Sports the Mental Game. 2

There have been professionals criticized most recently for their off the field actions but with the onslot of attention given to athletes and their actions now there seem to be college players at risk. Is this shocking? It should not be. The problem or problems are not for those that make the bigger dollars or those that are in a major media market or even those from a hard background. These problems are human and therefore societal at its core.
A recent successful and seemingly troubled college star has come under this umbrella of scrutiny and maybe punishment. Having already been under the eye of the law from other issues this individual has other incidents where he has done things not becoming of a growing and learning young man that apparently will be given riches and allowances to do as he pleases as long as he performs in his sport. This most recent incident where it is said that he made a scene while saying some less than flattering words towards women appears in isolation not to be a societal issue in sports but taking the sum of all the parts of the athletes misguided behaviors shows some real societal issues. Where is the maturation of a person having already faced troubles? Where is the responsibility of being placed in a position that you asked for? There appears to be a complete lack of and disregard for morals strong will. To those were much is given much is required. Has this been lost in today’s instant society? Or has the mental game been lost with today’s athletes? Mayne the answer is both. It has been rumored and in some cases shown to be true that many athletes, programs and institutions have looked the other way to behaviors that can be overlooked because the athlete is an asset in some profitable way. This mindset goes back further than college and even high school. Parents and family members begin to place ideals of better than in kids interested in sports by undermining their own morals and ideals when the kid is allowed to skip some homework assignment or miss a church activity or show some slight form of disrespect to some authority figure as long as the perform on the field of play. As we build athletes we have stopped building character. This process may start or not with parents but gets bigger and worse as the child grows to a teen to a young adult that has learned that their behavior does not have to mirror their peers as long as they continue to separate themselves from the average in the field. Therefore on theory stunting their growth to that same kid that never learned that actions have consequences that must be answered too.

Sports, the Mental game.

Ok, here we go.
These following weeks apparently have been hard for the public perception of today’s athletes. It’s been a week of “hard” decisions and “dissapointments” for the business of professional sports. Some major stars and pivotal pieces to teams have come under scrutiny from the legal eye due to some off the field actions. There have been domestic violence, numerous cases, and child abuse. Now there are all sorts of variables in these cases and incidents that judgements should not be made by those that were not involved but let’s look at what’s happening from a rational mental health aspect. Now the league is having to “do something” because it’s a bad look money wise. Let’s be real. A weak 2 game suspension when first hearing of a domestic abuse case (where apparently the athlete confesed to the powers that be that be actually punched the female) but wow when the media releases an actual video of the incident there is a removal of that player. Why is that? There are endorsements on the line. There are fans to loose. Why isn’t the best, most firm punishment initially handed down? It’s not all on the sleeve of the business but in the fans that will no matter what support their means of entertainment. What does that mean? Even though it’s widely, publicly agreed that domestic violence against women is bad, it’s not evil until it happens to a female in your immediate family. Your mom, your sister, your daughter etc… It means that fans want to be entertained in these trying times by their favorite athletes long as said athletes appear to be contrite to some extent. Fans have shown to be flip floppy during an individual game and root for as well as boo their favorite player from play to play long as they play, so of course a fan will acknowledge that a player has been proven to have done something wrong but they still want them on the playing field. They have become so fanatic without legs to stand on that they will not sacrifice that bit of entertainment to stand for what is right.

A societal problem is at large and showing itself in sports and watching sports. Could you support a player, a team, a league of a player that beat your sister? That beat you mother? That beat your daughter?

There is a lack of moral responsibility not only in sports but within us all at this time in our society. Selfishness and envy being at the core. Despair being close by.

These are men that their entire lives have been praised for being physical specimens among us mere mortals and being rewarded for focusing on their physical attributes and neglecting their mental growth. These appear to be kids in “Gladiators” bodies that have not been educated, have not been disciplined in the ways of the real world, have not been guided morally to not only become earning self serving men but well rounded men. All aspects of public school in all areas have been removed. Leaders in the community that helps raise the child are gone! Religion in the school system gone. Respect for and allowance of discipline in the school system gone. So at the core building stages of professional athletes we have removed the blocks to make them well rounded men and women. There is no importance of these things until there is a problem later in life when these young underprivileged athletes have been given wealth and the lack of these things have been perpetuated.

