SEPTEMBER 11, 2011 TEN YEARS LATER

THIS IS A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY!

Words that sound familiuar to those of you that are old enough to know your history.... President Franklin D. Roosevelt said those same words on December 8th, 1941, to declare war on the Empire of Japan.

However, on a clear, crisp September morning, Tuesday to be exact, two airplanes, commercial airplanes for that matter, were hijacked, and flown directly into two buildings, in New York, then a thrid smasked into the side of the Pentegon and yet another flight was headed for either the White House or the Capitol, until i twas taken back by passengers who knew they were doomed!

Where were you when you heard the word, or saw the images? What were you doing? What did you feel?
We ask our parents or grand parents how they felt when they first heard that the Japanese had attacked those Naval Ships that were moored in the Harbor, and we saw images of the plumes of smoke bellowing from the hulls of the great battle ships, the USS Arizona listing, then sinking, the USS Oklahoma capsizing and loosing all that life that were on board or shot and killed by straffing aircraft.

This was different-- this was not war, this was innocent lives that were taken, they had not taken an oathe to protect or defend our nation against all enemies, foreign or domestic, they were just people going about their lives, going to work in Lower Manhattan, in two office towers that stretched into the sky! They were secretaries, lawyers, accountants, diamond brokers, just every day people doing what they do, day in and day out. They were passengers on aircraft, going to business meetings, or seeing family, or whatever took them to the destination they were choosing to go. They were pilots, and flight attendants who were in charge of taking care of those passengers. They were Policemen, and Firemen who were asked to protect and to serve the public in New York, they lost their lives as well when the two towers were dropped after those two aircrafts smashed into them.

The military was attacked as well at the Pentegon, when the third airplane smashed the side of the outer ring, our leaders were being protected, we had no idea what else was about to happen.

I was living in Lufkin, Texas, and for 18 and half hours, we were on the radio trying to bring calm, just to another portion of the country, to assure them that we were going to be safe, at least for that portion of the state.

We had politcal leaders on the air with us, to talk to the community, and to try and make some sense of all of this, even though no one knew any information, we had no idea who was actually behind the attacks, we had no idea if there were going to be more, or if this wave of terror was it for the day. The sounds outside our radio station in Lufkin, Texas was absolutely quiet. No sounds at all. No cars on the roads, no airplanes flying overhead, and the talk was in hush tones.
Remembering that during the first moments, when word came to us that a plane had struck the first World Trade Center building, we all thought the same thing, "Oh the tragedy!" That someone had mis-calculated, and flew his plane into the building, then we saw how much damage was casued by the plane, and it wasn't long after that, while watching live television, we see a second plane smash into the other tower, and the person who i was on the air with, and eveyrone in our office said the same word at the same time-- TERROIST!

From that moment forward, our lives changed, some for the better, others, not too sure how that worked out, but none the less, we found out quickly, that once again, a sleeping Giant had been awaken, and those who were responsible for this were hunted, and back on May 1st, the proclaimed leader of the attackes Osama Bin Lauden, was killed by an elite team of Navy Seals, only to have lost their lives not too many weeks ago themselves when they were shot down out of the sky by another faction of terrorist.

Remembering what we were doing, what we said, what we were feeling... for me it will be the Friday of that week, when America decided that we were not going to allow this event stop our lives completely... the 14th of September was a night that was somber, it was special, it was nieghbor, friend, stranger, teacher, parent, student, athlete, stepped into a stadium, the lights were turned on, and the first strains of the National Anthem was playing... EVERYONE stood, and placed their hand over their heart, their mouths didn't sing the words, they almost shouted them-- for once those words were not just something said out of habit-- they actually had meaning... Tears streamed down faces, and arms wrapped around people to assure them that WE, as a community and as a nation were going to be ok!

Everyday since that horrible moment, we have changed our life, we have had our difficulties, we have had our differences, but the same constent theme continues.... you don't mess with America! THIS IS ONE NATION, that is going to fight back, and not be taken lightly!

