the streets of Boston warning of the British advancement by sea. Two days later, 122 people were killed, 213 injured and 58 were reported missing in the first official day of war at Lexington-Concord. The eight-year war began to form peace on April 15, 1783 after 130,000 lives were claimed on American soil.

Since this founding battle of the United States of America, the third week of April has remained as a week of disaster and national headlines. It’s a week that I would circle on the calendar if I was head of a national newsroom or the President’s chief of staff. It’s a week that for whatever reason should be a no vacation time period.

There are other weeks that stand out as deadly times in American history. July 1865 was the Battle of Gettysburg. The middle of September holds two of the bloodiest days in American history: The Battle of Antietam (Battle of Sharpsburg), which claimed 22,717 lives on Sept. 17, 1862, and also the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.  

But no week stands out throughout America’s 237 years like this one.

Since 1776, the week of April 15-20 has seen 4,285 killed and 5,847 injured in 12 major historical events on American soil. Five of those events, not including the fire in West, Texas, resulted in more than $23.4 billion worth of damage to homes and cities. These numbers do not include the 1,517 that died in 1912 when the Titanic sank in the Atlantic or many killed in international events during this same time period in history.

So, yes, this has been a tough week.

Forever, as time moves on, this will be a week of remembrance, possibly even the “National Week of Remembrance.”

It is this week that we remember: the Patriots, Lincoln, the Titanic, Beirut, Waco, Oklahoma City, Columbine, Virginia Tech, Boston and West, Texas.

It is also this week that many others have died that we may not keep in the front of our memory. Here’s a look back at April 15-20, 1776-2013. Take note and remember.

April 17, 1775 – British advancement by sea – start of American Revolution
April 19, 1775 – Lexington-Concord 122 killed, 213 injured, 58 missing.
April 15, 1783 – Preliminary articles of peace ending the American Revolutionary War are ratified. War killed 130,000 during its eight years.
April 15, 1865 – Abraham Lincoln dies after being shot the previous night at Ford Theater.
April 17, 1880 – F4 tornado hits Marshfield, Mo., killing 99, injuring 100.
April 17, 1906 – San Francisco Earthquake, killed 3,000
April 15, 1912 – Titanic sinks at 2:20 a.m. – only 710 of 2,227 survive.
April 15, 1927 – Great Mississippi Flood, the most destructive flood in U.S. history begins. New Orleans is left 4-feet underwater within 18 hours.
April 16, 1947 – Texas City Disaster – an explosion on board a freighter in Texas City, Texas kills almost 600.
April 15, 1969 – North Korea shoots down a US Navy plane, killing 31 in the Sea of Japan.
April 14, 1970 – “Houston, we have a problem.” Apollo 13 oxygen tank blows – but disaster is adverted and the crew returned safely April 17.
April 17, 1983 – Suicide bomber destroys US embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 63.
April 15, 1989 – Tiananmen Square standoff begins.
April 19, 1989 – USS Iowa explosion kills 47.
April 19, 1993 – Waco Fire, 76 killed
April 19, 1995 – Oklahoma City bombing kills 168
April 19, 1997 – Red River Flood
April 20, 1999 – Columbine massacre kills 13, injures 24
April 16, 2007 – Virginia Tech Massacre killed 33, 27 injured
April 20, 2010 – Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion, kills 11, 6 month oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
April 15, 2013 – Boston Marathon bombings, killed 3, injured 183 … paralyzed the city for a week.
April 17, 2013 – West, Texas Explosion … death toll and injury count ongoing.
April 15-20, 2004-2013 – 328 killed, 711 injured in three separate bombings in Iraq

In all, major events in U.S. history have claimed the lives of 25-plus per year since 1776 during this week.

Hoffman should be Hermann Trophy finalist

Of the 11 forwards still in the running for the MAC Hermann Trophy, UCLA junior Chandler Hoffman is the most deserving to be at the St. Louis dinner January 6.

Hoffman, the comeback story of 2011, has numbers that rival every candidate up for consideration, but what sets him apart is his precision and accuracy.

After breaking his leg during the 2010 preseason, Hoffman went from being “completely crushed” to one of the best collegiate goal scorers the West Coast has seen in 20 years.

In his last 29 games at UCLA, Hoffman has scored 24 goals, including 18 times in 23 outings this season. Not only that, but the junior, left-footed striker has put the UCLA Bruins on his back en route to the College Cup in his hometown area of Birmingham, Ala. He has converted on 78.3 percent of his shots on goal (18-of-23), the best percentage of the semifinalists by far. Closest to him is University of Memphis striker Mark Sherrod at 59.4 percent (19-of-32).

