KyleEtherington.com

Nostalgia from my Republican Friends

2008-08-01T04:17:00.002-04:00

During the summer of 2005, I was serving as a Congressional Intern in Washington D.C. During an off-week in Congress (and there were many that summer considering it has come to be known as the "Do-Nothing" Congress), my colleagues and I were invited to a series of political speeches at the Democratic National Committee Offices just down the street from the Hill.

The speakers at this event included former Presidential candidates Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. On the day of the event, I bought a little disposable camera at a magazine shop near my apartment building.

Despite Kerry's disappointing loss in the 2004 Presidential race, it was a hot ticket especially for a bunch of college students who had been surrounded by cornfields for most of their lives. At the event, we chose to skip out on Kucinich's speech and join the welcoming party for Sen. Kerry on the front steps despite us having nothing to do with the planning of the event.

As we stood in line, we readied our cameras just hoping to get a glimpse of the former Democratic Presidential Candidate. For a college student with any interest in politics, the opportunity to see a major political figure despite their success/failure in getting elected is a big opportunity.

Much to our surprise, not only were we able to get a glimpse of the Senator but each of us were able to get a picture with Mr. Kerry. My good friend Cade and I also posed for a picture with Sen. Harkin along with commending him for his performance in the 1993 Kevin Kline film "Dave."

After a celebration that involved going to a local pub in the middle of the work day for hot wings, I took the little disposable camera to a local printing shop to get the pictures developed. Much to my surprise, the picture turned out better than expected so I took it back to the printing shop and got it framed.

This evening, I had some friends over to hang out along with see me new place. As my friends were looking around, they noticed my picture with Senator Kerry on one of my office bookshelves. Even though they could not believe that I would even keep a picture such as that one (some of them were Republicans), the events and the memories of that day put a smile on my face even though it occurred over three years ago.

Ferris is Really Sick

2008-07-30T12:28:00.005-04:00

Once again, John McCain has put out another attack ad on Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama. But instead of attacking him on not visiting injured troops or not having enough experience for the job of Commander-in-Chief, the McCain campaign is attacking Obama for . . . . being a celebrity comparable to the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Here is the ad.

We all know that politics is driven by personality and that negative campaigning has and will always be present in Presidential politics. Even though this type of campaigning does not reach the level of 1828 in which then-President John Quincy Adams was accused of surrendering a servant girl to the Russian Czars, the attacks from the McCain campaign have come with more severity and frequency within the last few weeks.

I will leave alone the fact that many Republicans are not as excited about their candidate as are the Democrats. I will also not touch statements made by former Nixon and Ford speechwriter Ben Stein who called McCain's trudge for the Presidency "uninspiring" and "the most pathetic campaign he had ever seen in his entire life." That's pretty bad given his company.

This is quite a different tone from the one a few months ago when John McCain pledged to run a clean campaign. Anyone who knows anything will tell you that a statement like that comes from someone who is pretty naive when it comes to Presidential politics especially when the main arguments about his opponent involve knowledge and experience.

But back to the ad. Mr. McCain has made the comparison of Barack Obama as a world-wide celebrity such as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears coupled with visions of foreigners chanting his name, waving our flag, and showing more positive energy about our country then we have seen in quite some time. The ad then tries to tie Obama's celebrity status with his stance of no-offshore drilling and the possibility of him being high-taxing liberal.

With this ad, McCain has gone from the traditional mudslinging level of campaigning to the high school level. Anymore, McCain is reminding us not of his anti-establishment stances or his Maverick political style but rather the "popular" cheerleader complaining about how she did not win Prom queen. The only problem is, McCain's campaign is so unorganized and lacking of a message that he can't even get on the Prom court.

The truth is that this election will not be won on McCain's terms, it will be based on whether or not the public feels comfortable with the Illinois Senator. It is Obama's to win or lose and that frustrates McCain even though it is crystal-clear where the problems lie. McCain's speeches with an audience are lack-luster and his humor often times seemed forced almost to the point where you aren't sure if even he understands the joke. He also comes off as short-tempered and highly explosive which reminds me of the old man sitting on his porch yelling at the neighborhood children to get off of his lawn. Lastly, McCain has made so many shifts in his campaign staff over the past few months that it hard to figure out who is in charge of who.

In a year that seems to look disastrous at best for Republicans, McCain is trying to throw any bit of mud at Obama but nothing is sticking. Hillary Clinton's "kitchen sink" strategy had more of an effect on Obama who struggled to clinch the Democratic nomination because of a strong late surge from the former first-lady. McCain is looking for anything but is still coming up short. Even though we are still over 90 days until the election, the prospects do not look good for the Arizona Senator.

Obama is giving speeches to record numbers that we have not seen in more than a generation and drawing comparisons to the likes of Kennedy, Reagan, and in some circles Lincoln (as far-fetched as they might be). Meanwhile, in the midst of an unpopular Presidency and scandals galore throughout Washington, John McCain is left standing in front of a full classroom of Republicans asking, "Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?" Only time will tell if the GOP responds but for right now, Ferris is really sick indeed.

What Have I Been Up To?

2008-07-28T01:39:00.005-04:00

It has most certainly been a long time since my last post. I have been extremely busy in the past few months. There have been bad times but fortunately I have been very blessed with some wonderful things. So, without further ado, let's get you caught up with something I like to call - What have I been up to?

