The Panthers seem to be going in the direction that most people expected: downhill. They are 0-3 after three somewhat poor efforts. With the change made in quarterback, it is obvious that things are not going as planned or as hoped. Truth be told, Matt Moore never seemed to be the guy who was going to lead this team to bigger and greater things. With Clausen now at starter, Moore has probably seen his last snap as the starting quarterback in the National Football League.
The offense for the Panthers was never expected to be amazing, but I don’t believe that they were supposed to play this poorly. The running game has had only mere glimpses of last year’s glories. Although the offensive line has been missing at least one key player per game, this can no way explain all of the problems they have had. If this offense is to go anywhere this season under a rookie quarterback, the men up front are going to have to step up their game. Jimmy Clausen did not look fantastic in his NFL debut, but this was expected. I look to see him only get better with time and experience. Towards the end of Sunday’s game, he seemed to be more comfortable and we were able to see why he was such a good quarterback coming into the draft.
The deffense for Carolina has been somewhat better than expected, but in no way have been good enough to get this team into the playoffs. Up front, the deffense has looked very good, but in the secondary, they have struggled. This is the opposite of what was expected. With the departure of Julius Peppers, the defensive line was expected to struggle immensly, but this has not always been the case. Of course they are not as good without him, they have impressed spectators. The secondary is probably one of the biggest let downs thus far in the season. They have been pushed around all season, even though they have quite the amount of interceptions. Hopefully they can fix whatever seems to be holding them back and potentially be able to help turn around this team.
Although the Panthers have looked poor, not all hope has been lost. The season is only three weaks in, thus leaving plenty of time for improvement. As said earlier, Jimmy Clausen will only get better as he becomes more familiar with the offense and gets more in game experience. If things don’t turn around soon, look to either see Fox make big moves or just give up as this is the last year in his contract. In all honesty, the change in coaching may be needed now more than ever, and Bill Cowher is waiting to get the phone call to come and take over. The Panthers are a very young team and although they look very poor now, they will get better and will at some point be able to make an effort to the playoffs.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
US Soccer
Soccer is the most popular sport in all of Europe, South America, and Africa. The United States, somewhat known as the sports capital of the world, is oddly different from all of these other parts of the world. Soccer has never blossomed here, but instead is almost looked down upon from a proffessional level.Instead, football, basketball, hockey, and baseball are the leading sports in the US, but this summer, the soccer World Cup brought a suprising amount of attention to this globaly respected sport.
This years World Cup was in no way the best effort ever put forth by a US team, but for some reason, our nation rallied around them and supported them like never before. This year was the most viewed World Cup for the US in the history of this prestigous championship. The US lost in the second round of elimination, which is not something amazing. Landin Donovan and Tim Howard of the US led their team through the first grouping stage, which involved a tie with England and a glorious last second goal in their last game to propel them forward to the next round.
Possibly, this emotional rollercoaster of a trip made it so special this year. After all, isn’t that what makes a championship game so memorable? The most watched and special Super Bowl games are not the blow out games, but the ones that have the people standing on their feet and yelling at the top of their lungs at the end of the game. The same goes for NCAA basketball championship. The games that are remembered are the ones that go to the last minute. The ones that make the fan feel as if they experience the same ups and downs that the players and coaches feel.
More than likely, this is the reason why this year was such a great year for US World Cup. Fans or just casual observers love to feel the dramatic horrors and glories with a certain team, which is exactly what happened during this magical summer. Some believe that this could be the start of a soccer revolution in the States. This could be true, but in order for it to happen, US soccer will have to take advantage if this oppurtunity and bring more supporters. Maybe someday soccer will be held up with those other sports in this sport centered country of ours, but until soccer makes another dramatic step forward, they will always be the sport that only lights up every four years during the special time known as the World Cup.
This years World Cup was in no way the best effort ever put forth by a US team, but for some reason, our nation rallied around them and supported them like never before. This year was the most viewed World Cup for the US in the history of this prestigous championship. The US lost in the second round of elimination, which is not something amazing. Landin Donovan and Tim Howard of the US led their team through the first grouping stage, which involved a tie with England and a glorious last second goal in their last game to propel them forward to the next round.
Possibly, this emotional rollercoaster of a trip made it so special this year. After all, isn’t that what makes a championship game so memorable? The most watched and special Super Bowl games are not the blow out games, but the ones that have the people standing on their feet and yelling at the top of their lungs at the end of the game. The same goes for NCAA basketball championship. The games that are remembered are the ones that go to the last minute. The ones that make the fan feel as if they experience the same ups and downs that the players and coaches feel.
More than likely, this is the reason why this year was such a great year for US World Cup. Fans or just casual observers love to feel the dramatic horrors and glories with a certain team, which is exactly what happened during this magical summer. Some believe that this could be the start of a soccer revolution in the States. This could be true, but in order for it to happen, US soccer will have to take advantage if this oppurtunity and bring more supporters. Maybe someday soccer will be held up with those other sports in this sport centered country of ours, but until soccer makes another dramatic step forward, they will always be the sport that only lights up every four years during the special time known as the World Cup.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Bald Head Island
Some people consider all beaches to be the same. For a number of people, it’s just as long as it has sand and an ocean. For me, this decision is easily made. There is absolutely no better beach vacation spot then the great Bald Head Island. Bald Head is a small island in the outer banks of North Carolina. It is without doubt the best and most enjoyable vacation spot on the east coast.
Bald Head Island consists of both beach and marsh. Having both of these allows for different activities throughout one’s week. The biggest upside of the beaches at Bald Head is the fact that they are virtually empty. The crowding that exists in places such as Myrtle is unheard of on Bald Head. The marsh is somewhat an unknown to most people. Marshes are not only beautiful and excellent for sunsets, but are also excellent for crabbing. Of course, there is no King Crab in the small marshes of Bald Head, but just the experience of crabbing is exhilarating.
Another fabulous part of Bald Head is the houses. The homes on Bald Head Island vary from garage sized huts to multi-million dollar mansions. Obviously, the large houses are more exciting to stay in, but even driving by the houses is fun and enjoyable because each house has its own special theme. Some do follow the modern beach house style, but many have very unique and stylish fashions. The best strip of homes is the one that sits in the loop around the harbor that brings in all the ferries. Former NFL head coach, Bill Cowher, owns one of the houses on this loop. Also on this loop, are the multi-million dollar yachts that are owned by the wealthiest of islanders.
Possibly the best part of Bald Head Island is the fact that the only vehicles allowed on the island are golf carts. Driving around on an uncrowded island in golf carts truly makes one feel as if they have escaped their normal reality and are in a place of enjoyment. When very little traffic is on the roads, my family loves to race down the path ways, making dramatic turns and always leaning over the shoulder of the driver while yelling, “Go faster!”
