kc bob: SPORTS

Showing posts with label SPORTS. Show all posts

Buck's Bridge

I can see this bridge from my loft. I love that it is being renamed for one of my heroes.
One of the highlights of my life happened about 20 years ago when Buck came to speak at a Diversity event at the company that I worked for - Buck embodied both Diversity and Love. Buck began the meeting by shaking the hand of everyone in that place - he was so warm and caring. I will never forget that day when this beautiful gentleman spoke to us all about his experiences growing up in segregated America and about how he learned to love people.

I remember Buck talking about his friend Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Baseball League. He closed the meeting as he did on many occasions by asking everyone in the audience to hold hands and sing a song with him about loving each other. He had everyone in Cooperstown singing it when he spoke at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Here is the way that he concluded his speech:

Now, I want you to do something for me. I’m fixin' to get off this stage now. I think I done my six minutes. But I want you to do something for me. I want you to hold hands. Whoever’s next to you, hold a hand. Come on, you Hall of Famers, hold hands. All you people out there, hold hands. Everybody hooked up? Everybody hooked up? Well then I tell you what. See, I know my brothers up here, my brothers over there -- I see some black brothers of mine and sisters out there -- I know they can sing. Can you white folks sing?

I want you to sing after me:

The greatest thing -- come on everybody --

The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you.

The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you.

The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you.

The greatest thing in all my life is loving you.

Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, sit down. Now, sit down.

I could talk to you 10 minutes longer, but I got to go to the bathroom.

Thank you Buck for a life filled with grace and love. I will remember you when I see your bridge. See you in Heaven!

Muhammad Ali, 1942-2016

Doubtful I could say anything about Ali that has not been said before. Here are a few things that he has said.

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

A man who has no imagination has no wings.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.

Don’t count the days; make the days count.

The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.

It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.

Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.

Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right

Royals crowned Champions of Baseball

Our city is lit up. Fireworks going off after midnight this morning. 30 years after we won the series in 1985. Sweetness.

Mets Memories

Bill and Bob

I think it was in 1962 or 63 that my older brother Bill first took me to a Mets game. I was 13 or so and really loved taking the Ferry and the Subway to the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan. But even more I loved being with Bill whether it was a Mets or Yankees game.

These are the things I think about as the NY Mets come to KC this week to play the Royals in the World Series. How I wish my brother, a guy who cheered for his Mets since those early days, was still with us. It would be great fun to talk smack with him about his team and my team. But perhaps Bill will be watching the series from heaven? If he is, I hope that he is not trying to convince God to root for the Mets. ツ

Yogi Berra, 1925-2015

Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, a three-time AL MVP and 10-time World Series champion, died Tuesday at age 90. Growing up in New York City, I was a huge Yankees fan. Yogi was one of my boyhood heroes. Love how Yogi excelled after his playing career in managing teams. Here are a few Yogiisms that speak to his keen wit.

"Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical."

"He hits from both sides of the plate. He's amphibious."

"You can't think and hit at the same time."

"So, I'm ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face."

"It's déjà vu all over again."

"Even Napoleon had his Watergate."

"Cut my pie into four pieces. I don't think I could eat eight."

"Never answer an anonymous letter."

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

"You can observe a lot just by watching."

Please join me in offering prayers of comfort today for his family and friends.

Will Shields elected to the NFL Hall of Fame

"Everyday I count the blessings that have been bestowed upon my family and me. Each day I am thankful that I was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs and think of all the people who have supported the team, our family’s foundation, and me. This community is like no other when it comes to support. Fourteen years sure fly by when you get to do what you love. The love for the game never decreased but, as the years passed, the physical requirements of the game became harder to fulfill each and every day. If it was up to me I would play football forever but, as we all know, that is unrealistic." -Will Shields

In 14 seasons Will never missed a game. Will, an outstanding lineman, appeared a record 12 consecutive time is the Pro Bowl. He was a great player and more importantly a great person. Will, along with his wife, Senia, created the “Will To Succeed” Foundation in 1993 for the purpose of inspiring, guiding, and improving the lives of abused, battered and neglected women and children. The Chiefs will sorely miss Will but Kansas City will still benefit from his presence.

Originally posted when Will retired in 2007.

Favorite Sports Underdog Movies

Ann and I recently watched "We are Marshall", a movie based on a true story about the horrific loss and subsequent rebuilding of a college football team. I much enjoyed the story and the acting. The movie speaks deeply about the differing ways that people grieve. On a scale of ten I give eight stars. Here are a few of my favorite sports underdog movies:

Rocky :: Hands down the best boxing movie and perhaps the best underdog flick.
Hoosiers :: Another great underdog story about a small town basketball team.
The Natural :: Robert Redford hits it out of the park as an aging baseball player making a comeback.
Chariots of Fire :: Loved this story of Olympic runners and the inspiration of faith.
Rudy :: A football movie about heart, overcoming and the underdog.
Tin Cup :: Kevin Costner is great as a washed up golfer with a few great putts left in him.
The Karate Kid :: Loved how an older man influenced the life of a bullied boy.

