My question is… Do you believe players are still afraid [intimidated, fearful] of Baltimore Ravens’ veteran defensive player, Ray Lewis?

I started off with this question because it’s been piercing my mind for a few days now. I respect the man. A veteran of 15 years in the NFL—and still being effective—is nothing to sneeze at. But I do wonder just what is in the mind space of the opponent standing across from Ray.

He’s held every defensive title possible and has garnered the respect of the League. He’s a father figure, professional role model, a brother to a lot of these players, someone who has faced trouble and rebounded, and he’s never been void of passion. I do remember a time, though, when different variations of the word “intimidate” laced his name as dominating adjectives when talking about the man on the field. I am by no means calling Ray a has been or over the hill, his smacks on opponents this season alone renders that argument moot. I am asking, still, is there a fear present in the opponents’ eyes?

I asked a few football fans and they said no… That maybe rookies did, but for the most part, no. I feel like I’m leaning toward yes… I say this because you just never know with Ray, and for me, one should fear that. When you least expect to be laying on your back, that’s when you are. I do know there’s a resounding respect for him, if anything else… But, yep, this one is a yes for me.

I’m feeling some type of way, y’all, about what I’ve been seeing on major networks… and some commercials in general. Man, my thing is, just let sleeping dogs lie (Uh, maybe poor choice of idioms, but my intention held no malice. LOL!)…

So, if you’ve watched a single segment of any sports’ program recently, you know that Michael Vick is now apparently the second coming. As the latest crowned quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick has perfected his game—accelerating his passing game and perfecting his running prowess—is being mentioned with the great veteran quarterbacks. I love it! I’m glad he’s back and because he spent a good deal of time off the field, he’s fresher than the average 30-year-old quarterback who may have had an uninterrupted career.

Surely, if you’ve lived on this planet for any amount of time you’ll know that Vick was part of this horrific group who funded and operated dog fighting rings (hence the poor usage above) and obviously supervised while animals were injured and killed. He served his time, along with attending various help classes, and he also donated to several charities. Now, you fast forward to today and Vick has all the analysts’ tongues wagging (OMG! Another one… I’m telling you, I guess you just don’t know how much you use dogisms to make a point.) and team officials wishing they’d chosen him. So, now that he’s the man on top, there are some haters out there who want to bring his past back to the nations’ attention by displaying just how horrible the superstar NFL player really is. Really?

Why? He served his time. I’m sure he’s learned a great deal and now he’s trying to get on with his life… Shouldn’t everyone else, too? There are so many examples I could pose here for conversation sake, but I’m sure you all can go through your mental rolodex to note a handfull, too. With not minimizing his actions, I want to add that the man didn’t kill another person. And, as a pet lover I was disgusted by this entire story, but at the same time I’m not trying to be his judge and jury each time his face or stats go across the screen in a positive manner… Why can’t people create commercials and such that relay the message that he’s a real life example of how you can make bad decisions, deal with the consequences, and still make it? Man, sometimes I just wonder what planet I’m really on.

What 18-year-old do you know who… if given the opportunity to better his family’s situation… while having someone totally handle any potential heat… and all the while doing what he or she loves… would turn down the chance to do so (I’ll wait…)? You don’t know any either, right? So, please tell me why one really fast bus is leaving skid marks on one superstar NFL football player?

In general, I’m not a fan of being thrown under the bus, but this one is for the record books, literally… Or, at least, was for the record books. Reggie Bush, 2005 Heisman Trophy winner from University of Southern California (USC), is now a superstar player with the New Orleans Saints… He also had to return that trophy this week. Some argue that he should be able to keep the trophy, based solely on his performance on the field… That the allegations surrounding his situation, then, were off-the-field issues.

I think I’m gonna agree with that side of the fence. How many years removed are we from this presentation of the trophy, and please enlighten me on how this removal is taking away from any stat he accumulates or charity work he does today? It’s a shame and honestly, too much to get into in this post, but the punishment (I feel) doesn’t necessarily fit the “crime”.

I think people sometime forget how they’d like to be treated if they found themselves in certain situations. And, just like honest people looted in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina to provide for their family, I’m not sure I’ll ever meet an 18-year-old who would be willing to see their family’s struggle remain if they could do something to change it for the better.

So, I was sitting on the couch with a friend (a guy; valuable for later) and Hubby just shooting the breeze, nothing special. Hubby went upstairs and then came back down with an excited, “expectant” look on his face.