To those who wear uniforms of our armed forces we salute you and applaud you for a job that at times is thankless.. and to those a little closer to home... there is a reason why you are known as the Finest and the Bravest, because you do a thankless job-- and you do it selfleshly, rushing into harms way at times, protecting and serving us so no harm comes to us!
We will ask for G-d to bless those who need comfort on this day of rememberance, and to our country to keep her strong, and to keep our protectors as strong!

Just a thought!

What a Tangled Web We Weave!

It starts with a single drop of a pebble into the water and we watch the ripple affect.

That’s what is happening with the Big XII… or TEN or whatever you wish to call the conference these days.

The Texas A&M Aggies have informed the conference of its intentions of leaving the conference in June of 2012, and in doing so, possibly going to the Southeast Conference (SEC), and no sooner is that announced, the Pac 12 has said, they are entertaining the offer of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech to join their conference to make it the Pac 16.

NOW, that leaves teams such as Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, and Baylor to fend for themselves.

Speculation is that the Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State might go Big East or ACC. Missouri to the Big 10/12 (whatever) and that leaves Baylor- dog paddling to find a home.

This also leaves SMU, and Houston, that thought about joining the Big XII remaining in Conference USA, or maybe another conference. So what would happen if—the Big XII were to maintain Baylor as the corner stone, and bring (now hold your breath) SMU, Houston, Rice, UTEP, maybe Tulsa, Tulane, and Arkansas State into a conference of 8 teams, and call it (wait for it) The Big 8 or Southwest Conference—OH perish the thought!!

REALLY! Those who are much brighter than me, have stated that would give those schools a fighting chance to have some sort of opportunity for recruiting, and keep those schools in major markets (i.e. Dallas/Ft. Worth being the biggest, followed by Houston) How much would that help? I have no idea, other than I can’t see this working, but Bob Stoops and Mac Brown have both stated that this is about money, and making Super Conferences, and when you consider that if that happens, College Football will have to truly consider the possibility of a playoff system to crown a National Championship.

In my own opinion, I think that the temptation that the Pac 12 is offering needs to be held off, that the 10 year plan that the Big XII had put in place needs to be maintained, and bring in two more teams (and make your choices as they are), but in the end, the SUPER CONFERENCES will make the sport more convoluted, and watered down. I think that the power house teams will find out that they are going to be the top schools year in and year out, and that the also ran in the conferences will be left out in the cold.

Schools such as Vanderbilt, or Cal, that haven’t sniffed a National Championship will never make it to that tier. That they will always be looking up, and what does that get you in your conference, other than when you find them on your schedule, you mark it as a WIN. It happens year in and year out!

Look at schools such as Northwestern in the Big 10, they have gone to the Rose Bowl once in the last dozen years, or Indiana, when was the last time they played in a major bowl, what about Arkansas—how’s that really working out for you Razorbacks, when was the last time they were close to the National Championship—1969? Really? Baylor? The same—Texas A&M 1930 something? And you have a better opportunity to run the table and be in a major BCS Bowl this year than any other year—Texas is not the same team as they were two years ago, Texas Tech is getting there—Oklahoma will most likely be playing for the a Championship, maybe LSU out of SEC, and who in the Pac 12 will lead them to the promise land—USC is on probation, and in the Big 10? Take your pick…

Super Conferences might be the way of the future according to Stoops and Brown, but the facts are, it will be the same schools just different conferences, and the lesser schools will still be fighting for their lives.

The ripple affect is spreading and, it doesn’t have a ending, or if it does, it might not be a good one.

“Oh what tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive”—Walter Scott

Just a thought….

Got the Dress—forgot the Pumps!

That’s probably how Texas A&M feels about their sending the word out that they were ready to jump from the Big XII to the Southeastern Conference!

A&M pretty much feels like they could do better by going to the SEC for their sports, maybe in some capacity, but the engine that drives that car is FOOTBALL, and to be absolutely honest with you, I don’t think that the Aggies are that good to put up with the likes of Florida, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia—shall I continue… I mean over the last few years, the SEC have that crystal ball in their trophy cases, and the Big XII has a couple, with Texas being the last one to win it in 2005!