IUK Graduation - After six years, hundreds of papers, and countless majors, I graduated from Indiana University Kokomo in May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History & Political Science. Along with my degree, I was able to complete my Secondary Education certification program as well. The ceremony was much better than I had anticipated especially since I was seated in the first row of my graduating class. My friend Chad gave an excellent address and it was wonderful hearing people in the crowd yell when my name was called to receive my diploma. I was so excited that I hugged the Chancellor on the stage! Not my finest moment but I didn't care. After the pictures and handshakes, I was off to begin searching for a teaching job.

Finding a job - Often times, new teaching graduates have a difficult time in finding a job. Many times, it is the select few who are able to find a one right away. I became one of those select few when I was able to get a job teaching at the same school that I did my student teaching - Tri-Central. This year, I will be teaching 10th grade World History and 7th grade Geography. To say the least, I am very excited to be apart of the school and community. My favorite moment had to have been when I was given a TC baseball cap by the athletic director. I think I've worn it most of the summer!

Becoming a Tri-Central Trojan - Since becoming a Tri-Central Trojan (and making my "I am a Blue Devil" post obsolete), I have become very involved with the boys soccer and girls basketball programs. Along with being an assistant for the team during their summer league games, I got the opportunity to work the girls basketball camp over the summer. The camp was for girls in 1st grade through freshman. Words do not describe how fun it is to watch young kids play basketball. No matter how good they are, it is neat to see them work has hard as some of them did. It was an awesome experience especially because I'm working with some wonderful people whom I have known for quite sometime.

The boys soccer team is also looking to be a fun experience as I am looking forward to working with the coaches and players. Our first practice is quickly approaching and I can't wait! Simply put, it's going to be an exciting year of coaching!

My First Place - Along with getting my first job, I moved out of my parent's place into my own apartment just outside of Kokomo. I think I am closer to my parents since I have moved out than when I was living with them so both parties have done exceptionally well since the move. The biggest pain of having my own place had to have been the move. Many thanks go to my folks, my brother, and my buddy Mike for helping me with all the heaving lifting that day. My arms still hurt! The next time I move, I'm hiring someone!

Well, hopefully that gets you caught up. It has been an exciting summer to say the least. I am so lucky to have been blessed with such good fortune over the past few months. It's interesting to look back on how bad things seemed to be going only a few months ago. As I wrap up this post and turn out my office lamp, I am reminded of God's grace and how all of this has helped me realize that our questions are answered in his time. This year is going to be a great ride and you're all apart of it!

Still Learning

2008-05-12T21:29:00.002-04:00

The Celtics and Cavs game has made me think about another lesson that I have learned about the game of basketball. It is halftime right now and the Celtics are playing much better but I had to write this down just so I would not forget.

I think the most important lesson I learned from my first season of basketball was the importance of game and clock management. Often times, I would let the game go or leave my players in the game for an extended amount of time without calling a timeout or making a substitution. Many times we would simply run out of gas and not be able to make that final charge to close out a game.

This year, with those lessons in mind, I think we were able to put ourselves in better situations to win simply because the players were more rested by the end of the game along with myself being more judicious with my timeouts and substitutions.

Looking ahead, I think the lesson that I take with me from this year is the lesson of looking to exploit mismatches on the court. In order to do so this requires a create deal of concentration. I saw this lesson in full light when LeBron James went to the bench with three fouls late into the second quarter of tonight's game.

Sensing the potential mismatch, Boston continued to go to Paul Pierce who could drive to the basket against a much smaller opponent as opposed to James who reminds me more of a fullback than a basketball guard.

By exploiting this mismatch, the Celtics were able to climb back into the game. Granted, James did not help the cause by picking up his third foul but it was Boston's ability to recognize the mismatch and convert that helped them turn around the whole complexion of the game.

I have not learned it all but I am so glad that I am still learning. It's a good feeling.

Adjusting to New Experiences

2008-04-28T21:59:00.005-04:00

Apparently there was not very much on the other evening because I have been flooded with emails, texts, and instant messages from people telling me that they saw me on television at the Barack Obama town hall. I don't think that my political ideology is a secret anymore (as if it ever was).

But along with hearing about and seeing myself on television, I am adjusting to new roles and experiences as I am now finished with all of my course work for my degree as well as my secondary education certification.

At the present moment, I really do not know what to think.

On the one hand, I am looking forward to teaching history and coaching sports for a living. I am ready for the opportunity to do what I enjoy even though I am not sure where I will begin my career along with those constant worries about doing a good job.

On the other hand, I am going to miss to the joys of sleeping in until ten in the morning, the all-nighters at Buffalo Wild Wings and Starbucks, and the feeling of going into a classroom knowing that I won't be the one teaching.

For so badly wanting to get away from college these past few years, I certainly do miss it right now. Hopefully I will be able to adjust. It's a little too late to change my major now.

Barack Obama comes to Kokomo!

2008-04-25T21:35:00.007-04:00

The Presidential race has come to Kokomo, Indiana, as Barack Obama made an appearance this evening before a packed Memorial Gym.

Just like so many other people my age are doing, I took my father to hear the Illinois Senator speak this evening on topics including Iraq, Healthcare, and the Economy to just name a few.

After only hearing about the event yesterday, I felt very blessed to have been given the opportunity to go.

That being said, getting tickets to the town hall meeting took numerous phone calls and text messages along with an hour long wait outside of Obama headquarters in downtown Kokomo.

