Welp the time has come.  I'm calling it a day in relation to the basketball court.

I've played countless hours of basketball since I was 12 years old, many days I'd go out and play all day wherever I can play. Even now I play twice a week every week. Honestly so many memories.  Drinking from the old ladies water house. The injuries (broke my leg on Fathers day. The fights.  Lots of character lessons learned.

Just a partial list of the places I've played.

Power House Park
Friends back yard
School
Helicopter Park
The park on Summer Side Road.
The local YMCA
A local Catholic church who has open gym.
Church basketball leagues.

Really the list could go on and on for all the places I've played.  I've really never had a down period from the basketball court, really only three that I can remember.

1. I broke my leg, playing basketball, and didn't play for a month.
2. I broke my hand, 'playing basketball', and didn't play for 3 months.
3. This year I took several months off due to a busy schedule.

The last break did me in, a month or so into it I realized my knees didn't hurt.  My feet felt great, just overall made life better. Then I was playing last night and hurt myself not once, but twice.  The first time landed hard and tweaked my right knee, the second time I stopped funny and jammed (hard) my big toe on my left foot and and the way down hit a guy in the face (not intentional).  Today I HURT.  It is hard to walk.

So today I'm done. For now.  Not saying I won't play again, but I'm not going to make it a part of me going forward.  For the better part of two decades basketball has been one of those items that defined who I was.

OK, a rare non 40 Days of Focus post.

Josh Hamilton played for the Reds last year.  He is an unbelievable story, from the pits of drug addiction to competing for the MVP this year... for the Texas Rangers.

Why did they trade him?  Apparently because there was some issues with Red's players being jealous of the attention Josh Hamilton was getting.

This is the leadership of Ken Griffey in action.  As I said just a few days ago, good riddance!  When a man like this (and he was a fan's dream) can't get support from his teammates, its the problem of the team not the player.

All I can say is... don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you!

Never in my young life have I seen a player snub a city as Griffey did Cincinnati.  He could have had us eating out of the palm of his hands (win or lose... just look at Boomer Esiason), but chose to be an arrogant sports star.

I'm not a huge baseball fan to begin with, but I hated watching him play knowing the money he was making for the effort he gave.

Well I've not blogged about this but if you are local to Cincinnati or follow sports at any level you have heard about the Chad Johnson situation.

Chad has demanded a trade from the Cincinnati Bengal's.  He feels like he has been made a scape goat to the Cincinnati issues.

You had to live in Cincinnati to understand how much he had Cincinnati in the palm of his hands.  He was one of the most beloved sports personalities we have ever had.  He could do no wrong... or so it was thought.

Chad Johnson is the second highest paid receiver in the NFL, and he is complaining he is under paid.  A few years ago he blew up in the locker room during the half time of a playoff game, reportedly taking a swing at Marvin Lewis.

Cincinnati had many warnings.  Chad Johnson IS and WAS a problem.  However I don't think the Bengal's should trade or release him.  They actually have very little incentive to trade him because it would actually hurt the team in the long run.  It would make them unable to spend money on players because funds would be tied up in high draft picks and salary cap penalties related to ditching Chad.  I'd like to see them let him sit out as long as he wants to sit out (probably six to eight games).  Then suspend him for the league maximum four games.  Then deactivate him (though they would have to pay him) for the rest of the season.  Make him lose a few million dollars.  THEN trade or release him. 

I don't think he can play for the Bengal's again, but I will admit I could be wrong... just look at Kobe and the Laker's.  He crossed a line when he took a shot as Carson Palmer, maybe not one of the most loved Cincinnati sports personalities, but by far one of the most respected.

But just to give this some press... if you have a number 85 jersey there are a few things you could do:

Send your 85 Jersey to him.
Contribute to Global warming and burn it.
Donate it to charity.  Many third world people would love a jersey.

Today was opening day for my son's baseball team.  This is my son's third year playing, and the first two years were interesting.  He literally has something like an 80% on base percentage.  He gets walked a ton... he gets hit a lot... he gets a few hits... he strikes out.  It is kind of a running joke about how much he gets hit by the pitcher. 

Today was no exception to his past.  First time up, he walks.  The last ball was about 2 inches from his knee caps... I stood up and said, "I wish he would just flinch a little bit."  The boy didn't move!  The second time up... whap!  Right in the stomach/rib area (the picture is the ball deflecting off of him!).  Third time up, walk. 