Texas A&M will tell you that its has nothing to do with the Longhorns having their own network, and that this is business.  WELL SHUT MY MOUTH and CALL ME SASSY! Ya THINK?

HEY AGGIES—ITS ALL ABOUT BUSINESS! And in the best interest of business and tradition, why would you or anyone else for that matter throw away the years of competition that the Aggies and the Longhorns have had over the last hundred years, and toss what its suppose to be about tradition and family!

Have you forgotten that in 1999 when your bonfire fell, and 12 Aggies lost their lives, what school came to your aid and threw out the hatred to wrap their collective arms around you, and felt your loss and your pain—it was the ORANGE BLOODS! YES the Texas Longhorns! Forget that this ritual of hating each other over a land deal, and remember that the competition on the field of play, be it football or basketball, or even baseball for that matter—is still about beating each other there. EVERYTHING ELSE is about taking care of our own!

You think that the Longhorns Network is not a good idea, and I can tell you, that it’s a tremendous idea, not just for the University of Texas but for the entire BigXII, why? Because when you are on the screen with them—YOU”RE Being promoted just like Texas is.  What’s the old sales adage! ANY PUBLICITY IS GOOD PUBLICITY! Schools like Texas A&M and Nebraska and Colorado, and all the others that jump their conferences for the greener pastures, don’t think about the alumni, and how they feel about their rivals.

NEW SCHOOL isn’t always the best—sometimes OLD SCHOOL has its place! You’ve must have forgotten back 25 years ago, a company thought, that by changing their formula of their product, that they would WIN over new customers! WRONG! They had to “crawfish” (look it up if you don’t understand the phrase) and go back to their ORIGINAL formula and call it “CLASSIC”… oh yeah—the product was Coca-Cola! YA THINK!?!?!?!?

I have listened to students at high schools, talk about how they don’t get the traditions at their school and why they think that they should “up-date” their traditions.  I love telling them to go up to Southbend, Indiana and tell the Fightin’ Irish to go to a GREEN HELMET! Do you really think that’s going to go over well, or tell USC to remove their sunglasses from the band!—maybe tell the Aggies to sit down during a football game that their 12^th man is no longer needed! REALLY? TRADITIONS! They are there to be handed down from class to class—from generation to generation…. HIGH SCHOOL is where you learn about keeping tradition, and College is where you learn to LIVE the tradition!

So why end the tradition of playing your rival—Texas A&M—you’ve been around since 1876—as the University of Texas was around since 1883—your rivalry is over a land deal that went sour.. 1/3 of the deal went to A&M and 2/3 went to the 40 acres in Austin, and ever since the Aggies have been wanting to “SAW THE HORNS” off of Bevo.

Hell even BEVO’s name is great folklore—as the Aggies beat Texas 13-0 and branded the steer with that score—so inventive as the Longhorns are, they re-branded the beast with taking the 13 and making it a “B” taking the dash and turning that into an “E” …putting a “V” and then taking the 0 and making it an “O” to make the name!

Instead of making the conference that harbors your rival, and others, and make it stronger, you wish to weaken it, and leave it for greener grass, that truly is not all that green! The SEC is not the answer, taking care of your business and creating something special for yourselves NOW and for the future, make your own deal, create something that your alum will be proud of, and will keep new students wanting to come to the school!

It really is that simple, for some reason, some people WANT to make it harder than it is! That’s how you keep things going, you don’t like what Texas has done with ESPN—then make something happen for yourself! OU is on the verge of doing something for themselves, we already know about Notre Dame, and their deal with NBC- so why not, get together with FOX SOUTHWEST HOUSTON or FOX SPORTS, or who knows who else and make your own foot print! QUIT CRYING about what someone else has done—and improvise, adapt and overcome—hell you’re an institution that still have the Corp of Cadets! You claim to be the SPIRIT OF AGGIELAND! PROVE IT!

Prove you have a spirit—instead of picking up your toys and running off at the drop of the hat—and stop crying wolf!

