So have you ever tried peanut butter and jelly flavored ice cream? No way that's any good. And what's up with all these multi-colored candy canes? I'm a sucker for the originals I guess. If I had a million dollars, I probably wouldn't spend too much of it, but one of the things I would buy is a slurpee machine, ever since I saw Happy Gilmore had one, I've been jealous.
True story, when I was 3 years old, I had made up my mind that when I grew up, I wanted to be a Ninja Turtle. I was set on that goal, maybe minus what color I would wear. Unfortunately for me, I'm still working on that one, and luckily for me, I've grown up a little over the years.
That may seem like random stuff, but that's the point of this whole blog, it's random stuff. I guess a lot of what I talk about is up to your interpretation as a reader, and that's fine. I made it pretty clear from day 1 that I never thought the things I talked about or any of my opinions mattered at all, even to the readers. I just share stuff on here, much of it I don't share all that often. People read it, for whatever reason, but they read it, and take what they want from it.
I've been through a lot of stuff in my life, and only I know my own story completely, just like you only know yours. I've always felt that every situation is different to every person. People say they know what it's like to lose a grandparent, but they don't know what it's like for you to lose your grandparent. There's a big difference. I don't pretend to know what anyone feels like or has been through, and I've always appreciated people who understand how to be that way.
When I say I've had a lot of great experiences in my life, I have, and only I know every single one of them. It's the same with the bad ones. I think a famous poem tells us that, "when you're up, you're up, and when you're down, you're down." At the end of the day, good or bad, you can always look in the mirror and remind yourself to work harder tomorrow because you can always get better. Everyone can always get better, I'm at the front of that line, I want to be at the front of it too.
I'm very open about the adversity I've faced in my life, real life, hard, difficult things, outside of work, relationships, basketball etc. I remember eating McDonald's for Christmas dinner when I was in grade school because that's the best we could do. I've been hurt, injured, a few times pretty badly. I've lost people I love, former teammates, people I looked up to, and even two fraternity brothers. So when I talk about adversity, it goes much much deeper than anyone knows. And when I talk about overcoming it, well I'm still here, and I appreciate being here and what I have a lot more because I went through it.
Me, I've failed in life often. I'm not the man I want to be, but I'm working on it. I'll never be the best, but I can always try. I've let people down and I've made the wrong choices, and I can't take that back. Sometimes I look at myself and wonder where I'm even going in life. But I've learned to be honest with myself, be my own biggest critic, take the losses, and work hard through the pain.
Speaking of losses, I figured Virginia Tech would win today but dang, that was a little bit bigger of a margin. It's been a couple years since I've seen either team play in person, which kind of sucks. But, I'd still say Tech just played pretty close to perfect football today, because I don't think UVA is a bad team at all.
The NBA lockout has finally come to an end it seems, and I'm glad to see that happen. I look forward to the Mavericks raising that banner, but I'm also happy that the thousands of people who rely financially on the NBA will hopefully be back at work. I know a lot of people that love basketball but don't like the NBA, and I understand their arguments. It's different than college ball, but I guess I've learned to enjoy it for what it is. The guys playing at that level are the best in the world in the game that I love, I know, I've played against a few.
Well that's it for a Saturday night, I'm off to practice my ping pong skills. But seriously, peanut butter and jelly ice cream?
-- Naitch
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Funny ways
"Well look there. God sure works in funny ways sometimes. Here we are talking about an opportunity and then one walks right in the door."
Those are words spoken to me just today by a very good man, a person I have a ton of respect for. Whenever I need advice, I seem to have a good pool of people to choose from. Today, I made a good choice. I'm very very blessed, and I may have just taken a step in the right direction. Either way, it's always a good day when you can spend any amount of time with someone you have so much respect and admiration for, and in the process, just spending time with that person makes you better.
As a young high school player, I was constantly reminded by one of the most influential people in my basketball life, Coach John "Sarge Siers, that there are a ton of people out there who have way more knowledge and experience in this sport than I could ever hope to gain. I've talked about Sarge before, and once again he was right. In everything I do, even unrelated to basketball, I value people who know more than me, and take to heart the things they share with me. I hope one day I earn that type of respect.
It's hard to believe it's Thanksgiving again, huh? Like so many families, one less person will be at dinner this year at our house, as I lost my final surviving grandparent last February. There's so much to be thankful for in life, but perhaps one thing a lot of us overlook is that we should be especially thankful for the people in our lives we love, because you never know when their chair will be the empty one. Just a thought.
I was shooting the ball really well when i began my workout this afternoon, but late in the workout, my mind wandered and I lost focus on my workout, and the ball stopped coming out of my hand well. Back in the day, I used to be able to block things out because I knew I loved playing basketball more than pretty much anything. Now that I'm older though, and no longer playing, the more serious things that occupy my thoughts can sneak in there at times. It happens with age I guess. Still, I had taken 3 days off from basketball to recycle and refresh, and overall, I was just so happy to be on the court today, so I spent even more than I have been lately.
Despite some special teams issues, the Cowboys pulled out a win over the Skins yesterday. Good to see us win a close game. We've lost too many of those the past couple years. Now if only the Cowboys could get everyone healthy, they'd be in an even better place.
Speaking of football, I didn't watch tonight's game, but watching the highlights, it looks like KC played a very good first half, but then the Patriots got a grip and conquered after half time.
Well, I guess we'll make it a short and sweet post tonight. I'm looking forward to what tomorrow brings, and I am working for one daily goal right now, simply to make something potentially good happen everyday. Why, "potentially good"? Because some things take time, but it's positive to get a process started, even if you have to wait and see.
Thank you God, for the work I'm allowed to do through your word.
-- Travis
Those are words spoken to me just today by a very good man, a person I have a ton of respect for. Whenever I need advice, I seem to have a good pool of people to choose from. Today, I made a good choice. I'm very very blessed, and I may have just taken a step in the right direction. Either way, it's always a good day when you can spend any amount of time with someone you have so much respect and admiration for, and in the process, just spending time with that person makes you better.
As a young high school player, I was constantly reminded by one of the most influential people in my basketball life, Coach John "Sarge Siers, that there are a ton of people out there who have way more knowledge and experience in this sport than I could ever hope to gain. I've talked about Sarge before, and once again he was right. In everything I do, even unrelated to basketball, I value people who know more than me, and take to heart the things they share with me. I hope one day I earn that type of respect.
It's hard to believe it's Thanksgiving again, huh? Like so many families, one less person will be at dinner this year at our house, as I lost my final surviving grandparent last February. There's so much to be thankful for in life, but perhaps one thing a lot of us overlook is that we should be especially thankful for the people in our lives we love, because you never know when their chair will be the empty one. Just a thought.
I was shooting the ball really well when i began my workout this afternoon, but late in the workout, my mind wandered and I lost focus on my workout, and the ball stopped coming out of my hand well. Back in the day, I used to be able to block things out because I knew I loved playing basketball more than pretty much anything. Now that I'm older though, and no longer playing, the more serious things that occupy my thoughts can sneak in there at times. It happens with age I guess. Still, I had taken 3 days off from basketball to recycle and refresh, and overall, I was just so happy to be on the court today, so I spent even more than I have been lately.
Despite some special teams issues, the Cowboys pulled out a win over the Skins yesterday. Good to see us win a close game. We've lost too many of those the past couple years. Now if only the Cowboys could get everyone healthy, they'd be in an even better place.
Speaking of football, I didn't watch tonight's game, but watching the highlights, it looks like KC played a very good first half, but then the Patriots got a grip and conquered after half time.
Well, I guess we'll make it a short and sweet post tonight. I'm looking forward to what tomorrow brings, and I am working for one daily goal right now, simply to make something potentially good happen everyday. Why, "potentially good"? Because some things take time, but it's positive to get a process started, even if you have to wait and see.
Thank you God, for the work I'm allowed to do through your word.
-- Travis
Sunday, November 20, 2011
I'm always here
One thing basketball has taught me, of the millions of things, is that the bond amongst a team is a great thing. The relationships you can build in this game can last longer than any one game.
Me, well basketball has taken me a lot of places, all over the country. I would have never been to these places without basketball. Also, I've met a ton of great people, who are good friends to me, because of this game.
As a coach, one thing I've always been pretty open about, is I will do anything for my players, and I value the relationships I have with my basketball family. I can vouch from personal experience, that I've played for coaches who some days maybe I would be mad at because they pushed me, but I always respected for it. Now, those coaches are some of my great friends, who I can call for anything. Trust me, I had a bad day of college practice or two, and I'd call Coach Hill (former Asst. Coach at Matoaca HS, now Asst. Coach at Petersburg), and he'd help me through it. As a coach, if you can build relationships like that, you've done your job. I've always aimed to be there for my players just like Coach Hill, and others, have been there for me. By the way, Coach Hill never took a day off when it came to getting after us in practice, and I was a tougher person and player because of it. I used to come home and be so mad, and then once I thought about it, Coach Hill was always right. Love you, Coach.
So, just to clarify and make it known, I'm always going to be here, one call away for my basketball family. I am a man of my word, and plan on following through on promises I made to always be there to help out whoever with whatever. Why? Because basketball is 24/7, 365, here before you were born, be there after you die, CONSTANT. Therefore, if you love it, you are also all about it, everyday, all year long. There are obstacles and road blocks, but again, it always go back to a simple concept of teams working together, setting goals, building relationships, and attempting to put that ball through the hoop a few more times than the other guys. Through whatever challenges, all the other "stuff", it goes right back to simple concepts. It's a beautiful game, all day every day.
So what's my deal? I've been pretty basketball heavy the past 2 weeks or so here. Let's go to the change up...
Awesome weekend. I haven't been able to say that in a while, huh? Well after getting off work at 1 Friday, I took a power nap, hit the gym, and then took off for Newport News to visit my best friend and one of my former baseball teammates who live down there. I could do this because, I actually had a Saturday off of work! For me, that's huge. Friday night was excellent. I got back to town Saturday morning for my good friend/fraternity brother/former high school volleyball teammate's wedding to his long time sweetheart, also a friend from high school. The awesome part about this wedding, aside from seeing their true love on display, was getting to see not only brothers I don't see too much anymore, but also old friends from high school. It was a great time, I was so happy to see everyone. I followed it up last night here in Richmond with some of those same brothers, taking them to some of my favorite spots in the city. Just a great way to end a great couple of days with great people.
So what did I get out of this? Most people look for an escape when they go through tough times. I'm blessed to have hundreds of brothers and friends in my life, and I'm even more blessed to be able to keep making memories with them. I was reminded this weekend of a lot of things. My best friend said it best, when he reminded me that I am one of the most positive, motivated, self-confident people anyone has ever met. That means a lot coming from him, but he's right. That is who I am. I've built myself around certain values and morals, and those are a few of them.
I'm proud of where I've been and who I am. I say this with the utmost confidence, I do a damn good job at a lot of things. It's not an accident. I'm better because I work harder. I don't turn and run from weaknesses, I attack them. I have a ton of people in my life who know me well, and are always there for me. There are also a ton of people who play the heel to who I am, and want to see me fail. That's life. But I say, who cares about those "trolls" (Charlie Sheen reference)? Thanks for the motivation.
So, remember, I'm always here for anyone that needs me for anything. That's the right thing to do. I value the positive things in my life, even after losing some of them along the way. If you know me, you know that about me.
The beat goes on, I just decided to turn it up a little more.
--TP
Me, well basketball has taken me a lot of places, all over the country. I would have never been to these places without basketball. Also, I've met a ton of great people, who are good friends to me, because of this game.
As a coach, one thing I've always been pretty open about, is I will do anything for my players, and I value the relationships I have with my basketball family. I can vouch from personal experience, that I've played for coaches who some days maybe I would be mad at because they pushed me, but I always respected for it. Now, those coaches are some of my great friends, who I can call for anything. Trust me, I had a bad day of college practice or two, and I'd call Coach Hill (former Asst. Coach at Matoaca HS, now Asst. Coach at Petersburg), and he'd help me through it. As a coach, if you can build relationships like that, you've done your job. I've always aimed to be there for my players just like Coach Hill, and others, have been there for me. By the way, Coach Hill never took a day off when it came to getting after us in practice, and I was a tougher person and player because of it. I used to come home and be so mad, and then once I thought about it, Coach Hill was always right. Love you, Coach.
So, just to clarify and make it known, I'm always going to be here, one call away for my basketball family. I am a man of my word, and plan on following through on promises I made to always be there to help out whoever with whatever. Why? Because basketball is 24/7, 365, here before you were born, be there after you die, CONSTANT. Therefore, if you love it, you are also all about it, everyday, all year long. There are obstacles and road blocks, but again, it always go back to a simple concept of teams working together, setting goals, building relationships, and attempting to put that ball through the hoop a few more times than the other guys. Through whatever challenges, all the other "stuff", it goes right back to simple concepts. It's a beautiful game, all day every day.