Outside of the gym, there were literally hundreds of people already lining up before the doors opened at 4:30 even though it was nearly two hours before the event was supposed to begin.

We weren't even able to make it into the place without purchasing some campaign memorabilia. Dad spent just as much as I did.

We found our seats quickly which were located in the first balcony that had a table for us to place our belongings. I am sure that my Dad was having flashbacks to 1960 when John F. Kennedy made a similar trip to Kokomo.

Dad never went to that event so he wanted to make sure that he would be able to experience this one as best he could.

When Obama entered the gymnasium, what had been an already enthusiastic crowd, erupted in cheers comparable only to a high school basketball game between the Wildkats and Muncie Central.

I have never seen that many people become so excited over a single person before. Although I am sure that Dad will never admit to it, I thought that I saw a little bit of perspiration coming from his eyes when the Senator made his grand entrance.

After his opening remarks, Obama took some time for questions.

I think I was most impressed with the high school students present that evening as they asked very pointed questions about the arts in schools along with his stances on North and South Korea.

The event shortly ended thereafter and we all headed towards the exits; however, I could not help but feel as if I had been apart of history.

Never before in the history of our country has a man like Barack Obama had this great of a chance to win the Presidency of the United States.

Simply put, it was an exciting evening and I could not have been happier to share this historic moment with my Dad. Maybe someday, my children will drag me to a political event and I will get filled up with tears as well.

Barack the Vote on May 6th!

Moving On

2008-04-22T22:31:00.002-04:00

It is a difficult thing to do. Yet, it occurs so often in our lives. Recently, a major chapter in my life has been brought to a close and the last few pages have not been written by my hand.

As usual, I am doing my part to make the best of a sad situation by filling myself with the normal cliches of "change is a good thing," and "it is always darkest before the dawn." I have also been telling others that I am going to be fine despite the strong feelings of doubt that reside deep within me.

To be honest, the times that lie ahead look very cloudy and unclear from where I am standing. What makes matters worse is that I am having serious doubts about my ability to start a new chapter or even my ability to pursue other avenues.

I think it is a mixture of fear and a lack of faith in others that is driving my feelings at the moment. At the present time, I feel as if a part of me has been lost forever to wonder aimlessly into the unknown abyss. My worries are limitless.

I worry that the confidence that I have always possessed in myself will not serve me as well as it has in the past. I worry that all I have known and believe will fall upon deaf ears as it seems to do anymore. Lastly, I worry that I will not be able to begin a new chapter without it comparing it to that of the previous one.

Moving on is not an easy task to overcome. It will take patience, strength, and (above all else) it will take time. I guess I just keep coming back to the old saying, "Man's extremity is God's opportunity." Luckily, it is what keeps me going.

Although I do not know what the next chapter holds in store nor do I foresee what opportunities are waiting to be bestowed upon me, it is my hope that I will not lose faith in the person that has been writing the story all along. To me, that would be the greatest tragedy of them all.

Do you love absurdity as much as I do?

2008-04-19T18:35:00.006-04:00

I hope you said a resounding, "Yes," because no one loves the absurdity that was the latest Democratic debate as much as I do which is being typed with extreme sarcasm from this blogger.

In their 21st debate (a sickening thought just to say), Democratic Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton engaged in such topics as Rev. Wright, Bosnia sniper-fire, Bill Ayers, flag pins, elitism, and bitter comments for the first hour of the program. It was not until the sixteenth question of the evening that the topic of the Economy was discussed. In all honesty, it was the one time that I wished that an episode of Super Nanny would interrupt ABC's coverage.

This debate, not to mention the Democratic Primary, reminds me more of an episode of Entertainment Tonight than a step in the process of selecting a President. The only things missing are J. Lo's twins and the engagement of Jamie Lynn Spears.

Because Clinton and Obama are so alike in their views on how they would run the White House, we must turn our attention to their character in order to make up our minds even though we've had over a year and twenty debates already to do so.

If your main issues in this election are the members of Barack Obama's phone book or how well Hillary Clinton can take a shot of whiskey then my suggestion would be to just stay home on election day. If you believe that the people who run for and become President are perfect then you most certainly have missed the boat.

The writer of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson was also a slave owner despite his opinion that it was the duty of the state and society to free all slaves. Along with being the biggest distiller of alcohol during the time period, George Washington was also a slave owner who later freed his slaves after the death of his wife Martha.

President Martin Van Buren, a man known more for his facial hair than his policies, enforced the treaty signed by President Andrew Jackson, one of the founders of the modern-day Democratic party, that led to the "Trail of Tears" and the deaths of thousands of Cherokees.

Our main problem is that we expect our leaders to be perfect when we ourselves fall far short of perfection every day. We also, at the same time, expect them to be just like us. Yes, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have made mistakes, made millions of dollars, and cannot bowl very well (at least Obama can't). However, we are picking a President and not our BFF Rose.

We all know just how smart a decision it was to elect someone who a majority of Americans wanted to have at their family cookout. Now, our economy is so out of whack that we cannot even afford to have a cookout or even drive to the grocery store.

Let's stick to the issues and leave the drama at the doorstep of where it actually belongs - high school.

Add it to the List

2008-04-18T23:53:00.000-04:00

In the past few days, I have added to the laundry list of incredible stories that make up my life and they go beyond the normal experiences of any person. I am a person who had a tornado fly over my house while I was eating pizza in my basement oblivious to anything outside of my little den. I am also a person who traveled thousands of miles from Kokomo to Mexico and ordered a cheeseburger.

