Ask them whom they admire.

Since this is a sports-based blog, the title listed above could have varying meanings. But this statement is actually geared toward kids. You see, I have a “Life’s Little Instruction” daily tear-off calendar in my room that I make a point to read every morning. It contains little haikus and/or motivational sayings that are designed to help you through your day. Every once in a while, one of the messages strikes a chord in me and I’ll keep it. I’ll tape it to my bathroom mirror or put it in a drawer so I’ll come across it again one day, instead of just wadding it up into a ball and throwing it so my cat can play with it. On 7 June this year, the message read, “Instead of asking young people what they someday want to do, ask them whom they admire.” For some reason, I kept it. I’m still not sure why. Maybe it’s because I’m not really sure what I want to do with the rest of my life. Maybe I was designed to read it that morning in June for the sole purpose of keeping it as a subject for this blog. Who knows? But it got me thinking (which is sometimes more frightening than productive)... Who are some people in the sporting world that I could suggest for kids and teenagers to look up to and aspire to emulate? And off we go…

I’ll start with a guy whom I support every day without even talking about him… Lance Armstrong. I wear a LIVESTRONG bracelet every day and will continue to do so. His life story is so incredible and inspirational that I think it will be many, many years from now before we sit back and realize just how much he accomplished and endured. And he’s still going strong! Less than two weeks ago, he announced he will ride in the 2009 Tour de France. His last Tour de France was in 2005 and was the closing bookend of seven consecutive titles. SEVEN! And remember, this is a guy who in the mid-nineties was immobile in a hospital bed with testicular, lung and brain cancer, the latter of which left him with a 20% chance of survival. But he fought through it… and started pedaling. He is everything that is right about sports, and a man whom all people (not just kids) should admire.

Next in line is Tony Dungy, head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. This is a man who has touched the absolute extremes of human emotions, and has never wavered in his determination to put Christ first in everything he does. While accepting the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning the Super Bowl with the Colts in 2007, Dungy deferred praise from himself to his Lord and Savior and the effort of his team. One of the emotions Dungy admitted he felt strongest after winning the Super Bowl was grief, because his good friend and former assistant, Lovie Smith, was the head coach of the Chicago Bears, whom the Colts defeated. Dungy is first-class in every way. On cut day in training camp, Dungy individually talks to each player about why they’ve been cut and what they can do to improve, instead of just taping a red card in their lockers. And in the days immediately following his eldest son’s suicide, when most people would be cursing and searching for answers, Dungy simply said he didn’t know why his son took his own life and that he was jealous because he knew his son was now sitting at the right hand of God. Does anything else need to be said?

Even though football is well-known as a “big man’s game,” it’s a “little guy” who finds his way onto my list. Warrick Dunn is a running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s not hard to see why he’s called a little man when you look at his measurables: 5’9” and only 187 pounds… diminutive by NFL standards. Yet Dunn has averaged 925 yards rushing over his first 11 seasons in the NFL. A lot of questions followed Dunn out of college at Florida State about his size. And he has answered them all with some big games for both the Atlanta Falcons and the Buccaneers. But the fact that he is a little man thriving in a big man’s world is only part of the reason why Dunn is on this list. Dunn grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his single mother worked several jobs to provide for young Warrick and his siblings. Dunn grew up witnessing first-hand the sacrifices made by his mother as he tried to develop as a young man and a football player. Since becoming a professional in the NFL, Dunn has started the Warrick Dunn Foundation, which builds homes for single-parent families. The mission statement for the Foundation is, “Dedicated to providing opportunities for economically-disadvantaged single parents and children who have demonstrated a commitment to achieve financial independence and stability.” Warrick Dunn knows that it’s not just what you do on the field that defines you as a true professional. What you do off the field is just as important. He is a walking definition of “knowing what it means to give back” as well as “remember where you come from.”

These three are just a few of many who could have been listed. The “honorable mention” list could include names such as Ed Hochuli, Philip Shadowens, Jim Tressel, Teddy Atlas, Michael Phelps, and many others. And these are just guys from the sporting world! There are so many positive influences in and around children’s lives. They just may not know where to look. With guys like Michael Vick, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds snatching media attention in negative ways these days, kids are longing for someone to look up to. So instead of asking youngsters what they someday want to do, ask them whom they admire. And if they come up blank, maybe now you can give some suggestions.

Excuse me, Sissy-- I mean-- Coach.