Hoffman’s 18 goals have come at the rate of 0.78 per game, and at one point this season he scored on 10 consecutive shots on goal. He currently has scored his last five shots on goal entering the College Cup.

The junior is one of 12 goal scorers this season for UCLA, but accounts for 44 percent of the Bruins’ 41 goals. The only semifinalist to account for more of his team’s overall goals is Sherrod at 51.4 percent among 11 goal scorers.

If the Hermann Trophy is going to go to an offensive goal scorer, then Hoffman should be the front runner. While he and Sherrod seem somewhat even in stats, no player has carried his team this season in the NCAA like Hoffman has the Bruins. Hoffman has scored most goals by one player at UCLA since 1991 while also maintaining a 3.79 GPA in communication studies to be selected as a Second Team All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

How shall we honor the tradition of Toomer's Oaks?

When the news hit about the oaks at Toomer's Corner, we all were angered and crushed. In the days since, I've read and heard numerous comments from fans of what should be done with the oak trees should they die. I say should, because I hold out hope that the tough ole' trees will fight this chemical weapon the same way it has stood the test of time. But if the herbicide is too strong, what shall we do to honor the life of this storied tradition?

Some have suggested to bronze the trees before they die or build a statue of the trees in their place. Others have said to use parts of the tree for a monument in Jordan-Hare or other locations. While all of these ideas seem great, let's not forget what makes this tradition so special.

Auburn is not a place for traditions of statues you gaze at or touch. Auburn is about living tradition: a walk with its fans, a battle cry that extends social/economic standards, a flight of an eagle and the beauty of a tree blowing in the wind filled with toilet paper. Each of these are living traditions passed down through generations. Such should be the legacy of the oaks.

Once the poison is gone from the rich Auburn soil, the best fitting tribute would be to pass the corner of Magnolia and College to the next generation of Oaks. Just as alumni pride themselves in being able to carry on their ancestors tradition of being an Auburn Tiger, so should the seedlings of Toomers' oaks, which are maintained by The School of Forestry and Wildlife Science.

Until that day comes, the Auburn Family has the opportunity to spread the seed of Toomer's oaks across the state and nation, not only in their own yards, but in parks or gardens.

The spirit of Auburn is alive. So shall be the spriit of Toomer's Oaks.

Purpose in print

Every now and then when things seem to get a rut, things get busy again at work. And usually in those moments something gives me a boost. Almost always that boost comes from knowing that there was purpose to my job that day.
No other time in my professional career, have I probably felt such purpose than this week.
A former Spain Park track and field captain named Imad Mohammad, 18, and his mother spent five days in the LaSalle Detention Facility in Jena, La. They had been in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since Jan. 12. I learned of the story this past Monday, three days after they were taken from the Perry County (Ala.) Jail to LaSalle.
While yes, here is a family who is here illegally after their visitation visa expired in the 1990s, they have been appealing their request for asylum for more than a decade, working, paying taxes, getting involved in their community and local school and living a clean, American life. All of a sudden, they were picked up by ICE - nine years after they were told they'd be deported.
While the Immigration Board of Appeals will decide what happens to the family, it was still our job to report what the family and lawyers were seeing as injustice - being detained all of a sudden by the government, while knowing that they had no country to send the family to.
On Wednesday afternoon, that purpose moment came when Imad and his mother were released after an inquiry by U.S. Congressman Spencer Bachus.
The words of encouragement and thank yous coming from the family and friends of the family are better than any award that can be won for a story. Hearing a father say through tears, "You brought a mom home to her children again," leaves you speechless.
Not only has this week brought a renewed sense of humanity to the father of the family and teachers at Spain Park, but hopefully to Imad, who was beginning to believe that he can not trust anyone in this world. Trust is exactly what he needs to have in his family, friends and government - even if by law it is not his government yet.
Here are the stories so far from this week.

1/28 - Mohammads released from jail

1/26 - Former Spain Park runner faces deportation

Who really owns the Iron Bowl?