However, in the last two days, these events and happenings do not even come close to being the only person in Howard County that did not hear the Sonic Boom and sleeping through the first earthquake to hit Indiana since the 1980's. But, these past few days of disappointments about missing earthquakes and sonic booms do have a happy ending. On Thursday evening, I finished my last project of my undergraduate work!

In the next few weeks, I will be a college graduate and a certified teacher. A scary thought I am sure. There are a few opportunities out there but for the time being I am just going to take things as they come and slow things down a bit. Apparently, I have a tendency to sleep through and miss out on certain things.

On the Brink of Vacation

2008-04-02T23:56:00.003-04:00

A couple posts inside of a week! I must either be sick or extremely bored. I think I will go with the former on this one.

I am standing upon the brink of Spring Break as there are only a few more hours to go before my first vacation of the year begins. I am ready to have a few days off in which I do nothing other than work on the last few things that I need in order to complete my teaching certification.

I have to do a little bit of work with my portfolio which should not be too difficult considering I have a ton of documents and over a week to do it. The other thing left to do is my research project about how playing music during a test lessens a students' test anxiety. I am really curious about the results but more than anything I am ready to finish it. Hopefully, I will get it done all this weekend.

I also took a little time to look at some of my pictures from the past few years this evening as well. It is amazing how much time flies and how different I look. It's also interesting to look at the other people in the pictures and to think about how different they look as well. Some don't have braces anymore. Others have changed the way they wear their hair or their style of clothing. Others have gained weight while others have lost.

I don't know what I hope to accomplish by looking at all my pictures but I do know that I tend to be looking at them a lot more. Either I am reminiscing about the old times or I am thinking about what I could do differently if I had the chance to go back in time. But for whatever reason I am looking at them whether it be to compare my weight with another or to think about all those old times, I am sure glad that I have kept them with me after all these years.

Long Overdue Post

2008-03-31T22:48:00.005-04:00

It has been a full month since my last post and what a month it has been! This month has been full of ups and downs both mentally and physically. Alright, where to begin. As if you had a choice right?

I can honestly say that I am very happy with the way that my student teaching experience has gone. Even though I can't remember a time when I have been more sick or tired in my life, it has been a wonderful experience as I have gotten to meet and know a lot of great people. For a long time, I never thought that I would be able to survive but I think that I've at least got a handle on things.

My sending in of resignations and applications has also begun as well. I feel like I'm in a rough spot right now because on one hand I would like to continue working in some of these positions but on the other I want to be fair to the other people. Quite honestly, I really have no idea where I will end up in a year from now so I think it is best to just keep my options open. I'm sure some school out there will need someone to teach and coach.

Probably the best example of my posting negligence is that my last entry came during basketball season. Wow! Well, as you might have guessed, the season has since ended and the girls were able to accomplish their second undefeated season in a row; a feat that has never occurred in the history of the middle school.

The day of the last game had to be one of the most special days that I have ever been apart of. It started with an afternoon pep session in which the team was honored. It was amazing because every player was introduced along with my Dad and I. I have not subbed there in a long time at the school so I was really amazed that I got an ovation from the kids when I was introduced. I was sure that they had forgotten me.

The night of the game was also very special as we honored each player and their parents before the game began. I was extremely nervous for this part because I had the task of introducing everyone along with reading about special memories that the girls wanted read during the ceremony. My favorite had to be the ice bunny and the icy hot stories. That's all I'll say about that.

The game started and we got off to a rough start I thought. We were playing a very physical team in front of a packed middle school gym. To be in the 8th grade and handle that kind of pressure is an accomplishment in itself in my book. We got an early lead and had a comfortable advantage at halftime but I still didn't feel safe. It wasn't that we were playing poorly though. It was just one of those instances in coaching when no lead feels safe. It's a scary feeling.

Even as we maintained our 10 point lead late into the third quarter, I still felt as if the game was much closer. However, all of that changed when one of our players hit a runner in the lane at the end of the third quarter that extended our advantage to twelve. It was at that point when I started to relax just a tiny bit. Still, I've seen games where teams have scored 14 points in just a few minutes to come back and win games. Luckily, I've had some teams do that. Case and point, the black mark incident at the end of the Madison Grant game.

In the fourth, the girls played like a team that wanted to win in the worst way. It seemed as if they got to every loose ball and grabbed every board in that quarter. It wasn't pretty but they found a way to win just as they had done all year. When the final horn sounded, I really don't know what I felt. From the time the game ended to the time when I got home that evening everything is kind of a blur. I will say that I was very happy that we had won but very sad knowing that this would be our final time together. It was an amazing evening!

The last thing left to do was have the awards program and what an awards program it was. One of the parents began the proceedings with a wonderful speech and prayer to get things going. After that the Athletic Director made two surprise presentations of glass trophies to Dad and I for the team's accomplishments. I was shocked out of my mind to say the least.

From there, Dad and I talked about both the A and B seasons and handed out certificates and special awards that we had gotten the girls including our amazing highlight video. We also got the school a plaque to display in the trophy case commemorating our two seasons instead of getting individual awards such as most valuable and most improved.

