Clip Show 2012

A New Look in LA

Last season, it wasn’t even close. The top storyline in the NBA was the Miami Heat. After a controversial summer that included The Decision and King James’ prediction of “not one, not two…” rings, the Heat overcame some early stumbles and made it all the way to the Finals. Even more alluring, it was a rematch of 2006 and Dirk Nowitski had a chance to avenge the beating Dwyane Wade put on him, psychologically and physically. The ultimate heel of the NBA came in with three All Stars and left without a ring. So far, LeBron has been right: not two, not three…

This season has plenty to choose from. You have the lockout, where many people came to the conclusion that “Emperor Stern has no clothes!” Then you have the Cancelled-Trade-gate between New Orleans and Los Angeles – again, a scenario that didn’t play out very well for the Commish. The Miami Heat are simply doing more of the same; Derrick Rose appears to be challenging for a repeat MVP performance. The Celtics are losing a battle with the still-undefeated Father Time. To me, though, the most compelling spectacle is Oop City, aka Lob Angeles, aka the Blake Show. Whatever you want to call the franchise owned by the much maligned Donald Sterling, the new look Clippers are Must See TV.

Detractors are arguing that flashy, athletic, Sports Center Top Ten teams rarely make deep playoff runs when pitted against veteran groups like the Lakers, Spurs, and Mavericks. Those who are hopping on the bandwagon believe there is a new sheriff in town in Hollywood (a notion Kobe seems to be fighting off with his 40+ point barrages). The non-believers have plenty of evidence to fall back on. They can point to the Run-TMC offense of Golden State of the late 80s/early 90s, or perhaps look to the more recent efforts of the Phoenix Suns with Amare’ Stoudamire, Shawn Marion and Steve Nash. Plenty of wins, a million highlights, zero championships.

In my opinion, the 2012 Clippers have an X-Factor that separates them from some of the exciting teams of the past. The defense isn’t phenomenal, but De’Andre Jordan cleans up a lot of mistakes (Cough! I’m looking at you, Chauncey Billups). They don’t have a ton of experience, but Caron Butler, Billups and Paul have been in some big playoff games in their careers. But the difference is that this team, which is terribly flawed at the important shooting guard position, has the best competitor in the league. That’s right, I’m saying that this very day, Chris Paul from Wake Forest has more competitive chops than even Kobe Bean Bryant.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Kobe is still the Black Mamba and one of the baddest men on the planet. I love his television ads with all the celebrities, and we certainly can’t discredit his scoring ability. But I can’t get over what I saw in the playoffs last year against Dallas. I don’t think Kobe would ever quit in a game or in a series, but he sort of doesn’t look like he cares as much anymore. He’s already won two titles without Shaquille O’Neal, and I think he’s come to terms with the fact that nobody’s going to give him the GOAT tag. He’s only one ring behind Michael Jordan, having won five in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense to MJ’s six.

All that said, CP3 has always done more with less, his whole career. Kobe’s Lakers once suffered a talent drain and a mini-rebuild. The lowest point was missing the playoffs with a lineup that included Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, and some other forgettable. Number 24 played well and “tried,” but eventually made it clear: get me some talent or send me on my way! Paul, on the other hand, seems to always drag his team to the playoffs. Forget the fact that the second best player on the Hornets at the time David West being injured. Forget about the best big man on the team being the undersized Emeka Okafur. People forget that before he got injured, Chris was a runner-up for MVP the year Mr. Bryant won it. His coming-out party may have been the series against the Mavericks when he ran circles around future Hall-of-Famer Jason Kidd, a matchup that was punctuated at a timeout when CP# ran to the sideline visibly telling his coaches “He can’t guard me!”

Now, while he doesn’t have Gasol and Bynum in the post or the tradition that comes with the other Staples Center tenant, Chris Paul has two airborne targets in Griffin and Jordan, and more importantly he has the spotlight. I haven’t seen a six-footer take over the game in this fashion since Allen Iverson. Oh, and by the way, in two preseason games and one that counts in the standings, the Clippers have swept the Lakers 3-0. I’m just saying.

Naledi Semela 

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Happy New Year! I am so thankful for the blessing of seeing another year! As a mom, it means another year to see my children grow into all that they are becoming. It also means we have another chance to make a new start—that is very exciting for me. My holidays were bittersweet and started with my mom having surgery to amputate her leg. She is two weeks from turning 91 years old and her only prayer before the surgery was for all of her children to be okay and to be safe. No matter how old we get, parents always carry their children close to their heart. I am so thankful that the surgery was a success and that my mom is doing well.