I'd almost forgotten what an Iron Bowl Saturday in Dixie felt like. After living in Tennessee the previous two Iron Bowls, I'd missed that certain feeling in the air and buzz that moves freely through the state in late November. It's orange, blue, crimson and white everywhere you look. It's tiger tails and Bama flags, as the traffic flows steady down U.S. 280 or South on Interstates 459 and 59.
As Auburn fans celebrate their sixth-straight win over Alabama this week, a 17-10 victory on Nov. 24, I thought I'd pose the question of who really owns the Iron Bowl?
It's not Auburn or Alabama, but Paul "Bear" Bryant.
During Bryant's tenure in Tuscaloosa, he not only racked up one of the greatest coaching records of all time with 323 wins, but posted 19 of those against the "cow college," otherwise known as Auburn Uninversity, the "Loviliest Village on the Plains." His 19-6 record in the 72-game rivalry is the best of any coach for either team. It is understandable why Alabama fans are quick to call the rilvary theirs, however, despite what the series record of 38-33-1 says to their favor, the series is not theirs.
If you eliminate Bear from the equation, Auburn leads the way at 27-19-1.
Only one Alabama coach has beaten its rival more than five times: Bear Bryant. Three Auburn coaches have won more than five over the Tide: Ralph "Shug" Jordan (9-16), Tommy Tuberville (7-2 and still counting) and Pat Dye (6-6). Alabama's Gene Stallings and Red Drew were both 5-2 againt the Tigers.
So, as you see, it is Bear that owns the Iron Bowl, not Bama. For if it weren't for Bear, the bragging rights are Auburn's. Take away the Auburn win's againt Bear and the time spent by Shug and Dye pre-Bear and post-Bear, and the series still tilts toward the Plains (18-11-1).
Of course, you can't elimiate the records of three of the best coaches to coach in the rilvary.
Shug took over Auburn, or API at the time, in 1951 and stayed through 1975. Bear came in 1958 and departed in 1982. Doug Barfield was 0-5 for Auburn from 1976-80, while Dye was 6-6 from 1981-92. The time from Shug to Dye accounts for 42 of the rivalry's 72 games played, thus creating the heart of the heated battle. for this time alone, these 40 games, Bear won 19, Shug won nine and Dye won six. The Tide won 27 and the Tigers won 15.
But has the platue of the rivalry passed or is a new era dawning? Since Dye's departure in 1992, Auburn is 10-5. Before Shug ever walked the sidelines of Legion Field for the Iron Bowl, Auburn was 8-6-1.
The series between the two teams is as close as most of its scores.
Now there's a new Iron Bowl era. Tuberville is knocking on becoming the coach with the most wins against Bama in Auburn history. He already holds the longest win streak for Auburn against Bama. Next is three wins to pass Shug for most wins and to match Bear's streak of nine wins in the series.
So, you tell me, who really owns the Iron Bowl?

OTHER IRON BOWL FACTS
Record by location

Auburn: Auburn 7-2
-- Jordan-Hare Stadium: Auburn 7-2

Tuscaloosa:Auburn 6-0
-- Bryant-Denny Stadium: Auburn 4-0
-- Other Tuscaloosa location: Auburn 2-0

Birmingham: Bama 34-18-1
-- Legion Field: Bama 32-15
-- Birmingham Fair Grounds: Bama 1-0-1
-- West End Park: Auburn 2-1
-- Lakeview Baseball Park: Auburn 1-0

Motgomery: Tied 2-2
-- Highland Park: Bama 1-0
-- Riverside Park: Tied 1-1
-- Other location: Auburn 1-0

Goals met in Division II debut

It's something I began doing my junior year at the University of Montevallo when broadcasting basketball games. I'd go to a player before the game and give him or her a realistic goal to achieve that was slightly higher than his or her average. It might have been points, rebounds, assists, fewer turnovers or field goal/free throw percentage. It was often that those goals were met.
I took this form of encouragement and motivation with me to Martin Methodist College as sports inforamation director. It worked a little in the 2005-06 athletic season, however it was displayed the best last fall. My two most successful targets were Tassia Augusto and LaKenya Wrightsil. Tas, a native of Brazil, missed a large portion of her freshman season due to knee injury and was not able to travel as a player to the Kansas to help MMC win the women's soccer NAIA national championship in Nov. '05. She rehabbed and returned to the field last summer and although her speed was affected by her surgery, she developed the determination to score. I'd go to each girl in pregame warmups and wish them good luck individually. It had to be individually, because it was a superstition. If I missed someone, I was afraid they'd not play well. Again, I said it was a supersitition.
As I'd go around and comment, I'd give different players a different goal, however I always targeted Tas. I guess I was consistant with her last fall, because after her first goal of the season she came up to me and said "You told me I was going to score. That's all I thought about, and when I did I immediatly thought about how you'd told me."
I heard this numerous times. If I was at the game, Tas would look for me on the sidelines after a goal.
Tassia transfered last December from Martin Methodist to the Univesity of North Alabama in the Gulf South Conference. She may possibly be the weapon that the Lady Lions have been in need of to take them into the GSC Tournament and pose a threat. Realizing that UNA would open its season on Friday night, Aug. 24, I sent Tas a Facebook message Friday morning saying "Good luck Saturday in your North Alabama debut. Be sure to score one for me and two if possible."
I forgot to look up the score and check up on how she did. While researching some high school football in the state and visiting the Times Daily's website, I noticed a UNA women's soccer story, and opened.
Midway through, this is what I found, "Augusto, in her first season at UNA after transferring from Martin Methodist, scored the final two goals of the first half in the 34th and 36th minutes to make it 6-0 at intermission."
The end result is that it made me smile and laugh that for some reason this motivation tool never fails with Tassia. She also added three assists in the 8-0 victory.
This is just one of the moments that working around young athletes that makes things enjoyable and rewarding. I'm not saying I'm the reason she is scoring goals and playing well, but do believe my encouragement and goal helps motivate her to think offensively and make the moves she needs to be in position to score....and when in that position, the net is open for her.
The photo is of Tassia from her debut taken from the UNA women's soccer main page.

