An Eventful week...I tellyuh: A MUST READ!

Greetings, and so another week has passed and I find myself back on my blog having even more experiences than the week before.Where shall I start...hmmmm well lets go with something on last week and the Board of Trustees beef between two women.  So the "significant" woman held a conference and said that she would give more money and told the State (a la the Woman in charge) to match it, in my translation she is emphatically saying "nah b%&*$, put up or shut up".  Ok ok...on to other news SPORTS why don't we and so the state flagship schools bball program loses 4 players in 12 mos...ok obviously I'm not in a position to express what I want however I wanted to dive into the dynamics of these transactions, now being a former student athlete my interest is always vested into the players and the program.  Don't get it misconstrued I completely understand the business of college athletics and the prevalent challenge of education vs athletics (been there done that).   I digress I personally don't like the moves because ultimately these type of decisions (attrition) effects both parties, you ask how?   Well lets look at it most kids (98%) come to school with ambitions and dreams of playing professionally (school in most cases is secondary) so by making these transitions you ultimately lose a year and a real sense of where your "dream" is headed.  Now on the flip side it hurts the institution because the perceived idea is to educate the athletes and W/L are some what subjective.  The reality of the matter is transitions happen to every school across the country however this happened all at once (which is like finding a Lebron James that wants to come to school = rare).  In the realm of public opinion none of this looks good for the coaches, players, or the program.  So in my current capacity I continue to try to educate these kids on the business of sports.  See many of them figure no responsibilities (which is a joke your responsibility is to get good grades and WIN!) and they also figure they aren't getting paid so they can't conceptualize (at 17-20 yrs old) that this indeed is a job.  So what I tell them is you have to really understand and bring this thing to reality (you essentially get paid 100k/yr - housing, books, per diem, clothes/gear, meal plan).  Now once these "kids" understand that college sports like being a regular student is in place to prepare you for the NEXT LEVEL in which being a Pro means you manage your money, your bills, you day to day activities so at this time you must conduct yourself like what you want to eventually be.  In other words if you want to be a pro....act like one (study film, extra practice, play the social and media role).  So those are my surface feelings because I truly wish I had someone during my experience to take me under their wing and say look "screw all that other stuff"  if you want to make it this is how you do it (and I don't mean the general yada yada you get from coaches).  I mean someone sitting me down on a regular and saying YOU have unbelievable potential however, in order for you to make it you will have to A, B, and C.  I know you want to party, meet girls, and blah blah all the time you spend doing that instead of honing your craft and learning the "GAME" (on and off court to position oneself) to do what you say you want and that is to make it to NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL,  or what have you, no one did that so I feel like it is my duty to impart that information (not saying that no one is doing it I'm just saying).   For the sake of time I will leave the rest of my thoughts for questions if anyone has any.


Nah to other news...I yes ME went out this past weekend with my best friend, frat brother, and business partner.  Now we simply went to a WANG and DRANK establishment (I will not market or anyone else hahaha) and did some catching up and to discuss our future ventures.  Of course we have a wonderful blueprint in line that we started 4 years ago however in the capital city "metropolitan" city at that with a mediocre and not to stretch the imagination seemingly pathetic social night life for adults (ages 25+).  Now I understand that this "city" is a college town which I whole hardily enjoyed when I was 18-22.  Nah at 31 I can't pull myself to go to those same establishments so I'm regulated to WANG and DRANK places (during basketball, football seasons) which is ok.  I digress...we have analyzed this market for quite sometime now and have our thoughts on how to boost the social and economic landscape without changing the identity of the place (its the south - I will not elaborate), so we had a novel idea since we rarely get together to really hang out anymore to try to take our talents to a "night spot" (which will remain nameless even after what I will say).  So we get to the place and (with it being one of 3 places you can really go in the CAPITAL) and get checked at the door for our attire, mind nah (chas. voice) we are both casually dressed (jeans, button down shirts, and casual sneakers) and the Security guy says y'all shoes look like sneakers (Good observation sir because they are but they aren't bball shoes or willies) and proceeds to tell us we cannot get in.  At this moment another guy walks up (long tee shirt, bubble vest, baggy cargo pants, and some prada sneakers) and is let in with no hesitation or questioning.  So my outspoken frat brother says "man this guy just walked in and those look like sneakers" and the security refers to the doorman and the door man says "nah those are BOOTS".  I said sir those are prada sneakers (which are casual) and I lift up my pant leg and said these are no different (I'm not a materialistic person but I do like nice things I had on my Gucci casual sneaks).  Yet we still couldn't get in, so next walks up two guys with baggy jeans, polo style shirts with thermal shirts underneath and ball caps) now mind they had on Lugz or Timberlands boots but if you trying to had a "standard" it should apply equally.  So after standing there having discussion about this foolishness we decided to leave which didn't bother me that I was going home it was the PRINCIPALITIES of the matter.  Nah I will not name the place because at the end of the day they are in the business of making money and hey who am I to knock the hustle.  My lingering point is that there is no standard (and as other places shut down) due to compromising the "standard" for the dollar (many of them hearing consultation from us) learn that when we say the life span is 24-30mos. we mean just that (and it never fails).  So as I exit my soapbox I have come to the realization that when my partner and I attempt to do things and continuously get profiled i.e.  people we talk to about buildings say "We are not interested in this place being a club" we tell them you haven't even let us speak first and you are already categorizing us.  We don't want a club either (too much of a headache and if we did people wont' appreciate what we would give -just my thought) we are trying to be trendsetting entrepreneurs.  I digress....so my point is we are slowly but surely becoming more disappointed in the development of the "CAPITAL" and its vision of socio-economic diversity and or willing to try to grow and become the fruitful place it has the potential to be as we have seen other cities go from sub par to BOOMING (ATL - over 20 yrs and Char. - over 10 years) as we still lag behind content with being where we are not willing to take a chance.  I do applaud our Mayor for seeing the potential and trying to create a buzz (he has been a great mentor to us).  Maybe we are just disgruntled visionaries who have had great success with providing quality events from time to time. I don't know maybe I'm just venting...and not trying hard enough but the obstacles and folks looking thru the peephole and dead bolting doors that we can open is a bit frustrating.  ANYWAY....that's enough of my rant yall have a good day (IF YOU EVEN READ THIS FAR hahahahahaha)