The reality of being a football mom means that many Christmases have been spent with post –season bowl games. Once our son entered the NFL, his regular season extended through the holidays. For the first time in 10 years, all three of my sons were home for Christmas. I cannot begin to tell you what a treat that was for all of us. Our oldest made breakfast on Christmas morning and tried making waffles from scratch for the first time. The waffles were very salty but we ate as much as we could. The omelets and grits were great and made up for the waffles. We spend the rest of the day playing games, watching football, eating more food and we squeezed in a late night movie where most of us fell asleep before it ended. I spent the day smiling and thanking God for this gift.

This is the third day into the New Year and my thoughts are racing with information to share with all of you. Last year we took a critical look at safety of children while playing sports and the seriousness of concussions. We were shocked at the gruesome stories of child molestation in by coaches and stories of suicides that were linked to blows to the head by athletes. We looked at college sports recruitment and address many topics near and dear to parents.

As many of you know, I am a sports parent advocate. Lately, I have had many parents approach me to find out if I could share information about lesser reported sports like swimming, cheerleading, squash, table tennis and wrestling. Each Thursday, I will be featuring Thursdays Sports Spots where I will highlight interesting news and information across the sports world. I would love to hear from you and your experience with working with your child’s sports career. Please share your challenges, concerns and success tips.

Parenting is one of my biggest accomplishments but also one of my most daunting challenges. My children are 28, 22 and 19 years old and I am now learning to parent from a distance. I pray the lesson that I’ve learned, and those that I am still learning, will help you and your children.

I have found much joy being a sports parent. I have also seen tremendous benefits for my children. I pray you find much joy and peace in 2012 and that your children thrive as they pursue their path in sports. Be blessed and enjoy the journey!

DJ

DJ The Football Mom Blog, November 12, 2011

The J-Crew! Mia's thinks of her own family!

This week in sports has had me in an emotional tailspin.  My emotions have run the gamut from total outrage to extreme sadness.  No matter where I am on this issue, I keep thinking “WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN!”  As I listen to newscasters go on and on about what a sad day this is for Penn State, for college sports and for Joe Pa, I keep thinking, “What a terrible ordeal this has been for all of the children affected by this tragedy.”

As parents, we have a responsibility to protect our children to the extent that we can.  Even the best parent has things happen where they question whether they did enough to protect their child. For sports parents, we have a daunting task of trying to support our children in an activity where some other person – a coach – has a huge amount of influence on and authority over our child.  We are constantly trying to support our children without going over the line with their coaches.

How can any adult, when confronted with overt abuse against a child, just walk away and allow the abuse to continue?  You don’t need any training to know that you need to take immediate action when a when you see a 10 year-old being sexually assaulted by an adult.

Has sports gotten so big that it trumps doing the right thing to save a child?  It sure looks that way!  As parents, we have to examine what we are doing to contribute to perpetuate this culture.  When our child tells us disturbing news about a coach or the sports program, do we hesitate to take action if it may mean the program suffers?   Are we more concerned about winning, reputation or a possible scholarship to college than doing the right thing?

I don’t want anyone think I am blaming the parents involved.  I can only imagine their devastation over these incidents.   This is a wake-up call for all parents to keep a closer eye on their child’s relationship with their coach and trust their gut instinct if anything feels “off.”

The sad thing is that this will cast a long shadow not just on Penn State, but throughout the sports world.  I had the pleasure of meeting Coach Paterno this summer and was amazed by his bright spirit and zest for life.  Now, a legend in sports has had his illustrious career end on such a low note.

No one knows the whole story but no matter what the truth is, we have heard enough to know that a decision was made to protect “the program” and not the children.  We have to really look at a culture where this is happening.

Parents, the ball is in our court!  We have to speak up and speak out to make sure that this doesn’t happen again and that children can be safe on and off the field.

In the coming weeks, I will be looking at ways that we can make sports safer for our children.  I would love to hear your stories and input on how we make this happen.  The buck stops here!

by Mia M. Jackson

Still Together

Mark McGwire stood next to Tony LaRussa plotting what turned out to be the winning strategy for Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. Ron Washington stood, arms folded on the fence praying for two winning outs that didn’t happen. I love these Rangers – but I love good baseball more. Watching them take on the never-say-die St. Louis Cardinals tonight, I went back to 1989 when the Mac & Tony were paired on the Oakland A’s team for the Bay Bridge Series against the San Francisco Giants. They won that time in a 4-game sweep, LaRussa as manager and Mark as one of the hot bats in the lineup. The drama for that series happened in a much different way – Mother Nature rocked the Bay with an earthquake that devastated Northern California cities. Jack Buck was a radio announcer. I was 9 months pregnant and my daughter was born in the middle of the extended dates contest.