So what's my deal? I've been pretty basketball heavy the past 2 weeks or so here. Let's go to the change up...
Awesome weekend. I haven't been able to say that in a while, huh? Well after getting off work at 1 Friday, I took a power nap, hit the gym, and then took off for Newport News to visit my best friend and one of my former baseball teammates who live down there. I could do this because, I actually had a Saturday off of work! For me, that's huge. Friday night was excellent. I got back to town Saturday morning for my good friend/fraternity brother/former high school volleyball teammate's wedding to his long time sweetheart, also a friend from high school. The awesome part about this wedding, aside from seeing their true love on display, was getting to see not only brothers I don't see too much anymore, but also old friends from high school. It was a great time, I was so happy to see everyone. I followed it up last night here in Richmond with some of those same brothers, taking them to some of my favorite spots in the city. Just a great way to end a great couple of days with great people.
So what did I get out of this? Most people look for an escape when they go through tough times. I'm blessed to have hundreds of brothers and friends in my life, and I'm even more blessed to be able to keep making memories with them. I was reminded this weekend of a lot of things. My best friend said it best, when he reminded me that I am one of the most positive, motivated, self-confident people anyone has ever met. That means a lot coming from him, but he's right. That is who I am. I've built myself around certain values and morals, and those are a few of them.
I'm proud of where I've been and who I am. I say this with the utmost confidence, I do a damn good job at a lot of things. It's not an accident. I'm better because I work harder. I don't turn and run from weaknesses, I attack them. I have a ton of people in my life who know me well, and are always there for me. There are also a ton of people who play the heel to who I am, and want to see me fail. That's life. But I say, who cares about those "trolls" (Charlie Sheen reference)? Thanks for the motivation.
So, remember, I'm always here for anyone that needs me for anything. That's the right thing to do. I value the positive things in my life, even after losing some of them along the way. If you know me, you know that about me.
The beat goes on, I just decided to turn it up a little more.
--TP
Thursday, November 17, 2011
It's never wrong to do the right thing...
The subject says it all. Wow, what a turbulent, difficult few days it's been in my life. I'm very blessed to have a tight group around me that has propped me up the past few days. I appreciate all of the support.
About that subject, I am not the type that talks a lot. I let my body of work speak for itself. I'm not going to be critical or negative, not my style. I honestly believe each of the 100+ hours I've put in over the past 6 months with the girls are hours well spent. If I had to go back, I wouldn't do it any other way. I gave it all that I had, often times on my own, and did it the right way. I'd like to think that those girls are better basketball players and better people because of the sport of basketball, and I'm just happy to have shared in that. I love all of my players, going back to the first time I coached kids at the YMCA when I was 15 years old, and I will always be there for them. I know they all work hard, and if they continue to do that, they will always be able to accomplish their goals.
So how did I spend my day? Well I had a very cold wake up call (literally) at 8:30 am, and for obvious reasons, couldn't fall back to sleep afterward. So, I went to lunch with my mom, spent the afternoon watching a college team practice (so enjoyable as always), and then I worked out. One of the proudest things I did today though had nothing to do with any of that...
I donated money to charity today. I have had one of the worst stretches I've had in a while, losing something I love so suddenly, all capped off this morning with a bang. I lost out on one of the salaries I rely on to make ends meet. So on a bad day where I lost so much, why did I go out of my way to do something for someone else? Don't I have my own problems to deal with? Well, I'll tell you, I believe I'm very blessed. No matter how bad of a day I may be having, I've seen worse, and I'm still blessed. There are so many people out there who are not as fortunate. So, on a day when people have said to take care of myself, I took a small step to help others. Why? Because it's the right thing to do.
When I have the chance to testify about how great God has been to me, this is one of the days I will speak of. Always rise, and rise again, be considerate of others, and remember that it's never wrong to do things the right way.
Stay classy,
--TP
About that subject, I am not the type that talks a lot. I let my body of work speak for itself. I'm not going to be critical or negative, not my style. I honestly believe each of the 100+ hours I've put in over the past 6 months with the girls are hours well spent. If I had to go back, I wouldn't do it any other way. I gave it all that I had, often times on my own, and did it the right way. I'd like to think that those girls are better basketball players and better people because of the sport of basketball, and I'm just happy to have shared in that. I love all of my players, going back to the first time I coached kids at the YMCA when I was 15 years old, and I will always be there for them. I know they all work hard, and if they continue to do that, they will always be able to accomplish their goals.
So how did I spend my day? Well I had a very cold wake up call (literally) at 8:30 am, and for obvious reasons, couldn't fall back to sleep afterward. So, I went to lunch with my mom, spent the afternoon watching a college team practice (so enjoyable as always), and then I worked out. One of the proudest things I did today though had nothing to do with any of that...
I donated money to charity today. I have had one of the worst stretches I've had in a while, losing something I love so suddenly, all capped off this morning with a bang. I lost out on one of the salaries I rely on to make ends meet. So on a bad day where I lost so much, why did I go out of my way to do something for someone else? Don't I have my own problems to deal with? Well, I'll tell you, I believe I'm very blessed. No matter how bad of a day I may be having, I've seen worse, and I'm still blessed. There are so many people out there who are not as fortunate. So, on a day when people have said to take care of myself, I took a small step to help others. Why? Because it's the right thing to do.
When I have the chance to testify about how great God has been to me, this is one of the days I will speak of. Always rise, and rise again, be considerate of others, and remember that it's never wrong to do things the right way.
Stay classy,
--TP
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Today's not that day...
Even on the bad days, and trust me, today has been a really bad day, you have to take a step back and realize that you are where you are right now because that's where God wants you to be.
One thing about me, I'm always the same, no matter what. I strive to give more than is asked of me, and overachieve. What are expectations anyway? To me, expectations ALWAYS are just a glass ceiling waiting to be broken through, a challenge in which someone is daring you to exceed them. I'm a pretty simple person. I work hard, love basketball, love working out, and give everything I have to becoming a better journalist and coach. I love my friends and brothers, and when I do have free time, I go out and enjoy it. That's all pretty surface stuff.
I have my faults, but often times those aren't the faults I get attacked for. I realize that the Bible encourages us to be perfect, even as God Himself is, and yet we have to realize we will never ever be perfect. So, instead I'm hard on myself, and focus on how I can get better and how I've failed, instead of how much I've succeeded.
Today, yeah I got hurt. But you know what, I don't get up with the expectation that sometimes I'll get knocked down. Basketball has taught me this life lesson many times. On days like this, I just go to the court, back to what I know best, the game that's always been there for me. I've given basketball my blood, sweat and tears many times over, and God willing, I'll give a lot more. It won't ever be enough for what basketball has given me.
A strong willed person has to welcome the bad days and overcome. That's part of growing up and learning. I've often heard that only you can make your own day a bad one. They say the only way something could happen and bring you down is when you let it. This is true 90% of the time, but sometimes, stuff happens that is above your realm of control.
One day, I think I'll be everything God wanted me to be. That day is not today, but it will be because of today that I will get there.
One thing about me, I'm always the same, no matter what. I strive to give more than is asked of me, and overachieve. What are expectations anyway? To me, expectations ALWAYS are just a glass ceiling waiting to be broken through, a challenge in which someone is daring you to exceed them. I'm a pretty simple person. I work hard, love basketball, love working out, and give everything I have to becoming a better journalist and coach. I love my friends and brothers, and when I do have free time, I go out and enjoy it. That's all pretty surface stuff.
I have my faults, but often times those aren't the faults I get attacked for. I realize that the Bible encourages us to be perfect, even as God Himself is, and yet we have to realize we will never ever be perfect. So, instead I'm hard on myself, and focus on how I can get better and how I've failed, instead of how much I've succeeded.
Today, yeah I got hurt. But you know what, I don't get up with the expectation that sometimes I'll get knocked down. Basketball has taught me this life lesson many times. On days like this, I just go to the court, back to what I know best, the game that's always been there for me. I've given basketball my blood, sweat and tears many times over, and God willing, I'll give a lot more. It won't ever be enough for what basketball has given me.
A strong willed person has to welcome the bad days and overcome. That's part of growing up and learning. I've often heard that only you can make your own day a bad one. They say the only way something could happen and bring you down is when you let it. This is true 90% of the time, but sometimes, stuff happens that is above your realm of control.
One day, I think I'll be everything God wanted me to be. That day is not today, but it will be because of today that I will get there.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Ok so I'll be honest, I opted to push today's workout to tomorrow night for two reasons, to ice down a sore limb or two, and to watch UNC-Michigan St. play on deck of an aircraft carrier. How could you miss this (unless of course you are at work or have your own game to deal with)? I could only imagine how different that feels, but how rewarding it is at the same time. I've played against UNC, which is definitely a cool experience in and of itself, but this is cool. It would be awesome if this becomes a yearly occurrence, and even spread to the women's game as well.
Speaking of college basketball, I want to shout out one of our former Cosby players, Kelsey Conyers, for making her college debut as Virginia Tech got the win at ODU tonight. I've mentioned before, all of us in the Cosby basketball family are proud of Kelsey, and I have a feeling tonight's game is the first of bigger things to come. Congratulations to her, the Conyers family, and the VT women's basketball program. Good stuff all around.
Interestingly enough, my first college game was an exhibition at ODU my freshman year. I was inactive, on the bench in street clothes. That's the breaks of college ball sometimes, but still a cool experience. That's a great facility down there, and looking up at the big screen and seeing yourself, even sitting on the bench, is surreal. It makes all the hard work worth it. I won't ever forget that night, I was truly blessed to have been a part of that experience.
This year, I've committed to give even more of myself to our basketball program at Cosby. Our coaches and players work so hard, and I'm just following suit, trying to go the extra mile. One way I'm doing this is by staying after our Varsity practices to help out at the JV practices. Last year, I didn't make many of them, so this year I want to make as many as possible. I've been to all of them so far. There's likely no way I can maintain that pace, but I'm going to try. Coach Ox, Coach Leonard (who volunteers by the way), and our JV team are all working hard and poised for success. I am challenging myself in other ways as well to help all of our girls, JV and Varsity, get better and accomplish their goals as well. It's a pleasure to work with such great coaches, and under one of the best, Coach Mead.
People have been asking me my opinion on Joe Paterno and the Penn St. situation. Again, I don't think my opinion matters much, but I will say I agree it's a sad situation that has affected so many people, all over the country. I have a feeling more people may be exposed to have some sort of involvement in how the whole thing went down. It's too early to even say anything. It's a developing story, with new twists and turns everyday. Several analysts have said, there's no way Penn St. could let Paterno go out and coach this weekend, be touted as a hero, and run the risk of that later coming back to bite them as the facts continue to unfold. I totally see that side of the story. Also, I'd hate to be one of the coaches who is likely to be let go once the season ends as the school attempts to clean house and start anew. There are probably coaches and staff in that department who work extremely hard, and had no knowledge or participation in anything other than their jobs, who could be without a job soon. Sad story, we'll see what happens next.
This is just another example though, of wrong doing in a college athletic program. Sure it's worse than the dirty money, rule breaking, etc., but still, the games that so many love are used and abused by people who go about it the wrong way, breaking rules and laws along the way. I've played at the college level, and seen first hand some of the bad stuff that happens at times. It's taught me to always value the game and go about it the right way. Breaking the rules, lying to players, using players, not valuing their health and education, and so much more of that stuff is all bad. Now you have the Penn St. situation that takes it to a whole other level. I always say sometimes it's easy to do the wrong thing, but you should always strive to do what's right, no matter what. I really enjoy meeting coaches who go about their work the right way. That's the place I want to be. I hope an effort is made to highlight those who love the game they coach, the players that work hard for them, and their efforts to do things the right way. They should be applauded.
I'd be remiss to not thank all of our veterans on this holiday. Like so many, I have veterans in my family, and I also have fraternity brothers who have served and are still serving right now as we speak. I love all of you guys, and hope that one day I can use basketball in a way to pay even greater tribute to all those that serve.
That takes me back to tonight's game. It's over, UNC wins, but like Dicky V said, it's a great night for basketball and America regardless. I enjoyed watching it, and yes, I did take some notes on stuff I saw, some of you know me too well. Add playing and/or coaching on the deck of an aircraft carrier to the bucket list.
That's all I got, time to chill out and it's back to CBS 6 in the morning. Thanks for reading.
-- Travis
Speaking of college basketball, I want to shout out one of our former Cosby players, Kelsey Conyers, for making her college debut as Virginia Tech got the win at ODU tonight. I've mentioned before, all of us in the Cosby basketball family are proud of Kelsey, and I have a feeling tonight's game is the first of bigger things to come. Congratulations to her, the Conyers family, and the VT women's basketball program. Good stuff all around.