You’ve done been told NO by the SEC for now, but truth is, you’ll get over what Brother has done to your G.I. Joe and get back to doing what you do best—play the game and educate your students and make them the future of our society!

Just a thought!

Pro Football Hall of Fame!

This weekend—the Pro Football Hall of Fame will induct players into the hallowed halls, and welcome them with their gold blazers and send them their Hall of Fame Rings for presentation in stadiums when the time comes.

The class of 2011 will have members entering that played the majority of their playing career with one team, and there are others that played with several teams… one in particular, the one man who can lay claim to have played in a Super Bowl and a World Series in the same year, he was able to change the game to a degree with offenses changing the way they throw the ball, or keep him away from the intended receiver, and with one phone call on a September day in 1994, he came to a team with a Star on the Helmet, and Stars that already were on the team, and just one more made it complete!

Neon- Deion Sanders! PRIME TIME! The man from Florida State, came to the Dallas Cowboys and propelled them to a Third Super Bowl Championship in four years, with a win in Super Bowl XXX over the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was after his former team the San Francisco 49ers beat San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX (too many X’s and not enough O’s)… so now Deion has TWO rings—and now has a Hall of Fame entrance to boot!

So what’s next? Does he enter the “RING OF HONOR” at Cowboys Stadium, interesting debate, only in the fact that Sanders has already stated that he is not interested in the Ring, and that he believes that it should be held for those who have played there their entire career! Politically correct statement from Sanders—however did he not provide for this team another Super Bowl Victory? Similar to that of Charles Haley, or Tony Casillas both of whom came to this team from others, Haley- from the 49ers and Casillas from Atlanta, and both contributed in major ways for the Cowboys to secure three Super Bowl Trophies!

So are they deserving of a place of honor in the Ring? Just wondering… personally speaking the ones that are missing from the RING today—Drew Pearson, other than having a problem with management some time ago—I would think that time heals all wounds… why is he NOT in the Ring so far? Good Question Mr. Jones… others that belong, why is Charlie Waters not in the Ring, why is Jay Novacek not in the Ring— Why not Everson Walls (just his gift of life for Ron Springs should be a huge reason, as well as his rookie accomplishments) However even with all these other names—the one that is missing is PEARSON! Number 88! The Original—the man on the other end of Roger Staubach’s Hail Mary pass in Minnesota in 1975… the man that caught Clint Longley’s MAD BOMB against the Redskins on a Thanksgiving Day—and the man that caught the game winning pass from Danny White in 1981 to send them to the NFC Championship game against the 49ers and when you look at that game- Danny White almost pulled that one off with Pearson leading the way!

Now with all of that, WHY is he NOT in the Ring? Mr. Jones? We can’t hear you! You’re not saying much—you’re not responding, only to say that it is a committee decision and that committee is ONE person—YOU! Isn’t it about time to burry the hatchet and put Drew Pearson into the Ring of Honor!

Just a thought!

The Big XII that’s really the BIG X

“X” sometimes marks the spot, and sometimes it misses the mark by a mile!

In this case, the Big XII Conference is made up of 10 teams, since both The University of Colorado and Nebraska have jumped the conference and made their way to be a part of two other conferences. 

By now you know the story, but for those of you that need a refresher course, here is the “Readers Digest” condense version.

Both of those aforementioned schools left the “12” to join, in Colorado’s case, the Pacific Athletic Conference—also known as the PAC 10 and now is the PAC 12… Nebraska joined the BIG 10 which really is the Big 12, but since that name was already taken—they will keep the title of “10” and let the BIG XII keep the “12” even though neither conference can count—AND this is suppose to represent the HIGHER education system of our country! REALLY? They can’t even count! How would “THE COUNT” of

Sesame Street

feel about that??? HMMMM????

Alright enough of the sarcasm…. The truth is, this is the time of year that coaches, and players, all gather in one location, and become a part of the circus that the media creates for two days in a hotel in Dallas.

All 10 teams come here with a choice players, and their head coach, their Sports Information Director (also known as a “SID”), and an entourage of people to handle their people! WHEW!