Remembering No. 33 – Chauncey Shelton

Every one enjoyed watching his command of the game on the basketball court and strong ability to score. Chauncey Shelton was a one-year wonder for Martin Methodist College men's basketball in 2006-07 that earned him the honor of NAIA Honorable Mention All-American this past March.

However, unlike some one-year wonder basketball players, Chauncey was not someone who will be in your mind one minute but gone forever when his playing days were over.

I am fortunate to have known Chauncey during my time as athletic communications director at MMC. The joy was not just knowing that when you needed a win, Chauncey was going to try to do what he could to make it happen, but the short conversations before or after a game or practice.

Following the senior day loss to Union University, Chauncey came off the court apologizing to myself and others for not being able to pull out a win, despite personally shooting 50 percent from the floor and scoring 33 points.

Senior day was my second trip back to Pulaski after resigning my position at MMC in late December to take over as sports editor at the Shelby County Reporter in Alabama. My first was homecoming, and Chauncey was one of the first players to speak to me after the game, asking for my number so we could keep in touch.

I'm sure many people will tell you the same, "He's a good kid. He was always smiling and spoke to everyone he saw." These are not just cliche "after they are gone" comments, but the truth, as far as I could tell.

I first became a fan of Chauncey last summer when head coach Jason Ficca and then assistant coach Patrick Wilcher were working to get Chauncey to MMC from Weber State. We knew that a player of his ability would give MMC a chance to be in position for a TranSouth Athletic Conference title. However, one of the major concerns was academics. It wasn't a concern of having the grades to be eligible, but would he be able to get the classes he wanted and needed to complete his criminal justice degree on time, without having to go too many extra semesters.

This former McDonald's All-American is someone I will not forget. I regret that since we last spoke outside the gym following his final collegiate game, that we did not keep in touch, as he hoped, but still Chauncey always made it an effort to find me when I was back and visit.

That is why it is sad that today I join the Martin Methodist family past to mourn his loss. His character showed through to death, being gunned down after breaking up a fight in Nashville on May 10.


News Channel 5 Update

Baseball's fan base and home runs

Does Major League Baseball have a future? I think it is safe to say that most sports fans, at least baseball fans, may wonder about the future of Major League Baseball. During the players strike in the early 1990s 50 percent of Americans said that they were a fan of professional baseball, however by the time the dust settled from the strike that number fell to 45 percent.
The summer of '98 brought the love for the game to an all time high at 56 percent, but as the drama of a homerun race wore off, the numbers began to steadily decline the next season and have fallen five percentage points in the past three years amid steroid speculation across the league. In a December 2006 Gallup poll, only 45 percent will claim themselves as a fan of the game on a professional level.

Now, what was once considered our national past time, holding the appeal of 39 percent of Americans as their favorite sport in 1948, the love has fallen behind football and basketball. Today 43 percent of Americans consider football their favorite sport, up nine points from December 2005, while basketball remains even at 12 percent and baseball at 11 percent.

So, what is the reason for the fallout of fans from our favorite past time? Is it because we have become a more fast paced society and would rather see an action-packed battle on the gridiron or an hour and a half basketball game as opposed to sitting through three to four hours of baseball? Or is there something more than that?

Baseball's poll numbers are starting to look like political polls – the majority just don't have a trust in the game anymore. Last June 47 percent of professional baseball fans claim that performance-enhancing drugs are the direct influence to the higher number of homeruns. Only 27 percent thought that it was based on an increase in quality hitters, while eight to nine percent said it was because of a new baseball or lack of quality pitching.

With that, it is no surprise that only three percent of sports fans consider Barry Bonds, second all-time in home runs, the greatest home run hitter in the history of the game. Babe Ruth holds that respect with 43 percent of the votes, while Hank Aaron is the only other to receive more than three percent of the votes with 26 percent. And of course the reasons for the doubt in Bonds, which was down from six percent just three years ago, is because 78 percent of professional baseball fans said last April that they believe he has used illegal steroids.

