Teach 'em Young

Ever go shopping with your wife and she ends up in the shoe department? For my lady readers, I’m sure you love shopping for shoes. It really does look like a lot of fun sending that salesperson to the back room multiple times looking for more sizes and colors. But seriously, for us guys it can be kind of boring. My wife shows me tons of shoes and I like them all. Really. So I usually find a comfy seat and relax while she goes through countless pairs of shoes. Sometimes I observe something interesting and sometimes I just kind of blank out.

Anyway, this past weekend we were doing a little shopping and we ended up in the shoe department again. This time as I was relaxing I noticed a man and his young daughter doing the same thing I was. He was waiting on his wife and the little girl, about three or four years old, was playing off to the side. I heard the dad say something to her in Spanish. She looked over and he said something else in Spanish. Now that’s not unusual since I hear Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc. quite often. But what was cool was that she then answered in perfect English. He then rattled off a few long sentences in Spanish so fast I could barely separate the words. She promptly gave him a long answer in English again. I just sat there for the next five minutes or so listening to them converse in two different languages. This little girl was totally fluent in two languages. How cool is that? I guess dad was also but I was more impressed with the daughter.

There was a time many years ago that I was one of those guys saying, “This is America. Speak English.” But I’ve softened my stand on that attitude. Yeah, learn to speak English but go ahead and speak another language if you know it. Most of the world speaks more than one language and we should too. I now wish my wife and I had taught our kids Spanish when they were very young but we didn’t and we have no excuse. My wife’s second language is Spanish and we missed a great opportunity. All I can say is, “Learn from my mistake and teach ‘em young!” You won’t be sorry. Chiefpigskin.com

Disappointing, But Not Tragic

I’m so disappointed. I’m not really a big race horse fan but I do enjoy the Triple Crown. I mean, it’s history. It’s USA sports history and I like that. But just today, Friday the 8th of June, I'll Have Another's bid for the first Triple Crown in 34 years ended shockingly in the barn and not on the racetrack Friday when the colt was scratched the day before the Belmont Stakes and retired with a swollen tendon. "It's been an incredible ride, an incredible run," trainer Doug O'Neill said. "It's a bummer. It's not tragic, but it's a huge disappointment."

I’ll say. But I’m glad they are taking care of the horse and not pushing him. It seemed this horse had a chance to win the Triple Crown since he was bred for distance and that’s just what Belmont is. A grueling one and a half mile race, the longest of the three races. I haven’t seen a Triple Crown winner since 1978 when Affirmed beat Alydar by a nose in the most exciting race I’ve ever seen. Affirmed, ranked the 12th greatest racehorse of all time beat the great Alydar by a nose to win the Belmont Stakes. I can still remember them coming around the final turn neck and neck. Halfway down the home stretch Alydar took a lead by a nose. As they charged to the finish Affirmed got even, then got his nose in front just as they passed the finish line. It was breathtaking. Affirmed and Alydar went 1-2 in all three races. It was history.

The year before Affirmed won ‘em all I had the privilege of watching Seattle Slew, ranked the 9th greatest horse of all time win the Triple Crown. Slew overcame a number of obstacles to win all three races proving him to be one of the greatest racehorses of all time. That made two years in a row that we had a Triple Crown winner and we haven’t had one since.

But in 1973 I witnessed probably the greatest race horse ever. He ran a Kentucky Derby record of 1:59.4 that still stands to this day. He then turned around and won the Preakness to put himself in position to win the Triple Crown, the first in 25 years. But he had to win the Belmont, a distance race, and Secretariats’ pedigree was for speed. It was doubted he could beat Sham in a longer race. As the Belmont started Secretariat broke out at a record pace and stayed on it. No horse could maintain this pace for a mile, let alone a mile and a half. As Secretariat rounded the final turn he had a 10 length lead over Sham. Instead of slowing down he thundered down the home stretch like a machine, widening the lead to 15 lengths, then 20, then 25, and as he crossed the finish line he had won by an astounding 31 lengths, setting a Belmont record that also stands to this day. Secretariat’s performance was horse racing legend. I didn’t realize at the time I was witnessing the greatest horse ever, but I do now.

