Handling Adversity

Down by 10 and your best scorer just fouled out.  What do you do?  Trailing by two touchdowns late in the game and your quarterback goes down with an injury.  How do you respond?

Do you concede defeat?   Do you give up?  Or do you respond by playing harder, by giving more of yourself? 

What do you do when faced with adversity?  How do you behave?  When things go wrong, how do you respond?

The high school football game that I most remember from my own playing days was one that we lost.  A close game, back and forth.  Our best defensive player went out with an injury early in the game.  We messed up the coverage and allowed a punt return for a touchdown.

With the best efforts of both teams--it came down to the last seconds of the game.  Probably the better team won.  I don't know.  I do believe I gave it my very best effort.  It was likely my personal best game in high school and the best game for my team.  (BTW, the team we were playing was MHS, who won the state championship a few games later.)

The bottom line is that in most games adversity is going to happen.  Somebody misses an easy shot on goal.  A fumble or interception.  A double fault.  Missing a gimme putt.

How you respond tells a lot about the strength of your character, about your integrity. 

A lot of it depends on your mindset, how you approached the game.  I've seen teams that take the field or court with a confidence in themselves, in their ability as a team or as an individual to respond to adversity, that nothing can shake them.

They might fall behind early.  Those bad things might happen.  But they fight through it.  Sometimes it brings out the best in them.

Your level of commitment has a lot to do with it.  How committed are you?   How determined are you?  Are you willing to sacrifice for what is best for the team?

I played defensive tackle for most of one game in high school.   We had injuries to our first four defensive tackles.  We were behind in a game and as a linebacker, our defensive tackles were getting me killed.   I went to my coach and asked him to let me play tackle. 

He did. Now keep in mind that I was a little bigger than I am now, but not much.  And lined up across from me was an offensive lineman headed to the University of Kentucky.  I have no memory of really how I did.  Oh, in my mind, I think I did fine but true memories fade. 

I do know that we were behind in that game but made a comeback and made it a great game.  And I don't know what part I might have played in that comeback other than the fact that I was willing to give up my natural spot (linebacker) to try and help the team.  I'd like to think that was my shining moment.

The bottom line is that when adversity comes your way, in life and in sports, don't you quit.  Keep fighting.  Allow it to become YOUR shining moment.

John Greenleaf Whittier's poem Don't Quit says it best.  "And many a failure comes about when he might have won had he stuck it out."

Who are your heroes?

We've had plenty of opportunity to find heroes lately.  I'm betting that only a tiny bit of the heroism displayed during the recent shooting in Las Vegas has come out.  People helping people during all the hurricane activity we've had has been all over the news.

If you ask a youngster who their heroes are, you are likely to get  a sports star.  Maybe a few movie stars or rock stars but sports will dominate the list.

When I was growing up, during the dawn of the Space Age, it might have been an astronaut.  I thought John Glenn must be the coolest guy ever.  I liked The Beatles but I didn't want to be them.  And I never saw them as heroic.

So, what is the definition of hero? To answer that question,  I did what everyone does...I Googled the term.  Google says " a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities."  Wikipedia describes a hero as (and I paraphrase here) " is a person...who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, bravery, or strength, often sacrificing their own personal concerns for a greater good.

Going Old School, Webster's said "a person admired for achievements and noble qualities." 

So who fits those definitions?  Astronaut Scott Kelly maybe.   Not only has he been to space multiple times, when his wife, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot, he was there for her.  I heard Kelly speak one time and wanted to run out and change the world.

Once upon a time, I thought Lance Armstrong was heroic.  Beat cancer.  Won the Tour de France over and over.  Established the Livestrong Foundation (for which I dutifully wore the yellow arm band).

Then we found out the truth about him.  And we find out that maybe he isn't really a very nice person either.  He did accomplish more for cancer research than just about anybody and he did win bike races in an era when everyone was cheating just like him but heroic?  Not anymore.  Not to me anyway.

Who are your heroes?  Who do you admire the most?  Who do you see as being all those things that we attribute to being heroic?

I'm going to jump to my real point here.  I believe that you need to look for your heroes right here, where you live.  Not on TV.  Not in the movies.  Not on the basketball court or football field. 