Bald Head Island is a place for people to get away from their problems back in society and enjoy being with the ones that make them happiest. The seclusion of the island is what makes it so special. Once someone has gone to Bald Head Island, all other beaches become inferior. Bald Head Island will always be the greatest vacation spot and honestly, will always be more than just another beach.
Bald Head Island consists of both beach and marsh. Having both of these allows for different activities throughout one’s week. The biggest upside of the beaches at Bald Head is the fact that they are virtually empty. The crowding that exists in places such as Myrtle is unheard of on Bald Head. The marsh is somewhat an unknown to most people. Marshes are not only beautiful and excellent for sunsets, but are also excellent for crabbing. Of course, there is no King Crab in the small marshes of Bald Head, but just the experience of crabbing is exhilarating.
Another fabulous part of Bald Head is the houses. The homes on Bald Head Island vary from garage sized huts to multi-million dollar mansions. Obviously, the large houses are more exciting to stay in, but even driving by the houses is fun and enjoyable because each house has its own special theme. Some do follow the modern beach house style, but many have very unique and stylish fashions. The best strip of homes is the one that sits in the loop around the harbor that brings in all the ferries. Former NFL head coach, Bill Cowher, owns one of the houses on this loop. Also on this loop, are the multi-million dollar yachts that are owned by the wealthiest of islanders.
Possibly the best part of Bald Head Island is the fact that the only vehicles allowed on the island are golf carts. Driving around on an uncrowded island in golf carts truly makes one feel as if they have escaped their normal reality and are in a place of enjoyment. When very little traffic is on the roads, my family loves to race down the path ways, making dramatic turns and always leaning over the shoulder of the driver while yelling, “Go faster!”
Bald Head Island is a place for people to get away from their problems back in society and enjoy being with the ones that make them happiest. The seclusion of the island is what makes it so special. Once someone has gone to Bald Head Island, all other beaches become inferior. Bald Head Island will always be the greatest vacation spot and honestly, will always be more than just another beach.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Trip Out West
If you’ve ever wondered how to become closer with family or with friends, you obviously have never been in the western United States in a RV with them. Never shall I be able to forget the memorable times that came with that trip. Of course, the canyons will be a part of what is remembered, but the experiences and interactions with one another are essential when describing my trip out west.
Our RV was averaged sized, nothing crazy small or outrageously large. It was able to hold me, my sister, my two older brothers, and my parents. If there had been just one more person that had attended our voyage, they certainly would have had to sleep outside. It fit us just barely. Our three major destinations were Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and The Grand Canyon. Of course, we had lots of down time while driving from one location to another. These countless hours often consisted of sleeping, listening to ipods, watching old western movies, or just getting on one another’s nerves.
When we actually made it to the Canyons, of course we hiked and did all the touristy things that they had to offer, but the times I remember are the ones that almost had nothing to do with these activities. For example, I will never forget how my brothers were hiking Zion Canyon’s most difficult yet most beautiful trail and that one crazy interaction they had with the nature while resting on the trail. They had just finished ascending one of the hardest climbs of that entire hike and so they rested at the top. While catching their breath and looking at the scenery, they decided to pull out their hiking snack, honey nut cheerios. So they were simply enjoying these tasty treats until all of the sudden a large bird of prey swoops down from behind them, snatches the bag of cheerios, and flies off the side of the cliff. This event, yet somewhat annoying at the time, is one of the many events that will always be remembered from that trip.
Another part of the trip that made it so memorable was the triumphs that we had as a group. Whether it was conquering a canyon or clearing the RV toilet tank successfully, those difficult, and sometimes disgusting victories, made our trip unique. One triumph in particular was going up and down the Grand Canyon. Although we only did a part of it, it was just as trying and difficult for me and my father. The glorious four, my two brothers, my father, and I were the ones who took up the challenge of hiking in the one-hundred plus weather. My brothers were both high school students and were in shape, whereas my father and I were not. My dad was forty-six and in no way in his “prime” and I was an overweight eight year old. Reaching the bottom of our trail was one of the happiest moments of the trip. I quickly gobbled down my sandwich and enjoyed the coolness under a tree for what seemed like only a few minutes until I finally realized the horror of climbing back up the path. Once this came to my attention, anxiety and my heart rate shot up. Only to make matters worse, the patrol women notified us that now was the hottest part of the day. My father and I fought to get up that oversized dirt mound, and little by little, we made our way to the top. That glorious triumph of conquering the Grand Canyon no doubt will stick with me the rest of my life.
As in all trips, my family also had our sentimental moments. The greatest of all of them was standing at the top of the Grand Canyon as we watched the sun set with streaks of pink and orange filling the sky. My family bonded during those moments as we peacefully enjoyed the beautiful painting that God had created and set before us. The trip out west will always be one of my favorites and I know that because of the close living quarters and the unplanned occurrences and the fabulous triumphs and the sentimental moments we shared. Of course you can bond and have fun with your family in other vacation spots, but until you’ve visited the Wild West, you will never know nor understand the connections you can have with the ones that you love.
Our RV was averaged sized, nothing crazy small or outrageously large. It was able to hold me, my sister, my two older brothers, and my parents. If there had been just one more person that had attended our voyage, they certainly would have had to sleep outside. It fit us just barely. Our three major destinations were Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and The Grand Canyon. Of course, we had lots of down time while driving from one location to another. These countless hours often consisted of sleeping, listening to ipods, watching old western movies, or just getting on one another’s nerves.
When we actually made it to the Canyons, of course we hiked and did all the touristy things that they had to offer, but the times I remember are the ones that almost had nothing to do with these activities. For example, I will never forget how my brothers were hiking Zion Canyon’s most difficult yet most beautiful trail and that one crazy interaction they had with the nature while resting on the trail. They had just finished ascending one of the hardest climbs of that entire hike and so they rested at the top. While catching their breath and looking at the scenery, they decided to pull out their hiking snack, honey nut cheerios. So they were simply enjoying these tasty treats until all of the sudden a large bird of prey swoops down from behind them, snatches the bag of cheerios, and flies off the side of the cliff. This event, yet somewhat annoying at the time, is one of the many events that will always be remembered from that trip.
Another part of the trip that made it so memorable was the triumphs that we had as a group. Whether it was conquering a canyon or clearing the RV toilet tank successfully, those difficult, and sometimes disgusting victories, made our trip unique. One triumph in particular was going up and down the Grand Canyon. Although we only did a part of it, it was just as trying and difficult for me and my father. The glorious four, my two brothers, my father, and I were the ones who took up the challenge of hiking in the one-hundred plus weather. My brothers were both high school students and were in shape, whereas my father and I were not. My dad was forty-six and in no way in his “prime” and I was an overweight eight year old. Reaching the bottom of our trail was one of the happiest moments of the trip. I quickly gobbled down my sandwich and enjoyed the coolness under a tree for what seemed like only a few minutes until I finally realized the horror of climbing back up the path. Once this came to my attention, anxiety and my heart rate shot up. Only to make matters worse, the patrol women notified us that now was the hottest part of the day. My father and I fought to get up that oversized dirt mound, and little by little, we made our way to the top. That glorious triumph of conquering the Grand Canyon no doubt will stick with me the rest of my life.