He says, “Honey, guess who was traded to the Ravens?”, and we all starred at each other. I was totally unsure of the answer, secretly hoping that T.O. had been miraculously traded from the Cincinnati Bengals. I guess I was just taken aback by his overall expectation that I’d just know… period. After the stare was obviously getting us no where and Hubby wasn’t answering our question of what the position was being filled, I yelled out (sorta squinting my eyes in doubt) “Houshmandzadeh” (yes, I checked the spelling)!

Ding, ding, ding… I was right! Who knew? I couldn’t believe it. Why was “Houshmandzadeh” even in my vocabulary (Crack up!)? And, Hubby was completely overjoyed as I’m sure he felt the glee of hoisting the my-wife-knows-sports trophy over his head. For me, it was more of a process of elite-player elimination… In which T.J. fit the bill with being part of the shocking ones (at least for me) who were let go from their respective roster.

I mean, I love sports (It’s obvious.) and with this time of year coming up (Uh football, not fall… Ugh!), I could just run naked outside with the deer and chickens (well almost…). And although it was pure sports’ knowledge for me, it was much more for him. Significant others, I’m telling you, it’s worth the hoisting of the trophy… Especially when you’re the only lady in the room (major shopping points… Hey, I’m still a woman, too!).

Man… it is still Rodney King who said it best… Okay, so you all know I’m not the biggest LeBron James‘ fan, but after reading an article about a man suing LeBron (and his mom), I’m sorta hoping he comes out on top on this one (Uh, well, if it’s not true).

D.C. lawyer, Leicester Bryce Stovell (funny and similar letters, huh?), is suing LeBron and his mom, Gloria, basically because he says he’s LeBron’s father and they’re saying he’s not. That’s it in a nutshell. Stovell is saying he met Gloria in a Washington bar and restaurant (Uh rah, she was like 15 or 16 at the time, but let’s go along with it.), hooked up with her, and didn’t see her again… Obviously, creating LeBron. Stovell appears to be a bit salty because he’s being denied paternity (Paternity? Crack up! Isn’t LeBron like 62? Doesn’t this happen when the child is like 3 months?).

LeBron’s attorneys are like, really dude, you didn’t want anything to do with this kid (apparently) and now he has one of the biggest contracts in NBA history and it is simultaneously lining up with you wanting to be in your alleged kid’s life? Wow… (NOTE: This was me paraphrasing the attorneys’ words… Not sure if “dude” was actually in the court notes.).

Integrity and dignity are the only two things I’m bringing up… I hope these traits prevail.

Hey Readers,  this is Hubby.  Let me apologize for the lull in posting… Wife and I are enjoying the warm ocean waves in the Dominican Republic and this excellent experience on the Punta Cana resort doesn´t feed the desire to stop and post, but the beat goes on, right?… Anyway, here are my vacation ponderings…

As you may know my wife, the standard blogger here, has never denied her love for the L.A. Lakers. We happened to be watching ESPN and the story about Pau Gasol truly intrigued us. As a young man, Pau had two things he wished to become and do: a basketball player and a doctor. Here is the interesting thing… the catalyst for his desire to become a doctor was watching one of his basketball idols, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, announcing his retirement because he had contracted HIV. I remember watching that same press conference and feeling that same sense of loss that I am sure Pau felt at that moment. It is in these times of loss that we, human beings, tend to find real appreciation in a person, place, or thing. It is also in these times of loss that we resolve to make changes and hopefully changes that benefit our family, our community, our nation… you get it? But anyway…

According to the story Pau decided to pursue his dream of professional basketball and put his medical studies on hold. He could not continue his rigorous schedule of both medical and basketball training. What came to my mind reading his story is the fact that no matter how famous, successful, or prominent we become we still all have to make choices that will affect our present and future reality. According to Pau, he believed that he would be able to pursue his medical career after his basketball playing days were over. Even if he gets the chance to accomplish this, he still had to choose at one point in his life.

…back to the beach!

Yeah, yeah… I know, we do professional sports here, but I couldn’t resist sharing the professionals of tomorrow.

D’Amaie (pronounced “d-ah-may”; the announcer for the race referred to her as “Dam-e”… Crack up!) Davis won the 2010 AAU National Junior Olympics Sub-Midget Girls 1500RW  in Virginia and I’m so ecstatic! I couldn’t believe how filled I became with emotion after watching her victorious race walk. You have to see it for yourself…

I know how hard she’s worked and her dedication paid off. She’s a champion! I could take this story in so many directions… of life lessons, encouragement, etc., but I just want to dote over a precious gift who means the world to me. No, I’m not her mother (although her mom is very dear to me), but rather a maternal bystander who has watched her grow from the very beginning (Uh, let’s reword. LOL!…). From the time her mom started to show until her birth, I was right there. And I loved every minute of it. She just felt like mine from the very beginning (But, not in the crazy, stalk the pregnant woman way.) and all of this just came back to mind while I watched her turn the corners and stay the course for the ultimate win.