Personally, giving out individual awards goes against my entire coaching philosophy. To me, it does not make any sense. We spend all year teaching these kids about sacrifice and being apart of a team to hand out individual awards at the end? Go figure.

The girls had a ton of gifts to give us as well. First, we were given a framed mural that all the girls had signed complete with pictures throughout the year. As if that wasn't enough, they gave each of us a signed basketball with every one's name engraved on the gold base holding the ball up along with a lot of thank you cards and gifts. I can't begin to describe how awesome a feeling it is to have a group give you so much especially their kindness and friendship which are the most important of all. The only bad thing about it is that I will need a two bedroom apartment to put all my coaching stuff in because I want to keep all of it forever.

Simply put, it has been a wonderful month full of ups and downs. Like I said before, I have never been more physically ill in my life but I can honestly say that I would not do a single thing different. Never before and never again will I ever have another group of kids like the one I had the opportunity to work with for the past two years. They are a special bunch who will do great things long after they have stopped playing basketball. Hopefully, I will another group just like them but I doubt I ever will which makes it that much more special. Thanks girls!

Not Myself Lately

2008-02-26T22:04:00.003-05:00

When I was younger, most of the time my dad would come home from a long day of teaching and coaching in a bad mood. For the longest time, I could never quite understand why he would every so often be very frustrated and tired. Now that I am student teaching and coaching at the same time, I completely understand why my best friend would act this way.

I have not been myself lately, to say the very least. My patience is a lot lower and the smallest things make me very angry. In fact, I got so angry that I've thrown a basketball against a wall out of frustration a few times this year. Needless to say, there has been a lot going on.

Basketball season is coming to an end and it is about to tear my heart out. The amount of emotion associated with my sadness about the end of this season is indescribable. I never thought that 5 months could go by fast but it most certainly has.

I've also been having a lot of trouble dealing with the recent loss of a great person in my life as well. I have normally been able to handle that kind of stuff with great ease but lately it has been getting more and more difficult. Why, I don't know.

The bad thing is that I tend to take this stuff out on people that I care most about and I don't like that. I've been turning into the type of person that I have always despised - an angry person with a short fuse and little patience for anything that doesn't go their way.

It's been tough lately. No question about it. I can't control everything that happens to me but I can control my actions and lately I have not acted like myself. I can only hope that things will get better because the last thing that I want to do is make the people I care about most feel unwanted and unloved.

I've not been myself lately but I'm gonna get better. I'm gonna make make myself get better! Hopefully, my loved ones will be willing to forgive me as I try to act more like my usual self.

P.S. No more kicking or throwing of basketballs for me! A five-year-old does that!

Never underestimate the Stupidity of People

2008-02-23T16:24:00.003-05:00

It has been almost two months since my last posting. Needless to say I have been very busy. With student teaching and coaching, I am lucky if I get home anytime before nine on most nights. Student teaching is going very well and our basketball team is on the brink of another perfect season. Times are very good right now even though there are a few negatives as there always will be.

After having spent nearly two months teaching and coaching at the same time, I now understand why my dad was practically exhausted when he would come home when I was little. It is a difficult schedule. It is especially difficult when you have kids who do not care.

Basketball is coming to an end and soon. Our last game is at home on Thursday. Personally, I will be happy that I will get to catch up on my sleep but I will be very sad to say good-bye to this group. We have cried together, prayed together, and been through death together. We've experienced it all. I now know what I want to do with my life and it is an awesome feeling.

With this in mind, I do know that there will be some low points - kids not trying hard or not listening, parents thinking that they could do a better job than me, or simply having a varsity coach who does not care for the job we do (which my Dad and I experience right now). But in the end, it doesn't matter what happens to me. Everything is for the kids and they are the most important part.

I think what I am most proud of is how I have learned to stand up for the way that I think things should be done and have not backed down when those ways are challenged. As I said before, things are going well but I do know that bumps lie ahead. In the words of a very wise person, "Never underestimate the stupidity of people." Good lesson indeed.

Tipton 8th Sweep Argylls in Exciting Fashion

2008-01-08T23:11:00.000-05:00

After an extended time off for the holidays, Tipton’s 8^th grade girls’ basketball team began the 2008 portion of their season with two very big wins against the Madison Grant Argylls.

In the A-game, the Argylls were looking for respect and picked up a large amount of it in a hurry as they kept the score close with Tipton taking only a 2-point lead into the second quarter at 10-8.

However, the Lady Blue Devils would not allow Madison Grant to get any closer in the contest. Switching out of their 1-3-1 zone into a man to man enabled Tipton to hold the Argylls to only 2 points in the quarter to take an 18-10 advantage into the locker room.

“The second quarter was really the turning point for us,” Tipton Head Coach Don Etherington said. “Our man defense really put them in some difficult situations and allowed us to build a lead.”

As play resumed in the third period, Tipton led a balanced scoring attack in which all five starters contributed. On the defensive side of the ball, the Lady Blue Devils continued to give the Argylls headaches with Tipton tipping the ball away from Madison Grant to start the fast break helping Tipton to take a 32-13 lead into the final quarter.

From then on, the 8^th graders would never look back as they defeated the Argylls 42-20 en route to their fifth win of the season.

“This game was a reflection of how hard these girls worked over the holiday break,” Etherington concluded. “From top to bottom, this was our best game of the year.”