It'll be interesting to see how the 2007 season unfolds, as Bonds is in pursuit of the all-time home run crown after hitting hitting his fourth home run of the season Wednesday, leaving him with 18 needed to break the record.

One thing is for sure, if Major League Baseball has any hope of returning to the position it once held as the country's best, it needs to find a way to win back the hearts of Americans. Simon and Garfunkel's lyrics to Mrs. Robinson ring true today, "Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you..." We need a Joltin Joe or an Iron Man (Lou) Gherig or (Cal) Ripken, to help peak our interests - players who are respected for their pure talent and passion for the game. The same players that were in the shinning spot light at baseball's greatest number of fans.

Hope may remain in the pen stripes, as Alex Rodriguez's walk-off homer on Thursday was his 10th of the season. Since playing his first full season in 1996, A-Rod has averaged 42 home runs a season through last year. He is on pace for 116 this year, although that number won't come to fruition, it is safe to say 40 will, which will list him in the Top 20 with more than 500 career home runs. Home run leaders in perspective..Hank Aaron averaged 33 a season for 23 years in 3,298 games, Barry Bonds has averaged 35 in 21 seasons (through 2006) in 2,860 games and Babe Ruth averaged 32.5 for 22 seaosns and 2,503 games. If you take away Babe's first four years in Boston and last season of his career, when he hit a combined 15 home runs, and he avereaged 41.11 through 17 seasons in 2,309 games. A-Rod's average of 42 a season through the past 11 seasons and 1,681 is impressive. He beats Bonds (.25) and Aaron (.22) with an average of 0.27 in seasons where he hit at least 10 home runs (all but two). Ruth's is at the top with 0.30.

Statistical information for this column came from various Gallup Polls and Basebal reference for poll resutls and career stats.

A lack thereof

There's been a lack of blogging on this page for the past three months plus. The same was the case in the fall. I liked to think that my mind was a source of information, thoughts or ideas ready to pour on the page, but if this is true, there's the lack of motivation at the end of the day or time to spend "wasted" online to write on this blog. No, I'm not going to cancel it, but maybe I'll have a break through idea to post sometime soon or an interesting story. In the mean time, if you're interested in reading what I have been writing, which has been 99 percent, if not more, sports driven, then visit www.shelbycountyreporter.com and read the sports stories.

It has been a good first three months on the job. I have covered state championships in indoor track, wrestling and AISA girls basketball, the Bassmasters, a rodeo, an emotional inaugural memorial golf tournament for one of the best golfers in recent history from the state of Alabama. I have also had the opportunity to watch the best junior tennis player in Alabama capture a county championship and develop small relationships with a future SEC football center and golfer. Before the move from sports information and Pulaski, I wondered if I'd be able to have the same opportunites to build relationships with student-athletes that I had there. The answer to that question is becoming true as yes, as long as I want that to happen. It has been great to be able to establish some relationships with coaches, players and fans - just a small part of what makes the job fun and new each week, even if there is burn out every now and a then for the lack of a full 24 hours off from work...such is the nature of media, especially in our technology and information age.

Another good angle to working with the Shelby County Reporter has been the enviroment in which I work. Friday we had an office cookout, which presented itself as more of a family atmosphere. The same was present when the office hosted a joint baby shower for the wives of the publisher and managing editor. The publisher's daughter was born a few weeks back, while the managing editor's son is expected in the next two months.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being where I am now. However, I do ask myself, "Where am I going?" The question of what my next career move will be is up in the air, however, maybe that is a good thing. While it is nice to have goals and a plan to achieve those goals, it is also nice to enjoy the moment and succeed in the task at hand until the time comes that a change is called for, if it ever is.

--Just something to fill the space--

Last Games

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.

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.

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.

Happy Birthday

For roughly 650 years we have celebrated birthdays, the anniversary of our birth. Number 23 is approaching for me on Saturday and I have a hand full of friends that have their day this week.

I recently added the History Channel's This Day in History webpage to my list of online favorites to check periodically. It turns out today is an important birthday in American history.

192 years ago an American lawyer was sitting on a British ship just off shore of Fort McHenry in Maryland. As the night passed on Sept. 13 and day broke on the 14th, this lawyer looked out his port hole to see a worn and tattered American flag hanging over the Fort and sat down to pen the lyrics of "The Star Spangled Banner."