I celebrate D’Amaie and her future as a professional athlete or otherwise. With all that goes on in the world (and there’s a lot), it’s so ridiculously nice to well up because of pure joy… nothing more, but pure joy (Sigh.). [Side note: I called her mom after watching the video and got choked up all over again... and Hubby said I sounded like the cowardly lion. LOL! Thanks, Honey... Back to the pure joy moment.]

Hot off the press!!… she was noted in the Baltimore Sun, Sports section…

Ummm, I’m feeling that Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield feeling with this whole Shaquille O’Neal situation. Enough is, well, enough in my opinion. Seriously… Shaq, let your name retire in lights, in grandeur… in the true sense.

If you haven’t heard, O’Neal just signed a 2-year, $3-million deal with the Boston Celtics and my stomach almost literally jumped through my knees and onto the ground (Uh, no exaggeration here!). Why Shaq? You’re 38, a champion, an All-Star, and one of the most prolific big men in the game (Ever!) and you’re gonna add to this tremendous NBA legacy this jumping-jack experiment? It’s crushing (not quite crushing, but you know), and actually appears rather desperate.

I heard Michael Jordan the other day talking about the love of the game and how nothing ever truly quenches that thrill… He continued by saying in his mind he still believes he can hang-undoubtedly-with the youngsters, but that it’s his body that just can’t physically do it any more. I’m guessing this is a bit of Shaq’s reality, as everyone knows he’s a diminished shadow of himself. And can you imagine the massive ego he’s going to have to swallow when he finally says (which I hope is any moment now) “I’m done”?…

I haven’t really written at all about the major leagues this year just because, well, there’s nothing too much to speak on… The game has really, overall, bored me into watching summer NBA games, where the bench talent show off their stuff and, of course, the ups and down of NFL summer camp. But, something of note has crept up and I think it is a small spark in an otherwise dull MLB season (And, there’s a wonderful lesson… Take out your pens.).

So, “A-Rod” (I’m so over tough-guy nicknames outside of high school. LOL!) A.K.A. Alex Rodriguez, of the New York Yankees, is about to make crazy history by being in the elite group of power hitters (6 to be exact) who have achieved 600 home runs. He’s currently at 599 and, frankly, seems to be in some sort of hitting rut. He’s taking his time and telling the media that he’s approaching this hit just like any other, but you know somewhere inside that almondy (Yes, “almondy”) skin, he’s itching for that long ball.

I’m not a fan, really, but I can appreciate the quest. It’s really something else when you’ve gotten so close only to be denied what you believe you rightly deserve. A-Rod appears to be a relatively upstanding guy, so for that reason I hope he achieves his goal. I’ve experienced both… the fallen short gloom and the utter glee of achievement, and, well, I gladly prefer the latter. The thing is (And it’s pretty simple!), there is much to be said about the former. Preparation, proactiveness, and passion are things I take along with me on the journey to achieve. Each one has its place and together, I’m pleased to say, you’ll have the perfect formula. You should really take the onus to achieve, but in order for that to happen you have to sketch out a plan(Uh, yes, okay… You can use my formula.)… A-Rod included. It’s doable… but its always a choice.

[Aug. 29th AMENDED BLURB... University of Texas coach, Mack Brown, said Sergio Kindle's recent fall down two flights of stairs might have been the result of narcolepsy.]

He fell down the stairs? Ummm… okay.

So, Sergio Kindle… the “not-signed-yet-with-the-Ravens” lineman out of University of Texas is in stable condition with a head injury. Guess how? Well, the Ravens gave a report (apparently from Kindle’s dad) that he was celebrating being drafted before he was due to training camp and, well, fell down two flights of stairs (Are your eyes all squinty, too, wondering “what?”?). Like, could he not regain his balance after the first flight?

Ravens’ first pick in the 2010 draft has a head injury and it’s a sad situation because I’m thinking how do you know he’ll be the same? And, uh rah, what time are we talking before he’ll be able to practice with the team? And most importantly, how bad will his second head injury be once his mother is done with him?

I think you can tell that I’m drained by it all, but you know, I just want these guys to think. Your life was about to be what its never been, but now, now there is every real possibility that it will be even worse than ever. Think, fellas, think…