But unfortunately the day ended in a loss.  Better luck next time.

That was one heck of a game.  I am so glad that the Giant's won.  The Patriots just come across so arrogant, so it was good to see them prevented from going 19-0.

Went and watched the game at a fellow BCC members house, was a good crowd... a few Dallas fan's protested and played Guitar Hero.  Now this is where it got a bit odd... I guess a few decided to see what style points they could get and were jumping on furniture while they were playing.  Ended up with on person on crutches!!! Heard a pop in her knee, I guess we will see how bad that turns out to be.

But it was by far the most exciting game I remember since the 1988 Bengals/49ers game.

Was listening to a local news personality ream the Bengals for their pathetic performance this week, and had a thought...

Marvin Lewis's contract expires in 2010.

Bill Cower said he won't be back next year... so he will be back in 2009.

If next year is as bad as this year, fire Lewis... hire Cower.  What a better way to make a splash.  We have one of the best offenses signed from now until eternity, who wouldn't want to coach the potential that is the Bengals offense?

But really, the Bengals aren't as bad as they have been this year.  An unbelievable amount of injuries, legal issues, and Carson's funk have just made a perfect storm. 

So I'm sitting here watching the Reds playing and the thought pops into my mind that Barry Bonds is playing... click over to ESPN2, to see the Giants coming up to bat and Barry Bonds up... its a swing, a hit... a HOME RUN!  Number 755.

Now I think that Barry Bonds used 'the clear' for sure, he may have used strait steroids... the clear I can certainly understand.  The clear was marketed as a supplement based on what blood samples said you needed.  So if your blood lacked 15% of its iron, the clear was supposed to make up for that.  These guys are making a lot of money and I can't fault them for doing all they can.  The clear wasn't illegal... it wasn't even fully understood until a few years later.  However lets say he DID use steroids, I have a few comments on that:

1.  So did many of the pitchers.  The first person to actually get busted for steroids was a pitcher. 
2.  It wasn't against the rules. Them MLB didn't prohibit it... 

So I say give him the record, give him the HOF, and don't forget what Hank Aaron did many years ago.  However lets all hope Alex Rodriguez will break where ever Barry Bonds ends at, because from all appearances he has done it 100% clean. 

And credit the image with this post to ESPN, I just did a partial grab from their site. 

For those that don't know, Josh Hamilton is a rookie on the Cincinnati Reds.

I'm not much of a baseball fan, but you can't help but get behind this guy.  He battled a drug addiction to become one of the towns favorite guys.

Cincinnati is the type of city that will let your past be your past, or even your present be your present if when you are on the field you give it all.  That is why this town loves Pete Rose.  That is why this town loves Ryan Freel.  That is why this town loves Chad Johnson.

If a person can work his butt off, this town will support him.

Josh Hamilton has worked his butt off to overcome  his life problems.  But don't take my word for it, take his. 

While I typed this it made me thing of a bigger lesson, I've seen many people use their past as an excuse to be a failure.
My dad was never around...
My mom was never around...
I grew up in a poverty stricken area...
I made mistakes when I was younger...

That is no reason to be a failure today.  I am living prove that mistakes in the past don't have to define you in the future.
My dad died when I was 3.
My mom worked a lot to support 2 children.
I grew up in poverty.
I had a child RIGHT after my senior year in high school (literally born 6 days before we officially graduated).

Life can have its obstacles, but that is no reason to let it define you.

Yesterday was another day of two sons having a baseball game on the same night in two totally different parts of the city.  So I went with the youngest as his game was closer to where I play basketball on Monday nights.

My other son decided to get the best hit he has ever had!  The story...

Apparently in his first at bat he was pegged in the elbow (this boy probably gets hit by a pitch every other game), and he joked afterwards that he was mad and wanted to get revenge ;-).  He goes up to bat, bases loaded...  works it to a full count... a pitch... he swings... nails it to the right field (actually landed in the grass!!)... the child on third scored easily... the child on second has a play at the plate... he's safe!... the child on first stops at second, so my son gets to hear the cheers as he gets his first two RBI's and his best hit yet.

I hope I get to see that again tonight as we play yet another game.