The Beginning of Twenty Questions

I have recently been approached about many different questions involving sports on the local scene, but also the mainstream athletic spectrum's that are viewed on the television sports channels. I am going to express my opinions, which are my correct answers, I don’t need to poll the audience, go half and half or even phone a friend, my response is my final answer, and that is a no-doubter, Regis.

What do you think of the implementation of the new NCAA football rules, on taunting, wedge blocking and eye black messages?

First off, the taunting rules will be abused until they are enforced by each and every officiating crew. I totally agree with the taunting penalty being implemented if the actions are displayed during the scoring play or big defensive play, but in dead ball situations, the rule hasn’t really changed. Showboats will still be showboats, the look at me crowd will never die. Speaking of showboats, what started out as a religious or personal devotion on the eye black patches has become just another way to get your point across, instead of Tim Tebow’s ‘John 3:16’ or Reggie Bush’s ‘619’ offerings, but Buckeye Terrelle Pryor’s ‘Mike Vick’ was just out of left field and uncalled for. My only thought on the outlawing of wedge blocking is, when during fall two-a-days camp are they going to hand out the flags and velcro belts?

How many volunteers does it take to run a successful track and field meet?

Throughout the years of my athletic career, which hasn’t spanned nearly as long as many track and field enthusiasts that are still finding a place leaning on the fence to watch high school athletes perform to the best of their abilities. I have seen examples that have been very successful throughout the years; where townspeople, students, teachers, and/or visiting school officials are scheduled to assist in the running of the meet. The amount of workers all depends on the number of participants competing, but to run off a meet smoothly, there are always volunteers needed, that step in when help is needed with no questions asked, they just notice the need for help. A prime example would be at the recent Dawson County Track meet in Lexington a current coach and a former Activities Director, now coaching; stepping in and providing needed help without evening asking if they could help, this is just one of the reason that these individuals have been a success as a parent, coach, activities director and mentor to young athletes in the TRIBUNE-area.

Thank you to all the volunteers that allow athletic events to happen, and go off smoothly for all participants.

“I need privacy. I would think that because what I do makes a lot of people happy that I might deserve a little bit of respect in return. Instead, people try to drag me off my pedestal.” Jim Carrey

How many people think that they have lived a perfect life have never, ever done anything wrong? The people that thought they were undefeated and always right, just had a defeat,; at some time in all of our lives, we have done something incorrectly and it has made us stronger, thus the phrase, “Live and learn.” We make mistakes and maybe a couple hundred people are informed of our misfortunes, but how about sports stars and heroes that make mistakes, millions, and billions of people find out about their brain cramps or defeats, whether it is in competition or in their private lives. In each and everyone of our private lives, we have secrets that are never shared, but that is not possible for sports stars, the skeletons in their closets glow in the dark.

Sports stars tend to be placed under a microscope, no matter if they are in season, out of season, at home or in competition. The lifestyle that Mr. Eldrick “Tiger Woods” had been living was not up to par with many ethical and morally correct critics. According to the statistics, above 50 percent of people in this world will have affairs during their marriage. Wait a minute, does that mean that there are many people that have similar private lives as Tiger, but haven’t gotten the press for their infidelity efforts? Tiger is such a glory hog.

Infidelity reports have been linked to many sports stars, almost too many to name, they come from all walks of life. The constant variable in each sports stars extramarital actions are the partner in crime, in most instances they aren’t labeled as model citizens. Who is the individual that gets the bulk of the criticism, remember, "It takes Two to Tango." Professional sports leagues warn about the reactions and effects of actions, but then again you can lead a horse to water, but the horse has to drink on its own.

The ways of the ancient world have gone ballistic, not many one-on-one conversations occur in sports. The computer age has taken over with Twitter, Facebook and/or Blogging and the use of cell phones, etc. There have been instances that coaches and athletes discuss via text messaging or email about issues that would be much better solved in person. The toughness of people destroying the privacy of athletes, whether amateur or professional is happening at a rapid pace, it is quite easy for people to hide behind their keyboards and express hatred towards other people via email, text and/or instant message, this all happens on athletes personal, supposedly private phone numbers, accounts, etc. The madness that ensues with the playing of the NCAA basketball tournament each and every year isn’t just with the upsets, but with the people that become irate because, “one-player” didn’t play well and cost the individual the shot to win their office pool and the displeasure is expressed via a cyberspace attack on the athlete. Cry me a river, because your feelings and displeasure will subside. The athlete will, “Live and learn,” if you let them, live their own private life.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: In track and field, what is the shortest race not run in lanes?