Little Eyes Are Watching!

I've written pretty much the same column before.  Even indicted my childhood chum here before.  But some stories are worth telling again.

I must have been about 10.  I was attending a high school basketball game and sitting on the balcony with my friend Jimmy Greenway.   We were sitting right over the main entrance to the gym and as people would enter, we would drop popcorn on them.

Keep in mind this was the early 60's, when "big" hair was all the rage.  We were generally aiming for those bouffant hairdo's.  You had to time it just right to get them as they walked by.  We hit a few.

A woman with a small son-he was maybe 4-sitting in the stands behind us turned to her son and said "don't turn out like them."

It shocked me.  Bothered me badly (obviously, since I remember it so distinctly 50 years later).  And it changed me.

Young and old, let me remind you of an absolute fact:  Somewhere, sometime someone little is looking at you, watching how you behave.  

It might be someone you know.  It might be a complete stranger.   But they are modeling their own behavior after yours.  If they know you and admire you, they might dream of being just like you.

I generally like Charles Barkley.  I liked the way he played the game.  He has a great sense of humor and is an excellent basketball commentator.  But when he declared that he was "nobody's role model," he lost me.

He may not choose to be a role model, but he is.   When a professional athlete admits to an extramarital affair, those that admire that athlete just inched closer to accepting that as normal behavior.  When a college athlete describes an incident as consensual sex, it becomes a little more acceptable to too many people.

I hear coaches tell their players about this stuff all the time.  I hear them say "when you are in the community, you are representing yourself, your team, your family."

I guarantee you that there is somebody looking at every member of the MHS and AHS state championship football teams and dreaming of being "just like them."  In every way. 

How do you act when you are in line to pick up a burger?   Do you treat the clerk with respect?  Are you patient?  Do you offer someone that is struggling your place in line?

Or do you do like I saw a couple of older guys do last weekend at the movie?  When told that they were in the wrong wing of the theater, they acted as though the teenage ticket-checker had insulted them.  One guy jabbed his straw down in his popcorn with such force that he spilled part of the contents.  That one was laughable (and I did laugh).

Maybe we learn how NOT to act from watching someone else.  But I never wanted to be that person so when I heard what that young mother told her son, I resolved to change.  

I want to walk-the-walk.  I want to be that person that behaves admirably, respectfully all the time; sometimes especially when I don't think anybody is watching.

Little eyes are watching you.  And copying you.  And if you don't watch out, they are going to grow up to be just like you.

What would you have them to be?

 

Gym Stereotypes

Before you jump to the conclusion that this may be about you, let me tell you that the character I'm describing today is not one person but a composite of several.   (But if it hits too close to home...well...maybe you ought to think about it for a minute.)

OK, your New Year's Resolution (NYR) was to finally get fit.  So you joined the gym.  But really, I probably shouldn't get used to seeing you around.  Statistics tell us that 80% those that join a gym based on their NYR will be gone in 4 months or less. 60% will be gone by mid-February.

So here you are.  And it appears you asked for workout gear for Christmas because everything looks brand new.  But man, you look pretty ridiculous in those Lululemon Yoga pants that may seem to come in men's sizes but were most assuredly not meant for guys.  Especially not for guys that need to lose 35 pounds.

And the high tech shirt that you cut the sleeves out for goodness knows whatever reason--you don't yet have the arms for that one although I did catch you flexing your biceps just now.  Was it for that cute girl on the elliptical machine?  Oh my goodness, I thought for a moment you were going to lean over and kiss it (your biceps, I mean).

But before you actually get started with anything, you've got to make sure that you have your tunes on.  The arm holder and the neon ear buds take a good 10 minutes to adjust just right and then you sit looking at what I can only imagine is a hundred different workout playlists--at least it seems that way because you flip through them for another 10 minutes.

So the first thing you do is to rack up a bunch of weight on an Olympic platform but never really get around to lifting it.  Just when you think people are not looking, you move over to another weight.

And there you are.  Standing there looking at a weight, staring at it really.  I can't help but think of that guy on late night TV that used to bend things without touching them before a live audience. Wasn't he The Amazing Carnac? He would just look at a fork or spoon and they would start to bend. You had that same look in your eyes so I half expected the bar to start bending merely from your stare.

Once you got around to actually lifting a weight, you screamed/grunted so that everybody within a quarter mile radius could hear you and notice that surely you just lifted a monumental amount of weight or even did a PR or something like that.