So you see, I was hoping Saturday June 9th was going to be one of those special days in American sports history. I was hoping I’ll Have Another was going to prove himself to be one of the few “super horses” and that I would get to watch history again. But it was not to be as a swollen tendon took away that chance. He’s still a heckuva horse, but is he great? We’ll never know. Chiefpigskin.com

Players Promise Fiercer Pro Bowl

According to a report out of New York NFL players promised that the Pro Bowl will be more competitive. Uh huh, last year’s was the worst ever so anything will be an improvement. But once again I doubt if I’ll be tuning in. Evidently the NFL will hold the Pro Bowl in Honolulu next January 27, a week before the Super Bowl.

Commissioner Roger Goodell had made it clear cancelling the all-star game was a possibility after “uninspired play” of this year’s 59-41 AFC victory. I thought it was a done deal but it looks like I was wrong. I saw highlights of the game and it was embarrassing. It was clear that after a grueling sixteen game schedule and then four playoff rounds the players were beat up and tired. And that was the players not too injured to play. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the players don’t want to risk injury following a brutal schedule in a meaningless game. But, once again it appears that television revenue wins out.

So, following discussions between the league and the player’s union, the NFL announced that Aloha Stadium would host the Pro Bowl for the third straight year. As much as I love football I haven’t watched this game in years. Anyone out there feel like I do? For more exciting high school football just log on to Chiefpigskin.

Toughest Kid I Knew

When we were kids there was always that toughest kid in class. You know, the one no one would mess with. Then there was always the toughest kid in the school. He was really bad. Who was your toughest kid in the class? In the school? Well, for me the toughest kid in my class and then by the time he was in the seventh grade the toughest in the entire school was Larry Martin-Paulen. He didn’t really have a hyphenated name. His last name was Martin when I knew him. That was between 5th and 8th grades at Pleasant Valley Grade School just outside of Peoria, IL. Larry’s biological father was Paulen but his step dad had adopted him and his name was changed to Martin. Now it just so happened that Larry was my best friend during those years and we hung out together with our brothers all the time. We had some great times.

Now Larry had two brothers, an older one named Jerry and a younger named Terry. Yep, Jerry, Larry, and Terry. Jerry had wild eyes that moved side to side quickly and he had trouble saying his r’s. He could be a little moody but was fun to hang out with. Terry was a cheerful little guy that couldn’t say his r’s or l’s. He hung out with my little brother a lot. They were full of mischief. But Larry, he spoke well, had a great voice, good looks, smart,and was just plain tough. The step dad was tough on the boys, they had to do a lot of work. Now, I’m not saying work was bad but there were some days that Larry and his brothers worked all day. And they worked hard. I can still picture Larry hanging over the fender of his step dad’s truck working on the engine. When I’d show up he’d give me that big smile with grease all over his face and hands. He wasn’t able to “come out and play” and his step dad would just give that scowl when he came out to the garage.

What made Larry so tough? Well, throughout the next few months and coming year I’m going to tell some stories about Larry, his brothers, and me and my brother. It’s too much to explain now, in one short blog. And besides, I love telling stories.
Chiefpigskin.com

Twelve Mighty Orphans

I love reading. Heck, I’ve always loved reading. I remember when I was in elementary school as early as first and second grade and getting my school work done as quickly as I could so I could go to the back of the classroom and get a book to read. All of my classrooms had a little library in back full of books appropriate for our age level. I read every book a little boy could be interested in. So, I decided I would do a book review or two now and then.

A book that I read a few years ago and really liked is called Twelve Mighty Orphans by Jim Dent, the same man who authored The Junction Boys. Dent tells the Depression-era true story of the mighty orphans from the Masonic Home in Fort Worth, Texas. The scrawny orphan football team captured the hearts and minds of Americans as they beat all odds succeeding at the game of football as well as the game of life.