As in all trips, my family also had our sentimental moments. The greatest of all of them was standing at the top of the Grand Canyon as we watched the sun set with streaks of pink and orange filling the sky. My family bonded during those moments as we peacefully enjoyed the beautiful painting that God had created and set before us. The trip out west will always be one of my favorites and I know that because of the close living quarters and the unplanned occurrences and the fabulous triumphs and the sentimental moments we shared. Of course you can bond and have fun with your family in other vacation spots, but until you’ve visited the Wild West, you will never know nor understand the connections you can have with the ones that you love.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
My Third Brother
Misganaw Tesfaye, an Ethiopian exchange student, will always be my third brother. He lived with our Smith family for an entire year. We bonded and struggled for an entire year. At first, of course, I was apprehensive. A new boy living in my house who may not be able to speak very much if any English? This didn’t seem to be the ideal way to finish my middle school years, but of course I wasn’t about to be the kid who wouldn’t help a poor African boy and just say no. So I falsely told my parents that I had no problem with this plan and it seemed like it might even be fun.
I woke up the day he was supposed to land in Raleigh and thought to myself that today was the last day for an entire year that I could actually have fun and be myself. I would have to take on a fake personality and be as kind as I possibly could be for a full year. He arrived while I was at school so I did not meet him until my sister and I had driven home after school. He was dressed very nicely in a sweater vest and he had a distinct smell. He made eye contact with me and quickly jumped from his seat in order to greet me. He told me in very broken English, “My name is Misganaw.” I of course knew not what he said but assumed he had just told me his name. I then in return told him my name and then stepped back as he introduced himself to my sister. I was somewhat dazed and once again I thought to myself, “I have to live with this guy for a year?”
The weeks passed and I began to learn how to decipher his so called English. I also learned about how much he loved soccer, especially Arsenal, an English Premier Soccer club. He could only watch his team on occasion though due to the fact that he had six AP classes. As I still grow older, the fact that he was able to get A’s in all of his classes astonishes me even more. Inevitably, my relationship with him grew greatly in the first couple months of his stay. After all, both of my brothers were out of the house by now and the only other man in the house other than my father was Misganaw. We played soccer and basketball together and I even taught him how to throw and catch a football. But as in all relationships, we had our downs as well.
As we became more familiar with one another, we knew what bothered one another. He quickly learned the art of sarcasm, as my family almost speaks nothing but sarcasm. At first it was funny. He would hurl insults at me, I would throw some right back. It was all in good fun, but eventually, it ceased to be fun. I would become irritable or he would be in a bad mood and one of us would say something that the other didn’t want to hear. Because in reality he was still a guest and I was his host, we never went too far past the line, but far enough to cause some conflict. It was now a typical brother relationship.
As time passed and we learned to not always pick on one another, we began to cement our relationship. The weeks flew by and summer was right around the corner. Misganaw was scheduled to go to Camp Seagull for about six weeks as soon as school finished. This was in no way our final farewell, but more so a practice run. Although I almost feel bad to say I didn’t miss him very much during that time period, I was not the only male at home. One of my brothers moved back into the house for the summer and I was able to play with him instead of Misganaw. In a way, this was a good thing. It helped ease the pain when he finally left for good.
It was a pleasant summer afternoon when he returned from camp. One of the other exchange students that had also attended the camp needed a place to stay so that he could catch the plane ride early the next morning, so we brought him in too. We had a very nice cook out that night and everything was very nice, but it all almost seems like a blur now. All I can remember is when I put my head down to sleep that night, I had promised myself that I wasn’t going to cry when he departed. I did in fact keep myself from releasing my tears, but this in no way meant that they were not there. I hugged him and said goodbye for the last time, wondering if he felt the same way that I did at that moment.
To this day I keep in contact with Misganaw, through occasional emails or through facebook. I once posted a comment on his wall to notify him that it was snowing at our house. He was fortunate enough to be able to play in the snow while he was here in the states and I thought that he would enjoy hearing that it was once again pouring down the fluffy precipitation. I do not know if I will ever see him again, but there is one thing that I do know. He will always be a part of our family, and more importantly, he will always be the third brother that I never had.
I woke up the day he was supposed to land in Raleigh and thought to myself that today was the last day for an entire year that I could actually have fun and be myself. I would have to take on a fake personality and be as kind as I possibly could be for a full year. He arrived while I was at school so I did not meet him until my sister and I had driven home after school. He was dressed very nicely in a sweater vest and he had a distinct smell. He made eye contact with me and quickly jumped from his seat in order to greet me. He told me in very broken English, “My name is Misganaw.” I of course knew not what he said but assumed he had just told me his name. I then in return told him my name and then stepped back as he introduced himself to my sister. I was somewhat dazed and once again I thought to myself, “I have to live with this guy for a year?”
The weeks passed and I began to learn how to decipher his so called English. I also learned about how much he loved soccer, especially Arsenal, an English Premier Soccer club. He could only watch his team on occasion though due to the fact that he had six AP classes. As I still grow older, the fact that he was able to get A’s in all of his classes astonishes me even more. Inevitably, my relationship with him grew greatly in the first couple months of his stay. After all, both of my brothers were out of the house by now and the only other man in the house other than my father was Misganaw. We played soccer and basketball together and I even taught him how to throw and catch a football. But as in all relationships, we had our downs as well.
As we became more familiar with one another, we knew what bothered one another. He quickly learned the art of sarcasm, as my family almost speaks nothing but sarcasm. At first it was funny. He would hurl insults at me, I would throw some right back. It was all in good fun, but eventually, it ceased to be fun. I would become irritable or he would be in a bad mood and one of us would say something that the other didn’t want to hear. Because in reality he was still a guest and I was his host, we never went too far past the line, but far enough to cause some conflict. It was now a typical brother relationship.
As time passed and we learned to not always pick on one another, we began to cement our relationship. The weeks flew by and summer was right around the corner. Misganaw was scheduled to go to Camp Seagull for about six weeks as soon as school finished. This was in no way our final farewell, but more so a practice run. Although I almost feel bad to say I didn’t miss him very much during that time period, I was not the only male at home. One of my brothers moved back into the house for the summer and I was able to play with him instead of Misganaw. In a way, this was a good thing. It helped ease the pain when he finally left for good.
It was a pleasant summer afternoon when he returned from camp. One of the other exchange students that had also attended the camp needed a place to stay so that he could catch the plane ride early the next morning, so we brought him in too. We had a very nice cook out that night and everything was very nice, but it all almost seems like a blur now. All I can remember is when I put my head down to sleep that night, I had promised myself that I wasn’t going to cry when he departed. I did in fact keep myself from releasing my tears, but this in no way meant that they were not there. I hugged him and said goodbye for the last time, wondering if he felt the same way that I did at that moment.