So many more I can think of like 42, Miracle and others. What are you favorite sports underdog movies?

Character Matters

It has been a week since the Seahawks trounced the Broncos in the Super Bowl. A few days ago Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann wrote an oped piece titled "Dear Mr. Manning" in the Denver Post. Here is a beautiful clip from it:

It matters that you're professional in the way you talk to reporters.

It matters that you give credit to others — coaches, teammates, mentors.

It matters that you don't give up in a bad game and keep fighting, no matter the odds.

It matters that you take time to write notes to fans and sign autographs — even after crushing defeats.

It matters that you know the difference between being embarrassed by your team's performance and just not being the best team on the field that day.

And it matters that you meticulously prepare to play the game ... and encourage everyone around you to do the same.

The things that Laurie lists reveal a beautiful character. I so agree with her closing assessment of Manning: "it's your character that sets you apart from so many of your predecessors and peers. And that's a legacy that matters."

... I recommend that you read Laurie's article in full here.

Old Chiefs or New Chiefs?

I was a season ticket holder in the late 90s and absolutely loved the winning atmosphere in Arrowhead Stadium back then - even though we never really made it far in the playoffs (when we got there). Those winning days gave way to the mediocre ones of the past ten years. Last year the team hit an all-time low when they lost fourteen of their sixteen games.

Then came this season! All I can say is wow! The Kansas City Chiefs have not lost one of their first nine games. Even so they are getting no respect and are the underdogs this evening when they play their arch-rivals, the Denver Broncos who have only lost one game.

And the question on the minds of die-hard fans like me is which KC team will show up. Will the old sad-sack team be there or will this new, tougher and smarter team come to play? Obviously, I am hoping the New Chiefs will show up tonight! Go Chiefs!!

Oscar Pistorius: Double Amputee Olympic Runner

Sometimes a person simply takes your breath away by simply showing up. This morning I watched Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee Olympic runner from South Africa, run in the Olympics and place second in the heat. Can you see his prosthetic "Cheetah Legs" in this photo - he is running so fast it is hard to see them.

The moment spoke to me about how, even without legs, people can do amazing things. Watching Oscar take off from the starting blocks and run that race was a great Olympic moment that I just had to share.

Jim Thorpe, Amateur and Professional Athletes

Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe (Sac and Fox (Sauk) from Oklahoma: Wa-Tho-Huk) (1888-1953) was an American athlete. Considered one of the most versatile athletes in modern sports, he won Olympic gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon, played American football collegiately and professionally, and also played professional baseball and basketball. He subsequently lost his Olympic titles when it was found he was paid for playing two seasons of minor league baseball before competing in the games (thus violating the amateur status rules). He, like Jesse Owens, found life to be difficult after the Olympics. After his professional sports career ended, Thorpe lived in abject poverty. He worked several odd jobs, struggled with alcoholism and lived out the last years of his life in failing health.

In 1983, thirty years after his death, his medals were restored. Jim Thorpe was named the greatest athlete of the first half of the twentieth century by the Associated Press (AP), in 1950. He ranked third on the AP list of athletes of the century in 1999. I thought about Jim Thorpe when I watched NBA players like Lebron James, Ming Yao and Kobe Bryant play Olympic basketball several years ago. It's been 16 years since the distinction between "amateur" and "professional" was deleted from the Olympic charter. Sad how it took the Olympics so long to come to grips with this amateur and professional thing but I am glad they finally did. Apart from the amount of compensation, do you see a difference between the pros and the amateurs? Is their really a distinction between them?

Bubba Watson's Dad Moment

Moving. Touching. Speaks to me of a Son's love for his Dad.

Is God your Cosmic Vending Machine?

I read that title phrase, "Cosmic Vending Machine", in a Fox News article that asks the question "Is it OK to pray for your team to win Super Bowl 2012?" Here is a clip from it:

A kind of religious transaction where he gives God the glory and God gives touchdowns. Or victories. Or Super Bowls. A fair exchange?

God ends up becoming a cosmic vending machine.

Everything is well and good until Jesus makes you fumble.
...
We love to think God takes our side. Roots for our teams. It’s part of our American DNA.

To paraphrase Anne Lamott: You know you’ve created God in your own image when God roots for all the same teams you root for (I’m looking at you Yankee and Cowboy fans).