Oh and then after you did pick the bar up, you immediately dropped it, I guess because you saw that on TV. And then you picked it up again and dropped it again. Don't you know that lowering that weight to the floor will help give you better strength than dropping it ever could?

I bet you've got a set of dumbbells by your bed at home because...well..everybody knows it's "curls for girls."  In a random study, I didn't find a single female who listed big biceps as the physical trait they most admire in the male species--didn't even make the top 10.

Oh, and you really didn't do a very good job of fake-hiding your supplement stash.  I guess my first clue to that was when you took it out of your cavernous gym bag and put it on the gym's front desk. 

What's that?  You want some advice about how to get fit?  Really?  And you're willing to put in the time and the effort?  And listen when the professionals set up a program that seems completely different from everything you ever heard?

Wow.  There's hope for you yet?  But dude, forget the Lululemons.

Make Changes, Not Resolutions

Did you make any resolutions this week?   Did you resolve to eat better?  Exercise more? 

Quit smoking?  Slow down and smell the roses?  Sleep more?  Sleep less?

One friend resolved to be the best that he could be.   Maybe he plans on joining the Army. 

How about this?  How about resolving to establish new habits?  Don't just promise yourself to lose 10 pounds, change your eating habits for the better. 

Let's face it....New Year's resolutions are really just a decision to be a better you.  Whatever you see as your shortcomings, whatever you see about yourself that needs to be improved, that's what you resolve to change. 

I looked up "resolve" in Webster's dictionary (online edition, of course).  It said " to make a definite and serious decision to do something."

OK.  I'm good with that.  A "serious" decision, huh.  But shouldn't there be some sort of commitment-type thing in there too?

How about a commitment to establish new habits?  Good habits are what make a lot of people successful.  Books have been written about the subject.

For this discussion, I did what most people do:  I googled up "habits of successful people."  And I found a lot of what really seemed appropriate to this discussion.

Like "Don't Create Back-Up Plans."   You're going to get up in the morning and exercise. Period.  There really isn't an option. Hitting the snooze or re-setting the alarm simply doesn't happen.

And do it at least 5 days a week.  Remember that morning works better since it kicks up your metabolism and removes your excuses.

"Do The Work."  There is no easy way.   Eating right takes effort.     Quitting smoking is hard--nicotine is highly addictive.  If exercise that makes you healthier were easy, everybody would already be doing it.

How about the point that successful people are "Goal Oriented."   Yeah, it does help to establish goals.  But aim high.  And when you reach your goals, set new, higher goals.

It just makes sense to follow that with "Be Results Oriented."  Maybe "be the best person I can be" is just too ambiguous.  How about no fried foods for a month.  And then another month.  And another.  Actions that you follow long enough become habit.

"Successful People Are Honest With Themselves."   I like that one too.  Like, having a diet soda with a triple cheeseburger, hold the lettuce.  Now just who do you think you are kidding?

I like the observation that successful people "Avoid The Crowds."   All those people walking on the treadmill while reading the newspaper, does it seem like it's working for them?

Forget the resolutions--make the decision to truly change the way you pursue health and happiness by making exercise and eating right habits.

Life is Good

It is the tendency of most columnists to reflect on the past as the year comes to a close.  I want to do that but in a little different way. 

I want to look at 10 years backward and then 10 years down the road.  It was an article in Smithsonian the magazine that prompted this approach.  In it, the author looked at the age at which you become the person that you are finally going to be.

I guess part of it is that I've never really wanted to stop growing and changing (and improving) so I eagerly await the person I am to become.  It's not that I don't want to get old, it's just that I like the process.  I guess that's why I went back at 55 to get still another college degree, a doctorate in physical therapy.

Anyway, 10 years ago I was 50.  I was CEO of Appalachian Therapy Center and enjoyed going to work. 

Maryville High School's football team had just lost in the semi-finals to Morristown West in a messy, wet game that had been postponed to a Saturday night.  I remember this huge defensive end at Mo West that seemed destined for greatness and a Rebels team that simply ran out of time.

My son was not yet married to my favorite daughter-in-law and had just finished his football at Clemson University with a career ending injury while playing in a game at Florida State.  It was a great ride. 

Our daughter was (is) married to a wonderful young man but those grandbabies had not yet started coming around.  Let me say that being the parent of adult children was (is) absolutely wonderful. 