Interestingly enough, my first college game was an exhibition at ODU my freshman year. I was inactive, on the bench in street clothes. That's the breaks of college ball sometimes, but still a cool experience. That's a great facility down there, and looking up at the big screen and seeing yourself, even sitting on the bench, is surreal. It makes all the hard work worth it. I won't ever forget that night, I was truly blessed to have been a part of that experience.
This year, I've committed to give even more of myself to our basketball program at Cosby. Our coaches and players work so hard, and I'm just following suit, trying to go the extra mile. One way I'm doing this is by staying after our Varsity practices to help out at the JV practices. Last year, I didn't make many of them, so this year I want to make as many as possible. I've been to all of them so far. There's likely no way I can maintain that pace, but I'm going to try. Coach Ox, Coach Leonard (who volunteers by the way), and our JV team are all working hard and poised for success. I am challenging myself in other ways as well to help all of our girls, JV and Varsity, get better and accomplish their goals as well. It's a pleasure to work with such great coaches, and under one of the best, Coach Mead.
People have been asking me my opinion on Joe Paterno and the Penn St. situation. Again, I don't think my opinion matters much, but I will say I agree it's a sad situation that has affected so many people, all over the country. I have a feeling more people may be exposed to have some sort of involvement in how the whole thing went down. It's too early to even say anything. It's a developing story, with new twists and turns everyday. Several analysts have said, there's no way Penn St. could let Paterno go out and coach this weekend, be touted as a hero, and run the risk of that later coming back to bite them as the facts continue to unfold. I totally see that side of the story. Also, I'd hate to be one of the coaches who is likely to be let go once the season ends as the school attempts to clean house and start anew. There are probably coaches and staff in that department who work extremely hard, and had no knowledge or participation in anything other than their jobs, who could be without a job soon. Sad story, we'll see what happens next.
This is just another example though, of wrong doing in a college athletic program. Sure it's worse than the dirty money, rule breaking, etc., but still, the games that so many love are used and abused by people who go about it the wrong way, breaking rules and laws along the way. I've played at the college level, and seen first hand some of the bad stuff that happens at times. It's taught me to always value the game and go about it the right way. Breaking the rules, lying to players, using players, not valuing their health and education, and so much more of that stuff is all bad. Now you have the Penn St. situation that takes it to a whole other level. I always say sometimes it's easy to do the wrong thing, but you should always strive to do what's right, no matter what. I really enjoy meeting coaches who go about their work the right way. That's the place I want to be. I hope an effort is made to highlight those who love the game they coach, the players that work hard for them, and their efforts to do things the right way. They should be applauded.
I'd be remiss to not thank all of our veterans on this holiday. Like so many, I have veterans in my family, and I also have fraternity brothers who have served and are still serving right now as we speak. I love all of you guys, and hope that one day I can use basketball in a way to pay even greater tribute to all those that serve.
That takes me back to tonight's game. It's over, UNC wins, but like Dicky V said, it's a great night for basketball and America regardless. I enjoyed watching it, and yes, I did take some notes on stuff I saw, some of you know me too well. Add playing and/or coaching on the deck of an aircraft carrier to the bucket list.
That's all I got, time to chill out and it's back to CBS 6 in the morning. Thanks for reading.
-- Travis
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Walk the walk
How many times have you heard someone say something and it leaves you scratching your head? Or how many times have you heard a person (for example Rob Ryan) make a claim vocally and not be able to back it up (loss to the Eagles). These situations are grouped in with a very valid label, those who talk the talk, but don't walk the walk.
Me, I've always been a walker, and hardly ever been a talker. I believe that the walking is the most important thing. Despite our rocky relationship, I remember one thing my father taught me when I was coming up through middle school and high school and having success. He told me, let the people do the talking for you. Don't ever blow your own horn, if you earn praise, and walk the walk, then the talk will come.
This time of year, we hear a lot of people talk about how they love basketball, and are so excited for their season, etc., etc. First of all, it bugs me to hear that because if you really love basketball, it doesn't matter what time of year it is, and you're always excited to be on a court. Secondly, it's easy to say you're excited for something, but then not prove it when it gets around to happening. It's a small thing, but something we all should be weary of, because I think we're all guilty at some point.
I don't think there's a problem with making a bold statement. We've all made them. I've played in plenty of huge games and talked a little crap before, if you're a competitor, it happens. That's the passion seeping through. But, don't make a habit of it. When you do talk, you have to back it up in the way you walk. Better yet, don't talk about doing something, go out and do it.
When something's weighing heavy on your heart and mind, it's a huge drag. I've had a huge dark cloud, elephant in the room, whatever you want to call it hanging over my head lately. I keep thinking it's going to go away, but I guess they never do. Sometimes you have to face these things head on, learn from them, and get better. It's a challenge I've issued myself, to deal with it tomorrow.
I don't really delve into the political realm very much, but one thing bugs me. We all talk about the U.S. Government needing to lower the deficit and make cuts right now. The problem is, as soon as the government tries to cut anything, we see all of these propaganda commercials and what not that are paid for by lobbyist groups who have special interests in these areas. It's frustrating that lobbyists and corporations have so much control in this country that they can dictate how our lawmakers vote and act. Sadly enough, the same type of propaganda is spread to dissuade Americans that certain laws created to help them are bad for them, when actually they aren't. I don't get it, but I guess I don't have to.
Closing this post, I'm so happy to be a part of the Cosby Girls Basketball family. We have 28 girls in our program this year, with a good number of new faces. Those players, and the people I have the privilege to coach with mean so much to me. Our program really is a family, full of unique, hard working people that come together to make something great. This winter is going to be another great one, thanks to them.
Time to hit the gym. Thanks for reading. Follow me on twitter, and.... keep walking.
-- TP
Me, I've always been a walker, and hardly ever been a talker. I believe that the walking is the most important thing. Despite our rocky relationship, I remember one thing my father taught me when I was coming up through middle school and high school and having success. He told me, let the people do the talking for you. Don't ever blow your own horn, if you earn praise, and walk the walk, then the talk will come.
This time of year, we hear a lot of people talk about how they love basketball, and are so excited for their season, etc., etc. First of all, it bugs me to hear that because if you really love basketball, it doesn't matter what time of year it is, and you're always excited to be on a court. Secondly, it's easy to say you're excited for something, but then not prove it when it gets around to happening. It's a small thing, but something we all should be weary of, because I think we're all guilty at some point.
I don't think there's a problem with making a bold statement. We've all made them. I've played in plenty of huge games and talked a little crap before, if you're a competitor, it happens. That's the passion seeping through. But, don't make a habit of it. When you do talk, you have to back it up in the way you walk. Better yet, don't talk about doing something, go out and do it.
When something's weighing heavy on your heart and mind, it's a huge drag. I've had a huge dark cloud, elephant in the room, whatever you want to call it hanging over my head lately. I keep thinking it's going to go away, but I guess they never do. Sometimes you have to face these things head on, learn from them, and get better. It's a challenge I've issued myself, to deal with it tomorrow.
I don't really delve into the political realm very much, but one thing bugs me. We all talk about the U.S. Government needing to lower the deficit and make cuts right now. The problem is, as soon as the government tries to cut anything, we see all of these propaganda commercials and what not that are paid for by lobbyist groups who have special interests in these areas. It's frustrating that lobbyists and corporations have so much control in this country that they can dictate how our lawmakers vote and act. Sadly enough, the same type of propaganda is spread to dissuade Americans that certain laws created to help them are bad for them, when actually they aren't. I don't get it, but I guess I don't have to.
Closing this post, I'm so happy to be a part of the Cosby Girls Basketball family. We have 28 girls in our program this year, with a good number of new faces. Those players, and the people I have the privilege to coach with mean so much to me. Our program really is a family, full of unique, hard working people that come together to make something great. This winter is going to be another great one, thanks to them.
Time to hit the gym. Thanks for reading. Follow me on twitter, and.... keep walking.
-- TP
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Brigning the noise
If you love basketball, and love being a part of a basketball team, then like me, you LIVE for days like tomorrow. Tomorrow is a holiday, the first day of practice.
I'll admit, I remember how I felt about going into any try out as a player, and it's one of those things that's a lot different on the other side, as a coach. But either way, as a person who loves this game, you embrace the season, live for it, roll up your sleeves and get to work.
No matter if you're a player or a coach, wherever you play, at whatever level, day 1 is the day you get to work. No team should ever be the same on the last day of season as they are on the first day, but I'm a firm believer that from the first day of practice, you can get better, as an individual and as a team. One of my goals this season as a coach is to do everything I can to help our team get something out of every practice, and get better. It starts with the coaches. If you go in with the energy and a good plan, then your players will feed off that. Good habits are contagious. That's one of my favorite concepts that I preach to our girls all the time.
In all likely hood, tomorrow morning's 7am practice will fly by, and I'll wonder where it went. Sure, decisions about roster spots and the like will have to be made this week, but that's a whole other story for another day. Tomorrow, up before the sun, I have one goal for myself, and one challenge for our players- Bring the Noise.
OK I know that's cliche, but there's a deeper meaning to the word noise for us at Cosby. One of my huge points of emphasis in the preseason was for us to bring the energy, intensity, passion, and effort every single day we're on the court. Noise not only refers to doing big things, but opening your mouth, supporting your teammates, and just bringing a high level along with your best every time out, for the team. If you watch big time D1 programs go, there's a certain aura, a certain energy to it. Those players who have made it to that level are good for a reason. People can say they love the game, but then their talking stops when it's go time. Good is good for a reason.
Thinking back to the days and months of anticipation for what I get to do tomorrow, work with a coaching staff and our players, it's all coming full circle. I have passed on full time jobs in order to keep coaching, and people may question it, but none of that matters, because days like tomorrow, are days that I live for. Being part of a team, something bigger than yourself, makes life worth while.
And tomorrow, I plan on bringing the noise....
Go Titans!
-- TP
I'll admit, I remember how I felt about going into any try out as a player, and it's one of those things that's a lot different on the other side, as a coach. But either way, as a person who loves this game, you embrace the season, live for it, roll up your sleeves and get to work.
No matter if you're a player or a coach, wherever you play, at whatever level, day 1 is the day you get to work. No team should ever be the same on the last day of season as they are on the first day, but I'm a firm believer that from the first day of practice, you can get better, as an individual and as a team. One of my goals this season as a coach is to do everything I can to help our team get something out of every practice, and get better. It starts with the coaches. If you go in with the energy and a good plan, then your players will feed off that. Good habits are contagious. That's one of my favorite concepts that I preach to our girls all the time.
In all likely hood, tomorrow morning's 7am practice will fly by, and I'll wonder where it went. Sure, decisions about roster spots and the like will have to be made this week, but that's a whole other story for another day. Tomorrow, up before the sun, I have one goal for myself, and one challenge for our players- Bring the Noise.
OK I know that's cliche, but there's a deeper meaning to the word noise for us at Cosby. One of my huge points of emphasis in the preseason was for us to bring the energy, intensity, passion, and effort every single day we're on the court. Noise not only refers to doing big things, but opening your mouth, supporting your teammates, and just bringing a high level along with your best every time out, for the team. If you watch big time D1 programs go, there's a certain aura, a certain energy to it. Those players who have made it to that level are good for a reason. People can say they love the game, but then their talking stops when it's go time. Good is good for a reason.
Thinking back to the days and months of anticipation for what I get to do tomorrow, work with a coaching staff and our players, it's all coming full circle. I have passed on full time jobs in order to keep coaching, and people may question it, but none of that matters, because days like tomorrow, are days that I live for. Being part of a team, something bigger than yourself, makes life worth while.
And tomorrow, I plan on bringing the noise....
Go Titans!
-- TP
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
More reps...
Have you ever done something, knowing that as you go into it, you're going to fail?
It's a rough feeling, and no matter how prepared you are for a possible failure, it still hurts.
I walked into such a situation today, professionally. Now, I'm still trying to pick myself up. I feel right now like all of the confidence and progress that had been built up has taken a hit. More or less, I'm down in the dumps. It sucks.
It may be a cliche topic, but still one worth visiting. I'm not going to lie, it's going to take a while to get back up, but they always say it's how you bounce back that matters most. I'm here to tell you, failing sucks. My greatest fear in this world is failure, and it brings me down every time it knocks me down.
Sometimes, you're in a situation that is designed for you to fail. You can fail by succeeding. I may be in that situation right now. But is it best to totally avoid failure and not take a chance that you may open a door and meet it again?
Today, I got some positive feedback, a ton of fair, professional criticism, and two types of challenges. The first type of challenge was the surface, verbal challenge. My boss challenged me to simply get more reps. Well, I say simply but there's nothing easy about it. I spend a ton of time up there while I'm on the clock, and a fair amount of my own time up there. He wants more. I don't know where I'm going to find more, with all of my other jobs and commitments, but there's the challenge, get more reps.