To this day I keep in contact with Misganaw, through occasional emails or through facebook. I once posted a comment on his wall to notify him that it was snowing at our house. He was fortunate enough to be able to play in the snow while he was here in the states and I thought that he would enjoy hearing that it was once again pouring down the fluffy precipitation. I do not know if I will ever see him again, but there is one thing that I do know. He will always be a part of our family, and more importantly, he will always be the third brother that I never had.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Canes Breakdown
The Carolina Hurricanes are beginning a new era. Eric Staal has taken over as captain in place of the now retired Rod Brindamour, and Canes vet Ray Whitney is now playing in Pheonix. The team has added new and younger players as they hope to become a soon leading force in the NHL.
The Canes have added younger players to the team in hope of developing them and turning them into big time players. With the seventh overall pick in the draft, the Canes were able to pick up aruguably the best scoring forward in Jeff Skinner. Also added to the young group of players are Riley Nash and Jared Staal, the youngest of the Staal boys. Riley Nash is looking to play in the NHL this season, whereas Jared is most likely going to be playing in the AHL where he can develop.
In net is returing starter Cam Ward, who was out most of last season with several major injuries. The job is most certainly his, as young Justin Peters is backing him up, but the major question mark for him is if he can stay healthy. Cam Ward is an All-Star goaltender and is hoping to return to the explosive save making ability that he had early on last season. If he can stay healthy and still play well, the Canes may be able to make a shot for the playoffs.
One returning forward who appears to be drastically improving for the Canes is Chad LaRose. LaRose ended last season on the first line for the Canes and appeared to connect splendidly with Staal. I look to see LaRose become the standout return player for the Canes this season and possibly even be one of their leading scorers. Joe Corvo and Anton Babchuck are making their returns to the Canes deffense and hope to bring some offense with them. In ’08, Corvo and Babchuck lead the Canes deffense in scoring and will hopefully be able to return to those roles.
The Canes have very little expectations this season, and this is somewhat exciting. It appears that the Canes are best when they are not supposed to be and with this new young core of players, they will only get better. In just a few years, look for the Canes to be making strong pushes into the playoffs and maybe even contending in the East for a top spot. If all the players they picked up and have groomed are as good as they are expected, this is exactly what will happen. It’s a bright future in Carolina, and we just can’t wait for the season to begin.
The Canes have added younger players to the team in hope of developing them and turning them into big time players. With the seventh overall pick in the draft, the Canes were able to pick up aruguably the best scoring forward in Jeff Skinner. Also added to the young group of players are Riley Nash and Jared Staal, the youngest of the Staal boys. Riley Nash is looking to play in the NHL this season, whereas Jared is most likely going to be playing in the AHL where he can develop.
In net is returing starter Cam Ward, who was out most of last season with several major injuries. The job is most certainly his, as young Justin Peters is backing him up, but the major question mark for him is if he can stay healthy. Cam Ward is an All-Star goaltender and is hoping to return to the explosive save making ability that he had early on last season. If he can stay healthy and still play well, the Canes may be able to make a shot for the playoffs.
One returning forward who appears to be drastically improving for the Canes is Chad LaRose. LaRose ended last season on the first line for the Canes and appeared to connect splendidly with Staal. I look to see LaRose become the standout return player for the Canes this season and possibly even be one of their leading scorers. Joe Corvo and Anton Babchuck are making their returns to the Canes deffense and hope to bring some offense with them. In ’08, Corvo and Babchuck lead the Canes deffense in scoring and will hopefully be able to return to those roles.
The Canes have very little expectations this season, and this is somewhat exciting. It appears that the Canes are best when they are not supposed to be and with this new young core of players, they will only get better. In just a few years, look for the Canes to be making strong pushes into the playoffs and maybe even contending in the East for a top spot. If all the players they picked up and have groomed are as good as they are expected, this is exactly what will happen. It’s a bright future in Carolina, and we just can’t wait for the season to begin.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Green Bay Breakdown
On the past Monday night, the Green Bay Packers had one of the worst self destructions seen thus far in the NFL season. The Packers had outgained the Bears in all offensive statistics and had by far the better defensive play. One may wonder if this is true, then how did they lose the game? Well, simply put, a total of eighteen penalties and two excellent punt returns by Bear’s star, Devin Hester.
Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Packers, had an excellent night. He virtually silenced all critics while putting on an MVP like performance. It appears that his play discernment and overall passing ability is only impoving with time. The only blemish seen on the Packers side of the offense was the poor performance of the offensive line. Only time will tell if they will be the Achilleas Heel in the Packers offensive and if in fact Green Bay may have to go out and trade in order to improve that aspect of their game.
The other side of the ball for the Packers was also very good. The defense looked strong and held in check a Bears offense that looks to be very promising. Jay Cutler truly seems to be thriving under this new offensive scheme that they have going in Chicago. Clay Matthews of the Packers had another good night while he continuously had pressure on Cutler.
It is know that the Packers are one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and this fact is seen through the amount of penalties taken. The eighteen penalties taken amounted to over 150 yards. Mike McCarthy of the Packers is going to have to fix this issue if they are going to have any hope of getting to the Super Bowl, as many have predicted. The two returns by Devin Hester can easily be said to be more so due to his own ability rather than poor coverage by the Packers special teams. His speed and ability to make tacklers miss in the open fieled is something truly amazing. He is undoubtly the best return man in NFL history.
Looking forward, I don’t believe that Packer fans have much to worry about. Timely turnovers and penalties are something that can be fixed. Also, the offensive line experienced these same woes last season and as soon as they were able to get into a groove, they seemed fine. I expect the same thing to happen this year. If not, I have no doubt they will go out and improve their line through some kind of trade. I looked to see this team to only get stronger due to this loss and expect them to thrive as projected
early on in the preseason.
Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Packers, had an excellent night. He virtually silenced all critics while putting on an MVP like performance. It appears that his play discernment and overall passing ability is only impoving with time. The only blemish seen on the Packers side of the offense was the poor performance of the offensive line. Only time will tell if they will be the Achilleas Heel in the Packers offensive and if in fact Green Bay may have to go out and trade in order to improve that aspect of their game.
The other side of the ball for the Packers was also very good. The defense looked strong and held in check a Bears offense that looks to be very promising. Jay Cutler truly seems to be thriving under this new offensive scheme that they have going in Chicago. Clay Matthews of the Packers had another good night while he continuously had pressure on Cutler.
It is know that the Packers are one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and this fact is seen through the amount of penalties taken. The eighteen penalties taken amounted to over 150 yards. Mike McCarthy of the Packers is going to have to fix this issue if they are going to have any hope of getting to the Super Bowl, as many have predicted. The two returns by Devin Hester can easily be said to be more so due to his own ability rather than poor coverage by the Packers special teams. His speed and ability to make tacklers miss in the open fieled is something truly amazing. He is undoubtly the best return man in NFL history.