Until....

Random Rambling....Good Reader tho

Ok, so it's yet another Monday and other than March Madness and the Disaster in Japan I have know clue what it goings on in the world.  On one note March Madness is one of the single best times of the year and having experienced a March run myself (NIT, not quite the tourney but hey) I know how exciting it is.  On the other hand the disaster in Japan is very very sad, I am hoping one day the world will figure out that life is too precious to fight and bicker of money, power, and respect to the point that it causes lives to be taken.  Natural disasters are fearful enough but I'm just a simple thinking guy.  SOOOOOOOO in other news I am curious to know more about the dynamics of relationships?  As I have seen many of my close friends enter and exit the institution of marriage like its college.  What exactly is this "institution"?  As a married person I have a variety of opinions that have been somewhat diluted by the fact that I grew up in a single parent home and all my friends grew up with two people in the house who subsequently half of those ended up separating.  So despite being a bit jaded, I need other opinions or thoughts. I get to hear guys vent and complain as well as women at the same rate.  Reasons range from infidelity, not getting sex enough, to simply just not "feeling" the person any longer.   I mean with the "institution" how do you properly evaluate who your spouse, gf/bf, "friend" will be? 

This post is about random things so I will jump topics completely wanted to make sure I sent a special R.I.P. to Nate Dogg (REGULATORS......MOUNT UP).  We lost a legend and I mean that in all honesty because Nate Dogg brought a new feel to hip-hop music (which I still don't think anyone can truly sing the end of Regulators) ".....to the Eastsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide Moteeeeeeeel (Staccato). 

Nah y'all know I don't get into politics at all really but I just so happen to see "our" Governor remove a very very very very influential women off the BOT for some "dude" who gave $2,500 to her campaign....(expletive)  The influential woman has given MILLIONS to the flagship university and done many things in this ever slow developing city we call the capital.  Now after this removal (which I personally think, is you can't have someone with more influence and money than you be on the board when you are the Gov.  #battleestrogen) the Governor reappoints the influential woman hahahahahahahahahha (learning real quick about the G.O.B. system).

Ok I'm done with sports, relationships, and politics to say none other than it's Monday y'all have a good week.

Until....

Something is Fundamentally Wrong Here...

OK so check this out, I typed this ever long sermon on the NFL labor issues and my views about it plus how I came to that thought by being a former pro player overseas and GUESS WHAT! The damn thing got erased...smh, so I am left with starting over in which I can't remember all of that so I will try to paraphrase. I see a issue with NFL "labor" problems...that they have the ability to hold out and go thru this whole thing yet Teachers across the country and schools around the country (mainly SC) are failing and we are BILLIONS of dollars in debt as a country. Now I'm not saying players don't deserve getting paid but this is utterly ridiculous right now considering many of the teams (Detroit, New Orleans, Washington and a few others) are in cities that are completely struggling. I find that very odd but I do understand. Now my point about being an overseas "baller" is that no matter how well you play "things" come up and either you get paid late or don't get paid at all (foreign and/or domestic players). See if athletes overseas say man I'm not playing cause they aren't paying me (period) or paying enough then the team kindly hands them a plane ticket. Now some can look at it as I'm just a angry basketball player that didn't make it to the next level but hey I don't care this is my blog so I am going to say it like people see it. We are struggling as a economy and ultimately the people that pay for these salaries etc. are the "struggling" fans that use sports as their therapy against the day to day menucha. Sad part is the people that handle day to day operations, clerical, and other office duties (marketing, media personnel, and other "small timers") will be out of work and don't make "millions" of dollars. To me that is a fundamental problem why should they have to pay for owners inability to manage the dynamics of Winning and Losing (which is what it boils down to when you look at why they pay these astronomical salaries). I will say simply that our economic priorities are a bit off....My idea would be that these millionaires adopt some families (tax right off), I'm not saying support a whole neighborhood but how many of them blow hundreds of thousands on "stuff"? What if an millionaire athlete took 500k and spread it out to 50 different families maybe (10k or more) to help pay off credit cards, or to simply help pay a bill or two. Now I know the argument is yeah they are doing that for their families (which I applaud) but seriously family can be the biggest debt consumption out there. I'm just saying an athlete that has made 5-10M a year for the last 5-10 years (strictly guessing) Should be able to help the Factory worker who is being hit by gas prices, college tuition's, day to day bills, yet is wearing the "stars" jersey on game day and spends what "change" he has left over to get his sports relief. I get it, I get it..."Its my money I earned it" however people are out here struggling beyond belief yet some athletes won't work because they feel like they need a few more Million....If you don't see my point that's fine (ask me I will try to clarify better). Anywho I just feel bad that Millionaires don't donate like 5% of their salary to families in need, or to help natural disaster victims or something like that....Can you imagine if you take 5% of every pro athlete (or some "celebrity" in U.S. where money is guaranteed) salary and put it back into schools, economic development, and or to help cities grow, and receive some sort of extra tax break.