Rangers Manager Ron Washington

I haven’t felt this excited about the game of baseball in the 22 years since. Tonight, I couldn’t move. I cursed. I screamed. I exhaled and released. I almost expected McGwire’s big bat to resurface and in a way, it did. These hitters have learned from Big Mac. The game almost sounded the same. Joe Buck channeled the winning call of his father and commanded our attention with his similarly smooth style I’ve grown to love. The seesaw leads, steamy bats and childlike enthusiasm of both teams kept the nation enthralled. I didn’t want it to end. But it did with the David Freese home run in front of his home town in extra innings. That’s how baseball go.

Watching the nervous Ron Washington and the determined LaRussa, I couldn’t have scripted a better night game. I like seeing this white-haired Mark McGwire still in the game – and I remember the Mac I want to remember, from those A’s days on deck, not on Capitol Hill. All of this is why I love the game. I will be ready Friday night with them.

The drama for Thursday night’s series was all on the field. The incredible bats and balls bounced for the fans; folks were transfixed across the globe. THIS is how baseball is supposed to feel!

Thursday Night Game Stats

by Nelly Semela

ARZ@BAL: If the Ravens ever needed a confidence booster, it’s right now. They have inexplicably played above expectations against their perceived formidable opponents and laid eggs in two of their gimmes. The scheduling gods are smiling on them, however, and they’ve got Arizona at home. The short week should actually be a blessing as they look to shake this Monday night disaster from their team psyche.

NO@STL: The Saints also find themselves in a situation where they must take advantage of a hurting Rams team. Injuries to key players (including the QB) and inconsistent play have made this season a bust in St Louis. New Orleans is coming off the most lopsided win in recent memory against the limping Colts and know that now is the time to stockpile the wins.

IND@TEN: This game intrigues me not because either of these teams is in it to win it this season but simply because I’d like to see how the once great Colts respond to a week of unrelenting scrutiny. Twitter, podcasts, and blogs have been scathing of this team that each week demonstrated more of the weaknesses Peyton Manning apparently covered up all these years. The Titans are interesting because they’re clearly not that good but they did upset the Ravens in week two. The question is whether the Colts simply lie down for them or come with all the emotion they need to have to put the Saints game in the past. Then we want to see if the Titans will be ready for that fire, or that ice.

NE@PIT: This game is a heavyweight bout, as per usual. Here you have two teams who believe they are the best in the conference. They’ve each had blips along the way – think Pats finally losing to the Bills and Baltimore’s massacre in week one for the Steelers  – but these two teams have survived the madness of the early part of a lockout-affected season and this game could be crucial to how things shake out in the AFC. We know all about Tom Brady’s offense and the Pitt D, so look for the x-factor to come on Steelers possessions, whether New England steps up to stop Big Ben or the offense can manage to cover up some injuries on the other side of the ball.

DAL@PHI: These are two polarizing teams this season. Tony Romo has been

The SP Hot Game!

responsible for thrilling comeback victories (like the 49ers game) and mind boggling defeats (like the Lions game). Against New England he had control taken from him and they lost anyway, then on Sunday it never game down to a clutch moment. We don’t know what the game plan is in Dallas should they need a winning drive. In Philly, Mike Vick has overcome two quarterback dilemmas and emerged as the man after a video game season a year ago. Unfortunately his back up put the newly constructed roster on the hot seat and they have underperformed. Coming off a bye this is it for the Eagles — it’s win or forget about this
season. And for the Cowboys it’s also highly consequential, as 4-3 is a lot different than 3-4.

by Nelly Semela

The NFL Week 7 – What to Look For:

Roaring Lions

 ATL @ DET: The Detroit Lions look to bounce back from their first defeat of the season. For the Atlanta Falcons it’s gut check time as they look to go above .500 and won’t have it easy against the hungry big cats from Motown who lost by only 6 to the Niners. Wideout Julio Jones will need to test that hamstring he injured in week 5, but the team remains hopeful he’ll be ready to go Sunday. Coach Jim Schwartz doesn’t appear to have any back injuries from the shot he took from Jim Harbaugh postgame Sunday.

Jets Gut Check

 SD @ NYJ: A well-rested and time-healed San Diego Chargers team will have a chance to get the ball rolling again against the New York Jets who have the short rest after a lackluster MNF win against the Miami Dolphins in Jersey. It is perhaps the most crucial turnaround in their season because at 3-3 they need to climb the division standings to have any hope of making a run deep into the playoffs. After a bye week, Gang Green will have a brutal stretch of three games in eleven days, against the impressive Bills, Tom Brady, and Tim Tebow (who has the man upstairs on his side)!