In 2003, I had been married for 26 years to the same wonderful lady.  I was riding my road bike a lot and had made the decision to ride year-round.   I still had a mountain bike and some great excursions with some buddies on that bike were coming in the next few years. 

Life was good.

10 years from now, I'll be 70.  

My partners and I sold Appalachian Therapy Center to Blount Memorial Hospital and the merged clinics became Total Rehab.   Then they give me the job doing what I had been doing for years:  running several outpatient clinics, seeing patients, covering high school sports, and writing this column.  I always said I would retire when it quit being fun.  It still is so there's a chance  I'll probably still be doing it all then.

MHS will have appeared in its 20th straight state championship game and they will name the 6A championship trophy after George Quarles, since he will have coached in every single 6A state championship game ever played.

We will have had our 7th grandchild and I think that might be it.  The oldest will be a senior in high school.  I'm predicting that volleyball will be her sport, just like her mom.  I will have enjoyed watching every game the grandchildren play and will never have yelled at a coach or referee.

I will be painting more but still giving them away.  I'll still be known around town as the guy that writes the column in the newspaper. 

I'll still be on the road bike but my mountain bike days will be limited to gentle days on velvety smooth singletrack.   Oh, and there might have been a brief hiatus in my biking while I got that bum right knee replaced.

I will have been married 46 years to that same wonderful lady.

And life will still be good.

Good Sportsmanship Starts at Home

I think that coaches around here do a really great job with making sure that their players "behave" themselves.  Oh sure, I see on-the-field incidents that make you cringe and question the athlete's character, but we just seem to blessed with very little of that in our own kids.

We know we're blessed around here.  I know it when I watch Shawn Prevo score a touchdown and immediately look for a referee to hand the football to.  I know it when Jaquez Tyson scores still another touchdown and acts as though he's been there before (he has...lots).

I do remember one incident this year that happened less than ten feet from me when a player from the opposing team jumped into a pile of players, leading with his fist.  His intent was clearly to hurt someone.  The game, for all practical purposes, was over and since it was a playoff game, the season for this young man was also about to be over.

To their credit, the officials saw it, flagged it, and had a chat with the young man who seemed neither contrite nor apologetic (remember, I was but a few feet away). 

I can only speculate as to what kind of background this young man came from. Building character starts early and never stops.   I've said it before and I'll say it again:  I don't see many really "bad" kids but I do see too many "bad" parents.

Parents, look at yourself in the mirror.   What is there about yourself that you want your kids to copy?  What traits would you prefer they avoid?  I've said here before that raising kids is a lot like God shaping clouds.  Done gently and with purpose.

Here lately, it seems like a lot of the incidents involve fans. To use a sometimes forgotten term, it's plain and simple poor sportsmanship.   I've never liked boo-ing (I don't even like cheering when a player on the other team makes a mistake) but maybe that's just me.  I do know that behavior at times goes beyond poor taste.

I can remember a couple of years ago at a not-to-be-mentioned Knoxville school when the student body for that school showed up early and camped out in the bleachers immediately behind the visitor's (my team's) bench.  Those students proceeded to scream incessantly, making it at least unpleasant.   The coach finally started holding timeout discussions in the middle of the court in order to be heard.

Taunting other players--calling them by name and picking on some identifying characteristic--I don't much care for that either.  I believe every red-headed basketball player at one time or another has been called "Opie."

Heaven forbid that you ever have to be the one throwing the ball in during a basketball game while standing in front of the other team's student section. 

Most of the time, I can forgive stuff like this if it is teenagers but when adults do it, it is just unacceptable.  

Like I said, this all takes it beyond school spirit into a whole new arena of poor sportsmanship.

Twas a cold and blustery night

It was easily the worst conditions I've ever seen a game Driving rain.    Temps hovering just above freezing.  Strong winds. 

I'm talking about the Alcoa football championship game.  Man, it was cold.  Twice, we had lightning delays.

Let me back up a minute.  I had the privilege of assisting my colleague and Alcoa High Head Athletic Trainer Peggy Bratt during that memorable game.  She returned the favor when she joined me on the sidelines of Maryville High's game the next day.

While not nearly so wet, it was just as cold.   Still, nothing met the miserable conditions found on Friday evening when Alcoa took the field. 

At times on Friday, our primary concern was hypothermia.  Really.  The players on the field did OK, since they were generating some body heat while playing.   The biggest problem they had was their hands.  It seems like nothing we could do would keep their hands warm.