In scoring, Tipton would be led by Taylor Degenkolb with a game-high of 15 points. Also scoring in double figures for the Lady Blue Devils would be Brooklyn Juday with 11 points in the paint. Rounding out the scoring would be Lindsay Friend with 6, Aubree Elston and Whitney Shaffer with 4, and Lindsay Nichols with 2.

In the B-game, the Lady Blue Devils would once again find themselves in a battle that would come down to the final seconds with Tipton ultimately defeating Madison Grant 16-15.

Tipton began the game strongly on defense by holding the Argylls to only 5 points in the opening quarter. However, Tipton would not be able to convert and quickly found themselves down 5-2. The second quarter would be much of the same as Madison Grant extended their lead to 9-4 by not allowing the Lady Blue Devils many open looks at the basket.

From there, the game’s intensity would pick up. Tipton began to trap and frustrate Madison Grant with their 1-3-1 trap defense but still found themselves behind at 14-8 as the third quarter ended. Luckily, Tipton would not be finished as their offense finally caught fire to close the gap at 15-14.

After a timeout from the Tipton bench late in the fourth quarter, the Lady Blue Devils were looking for a basket. With only 5 seconds left on the clock, Tipton’s Krista Schulenburg converted on 15-foot jumper to give the Lady Blue Devils a one point lead. Madison Grant would not even get a shot at the basket in the final play as the B-team won the game to improve their record to 2-1 on the season.

“This was an extremely big win for us,” said B-team coach Kyle Etherington. “Winning these type of games builds and reveals a lot about the character of a team. These girls have a great deal of heart and nothing was going to stand in their way in that fourth quarter.”

In scoring, Tipton was led by Nichols and Hayley Lineberry who each scored 6 points in the victory. Along with making the winning shot, Schulenburg also contributed 4 points.

Tipton (5-0) will have little time to enjoy these victories as they return to the court on Wednesday to do battle with the Westfield Shamrocks at the middle school gym.

Special Thanks go out to Chris, Marla, Mike, Shane, and Jennifer for coming to see us play! You guys played a big part and it was great to see you in the stands even though I did get a little "jumpy" in the fourth quarter! Thanks again!

He Did It! He Did It!

2008-01-04T02:44:00.000-05:00

Barack Obama won in Iowa tonight!

I cannot describe how happy I am with the results of the caucuses in Iowa! After supporting him through the ups and the downs, I am ecstatic!

The race is not over by any means but it is a great night for people my age as our leader has now become the Democratic front-runner for the Presidency of the United States!

Barack the Vote!

Hit a New Low

2007-12-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

I have hit a new low this afternoon. I turned my computer on my desk toward my bed so that I could surf the internet while I lie down on my bed. Some say that it is laziness but I say that it is smart thinking.

I really have nothing to write about even though it has been a few days since my last post. Mostly, I have been staying around the house enjoying being bored with very little to do. In the next few weeks, I will probably be begging for this kind of boredom so I am enjoying it while I can.

Sunday I will be heading east with some friends to Washington D.C. for the first time since I was there in the summer of 2005. Other than hanging out with some really good friends, I think I am most looking forward to being in our nation's capital with comfortable weather. I won't miss the heat and humidity on this trip.

For now, I will get back to my laziness (smart thinking) but I will leave you with an inspirational quote from a recent basketball practice. Enjoy!

"There is no way that in 2007 with everything that is available to women along with having the ability to drive us men crazy, that you girls can't jump higher than two inches for a rebound!"

Lady Blue Devils split with Carmel Clay

2007-12-19T21:35:00.000-05:00

Often times, free throws are overlooked in the game of basketball. However, in the case of Tipton's 8th Grade girls basketball team, they paid huge dividends as the Lady Blue Devils defeated the Carmel Clay Trojans 34-33 in exciting fashion Tuesday evening.

Even though Tipton started the game on a strong note, Clay's sharpshooting helped them to take a 10-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Despite being down early, Tipton battled back to take a 16-15 advantage as the end of the half neared. Unfortunately, the Trojans hit a jumper at the buzzer to give them the one point lead heading into the locker room.

After the break, the battle continued as the teams matched each other shot for shot with Tipton gaining a 25-24 advantage at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, both teams defenses were at the best as every shot was strongly contested. But, Carmel would ultimately take the lead over the Lady Blue Devils at 33-32 with less than 30 seconds left to play.

Luckily, Tipton's Taylor Degenkolb was fouled and sent to the free throw line for a an opportunity to give the eighth graders the lead. Degenkolb hit both ends of the one and one which capped a 7-10 free throw shooting quarter for the Blue Devils along with giving them the lead with 18 seconds remaining.

Clay would get one shot at the basket but could not convert as the Tipton defense rose to the occassion to improve their record to 4-0 on the season. "Our defense in the last 18 seconds was the best that we have played all year," said Tipton Coach Don Etherington. "Our performance says a great deal about the heart on this team. They did not quit and willed themselves to win."

Leading Tipton in scoring was Brooklyn Juday who scored in double figures for the first time this year with 10 points. Also scoring for the Lady Blue Devils was Whitney Shaffer adding 8, Degenkolb with 7, Lindsay Friend contributing 5, and Aubree Elston chipping in 4.

Unfortunately, the Tipton B team did not fair as well as they fell to the Trojans. Tipton's offense was only able to yield two points in the first quarter but the Lady Devil defense was able to keep the Trojans at bay as the first quarter ended at 5-2.