Has anyone heard the latest news out of Lexington, Kentucky? Rich Brooks, head coach of the Kentucky Wildcat football team, accused MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill and his staff of "stealing signals" last Saturday in Kentcuky's heart-stopping 20-14 win over the Blue Raiders. Are you kidding me?? Didn't he win?? What happened to "class" and "dignity" in sports? This sounds like elementary school antics. Accusing Stockstill of cheating must be a way for Brooks to get detractors off his back for nearly losing to such an inferior program like Middle Tennessee. Give me a break. I see two big problems with all of this, at least from my viewpoint. No. 1... If Stockstill and company really did cheat this past Saturday, this would have been made a big deal as early as Sunday morning. But it wasn't. Brooks didn't mention it until TUESDAY. Hmm... Like I said, this sounds like a guy who is trying desperately to please university boosters who expected the mighty (ha) Wildcats to embarrass the lowly MTSU team. No. 2... if Stockstill really did cheat, why did he not win?! If Stockstill stole signals and still lost, he really needs to practice his cheating skills. Cause he's not any good at it. He should practice his cheating this Saturday against Arkansas State so when the Blue Raiders face Florida Atlantic in an ESPN2 televised game on Sept. 30, he can cheat effectively. Why couldn't Coach Brooks just congratulate the hard effort put forth by the Blue Raiders? There would have been absolutely nothing wrong with stepping up after the game and saying, "MTSU came into this game inspired and motivated and our team had to fight to come away with a win. A win like this in a tough, close, hard-fought game is something that can make our team grow stronger." Then media and fans alike would compliment him for his decency and his respect for the Blue Raiders' hard effort and persistence. But no, Brooks instead decided to act like a child and throw out a disclaimer. And remember, HE WON ANYWAY. I just don't understand it. Think about this, too... Rich Brooks is known as a "coach." The word "coach" derives from a Latin word that loosely translates into "teacher." So therefore the words "coach" and "teacher" should be synonymous. So if Rich Brooks is considered a coach and a teacher, then (forgive me) what in the hell is he teaching the players on his team and kids who aspire to be coaches one day? What kind of message is he sending? There are coaches in the sporting world who exemplify class. Tony Dungy has class. Doc Rivers has class. Mike Krzyzewski has class. Jim Valvano, Teddy Atlas... the list goes on and on. Rich Brooks, however, is not in the league of those coaches. And since coaches like to take notes from another, I have an idea! Rich Brooks should get out his notebook and pencil, sit Indian style like the rest of the elementary school kids, and learn a lesson from one of the coaches listed above. Otherwise, if I were a parent of a promising high school athlete, I would have a hard time sending my child off to Lexington to LEARN from a coach such as Rich Brooks.

Why "VY" is anything but "inVINCEable"

How bad of a weekend did Vince Young have? After trying everything in his power to lose a close game to the Jaguars on Sunday, where he threw two foolish interceptions and had to be coaxed back out onto the field in the 4th quarter by head coach Jeff Fisher, he suffered a knee injury allowing Kerry Collins to come in and seal a win for the Titans. After throwing his second interception of the game (the first play following a Titans INT), the crowd booed Young to the point where he sat on the bench with his head in his hands, refusing to go back out onto the field. There he sat, the supposed "leader" of the team, the guy wearing a big "C" on his chest signifying his captaincy and importance to the team, sulking on the sideline, needing the support of his teammates and coaches to get off the bench and back into the game. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the "Captain" supposed to be the guy rallying his team, leading them to victory?? There are problems in Music City. Then on Monday night, the 8th of September, he leaves his home without telling his friends and family where he is going, leading them to believe he may hurt himself in some way. His friends called Fisher, who tried to reach Young unsuccessfully. Shortly thereafter, Fisher contacted Metro Police and crisis negotiators to find Young and calm him down. He was found around midnight, where Fisher and psychologists spoke with Young before sending him home. Once again, correct me if I'm wrong, but if I leave my house unannounced, I don't think my sister is going to panic to the point that she calls the police thinking I should be placed on "suicide watch." Everybody see where I'm going here? This isn't a one-time thing. Sounds to me like this is something they've encountered before. Yikes. $30 million for a guy who has his mother publicly denounce Titans fans for their criticism of her son. Hmm... sounds like someone can't handle the rigors of the quarterback position in the NFL (Remind you of anyone?). And just how bad is it? I'm the first to admit that Vince Young's performance in the Rose Bowl game against USC is one of the greatest physical performances I have ever seen. But he was drafted 3rd overall in 2005 on that game alone, with everyone in the Titans organization expecting him to play the "USC game" over and over and over, every Sunday. We let things slide because we all carry the memory of Young torching the once impregnable USC defense on the biggest stage of collegiate sports. His performance and progression in the NFL so far, though, has been downright disappointing. I'm not the first guy to say this, but when are we going to start using the word "bust" with the name "Vince Young?" Here's a stat for you... Ryan Leaf, the quintessential "bust," the guy all "busts" are compared to, played only three seasons in the NFL before washing out. In his three seasons, he threw a total of 36 interceptions. Ouch. Through two full seasons plus the first game of his third season, anyone want to take a guess at how many INTs Vince Young has thrown? 32. So Ryan Leaf, the guy whose picture is in the dictionary beside the word "bust," threw 36 picks in three seasons. Young is one game into his third season, and he has already thrown 32. Those are just facts. Are we lenient with Young because the Titans didn't use as high a draft pick on him as the Chargers did with Ryan Leaf way back in 1998? (Leaf was drafter #2 overall, Young #3) These are just some things to consider. And while we're talking about the 2005 NFL Entry Draft, do you think anyone besides fans are regretting the Titans not drafting Jay Cutler? In college, Cutler played for a far worse team (Vanderbilt) than Young's Texas Longhorns, in a far tougher conference (SEC) than the Big 12 in which Young played. Yet Cutler was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and just happened to beat Tennessee (IN KNOXVILLE) in the process. And did you know that Vanderbilt University just happens to be in the same city as the Tennessee Titans?? Interesting. And let's compare the evenings of Young and Cutler on Monday, 8 September. While Young was on "suicide watch" and being chased all over Davidson County by Metro Police and psychologists, Cutler was torching a very talented Oakland Raider defense for 300 yards passing, 2 touchdowns, and ZERO INTERCEPTIONS!!! Once again, I'm just throwing all this out there for people to ponder. Maybe once Young gets back from his knee injury, he'll prove me to be all wrong about him and he'll become the quarterback he was expected to be when he was drafted so high in 2005. But I'm not going to hold my breath.