The players on the sidelines, soaked to the bone by halftime, could only stand there and suffer.  I stood with Alcoa Athletic Director Josh Stephens and one of us muttered "this is miserable" every few minutes.   And it was.

Yet, as the game wound down and the rain came harder, the joy of a state championship seemed to overcome all the discomfort.   I don't recall being as miserable when the game was finally out of reach.  Such is the joy of victory.

So when I went back with my own team the next day, the somewhat colder but immeasurably drier conditions didn't seem so bad.   My only concession to a wind chill factor of about 22 was ear covering in the second half.  Layers are everything in cold weather.

And when the "mercy rule" went into effect, I don't remember being cold at all.  The culmination of almost 20 weeks of practice had paid off for these young men and their coaches.

I am often asked what the secret is to the success of these Twin Cities Titans (yeah, that's my answer to the search for a moniker).  Everybody has an opinion--mine is a little tilted by perspective.

Let me offer what I think both teams have.  Heart.  Great coaches.  Discipline.  Commitment. Execution.  Good athletes.  Tradition.  Expectations.  Work ethic.  A swagger, if you will.

When either Maryville or Alcoa take the field, opponents don't exactly tremble but they do have doubts.  And when Jaquez Tyson runs for 8 yards every time he touches the ball and there is nothing you can do about it or when John Garrett tosses a touchdown or runs for 20 yards just when you think you've got him...well it breaks your spirit if not your heart. 

Sure, the coaches approach the games a bit differently.  Alcoa will play with more emotion while Maryville will bring a surgical cunning to the game.  Both result in an intensity that nothing if not intimidating.

In his pre-game chapel before Maryville headed to Tennessee Tech's football stadium, Bubba Hooker said that the key to this team was faith, hope, and love.  

Faith in your teammates and coaches.  Hope that leads to ambition.  Love for each other that transcends sport but results in stellar performances.

Yeah, it's all that too.

Concussions and Sports

Probably the hottest topic in sports medicine today is concussions.   It's been featured on television shows from 60 Minutes to NFL Today.  I've half expected to hear about a feature on Ellen and The View (or maybe it has already--I would never know either way).

It's partly because of several high profile cases, mostly retired NFL players.   Junior Seau's suicide was widely attributed to concussions he suffered while playing football.  Jim McMahon, who led the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl, is a sad sight, suffering from early-onset dementia that he blames on multiple concussions.

He and others are suing the NFL for what they claim was negligence by ignoring evidence of the long term effects.  But it wasn't until research performed at Boston University demonstrated that even minor blows to the head could produce symptoms of concussion that we began to understand the seriousness of those injuries.

Football seems to be the focus but no sport is immune from concussions.   Hockey is notorious for producing concussions.  Heading the soccer ball can produce concussion-like symptoms.  Any sport where there is a chance for a collision or a chance for a fall (which is just about everything), can produce a concussion.

What we didn't know even 10 years ago is that we should never take these injuries lightly.  And we don't.

High school athletes and those from Maryville College are monitored closely by athletic trainers and attended by team physicians. We are ever diligent in making sure that every one of those athletes is protected.

For example, during a football game, we will watch for collisions that might produce a concussion.   Instead of waiting for that player to come to us and complain of a headache or dizziness or other symptoms, we will seek them out to make sure they are OK.  Goodness knows we can't wait on them to come to us.  Some will.  Most won't. 

I find myself telling athletes all the time that they simply must be honest with me, that this is not something to ignore.

With little variation, when an athlete has a blow to the head, regardless of the origin, we consider it a concussion until proven differently.   If they have any symptoms at all (symptoms can include headache, dizziness, blurred vision, memory loss, and disorientation), then they are pulled from competition and evaluated more thoroughly.

If they lose consciousness, the game is over and they are getting an ambulance ride.

Once a diagnosis of concussion is established, they must have a medical evaluation before they can return to their sport.  That's not just good medical care, since earlier this year, it's state law.

Here in Blount County, we go several steps further.  After they have been given medical clearance, they must take and pass a test called an ImPACT Study.  The ImPACT Study evaluates their cognitive function, looking at variety of things like short term memory and the ability to process mental tasks.  For most of our athletes, they have taken the same test well before the season started so that we have a baseline of information to compare their performance to.

Then they are screened for things like balance and response to activity.   Then and only then are they considered for return to their sport.