In society this issue has a lot been swept away due to a variety of reasons. There are not only professional athletes that do these things but the everyday man on the streets. What happens here? More or less we don’t know unless it happens to our immediate family and if we do then it’s barbershop talk instead of actions making sure to have been done. Why is this? Once again the same lack of for the professional athletes are possible factors. Removal of such strong character building models for young people is a problem.

With these new incidents when will mental health and character building be taken serious and made mandatory for professional sports. Starting back with public school. Real professionals made available from the bottom to the top. Make it a priority not a possible avenue that people can have access to. Athletes have to go see the trainer, it’s mandatory. They have to practice on their craft, it’s mandatory. Well it should be mandatory that they visit an on staff mental health professional. The guidelines to that are negotiable but the qct a must! First 3 years of professional career. First 3 years post career. Weekly or monthly entire career. Middle schools and high schools having actual mental health professionals on staff. Not school counselors but those playing different roles in the school and the children’s lives. Same thing for high school and college.
Giving and praising these kids for physical attributes and neglecting their overall growth and health is not their issue but our nightmare.
Let’s grow and praise our entire athlete!

Conversation started!

Marked Skin

Once it was a sign of individualism. Once it was a passage to manhood. It has been looked down on and regarded as royalty. Lets just say that it has been both good and evil. But it has always been. Today it seems more about belonging to a fad and not about belonging to yourself. Deciding what to get and when used to come with a lot of thought but it seems today that whatever the next person has is just what to get. Maybe this is the reason that it is more vilified these days than before. Some would like to believe that it is because of the popularity of the culture but I believe that the art of tattooing has been lost on not only the title but the reasoning. Why would one person get a mark on their skin because the next person has? You have to look at this the rest of your life. Maybe this is the reason for the degrading of tattooing as an artistic expression because in todays time you can have them removed if desired. Then there is the idea of covering ones entire body and for no reason. Its just everything in life, eith moderation. BUt more so the more you have then the lesser the value of the ones you have and the art and they all become more saturated.

Now to the reasoning for this post. I have been thinking about the times we live in and the ones that we see with the majority of the work in my culture. These people seem to be followers and not leaders. THese people seem to be using these tattoos the same way a scared child uses his blanky. Envision Lionis from Charlie Brown dragging around his blanky and then switch to any new popular out putting of the culture (music and sports). What you see is a group of lost, lonely and scared people following a trend and hiding there character defects behind the tough guy exterior of tattoos. They can not only have one two small or large pieces that are art but they have their entire bodies covered as to protect or hide themselves. Often I wonder what is it that they don’t like about themselves or that they like in others that they have to stretch the idea of freezing a memory in time on their skin or choosing to be art themselves. The actual act of tattooing is drawing which is art and meant to display some emotion outwardly what you feel inside. When looking at these “tough guys” it seems that they have over done It considerably. WHy so much? why so many? At some point they just begin to look dirty. There is never a mention of the meanings behind it. not that they have to but they want to be seen therefore they are open to be discussed. I say if you go all out then take a min to share the stories. or maybe discover some history behind it.

Broken Mirror

Dawn breaks and its time to start a new day. A chance for promise in a new day, a new way. Breath it in, smell the optimism in it. Inhale exhale lets go! Feet hit the floor but before the broken glass cuts your heals your thoughts have already begun to beat on you. To replay past damage, caused and felt! (When is the next nap) hurry hurry what’s this nrw normal that’s dulls your sensation?  Not the bottle to afraid of that, nothing to physically replace this inner pain. Ah ha, the boon tube. What’s the time?  Can’t miss my programs. The entire day is planned by your programs. Watching the world turn. As much as you despise the images you stay tuned in. One show to the next. That’s how you dull the pain. The way you avoid cleaning that broken glass!

Feet hit the floor but you haven’t even moved your ass of the mattress.  Thisbis getting old but its so comfortable.  So familiar. 

Stretch, move on. You don’t even want to brush your teeth in order to avoid the pieces. There every where! Some pieces sharper than others. Some big some that are just now falling some that are very small like dust but cut the deepest. As a matter of fact you know those get in deep wiggle around often become forgotten about but hurt the worst and rake the longest to heal. Your gonna have to work hard to get those out.