Looking forward, I don’t believe that Packer fans have much to worry about. Timely turnovers and penalties are something that can be fixed. Also, the offensive line experienced these same woes last season and as soon as they were able to get into a groove, they seemed fine. I expect the same thing to happen this year. If not, I have no doubt they will go out and improve their line through some kind of trade. I looked to see this team to only get stronger due to this loss and expect them to thrive as projected
early on in the preseason.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Into School
As my car makes its way into the familiar parking lot, I look upon that same building that I see every morning at an hour in the morning when no one should have to think for themself, let alone take an honors class. I slowly trudge my way from the car to the path way that leads to the entrance of this building. As I make my journey through the hallways, I see other students and teachers, all of whom have the exact same facial expression. It’s the same as mine as well.
I approach my assigned locker that is all the way down the virtually vacant hallway and I think to myself how amazing that in only an hour, these hallways that I can hear footsteps from the other side of the building in, will soon be filled with loud children and teens. There will be no more dead silence. After pondering this, I hurl my oversized bag off of my shoulders and down to the hard floors so that I can begin to enter the locker combination. I am late to my class and therefore decide to somewhat speed up my actions in order to make up for time lost. Of course, my locker somehow knows this and refuses to open. I bang the frame of the locker with my knee repeatedly, hoping somehow the door will open. But no. I must re-enter the digits and hurry towards the stairs, another inconvenience. The “brilliant people” that are behind this decision no doubt put absolutely no thought into this idiotic plan. The staircase that is the most out of the way for every student is the only available method of getting to the 2nd floor. Brilliant.
I am now at this point at the fastest pace I can go without making a fool out of myself. I quickly shoot a glance at the television to see the time. The bell should be ringing any second now. I approach the hallway to my class and grab the handle to the door. As I pull open the door, the bell rings. I got lucky this time. As I sit in my chair, I think to myself that I won’t cut it that close again, but of course, this idea has disappeared by tomorrow morning when I smack the snooze button on the alarm and go back to sleep. Maybe next time.
I approach my assigned locker that is all the way down the virtually vacant hallway and I think to myself how amazing that in only an hour, these hallways that I can hear footsteps from the other side of the building in, will soon be filled with loud children and teens. There will be no more dead silence. After pondering this, I hurl my oversized bag off of my shoulders and down to the hard floors so that I can begin to enter the locker combination. I am late to my class and therefore decide to somewhat speed up my actions in order to make up for time lost. Of course, my locker somehow knows this and refuses to open. I bang the frame of the locker with my knee repeatedly, hoping somehow the door will open. But no. I must re-enter the digits and hurry towards the stairs, another inconvenience. The “brilliant people” that are behind this decision no doubt put absolutely no thought into this idiotic plan. The staircase that is the most out of the way for every student is the only available method of getting to the 2nd floor. Brilliant.
I am now at this point at the fastest pace I can go without making a fool out of myself. I quickly shoot a glance at the television to see the time. The bell should be ringing any second now. I approach the hallway to my class and grab the handle to the door. As I pull open the door, the bell rings. I got lucky this time. As I sit in my chair, I think to myself that I won’t cut it that close again, but of course, this idea has disappeared by tomorrow morning when I smack the snooze button on the alarm and go back to sleep. Maybe next time.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
If Only Life were Like That
I often wonder what life would be like if I were the creature that I call my best friend. I could wake to the sound of feet bustling around me, but never be in a hurry to get anywhere myself. The only injustice in life would be that the food bowl wasn’t full at the same time it was the day prior. I could come and go as I pleased and sleep all day, never once worrying about other’s schedules or rules except for the ones that excited me. If only life were like that.
Every doorbell ringing or shadow moving in the depths of the room would be just another game and not a threat or annoyance to everyday life. I would never worry about my duties because I had none to be concerned about. Shelter, food, and clothing would be a guarantee, not an uncertainty. My facial expressions would not be misinterpreted and if someone ever yelled my name it would be because they loved me and cared for me and I knew no better. If only life were like that.
Every toy would be mine because I would be the king of my own world without even a fight. Pleasing God or any other higher deity would be no major difficulty because my mere existence is but a praise in itself. Everything would be brought to me and provided for me, and I wouldn’t even know this was a luxury. It’s my right. It would just be another part of my world. My kingdom. If only life were like that.
Peer pressure would not be a problem to me because it would not exist. Drugs, alcohol, sex, and other worldly desires that occur around me constantly would never tempt me nor come after me. I could roam the hallways and not be self conscious about the way I dress or act. I would have no recollection of my disastrous deeds because I knew not of the past. I would live in the present, the moment that is. Oh if only life were like that.
My future education, spouse, occupation, and family would never cross my mind because every day would be the same, which was a born right and not a gift. The meaning of my life, my destiny, would never haunt me because I would have no way of understanding the concept. The death of a beloved one, someone I cared about and cherished every moment with. Someone I looked up to and admired with all my being. Their passing would not have to be a heart aching goodbye that I could never forget. They say it’s a dog’s life, and it is. It’s the dog I care about, and sometimes I wish my life were like that.
Every doorbell ringing or shadow moving in the depths of the room would be just another game and not a threat or annoyance to everyday life. I would never worry about my duties because I had none to be concerned about. Shelter, food, and clothing would be a guarantee, not an uncertainty. My facial expressions would not be misinterpreted and if someone ever yelled my name it would be because they loved me and cared for me and I knew no better. If only life were like that.
Every toy would be mine because I would be the king of my own world without even a fight. Pleasing God or any other higher deity would be no major difficulty because my mere existence is but a praise in itself. Everything would be brought to me and provided for me, and I wouldn’t even know this was a luxury. It’s my right. It would just be another part of my world. My kingdom. If only life were like that.
Peer pressure would not be a problem to me because it would not exist. Drugs, alcohol, sex, and other worldly desires that occur around me constantly would never tempt me nor come after me. I could roam the hallways and not be self conscious about the way I dress or act. I would have no recollection of my disastrous deeds because I knew not of the past. I would live in the present, the moment that is. Oh if only life were like that.
My future education, spouse, occupation, and family would never cross my mind because every day would be the same, which was a born right and not a gift. The meaning of my life, my destiny, would never haunt me because I would have no way of understanding the concept. The death of a beloved one, someone I cared about and cherished every moment with. Someone I looked up to and admired with all my being. Their passing would not have to be a heart aching goodbye that I could never forget. They say it’s a dog’s life, and it is. It’s the dog I care about, and sometimes I wish my life were like that.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
For the Fourth Hour
For the fourth hour in a row, she stared at the blank screen, trying to think of what to write. Her professor had assigned a five page essay on the matter of evolution. The girl's dilemma was not that she knew nothing about evolution, but rather that she did not believe in the theory herself. She was uncertain about whether she should give in and write an essay supporting a theory she strongly disagreed with or stand strong in her belief. Many more hours passed and only a few words ever made it onto the document, but they were always erased shortly thereafter.