Each coach and player all say the same thing, because the same innate question gets asked to every single person that sits in front of the camera or microphone. And the same answer pretty much is given verbatim!

“How do you feel about the conference schedule, where you play everybody in the conference?”  REALLY? That’s the best you can come up with? This is what you got your degree in, and this is the best you can ask? TWELVE players and coaches stepped in front of the same group of cameramen and reporters and that question was asked to each and everyone one of them! That was original… or the other favorite one was asked to every University of Texas player..” Which is a bigger rivalry—The Red River Shootout (Texas vs. Oklahoma) or the Thanksgiving game with A&M (Texas A&M)?” Are you serious man????? Please.. any person who has stepped inside the Cotton Bowl on the second Saturday of October, and stood in the tunnel before they run you out onto the field, there you are standing shoulder to shoulder with the person you’re about to go into battle against, for the next three hours, 90 thousand people, screaming at the top of their lungs, half bathed in Crimson and Cream, the other half in Burnt Orange and White and right down the middle of the 50 yard line is the RED RIVER (metaphorically speaking)… the hair on your arms and the back of your neck just stood up because of the chills of this football tradition! No where can you match that intensity, maybe Army vs Navy, maybe Michigan and Ohio State, but truly…. Seriously… TEXAS v OU! Nuff said!

Then there’s the other game, the one that was brought on because of a land deal, the burning desire deep with in those who wear Maroon and White, the one’s that, once upon a time ago, showed that burning desire, by burning a Bonfire to prove that hatred! The Fightin’ Farmers, the Aggies of A&M! Now this game is based on pure, un-adulterated HATE!

Texas vs Texas A&M, the only two schools, who’s fight songs actually make reference to each other with in the lyrics, the rivalry is so rich in tradition, that when the tragedy of 1999, the fall of bonfire, and 12 Texas A&M Students were killed, the half time show alone, there was not a dry eye in the house, when the University of Texas marching band, showed that its one thing for the two schools to talk trash, but when it comes right down to it, the brotherhood of those two schools reaches well beyond the hatred.  The Longhorn band played Amazing Grace, they lowered their flags in homage, and a collective, wrapping their arms around their rival to let them know that they were there to help them heal when it counted most.

The RIVALRY—THE GAME! Texas vs A&M, whether its in Kyle Field or Darryl Royal Memorial Stadium, the sounds, the decibel level, the color—the tradition!

Now after reading all of that, which game is bigger???? REALLY? That’s the best you can come up with, with all the degrees of journalism in one room—those were the best questions to come up with?

You really have to wonder, why our youth, the future of our world, have no clue how to do communicate-  I was watching more people texting each other, while they stood no more than 10 feet from one another, we have lost the art of talking to one another, that’s for sure, and the best questions they could come up with were about the conference schedule and which was a bigger rivalry!

As for the real answer to the best question, which was fired off to Mac Brown the head coach of Texas, when he was asked about last years 5 and 7 season, Coach Brown looked right into the eyes of the person who asked the question, and informed him, that it was his “responsibility to prepare his team to win, and when they lose, it is his responsibility for not giving them the tools or the opportunity to win”… WOW! Taking on responsibility, what a refreshing idea, no blaming, no finger pointing, just flat out, its accountability!

Players all back their coach, and they will say the same thing, but for one young man—Senior Wide Receiver Jeff Fuller out of Texas A&M stated that he grew more mature with surrounding himself with people on the Aggie Team that were older, and able to teach him how to behave, and to keep his head about him, even when everyone was telling Fuller to for go his senior year, and jump to the Pros. I would bet, that his father, Jeff Fuller Sr, might have had something to say about that, the former All Pro Defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers and former Aggie, might have had a long talk with his son, about getting more seasoning, and that the NFL isn’t going anywhere.

Every one of these men, who play in this conference all believe that the 10 team schedule will work to their advantage and the best team coming out of the conference will play in a BCS Bowl, and possibly for the National Championship if they can run the table.

