Yes, it was good to see Chris Paul (A.K.A. CP3), of the New Orleans Hornets, sponsoring an event that benefits organizations around his hometown of Winston-Salem, N.C. I didn’t even know he liked to bowl (Go figure.) and apparently he’s some sort of phenom on the hardwoods (Uh, yes, I’m referring to the bowling alleys [not the basketball court]… It was just cuter to say “hardwoods”.).

This event [the Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational] brought out the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (A.K.A. King James… Yeah, don’t get me started on the nic name. LOL! He is a beast though.), Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade, and many others. They were teamed up with professional bowlers and just raised money knocking down pins.

So, like Hubby and I often discuss, these beasts of athletic cooperation (I just cracked myself up saying that.) are just gifted to play-and often times this collaborative talent includes sports outside the one they’re actually getting paid to play…

You know, it really encourages me to do more of what I know I can (and like) to do… I am a true believer in doing what you love and what you’re passionate about. This is a good example of that. These guys played for a good cause, put on a show of their athletic prowess, and had fun.

I’m going to ask Hubby if he wants to go bowling… (LOL! I know I have some shoes somewhere around here.).

Now, would you ask your teacher to write your paper for you or ask your parents (back in the day, of course) to do your chores?… (Some of you would, wouldn’t you?… Okay, I’m back). Well, it was a major surprise (more like a slight chuckle) when I saw Tiger Woods, golf’s elite, on the greens as a caddie…

You read it right… Woods was honoring the Buick’s “Tee it Up with Tiger” sweepstakes and yes, he was the prize… caddied for the winner while he played the back nine. Now that’s an assistant, huh?

Okay, I appreciate the whole servitude theme. I’m all for doing stuff for people (Sometimes. LOL!) and when you give of yourself and time people really appreciate you. What I am most stoked (Did I say “stoked”? That is totally my girlfriend’s word and not mine.) about is that he, the best in the game, was there giving advice and tips to this guy!!…

I would have to say Kobe Bryant would be my caddie (I first thought of Michael Jordan, but they’re both similar in their aptitude for the game)… My Boo, A.K.A. Hubby, needed time to think before he shared who his caddie was (I still didn’t get a name. LOL!). Who’s the “caddie” of your fave sport?

I’m curious… Have you ever been presented with an offer that was simply too good to turn down, or, for that matter, too good to be true? What did you end up doing, and, what was your process for thinking things through?

(Ugh!) I presented myself with the same question (Obviously!) because I’m intrigued by how we make decisions and how it appears that everyone has a price… Now, remember when you were younger and someone said “I’ll give you a dollar if you do (You fill in the blank.)”? So, with this in mind, what exactly would you do for 50 million (dollars, that is)?… I’ll wait…

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant, the prolific L.A. Lakers guard and THE best player in the NBA (Completely ignore the bias.), was apparently “offered” (I say this loosely as I believe it was more of a proposition, not a contract.) 50 big ones to play in Italy… Yes! You want to know which airline he took or if he took a private plane, right (LOL!)? For those who don’t know, Bryant spent a great deal of his life there and is obviously fluent. I say “do you”… He isn’t hurting for money, but additional income wouldn’t hurt. He should do what’s best for him and his family… (This is hilarious to me ‘cause I would be picking up my red sauces and dusting off Hubby’s Borsalino hat. LOL!).

Yes, the title is a little extra (I just felt it!), but I needed to bring emphasis to the previous post, where I went on about the “love thang” reunion…

Well, here goes…

- The fat lady is singing (a little hoarse by now).

- Someone has rendered the death wish.

- The pig is out of the blanket (Okay, not too sure about that one, but hey.).

I’ll stop there… The point is that the L.A. Dodgers, indeed, fell to the Philadelphia Phillies. And, although the Boston Red Sox came back to pull off a win over the Tampa Bay Rays, Manny Ramirez won’t meet up with his old compadres.

This is a lesson to all of us… It’s never a good idea to flaunt what you have now in front of what you once had. The best thing to do is just let it go… (Or, to go with the proverbial theme; Let sleeping dogs lye.).

K, I was going to originally go with the whole Wordless Wednesday theme, but then I realized I had something to say-which would defeat the purpose, right? But, I digress…

Photo by Ultimatum_VI.

I have something to say about the whole Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox match up… Oh, and yes, the realization that the Sox probably won’t meet up with the L.A. Dodgers, which was all we (Hubby, too) were waiting for.

The waiting was for the chance to see the Sox meet up with their ex-left fielder, Manny Ramirez. Now, you never can say die until the fat lady sings (You get the proverbial saying. LOL!), but it looks it won’t be Dodgers and Sox this year. Okay, go with me here… Have you ever been in a long-term relationship, just to realize that you would rather be somewhere else?… AND, and, after getting into a better, more lucrative relationship you find yourself wanting to see that previous love thang (Yes, thang!) so he or she can see you now. You feel me now?… Okay, so that’s what we’re thinking Manny is thinking (Maybe not. Maybe this is my own creative liberty… Hey, what would the world be without it?).

So, yay, for the Rays… I don’t have a bias here, it just would’ve been nice to see that ole love thang again!