From that point on, Carmel took the advantage as their shots began to fall giving them a 13-5 lead at halftime. Despite a spirited effort from the Lady Blue Devils in the second half, they would be unable to catch Clay with the final score ending at 27-10.

Leading the B team in scoring was Krista Schulenburg who turned in a spirited 4 point performance. Also scoring for Tipton was Hayley Lineberry with 3, Jade McCormack contributing 2, and Amy Doversberger with a free throw.

Tipton's next game will come after the holiday break when they entertain Madison Grant on January 7, 2008, at the middle school gym.

Still a Kid

2007-12-17T10:26:00.000-05:00

The first snow day is here! The roads are full of ice and school has been canceled! It is amazing how far I have come in growing up.

Fifteen years ago, all of my favorite movies came from Disney, I wore pajama pants with cartoon characters on them, played my video games, loved basketball, and lived for snow days!

Now, well, at least I am a little bit taller plus I don't obsess over McDonald's Happy Meals like I used to. I guess that I am still a kid at heart even though I have, thankfully, emerged out of the rough world that is childhood.

Although, there are sometimes that I wish I could go back to those good 'ol days that were the early 90's so I could appreciate the things that were in existence.

Little things like every show on Nickelodeon or a Saturday Night Live cast that included Chris Farley as Matt Foley, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as Wayne & Garth, and Phil Hartman as President Bill Clinton.

Good and Bad Parts of Teaching

2007-12-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

With the impending snow/freezing rain/sleet/blizzard bearing down on Central Indiana, I am reminded that I am choosing a career that will be affected (hopefully a great deal) by the weather. That is the good part of teaching.

However, I do have some worries about the bad parts of teaching. Among them are the late nights of grading papers, beating my brains in with lessons, and the possible rudeness of students like in this video that I found on Youtube.

Lady Blue Devils sweep Alexandria

2007-12-13T11:39:00.000-05:00

ALEXANDRIA – Fresh off of their win at the Marion McCulloch Invitational, the 8th grade girls' basketball team was on the road again this past Wednesday evening. Once again, the Lady Blue Devils would play the Alexandria Tigers whom they had beaten 42-16 just a few days earlier. Just as was the case in the first meeting between the two teams, Tipton stormed to an early lead and never looked back as they defeated Alexandria 36-16 in the A game.

In the first quarter, Tipton was not the best of guests as they took a 13-6 lead behind a balanced scoring attack in which four Blue Devils scored. On the defensive side of the ball, the scrappy Tipton defense would shut out the Tigers in the second period along with building their lead to 20-6 at the break behind Aubree Elston's six quarter points.

After both teams returned from the locker rooms, Alexandria began to play Tipton tough on defense by holding the Lady Blue Devils to only four points. Nevertheless, Alexandria could not convert and Tipton still held a 14-point lead at 24-10 entering the final stanza. The Lady Blue Devils then went on a 12-6 run in the fourth quarter to help secure their third win of the season.

In scoring, Tipton was led by Taylor Degenkolb who had a game high of 12 points. Also scoring for the Lady Blue Devils was Lindsay Friend on the inside with eight points, Elston with six, Brooklyn Juday with five, Lindsay Nichols with three, and Hayley Lineberry and Krista Schulenburg each with two.

The B team was also successful this evening with an impressive 22-15 comeback victory to move to 1-0 on the season.

At the onset, it was clear that this game would be a defensive struggle with the Tigers taking the early advantage at 4-2. Despite being down, the Lady Blue Devils 1-3-1 trap defense helped them to take back the lead at 6-5 with very few seconds to play in the second quarter. Unfortunately, Alexandria was able to convert on a layup to give them a 7-6 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Tipton's offensive woes continued just as Alexandria started to catch fire behind three field goals.

The Lady Blue Devils found themselves with the daunting task of having to overcome a 13-8 deficit in the fourth quarter. But little did anyone know, Alexandria would only score on two more free throws as the B team clawed their way back into the game. In addition, the Tipton offense, which had been held in check for most of the evening, exploded in the final period behind Schulenburg and Nichols who scored eight and six points in the quarter respectively to give the B team the victory.

"Krista and Lindsay played inspired basketball in that last quarter," B Team Coach Kyle Etherington said, "From top to bottom, we received contributions from everyone. I could not be more proud of them."

Also scoring for the Lady Blue Devils was Amy Doversberger who had a career high of four points along with Jade McCormack and Audra West each contributing two.

The Tipton 8th graders return to action when they open up their first home game of the season with a huge match-up against Carmel Clay on Tuesday, December 18 at 5:30 pm.

Tipton 8th wins McCulloch Invitational

2007-12-08T23:50:00.000-05:00

Fresh Off the Press!

MARION – Even though the weather outside was freezing cold last Saturday, Tipton’s 8th grade girls’ basketball team was heating up the gymnasium as they won the McCulloch Invitational Championship to open up the 2007-08 campaign.

In the first round game of the four team tournament, the Lady Blue Devils would draw the Alexandria Tigers who gave them plenty of headaches throughout the entire game. Despite this effort from Alexandria, Tipton took the early lead at the end of the first quarter at 11-5.

In the second quarter, the Lady Blue Devils continued to impress as Whitney Shaffer and Taylor Degenkolb led Tipton’s offensive attack. Shaffer scored ten of her team high 13 points and Degenkolb netted eight of her final 12 points in the half to give Tipton the lead at the break 23-9.