I can take this into basketball terms, sometimes an athlete needs more reps, more practice. Whether in an offensive scheme, or on a particular skill, or whatever. To get better, a player needs more reps, and a lot of those reps have to come on your own time. I get it.
Then, there's the second type of challenge. It's subliminal, it's part of growing as a journalist, and it's necessary for success. That challenge is, how do you deal with failure? How do you get back up?
Honestly, I've been down all afternoon. I went to the one place that I can always go, the basketball court. I forgot about how bad I felt, but I won't lie, I was at times very average today as a player. I had my good spots and great plays, but the lack of confidence crept in at times to, and led to missed shots, lack of aggression, and other things. I even got busted open by and elbow to the mouth, and that wasn't even enough to get me fully into it.
At the end of the day, we all need more reps. It's no secret that to be good at something, you have to put the time into it. Sometimes, we feel like we do this, but we really aren't. I'm here to tell you that failure sucks. This isn't the first time I've met it head on, and it won't be the last. It's o.k. to if it bugs you and takes you down for a little bit, but at some point, you get over it. Maybe I just needed to hear that from myself.
Life's a roller coaster, it's cliche but it's true. Enjoy the highs, hate the lows, but as long as you're still feeling, I guess you're making progress. I'm thankful for failure, take the blame on myself, and now I have to do something about it. And it sucks. I've been through worse, so now it's time to get more reps.
It's a rough feeling, and no matter how prepared you are for a possible failure, it still hurts.
I walked into such a situation today, professionally. Now, I'm still trying to pick myself up. I feel right now like all of the confidence and progress that had been built up has taken a hit. More or less, I'm down in the dumps. It sucks.
It may be a cliche topic, but still one worth visiting. I'm not going to lie, it's going to take a while to get back up, but they always say it's how you bounce back that matters most. I'm here to tell you, failing sucks. My greatest fear in this world is failure, and it brings me down every time it knocks me down.
Sometimes, you're in a situation that is designed for you to fail. You can fail by succeeding. I may be in that situation right now. But is it best to totally avoid failure and not take a chance that you may open a door and meet it again?
Today, I got some positive feedback, a ton of fair, professional criticism, and two types of challenges. The first type of challenge was the surface, verbal challenge. My boss challenged me to simply get more reps. Well, I say simply but there's nothing easy about it. I spend a ton of time up there while I'm on the clock, and a fair amount of my own time up there. He wants more. I don't know where I'm going to find more, with all of my other jobs and commitments, but there's the challenge, get more reps.
I can take this into basketball terms, sometimes an athlete needs more reps, more practice. Whether in an offensive scheme, or on a particular skill, or whatever. To get better, a player needs more reps, and a lot of those reps have to come on your own time. I get it.
Then, there's the second type of challenge. It's subliminal, it's part of growing as a journalist, and it's necessary for success. That challenge is, how do you deal with failure? How do you get back up?
Honestly, I've been down all afternoon. I went to the one place that I can always go, the basketball court. I forgot about how bad I felt, but I won't lie, I was at times very average today as a player. I had my good spots and great plays, but the lack of confidence crept in at times to, and led to missed shots, lack of aggression, and other things. I even got busted open by and elbow to the mouth, and that wasn't even enough to get me fully into it.
At the end of the day, we all need more reps. It's no secret that to be good at something, you have to put the time into it. Sometimes, we feel like we do this, but we really aren't. I'm here to tell you that failure sucks. This isn't the first time I've met it head on, and it won't be the last. It's o.k. to if it bugs you and takes you down for a little bit, but at some point, you get over it. Maybe I just needed to hear that from myself.
Life's a roller coaster, it's cliche but it's true. Enjoy the highs, hate the lows, but as long as you're still feeling, I guess you're making progress. I'm thankful for failure, take the blame on myself, and now I have to do something about it. And it sucks. I've been through worse, so now it's time to get more reps.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
It's snowing in Radford, and I'm not there
First of all, truly amazing end to a story I broke last Sunday. Friday afternoon, Robert Wood, Jr. was found near the spot where he was last seen in the North Anna Battlefield Park. This is a shocking piece of great news. If you live in Central Va. you already know that. So many people volunteered and searched and prayed, and now they celebrate. I am interested to see what information comes out next. How this kid survived 6 days on his own in the woods is remarkable, and as far as I know, that's exactly what happened. I'll be working on the story again tomorrow with my colleagues at CBS 6.
I'll admit, I didn't watch all of the World Series, but obviously if you're a fan of baseball, you're a fan of that drama in a 7 game series. Some players definitely made names for themselves this fall. As for my Yankees, the Quest for 28 continues...
It's no secret I couldn't have made it to the college level playing basketball without a serious commitment to working hard every single day. Yesterday I read an interesting story on Dallas Cowboys.com (yes I'm a huge Cowboy fan) about a true underdog story of a guy who is also being praised for his work ethic. That guy is rookie running back Phillip Tanner. Here's a quote I'd like to share from that article.
"You have to go to practice every day as if you’re the starter. You have to take every rep as if you’re going to take every rep in the game and work hard, finish all your runs.” -- Phillip Tanner
If I could share a quote with young athletes out there, this would be near the top of the list. Here's the thing, Tanner was a small school DI back. Obviously, born with a ton of athletic ability. But, he went undrafted this year, and was signed by the Cowboys as a rookie free agent. After a huge preseason, he gave them no choice but to keep him on the roster, and last week, he saw his first action in the backfield, gaining 34 yards on 6 carries and scoring a touchdown. The article praises Tanner for coming in early everyday. He's in as early as 3:30 a.m., and even on his "late" days, he beats most all of the team and staff still (6:45 a.m.). Good for him. Hard work pays off. Even if he wasn't a Cowboy, I'd be happy for him. He's been a great story, and conquered the odds so far. That's motivation.
It feels like December in Richmond right now, and Western Va. got several inches of snow today. The closest snow got to me was about 20 minutes north of the city in Ashland. I always have said, if it's going to be cold, it might as well snow.
Well, time to get to sleep. Working my usual super long Sunday tomorrow, starting at 6am. Stanford and USC are in OT on my TV, should be fun to watch.
Remember, you're blessed to have tomorrow, no matter what happens.
I'll admit, I didn't watch all of the World Series, but obviously if you're a fan of baseball, you're a fan of that drama in a 7 game series. Some players definitely made names for themselves this fall. As for my Yankees, the Quest for 28 continues...
It's no secret I couldn't have made it to the college level playing basketball without a serious commitment to working hard every single day. Yesterday I read an interesting story on Dallas Cowboys.com (yes I'm a huge Cowboy fan) about a true underdog story of a guy who is also being praised for his work ethic. That guy is rookie running back Phillip Tanner. Here's a quote I'd like to share from that article.
"You have to go to practice every day as if you’re the starter. You have to take every rep as if you’re going to take every rep in the game and work hard, finish all your runs.” -- Phillip Tanner
If I could share a quote with young athletes out there, this would be near the top of the list. Here's the thing, Tanner was a small school DI back. Obviously, born with a ton of athletic ability. But, he went undrafted this year, and was signed by the Cowboys as a rookie free agent. After a huge preseason, he gave them no choice but to keep him on the roster, and last week, he saw his first action in the backfield, gaining 34 yards on 6 carries and scoring a touchdown. The article praises Tanner for coming in early everyday. He's in as early as 3:30 a.m., and even on his "late" days, he beats most all of the team and staff still (6:45 a.m.). Good for him. Hard work pays off. Even if he wasn't a Cowboy, I'd be happy for him. He's been a great story, and conquered the odds so far. That's motivation.
It feels like December in Richmond right now, and Western Va. got several inches of snow today. The closest snow got to me was about 20 minutes north of the city in Ashland. I always have said, if it's going to be cold, it might as well snow.
Well, time to get to sleep. Working my usual super long Sunday tomorrow, starting at 6am. Stanford and USC are in OT on my TV, should be fun to watch.
Remember, you're blessed to have tomorrow, no matter what happens.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Today was given, and I took it
Look at the place you're in right now. Then, look up at the place you're trying to go. Now ask yourself, how do I get from here to there?
That process has been my biggest focus in recent months, and I'm working hard to take the right steps. I've been ready for what's next, but maybe I've been waiting for it a little too much. Sometimes, you have to go to it.
Today, I got to sit and watch a full Division I women's basketball practice from start to finish. It was my first such opportunity, and I couldn't think of too many ways to better spend my time. Again, looking back at Steve Jobs and the speech I posted on here from him, he says that you should wake up everyday and be able to say that what you do that day is stuff that you want to do. I was happy with how I spent a good amount of my day, and thankful to those who gave me that chance.
Walking out of that today, I couldn't wait for our next practice. Watching other people go to work is inspiring, and I think we will have a good practice on Wednesday. It's another opportunity that has to be maximized.
Outside of basketball, I admit, the old 90's Nickelodeon shows on after midnight are fun to watch. I grew up watching All That, Doug, Hey Dude, and more. I wonder when we can expect to see Salute Your Shorts? How about Rocko's Modern Life? Haha I digress, but still, these shows are classics in my eyes.
Breaking news, I'm finally getting my hair chopped off tomorrow. I appreciate everyone who enjoys the shaggy version, but it's true, I'm getting the ears lowered tomorrow.
I need to visit Matoaca sometime soon. It's been too long since I went back to my alma mater to see how the boys' basketball program is doing and to see old teachers and stuff. I need to make it a point to visit. The last couple times I have visited have been on the opposing sideline in girls soccer. It's always tough to coach against your alma mater, but no that tough. I always will be a Warrior, and I'm the person I am today because of what I learned at Matoaca High School.
Thanks, as always, for reading. Remember to follow me on twitter. Off to bed, excited for what tomorrow brings.
That process has been my biggest focus in recent months, and I'm working hard to take the right steps. I've been ready for what's next, but maybe I've been waiting for it a little too much. Sometimes, you have to go to it.
Today, I got to sit and watch a full Division I women's basketball practice from start to finish. It was my first such opportunity, and I couldn't think of too many ways to better spend my time. Again, looking back at Steve Jobs and the speech I posted on here from him, he says that you should wake up everyday and be able to say that what you do that day is stuff that you want to do. I was happy with how I spent a good amount of my day, and thankful to those who gave me that chance.
Walking out of that today, I couldn't wait for our next practice. Watching other people go to work is inspiring, and I think we will have a good practice on Wednesday. It's another opportunity that has to be maximized.
Outside of basketball, I admit, the old 90's Nickelodeon shows on after midnight are fun to watch. I grew up watching All That, Doug, Hey Dude, and more. I wonder when we can expect to see Salute Your Shorts? How about Rocko's Modern Life? Haha I digress, but still, these shows are classics in my eyes.
Breaking news, I'm finally getting my hair chopped off tomorrow. I appreciate everyone who enjoys the shaggy version, but it's true, I'm getting the ears lowered tomorrow.
I need to visit Matoaca sometime soon. It's been too long since I went back to my alma mater to see how the boys' basketball program is doing and to see old teachers and stuff. I need to make it a point to visit. The last couple times I have visited have been on the opposing sideline in girls soccer. It's always tough to coach against your alma mater, but no that tough. I always will be a Warrior, and I'm the person I am today because of what I learned at Matoaca High School.
Thanks, as always, for reading. Remember to follow me on twitter. Off to bed, excited for what tomorrow brings.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Good is good for a reason
Good is good for a reason.
I had a coach when I was in high school, I believe it was Coach John "Sarge" Siers, who first told me that. As you can tell, it's stuck with me, like a lot of things he taught me over the years.
What does it mean? It's simple, no one or nothing is good on its own, it's good because of the work ethic, attitude, and dedication. Being good takes time, effort, and a special love for something.
I've always felt this way about basketball, and I think that's part of the reason I have such a special relationship and love for the game. It's also another one of those concepts that applies to not only being a player, but also being a coach. This is a message I hope that I can keep sharing with my high school players everyday.
Despite missing all 7 of our juniors for class ring distribution, we had a very productive practice today I thought. As always, preseason practices differ from what we will start doing less than two weeks from now, but I thought we took steps forward today with a group of one senior working with all sophomores and freshmen.
We had another coach from a big time college program at our practice tonight. Having a coach from Georgetown University at our practice, and being able to run a practice in front of someone like that, is a great thing. I'm not phased or jaded by having a big time guest in the house at all. I played in college, it's not new to me. Still it's great to have someone see you work as a coach, just as you were watched as a player. The compliment I received after practice was awesome, but all the credit goes to our girls for putting the work in.
Tomorrow, I get to attend my first college practice since my college playing days. I definitely appreciate the opportunity to just sit in on one and watch a DI women's team work, and I hope I can gain new insight on how to be a better coach, as well as what it takes to be a college coach. I played for more than one coaching staff in college and learned a lot, but I don't think I always noticed the little things they did. So, I look forward to tomorrow and learning more about how to accomplish my goals.