Cowboys

STL @ DAL: Romo and the ‘Boys find themselves in a similar situation to the Jets in week 6 – they have been up and down to say the least and they have a gimme in the winless Rams. Playing “not to win” vs Tom Brady and the Pats resulted in a loss, so we’ll see if Jason Garrett decides to trust his quarterback late in the game should it come to that.

Breezin'

IND @ NO: The Saints know how crucial it is to win the NFC South this season and thatmission had a major setback Sunday as the Buccaneers got the six-point victory. A hapless and, most importantly, Peyton Manning-less Colts team could be just the remedy.  They’ll be hoping TE Daid Thomas returns from his concussion after missing Sunday’s game. His timeline remains indefinite, but the Saints look good when Brees has plenty of targets to hit.

Packin' Em

 GB @ MIN: Aaron Rodgers is on fire. Donovan McNabb, gone. Two players in the opposite stages of their respective careers, the young man who wears the championship belt to go with his ring will be happy to put the nail in the coffin of the flailing Vikings. The new Vikings starter rookie Ponder will be looking to make his name with a rebuilding team against a potential new dynasty. Don’t look for an upset in this one.

Do What You Love!

by Deborah Johnson

Make your heart happy!

Marion Bartoli, the 9^th ranked tennis player in the world, was recently interviewed.  At six years old, her dream was to become a doctor but her father told her that life was too grueling.   He introduced her to tennis and she dreamed of being a professional athlete but her mom told her that was no life for her. Tennis, in fact, was for her. In the end, she did what she loved and has become very successful doing it.  We all have dreams for our children but it is important for us to encourage our children to follow their heart and do what they love.  It is hard to do well if your heart isn’t in it.

DJ the Football Mom shares tips and tools for sports moms & families!

by Mia M. Jackson

Brad Pitt as Billy Beane - FAME Pictures

The story may be about baseball business, but this is personal. Brad Pitt brought a small yet astoundingly significant part of baseball history to life in the new film “Moneyball.” Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane‘s story remains legend for some, a fairy tale for others. Regardless, Moneyball the film captures a glorious season that made many believe in the little team that could.

See the Moneyball Trailer

For years while living in the SF Bay I followed the Oakland A’s. Fans who listened to radio and watched the games remember “Get Miggy with it!” and “Huddy on the Mound” as we referred to the hot play of shortstop Miguel Tejada and starting pitcher Tim Hudson among others. It was a love story without a kiss. While watching the film, I surely annoyed the hell out of the other theater patrons as I giggled watching the flashbacks. It felt like looking through an old yearbook. Then I noticed that they were laughing, too. Everyone was having a good time.

The Book

Moneyball-the-Book had me at the intro when my friend Sheree Tribbitt shared it with me. I read it, re-read it, dogeared it and walked to the Michael Lewis narrated audio version. I worried that The Brad Factor would take over the multi-layered story of the Oakland A’s shifts and adaptations. Truth be told, Mr. Pitt did take over certain places. I expected the closeups and shaded individual shots of the actor as he channeled the handsome, hot-headed Billy Beane. But those Pitt scenes didn’t take away from the story. Even non-baseball fans will be easily carried away. The touching relationship of Beane and his daughter, the exuberant game day fun and the unpredictable season will suck you in even if you don’t know the difference between a ribbie and bunt.

There should have been more baseball stories about the players, some of whom are still on a major league roster. Locker room scenes with more depth would have rounded it out a bit. The other issue of concern was the case of the disappearing scouts. They were there, and then they weren’t as if their jobs were no longer necessary. It felt like Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” on the diamond. While the metrics and calculations of Peter Brand, Beane’s assistant GM played by Jonah Hill, were center stage, there’s something to be said about that “gut” thing a great scout has that often outweighs tape, history or God forbid, statistical analysis. Lastly, the simplified portrayal of Art Howe, the A’s Coach. I wasn’t thrilled with choice of actors; Howe has a strong demeanor and a confident walk that I loved watching as he approached the pitcher’s mound. That doesn’t show in the film.  Insiders tell of the contentious relationship between Beane and Howe, but that still doesn’t mean that Howe had no hand in the success, as the film often suggests.

Many purists and old-heads like Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan ignore the “sabermetrics’ – the statistical approach to player selection. Morgan won’t read the book and knocks the movie, declaring that Lewis can’t teach him anything about the game. Others contend that Beane and his cronies didn’t pioneer the approach. Does that really matter? I’m still in love.