If you haven’t heard, the Saint Louis Rams finally won their first game for the 2008 NFL season (Finally is an understatement!). They weren’t expected to play this poorly, but for some reason that didn’t stop the “L”s from piling up. Fans were disgruntled, players appeared to be weary, and management was scratching their collective heads. There was no apparent rhyme or reason for this mystifying losing streak.

I tell you, when it rains it pours right (Well, that’s what the girl on the salt box seem to think!)? That’s what I thought after this win… The Rams were scrutinized and thrown out to the dogs-with good cause, I’m sure… People expect these guys to win. But, with all the media attention and all the naysayers, the team kept that faith in one another. Of course, that was a life lesson for me.

It’s clear that no matter where you are in life everyone’s not going to be pleased with your success. And, don’t make a mistake or two… You’ll never recover (Whatever…). The important thing is that you have a core of people (A team… Yay Team!!) who will be there and who will believe in you during your up and down times. It’s imperative to have this support, otherwise, you’ll fall victim to what’s being said about you… And no one needs any more victims (Smile!)!!

Go Rams!… Hey, you will find that DC over at Green Apples & Kool Aid has said all this in a few words… (Well, maybe not this exactly, but it’s close enough.).

K, so I was at lunch today with a couple of my girlfriends and they (of course) gave their opinions on how I could make my blog better… (I mean, hand gestures and all… I had to bring out the paper and pen to keep up! LOL!). I must say, what they’ve suggested makes tons of sense and would, ultimately, make things better for you, the reader.

I just thought it was comical that “the girlfriends” were totally confident about what I needed (Hilarious!). And, you know girlfriends (whether they’re really your significant other girlfriend or your pal) won’t pull any punches. So, I stand grateful to my friends for their recommendations (And, yes girls, I will take heed and add the suggestions!)… Friends, how many of us have them??

So, since the door has been opened for suggestions, what’s yours? What do you think could be done or added to make my blog better? You might want to ask your friends what they think about your site as well (Hey, I shouldn’t have to go through this alone. LOL!).

So, the question was asked on a sports’ show whether the New Orleans Saints loss the Monday night game or whether the Minnesota Vikings won the game (The question only makes sense if you watched the game, but no worries, the relevance is coming.). I was really stunned by the outcome of the game (Yes. I thought my pick of the Saints was a shoe in! Not so much.) because the Saints were so close to winning. Who knew the Vikings would come back in the last minutes of the game to silence the fans and walk away with a “W”?…

Was there ever a time when you felt like you put so much into something, just to walk away with a loss (Note to reader: This is a good question to pose to your significant other, of course referencing the Saints’ loss… I’m telling you, it’s good stuff!)? It’s when these times roll around that you just want to pull the sheets back over your head and roll over. Well, here’s the relevancy (A short one today folks…)… football players have a way of dealing with these types of occurrences (No, not introducing the quarterback to the ground the next time they play… Heehee!) so that they aren’t haunted by them. They have a short memory. Yep! That’s it… They walk off the field, learn from the mistakes, and begin preparing for the upcoming opponent.

We should all practice just having a short memory… We won’t win ‘em all (And, that’s okay!). We show up, we learn, and we continue to prepare. This is how I like to say it, “Keep it moving”! Let’s say it together, Keep-It-Moving!

You know, one very real reason why I love sports is because so much of it parallels real-life situations. And, within sports, you are most certain to find your story.

All day I was lamenting (Well, that’s a bit extra, but we’ll stick with it.) over the fact that the Chicago Cubs had been eliminated from the playoffs. Yet again, the Cubbies just couldn’t pull through. They couldn’t break the century-long drought of just not making it to the World Series (Hey, Troy over at Troy’s Thoughts on Sports has a, let’s say, “different” view of the Cubs’ blues in Knocking Down Chi-Town, but a great view all the same…). I took in all the commentators’ analysis and I was struck by a common saying, a common thread if you will… Wait ‘Til Next Year…

Although I know the players and the die-hard fans are foaming at the mouth over the phrase, I thought of how much that phrase has resounded in my own life of falling just a bit short-whether big or small-of that particular goal. Seriously, it may sound funny (in a sad way!), but I thought of when my dad was late picking me up so I could make it in time for my high-school senior ski trip and how miserable I was all weekend… thinking, “maybe next year”. But, there wasn’t a “next year” (Yes. I’m over it now… Let’s just not stay on the topic too long!). So many memories sprung up within me as I pondered on hopes deferred and dreams delayed. What I also realized was that patience was indeed working itself out within me and that I needed to allow it to happen.

Self analyzing is always the truest way of getting to know the real you… good and bad. And like with this process, the Cubs (in a real way) will need to do the same in order to figure out just what the deal is… You never know, Cubbies… next year!

This week we’ve seen sporting events, of sorts, and what I’m about to share is no different… We ventured into the lagoons of Mexico, where we saw men and women living and surviving. I thought to myself that this survival technique was indeed a severe sporting event (and, a humbling one for us), as the natives competed to be first to get fish and other scavenger-like foods for them and their families.

The people were so friendly and offered to share what they had… I don’t think we’ve ever experienced such kindness and sacrifice… They make you feel welcomed and all they want to do is make sure you’re enjoying yourselves. Our captain even let me man the boat for a while, which I was no good at (The picture shows my inadequacies!). People here really believe in the adage, you don’t work; you don’t eat.

We left the lagoons feeling grateful and fortunate for the smallest of the small…