Which I will say its sad, with all the pro's that have come from my state schools and cities are soooooooo far behind and there is know economic empowerment or development from athletes at least "trying". On the other hand there are several things I can understand (politics) that make it virtually impossible for them to come here and try to help. Either way I get what the "dispute" is about, I have several close friends who are employed by "The League". I guess what my issues are are that that's the BIG talk (all over the news and media) as if the players will all have to file for chapter 13 because they can't afford the car note on the Accord, the 1k mortgage, the $95 phone bill, etc. Rarely do we see the BIG talk being about what some athletes are doing. Overall I think this "Labor Dispute" is tarnishing pro sports. Owners should have long set a concrete limit on what players would get paid (what are they gonna do...now play? where would they go?). Now I think you may see college sports become more relevant again...

CIAA....I feel like I'm getting old

And so yet another CIAA weekend concludes and I have yet to experience the "Hoopla" on the weekends festivities. As I hear mixed reviews from the veterans and the excitement of the neophytes. The veterans some say "man it's not all what people talk about" or "its strait" (which is not an endearing sign). All the neo's have marked this off on their calendars and took days off to partake in the eventful weekend and the novel idea of "Day Parties". However every year at this juncture I find myself saying....I'm going to go then upon the arrival of the week I say man I'm too damn old, too damn married, and too damn much in fatherhood, funny yes but its the truth. I feel like I will look like a Dad sitting there around about bunch of "grasshoppers" looking at them and picking out the one's that will have that "I'm not drinking" anymore prayer tomorrow morning. I don't want to be that cat that's sitting there looking like I'm hunting some innocent young calf hahahahaha nor getting the screw face by some chic my age because she feel like she to grown to be looked at (why the hell are you here fuh?). The paradox of social parity makes attending this weekends attendance for me even more challenging. Like I somehow see CIAA as the ultimate party weekend (a la BLUE N WHITE) of my early 20's when I had no responsibilities and could "wild out". Now I envision myself standing at a bar or sitting down looking at the over abundance of dudes tryna to holla at some gull who has forgotten who she really is because she reinvented herself for CIAA or the other cats balling out of control swiping they "debt" cards to show that they got it when in most cases they have overdraft protection (meaning they can swipe all they want and the bank will cover it but they account will be negative). Then there is the thought of spending time to spend time to wait in line and then get to the door and find out that I have to sign over my mortgage to get in. Then when I do get in the idea or even the concept of getting a respectable drank will take me just as long as it did when I got in. The artful marketing strategy to have "celebrities" come and sit somewhere so far out of reach that its' pointless to even go to THAT particular party. Besides I am not impressed nor drawn to people who are "celebrities" I actually would rather go the opposite direction of them (that's a whole other issue)....I digress, so at the end of endings I find myself yet again at home chilling feeling comfortable although I know a sociable person like myself would probably have some enjoyment by going I don't feel any inclination to make an effort to go. I feel kinda old because I would certainly rather call my homies up and go to Wild Wangs, Ale House, or some other bar that has "wangs" and draft beer. Maybe it's the signs of the times now that I am in my 30's.

Strange thing is as a event planner and host of a pretty successful Homecoming Weekend I try to make sure my patrons don't feel like they are just a number and that everyone no matter their age feels like they can get something out of it. Although no major event will please everyone I think we do a solid job at trying to adhere to feedback to correct what we missed, because we want each of our people to know we are thoughtful enough to try to change their experience. I don't think you will get a questionnaire after CIAA but hey when it reaches that level I guess who cares cause the same people that complain about the prices, parties, and errthang else will certainly be back next year. With that being said.....I guess I need to go before I hit 35 at least hahahahah to say I went once.