 Look for someone that you know, someone that you  have looked in the eyes and seen who they really are.   Someone that has walked the walk and you've seen them do it.

The neighbor that changes your neighborhood.  The law enforcement officer that is out there every day making the world safer and better.  The fireman that runs into a burning house to save a child, putting their own life at risk.  Soldiers defending our country and the defenseless around the world.

The public servant or political office holder that stands up for what is right, even when it isn't popular or politically expedient (maybe especially so).  The family that takes in children that don't have many options.

Admire the person who took a bullet for somebody else.  Or dragged others to safety.  They deserve our praise and admiration.  But I think we need heroes that we can reach out and touch.   Everyday heroes that do the right thing, day in and day out, even when no one is watching.

So...who are your heroes?

On Mortality

Almost every time my words get printed, I read it and think "dang, I wish I had said this (or that)."  I don't think I've ever written anything that I wouldn't change something.  I'm my own worst critic.

Maybe it's part of getting old, although I've not yet met my dad's definition of truly old (80), but I'm thinking more about time and things like that.  I wrote about carpe diem a couple of weeks ago.  That's sort of what I'm talking about.

So that carpe diem piece left some things out.  Like mortality.  And the fact that I've lived well over half my life.  I've got to admit it--right after checking the sports pages and the editorial page, I head for the obituaries.  Looking, I guess, for someone I might know.

Maybe it's my early entrance to geezer-dom but the first thing I look for is their age.  Were they younger than me?  Yes?  Dang.  That's young.  Then I look for some clue as to what got them there.

The bottom line is that we aren't promised tomorrow.   Somebody that you talked to yesterday is gone today.  I wrote about that recently too.   That very thing happened to some friends this week.

I find myself wanting to squeeze every moment of every day.  I'm missing a lot of things because I work too much but that is both a choice I make every day and a part of me that I can't let go.    But every day I have doubts about the choices I make about the use of the time.  Any more, it seems like I'm making those choices based on that carpe diem stuff.

I've even passed on a couple of bike rides recently, opting for a fun mountain bike ride with Ken Bell rather than get my behind kicked on a slobberknocker ride with a group of riders all better than me. 

My bucket list is short.  I'd like to see Machu Picchu.  I want to see what kind of adults my grandchildren become (but that doesn't count).  I want to see a night football game at LSU.  Eating my way across northern Italy is in there somewhere.  I'd like to get good at fly fishing and take lots more hikes with my wife.

But those things are events that I can make happen if I really want to.  What about today?  What about this moment?

Coaches everywhere tell their young charges to enjoy every single game.  That (in high school football anyway) they only get ten opportunities to play the game they may have played as long as they could remember.

Just this week I heard Derek Hunt tell his team "you're only guaranteed four more of these games--don't waste these opportunities."  It seems like only yesterday that I saw many of these same young men playing middle school football. 

And for the seniors, it's winding down.  Quickly.  Oh, there are the playoffs and teams around here have a habit of playing a lot of those but that's a different season.  It's maybe one and done then.

I would tell athletes everywhere to enjoy every minute of it.  Enjoy the practices, even though they can be hard.  It is an opportunity to get better and prove yourself. 

Enjoy the friendships that you will make.  You are forming bonds that will last forever.  Even now, when I see high school teammates  J.L. Millsaps or Lonnie Hawkins, there is a bond that time cannot erode.  And I might see them once every couple of years. 

Enjoy the locker room and the coaches and the smiling parents after a game.  The fans, the work, and the attention.  Enjoy every minute of it.  All too soon, it will be over.

Grandparenting 101

Early this week, someone said they hadn't heard much about my grandchildren in a while.  Then just yesterday a friend told me I should write a book about grandparenting.  I don't think I'm there yet.

Years ago I did start a book about parenting but it's stored somewhere in my laptop, untouched for a long, long time.  It was to be called Every Mistake in the Book, because...well...I made every mistake in the book.  But I learned from those mistakes so I hope I become a better grandparent than I was parent.

We did have our 6th Annual Camp Blackberry this summer.  We get them for a week and have all sorts of planned activities, trips, and meals.

