Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Anything Ken can do....Part 2

A little under a week ago, I wrote an update about the woman runner who many have suggested to really be a man.

Well here is a story of a real young lady who outdid the boys this week.

Katie Reyes, a little league baseball player, was the top player for her team in the Little League World Series this week as she led her team to victory.

Check out the YAHOO Sports article here:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Katie-Reyes-becomes-first-girl-gamewinner-at-Lit?urn=mlb,185105

Friday, August 21, 2009

Anything Ken Can Do, Barbie Can Do Better

Unless Barbie is suspected of being a Ken.




Recently, the sports news waves have been on a rip tide with articles about track runner Caster Semenya.

Semenya is a runner from South Africa who has ran HER entire life and is now under scrutiny that she may possibly be a man--not a woman.

I have been reading various articles trying to figure out how to go at this, but I have found it truly difficult.

The top article that I have come across was published in The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/22/sports/22runner.html?_r=1&ref=sports


The article goes on to describe how a man and a woman are not simply determined by XY or XX chromosomes. Some men can even have XX chromosomes, but the average person does not know this. Caster may not know she had male characteristics. Caster may have just thought she was unordinarily fast for a woman--and if no one ever told her different, then she had no reason to think different. Now she under a whole lot of scrutiny, when it's the coaches who have seen her through the years who should be put under the questioning. SOMEONE before this year must have thought "hey she is really fast, maybe she isn't completely a she."

So here's my question: Shouldn't the tests have been conducted before she was allowed to run in the event? It would save the runner a whole lot of embarrassment--and keep the media and others in their place.

Or maybe people just don't want to believe that a woman could physically be so good.

Newsflash--maybe she could be.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Latest Installment to My Steroid Article Collection

Today, the latest installment to my steroid scandal library of articles was published in the Morning Call. For those that don't know, I have become an avid editorial writer when it comes to the use of steroids in professional baseball.

Why so much writing on such a thing?

Because it means something.

I love baseball. My brother loved baseball. The neighborhood kids always loved baseball. Growing up backyard fun was simply about blasting a ball as far out of the backyard as we could. Of course--it was a tennis ball and a tiny aluminum bat. But it was the beginning of hopes for all of us to go on and someday play a sport on a real ball field--one with the sweet scent of dirt and rubber, one where the grass is cut to just the right height, and one where for three hours life exists between two white lines.

This is America's past-time, and as I have written in the past, I am tired of athletes tainting the game.

I love this game.



Here is the latest article......try to ignore the senior year of high school picture.




Saturday, August 1, 2009

Dustin Pedroia-Born To Play

Book: Born to Play
Author: Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox 2nd Baseman, Rookie of the Year, AL MVP

Normally when athletes write books, they are pretty well established in their sport. Most of the time they have worked their way up to being the top player, have broken many records, or have faced incredible odds in their many years. Most, however, don't write books after just two years in the big leagues.

But that's Dustin Pedroia for you. It doesn't matter what people think he isn't supposed to do, he will just go do it, and that is exactly how his baseball career is explained in his book, Born To Play.

Pedroia, who is the Mogsy of baseball, writes about the challenges that he faced in getting to the big leagues. Always being short, Pedroia was always told that the MLB was out of his reach, that he couldn't make it, and that his arm would never be strong enough.

As one of Pedroia's coaches explains in the book, just telling him he can't is the perfect way to get him to do exactly what you want him to do.

Born to Play, which was released just a two and a half weeks ago, is more than the story of a Major League Baseball player. It is the story of a person who got his way by pushing and shoving to get there. He didn't sit back and let people just watch. Pedroia explains that when things didn't look like they were going to go in his advantage, that he immediately would say something. It didn't matter who the person was, Pedroia always spoke his mind.

This is how Pedroia got a full scholarship to ASU, and how he moved through the minor league system with the Boston Red Sox. Pedroia made his future happen--he didn't leave it to fate.

He worked hard and did what people told him.

In his book, he chronicles his first years playing baseball, obstacles he faced such as a broken leg, a smashed face, and crippling hand. These could tear any player down, but not Pedroia, he always fought back.

That is the best part of the book. It almost makes you laugh at times--to hear this guy talk about how he was cursing at big league scouts.

Overall, the book is a quick and easy read. Would I call it absolutely inspiring? Not the most--but it def. does hit a chord. A good read for any athlete who has ever been told they can't, and a good read for any baseball fan.