Finally, the girl decided to write the essay, but instead through a theistic view of creation. She knew she was taking a big leap and it possibly could ruin her reputation, but she was set on what had to be done. From this point forward, the words flowed from her finger tips and the essay was completed in several hours.
There was no turning back now and at 3 a.m., the girl finally removed herself from the desk and placed herself in the bed that had never seemed so wonderful before. The girl knew what she had done, but it didn't matter. She knew that it was what had to be said. Inevitably, this decision would cost her a good grade, but it was worth the cost.
Finally, the girl decided to write the essay, but instead through a theistic view of creation. She knew she was taking a big leap and it possibly could ruin her reputation, but she was set on what had to be done. From this point forward, the words flowed from her finger tips and the essay was completed in several hours.
There was no turning back now and at 3 a.m., the girl finally removed herself from the desk and placed herself in the bed that had never seemed so wonderful before. The girl knew what she had done, but it didn't matter. She knew that it was what had to be said. Inevitably, this decision would cost her a good grade, but it was worth the cost.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Duke Raleigh
Some people enjoy giving their time to volunteering and helping others. During this summer, I worked at Duke Raleigh Hospital and helped work with patients. While there, I helped in same-day surgery and in pre-testing. Both of these areas of work were life changing and truly have given me a different perspective of how a hospital works and functions as a whole.
In same-day surgery, I took care of patients by helping them find certain places in the hospital and keeping the main lobby of the hospital in order. When I was there, I was able to bond with the staff and the certain patients that I came in contact with. This helped me to be able to appreciate how much these people loved having me work with them. Many of the people were amazed that I, being a teenager, was giving my time to help the people, expecting nothing in return.
In pre-testing, I helped escort people from the lobby to the testing rooms on the third floor. Although I was able to meet new people by helping patients, the nurses were what made my experience so enjoyable. They were extremely organized and good at getting the patients through the tests, yet they were also very fun and enjoyable to work with. They without a doubt showed how a good hospital should function.
Working at Duke Raleigh was one of the greatest parts of my summer, without a doubt. The staff there was able to show me how a patient should be treated and how a hospital should function. They were able to show that hard work does not mean that fun cannot be involved and that patients, regardless of how difficult they were, should be treated with the utmost respect. I will never forget working at Duke and I honestly hope that I am able to work there again some time soon.
In same-day surgery, I took care of patients by helping them find certain places in the hospital and keeping the main lobby of the hospital in order. When I was there, I was able to bond with the staff and the certain patients that I came in contact with. This helped me to be able to appreciate how much these people loved having me work with them. Many of the people were amazed that I, being a teenager, was giving my time to help the people, expecting nothing in return.
In pre-testing, I helped escort people from the lobby to the testing rooms on the third floor. Although I was able to meet new people by helping patients, the nurses were what made my experience so enjoyable. They were extremely organized and good at getting the patients through the tests, yet they were also very fun and enjoyable to work with. They without a doubt showed how a good hospital should function.
Working at Duke Raleigh was one of the greatest parts of my summer, without a doubt. The staff there was able to show me how a patient should be treated and how a hospital should function. They were able to show that hard work does not mean that fun cannot be involved and that patients, regardless of how difficult they were, should be treated with the utmost respect. I will never forget working at Duke and I honestly hope that I am able to work there again some time soon.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Game
Arriving at the rink an hour before the game was to get underway. An hour for me to get acclimated to my surroundings. Just one hour for me to get into the mind set of a champion. It was to be the final game of the season. It had been a long, grueling season. Our team was exhausted mentally and physically from the tolls of this demanding sport. Everyone had their own individual rituals in order to get into that zone. We all knew this time was coming. Now, we just had to take action.
The rink was more bone chilling than normal, or so it seemed. Although we all looked forward to this one game, we were also uneasy. Uneasy about the fact that this was the last game for us as a team. Uneasy about whether the outcome of the game came out in our favor. None of us wanted to look back at what could have been. All we wanted was to win.
Fifteen minutes until the games beginning. All of us were putting on the final touches to our equipment, awaiting the speech from our coach and his words of encouragement. Coach always delivered well, but this time, no one could listen. All we could think about was getting onto the ice and beginning our final assent to becoming champions. We could only focus on the time at hand.
The time was near. We all made our way out of the locker room, down the hallway, and onto the newly cleaned ice. The crisp sound of blades cutting fresh ice filled the rink. The warm-ups seemed like forever long, while the feeling of butterflies drove everyone mad. Our opponents, the only people that stood in our way, entered the rink. I knew very little about each individual on the other team, yet I despised nobody else in the world more than those boys.
Only three minutes until the game started. Coach was calling for us to assemble around him. This was one last effort to unify our team and get our heads in the right place. I watched as the clock ticked down to zero. Coach quickly threw out the starting lineup, me being one of them. My sense of anxiety had reached its apex. The ref made his way to center ice, the puck was to drop any second now. At this moment, I and my team realized that this was the final task to becoming champions. Thus began the game.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
The Decision
This past offseason had one of the most interesting free agencies in NBA history. Many of the players, many being all-stars, had come together in some way and made it so that they would become free agents all in the same offseason. Thus making for an interesting story line. LeBron James, born and raised in the outskirts of Cleveland, left his Cleveland Cavaliers to join up with his friends in Miami in order to bring one of the greatest trios ever seen in sports. This decision brought great displeasure to the people of Cleveland like no other. Many other players had left their teams in order to improve their chances of winning a championship, but none have been hated as much as James. No longer is LeBron adored in his home town, but now is hated with passion that is just as strong.
LeBron James has been compared to Michael Jordan for most of his life. He has always had explosive individual talent and has had quite the superb highlight real. He was born in a little town right outside of Cleveland, who has been sport woeful for decades. The city had been waiting for their star to come in and take their basketball team in a new direction, and that is exactly what he did. He came in and turned the leagues worst team into one of the best organizations in all of sports. He was “the chosen one”, or so they thought.
LeBron led the Cavaliers to the playoffs year after year and single handedly got them to one NBA Championship, but never actually won the title for his team. After leading his team to the best record in the NBA regular season, his team lost to the somewhat aged Celtics in the playoffs. His team and critics were astonished. After being so hopeful going into the playoffs, the Cavaliers season was over. Little did the organization and fans know that this was the last time they would see James play in a Cavaliers jersey.
Very early on in the NBA free agency, James decided to have his own tv coverage of his decision on where he would go to play. In hind sight, this was a very poor choice, but did bring in many viewers and peaked people’s interest. After a very booring interview that lasted way too long, James announced his decision. He told the interviewer that he would be taking his talents to South Beach in Miami to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, both NBA elites. These words sent shock waves through the basketball world. Cleveland fans were in near tears at first, but that lasted only seconds. Soon, this despondancy turned into shear hatred. Chaos broke out in Cleveland. Number 23 jerseys were being burned and thrown off of buildings shortly after their hero had decided to “take his talents” elsewhere.
