I know, go ahead and say it
Do you even know how to swim ?
Of course I do
But that really is not important to this blog or to my knowledge of the sport.
BECAUSE - this is a huge week to all fans of the sports because it is Olympic trial week.
That's where swimmers who have qualified go to one big swim meet and try to defy the odds and pull off a miracle swim to make the Olympic team.
It usually does not happen, but it always could happen.
My love for swimming happened about 16 years ago when my son started swimming for the Macon Waves. I wont bore you with all the details that most of you already know, but swimming was a path I had never envisioned for my kids. And when he started winning everything in sight, well I didn't handle it very well. I was the tyrant dad for many many many years and did not reform until Hayden turned 14. You think I didn't really change ? Go ahead ask either one of my kids ? They will tell you I did.
It is something that many parents, especially in the individual sports, need to do.
Why? well its simple, First of all, the child is not going to love it unless they are doing it because they want to, and secondly, almost always, your child is not going to be the best. There is always someone that is better. Even Ryan Lochte has his Micharel Phelps. It's a hard fact to accept, but its a true statement.
The Olympic Trials is going to be all over your TV this week and I urge you to watch it. In most races, only the top two finishers actually make the Olympic team. We have hundreds of great swimmers in the USA, but only a few make it to the Olympic team. I think like the top six will make it in the sprints, due to the relays, but many many great swimmers will get their hearts broken this weekend. For others, its just one last chance to swim on the national stage.
I am not going to sit here and tell you I know all the ins and outs of the Olympic trials and that I have studied and know exactly who will make the team. I have no clue. But I do have some favorites because Hayden has swam with them. I am a huge Lochte fan and this will probably be it for him. He is getting old. So is Phelps. It is almost time for the new breed of American swimmer to take over, with the Caleb Dressels and Ryan Murphy's playing big roles, along with the even younger Maxime Rooney and Townley Haas. And of course, my heart will be with the Queens swimmers at the Trials, with one of them, Matt Josa, having a shot to make the team in the 100 fly
I promise if you watch you will not be disappointed
Friday, June 24, 2016
Monday, June 6, 2016
The One the ONly , yes its Haley Gordon time
Haley Gordon is my favorite.
It has come to the point where I really cant even list the number of things she is my favorite for.
Bur let me see what I can come up with
She was the subject of my favorite story I have ever written (on the wall at my house)
She is my favorite sophomore in college (if she made it to sophomore status)
She is my favorite former female Tattnall basketball player (Ahmad Barron wins the male)
She is my favorite Tattnall coach (sorry Todd)
And you know, basically she is just my favorite, smiling, never would have known she was sick, young lady, who is vowing to just kick Cystic Fibrosis in the butt.
THAT is why I am writing about Haley again.
The 2016 Macon Middle Georgia walk for Cystic Fibrosis will be held this Saturday at Geico and I will be present because I support finding a cure for CF. I mean if Haley asked me to, I would walk across the state in my bare-feet, but Haley would never ask me that because she knows I am old. I do it because Haley is pretty awesome, and the fight for a cure wont stop.
I will be joined at the walk by my work family, which consists of maybe 12 people. I am sure most of them feel like they know Haley and her battle, because, well, I have told them about her. When I asked if they were interested in doing the walk, every single one of them said yes. My wife and her dental office did the same. They all know Haley as a patient, and jumped to do the walk also.
Haley admits that these days she struggles a little more with her illness. She has been sicker lately and she thinks its because she doesn't have the two hour basketball workout she had every single day when she was playing basketball. But she is still winning. Look at her facebook page and see how busy she stays. Look at her as a full time college student who is just like most kids and makes average grades. Look at her as a Tattnall assistant basketball coach, because her ex coach (Todd Whetsel) asked her to be there because basically, he knew she would always be there and he knows he wanted her passion on the sideline.
I read Haley's story the other day and she has dreams just like every other young woman her age. She dreams of getting married and having kids, of possibly getting her degree in special ed(c's get degrees) and working in that field. She knows all of this wouldn't have been possible 20 years ago. And she knows that CF really really sux. There is currently no cure for the disease but great strides have been made in the treatment of the disease.
In closing I will say that Stephen, Robin and Allie, Haleys family are three of my favorite people also. They fight the battle with her. The strength that they all have is amazing.
IN closing I will say that Haley will rise up and win once again, and she will probably be the head basketball coach at Tattnall one day. I know that's not special ed but the girl is a born coach. I see her with a husband and four kids, and I see her with the huge smile that I always see her with.