Shit I will wash my hands elsewhere I’m not dealing with this now. Let me ease my mind and zone out a second first. Maybe then like always you will be to distracted too much adrenaline over others lives going to feel what you see.

You know what? This box, these walls, this house can’t keep you forever. Is it really that bad? Is not repairable? 
Keep watching everyone else’s false mirror and watching life pass you by and you will never know.

Pain means your still alive. (Heard some wise people say this once) Pain means there is still a chance. But without struggle trust and believe there will be struggle!

Come on, I will go with you.  Hold your hand and when you ask help put back the big pieces, replace the small pieces and find those little irritating pieces that will inevitably show up when you clean this place. 🙂

Your not alone in this. That’s your piece of mind and your pieces in your way but  YOU DIDNT PUT THEM THERE ALONE YOU JUST LEFT THEM THERE.

Time to wake up and fix your broken bathroom mirror. That’s your reflection!  Enjoy you. No longer will you avoid the shattered pieces. Your life is yours and no one else’s. Take them out the picture. 

NICE SMILE!

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Why dosent Hip Hop/Rap grow up?

Before I start let me say that hearing complaints from the older generation about my generation and our popular music but I think it’s s time for a serious conversation and I’m going to sound like that older guy who’s generation “was the best.” Having a discussion with a few friends with varying musical tastes the topic turned to the state of rap music today and the theory that it has played a very big part in the decline of morals and negative vibe within our community.  I personally struggle with the term “our community” because I think the problem is not a black or white problem or today with its popularity a inner city or suburban problem. I believe that with the emergence of sharing and buying music online the problem is for those that like or love music and want to consume as much as possible. That is one of the problems that poisons all of the music we love from creation of said music all the way to the albums we don’t buy.
There are lots and lots of ways to continue this but let me start with the reason I am writing this. I love music of all kinds and find an attachment to hip hop but why don’t hip hop artist get old with us? Think about it. Where are your favorite hip hop artist from your youth? A friend of mine asked this question, can’t master P still rap? What about Pastor Troy Or whoever your artist would be that was popular and working hard at that time. Just because they got older does that mean they are no longer talented enough to do it or are we the problem? Did you continue to buy and support your artist or did you bootleg it and then as fads with younger rappers evolved just assimilated to the masses. I think we know the answer. As much as we complain about the state of today’s hip hip (Nas – “Hip Hopbis Dead”) we strive to want to be young and alive so we sell out ourselves and stop following and promoting our generation and just going along with what’s popular.
There are also those that say the government has a hand to play in this. Although I believe in this theory somewhat I am also aware that we all need to take responsibility in this.
GANGSTER RAP…….
Yep I have to go there too. Why is it so prevalent and why are these rappers a dime a dozen? Did gangster rap mold you and does play a part in keeping today’s music and youth held back?……………..

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Friday night Tykes?

As I am watching my first episode of this new television show Friday night tykes I am finding myself angered and disgusted with the adults over involved, the network for allowing this and capitalizing off of these kids futures and the place that our society is going. My major concerns: I have not heard anyone mention anything about education (ok there here for football) I only heard one mention of making sure the kids have fun and why Must we as a society continue to eat this sour soul fattening food from mass media that it most important to be an athlete.  Come on adults let the kids play sports for fun at this age and learn the structure of team sports and how that translates to real world but this is not professional and training them this way takes away choices that they are not wven aware of yet. Am I missing something or is there not enough evidence of young adults growing up to fast and focusing on one thing.  Pop culture has them wanting to be millionaires without the work, has them wanting to be rappers and pop musician’s with out understanding what it really takes and what you sacrifice.  More and more adults being created more violent and without being given the chance to be a kid. To have expressed and experienced the full potential of their imagination.  That itself is an evident problem with society.  No originality.  Thia show just continues to feed this cycle and we think this is ok. Give me more shows with after school fin and learning.  Lawyers taking time out to teach their profession. That lends itself to further problems in society. We will take time of our Saturday to teach kids to be hyper aggresive and physically strong but we are too tired to take them to a museum or to some creative profession that they may be interested in. Come on adults. Come on corporate companies invest in a wider future and not all in entertainment………………… TO BE CONTINUED!