An update to last night's post, the 9 year old autistic boy that went missing Sunday at a battlefield park in Central VA is still missing. I broke the story yesterday, and it has since gained national attention. I can't lie, I wish i was the one you saw on your TV screens reporting on the story today, but I wasn't. It is what it is. This isn't the first time this has happened, where I've broken a story that went national. Maybe one day, it'll all be different. Thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the family, and I pray that Robbie is found safe.
Well, it's off to bed for me. Tomorrow is another busy day of getting better, learning, working at the YMCA, and working out. If you don't already, follow me on twitter, and remember...
Good is good for a reason.
-- TP
I had a coach when I was in high school, I believe it was Coach John "Sarge" Siers, who first told me that. As you can tell, it's stuck with me, like a lot of things he taught me over the years.
What does it mean? It's simple, no one or nothing is good on its own, it's good because of the work ethic, attitude, and dedication. Being good takes time, effort, and a special love for something.
I've always felt this way about basketball, and I think that's part of the reason I have such a special relationship and love for the game. It's also another one of those concepts that applies to not only being a player, but also being a coach. This is a message I hope that I can keep sharing with my high school players everyday.
Despite missing all 7 of our juniors for class ring distribution, we had a very productive practice today I thought. As always, preseason practices differ from what we will start doing less than two weeks from now, but I thought we took steps forward today with a group of one senior working with all sophomores and freshmen.
We had another coach from a big time college program at our practice tonight. Having a coach from Georgetown University at our practice, and being able to run a practice in front of someone like that, is a great thing. I'm not phased or jaded by having a big time guest in the house at all. I played in college, it's not new to me. Still it's great to have someone see you work as a coach, just as you were watched as a player. The compliment I received after practice was awesome, but all the credit goes to our girls for putting the work in.
Tomorrow, I get to attend my first college practice since my college playing days. I definitely appreciate the opportunity to just sit in on one and watch a DI women's team work, and I hope I can gain new insight on how to be a better coach, as well as what it takes to be a college coach. I played for more than one coaching staff in college and learned a lot, but I don't think I always noticed the little things they did. So, I look forward to tomorrow and learning more about how to accomplish my goals.
An update to last night's post, the 9 year old autistic boy that went missing Sunday at a battlefield park in Central VA is still missing. I broke the story yesterday, and it has since gained national attention. I can't lie, I wish i was the one you saw on your TV screens reporting on the story today, but I wasn't. It is what it is. This isn't the first time this has happened, where I've broken a story that went national. Maybe one day, it'll all be different. Thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the family, and I pray that Robbie is found safe.
Well, it's off to bed for me. Tomorrow is another busy day of getting better, learning, working at the YMCA, and working out. If you don't already, follow me on twitter, and remember...
Good is good for a reason.
-- TP
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Breaking huge stories=being on top in this game
Journalism, like basketball, is very competitive in nature. To be successful, you want to be first on the big stories, dominate the coverage of those stories, and deliver the most information in the most unique and entertaining way possible.
In almost two years now in the business, I've worked hard and broken some of the biggest stories Richmond, Va. has seen in that time span. Today, i broke a story about a 9 year old boy who has gone missing at a Civil War Battlefield Park in Hanover County. This boy is autistic and non-verbal, and simply wandered off from his family.
It's never a good idea to let one's personal feelings creep into a story, but hey I'm no longer at work, and this is a personal blog, so I'll be honest. I think this is very sad, obviously, and like several other stories I've reported on, it can get to you a little bit if you let it. Obviously, my thoughts and prayers go out to this boy's family, and I hope this story has a happy ending.
Speaking of competition, and happy endings, Demarco Murray set the Dallas Cowboys team new record for rushing yards in a single game today. The game wasn't televised here, but just following it on the computer, I was honestly amazed that he just kept breaking off one big run after another. I didn't have high hopes for him coming into the game, as the Cowboys have struggled mightily in the running attack the past two seasons, and their already inexperienced offensive line is not experiencing injuries to go along with the growing pains. But wow, Murray was just awesome today. Watching clips of his post game press conference, I was even more impressed, as he thanked God and his teammates, giving all the credit to others. I hope this isn't the last time we hear about a dominating rushing performance from this guy.
Hold on so did the Raiders really throw 6 interceptions today between Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer? Hate to say I told you so, that trade for Palmer was terrible. He did no better or worse than Boller. In his defense, he probably had no business being out there after spending less than a week int he offense and not even playing for almost a year. But still...
I'd be remiss not to mention a true inspiration of mine, Zack Ryder, who went from WWE's chopping block to wrestling on a pay per view for a championship. I know not all of you are wrestling fans, but his story is simple. He wasn't getting opportunities to prove himself, move up in the world, and do what he really loves. His bosses more or less ignored him. Most fans knew hardly anything about him, and even fewer cared. Then, 36 weeks ago, he started his own youtube show, and as he said in this past week's episode, he was either going to get fired, or he was going to get noticed. Zack Ryder took a shot, and it paid off. This is why he's a motivator to a person like me. Taking chances can pay off after all.
Well, that's all I have for tonight. The Walking Dead was great, and as always we are all left with a cliff hanger ending. I was, however, spoiled by the extended episode last week.
And so my weekend begins... Oh wait, I don't have any days off this week...
#Dannngggg
-- TP
In almost two years now in the business, I've worked hard and broken some of the biggest stories Richmond, Va. has seen in that time span. Today, i broke a story about a 9 year old boy who has gone missing at a Civil War Battlefield Park in Hanover County. This boy is autistic and non-verbal, and simply wandered off from his family.
It's never a good idea to let one's personal feelings creep into a story, but hey I'm no longer at work, and this is a personal blog, so I'll be honest. I think this is very sad, obviously, and like several other stories I've reported on, it can get to you a little bit if you let it. Obviously, my thoughts and prayers go out to this boy's family, and I hope this story has a happy ending.
Speaking of competition, and happy endings, Demarco Murray set the Dallas Cowboys team new record for rushing yards in a single game today. The game wasn't televised here, but just following it on the computer, I was honestly amazed that he just kept breaking off one big run after another. I didn't have high hopes for him coming into the game, as the Cowboys have struggled mightily in the running attack the past two seasons, and their already inexperienced offensive line is not experiencing injuries to go along with the growing pains. But wow, Murray was just awesome today. Watching clips of his post game press conference, I was even more impressed, as he thanked God and his teammates, giving all the credit to others. I hope this isn't the last time we hear about a dominating rushing performance from this guy.
Hold on so did the Raiders really throw 6 interceptions today between Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer? Hate to say I told you so, that trade for Palmer was terrible. He did no better or worse than Boller. In his defense, he probably had no business being out there after spending less than a week int he offense and not even playing for almost a year. But still...
I'd be remiss not to mention a true inspiration of mine, Zack Ryder, who went from WWE's chopping block to wrestling on a pay per view for a championship. I know not all of you are wrestling fans, but his story is simple. He wasn't getting opportunities to prove himself, move up in the world, and do what he really loves. His bosses more or less ignored him. Most fans knew hardly anything about him, and even fewer cared. Then, 36 weeks ago, he started his own youtube show, and as he said in this past week's episode, he was either going to get fired, or he was going to get noticed. Zack Ryder took a shot, and it paid off. This is why he's a motivator to a person like me. Taking chances can pay off after all.
Well, that's all I have for tonight. The Walking Dead was great, and as always we are all left with a cliff hanger ending. I was, however, spoiled by the extended episode last week.
And so my weekend begins... Oh wait, I don't have any days off this week...
#Dannngggg
-- TP
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Be grateful, you have the chance to work hard
Needless to say, there's a pretty sizable homeless population here in RVA. Like most people here, I drive passed them on the street corners and what not. I have trouble sometimes with the concept, because there are people out there who not only fake it, but also people who choose to be homeless, and travel from city to city panhandling because they want to live that way. It's a very complex concept to grasp at times, there's a lot to it.
Still, I passed an older man today, panhandling on Broad St. today, and I felt bad for him. Seeing things like this reminds me of how lucky I am. I don't just mean on the surface, you know that I'm lucky to have food, a house, clothes, jobs, etc. But, I realize how lucky I really am to have the chance to work hard today.
I have no idea what the guy's story was that I saw begging, but it still hit me, and definitely motivated. We may not always like some of the things we do, but I think we are lucky, at the same time, to have the chance to do them. Working hard to be a better basketball player is not easy, at least it wasn't for me, and yet everyday I felt blessed to have the chance to work hard anyway. I tell my players, it's easy to not put in the work, but to be successful is hard.
The same can be applied for a work environment. We all grumble, and yet we're grateful. I can honestly say I feel privileged right now, and when I get to the gym this evening, I'll work that much harder. Motivation is always something to be grateful for.Wherever you go today, whatever you do, think about people who legitimately lack the chances you're afforded just to put in the work. And remember, you can always work harder.
Heading to the gym this afternoon. It's always tough on a Saturday after a long shift at the station, but during the colder months, it's part of the routine. Then, one of my producers is having a house warming party in the west end, so I had plans to stop by. That's always a fun crowd.
It's always good to talk to old friends. It always bugs me that I go so long without talking to or hearing from people I used to be close too, but sometimes life works that way. Still, always a good time.
I have to admit, while I had a great time hanging out with my fraternity brother DC last night downtown, there were plenty of wild sights. Neither of us, for instance, understand why girls choose to cut all their hair off, actually shave would be a better word. It's not a good look for a chic. Happy belated birthday to DC by the way, good times as always.
That's all I got. And remember---
Follow me on Twitter- @travisponton
Still, I passed an older man today, panhandling on Broad St. today, and I felt bad for him. Seeing things like this reminds me of how lucky I am. I don't just mean on the surface, you know that I'm lucky to have food, a house, clothes, jobs, etc. But, I realize how lucky I really am to have the chance to work hard today.
I have no idea what the guy's story was that I saw begging, but it still hit me, and definitely motivated. We may not always like some of the things we do, but I think we are lucky, at the same time, to have the chance to do them. Working hard to be a better basketball player is not easy, at least it wasn't for me, and yet everyday I felt blessed to have the chance to work hard anyway. I tell my players, it's easy to not put in the work, but to be successful is hard.
The same can be applied for a work environment. We all grumble, and yet we're grateful. I can honestly say I feel privileged right now, and when I get to the gym this evening, I'll work that much harder. Motivation is always something to be grateful for.Wherever you go today, whatever you do, think about people who legitimately lack the chances you're afforded just to put in the work. And remember, you can always work harder.
Heading to the gym this afternoon. It's always tough on a Saturday after a long shift at the station, but during the colder months, it's part of the routine. Then, one of my producers is having a house warming party in the west end, so I had plans to stop by. That's always a fun crowd.
It's always good to talk to old friends. It always bugs me that I go so long without talking to or hearing from people I used to be close too, but sometimes life works that way. Still, always a good time.
I have to admit, while I had a great time hanging out with my fraternity brother DC last night downtown, there were plenty of wild sights. Neither of us, for instance, understand why girls choose to cut all their hair off, actually shave would be a better word. It's not a good look for a chic. Happy belated birthday to DC by the way, good times as always.
That's all I got. And remember---
Follow me on Twitter- @travisponton
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Looking forward... way forward
Today was a really good day. For starters, I played 3 half court games at about 85% against solid competition today, and came through without any pain in my knee or ankle. This was the first time I had actually played in over a month. Winning a couple games was just a bonus. I'm just glad to be better.
But, what really made today a great one was that for the first time in years, I was able to look far down the road, a few months actually, and see the light at the end of this proverbial "tunnel" I've been stuck in. I can honestly say I haven't felt this good, this positive about what I have ahead of me like this in such a long time.
If you know me, you know I may make goals for the long term, but I don't tend to break out the binoculars and look too far into the future often at all. Maybe that's because up until now, I've been staring some of the same negativity or same routine ahead of me over and over and that's been it. Sure, I'm excited for basketball season to start and stuff like that, maybe a trip down to the beach to see my best bro, one of my brother's weddings, or payday. But for the longest time I've been seeing just another 30 hour weekend of work, mostly stuck behind a desk, more months living at home with my parents, and paying my bills and stuff. Today, I looked past the everyday, every month stuff, and I saw light! I saw future possibilities. I saw that this chapter in my life's book only has a few more blank pages.
For example, I'm planning on taking my first "vacation" this spring, hopefully going to the Women's NCAA D1 Final Four in Denver, Colorado. That's huge. I haven't been on a vacation since I was in college, so it's been a couple years. And, I'm told this is the place to be if....
There are some other positive things going on, but mainly I'm just encouraged to see that soon, very soon, it'll be my time to start a new chapter, and I'm so ready. I know it's still a little ways off, but just to have dates and a near time frame in mind, I don't know I just have a good feeling about this.