The hype around the Miami Heat has been building up ever since this decision by “The King”. The new tiro is expected to do amazing things together and haters are just waiting for the team to take a bad step. If they don’t live up to expectations, they will no doubt be scrutinized and looked poorly upon by critics all over the league. Only time will tell if these three will be able to bring in several championships, but one thing is for sure, if the King does not perform well under his new spot light, the people of Cleveland will be celebrating and enjoying every minute of his misery.
LeBron James has been compared to Michael Jordan for most of his life. He has always had explosive individual talent and has had quite the superb highlight real. He was born in a little town right outside of Cleveland, who has been sport woeful for decades. The city had been waiting for their star to come in and take their basketball team in a new direction, and that is exactly what he did. He came in and turned the leagues worst team into one of the best organizations in all of sports. He was “the chosen one”, or so they thought.
LeBron led the Cavaliers to the playoffs year after year and single handedly got them to one NBA Championship, but never actually won the title for his team. After leading his team to the best record in the NBA regular season, his team lost to the somewhat aged Celtics in the playoffs. His team and critics were astonished. After being so hopeful going into the playoffs, the Cavaliers season was over. Little did the organization and fans know that this was the last time they would see James play in a Cavaliers jersey.
Very early on in the NBA free agency, James decided to have his own tv coverage of his decision on where he would go to play. In hind sight, this was a very poor choice, but did bring in many viewers and peaked people’s interest. After a very booring interview that lasted way too long, James announced his decision. He told the interviewer that he would be taking his talents to South Beach in Miami to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, both NBA elites. These words sent shock waves through the basketball world. Cleveland fans were in near tears at first, but that lasted only seconds. Soon, this despondancy turned into shear hatred. Chaos broke out in Cleveland. Number 23 jerseys were being burned and thrown off of buildings shortly after their hero had decided to “take his talents” elsewhere.
The hype around the Miami Heat has been building up ever since this decision by “The King”. The new tiro is expected to do amazing things together and haters are just waiting for the team to take a bad step. If they don’t live up to expectations, they will no doubt be scrutinized and looked poorly upon by critics all over the league. Only time will tell if these three will be able to bring in several championships, but one thing is for sure, if the King does not perform well under his new spot light, the people of Cleveland will be celebrating and enjoying every minute of his misery.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Panthers Wide Recievers
The wide out position for the Carolina Panthers has been somewhat of a problem over the past years. Athough yes Steve Smith, long time Panther, is without a doubt one of the best wide recievers in the league, his back ups have been very weak. Ever since Mushin Muhhamed has fallen out of his prime, the Panthers have been attempting to find the viable second option. This search has yet to produce anything and if it continues to fail, the Panthers could be in serious trouble.
Steve Smith has been with the Panthers for many years and has made his presence known. Although he is very small for a wide reciever, he plays as if he is the biggest man on the field. He breaks tackle after tackle and is an aggresive runner. He is without a doubt one of the greatest wide outs in the game today, yet he continues to stay in the small market that is Carolina. In the new NFL, players are less loyal to their organizations. For the most part, players look out souly for their own interest.
It appears that Steve Smith is not one of those “new kind of players”, but only time will tell. If things continue to go poorly in Carolina, he may have every intention to move on. He claims that he wants to stay with the Panthers until retirement, but if a rebuild in Carolina is to go through, he may want to go to a team that has major playoff potential. If Steve Smith chooses to depart from his long time team, the offense will greatly suffer. As a Carolina fan, it is very concerning to look upon this situation. One can only hope that the Panthers will turn around their season sooner rather than later and be able to keep their super-star wide out happy.
Steve Smith has been with the Panthers for many years and has made his presence known. Although he is very small for a wide reciever, he plays as if he is the biggest man on the field. He breaks tackle after tackle and is an aggresive runner. He is without a doubt one of the greatest wide outs in the game today, yet he continues to stay in the small market that is Carolina. In the new NFL, players are less loyal to their organizations. For the most part, players look out souly for their own interest.
It appears that Steve Smith is not one of those “new kind of players”, but only time will tell. If things continue to go poorly in Carolina, he may have every intention to move on. He claims that he wants to stay with the Panthers until retirement, but if a rebuild in Carolina is to go through, he may want to go to a team that has major playoff potential. If Steve Smith chooses to depart from his long time team, the offense will greatly suffer. As a Carolina fan, it is very concerning to look upon this situation. One can only hope that the Panthers will turn around their season sooner rather than later and be able to keep their super-star wide out happy.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
College Football
This college football season has been very interesting thus far. The infamous Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy have moved on from their college careers, thus starting a new era in Texas and in Florida. Alabama is showing that they are just as good if not better than they were last year in their BCS Championship run. Oregon and Stanford are showing that their offenses are as explosive as any in all of the country. And Denard Robinson of Michigan is putting up numbers that have never been seen before as he leads the Wolverines into the top group of teams. All these sub-plots make for a very intruiging season and will be even more enjoyable to watch as these teams clash with one another for the BCS title.
Florida and Texas have always been football power houses, regardless of who has been under center. The question now is whether the two new quarterbacks will be able to live up to their record-breaking predessors. So far, Texas has struggled with a new man at the helm and Florida appears to be improving, but in no way is up to their previous standards. Only time will tell if these team will be able to successfully move on without Tebow and McCoy.
Alabama has been a dominating force as Nick Saban has been able to lead his Crimson Tide to a 5-0 starts. They were able to survive without their Heisman Trophy winner early on this season, but now the true test for the Tide will come against their SEC opponents, who has won three championship in a row (Alabama last year and Florida the two years before that). The two headed running monster that is Mark Ingram and Richardson have stole the show early on. Both of these running backs have proven to be potential NFL starters, and together they have lead their team to great success. If the Tide keep up this dominating play of theirs, there is no doubt that they will retain their title as champions.
Oregon and Stanford have both have sparked much attention this season for their explosive offenses. Both of these teams are part of the PAC-10, which is somewhat changing. The University of Southern California has been the leading force in that confrence for many years, with a good balance between offense and defense. But now, USC has slowly fallen away and the explosive offenses are taking over. It will be interesting to see if Oregon and Stanford will be able to remain strong power houses as they are both currently ranked in the top ten.
Possibly the most fascinating part of this new college football season is the play of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. Robinson has broken many records this season already and is at this point is the player most likely to be awarded the Heisman Trophy. He has nearly single handedly led his team into the AP top 25 and only looks to improve their rankings.
Although the season is only 4 weeks in, it is already become one to be remembered. With all these different stories coming together and developing, the season will only become more interesting. It will be interesting to watch the teams Florida, Texas, Alabama, Oregon, and Stanford go throughout this season as they will have several oppurtunities to play one another. This season could turn out to be one to be remembered and it will be interesting to watch it pan out.