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Dream

The most famous dream. Is it a dream deferred or misinterpreted? So many injustices for man kind a dream never meant so much and from the continued injustices going on not realized. With so many supposed advances in recent years a lot of us believe the dream has been achieved. Today we have a two term black president and sports and popular music is filled with black entertainers that have excelled at what they do and are living their dream. We actually believe that this is the dream.
Maybe my generations dreams are short term or just maybe nightmares cause I can not believe that this is the dream that he had in mind. Socially equal and mankind at a better place. Are we at a better place?
Has mankind learned to care for one another more?
Have we learned to accept each other and respect our differences?
Do we understand the importance of nonviolence and using our mental to the fullest?
Listening to popular Americans them he answer to the deeper meaning of the speech of the dream is NO. We seem to believe that my dream is more important than our dream. And not only that I want to constantly tell you about my life as a dream and how great it is for me. What is the problem with that? I’m really asking, what is the problem with that? The dream started out meaning so much to one person but because of its sincerity and passion meant the world….to the world!

A dream is a lot of things and can be interpreted many ways. I beleive that there are meanings trapped within our dreams that are soul is trying to relay to us. Lessons we need to learn and maybe messages to deliver. One great man shared his dream after witnessing so many wrongs and having injested all that negativity for so long. Negativity in racisim and pure hate. Unrealized potential and violence all hurt him so deep. The love in him would not could not allow him to feel that hurt for humanity and not give a rebuttal.

Thinking about that true love for one another is such a beautiful thing that it would allow someone who felt so much pain to want to offer his dream his love back to those same people and those who do not realize they need it. This love as powerful as it is is so simple and pure that it must be a natural pure love than one can witness any where in anything if they know how/where to look. Why does an abused pet find itself so open to loving the next human being without holding grudges for its species past digressions.

Now I started this because I’ve recently heard some “celebrities” say what the dream meant to them and almost everyone of them commented saying something about their personal dream. That bothers me that the ones that so many look to are so self involved and leading the next generation to be the same way. Worry about and celebrate your dream. Dont worry about celebrating mankind. I do not think this was the dream that was had. This may have been apart of it but we need to lie back down and continue to dream because we have definitely gotten up to early from such a great dream to chase material things that me self happy.

GO TO SLEEP AND DREAM FOR SOMEONE ELSE!

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2 Sides of You

How can there be 2 Sides of You?
It was all good just a week ago,
You just patted me on the back when I was down.
You just shared what seemed to be pieces of your real life with me.
Expressing personal stories in confidence.
We seemed to share some commom level od understanding.
That was a smile.
That was an agreement.
That seemed to be the transformation from an associate to a friend.
How can there be two sides of you?
Maybe having two sides makes you feel powerful.
Maybe having two sides gives you comfort.
Maybe having two sides allows you the piece to swallow your meal because you feel that its required to be what the mirage of your two sides shows you.
Shows you when you look in the mirror.
How can there be two sides of you?
This week I don’t recognize you.
I’m not familiar with you but I’m more aware of you!
If I could stand you I’d need to keep you closer.
But this side of you lets me know that you could care less than be familiar with me.
Your look is disguisted with me.
Your actions enendanger me.
Your no friend to me.
This side of you appears more polished, more colorless.  It has no depth.
This side of you feeds from diminishing. From pulling others to its pit of no light.
This side of you appears soulless and that frightens me.
Not for me but for you.
Well maybe a little for me because this side of you angers me to the point of rage.
Rage because I trusted that other rough, soulful side.
Rage because the soulless side seems to despise me as well as hide from me.
How can there be two sides of you?
Maybe there aren’t two sides of you. Maybe you are who you are.
I’d rather not beleive that because that means the side of you that shows the most has to be closer to the real you than everything I’ve seen and wanted to see in that comfortable side of you.
I’d like to believe that you are that soulful side. But you are not comfortable with that side, with how the world will respect that side because worldy respect means something to you.
You know what I can’t believe I’ve spent this much energy. This much time and effort on the two sides if you.
Man fuck both sides of you! I hope you love both sides of you and can live with the side you respect today.  Before you leave the comfort of your home look in the mirror and ask yourself, How can there be two sides of you?

No words needed for this Fall day

Morning dew…..