There's something exciting about realizing it's almost time for big changes. Until then, though, it's important to continue to take steps, put yourself in the best position to land that big opportunity. I don't know where I'll be going or what I'll be doing, I just know that I'm going to wake up tomorrow to work to get ready.
Chad Ochocinco's new Reebok commercial is pretty tight, but can the Zig Tech's help him learn the New England playbook and/or be a servicable NFL player again?
And if there's one player who is more overrated and disappointing than him this year, it's Plaxico Burress. I never saw him as one of the top WR in the NFL even at the top of his game. At least Chad Johnson was at one point one of the best not too long ago.
Sadly, I was talking fantasy football trading preseason, talking about which player would have a better season. In hindsight, it didn't matter...
That's all I have for tonight. Remember to follow me on twitter- @travisponton
-- TP
But, what really made today a great one was that for the first time in years, I was able to look far down the road, a few months actually, and see the light at the end of this proverbial "tunnel" I've been stuck in. I can honestly say I haven't felt this good, this positive about what I have ahead of me like this in such a long time.
If you know me, you know I may make goals for the long term, but I don't tend to break out the binoculars and look too far into the future often at all. Maybe that's because up until now, I've been staring some of the same negativity or same routine ahead of me over and over and that's been it. Sure, I'm excited for basketball season to start and stuff like that, maybe a trip down to the beach to see my best bro, one of my brother's weddings, or payday. But for the longest time I've been seeing just another 30 hour weekend of work, mostly stuck behind a desk, more months living at home with my parents, and paying my bills and stuff. Today, I looked past the everyday, every month stuff, and I saw light! I saw future possibilities. I saw that this chapter in my life's book only has a few more blank pages.
For example, I'm planning on taking my first "vacation" this spring, hopefully going to the Women's NCAA D1 Final Four in Denver, Colorado. That's huge. I haven't been on a vacation since I was in college, so it's been a couple years. And, I'm told this is the place to be if....
There are some other positive things going on, but mainly I'm just encouraged to see that soon, very soon, it'll be my time to start a new chapter, and I'm so ready. I know it's still a little ways off, but just to have dates and a near time frame in mind, I don't know I just have a good feeling about this.
There's something exciting about realizing it's almost time for big changes. Until then, though, it's important to continue to take steps, put yourself in the best position to land that big opportunity. I don't know where I'll be going or what I'll be doing, I just know that I'm going to wake up tomorrow to work to get ready.
Chad Ochocinco's new Reebok commercial is pretty tight, but can the Zig Tech's help him learn the New England playbook and/or be a servicable NFL player again?
And if there's one player who is more overrated and disappointing than him this year, it's Plaxico Burress. I never saw him as one of the top WR in the NFL even at the top of his game. At least Chad Johnson was at one point one of the best not too long ago.
Sadly, I was talking fantasy football trading preseason, talking about which player would have a better season. In hindsight, it didn't matter...
That's all I have for tonight. Remember to follow me on twitter- @travisponton
-- TP
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Inspiration from Steve Jobs
Those of you that know me know that I'm not the type to be jaded by celebrity. I'm not going to tweet happy birthday or RIP to someone I've never met, or pretend that my opinion matters. More or less, anyone could have put "Steve Jobs RIP" on their facebook last week and gotten likes. That's just not my style.
Still, I think certain people have an affect that transcends their lives on Earth, and he's one of them as I learned today. I saw this clip of him tonight at the YMCA speaking to Stanford grads, and it definitely was motivational stuff.
There's a lot there in a 4 minute clip. My favorite quote? "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose." I think I share a lot of this philosophy, and Jobs and I would've probably agreed on more than one thing, but sometimes we all need a kick in the ass to remind us that we're living on borrowed time, so make the most of it.
Saw this link about Penn St. students dressing as Virginia Tech shooting victims as Halloween Costumes:
http://ezineblog.org/virginia-tech/penn-state-students-dress-as-virginia-tech-victims-for-halloween-costume/comment-page-3/
I can't even begin to describe how mad this makes me. Obviously, people all over the world are chiming in and angered, but for those of us who like me was close to one of the victims, there's a whole new level of feelings there. I remember finding out that a friend of mine, I guy I went to school with, played ball with and against, and looked up to, Matt Gwaltney, had been killed in that tragedy. I was a freshman at Methodist University at the time. I had just gotten in from an early AM class, and was stopping by my dorm room on the way to the arena to see the trainer for some post season injury rehab. My mom called me and asked me if I had heard what had happened. I turned on the TV and lost it. I had so many friends at VT at the time, people I had know from 5, 10 years. And like so many, I got on facebook and my phone and tried to reach out to them all, one by one. I remember finding out about Matt, and being one of the only people from Virginia down there in NC who understood and was hurt that bad. I made the lonely car trip home that afternoon, and I don't think I stopped crying for 5 minutes on the drive. I'd be offended by this regardless, but if there's a silver lining, I hope everyone that was close to a victim finds motivation in their loss everyday. Miss you Matt.
Moving on, I spent a few hours studying film on one of the big time opponents on our schedule this season at Cosby. One thing I come away with from that is one of my favorite old adages, "Good is good for a reason." One thing that fascinates me right now, is the desire to watch other coaches coach, especially in a practice setting. It's pretty hard to see that kind of thing, so I have to settle for watching game film of those coach's teams play games. We are less than 3 weeks from the first day of try outs/practice, and it couldn't get here soon enough.
In the sports world, the Oakland Raiders grossly overpaid for Carson Palmer. The numbers don't lie, Palmer is NOT an elite QB in the NFL. He's a solid pro, and granted he's played on some bad teams, but he's also played on some playoff teams. I don't think he's worth 2 1st round picks. He may not even be worth 1. Oakland once again will play the goat. Palmer will likely take a while to even get in a game, and how good of shape could he be in right now? Rewind to the last time he played. If he plays at that modest level, is he an upgrade over Kyle Boller? Yes. Does that Carson Palmer make the Raiders a better team? Yes. In a weak division, does he make them a playoff contender? Probably. But is that worth the price of back to back top 15 or top 20 picks? Even if they win an AFC title, I don't think so.
That's all i got for tonight. Thanks for reading
Still, I think certain people have an affect that transcends their lives on Earth, and he's one of them as I learned today. I saw this clip of him tonight at the YMCA speaking to Stanford grads, and it definitely was motivational stuff.
There's a lot there in a 4 minute clip. My favorite quote? "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose." I think I share a lot of this philosophy, and Jobs and I would've probably agreed on more than one thing, but sometimes we all need a kick in the ass to remind us that we're living on borrowed time, so make the most of it.
Saw this link about Penn St. students dressing as Virginia Tech shooting victims as Halloween Costumes:
http://ezineblog.org/virginia-tech/penn-state-students-dress-as-virginia-tech-victims-for-halloween-costume/comment-page-3/
I can't even begin to describe how mad this makes me. Obviously, people all over the world are chiming in and angered, but for those of us who like me was close to one of the victims, there's a whole new level of feelings there. I remember finding out that a friend of mine, I guy I went to school with, played ball with and against, and looked up to, Matt Gwaltney, had been killed in that tragedy. I was a freshman at Methodist University at the time. I had just gotten in from an early AM class, and was stopping by my dorm room on the way to the arena to see the trainer for some post season injury rehab. My mom called me and asked me if I had heard what had happened. I turned on the TV and lost it. I had so many friends at VT at the time, people I had know from 5, 10 years. And like so many, I got on facebook and my phone and tried to reach out to them all, one by one. I remember finding out about Matt, and being one of the only people from Virginia down there in NC who understood and was hurt that bad. I made the lonely car trip home that afternoon, and I don't think I stopped crying for 5 minutes on the drive. I'd be offended by this regardless, but if there's a silver lining, I hope everyone that was close to a victim finds motivation in their loss everyday. Miss you Matt.
Moving on, I spent a few hours studying film on one of the big time opponents on our schedule this season at Cosby. One thing I come away with from that is one of my favorite old adages, "Good is good for a reason." One thing that fascinates me right now, is the desire to watch other coaches coach, especially in a practice setting. It's pretty hard to see that kind of thing, so I have to settle for watching game film of those coach's teams play games. We are less than 3 weeks from the first day of try outs/practice, and it couldn't get here soon enough.
In the sports world, the Oakland Raiders grossly overpaid for Carson Palmer. The numbers don't lie, Palmer is NOT an elite QB in the NFL. He's a solid pro, and granted he's played on some bad teams, but he's also played on some playoff teams. I don't think he's worth 2 1st round picks. He may not even be worth 1. Oakland once again will play the goat. Palmer will likely take a while to even get in a game, and how good of shape could he be in right now? Rewind to the last time he played. If he plays at that modest level, is he an upgrade over Kyle Boller? Yes. Does that Carson Palmer make the Raiders a better team? Yes. In a weak division, does he make them a playoff contender? Probably. But is that worth the price of back to back top 15 or top 20 picks? Even if they win an AFC title, I don't think so.
That's all i got for tonight. Thanks for reading
Monday, October 17, 2011
When's the last time...?
I know it's only October, but it's never too soon to start getting in the holiday spirit.
Me, I'll be spending my Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at CBS 6 News this year. Working on Christmas is never ideal, but millions of people have to do it. This year, I'm one of them. There's no guarantee my news director will throw me a little on air love for working on Christmas, but it'd be cool to report on Christmas Day.
But anyway, as I'm sitting here I start to wonder, when's the last time I did something for a bigger cause. I mean, I help my friends, co workers, and players out all the time. But that's not what I mean. I hope that as the holidays draw nearer, I can find somewhere to volunteer at, or some family that I can help somehow. I've always, for example, wanted to volunteer with senior citizens. There are so many seniors out there who have lost their spouse, and live alone. Most of them spend much of their days and night all by themselves. I think that's sad, and I'd love to volunteer to help that cause, because part of be in the journalism field means I have to love to talk to people, and I do. Nobody wants to be alone on Christmas....
Moving on, today was my first day off in a week. I wish my body hasn't been stuck on an automatic alarm clock for 8 something in the morning for the past month or so. I guess that's a sign though that God wants me up for a reason, to work harder and focus on the future.
How awesome was The Walking Dead last night in the season premier? I mean it left me saying wow, and I can't wait for next week already. That show is picking up a ton of speed, and it seems a lot of people are talking about it. The ratings are probably huge.
I motivated myself this weekend. I was out in the field covering Occupy Richmond. Yes, the Occupy Wall St. movement made its way to Richmond this weekend, and continues today, with about 50 people left (down from 500 ish on Saturday). Anyway, I took a chance and tried to be creative with a stand up for the story. Working on my own, it's tough to get movement and creativity into a stand up when it's just me and a tripod, but I keep trying anyway. I got back to the station, and obviously my idea didn't quite work. It was kind of funny, you can laugh it off, delete it, and move on, but I'll admit, I was a little discouraged at first. The more I think about it, though, I remember that to be successful, you have to take chances! People may laugh at it, criticize it, you might fail. But don't stop taking chances. These learning experiences have to motivate you. It's true, you miss every shot you don't take.
Anyway, on to Monday night TV. Two and a Half Men is already off to a pretty funny start. Maybe the Cowboys will trade for a running back before Thursday.
Keeping the faith and still taking shots,
-- TP
Me, I'll be spending my Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at CBS 6 News this year. Working on Christmas is never ideal, but millions of people have to do it. This year, I'm one of them. There's no guarantee my news director will throw me a little on air love for working on Christmas, but it'd be cool to report on Christmas Day.
But anyway, as I'm sitting here I start to wonder, when's the last time I did something for a bigger cause. I mean, I help my friends, co workers, and players out all the time. But that's not what I mean. I hope that as the holidays draw nearer, I can find somewhere to volunteer at, or some family that I can help somehow. I've always, for example, wanted to volunteer with senior citizens. There are so many seniors out there who have lost their spouse, and live alone. Most of them spend much of their days and night all by themselves. I think that's sad, and I'd love to volunteer to help that cause, because part of be in the journalism field means I have to love to talk to people, and I do. Nobody wants to be alone on Christmas....
Moving on, today was my first day off in a week. I wish my body hasn't been stuck on an automatic alarm clock for 8 something in the morning for the past month or so. I guess that's a sign though that God wants me up for a reason, to work harder and focus on the future.
How awesome was The Walking Dead last night in the season premier? I mean it left me saying wow, and I can't wait for next week already. That show is picking up a ton of speed, and it seems a lot of people are talking about it. The ratings are probably huge.
I motivated myself this weekend. I was out in the field covering Occupy Richmond. Yes, the Occupy Wall St. movement made its way to Richmond this weekend, and continues today, with about 50 people left (down from 500 ish on Saturday). Anyway, I took a chance and tried to be creative with a stand up for the story. Working on my own, it's tough to get movement and creativity into a stand up when it's just me and a tripod, but I keep trying anyway. I got back to the station, and obviously my idea didn't quite work. It was kind of funny, you can laugh it off, delete it, and move on, but I'll admit, I was a little discouraged at first. The more I think about it, though, I remember that to be successful, you have to take chances! People may laugh at it, criticize it, you might fail. But don't stop taking chances. These learning experiences have to motivate you. It's true, you miss every shot you don't take.