Florida and Texas have always been football power houses, regardless of who has been under center. The question now is whether the two new quarterbacks will be able to live up to their record-breaking predessors. So far, Texas has struggled with a new man at the helm and Florida appears to be improving, but in no way is up to their previous standards. Only time will tell if these team will be able to successfully move on without Tebow and McCoy.
Alabama has been a dominating force as Nick Saban has been able to lead his Crimson Tide to a 5-0 starts. They were able to survive without their Heisman Trophy winner early on this season, but now the true test for the Tide will come against their SEC opponents, who has won three championship in a row (Alabama last year and Florida the two years before that). The two headed running monster that is Mark Ingram and Richardson have stole the show early on. Both of these running backs have proven to be potential NFL starters, and together they have lead their team to great success. If the Tide keep up this dominating play of theirs, there is no doubt that they will retain their title as champions.
Oregon and Stanford have both have sparked much attention this season for their explosive offenses. Both of these teams are part of the PAC-10, which is somewhat changing. The University of Southern California has been the leading force in that confrence for many years, with a good balance between offense and defense. But now, USC has slowly fallen away and the explosive offenses are taking over. It will be interesting to see if Oregon and Stanford will be able to remain strong power houses as they are both currently ranked in the top ten.
Possibly the most fascinating part of this new college football season is the play of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. Robinson has broken many records this season already and is at this point is the player most likely to be awarded the Heisman Trophy. He has nearly single handedly led his team into the AP top 25 and only looks to improve their rankings.
Although the season is only 4 weeks in, it is already become one to be remembered. With all these different stories coming together and developing, the season will only become more interesting. It will be interesting to watch the teams Florida, Texas, Alabama, Oregon, and Stanford go throughout this season as they will have several oppurtunities to play one another. This season could turn out to be one to be remembered and it will be interesting to watch it pan out.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Insignificant Teenager
This was the most important weekend of my brother’s life. On the next evening, he would be pronounced the proud husband of his bride. Although this weekend was theirs, for that one night, all I can think about is how I presented myself. That night, I had to deliver a speech to the bridal party.
Of course, I had drilled this speech into my head. I could more than likely recite it to this day. My fear was that I may become more realized then I intended. That I may remembered as the boy who completely missed the intended message. All I wanted was to recite my words of kindness, and then to disappear to my chair.
I entered the dining room that was to be full in due time, only thinking about the task at hand. I could not enjoy this time of fake happiness, as I knew that everyone else felt sick about giving their own speech. I could see right through their smiles and tell that they felt just like I did inside.
The best man kicked off the speeches with a very well composed slide show and a very touching theme. After his conclusion, we proceeded to go onto the next anxiety filled speaker. I cannot recall who the speaker was because I knew my time was short. In fact, all the rest of the speeches seem to be a blur, as I can only remember reciting those words over and over in my head.
A group of three stood up as one to congratulate the soon to be weds, as I could see clearly that none of them felt capable of delivering a speech alone. This seemed like quite the unfair advantage. My time was indeed very short at this point, as the trio proceeded to retire from the podium. I quickly made one last effort to stall, as I ran for the bathroom. I thought that maybe I could drill the thoughts into my head just a little more during this very brief time period.
Much to my chagrin, I returned to the dining room with all eyes on me. Everyone knew I was the last one to speak. I am sure that they all expected me, the youngest of all the speakers, to have the extreme cliché speech that they had all heard before. I knew this and specifically strayed away from the typical speech. I just hoped that I could deliver it as I had planned. No one had heard my speech to this point. I had not practiced in front of a single soul. This meant that I had no idea whether these jokes would be as funny to the audience as they were to me and my brain.
I walked to the front of the room, catching everyone’s attention. On cue, my sister stood up and gave me a beat as I threw out a rap for my confused and maybe concerned listeners. I had decided this was the best method of getting their attention and hopefully convincing them that I was not going to be scared out of my wits as others my age would be, even though I truly was. As I finished this very quick rap, I gazed upon the many puzzled faces that were looking right back at me. I informed them that this rap had absolutely nothing to do with my speech, but instead, was in my opinion, a good way to introduce the youngest of the children.
My speech flowed as I had wanted from this point forward. The laughter was a good sign to me that I was in fact catching their interest and that I was not the only one who thought I was humorous. I closed my speech and my heart began to return to its normal rate. As I took my seat, I realized that I may not have accomplished what I had wanted. That I may not have been able to go unnoticed, but instead, I had been able to seize the small moment in this weekend that I had and that I had in fact not gone disregarded as the insignificant teenager.
Of course, I had drilled this speech into my head. I could more than likely recite it to this day. My fear was that I may become more realized then I intended. That I may remembered as the boy who completely missed the intended message. All I wanted was to recite my words of kindness, and then to disappear to my chair.
I entered the dining room that was to be full in due time, only thinking about the task at hand. I could not enjoy this time of fake happiness, as I knew that everyone else felt sick about giving their own speech. I could see right through their smiles and tell that they felt just like I did inside.
The best man kicked off the speeches with a very well composed slide show and a very touching theme. After his conclusion, we proceeded to go onto the next anxiety filled speaker. I cannot recall who the speaker was because I knew my time was short. In fact, all the rest of the speeches seem to be a blur, as I can only remember reciting those words over and over in my head.
A group of three stood up as one to congratulate the soon to be weds, as I could see clearly that none of them felt capable of delivering a speech alone. This seemed like quite the unfair advantage. My time was indeed very short at this point, as the trio proceeded to retire from the podium. I quickly made one last effort to stall, as I ran for the bathroom. I thought that maybe I could drill the thoughts into my head just a little more during this very brief time period.
Much to my chagrin, I returned to the dining room with all eyes on me. Everyone knew I was the last one to speak. I am sure that they all expected me, the youngest of all the speakers, to have the extreme cliché speech that they had all heard before. I knew this and specifically strayed away from the typical speech. I just hoped that I could deliver it as I had planned. No one had heard my speech to this point. I had not practiced in front of a single soul. This meant that I had no idea whether these jokes would be as funny to the audience as they were to me and my brain.
I walked to the front of the room, catching everyone’s attention. On cue, my sister stood up and gave me a beat as I threw out a rap for my confused and maybe concerned listeners. I had decided this was the best method of getting their attention and hopefully convincing them that I was not going to be scared out of my wits as others my age would be, even though I truly was. As I finished this very quick rap, I gazed upon the many puzzled faces that were looking right back at me. I informed them that this rap had absolutely nothing to do with my speech, but instead, was in my opinion, a good way to introduce the youngest of the children.
My speech flowed as I had wanted from this point forward. The laughter was a good sign to me that I was in fact catching their interest and that I was not the only one who thought I was humorous. I closed my speech and my heart began to return to its normal rate. As I took my seat, I realized that I may not have accomplished what I had wanted. That I may not have been able to go unnoticed, but instead, I had been able to seize the small moment in this weekend that I had and that I had in fact not gone disregarded as the insignificant teenager.
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