Frustrated Sigh and Headache

I feel as if I am the warden in charge of the insane asylum this week. For the past few days, it seems as if my day ends with the same two events occurring: a frustrated sigh and a headache.

In my classes, I like to mix it up a little bit by keeping the frustrated sigh but replacing the headache with a laugh and a forehead rub.

But to be quite honest, my absolute favorite is holding my hand to my mouth, quietly muttering "Oh my gosh" to myself, and rubbing my eyes. That's my favorite.

Obviously, I am not alone as many of my friends and colleagues are expressing the same frustrations and troubles.

I have always tried to keep my personal qualms to myself. My troubles are no more important than any other person's troubles I believe. I highly doubt that there isn't someone who is worried about something in this world. If there is please have them call me so they can share their secrets with me.

This year, I have been learning a great deal about not taking my frustrations out on others. I believe the term is "blowing up" on someone for no apparent reason. My tongue definitely has a little dent in it because I have bitten it a lot this year.

In consequence, I have contacted the Hair Club for Men just so that they can expect an order from me within the next few years. I am pretty convinced that my hair will start to change color and possibly fall out within that time period.

Moving out from under the Rock

My one and only test this week is complete! I think I did much better than what I thought I would do but we will have to wait for the results.

For lunch, my brother and I went to Mike's Pizza for some breadsticks, sausage pizza, and new jokes that he learned. There are some good one's in there that I will have to tell you about Mike.

More good news from the basketball team, we won last night 20-4! That is our third win in our last four games. We were only up 4-2 at the half but the team played a lot better in the second half especially on defense. I still think we have a long way to go with improving how we take care of the ball and our game psychology.

It's one thing to play basketball but it's another thing to play the game as a great coach once told me. We know the game but we need to become more familiar with the thinking aspect of it. I've got faith that they can do it.

Well, I am off to watch American Graffiti. Apparently, I live under a rock because I have never seen it so I am hoping to be one step closer to moving out from under it after I watch this movie. Wish me luck!

"Boring" Stuff is Necessary

I was surprised yet again today. It was just when I thought that my college education could not get anymore interesting. In order to study the nervous system, we watched a segment from Schoolhouse Rock. Enough said.

Anyway, today is game day. After I wrap up my class here in about 40 minutes, I will be traveling down to Tipton. We play Elwood this evening so I am sure that the crowd will be fired up for this game.

The team is doing really well. The "A" team is undefeated still at 7-0. The "B" team is 2-5 but I think we've got a good shot of improving it over the next few weeks.

I really have very little to write about today. I cannot quite think of anything really. I do know that I am tired of being a student. Also, I am tired of being told what to learn.

So many times I have noticed that the instructor is more worried about finding something that will interest the kids instead of trying to find ways to make those "boring" subjects more understandable to the kids.

Granted, teaching kids about the Fourth Amendment of our Constitution is no picnic. When kids hear search and seizure I am pretty sure that they are thinking, "We never had seizure's when we searched for something." But maybe we could make it a little more interesting if we discussed one thing that is very important to a young kid - their room.

Instead of talking about British soldiers entering a colonists house, let's first talk about Mom, Dad, or Grandma coming into a kid's room and messing with their stuff. It can be little things from messing with the posters on the wall or big things like deleting songs on their Ipod. "Oh heck no!" is what they would say and then I think we could introduce the "boring" stuff.

I believe that the true difficulty and great challenge of being a teacher is trying to make kids understand the things that they consider boring. Also, just because a subject may seem boring does not mean that we cannot and should not teach it.

We have to remember what it was that made it boring for us as kids and put a new twist on it so that our kids will not have the same experience. We might surprise ourselves.

Let's Hope and Pray

I hate not being able to sleep on the night before a game. I can’t sleep for two reasons. The first being that we are going against my alma mater. The second is that I will be late to the game because I have class that I cannot miss.

Several people have told me not to worry and that I will get there when I can but I just do not think it is fair to the kids. Let’s hope that I am able to make it there on time.

Special thanks to Mike for the link that he posted on his blog for me today. I enjoyed it and thought it was very funny.

Good news from the basketball department: The "A" team won their sixth game in a row last night to remain undefeated on the season. Things are going very well plus we got to play in a gym that was a throwback to Indiana basketball history.

It was Sheridan's old high school gym that looked like it could have very easily been taken from the movie Hoosiers. It was really neat to play a game and coach in a gym such as that one.

I think the girls were a little surprised at just how much we knew and how excited we were to see that gymnasium. We were able to let our guard down that night since we played the first game.