Anyway, on to Monday night TV. Two and a Half Men is already off to a pretty funny start. Maybe the Cowboys will trade for a running back before Thursday.
Keeping the faith and still taking shots,
-- TP
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Injuries are part of the game....
Sometimes, one of the hardest parts about being an athlete is being bit by the inevitable injury bug.
Injuries happen. Trust me, I've had my share of them, from concussions to crutches, from a college training room to the ankle injuries, and physical therapy, I could tell some injury stories. When you play hard at a high level, sometimes you get hurt.
This risk is something we accept every time we lace 'em up, but that doesn't make it any easier to overcome. For me, I was one of those alpha-jocks who hated taking a day off, missing a practice or game, or even just a chance to work out and get better. I'd rush back, even sneak to get a workout in when I'm supposed to still be on crutches. That's how a competitor is.
As a coach, as a human being, though, we tend to always treat someone else's injuries with extreme caution. It may sound cliche, but here's what I tell young athletes- one or two practices or games aren't likely to make or break your career. While being injured sucks, keep your head up, don't let it get you down, even though it's easy to get depressed. I tell them, your number one priority is your health, doing what you have to do to get healthy. That's how you can help your team. An injury may affect you physically, but there's still other things you can contribute to the team even if you're physically hurt, and the team always needs that.
We know more now about various injuries than we did even 5 years ago. You see so much focus on concussions for instance, as we continue to learn more about the possible long term affects and consequences of having severe head injuries. I think it's great to continue to learn more about injuries, their prevention, and how to more quickly remedy one. And remember, it's part of the game.
Two movies I'm looking forward to seeing: the remake of 3 Musketeers and Anonymous, the movie about Shakespeare. Both of the previews look very good, and my little bro has already been bugging me about going to see them. I saw Moneyball a few weeks ago, and it was worth the ticket price.
It's been the weekend of overtime at work so far. Thanks to everyone who reads my stuff on wtvr.com. I'll have more tomorrow on some of the stories I've covered this weekend. So far, my two big stories for the weekend are definitely interesting topics that have generated conversation.
Drake and Jay Pharoh on SNL rapping about stealing candy from kids was pretty funny. Two talented guys right there.
Ok, I'm out. Work before the sun is up tomorrow. Good news- for me, it's FRIDAY!
Injuries happen. Trust me, I've had my share of them, from concussions to crutches, from a college training room to the ankle injuries, and physical therapy, I could tell some injury stories. When you play hard at a high level, sometimes you get hurt.
This risk is something we accept every time we lace 'em up, but that doesn't make it any easier to overcome. For me, I was one of those alpha-jocks who hated taking a day off, missing a practice or game, or even just a chance to work out and get better. I'd rush back, even sneak to get a workout in when I'm supposed to still be on crutches. That's how a competitor is.
As a coach, as a human being, though, we tend to always treat someone else's injuries with extreme caution. It may sound cliche, but here's what I tell young athletes- one or two practices or games aren't likely to make or break your career. While being injured sucks, keep your head up, don't let it get you down, even though it's easy to get depressed. I tell them, your number one priority is your health, doing what you have to do to get healthy. That's how you can help your team. An injury may affect you physically, but there's still other things you can contribute to the team even if you're physically hurt, and the team always needs that.
We know more now about various injuries than we did even 5 years ago. You see so much focus on concussions for instance, as we continue to learn more about the possible long term affects and consequences of having severe head injuries. I think it's great to continue to learn more about injuries, their prevention, and how to more quickly remedy one. And remember, it's part of the game.
Two movies I'm looking forward to seeing: the remake of 3 Musketeers and Anonymous, the movie about Shakespeare. Both of the previews look very good, and my little bro has already been bugging me about going to see them. I saw Moneyball a few weeks ago, and it was worth the ticket price.
It's been the weekend of overtime at work so far. Thanks to everyone who reads my stuff on wtvr.com. I'll have more tomorrow on some of the stories I've covered this weekend. So far, my two big stories for the weekend are definitely interesting topics that have generated conversation.
Drake and Jay Pharoh on SNL rapping about stealing candy from kids was pretty funny. Two talented guys right there.
Ok, I'm out. Work before the sun is up tomorrow. Good news- for me, it's FRIDAY!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Oh, the places you'll go...
First and foremost, Happy Founders Day to Delta Chi. 121 years ago today, THE Delta Chi Fraternity was founded at Cornell University, and the lives of tens of thousands of men were forever changed. I'm proud to be a brother in that bond. Delta Chi will always have the utmost place in my heart, and I am the man I am today because of that brotherhood. Here's to 121 more years and then some. I love all of my brothers, and miss those who are no longer with us. Too Fly, Represent until I die....
Often times I'll compare my experiences as an active player to my experiences as a coach. Some things I see the same way, others I look at differently. One thing I can say is as a player and as a coach, I always look at what I can do better, and if there's a tough day or a miscue, it's ALWAYS my fault, and there's ALWAYS something I can do to make the team better. I think we live in a world where people will try to pass the buck and look to their left to find who is responsible. To be successful, however, I think you have to take ownership of your shortcomings and mistakes just as much as you take pride in your successes. If we have a bad practice, I take it on myself. I did it as a player, and I do it as a coach. And until the next one, I'm thinking about how I can make it better. Maybe I have some tough love for myself, but I just want to be better so bad.
So many people can look back at something they truly love, or something they are passionate about. I remember being 12 years old, attending a basketball camp at a high school, and one of the school's former players, now playing D3 ball in college, came and spoke. The one thing he really said that will stick with me the rest of my life was that this ball can take you all over the country, all over the world, and do so many great things for you, if you're willing to give it the time and attention in return, if you're willing to dedicate yourself to it and love every minute of it. That was it, I was sold. I knew then and there, I wanted what he had, and I wanted to work harder than anyone to get it, and I wanted to go all of those places and be one of those people.
12 years later, and I'm not disappointed with that choice. Still, one thing I wish I could share with more young players, is that there's a pretty well defined correlation between the time you put into your game and how much success you have. I remember hearing Gannon Baker speak (one of a few times I've had that privilege), and he talked about how he'd be in his back yard working on his ball handling waving his friends off to the mall and to the movies. He valued working on his game more than having some temporary fun.
When I was in high school way back 5 years or so ago (hahaha) facebook wasn't around for high school kids, but to all those young players out there, do you ever wonder how much better you could be if you spent half the time you spent on facebook on your skills?
Don't get me wrong, I'm relatively active in social media and all. Honestly, I'm glad I didn't have to deal with these kind of things when I was 15 though, I may not have accomplished my goals. It's easy to be in front of a computer when it's raining outside all afternoon. Me, I took the hard road, and went outside in the rain and handled the ball, shot the ball, got soaked. I'd come in from that and my mom would be so mad at me, because I'd go to the sink with gritty black hands to wash up. It was that work though, that mattered. It wasn't easy, but man I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
ITB,
Travis Ponton
Often times I'll compare my experiences as an active player to my experiences as a coach. Some things I see the same way, others I look at differently. One thing I can say is as a player and as a coach, I always look at what I can do better, and if there's a tough day or a miscue, it's ALWAYS my fault, and there's ALWAYS something I can do to make the team better. I think we live in a world where people will try to pass the buck and look to their left to find who is responsible. To be successful, however, I think you have to take ownership of your shortcomings and mistakes just as much as you take pride in your successes. If we have a bad practice, I take it on myself. I did it as a player, and I do it as a coach. And until the next one, I'm thinking about how I can make it better. Maybe I have some tough love for myself, but I just want to be better so bad.
So many people can look back at something they truly love, or something they are passionate about. I remember being 12 years old, attending a basketball camp at a high school, and one of the school's former players, now playing D3 ball in college, came and spoke. The one thing he really said that will stick with me the rest of my life was that this ball can take you all over the country, all over the world, and do so many great things for you, if you're willing to give it the time and attention in return, if you're willing to dedicate yourself to it and love every minute of it. That was it, I was sold. I knew then and there, I wanted what he had, and I wanted to work harder than anyone to get it, and I wanted to go all of those places and be one of those people.
12 years later, and I'm not disappointed with that choice. Still, one thing I wish I could share with more young players, is that there's a pretty well defined correlation between the time you put into your game and how much success you have. I remember hearing Gannon Baker speak (one of a few times I've had that privilege), and he talked about how he'd be in his back yard working on his ball handling waving his friends off to the mall and to the movies. He valued working on his game more than having some temporary fun.
When I was in high school way back 5 years or so ago (hahaha) facebook wasn't around for high school kids, but to all those young players out there, do you ever wonder how much better you could be if you spent half the time you spent on facebook on your skills?
Don't get me wrong, I'm relatively active in social media and all. Honestly, I'm glad I didn't have to deal with these kind of things when I was 15 though, I may not have accomplished my goals. It's easy to be in front of a computer when it's raining outside all afternoon. Me, I took the hard road, and went outside in the rain and handled the ball, shot the ball, got soaked. I'd come in from that and my mom would be so mad at me, because I'd go to the sink with gritty black hands to wash up. It was that work though, that mattered. It wasn't easy, but man I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
ITB,
Travis Ponton
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Striving for perfection
In the Bible, Matthew 5 verse 48 reads, "Be perfect, even as your Lord in Heaven is perfect." To me, that's one of the most motivational verses I have ever memorized. Of course, the Bible goes on to teach that there's no such thing is perfect, and I agree with that. There's always a way you can be/do something better.
That leads me to the second quote I'll include in this post, it's from a professor I had at Radford who told me, "Greatness comes from the sacrifices of those who strive to be perfect." He didn't think much of it when he said it, but I literally typed it up and printed it as soon as he said it, and talked to him about it after class.
I remember having successful games in my playing career, and people would come up and say, "wow you scored such and such points, and you didn't have a turnover, and blah blah blah." It's a great feeling to earn that praise, but when someone asked me how I though my game or practice went, I'd always start off with my biggest weakness or my team's biggest weakness and what I can do to improve it. To me, that's striving to be perfect.
Through this constant commitment, you stay modest and grounded and real with yourself, but you also should gain confidence in yourself as well. You will never be a perfect shooter making everything dead on, and trust me I've put up millions maybe even billions of shots in my life so far trying, but through all those shots, I became a better shooter, and learned to have confidence that if I was asked to take a certain shot, I have a pretty good chance of making it.
I know there are people who disagree with this philosophy, but for me, at the gym working out tonight, the thought that I have to be perfect made me work that much harder and get that much better, and I'll take it.
I tried a Met RX cookies and cream protein bar tonight, and I'll admit I was a little disappointed. I'm not huge on protein bars and stuff, but I'll grab one on occasion, and right now, my top two are Power Bar Bites and Wheaties Fuel Bars.
Every time I hear 3 Doors Down "When you're young", the chorus of the song seems to apply to my television career right now:
You give what you give 'cuz they make you,
Trapped inside a place that won't take you.
They want you to be what they make you.
It's already over and done, when you're young.
3 Doors Down is a solid band, and they're one of those bands that always have had songs that seem to speak to me, so I can appreciate that.
Good news, my left knee and right ankle are almost pain free. I am almost able to fully leave the ground on a jumper/rebound/finish without pain. Hopefully when I work out tomorrow, I can test out my wheels for real.
Well that's it for tonight. The way I look at tomorrow, it has to be a good day, and I have to be the one to make it that way.
-- TP
That leads me to the second quote I'll include in this post, it's from a professor I had at Radford who told me, "Greatness comes from the sacrifices of those who strive to be perfect." He didn't think much of it when he said it, but I literally typed it up and printed it as soon as he said it, and talked to him about it after class.
I remember having successful games in my playing career, and people would come up and say, "wow you scored such and such points, and you didn't have a turnover, and blah blah blah." It's a great feeling to earn that praise, but when someone asked me how I though my game or practice went, I'd always start off with my biggest weakness or my team's biggest weakness and what I can do to improve it. To me, that's striving to be perfect.
Through this constant commitment, you stay modest and grounded and real with yourself, but you also should gain confidence in yourself as well. You will never be a perfect shooter making everything dead on, and trust me I've put up millions maybe even billions of shots in my life so far trying, but through all those shots, I became a better shooter, and learned to have confidence that if I was asked to take a certain shot, I have a pretty good chance of making it.
I know there are people who disagree with this philosophy, but for me, at the gym working out tonight, the thought that I have to be perfect made me work that much harder and get that much better, and I'll take it.
I tried a Met RX cookies and cream protein bar tonight, and I'll admit I was a little disappointed. I'm not huge on protein bars and stuff, but I'll grab one on occasion, and right now, my top two are Power Bar Bites and Wheaties Fuel Bars.