For now, the press conferences continue, and the questions are the same to each player and coach, and the answers are contrived and clichéd, but all in all—Every team is optimistic, and looking forward to a fun year of college football.

It’s just a thought!

For Those Who Went Before Us!

It’s a slogan that is used by an organization called, Guns & Hoses.

Now I know you read that, and immediately thought Guns & Roses… but nope its HOSES! As in Fire Fighters!

Guns & Hoses, is an organization that raises money for families of Officers and Fire Fighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

They have been in the Greater Metroplex for the past 10 years, with their major event being a Boxing Tournament held in the fall. Law Enforcement vs. Fire & Rescue, they put on the gloves and go at it inside the squared circle. There is a trophy that is delivered to the team that wins the tournament, and bragging rights for the year!

We bring this up, because they have added all sorts of events throughout the year to continue this fundraising.

In May, they have one of the largest Golf outings that have been brought to the North Texas area, with over 400 golf teams involved, (times that number by 4 per team, and you get an idea of how many people participate in this event), this past July 16^th, they held the first Annual Pig Skin Championship at Cowboys Stadium (yes you read that right as well) where the Fire beat the Police 8-7, and again bragging rights for one year, and later they will have their Second Annual Basketball Tournament at The Dr. Pepper Center in Frisco, and then in October, the Granddaddy of them all, the Boxing Tournament.

These Officers, and Fire Fighters, along with countless volunteers, and family members put their time and efforts to bring these events to you the public, but, there’s something missing! YOU! That’s right YOU the public, need to make an effort to come out and watch and participate, and get involved. Buying the tickets, or maybe even being a sponsor of an event, and bring more awareness to this organization.

This Foundation provides for those families who have lost their loved one in the line of duty, by donating a check immediately upon word that an officer has died, they take care of their children, with funds for just buying Christmas presents, or maybe helping with college funds for the children until they reach the age of 18.

When those who choose to wear a badge go out and protect and to serve our communities, they risk their lives to protect you and me, as a first responder, we know the perils that these men and women go through. We read it about it every day in the newspapers and on our television screens.

How many times have  we seen that someone has decided to go up against a police officer, and kill them, or they were killed in a traffic accident while they were protecting someone else at the same time. We know about the fire fighters who lose their life while battling wild fires, or a house fire where someone was lost in the fire while trying to save someone else.

We sometimes take these people for granted, that they are here all the time, but when one goes down, it doesn’t matter what community, or city, we all feel the lost.

In the 1980’s the Dallas Police Department lost several officers in that decade, and at one point, the community rose to support the Department when a local Grocer sent out bumper stickers with a “THUMBS UP and BACK THE BLUE”, we turned our headlines on to show our support, and were encouraged to just gesture officers driving around town with our own THUMBS UP to let them know we are behind them!

Here is another way to show that support! Yes we are having fun, with football games, basketball games, golf tournaments, and with boxing, but all in all, we are in this together. From Ft. Worth across to Dallas, and all the communities in between, there are hundreds of men and women who kiss their loved one’s good bye on any given day, and its when they don’t come home after their shift, that we are all touched.

That’s where Gun & Hoses steps in and takes care of their own, and we as a community should embrace them and help as well!

Getting involved is not that hard, a donation, or just buying a ticket to an event, and watching someone that you might not even know, but this is such a fun way to learn about them, and once again, showing them that THUMBS UP that you are backing the Blue as well as the Red for their efforts and their commitment to taking care of US in our time of need, and it’s a wonderful gesture to say “THANK YOU”!

Circle some dates on your calendar, August 27^th, 2011, the Basketball game in Frisco, and on October 22^nd, in Mesquite at the Resistol Arena for the Boxing Tournament.  What fun you can have for not a lot of coin to enjoy the event, and get to know these men and women who put their lives on the line to PROTECT & TO SERVE you and me!

It’s a great way to say THANK YOU!

Just a thought

Trying to Make Sense of it All!

Last night at Rangers Ball Park in Arlington, a baseball game was underway, the Rangers and the Oakland A's.