If any of my 25 (smirk)readers would like to make a donation, please text me at 478-394-1155 and I will be glad to come and pick it up no matter where you are. I may even walk barefooted if Haley wants me too. Spread the word for me
I will see you on Saturday. Registration is 8:30 with the walk starting at 9:30
It has come to the point where I really cant even list the number of things she is my favorite for.
Bur let me see what I can come up with
She was the subject of my favorite story I have ever written (on the wall at my house)
She is my favorite sophomore in college (if she made it to sophomore status)
She is my favorite former female Tattnall basketball player (Ahmad Barron wins the male)
She is my favorite Tattnall coach (sorry Todd)
And you know, basically she is just my favorite, smiling, never would have known she was sick, young lady, who is vowing to just kick Cystic Fibrosis in the butt.
THAT is why I am writing about Haley again.
The 2016 Macon Middle Georgia walk for Cystic Fibrosis will be held this Saturday at Geico and I will be present because I support finding a cure for CF. I mean if Haley asked me to, I would walk across the state in my bare-feet, but Haley would never ask me that because she knows I am old. I do it because Haley is pretty awesome, and the fight for a cure wont stop.
I will be joined at the walk by my work family, which consists of maybe 12 people. I am sure most of them feel like they know Haley and her battle, because, well, I have told them about her. When I asked if they were interested in doing the walk, every single one of them said yes. My wife and her dental office did the same. They all know Haley as a patient, and jumped to do the walk also.
Haley admits that these days she struggles a little more with her illness. She has been sicker lately and she thinks its because she doesn't have the two hour basketball workout she had every single day when she was playing basketball. But she is still winning. Look at her facebook page and see how busy she stays. Look at her as a full time college student who is just like most kids and makes average grades. Look at her as a Tattnall assistant basketball coach, because her ex coach (Todd Whetsel) asked her to be there because basically, he knew she would always be there and he knows he wanted her passion on the sideline.
I read Haley's story the other day and she has dreams just like every other young woman her age. She dreams of getting married and having kids, of possibly getting her degree in special ed(c's get degrees) and working in that field. She knows all of this wouldn't have been possible 20 years ago. And she knows that CF really really sux. There is currently no cure for the disease but great strides have been made in the treatment of the disease.
In closing I will say that Stephen, Robin and Allie, Haleys family are three of my favorite people also. They fight the battle with her. The strength that they all have is amazing.
IN closing I will say that Haley will rise up and win once again, and she will probably be the head basketball coach at Tattnall one day. I know that's not special ed but the girl is a born coach. I see her with a husband and four kids, and I see her with the huge smile that I always see her with.
If any of my 25 (smirk)readers would like to make a donation, please text me at 478-394-1155 and I will be glad to come and pick it up no matter where you are. I may even walk barefooted if Haley wants me too. Spread the word for me
I will see you on Saturday. Registration is 8:30 with the walk starting at 9:30
Friday, June 3, 2016
My tennis career,
I thank all of the readers who have stuck through my slow period. I am sure I will pick it up soon.
I am constantly looking for ways to move a little bit and that is what I will write about today.
I would have to start this blog with one simple fact.
I don't like to exercise.
At my ripe age of 54, it is very difficult to find anything I like. Walking has got to be the most boring thing on the planet, and I hate it. I have tried the headphones, walking with someone and walking alone. I have tried to hypnotize myself into believing I like it, and it always comes back to I hate this.
Golf is great but I mean its not like I am walking the course. Getting in and out of a cart and swinging a club to hit a little ball about 100 times is definitely exercise, but it is pretty boring alone too.
You see, that brings up the next issue.
I have very few friends.
I have lots of hey how's it going friends, but very few, hey lets go do something friends.
So, unfortunately for her, it falls to my wife to be my friend.
Now Debbie recently decided that she wanted to start playing tennis. I am not sure why but I think it has something to do with the cute outfits that tennis players wear. (Don't tell her I said that) Anyways, she started taking tennis lessons about a month ago, first from MY lifelong friend Robert, (he is one of 14 that read my blog) and then at the JDS tennis center. I followed her budding career and quietly sat in the background, not wanting to say much about it.
But in my mind, the tennis thing would not last more than a few weeks. You see, my wife tries hard, but she isn't overly athletic. I mean she is in shape, she can walk fast for a long time,but after seeing her play golf, I did not think the tennis thing would go well.