During most of the second game, we sat up in the stands and had some really funny conversations with our players. I think they got to know us a little bit better and we got to know them better as well.

Well, that is it for me for now. I am going to finish working on my presentation for the class that I cannot miss this evening. Pray that it goes well and so that I can get out of there quick enough so I do not miss any of my game.

My Parents: Buyers of Toys

Normally, I would post a video of inspiration on the evening before a game but I thought I would take this opportunity to do something a little different. Although, I am happy to report that we are riding a two game win streak! Can you believe it?!

As insomnia is taking its course tonight, I can remember having conversations recently with my friends about how kid's today have the best toys with computers and the internet. Much of the time, we envy the kid's of today because of this but we always look back on our young years as the good ole days of Sega Genesis and Boom Boxes.

The video that I have posted is dedicated to the things that made those childhood years great: my toys. Also, it is dedicated to the people who bought me most of those toys: my parents.

I even remember one time that my dad was in such a hurry to get us down to Toys 'R' Us in Indianapolis that he got pulled over. Thank you guys! This commercial is for you!

Our First Win

We won our first basketball game last Tuesday evening. I cannot even describe how great a feeling it was. It is something that I will never forget.

I was very nervous as I was walking into the locker room before our game. The varsity team's game was very physical which led to two of our players getting injured. My players are the most important thing to me and to see anyone of them in pain is very difficult as any coach will tell you.

Two nights prior, we had taken a very good team down to the wire before eventually losing in overtime by a single point so I knew that my team had it in them. We had had a good practice the day before so my confidence was beaming but I was in for a memorable night.

We came out a little flat in the first half. We had trouble running our offense plus I think we were a little timid as well. I cannot say I blame them for that after having watched the varsity team get beaten up for an hour.

However, our defense and rebounding was strong. We managed to hold the other team to only a single basket while just scoring one ourselves. As we headed into the locker room, I knew that we could play better.

I knew that they were capable of playing much better than they had shown in the first half. We came out of the locker room and headed straight to the bench. If we could come out with intensity on defense, I thought that we might be able to pull this game off but when you have never played basketball before like many of my players just stepping out onto the court is a victory in itself.

Before we began the second half, I asked each and every one of them to look at me. These girls have given so much to me these past few months that I just wanted them to win this game so badly. "This is your time," I said.

I do not think that I could have coached or they played any harder than we did in that second half. We came out firing and played the type of basketball that I knew these girls were capable of playing. Our defense was terrific and our bench really stepped up to the challenge.

One of the more inexperienced players even hit a 15 foot jumper toward the end of the third quarter that sent our bench into a frenzy. Very few times in life are we able to see something great like that happen. Just seeing one of my players hit a shot like she did was amazing. At that point, it did not matter to me who won or lost. We had finally become a team.

In the fourth quarter, our defense was the key. We had a big lead and all we had to do was stop the other team from scoring. The clock seemed to take forever to get under a minute as each second slowly ticked away.

With only a short time left to play, the opposing team had the ball out of bounds and we were ahead. I shouted, "Don't foul! Play smart!" I really did not need to in retrospect. After committing three personal fouls in the first half, one of my players did not even come close to picking up her fourth in the second half. I was proud.

As the final seconds ticked away, I looked up at the clock as the buzzer sounded with us leading. I wish I could have a picture of our bench when that happened because there were smiles all around. We had won.

Mentally and physically, I was completely exhausted. I had wanted us to win so badly that I wore myself out. I entered the locker room to hear shouts of celebration. I was so happy that I did not feel the need to X and O anymore tonight. Let the kids enjoy the win tonight and get back to work the next day.

Before I left, I called the team together. We had come so far in the 30 practices we had had this season. When we first started in November, many on the team had never even played organized basketball before let alone run an offense or played help side defense. Myself, I had only coached four basketball games prior to the one I coached that evening. We both had come so far.

The only thing I could really say was "Thank you." We had won our first game and I could not think of anything more appropriate than that. They earned it and gave me a lasting memory.

Pregame Motivation

I greatly enjoyed my day off from school today. It is hard to believe that I was writing a speech for Martin Luther King Day at this time a year ago. It is amazing how time flies.

I had practice this evening as well. It was a typical Monday practice. We were hitting just about every shot we took this evening (and no I didn't show them "The Shrug" Mike). I just hope it carries over to Tuesday's game because I am sure that Frankfort will be very good.

I end this post with a little pregame motivation. I love these videos!

Noble Statesman or Tragically Misguided?