Here’s my short answer. Based on Christian scripture and practical experience, the purpose of prayer is for God to win. Not for you to win. Or your favorite team. Even if you are from Cleveland—though if anyone has a shot, God just might be rooting for you, Cleveland.

Millions of people all over the world will tune into the Super Bowl tonight.

God’s probably not concerned with who wins the Super Bowl. God’s consumed by working on behalf of the usher who can’t figure out how to pay his chemo bill. Or the player going through a divorce. Or the assistant coach who lost his son to suicide. Or the trainer wrestling a gambling addiction. Or the recent immigrant, trying to pay one more bill by cleaning up the confetti that falls in Lucas Oil stadium.

God sees the whole stadium, not the final score.

I love that last statement. I think that we all know how foolish it is to pray for our team to win but I wonder how many of us think about praying for those who hurt the most? Maybe we will if we can see God as more than a Cosmic Vending Machine who exists to help us win Super Bowls?

Should Tim Tebow be Silent?

I love how so many people are talking about how Tim Tebow acknowledges God on the football field. I love how his actions make some feel uncomfortable. I think that it is great how some even feel a need to mock him. It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul once wrote to the Philippians:

"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."

I love Tim's comments to ESPN in this news clip and I rejoice that he is bringing attention to Christ in this wonderful season of Christmas. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season. :)

What do you think about Tim's bold actions?

Should Tim Tebow keep quiet?

The World Series comes to Missouri

This funny Shoebox cartoon reminds me that tonight the Texas Rangers come to St Louis in the first game of the World Series. I am pulling for the Cardinals but cannot say that I will faithfully watch every game of the series.

Are you a fan? Will you be watching the series?

It Happens Every Spring

The movie pictured in the image below is of one of the greatest baseball movies ever made. I have loved it ever since I first saw it on TV back in the 60s. The story revolves around a science teacher that accidentally discovers a liquid that causes a baseball to repel wood. It is such a fun movie about how he leaves the lab for his first love - baseball. It makes me think about the many great baseball movies. Here are a few that I remember.

The Natural is my all time favorite baseball movie. I originally caught it at the movies. I love the mixture of baseball, reunited love and the triumph of principles over greed.

The Babe Ruth Story starring William Bendix was one that I first saw in the auditorium of PS 22 in the 50s. I so loved the story of the Babe's rise to fame from a Catholic orphanage.

A League of their Own tells the story of women's baseball during World War II. This wonderful story reminded us about a bit of forgotten history and how the sport continued back then.

Do you enjoy baseball movies? What is your favorite one. What did you like about it?

Play Ball!

Today is opening day for the Kansas City Royals. They will square off around 3pm against the LA Angels of Anaheim (when did they change their name?). Once upon a time baseball in this city used to be fun - George Brett was a rookie, Frank White won golden gloves and the Royals regularly made the playoffs.. they even one it all in 1985. Sadly the beloved team owner passed away and the CEO of Walmart bought the team and ran it into the ground.

But enough about that! Here's to opening day and dreams of playoff berths and world championships. Play Ball!

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk

"Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" is a chant used at the University of Kansas. US President Teddy Roosevelt once called it the greatest college chant he had ever heard.

I suspect that many in San Antonio, Kansas and all over the country will be yelling it this afternoon as the Jayhawks take on VCU in the Alamodome in their quest to The Final Four. I will be cheering them on. How about you?

Super Trivia Quiz

See if you can identify the one item of Super Bowl trivia below that is false:

80 percent of all tickets sold go to corporate sponsors of the NFL and of the SB.
The Kansas City Chiefs played in the first SB.
The first four Super Bowls weren't called “Super Bowl.” Instead they went by the title “AFL-NFL World Championship Game.”
Steeler QB Ben Roethlisberger was, at 23, the youngest quarterback to win a SB.
When Super Bowl I was played, you could have bought a ticket for only six dollars.
On the Monday after the big game, an average of 6 percent of workers call in sick and antacid sales increase by 20 percent.
The Dallas Cowboys have won the most Super Bowls.
Super Bowl Sunday is second in food consumption in the USA behind Thanksgiving.
Super Bowl I was the only one ever broadcast by 2 different networks (CBS & NBC).
The Buffalo Bills have played in the most consecutive Super Bowls.

Let me know which item of trivia you think false.

What are your favorite Superbowl Munchies?

This dish looks way too fancy for me. My favorite football nosh food consists of a nice hot cheese dip replete with some chips to dip. Add to that some bison summer sausage and a few crackers. Finish it off with a bowl of peanut M&Ms and I am about ready for the game.. and a beer or two.
And I might add a few BBQ wings.
What will you eat with the game?

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