Francis Scott Key's poem about the flag's survival of the 1,800 bomb British assault during the War of 1812 was later published on Sept. 20 in a Baltimore newspaper, and later ironically set to the tune of an English drinking song, "To Anacrean in Heaven." However, it was not until Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order in 1916 that the lyrics became the nation's anthem, confirmed in 1931 by a Congressional act signed Herbert Hoover.

Looking around online today, I just found this as an interesting birthday as the morning of Sept. 16 approaches for myself.

One friend of mine who shares the Star Spangled Banner's birthday wrote yesterday that birthdays can be a time for reflection..."a time to reflect on old times, memories and friends, and contemplate where you are now and what you want to do in the future." As she approaches her senior year in college, she is asking the questions we all faced at this cross road and still face...wanting to do the right thing, find the right job, right person, right location and ponder if there is more that we should be doing to help those in need.

Birthdays are a reminder of age, whether you count it as 23 years, 276 months, or over 8400 days. However, as we approach birthdays, my friend is right - the time can be used to look back to your past and remember the people and stories along the way, to remember the parties and gifts, and fun times.

For me, in addition to remembering how I spent my birthday with family and friends in the past, I associate Sept. 16 with Auburn v. LSU, Mexican Independence, and now, as I learned today, the sailing of the Mayflower from England to Plymouth, Mass. and Road Runner who shares my birthday in 1949.

Data for this blog was collect at This Day in History (Check it out!)

Martin Methodist College Helps Extend Aide and Support in Iraq

By Chris Megginson, Director of Sports Information, Martin Methodist

Posted 08.23.06 on the NAIA Champions of Character Site

PULASKI, Tenn. – Students are arriving on campuses across the nation and fall sport seasons are just days away from their start. Last year’s game ball for soccer, football or volleyball are tossed into the pile of summer camp balls, and the soccer net and volleyball net are most likely tossed in a closet. However, Martin Methodist College recently found a means to recycle their previous season’s equipment in the deserts of Iraq.

During the past season, SSG Shane Duncan, of the 1/115th Field Artillery unit of the National Guard, and his fellow soldiers returned to base one day to find a gift from MMC including a volleyball net, ball and pump donated by the MMC athletic department.

Duncan asked his wife Kelley to search for a way to possibly find a net and ball to give the troops something to use for recreation when not on mission, for up to then it was all sand and no "beach" volleyball.

"My husband asked if I could find one for them. My sister-in-law and a friend told me to talk to [Athletic Director Jeff] Bain, because he is known to be supportive and spirited," said Kelley. "It wasn't but a few days [after I talked to him] and he had not only a net, but balls and a pump."

After receiving Kelley's request, Bain asked his athletics staff, specifically head volleyball coach Rose Magers-Powell, to help locate the items to be sent.

"I immediately thought of several older nets that had been in storage for several years,” said Bain, “however I wanted to speak with Coach Powell before calling Kelley back. Mid-way through my conversation Coach Powell interrupted me and said, ‘Jeff give her whatever she wants! But, don’t giver her the old practice nets, give her our game nets, with the steel cables. Anything we have is hers.’”

Kelley and Duncan’s family members poured the MMC athletic department with notes of thanks for Duncan and his unit.

"The sands of Iraq have been touched by these gifts from Martin Methodist. It is the gifts from home that mean so much to these brave men so far away from our beautiful country that is their home," said Kelley, who communicates with her husband frequently via e-mail.

However, the service to Duncan did not stop with the one simple gift. Upon placement of this story on the MMC athletics website, GoRedHawks.com, a call was received by Teresa Hoover of Liberal, Kan. Seeking information on how to get in touch with Duncan’s family.

Hoover was listening to her radio one afternoon, tuned into 102.7 the Legend, and heard a story about Soldiers Angels, a non-profit group organized by a soldier’s mother in 2003 with the mission to provide aide and support to U.S. troops. She immediately began researching the group and applied to adopt a soldier. Just days after the story about Duncan was published on the MMC web in July, Hoover received a letter with her soldier’s name, SSG Danny Duncan of the 1/115th Field Artillery unit.

Even though chances were rare that she would find more information on her soldier, she decided to search online. At the top of her Google search list was the MMC story on SSG Danny “Shane” Duncan.

”If it hadn’t been for the act by the school and that article, I may not have been able to get a hold of Kelley and find out what Shane needs and wants the most,” said Hoover.

Bain, Powell and Hoover are just a few of many across the nation that have been given the opportunity to give whatever is asked to help provide for a soldier.

”I was reminded how something so simple in our lives here at home, would be a luxury in a war zone, and of a wife’s sincerity to do all she can do to help husband away at war” said Bain. “If he sends another message home – needs something else, we’ll send it! That is the least we can do compared to what they are doing for us, our children and our country.”