I read an interesting article today on MSNBC. It discussed how President Bush is slowly losing more support on Iraq especially with his plans of escalating troop numbers.

What most interested me about this article was how it concluded. It commented how the President believed that, in the end, history will look good upon him and his policies.

It's interesting how he brought up history at a time like ours. It's also interesting how so many people continue to compare the current Iraq War with the Vietnam War.

There are some parallels, I will admit. However, the article concluded with a peculiar difference between President Bush and President Lyndon B. Johnson in how they dealt with their wartime situations.

The article concluded, "Bush has always said he sleeps soundly, admitting to no fretting about his decisions and no concern about polls.

Johnson, by contrast, famously obsessed over the war night and day, asking to be awakened every time someone died.

'I’m wondering if this is not some kind of tragically misguided notion of statesmanship on the part of Bush, that there is something noble about ignoring public opinion,' said Margaret Susan Thompson, who teaches a Modern Presidency course at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School."

Hey Coach!

My dad and I took in a movie this evening. It was Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller and Robin Williams. I have to say that it was much better than I expected it to be. I enjoy going to the movies with Dad.

It's very relaxing plus it allows us to escape from reality for a few hours. I can now understand why movies are so important to our country especially during the difficult years. The past few years have been pretty difficult for a lot of people. Who would have thought that a beautiful sunny day in September would bring such sadness and fear?

As is customary with my dad and I, we talked about basketball before and after the movie. Kinda tough to talk about anything else when you are so passionate about it. I even think that I am going to go watch one the morning games of an invitational at Tipton tomorrow.

I feel complete with coaching. I cannot describe how great it feels but I do know that I am truly indebted to sixteen young girls for helping find something so great. To me, many people are not so lucky and spend many years looking for something that great.

My friend Mike wrote a wonderful blog post which also contributed to those great feelings. Please read it if you get the chance. It talks about my team's latest game in which we lost a heart breaker in overtime.

I could have not been happier with the effort my kids gave that evening. Even though we lost, it is my belief that they played a complete game from start to finish. It is unfortunate though that we do not have practice tomorrow. I enjoy it that much.

Like I said before, my Dad and I enjoy sharing stories about basketball. I remember him telling me once that there was a time in his life when he enjoyed being called "Coach" more than "Dad."

Of course, at the time I felt a little depressed but I think these past few months have helped me to realize just what he was talking about. It's an indescribable feeling that I would not trade for anything in this world.

Angel on your Shoulder

My friend Mike once said that I usually do not have very much content on here. In fact, he even posted a cartoon on his own blog to illustrate his point. Hopefully this will be a little bit better. If it is not well then I'll do the same thing I always do with many of his critques - Smile, Nod, and Laugh.

Anyway, I found a little video that can illustrate many of the points that I made to a very special friend this evening about always having my support.

Like most relationships, certain times have been tough and we have not always gotten along. But the one constant has been the similar blood that runs through our veins and our hearts.

To this person, I am behind you 100% all the time every time. Follow your dreams and, whenever you are distressed, don't forget to turn to the little angel on your shoulder who has always loved you and had your back.

Am I Really Capable of This?

I just finished reading that the United States Congress voted to give themselves today off so that some could travel to watch the BCS football game this evening.

Isn't that ridiculous? We the voters are told that they are going to get back to the five day work week and they take the day off for a football game. I consider myself a Democrat as much as the next person but aren't the problems of the American people more important than who wins the National Championship?

To be quite honest, I could use a day off tomorrow. It was a rough evening for me for both professional and personal reasons.

Anymore, I am starting to doubt my own abilities to deal with certain things within my professional and personal life. Lately, it has been much more difficult to succeed in these areas.

In the past, all I had to do was work hard and things would fall into place. That's the beauty of campaigning. The more you work, the more you get out of it. Of course, hard work is not a guarantee to winning an election but it certainly helps.

I am starting to wonder if I even have what it takes to do certain things. I used to never have any trouble with doing anything but anymore things are starting to get more and more difficult. I just wish that I could get out of this fog that I am in so that I can continue on.

Last Day of Depressing Blogs

It is finally the last day of Winter Vacation. I cannot begin to explain how glad I am to be getting back to school. Within a few weeks, the whole routine starts to get boring, cabin fever starts setting in, and the internet starts to lose its luster.

I am not suprised that I feel this way. After spending what has seemed like years reading depressing blogs and facebook messages for the past few weeks, I am truly ready to get back to school.

From what I have seen, there is a lot of depression out there. There's also a lot of loneliness and wonder about the future. Many seem as if they are in a fog with no hope of ever getting out.

