Coach of the Year Goes to Dave Belisle

This is the hard part of the Little League World Series. There can only be one champion.

Rhode Island coach Dave Belisle reminded us of that with a heartfelt speech to his team after an 8-7 loss.

High School Kid Dunks from Foul Line

Dear 2015 Dunk Contest Participants. STEP YOUR GAME UP. Literally.

Punch Monday in the Face

It's Monday! I love the start of a fresh week. I'm in a small fraternity that shares this enthusiasm.

Here's a small exercise that helps me get excited about the day:

1. Look at yourself in the mirror.
2. Close your eyes and envision your future for a full 60 seconds.
3. Repeat out loud I will not be out worked.
4. Now go find Monday and throw your haymaker.

P.S. Once you master this, I'll share with you how to bicycle kick days in the face.

Wednesday Wisdom: Your Talent Will Fail You

Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.

Another Feat for The Captain

The best things in life come in twos. That's if your name is Derek Jeter.

Jeter added another title to his lengthy resume on Tuesday night against the Texas Rangers. Jeter surpassed Lou Gehrig for first place on the Yankees' all-time doubles list. 

Hat tip to the Captain.

NY Yankees All-Time Doubles List

1. Derek Jeter: 535
2. Lou Gehrig: 534
3. Bernie Williams: 449
4. Don Mattingly: 442
5. Babe Ruth: 424
6. Joe DiMaggio: 389

SZG History: Magnificent Seven

On this day in 1996, The United States women’s gymnastics team takes home its first-ever team gold at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Before Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney stole our hearts in 2012, there was the Magnificent Seven. 

Patrick Willis Returns Home for Annual Camp

Patrick Willis' high school days are way behind him, but his memories from Bruceton Central will never leave. 

"This is where it all started for me. It was right here. Just goes to show you anything is possible," said Patrick Willis. 

The San Francisco 49ers linebacker returned home for his second annual football camp. His message to campers tackled being the best you. 

"Create good habits. They will become who you are. Whether it's catching a ball or running a route. If you want to be a good route runner, you have to run. Can't do it jogging. That's not the best," explained Willis. 

Boys and girls from grades one through eight participated in team drills and contests from morning to noon. Community members say the camp is the perfect experience for young athletes. 

"Being involved in something like this especially with Patrick Willis is great. It's really fun to be around here and around him and these kids," said Bruceton head football coach Jamie Williams. 

Willis says he feels great heading into training camp and is ready to dominate. But not any type of domination. 

Willis prefers to do it like the Spartans. 

"I don't want to give anyone anything. Like nothing at all. That's the mindset I have. Give them nothing and take everything. I think I got that from a movie. I think 300."

TBT: Dominate Breakfast

This is the ingredient to having a good start to the day.

Cereal. Killed it. No spoon! Carpe Diem.

Turning Over A New Leaf at Milan

Dexter Williams is no stranger to West Tennessee basketball. 

"That was one of the toughest decisions I ever had in my life," explained Williams. "To step down as head coach at Liberty Tech."

For more, click here.

This Is What Makes the Miami Heat So Cool...

Who doesn't love FLOTUS.

"IN YOUR FACE!"

Say Hello to the Bad Guy

Hello World! Meet Richard Sherman.

Before I delve into the greatest soundbite EVER, I would like you to read some of the responses that ensued after Sherman's interview. 

UNCALLED FOR...

But I'm not aghast. 

I could start with "isn't this 2014" spiel, but that's boring. I could mention that Sherman, a graduate from Stanford University, is actually very intelligent, but should that really matter. Or should I mention that the Compton native went back to school to complete his masters. But how much depth would that really add.

Where I will start is how quick we forget WHAT (done in my best Lil John impersonation) the sport of football embodies. 

Let's think of this gridiron competition as a cake with four layers. The first layer is the inhuman activity.

Football is barbaric.  Every Sunday (and unfortunately Thursday, but let's not go there), players put their life on the line. They fight, scratch and claw to put on the arguably greatest reality show. We love it. We yearn for it. It makes us feel good.

Until this happens.

Sherman certainly had one of these moments tonight.

Here's a guy who didn't curse or use any lewd language. His words instead were passion.

Layer 2 can be labeled as Tipping Point.

Football is unpredictable. You don't know what players are going through. You don't know how they actually feel. We moan when they give mundane answers to the media. Then express chagrin when athletes keep it real. No one is in control. It is an inconvenient truth about football.

Yes, Sherman's actions after the interception were inappropriate. I hope he didn't think Michael Crabtree was going to give him a hug. But I digress...

Every NFL player is cut from a different cloth. You have Russell Wilsons and you have Richard Shermans. Call him a cocky-braggadocios-high payed ape-senseless monkey if you like. Trust me there are a lot of other words that ignorant people called him that I could use. What fans must understand, is the NFL has and will always have spontaneous flair or as I like to call it panache.

In other words, raw human emotion. DO IT LIVE!

The upper half of the cake is were all the chips are stacked. Literally in this case.

Sherman, like every other NFL player, plays with a chip on his shoulder. He can be pompous. He can also be articulate. He can be both at the same damn time. That's who he is.

Sherman felt disrespected. His response: make a extraordinary defensive play and let the world know how you feel. This is the biggest play in his NFL career and his emotions are through the roof. Rather than label him for 30 seconds, let's actually view the big picture.




Now to the last layer.



There is no I in team, but there is a me.

Athletes have and will always make a comedy of errors. Just insert your most memorable one here ____. Sometimes they snowball into complete dilapidation or are used as a stepping stone for maturity.

When an athlete does something we don't agree with, we raise our head like a cobra and attack him immediately with the most heinous thoughts possible. That's completely unfair. Let's eradicate this please.

Sherman talks thrash. If you don't like it, okay. If you can relate, share empathy.

Every game, Sherman goes out to prove he is the best cornerback in the NFL. He was taken in the fifth round of the NFL draft. He worked hard to hone his craft and continues to shutdown the best in the game. He walks with his chest out. He plays in a malicious sport. He hails from Compton. And he's taking his talents to the most watched sporting event. Yeah, I think he earned the right to talk candidly.

Welcome Back

HELLO there. Yes, it certainly has been a while since I've posted any new content. Too LONG.

I won't make any excuses – tools of the incompetent. Just wanted to share one simple message with you.

STAY TUNED

The Ultimate Motivational Clip (MUST WATCH)

"Make of your life a dream, and of a dream a reality."



"Rise and shine.

6am and your hand can't make it to the alarm clock before the voices in your head start telling you that it's too early, too dark, and too cold to get out of a bed.

Aching muscles lie still in rebellion, pretending not to hear your brain commanding them to move

A legion of voices are shouting their unanimous permission for you to hit the snooze button and go back to dreamland, but you didn't ask their opinion.

The voice you've chosen to listen to is one of defiance.

A voice that's says there was a reason you set that alarm in the first place. So sit up, put your feet on the floor, and don't look back because we've got work to do.

Welcome to The Grind!

For what is each day but a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way, 10,000 streams fan out like a river delta before you, Each one promising the path of least resistance.

Thing is, you're headed upstream. And when you make that choice, when you decide to turn your back on what's comfortable and what's safe and what some would call "common sense", well that's day 1. From there it only gets tougher.

So just make sure this is something you want. Because the easy way out will always be there, ready to wash you away, all you have to do is pick up your feet.

But you aren't going to are you?

With each step comes the decision to take another


You're on your way now


But this is no time to dwell on how far you've come. 
You're in a fight against an opponent you can't see


Oh but you can feel him on your heels can't you?


Feel him breathing down your neck


You know what that is?
 That's you...
Your fears, your doubts and insecurities all lined up like a firing squad ready to shoot you out of the sky


But don't lose heart


While they aren't easily defeated, they are far from invincible


Remember this is The Grind


The Battle Royale between you and your mind, your body and the devil on your shoulder who's telling you that this is just a game, this is just a waste of time, your opponents are stronger than you.


Drown out the voice of uncertainty with the sound of your own heartbeat


Burn away your self doubt with the fire that's beneath you


Remember what you're fighting for


And never forget that momentum is a cruel mistress, 
She can turn on a dime with the smallest mistake.


She is ever searching for that weak place in your armor


That one tiny thing you forgot to prepare for


So as long as the devil is hiding the details, the question remains,"is that all you got?", "are you sure?"


And when the answer is "yes". That you've done all you can to prepare yourself for battle THEN it's time to go forth and boldly face your enemy, the enemy within

Only now you must take that fight into the open, into hostile territory

You're a lion in a field of lions


All hunting the same elusive prey with a desperate starvation that says VICTORY is the only thing that can keep you alive


So believe that voice that says " you CAN run a little faster " and that " you CAN throw a little harder " and that " you CAN dive a little deeper" and that, for you, the laws of physics are merely a suggestion.

Luck is the last dying wish of those who wanna believe that winning can happen by accident, sweat on the other hand is for those who know it's a choice, so decide now because destiny waits for no man. And when your time comes and a thousand different voices are trying to tell you you're not ready for it, listen instead for that lone voice in decent the one that says you are ready, you are prepared, it's all up to you now.

So rise and shine."

VIDEO: Pop wants some nasty

San Antonio once again has illustrated to the Association that age is an issue of mind over matter. Under the helm of Gregg Popovich, the Spurs escaped the fiery Golden State Warriors to enter the Western Conference Finals.
With today's heightened level of flash and panache, there's no myth why fans have the attention span of the lightning bolt when watching a Spurs game. They flourish on the fundamentals and hone in on the concept of team play. Coach Pop quietly has cemented himself as one of the top-5 NBA coaches of all-time. I say serenely due to the market the Spurs are in. Coach Pop's coaching methods are the primary force that has allowed San Antonio to stick around for sole long. Of course, great drafting helps as well, but Popovich's sagacity is the nucleus of this unit.
Win or lose against Memphis in this round, you can expect to see some nasty from the Spurs. 

Friday motivation: Steve Jobs

To say Steve Jobs was brilliant still doesn't do him justice. Above is a 1994 clip from Jobs expressing what he feel separates walkers from dreamers. Check it out.
In addition, it's only right I also share Jobs' Stanford commencement speech.

On this Day: Jackie homers

On this day in 1947, Jackie Robinson hit his first major league home run off Dave Koslo of the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds.

Kicker trick shots: MUST SEE Video

World meet Havard Rugland. Harvard Rugland meet World.
Rugland's impressive kicking techniques may be exactly what the Pro Bowl needs.

Delusional ball

Klieg lights beam through his iris as his shoes cement in hardwood

Sweat gallops down the bridge of his nose reminding him of his bruised sternum

Knees feeble but his mind full of ardor

A wobbling effort towards the 15-foot landmine

Screams, chants and taunts dressed as a trivial distraction 

Everyone feverishly awaiting the outcome of his shots

But he has already painted this ending

The finale scripted by every kid in a gym

Swish, game tied

His rigorous training and preseason sacrifices reliant now on one shot

Immortality or failure 

Just a piece of leather in his palms

A timeout is taken postulating it may amend fate

Silly assessment in his eyes but understandable

30-second break to revive the tension on his shoulders

No words from his coach, just a look as he staggers back out

The pain from his feet thicken as his blisters swell

His fingers numb as he clinches the ball again

No superstitious routine, just a simple heave of the rock

This attempt much more meticulous than his first

His jaded arms rise as he aligns his elbow

Never a fan of observing the trajectory

This one merited a slight glance

The crowd flummoxed over his premature celebration

He walks to his bench as a Giant with his chest broad 

Swish

Game over

Then a tap on his back shoulder

“Hurry up. Practice is about to begin”

Tiger Woods is back at it again (Video)

Just add this to the extensive list of memorable Tiger Woods' commercials. Life (sports world) simply is just better when Woods is relevant.

Behind the Scenes: La Salle's Sweet 16 journey

Great behind the scenes footage of my alma mater, La Salle University.
Next victim, Wichita State.