Every time I hear 3 Doors Down "When you're young", the chorus of the song seems to apply to my television career right now:
You give what you give 'cuz they make you,
Trapped inside a place that won't take you.
They want you to be what they make you.
It's already over and done, when you're young.
3 Doors Down is a solid band, and they're one of those bands that always have had songs that seem to speak to me, so I can appreciate that.
Good news, my left knee and right ankle are almost pain free. I am almost able to fully leave the ground on a jumper/rebound/finish without pain. Hopefully when I work out tomorrow, I can test out my wheels for real.
Well that's it for tonight. The way I look at tomorrow, it has to be a good day, and I have to be the one to make it that way.
-- TP
Monday, October 10, 2011
My Saturday (and Sunday) all in one
This week I have one official day off. It was today. I got to sleep in, and had a great workout, without doing any actual work, per say. Always good to have a day or two like this.
The rest of the week is filled with coaching and working at the Y, before it's back to CBS 6 on Friday, nightside this week instead of 5am though, so I'll take it.
Now I'm settling in to Monday night television, which is pretty awesome this fall I'm not going to lie, and that's coming from someone who doesn't watch a ton of TV. I don't even watch TV when I'm on it (haha).
I need Jay Cutler and Matt Forte to have just their usual games tonight, trailing by about 20 points in one of my fantasy football leagues. Should get two wins this weekend.
Call me mean, but I say what goes around, comes around, and I'm a fan of poetic justice. Nice to see it today. Enough said there.
On to basketball. I saw one of my friends and former high school teammates at the gym today. Well, not exactly a teammate, he was on the JV when I was on the Varsity, but still, it was good to see Joe Lyons. Joe overcame a lot and went on to play college ball at Newport News Apprentice. It helped him that he finally got a little taller (haha had to go there). Joe knows his basketball, and he was working out a couple of high school kids today who play rec ball at the YMCA. Good for him. He was a fun player, and he seems to enjoy sharing his love for the game with others.It's great to see a Warrior alum doing well. I always tell my players, enjoy your time with your teammates, because it's short, and in 5 years, you'd wish you could do it all over again.
I got a pretty intense workout in on the court today, and my knee and ankle felt so much better. Still, I plan on wrapping on a couple bags of ice again tonight, just to be safe. I think one of the more valuable things I learned in college was from our team athletic trainers. As much time as a college athlete spends in a training room through their career, you can learn how to take care of your body and recover from your injuries. Oh yeah, and a summer or two of physical therapy didn't hut my learning curve either. Much love to everyone who's ever wrapped my ankle, saran wrapped ice to my limb, and so much more.
Anyway, time for Monday night channel surfing. Later
The rest of the week is filled with coaching and working at the Y, before it's back to CBS 6 on Friday, nightside this week instead of 5am though, so I'll take it.
Now I'm settling in to Monday night television, which is pretty awesome this fall I'm not going to lie, and that's coming from someone who doesn't watch a ton of TV. I don't even watch TV when I'm on it (haha).
I need Jay Cutler and Matt Forte to have just their usual games tonight, trailing by about 20 points in one of my fantasy football leagues. Should get two wins this weekend.
Call me mean, but I say what goes around, comes around, and I'm a fan of poetic justice. Nice to see it today. Enough said there.
On to basketball. I saw one of my friends and former high school teammates at the gym today. Well, not exactly a teammate, he was on the JV when I was on the Varsity, but still, it was good to see Joe Lyons. Joe overcame a lot and went on to play college ball at Newport News Apprentice. It helped him that he finally got a little taller (haha had to go there). Joe knows his basketball, and he was working out a couple of high school kids today who play rec ball at the YMCA. Good for him. He was a fun player, and he seems to enjoy sharing his love for the game with others.It's great to see a Warrior alum doing well. I always tell my players, enjoy your time with your teammates, because it's short, and in 5 years, you'd wish you could do it all over again.
I got a pretty intense workout in on the court today, and my knee and ankle felt so much better. Still, I plan on wrapping on a couple bags of ice again tonight, just to be safe. I think one of the more valuable things I learned in college was from our team athletic trainers. As much time as a college athlete spends in a training room through their career, you can learn how to take care of your body and recover from your injuries. Oh yeah, and a summer or two of physical therapy didn't hut my learning curve either. Much love to everyone who's ever wrapped my ankle, saran wrapped ice to my limb, and so much more.
Anyway, time for Monday night channel surfing. Later
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Less than a month to the season...
The good news... the Virginia High School League adopted a week earlier start time for winter sports this year.
The better news... Monday, November 7 is less than a month away
The bad news... until then, we are still working with preseason practices and the obstacles associated
So over the past week and a half, I've been spending a whole lot of time doing film study, watching our games from last year over and over, looking at the smaller details. I've also been studying film of colleges who have clips of their practices online. Check out this one of the Gonzaga Women's Basketball Team:
This is impressive. In our practices at Cosby, I always preach energy, intensity, and communication, from the time you walk in the gym to the time you wrap up. Notice how every player is into it, yelling, clapping, working hard, and enjoying it. That's how I played, and I think you get more out of practice if you practice in this type of atmosphere.
Another website I stumbled upon is the one created by Florida State Women's Basketball. Take a look.
http://www.seminolehoops.com/index.html
All I can say is wow. This is great stuff. All of the videos not only are useful to young players from a workout stand point, but a lot of the clips show how Coach Semrau's program is a family. Playing in college, I felt as if I was part of a family too, but they really showcase it to the world on this website. Honestly, I'd want to go to Florida State after visiting this site. It must help them with recruiting, and obviously they do a ton of great things there to have had so much success. I'm sure I'll visit this site more than once again. I hope to one day have the chance to work in a program like that.
On another ACC basketball note, I want to shout out former Cosby stand out Kelsey Conyers for making the women's basketball team at Virginia Tech. Kelsey has played with and against that level of talent before, and she was a pleasure to coach last season as a Senior. She was an All Distirct, All Region, and All Metro player multiple times, and not only a top rate player, but a top rate person. It doesn't surprise me at all, and I'm glad she decided to play at VT. Congrats to her, and I have a feeling that program will be better everyday she walks in the gym. That's just Kelsey.
Other than that, I'm just waiting to watch the CBS 6 News at 11 (sorry, I'm not on tonight), and then get to sleep. Tomorrow is my Saturday, and my only true off day this week, with shifts at the YMCA and preseason practice filling the rest of my week, then it's back to CBS 6 Friday. I'm just looking forward to working out tomorrow and getting some shots up. Hopefully, my ankle and knee soreness continue to subside. Thanks for reading.
-- Coach P
The better news... Monday, November 7 is less than a month away
The bad news... until then, we are still working with preseason practices and the obstacles associated
So over the past week and a half, I've been spending a whole lot of time doing film study, watching our games from last year over and over, looking at the smaller details. I've also been studying film of colleges who have clips of their practices online. Check out this one of the Gonzaga Women's Basketball Team:
This is impressive. In our practices at Cosby, I always preach energy, intensity, and communication, from the time you walk in the gym to the time you wrap up. Notice how every player is into it, yelling, clapping, working hard, and enjoying it. That's how I played, and I think you get more out of practice if you practice in this type of atmosphere.
Another website I stumbled upon is the one created by Florida State Women's Basketball. Take a look.
http://www.seminolehoops.com/index.html
All I can say is wow. This is great stuff. All of the videos not only are useful to young players from a workout stand point, but a lot of the clips show how Coach Semrau's program is a family. Playing in college, I felt as if I was part of a family too, but they really showcase it to the world on this website. Honestly, I'd want to go to Florida State after visiting this site. It must help them with recruiting, and obviously they do a ton of great things there to have had so much success. I'm sure I'll visit this site more than once again. I hope to one day have the chance to work in a program like that.
On another ACC basketball note, I want to shout out former Cosby stand out Kelsey Conyers for making the women's basketball team at Virginia Tech. Kelsey has played with and against that level of talent before, and she was a pleasure to coach last season as a Senior. She was an All Distirct, All Region, and All Metro player multiple times, and not only a top rate player, but a top rate person. It doesn't surprise me at all, and I'm glad she decided to play at VT. Congrats to her, and I have a feeling that program will be better everyday she walks in the gym. That's just Kelsey.
Other than that, I'm just waiting to watch the CBS 6 News at 11 (sorry, I'm not on tonight), and then get to sleep. Tomorrow is my Saturday, and my only true off day this week, with shifts at the YMCA and preseason practice filling the rest of my week, then it's back to CBS 6 Friday. I'm just looking forward to working out tomorrow and getting some shots up. Hopefully, my ankle and knee soreness continue to subside. Thanks for reading.
-- Coach P
First Post, First Step?
I've never been about blog's. Sure, I read a blog or two about sports mostly, but that's the extent. I guess I've always just thought, when people first started making them, blogs were part of a person's struggle to seem important and feel like their opinions matter or make a difference.
Maybe back then, it was true. But now, I look at it as a way for people who want to read about me to be able to do that. It's a way to connect and network. Maybe it's a way for me to finally get my big break, in the form of a full time job. Maybe you're a college coach looking for your next assistant, or perhaps a News Director with a FULL TIME opening for a reporter, one that actually offers benefits that I don't have right now.
Or maybe you're just like me, a young, hard working recent college grad who is a victim of circumstance, piecing together his early 20's with a bevy of part time work that adds up to well over 40 hours a week, but with no salary or benefits to show it. Maybe you're like me, working 30 hour "weekends" (Friday-Sunday) for almost two years just waiting to prove that you're worth more opportunities and those last 10 crucial hours to get you over the hump. It could be you've always had success with everything you've been given, but you don't have a big name connection on your resume to land you that one interview you really want.
It's discouraging, and yet you take pride in everything you do, and do it better than anyone ever thought you could or asked you to do it. You keep your eyes on the future, remember what you've learned along the way, and trust in your faith that one day, it will happen. Sure, maybe you're current situation isn't all you want it to be, or all that you deserve, but you can always make the most of every situation.
So maybe you are like me. I can't promise I'll take to this blog thing well, but last year one of my New Year's Resolutions was to be more active on Twitter (follow me with the link on your left), and so far I've done a pretty good job.
If you read my about me section, you can get a pretty good idea of what I'm all about. I hope to use this blog to talk a lot of basketball, seen and experienced through the life of a young coach and former college player. I only have a few friends in the college coaching business, but reading their blogs, I'm inspired. I also hope to share some of my work as a journalist, whether it be a link to a web story or a video package or something like that. Lastly, I hope to blog about how great life is no matter how much of a struggle you are going through. I'm young, I know I only live once, and I enjoy having a good time, going out with my brothers, playing ball, laughing at funny videos, and talking junk about my favorite sports teams and fantasy football. That's just who I am. I'd like to think, it's a good way to be.
http://twitter.com/#!/travisponton
--TP
Maybe back then, it was true. But now, I look at it as a way for people who want to read about me to be able to do that. It's a way to connect and network. Maybe it's a way for me to finally get my big break, in the form of a full time job. Maybe you're a college coach looking for your next assistant, or perhaps a News Director with a FULL TIME opening for a reporter, one that actually offers benefits that I don't have right now.
Or maybe you're just like me, a young, hard working recent college grad who is a victim of circumstance, piecing together his early 20's with a bevy of part time work that adds up to well over 40 hours a week, but with no salary or benefits to show it. Maybe you're like me, working 30 hour "weekends" (Friday-Sunday) for almost two years just waiting to prove that you're worth more opportunities and those last 10 crucial hours to get you over the hump. It could be you've always had success with everything you've been given, but you don't have a big name connection on your resume to land you that one interview you really want.
It's discouraging, and yet you take pride in everything you do, and do it better than anyone ever thought you could or asked you to do it. You keep your eyes on the future, remember what you've learned along the way, and trust in your faith that one day, it will happen. Sure, maybe you're current situation isn't all you want it to be, or all that you deserve, but you can always make the most of every situation.
So maybe you are like me. I can't promise I'll take to this blog thing well, but last year one of my New Year's Resolutions was to be more active on Twitter (follow me with the link on your left), and so far I've done a pretty good job.
If you read my about me section, you can get a pretty good idea of what I'm all about. I hope to use this blog to talk a lot of basketball, seen and experienced through the life of a young coach and former college player. I only have a few friends in the college coaching business, but reading their blogs, I'm inspired. I also hope to share some of my work as a journalist, whether it be a link to a web story or a video package or something like that. Lastly, I hope to blog about how great life is no matter how much of a struggle you are going through. I'm young, I know I only live once, and I enjoy having a good time, going out with my brothers, playing ball, laughing at funny videos, and talking junk about my favorite sports teams and fantasy football. That's just who I am. I'd like to think, it's a good way to be.
http://twitter.com/#!/travisponton
--TP
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