The second half would be much of the same as Tipton continued to shut down the Alexandria offense while scoring 19 points to seal the victory at 42-16. Rounding out the scoring for the Lady Blue Devils was Aubree Elston who scored nine points along with grabbing an astounding 15 rebounds, Lindsay Friend who scored six points and cleared nine rebounds, and Lindsay Nichols with two points.

Despite the victory, Tipton had their sights set on the Invitational final against a very scrappy Southern Wells team. Unlike the Alexandria game, the Lady Blue Devils would be in for a fight against the hard working Raiders. In the first quarter, the teams played evenly as the score was knotted up at 4-4 with only seconds left to play in the period.

As a Tipton shot failed to fall, Krista Schulenburg grabbed the rebound and quickly passed to an open Degenkolb who nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the 8th graders the advantage at 7-4. After taking the momentum, Tipton’s 2-3 zone defense rose to the occasion by shutting out Southern Wells in the second quarter for an 11-4 halftime lead.

As the second half began, Tipton looked to be in command of the game but the Raiders would not go quietly as they went on a 6-2 run to close the gap at 13-10 heading into the final period. Southern Wells seemed to have the momentum but it would all change when Degenkolb hit a 3-pointer from the right baseline that sent the Tipton bench and crowd into a frenzy.

From that point on, Tipton switched into their trademark 1-3-1 trap defense that would prove to be the difference maker. “Kyle [Etherington] made a great call in the last quarter with our defense that helped put them in some very difficult situations by speeding up the game’s tempo,” said Tipton Head Coach Don Etherington.

Tipton would score ten more points in the quarter as the Lady Blue Devils would take the invitational championship with a final score of 26-13. Leading all scorers for Tipton was Degenkolb with 16 followed by Shaffer with five, Friend and Schulenburg with two apiece, and Elston with a free throw. “Lindsay [Nichols] played a tremendous role for us as well,” added Etherington.

After the game, Etherington praised his players for the victory. “Our team formed an identity this afternoon. They refused to let any obstacle stand in their way,” he said. “We have some things to work on but we are ecstatic to get our season off to a good start.”

Tipton (2-0) will again be on the road as they have a rematch with Alexandria on Wednesday.

Let's Play!

2007-12-07T15:44:00.000-05:00

Our first game is tomorrow and I am more than excited! I know that I won't be able to sleep this evening. The last time that happened we won it so that is something to keep in mind. Of course, when have I ever been able to sleep the night before a game?

I had my student teacher orientation meeting today and it had to be the first meeting at IUK that I actually enjoyed. I can "see the light at the end of the tunnel" so to speak. Plus, I am really excited that one of my university advisers was a middle school social studies teacher for over 30 years. He seems like a really great person and is highly regarded by many people. It will be a good fit.

The first proof of the basketball program came in today. Overall, it looked awesome even though there are a few things that will probably be changed. I know that I could never do something like that.

Well, I am off to parts unknown as I wait for the games to begin tomorrow. I will keep you updated on how the girls do. Excited does not even cover how pumped up they are for tomorrow! It will be a great day regardless of how the games play out.

It's finally time to play some basketball! I leave you with a pep talk from Coach Holtz which is fitting for our upcoming invitational this weekend.

The Actions of Others

2007-12-01T15:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I don't know why certain things happen the way that they do. Anymore, the actions of others seem even more complicated than the math that some of my basketball players have to do on a daily basis.

But although I can't control the actions of others. I do know that I can control my actions. That gives me so much more satisfaction and piece of mind than anything else.

Below is a video of Lou Holtz giving a pep talk to the New York Knicks. I think that I am going to try to transcribe this speech because it is absolutely amazing! I mean, after hearing the speech, I was ready to play for the Knicks and I love the Celtics!

The Girls are Improving

2007-11-30T23:58:00.001-05:00

I'm back! After taking a few days off from blogging, I have realized that I am getting tired of writing blogs that resemble chapters in a book or articles in a newspaper.

They are so long that even I get bored reading my own material anymore. I think that I am just going to type until I run out of things to say and then maybe it will sound a little more interesting than a post that I spent an incredible amount of time on. The little things in life are so much more fun to read about anyway.

A friend of mine recently asked me how the basketball team was doing. But, instead of actually talking to them or even doing the normal thing of writing a wall post to them on Facebook, I think that I will just share this little tidbit of information.

This evening my Dad and I were going through our notes to prepare for our two hour practice tomorrow. We are going to be putting in the rest of our offense, special plays, and defense this last week before our first game so we need to make sure that we are on top of things even more than what we already are.

As of Saturday, we are now on practice number ten since the season began. At the beginning of each practice, we do this one drill called 8 minute layups in which the players continuously shoot layups on the right and left side for that amount of time. There is a lot more detail involved but I would need slides and a clipboard to do so.

So far this year, the players have done very well by averaging around 140 to 150 made during this drill. The highest has been 164; give or take a few.

Often times, my Dad and I worry about how we as coaches and as a team are doing on these drills. Well, I don't think that we will be doing too much of that anymore. At least on this drill anyway.

My Dad found our sheet from practice number ten last year and to say that we were shocked would be an understatement. Under 8 minute layups, we listed our goal of 90 for the same practice last year.

Simply put, the girls have come a long way in a year and are improving quite well.

Go Hoosiers!

2007-11-18T11:12:00.000-05:00