Earlier in the day, the A's were informed that their former manager, Dick Williams, the man who led them to back to back World Series Championships, had passed away.

So there was already an air about the game, and somewhere in the second inning, a screaming foul ball bounces off the stands and trickles into left field, where Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers' left fielder was playing, and as he picks up the ball, fans in left field scream for him to toss it into the stands, and like any other night, in any other stadium that has a baseball game going on, the player obliges the minion, he lifts the ball into the air for someone to catch it, and for that moment, that player is more than a ball player, he is now their hero, and a bit closer to them than before.

In the case last night, as this was unfolding, the fan, a father, a husband, and a fire fighter from Brownswood, Texas, about three hours drive southwest of Dallas, leaned over the railing, and lost his balance and fell down behind the electronic score board in left field, some 20 feet to concrete. There were fans standing next to this fan trying to catch him before he went over, their effort, valiant and all, but could not hold on to him, and with his son standing next to him, watched as he landed head first onto the concrete.

The Oakland A's bullpen just feet from where this unfolded, watched the man fall, and then witnessed the rush to his aid by paramedics and other emergency people. The reports from the players were, that the man was alert, and was asking about his son, and wanted to make sure he was alright. Then they transported to a local hospital, where he succumb to the injuries.

This is like the ripple affect of the pebble falling into the water. What sort of effect does this have on those that were directly involved?

For Josh Hamilton, the man who tossed the ball into the stands, as he has done countless times while he has worn a major league uniform, needs to know that it wasn't his fault.... He has survived his demons and he has accomplished so much in his return to his major league best over the last several years. His story has been talked about by not only himself, but by others. His faith, his sobriety, his ability to overcome all that he has done to himself, his a testament to his strength in faith, and those who he surrounds himself with. How will he deal with this in his head, only he can answer that question, but more so, his teammates, and the “Ranger Family, will all be effected and must come to each others aid to deal with this.

For other fans that watched this unfold, it will be something that everyone will have to deal with on their own. They are affected, they witnessed it, they know now, from news reports and video, of this tragedy, and will take from it what they will.

Baseball, is the one sport, aside from maybe hockey and Arena Football, that you can walk out of the stadium or arena with a piece of the game that was actually in use at the time that you were able to retrieve it. Think about it, a baseball, a hockey puck, and sometimes a football are items that are used, touched by those who we consider to be special people, heroes maybe, but just the same, we are able to take it from the field, along with the memory.

I have gone to countless games of baseball, and all the while I have come close to catching a foul ball only to have bounce away from me, or caught just before it was able to reach my hands. I did fight off a ball boy for a foul ball while I was working as a photographer once... at the old Arlington Stadium

Gary Ward was at bat, and he cued ball a foul tip to the first base dug out, where the photographer's well were, and the ball boys hands reached down, and mind slid in underneath and snagged the ball. NOW this really doesn't count, because the ball boy would have given me the ball anyway after the game, but it was just the same as I was able to secure the ball, and throw it into my photographer's bag for safe keeping.

I remember my Dad telling me, when we used to go to games, (before he passed away) that the fun thing while he was growing up in New York, was to see if they could get the player to sign the ball that was hit as a foul ball or home run, I took that to heart, and took that foul ball, and had a bunch of guys sign it, old timers that played the game, they had assembled for a promotion for Upper Deck trading cards, and I was able to get Hall of Fame, and future Hall of Fame players to sign it. That ball now resides in a plastic cube in my house.

I wonder, how this baseball that was so precious to retrieve for the young son of the fire fighter, who reached over and lost his balance, and passed away, where will that wind up, and what kind of memory will be kept with it, and for a moment in the sun, the boys dad was bigger than any hero, he was THE DAD!

Just the thought is that, those involved will find strength in their faith, and surround themselves with friends and family, and to get through this horrible moment, and find that the sun will rise again, and it will continue to do so, and that the game of baseball can, and will serve as a reminder that there is still good things to enjoy! But for now, we will remember, and hope that they will be alright!

Just a thought!