After about three weeks of it, we were sitting around one day with nothing to do, and I decided I would go hit tennis balls with her. You see, I think I can play tennis. Why? Well because I had a friend that played tennis all of his life, and I would occasionally go out and hit with him and he showed me a few things. I mean that makes me good right ?
So we go out and hit the first time and as a expected, it was difficult. I was basically playing around and she was getting mad at me because of my snickering about her inability to hit the ball where I wanted her to hit it. I didn't even sweat that day. I got more exercise from picking balls up off the fence than I did hitting balls back. It was basically a way for me to get a little laugh. (I am so mean)
So amazingly a week later, she wanted to go out and hit with me again. So we went and I was doing the same thing, kind of giving a little bit of energy but not really, and this went on for about 30 minutes. By that time my wife had seen enough of my snickers. She looked at me from across the court, and told me that I was not all that and she thought she could beat me. She said that I don't even move for balls and I just stand there and wait for the ball to come to me. Then she made the challenge. Lets play right now because I will beat you.
So, I had been challenged, and it actually pissed me off a little bit. How dare her challenge me. Does she really think she can beat me? So I played her.
To make a long story short, I beat her 6-0, and she didn't win many points, but that's because I tried. It was not until we go to the car, in the middle of my bragging that I figured something out. "Did you really think you could beat me"I asked her as I wiped my face from the profuse sweat pouring down my face ?
She looked at me, and smiled that wifely smile, and said"Of course not, but I got you to move because I made you compete".
Damn guys I have a good wife
Next tennis story soon
I am constantly looking for ways to move a little bit and that is what I will write about today.
I would have to start this blog with one simple fact.
I don't like to exercise.
At my ripe age of 54, it is very difficult to find anything I like. Walking has got to be the most boring thing on the planet, and I hate it. I have tried the headphones, walking with someone and walking alone. I have tried to hypnotize myself into believing I like it, and it always comes back to I hate this.
Golf is great but I mean its not like I am walking the course. Getting in and out of a cart and swinging a club to hit a little ball about 100 times is definitely exercise, but it is pretty boring alone too.
You see, that brings up the next issue.
I have very few friends.
I have lots of hey how's it going friends, but very few, hey lets go do something friends.
So, unfortunately for her, it falls to my wife to be my friend.
Now Debbie recently decided that she wanted to start playing tennis. I am not sure why but I think it has something to do with the cute outfits that tennis players wear. (Don't tell her I said that) Anyways, she started taking tennis lessons about a month ago, first from MY lifelong friend Robert, (he is one of 14 that read my blog) and then at the JDS tennis center. I followed her budding career and quietly sat in the background, not wanting to say much about it.
But in my mind, the tennis thing would not last more than a few weeks. You see, my wife tries hard, but she isn't overly athletic. I mean she is in shape, she can walk fast for a long time,but after seeing her play golf, I did not think the tennis thing would go well.
After about three weeks of it, we were sitting around one day with nothing to do, and I decided I would go hit tennis balls with her. You see, I think I can play tennis. Why? Well because I had a friend that played tennis all of his life, and I would occasionally go out and hit with him and he showed me a few things. I mean that makes me good right ?
So we go out and hit the first time and as a expected, it was difficult. I was basically playing around and she was getting mad at me because of my snickering about her inability to hit the ball where I wanted her to hit it. I didn't even sweat that day. I got more exercise from picking balls up off the fence than I did hitting balls back. It was basically a way for me to get a little laugh. (I am so mean)
So amazingly a week later, she wanted to go out and hit with me again. So we went and I was doing the same thing, kind of giving a little bit of energy but not really, and this went on for about 30 minutes. By that time my wife had seen enough of my snickers. She looked at me from across the court, and told me that I was not all that and she thought she could beat me. She said that I don't even move for balls and I just stand there and wait for the ball to come to me. Then she made the challenge. Lets play right now because I will beat you.
So, I had been challenged, and it actually pissed me off a little bit. How dare her challenge me. Does she really think she can beat me? So I played her.
To make a long story short, I beat her 6-0, and she didn't win many points, but that's because I tried. It was not until we go to the car, in the middle of my bragging that I figured something out. "Did you really think you could beat me"I asked her as I wiped my face from the profuse sweat pouring down my face ?
She looked at me, and smiled that wifely smile, and said"Of course not, but I got you to move because I made you compete".
Damn guys I have a good wife
Next tennis story soon
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