Duncan, deployed from Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and Kelley have two children, Cody, 15, and Keaton, 11.

In addition to sports equipment there are numerous ways to donate good to troops. Visit www.SoldiersAngels.org for more information on adopting a soldier, submitting a soldier to be adopted or to find out how to help. Also, contact your local National Guard, Army, Navy and Marine units to find out what needs your local troops may have.

Putting CO2 in a Lockbox

During the 2000 Presidential Election, both Vice President Al Gore and Governor George W. Bush were asked to sum up their candidacy with one word, to which Gore responded "Lock-box."

This word, and its over use in the first Presidential Debate, became a fixture in the caricature of Gore through the election, especially by the writers and cast of Saturday Night Live. Gore poked fun at himself numerous times over the word, mainly when appearing as a guest host on SNL.

So, why not use the term again, as Gore's new movie "Inconvenient Truth", in summary, aims to put carbon dioxide (CO2) in a lockbox to stop global warming.

I'll admit, I was never much of an Al Gore fan, and when I heard about this film, I asked the same skeptical question that many others are asking, "What does he know about global warming? Give it up!"

But the more I have looked into the release of this film, the more I lean toward supporting, maybe not the film or Gore, but the urging to see the film and judge for yourself.

The Sundance Film Festival hit documentary is almost all Al Gore. The majority of the film, from what I can tell, is going to be Gore laying out the comparisons of different glaciers, snow-capped mountains, hurricane seasons, temperature indexes and other science to show that the planet is under a direct threat from global warming.

For almost a decade there has been talk, and not much focused attention on this issue, but again, this may be a film worth watching, evaluating and figuring out your own personal, non-partisan stance on a world issue, not an American issue.

One way we learn lessons in life is to compare our present habits to the habits of the past, so as to not repeat mistakes. History is a valuable learning tool.

However, "...in my judgment we need to set aside whether or not greenhouse gases have been caused by mankind or because of natural effects and focus on the technologies that will enable us to live better lives and at the same time protect the environment," said Bush in May in response to his reasons in not supporting the film - arguing that debating what causes global warming is not important, but merely developing new technology is the key to solving the problem.

Of course, I could be wrong, but isn't it hard to plan new technologies to fix a problem without first attempting to listening to reasons as to how the problem may have been caused? Do you not often need to find the source, before you can find the solution?

After all, isn't that "strategery"? (reference George W. Bush's answer to the one-word question in 2000)

So, while you're looking for things to do this summer, check out the film.

Theatrical Trailer
Official Website
How much CO2 does my household produce? - I'm almost double the average.
Bush v. Gore 2006 (on the film)
Should this launch Gore to a 2008 Presidential bid?

Lunch at the Drug Store

It used to be a common stop after school for children or for the bus passing through town. Located downtown, or to some uptown, the small town local drug store was the place for the gossip, medicine, gifts, and lunch.

Growing up in Birmingham, I never really had the opportunity to experience this that much, and no where near as much as my father, grandfather or great grandfather had the opportunity.

For more than half a century the corner of West Front Street in Thomasville, Ala. was home to People's Drugs - the small, family owned drug store with a soda fountain and lunch counter. Today, the corner and building is the renovated home of People's Corner - a gift shop and lunch stop.

I have few memories of People's Drugs before it closed in 1986. Really, I only have about one memory of the office inside the store - that and when we returned to the building in 1992 to clean out the attic.

People's Drugs was opened by my great-grandfather Theodore Megginson, followed by my grandfather Dick Megginson, who retired and closed the store in 1986. My dad grew up working small jobs in the store, as it became the after school stop. Bonfires were held on the corner to celebrate homecoming. Visitors would take a pit stop at the store when passing through Clarke County via bus.

Today, I felt like I went back in time to Thomasville. I looked for Grandmama and Grand Daddy behind the counter, as I entered into Reeves Drug Store on First Street in Pulaski, Tenn. for lunch. My friend Stacy, a native Pulaskian, and I met there for lunch. The chairs and tables were similar. It was my first trip to Reeves and made me stop and reflect on what it must have been like to take a lunch break in Thomasville and walk down to People's for a chicken salad sandwich.

Just a taste of small town livin'.

Tracking Your Success

Yesterday we had our annual campus wide planning meeting in the dining hall. Part of the meeting included a presentation on the success of the new website launched by the school on March 1. The stats given compared the Top 6 most visited sites for the month of April.