More than a century ago, a school was constructed in Fort Worth, Texas, for the purpose of housing and educating the orphans of Texas Freemasons. But a lean, bespectacled coach by the name of Rusty Russell showed up and changed everything. Russell looked more like a librarian than a football coach but as one reader put it “here was a man who could bring rain in the midst of a drought”. There are no diagrams of the offense or defense this team ran but it sounds like Russell was the father of the spread offense way back in the 1930’s. They were the scrawny kids from a tiny orphanage who wore scarred helmets and faded jerseys that did not match, kids coached by a devoted man who lived on peanuts and drove them around in a smoke-belching old truck. If you want to read an inspiring football story about maybe the toughest group of kids that ever played the game, then this book is for you. You will shake your head in amazement sometimes.

I highly recommend this book. Visit chiefpigskin.com for more high school and college football stories and videos.

Raising My Kids Differently

My four kids are all grown up now with families of their own. All four got their college degrees, married great spouses, and have children of their own. They are all teachers, coaches, active in their communities, churches, and are great parents. “Wow!” you must be thinking, “this guy and his wife must’ve done a wonderful job raising their kids!” I wish we could take some credit but the truth is the Lord intervened and covered for some of our serious mistakes. My wife and I look back now and just shake our heads in disbelief. “What were we thinking?” In our weak defense, we did marry very young. In fact, we were both teenagers. That was really not that uncommon back in the day. Neither of us had any kind of child rearing training, we just did what our parents did. But for the benefit of those of you that have young children or thinking of having children, here’s what I would do different if you care to listen.

• No spanking. Now we didn’t really spank that much, although our kids might disagree, but I think I would stick to other forms of discipline.
• Not take my anger of someone else out on my children.
• Not be quite as strict and serious.
• No sarcasm. Geez, I was bad at that.
• No husband – wife fighting in front of the kids. This was probably our worst mistake.
• Tell my wife I love her more in front of the kids.
• Give my wife a good hug and kiss more in front of the kids. (Show that I love their mother).
• Tell my kids more often I love them.
• Praise more, much more.
• More family vacations.
• Everyday encourage each of my children to tell me the best and worst part of their day. (communication)
There are more, but that’ll do for now.

Things I would not change or do differently.
• Love them fiercely.
• Take them to church every Sunday. (unless we were going to a Cardinal game)
• Talk openly and often about God, the Bible, and Jesus.
• Encourage them to play sports.
• Emphasize excellent attendance in school.
• Set high academic and social expectations.

Well, I wish I could do it over again but I can’t. I know I gave my kids some emotional bruises that will stick with them and I regret that. But it’s never too late to improve and be a better grandparent, right?
Chiefpigskin.com

Pro Bowl Suspended

It's been at least 10 years since I watched a Pro bowl game. So the only thing that surprised me when the announcement was made that commissioner Roger Goodell had suspended the game was why it took so long to take this action. I probably know the answer. TV money. That game lost its shine years ago.

By the time you get to that time of year players are beat up, tired, and don't want to get injured playing a meaningless game. The only All-Star game worth watching now is the major league baseball All-Star game. They play pretty hard, but it's a much different game, of course. And the NBA All-Star game? A joke. It's become a no defense dunking contest and I've seen enough dunks. I'd rather watch the Globetrotters.

I remember a young defensive linemen with the Bears back in the 70’s. His name was Wally Chambers and he along with Dan Hampton were destined to become pro bowlers and Hall of Famers. Chambers was the Bears first round pick and eighth overall in the draft. Hampton went on to greatness. But what about Chambers? I'm telling you, this young player was really good, maybe better than Hampton. He was rookie of the year and played in three or four straight Pro Bowls then tore his knee up in the Pro bowl as a young player and never was the same player again. No wonder guys don't play hard in the Pro bowl.

I saw the highlights of the game this year as the AFC defeated the NFC 59 to 41. It looked like a two hand touch game and now it's been suspended. About time.