Recently, Beane’s name was tossed in the Chicago Cubs’ GM search and he continues to dismiss the notion. Were it true, he’d join White Sox GM Kenny Williams (the Stanford football player turned pro MLB player turned scout) in the Windy City where they could compete for the best-looking GM title. But for today, his heart still belongs to the A’s.

Go See It!

As the world preps for the race for the pennant, Moneyball puts you in the mood. It’s well-acted, fun and has great eye candy for the ladies. I suggest that history-focused fans put the record books aside for a few hours and just relax. We can all go back to fact-checking when the World Series starts. Enjoy!

Did you know that cheerleading was originally an all-male sport? There are lots of interesting college sports facts that you pull out at the next tailgater.  Check out this great College FACT Sheet shared with us by O.co (overstock.com).

Shop for football equipment and memorabilia

For more infographics visit the O.co Community

By DJ The Sports Mom

Football camps are in full swing and I have started my serious prayers asking God to keep my sons safe while they prepare for the 2011 football season.   A week ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Rawlings “ProtectED Event” in St. Louis.  The purpose of the event was to educate moms on the incident of injuries, particularly head trauma, in sports; and to showcase their products that they have designed to help prevent serious injuries.   The statistics they shared were alarming.  For every NFL player who sustains a head injury, 50,000 children sustain similar injuries to their heads.  Between 1998 and 2008 the concussion rate in high school sports quadrupled!

Football Safety Gear

My mother always said “When you know better, you can do better.”  For the next four weeks,   I will be sharing a series on safety and sports.  I have talked to so many moms regarding their sons playing football and the overwhelming majority was concerned about their child getting hurt.  Often I talk to a child who wants to play football but is not allowed to do so because of their mom’s fear of serious harm coming to them.  I typically tell them that more children are hurt on their bikes or in car accidents.  The reality is that injuries can occur in day-to-day activity so learning how to safely do the things that we love and enjoy is critical.

Education is critical to helping your child safely play the sports that they enjoy.  I recently learned that 62 percent of injuries in organized sports occur in practice, not games.  Talk to your child after every practice and game and ask how they are feeling.  Most athletes are very concerned about being eligible to play so they may not be truthful about their symptoms.  It is important for parents to watch their children closely and take them to the doctor if they notice any signs of a concussion or anything they feel is not normal.

A concussion, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website, is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works.

The website also states that a concussion can occur, too, from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Even a “ding,” “getting your bell rung,” or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious. Unconsciousness is a rare symptom of a concussion, but other likely symptoms include headaches, nausea, blurry vision, confusion and depression.

The National Federation of State High School Associations cites five high school sports with the highest rates of concussion per 10,000 student athletes — 0.47 for football; 0.36 for girls soccer; 0.22 for boys soccer; 0.21 for girls basketball; and 0.17 for boys basketball.

Safety should always come first!  Don’t be afraid to speak up at sports orientation meetings and ask the coaches and trainers how they screen for concussions.  Talk to your child about the signs of concussion and the importance of being honest about their symptoms.  You don’t want to scare your child but knowing the seriousness of recognizing signs could possibly save their life.

During the Rawlings event, Dr. Jason Mihalik, Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Co-Director, Matthew A. Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill gave a wonderful talk on the dynamics of a concussion and ways to deal with the after affects.  He gave me permission to share the following chart to help parents, coaches and teachers assist athletes in dealing with the consequences of head trauma.

Helping Athletes Manage Functional Academic Deficits

Courtesy Drs. Jamie Pardini & Michael Collins, UPMC Sports Medicine

I know that this is a lot of information and is probably prompting you to want more information.  Please discuss this with other sports parents in your circle and with the sports staff at your child’s school.  Don’t assume that the staff knows your child better than you do.  This is especially important at the college level and doesn’t end if your child is fortunate enough to play sports professionally.

My dear friend, Jacquie Dixon, shared a book with me entitled “Play Hard, Die Young” by Dr. Bennett Omalu.  Dr. Omalu is the forensic pathologist who first identified gridiron dementia. He has examined the brains of retired NFL players who suffered from dementia and major depression due to repeated concussions sustained while playing professional football. Dr. Omalu has published extensively in respected scientific journals and is a member of more than 17 professional organizations. I highly recommend taking a look at his research.

Moms are the first line of defense in identifying sports injuries in their children.  As the season gears up, be sure to keep a critical eye on your child so they will have a safe and enjoyable season.

Next week I will be discussing how to protect your child from injury while playing sports.

Enjo