In a way, I know how they feel. The past few days have seemed like a fog for me too. Probably because I have had a lot of free time on my hands. Of course when that happens, the mind starts playing tricks on ya.

With that happening, a certain frustration occurs and continues to build until you hurt someone as it explodes. It always ends up being someone close as well. For me, that occurred today but something was different than compared with other times.

Without even trying to cover it up, I flat out admitted that what I did was wrong. Even though I still felt terrible about what had transpired, I was overjoyed that I did not try to cover up the mistake or throw a little tantrum on this blog about it which has become so popular in our culture today.

Though I have met very few readers of this blog, I think I am accurate in saying that everyone has their own problems and probably do not want to hear about the troubles of my life. You all have enough problems, worries, and troubles of your own without out my petty little dealings getting in the way. I think its just our nature to feel that way sometimes.

So, as I conclude, thank you for reading and I promise to never trouble you with the meaningless little problems of college life. That is, unless I learn something new in the process.

Without a Map or a Flashlight

Today, President George W. Bush warned the incoming Democrat-controlled Congress about spending.

In his opinion piece that he submitted to the Wall Street Journal, "Bush warned that the Democrat-controlled Congress risks stalemate if it resorts to 'politics as usual' and tries to 'pass bills that are simply political statements.'"

I find this to be quite interesting that the President is talking about spending when he has turned the country's biggest government surplus into the biggest deficit within the last 6 years.

Moreover, it is equally shocking that our President would even think about talking about legislative stalemates when he has tried to divide Americans on the core issues that we all care about - faith, family, and the future.

It is up to all of us as Democrats, Republicans, and Americans to get this country back on the right track. Only we will be able to improve this country because our chief executive is still wandering aimlessly through the woods without a map or a flashlight.

But this is Indiana

In the summer of 2005, I got to know three guys from the Midwest pretty well. Often times, we would ask each other questions about our home state. Most of the time it was to quell the rumors that we had heard and to see if the stereotypes were true.

I learned that Iowa did infact have a lot of corn. I also learned that the Cincinnati area did in fact worship their Chili. The last thing I learned was that a lot of scandals and corruption did exist in the government of the City of Chicago.

Apart from wanting to know what exactly a "Hoosier" was, my friends were interested in our love of sports. Even though their questions were no brainers to answer, they were simple, honest questions from people who were interested in the Hoosier state.

My favorites included, "Is Reggie Miller really that big in Indiana?" and, "How close to a god is Bob Knight?" We also talked about basketball.

Simply put, basketball in Indiana is like Bob Dro once said - "In my town of Berne, Indiana, there are two things mighty important. 1. Religion and 2. Basketball."

Basketball is important in my state. It has had such an impact on my state's history that students and schools take field trips to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

With all of this Hoosier Hysteria about basketball, it was just very suprising to learn that Texas Tech was actually giving away tickets to entice people to show up to see Bob Knight break the all-time win record the other day. No way would that happen in the Hoosier state.

I think my dad described what would happen here the best way when he said, "I could put you through college with those tickets."

I guess the old cliche is right: "In 49 states, it is just basketball. But this is Indiana"

Too much Thought about New Years

To be quite honest, my New Years was much like any other night. In fact, I went to bed as soon as the clock struck midnight. Not for the typical reason of being depressed about being home on New Years, but for the normal reason of being tired.

For me, I see New Year's Eve as just another evening. For many it was a huge event but to me it was Sunday.

As one year ends and another one begins, I am reminded of one typical thing. Apart from the forgotten and new resolutions, I have had the distinct pleasure of reading interesting things about how terrible last year was for so many people.

Mostly these comments and readings have ranged from the thank goodness it is a new year to some coming to the conclusion that the only thing worth looking forward to in life is death. Like I said, pretty interesting reading.

I guess that I am different (thank goodness) because I see each day as important. Its the only way that I know how to live (thankfully). Of course, I know that not every day works out as planned. Only a fool thinks this. But, I truly believe that life is what you make it.

Death, of course, will happen one day but I see no point in being dead while I am alive. It will happen one day but I plan to do so many great things before it happens. However, that doesn't mean that I don't think about it occassionally.

Mostly, I would like to be remembered for being a good person along with a couple of goals such as writing a great book and being a great teacher and coach. I do, however, have one hope. I'd like to be remembered the same way that Theodore Roosevelt was remembered by Vice President Thomas R. Marshall in 1919.

"Death had to take Roosevelt sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight."