Former athletes at the pulpit

This post is more of a curiosity factor for me. I'm not here to judge anyone, just simply curious. I've been researching pastors who were former athletes, and the increase in their congregation size upon arrival at whatever church their involved in. There has been a significant increase in attendance and money earned. Do you think this is due to the actual sermons being preached or simply the fame that has entered the building? Granted, many of the sermons may be warm and heartfelt, but I know if I were head of a church that needed to pick slack up, why not recruit a star? I've had the opportunity to listen to Deion Sanders (one of the most conceited football players ever), who I actually admired growing up, give a sermon to a congregation. Let me just say football is his avenue. The building was packed full and the "Amens" were reaching other countries, but it was not a type of sermon you would expect with such a crowd.
This doesn't mean famous athletes have no right to be a religious leader, but I must say if they do, it has to be for the right reason. Listening to good ol' Deion was very entertaining for me. He is an amazing and talented football player, but I wasn't feeling what I look forward to feeling when awaiting a spiritual message. This has made me grateful for the individuals who have inspired me throughout my life. They aren't people who have acquired worlwide fame, they are just humble individuals looking to touch the hearts of those who genuinely want to hear. This teaches us a great lesson that spiritual and uplifting things can come from any single alley of life. It doesn't have to be from a celebrity. When you sincerely want to know truth or become inspired, Your higher power will deliver it to you in whatever way they see fit.

Sports: A major cause of the misconception of women in the work field

I hope the beginning of this blog doesn't throw any women off for a loop (I'm actually on your side here):

The other day I was having a conversation with my sister. It was about men and women in sports. Quickly into our conversation I was called a "sexist." Now my immediate reaction was shock because I had a good point, but when I would retract what I said, I can see she was just sticking up for her girls. I do not believe I am a sexist though, and she knows I'm not. I did grow up with a house full of just girls, and have come to truly appreciate the value and worth of a woman in this world. That outlook has only intensified since my marriage to such an amazing wife!

Our conversation was triggered by watching a brief highlight of a womens basketball game. I tend to speak whatever is on my mind to my wife and sisters. I had made the comment that it's a lot more fun to watch the guys play. I made mention that they are more athletic and the game is much faster. My sister immediately then made the "sexist" comment. I told her it's only true. In every single sport the men showcase a little more speed and athletic ability than the women. Even in the sports labeled as women's sports: Figure skating, gymnastics, dance, etc..... I made sure that my point wasn't to demoralize the woman; I was just simply making a statement. I still mentioned the fact that those women could destroy me in whatever sport they specialized in, but when it came to the best woman and man in that sport, the man would showcase the most ability.

This brought me to my next point that I firmly believe is taking place. It involves a true case of misconception and misunderstanding of women. There are probably many that may disagree with me on the above statement about women vs. men in sports, but it's true. However, many people have carried the women vs. men ability in sports, into the work field. This is where I step in and say it's completely wrong. Sports have been a big part of my life and is a major passion of mine, but I've seen the hurt and misconception it's brought into the workforce. Many have come to overlook the ability of women. If there were a basketball tournament going on and a big prize was involved, I'd obviously pick men to be on my team, but that doesn't mean I'd pick a man over a woman in the workforce. Some of the most talented and productive individuals in the workforce are women. Thank goodness for those women who still understand and know the influence they can have on this world. Unfortunately there are many women out there who have fallen prey to the insane assumption that a man is greater than a woman, and therefore are slowly deteriorating their own self worth. The other day I needed a tutor for 2 of my classes. As I looked around, I saw that 4 of the 5 tutors were women. They offered tremendous advice and tools to help me for my finals. It was a reaffirmation of the equal talent we share as human beings, and not as men and women. If I could send a message out to all corporations across the world, it would be to heavily incorporate women in the field. Too many people are participating in gender discrimination and it is killing our society. It's not only men to women but vice versa. We are all created equal and bring different talents and skills to the table. Who cares what gender you happen to be, you have a purpose and a special selection of talents and they are needed in this world, so let's use them!

Fame and money make you a walking target

I just got done watching sportscenter and as always something stuck out to me. Most of the time it's a dazzling highlight by an all-star player, or an outstanding performance from a team. But today the most recent news on Ben Roethlisberger (Roth-lis-burger) stuck out to me. Ben Roethlisberger, also known as Big Ben, has been accused of sexually assulting a 20 year old college girl at a night club in Georgia. Several months ago he was also accused of raping a woman and has denied both claims. Now I'm not here to give my opinion on what I think he did, or to judge his actions in any way. It's just not my spot to do that, and zero evidence has been laid out yet. The reason I'm writing on this topic related to him is becuase it has to do with my title and my reasoning behind it, particularly with athletes. The picture above clearly depicts the point I am trying to make.
Ben Roethlisberger is not the only man in trouble with sexual assault. It's an ongoing occurence that continuously happens everyday. But the cases where athletes or celebrities are involved are usually the ones that are blown up and made bigger then the everyday ones. Whether Big Ben really committed these crimes or not, I can't imagine how frustrating it is to see such a horrific broadcast about himself that the world now has access to.
Many other athletes have been in the same situation. Some have proven to be falsely accused and others were simply caught. I'm not one to immediately judge someone of a mistake they commit. Particularly with athletes. However, there are many famous men who sleep around with other women becuase it has just become a part of their life. Many think it's the "pimp" game and figure the more women you sleep with, the more of an "OG" you are. Some have never thought they would fall into such a trap of immorality, but fell into temptation, and now find themself stuck. There are many women out there who have very little respect for themself, and becuase of that self-disrespect, claim themselves as hunters, and are searching for their prey. Why? Think about it. Take Kobe Bryant for example. He makes around 22 million dollars (give or take) a year. If there is an attractive woman who has little concern for her welfare and desires to just sleep around with men, is she going to find a homeless man around the corner? (maybe if she's desperate enough), but in reality, NO! She won't even settle for a middle class man with a decent income. She might as well go for the big fish in the game becuase in her mind she has it figured out that sleeping with a famous man may get her good money. But, a pregnancy is even better! If a woman were to get pregnant from a Kobe Bryant type player, she'd be getting anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000 a month! Most likely it would be towards the higher amount. It's no wonder the Colorado scandal happened with Kobe Bryant. I think that woman was studying her child support calculator. It's clear that there are thousands of athletes who can make a millionare out of a sly and sneaky woman. I don't mean to label all women who have kids with athletes like the prior example, but that is the group who is working the hardest. Here are a group of phenomenal athletes in their sport, who have fallen into the trap of illegitimate children:

Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets- Five children with four different women
Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams- Six children with at least four women
Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens- Six children with multiple women
Antonio Cromartie, San Diego Chargers- Seven children with multiple women
Travis Henry, Buffalo Bills- 9 kids by 9 women. All of this by 28.
Evander Holyfield - 9 illegitimate kids. Has more kids than brain cells left.
Shawn Kemp- 7 illegitimate kids by 6 women.Supposedly up to 11 kids by 9 women now.

It's not a surprise that almost all these men are struggling financially, because every one of them pays a sick amount of child support.

I admire all athletes who can stay away from such a disgusting trap, and continually minimize the targets on their back. I don't hate or despise those who do fall into the trap, but I just wish that they could use their brains a little bit more. This is just an example of this occurence on a larger scale, but it can't happen at any level. What I used was an extreme example, but is still very true. However it still applies to every single person. You must watch your back and properly judge the intentions of others. Whether your the popular boy or girl at high school, the captain of your sports team, the owner of a successful company, or even just a regular civilian going about your business. There are so many rotten and shameless people out there who will target you for the very wrong reason. Many are told not to judge, and I agree with that statement to a certain point. But those who have never used their judgement are perfect examples of why we do need to judge at the appropriate times. Your heart is your greatest tool of how you should carry yourself and approach any given situation. If you are in the right state of mind and living your life to the fullest, your judgement should be no concern. But if you are setting yourself up for a failure or temptation by putting yourself in the wrong atmosphere at the wrong time, then your judgement becomes cloudy, and you may fall subject to a lifestyle that so many are suffering from right now. Live the life you know is right, slowly minimize your target, and eventually remove it off you.

Is knowledge really power?

My mind has been constantly occupied by one question recently: Is knowledge really power? This question has been on my mind because of a comment I heard from a group of "nerds"(I'll explain why I call them that). I was eating a quick lunch before heading to class as I happened to stumble upon a conversation these fellow colleagues of mine were having. It was impeccable timing on my part! They were having a discussion on athletes, and how undeserving they are of possessing power. I happen to be an athlete myself so this discussion was of great interest to me. I decided to get comfortable, and that sandwich I was ready to scarf down was no longer a necessity. I was going to take all the time in the world to eat my food and hear what these "intelligent" individuals have to say.

I obviously can't remember every word of the conversation but I can definitely remember the content. The statement that stuck out to me the most came from a young woman who said, "I can't stand jocks!(that's why I call them nerds). She went on expressing her feelings by saying, "they think they are so powerful, but they don't know anything! Knowledge is supposed to be power, and they don't know anything, so why are they so famous and have so much money?" I decided to keep my cool and avoid any confrontation, so I kept my composure and continued listening. The group continued to ramble on about how everyone needs to stop admiring athletes, or people who don't go to school, and should start looking up more to those individuals who complete many years of school and earn every dollar they receive because of their education. Now I can see can see where they are coming from, but I can completely disagree on another one of their points.

When answering the question is knowledge power, one has to define what power is first. It is clear that the young woman thought money and fame is what gives you power. That is completely false! It is a rotten misconception that so many have fallen prey to believing. Yes, there are many powerful individuals who could use benjamin franklins as toilet paper, but that is not what makes you powerful. And fame is just a result of power, but not everyone who is famous is powerful. So what makes someone powerful? Knowledge is the answer. But it's not the knowledge that the young woman at the table, and many other humans believe. There is admiration to be found in those who highly value their education and devote all their time to learning and gaining knowledge. But if that was the only way to have power, than there would be very few role models. It takes more than just attaining knowledge. The difference maker is how someone uses their knowledge. If you were to look at anyone today and throughout history that is known as a powerful person, not only did they have knowledge, but they knew exactly how to use their knowledge. This principle is analogous to a bank account. If one were to save up and store all the money they receive into a savings account and never touch it, what good is that money? Or if one were to store up money for a period of time and just blow it on something useless, what good is that money? Knowing how to spend money is what separates the rich from the wealthy. The rich have all the money but very rarely know what to do with it. It is the wealthy individuals who know exactly what to do with their money.

Here is a list of several individuals who are powerful in my eyes:
-Albert Einstein
-Andrew Jackson
-Princess Diana
-Bill Gates
-Walt Disney
-Thomas Edison
-William Shakespeare
-Bill Cosby
-Malcolm X

You may wonder what made me pick out these individuals? I could've listed many more people, but these great human beings all have something in common. Every single one of them dropped out of school. From elementary to high school. There are many more that could fit into this group but for the sake space and your time I will spare the list. This is just to prove to those who fall into the misconception of believing that following the outline of educational progression to the T is the only way you'll become someone of great power or influence, is not always the case.

Michael Jordan is an extremely powerful man. Many people(once again, like my friend at the table) may feel Michael is undeserving of such power. But he proves he has knowledge. He may not have read and mastered every textbook throughout his education, but he has knowledge in his craft. It is knowledge that the regular basketball player doesn't have or is aspiring to attain. It is the knowledge he has in his art that makes him great and powerful. Bill Gates sits at the top of one of the worlds largest monopolies not because he got his degree at harvard, but he has mastered the knowledge necessary for his field. Even Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G are men of great power in their field. So to my friends who entertained me with an unexpected experience at lunch, I thank you for making me engulf myself in one of the most profound statements out there. So with all respect to the founder of the quote, may I add my two cents and say that: Knowledge is power....IF you use it right.

Will America forgive Tiger?

What perfect timing to express my feelings on the recent apology of Tiger Woods on national television. My first post was on how confession will bring forgiveness. In that example I was specifically speaking of steroids. However, I made it a point that it applies not only to illegal substances, but anything, including infidelity. Now some may probably think I'm contradicting myself after Tiger's apology, but I still stand 100% behind my point. There will always be a group of the "unforgiving" who could care less about a public confession. Even though millions found it in them to forgive A-Rod of steroid abuse, there is still a large amount who will never forgive him. The same applies to Tiger.
In the beginning of his apology he said, "everyone has the right to be critical of me." And many have taken advantage of that. Since his apology, I've heard countless opinions on Tiger's sincerity and I respect every single opinion. In return, I hope mine is respected. So here it is:
I've watched his entire interview 5 different times. Each one for a reason.

1st- Live. Just wanted to listen
2nd- His body language and gestures
3rd- Counting how many times he looked down
4th- Understand his targets for the apology
5th- Listen to the word usage and tone of voice

The first encounter was interesting. I pulled out plenty of observations but it was too much to come to any conclusion of my final judgement. From his body language I only pulled out one gesture in the 14 minutes. He put his hand on his heart. Every other word expressed had his hands on the pulpit. Counting the number of times his head went down was a big surprise. To be exact I counted 200 times he looked down at his paper and back up! That means he averaged looking down every 4 seconds. While apologizing he made it a point to say sorry to his family, friends, fellow golfers, sponsors, fans, parents of children, and himself. So basically, everybody. And my last time listening I came to the conclusion that he used weird words and emphasized words at weird times. I also found very little emotion in his overall apology and it just seemed robotic. With all this said and observed, many may think I throw the bull crap flag on Tiger. But even with all the negativity I can pull out, I forgive him! I'm sure my forgiveness means nothing to him. He doesn't even need my apology! But he publically asked for it, so I might as well give it. Yes, he could've improved on so many aspects. In my opinion, he should've written down bullet points, and then expressed his feelings on the spot, giving him a chance to show a little more emotion. He could've been better with the body language and the word usage. He could've taken questions for a little bit. He could've cried. He could've looked directly into the camera more. He could've done so much more, but he didn't. And guess what? Who cares! Tiger may be different than many people. He just may not be that emotional. Yes he may show extreme emotion on the golf course, but that's a completely different emotion at a completely different stage. We're all the same as well. We have some emotions that our stronger than our others. The best thing Tiger did was to repeat over and over that the personal issues are between him and his wife. He did his part in apologizing and we should do our part in accepting it, or at least believe in him. We have very little room to criticize the way he speaks or looks and base our judgement solely on that. If he happens to fall prey again to such an immoral act, then there's room for questioning his integrity. But for now, I feel it's the best to just give him a chance and believe that he can improve. He's the most dominate ahtlete in his sport on this earth, and there's a lot on his plate. I enjoy watching him in his craft and I know that my acceptance of his apology may have little, if any, meaning to him. But with the help of millions of people on the earth in believeing, we can help restore feelings of confidence, hope, and excitement back in the life of a HUMAN BEING who makes mistakes, just as we do.