Of course, the school home page was number one, but the athletics home page was a very close second...one theory is that many are going to the school page and then to the athletics page instead of straight to the athletics page, meaning that the home page success is largely in part to that of the athletics page's success. Third on the list was the baseball home page. Fourth was the admissions page, while softball was fifth. I forget what the sixth page was.

The month of April saw 8,497 visitors to the server, making up 22,000 visits to 419, 800 pages and over two million hits. In just 10 days in the month of May we have had 4,448 visitors and 721,500 hits. May hopefully will eclipse April in the amount of visits. It also appears that over 100,000 trips have been made to the school website from the link off the athletics website.

This is all good news, since the websites are really and truly in their first year of actively being update, nearly on a daily basis. Also, figures that will help bring about some possible financial needs to make needed changes to the sites.

What sparked this blog was my little map on the right side of the screen over there, look down below all my links and the "Blogger" logo. You see all the red dots? They show clusters of visits to this blog as of April 1. If you click on it, then click "map with smaller clusters" it will take you to a map that shows a little more detail of who is viewing the blog. Now, I know where the small dot in Florida is coming from and the ones in Alabama. The big dot covering those is most likely myself checking this thing out. However the one that throws me for a loop is the 10-99 visits from the Great Plains area and the 1-9 in New York.

It is neat to see who, at least from what state/country, someone is reading your blog. Maybe I should send this to my friend in Belgium and others to check when they go over seas to decorate the map...nah, I won't cheat that way.

However, one interesting thought...could you imagine what a map like this would look like on the my athletics site with all of our international students' parents checking the site. Hopefully it would be a lot of red.

Pausing For What Matters

Every day we get up and go about our day on a tightly timed schedule. If you stop and think about it, almost everything we do each day is scheduled - even our "down time."

Say your work day ends at 5 p.m., well, then you know that you should be home between 5:30 and 6:00, so you start to plan dinner, then maybe get ready to get some projects done before your favorite show(s) come one. After that you figure out what needs to be done before going to bed at a certain time.

There's always a schedule.

This is true in almost ever hour of my life. Even vacations are scheduled out to a T.

Saturday was no different. My plan was to meet someone for lunch at 1:00, then go to my alma mater's baseball game around 2:30, then stay for the game, hang out with my college employer, then meet another friend for dinner, then go home to be with family and update baseball results.

However, as I got going Saturday afternoon to meet for lunch, I decided the heck with schedules.

I pulled up to Cracker Barrell to meet my friend from college, Scott. We both were feeling rushed and on a schedule when we arrived. We went in, found a table, debated over what to order, then ordered.

As conversation struck up for the first time (extended conversation) in person in almost a year, I began to relax and mentally crumple my schedule for the day and toss it to the side.

Freely catching up with Scott was much more important than making it to a ball game and trying to see every person I could possibly see in a visit. Scott is one of these friends that I neglect from time to time - well, we probably both neglect each other.

We'd see each other every day in a class while in college. We'd say our common courtesies, briefly find out how things were going, but always seem to be on a schedule. I can truly recall only a few occasions where we have paused to sit and just talk about whatever we needed to get off our chest with no time frame at hand. Although, those times have been limited, I think that is what has built a friendship. We can go months without hardly talking and probably pick right up - something I value with all my friends.

Scott and I had both scheduled about an hour for lunch in our mental planner, but the hour, without realizing it, turned into an hour and a half. It would have been more, but we figured we better give up our table just in case it was needed. But we still had a lot to catch up on, so lunch was paid for, then we made our way to the front porch.

Checkers? Might as well.

We sat down to play a "quick" game of checkers with the intention of continuing our conversation, however the game quickly became highly strategized and competitive, so not many words were said, until we decided we better set up some rules to speed up the game, other wise we'd be there all night.

We did, and I let him beat me.

That was another hour and a half, if not two hours. So, then we made our way to our cars and wrapped up conversations, talking about our jobs, his upcoming wedding, politics, and just life values.

We parted ways soon thereafter, but instead of feeling rushed to live out a schedule, I was relaxed having spent much needed time with a friend. I returned home to spend time with family, while Scott went to the office to help put together the Sunday paper for the Clanton Advertiser.

We issued each other a challenge while eating lunch - to write a column, separate from our normal weekly writings, to e-mail to each other for advice, criticisms and just to get their creative juices flowing. Hopefully that challenge will uphold.

When it does, we may establish a website or blog to share our little project with everyone else, so you can read what we've been writing - that is if Scott doesn't cheat and use his weekly column as his Friday column for the paper.

So, if you're taking the time to read this, keep in mind, just as I must, that it is always more valuable to pause for what matters and throw away your schedule for a few hours or a day.

To read Scott Mims' columns and articles, search the Clanton Advertiser archives for his name.