This year all six grandchildren attended and we had a blast, visiting the Knoxville Zoo, The Lost Sea, and the Chattanooga Aquarium.  I think it wasn't until the third day this year that I had my first nervous breakdown.

It was a great week and those same grandkids are already making plans for next year.  Oh, the name?  We raise blackberries and our name is Black so it just seemed logical.  Sam Beall told me it was OK.

So let me bring you up to date a bit on those grandkids.

GK1 (grandkid #1, the oldest) is doing great, thank you for asking.  Smart, gorgeous, and athletic, she's on the Cross Country team at her school and loving it.

GK2 is definitely the artist in the family.  With a smile that can light up a room, she loves basketball and volleyball.   (So maybe this is a little about sports.)

GK3 is handsome and witty and hugely inquisitive.  He's searching for "his" sport but I have no doubt that he'll find it one day, since his parents are giving him lots of options. I may get him a tennis racket.

GK4 is a firecracker and about the cutest thing you'll ever see.  I predict that he will be an outside linebacker and a wrestler.

GK5 is into everything.  One of my favorite photos is of her leaving ballet with her in an oh-so-perfect ballerina bun with her karate gi on, ready for practice. 

GK6 is the live wire, running around trying everything and taking great joy in movement.  He's into karate too (which has been great for him) but he's going to be a chunk so it seems likely he'll follow his dad into football.

So, what does it take these days to produce smart, athletic, well-rounded kids?

Opportunities.  Kids need opportunities to explore and engage in different things, especially sports.  Travel teams, private coaches, specializing at an early age?  Bad ideas.  They need to move and do lots of different things.

Kids need experiences.  They need to get to know people that aren't like them.  They need to see places well beyond their backyard.

They need to be exposed to art and music and literature.  Only available to the rich?  Oh heck no.  Our schools do a great job and we have an awesome library.

Live life with them.  Do things with them.  Play, hike, swim, bike.  Fly a kite.  Together.

Sports Nutrition 201

Jenna Waters is a Functional Nutritionist with the UT Internal Medicine Group.  She also maintains a private practice in sports nutrition.  Among her clients are the Nashville Predators and other professional teams and athletes.  She had previously served the athletic department at UT.

I sat down with Jenna at football practice at MHS this week.  Her husband is Assistant Football Coach and Head Strength Coach there.   We had talked many times before so I knew that Jenna was a vast reservoir of information about sports nutrition.

And believe me, there is a whole lot of misinformation about sports nutrition out there.  So I had a few questions for Jenna.

What's the biggest mistake in sports nutrition?  "Feeling like they only have to think about nutrition on game day.  It's an every day thing.  And believing the myth that more protein is better.  Oh, and not thinking about where their food is coming from."

We don't stop to think about additives and how our food was grown (does that pesticide really just wash off?).   Or what the long term impact might be from genetically modified food.

Sports drink or water?  "Sports drinks across the board are too sugar laden.  Check the ingredients.  Is it made with High Fructose Corn Syrup (mostly bad) or cane sugar (mostly good)?  Sports drinks are worthy during competition but not so good throughout the week.  We do need the electrolytes all week though so water is not completely adequate either."

What are the biggest differences between the nutritional demands of the athlete versus everyone else?  "The athlete that's really intentional about their nutrition will be focusing what they're eating, where it comes from, and how much.  Food for the athlete is fuel and the quality of that fuel can determine their performance."

Do different sports have different nutritional needs?  "Absolutely.  Baseline nutrition is very similar but from a competition perspective, it can be very different.  For example, the endurance athlete will prepare differently and often has to eat along the way."

What's the perfect pregame meal?  "For the average young athlete lean protein and carbs that come from a vegetable source.  A good sample meal might be grilled chicken, roasted veggies, and a side salad."

What about timing of that meal?  When should the pregame meal be consumed?  "Three to four hours before game time is ideal.  Additional snacks may be necessary closer to time and then during halftime but that depends on the athlete and the sport."

What is the latest trend in sports nutrition?  "The ketogenic diet."

(FYI, the ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high fat diet.  It relies on a shift in the body's metabolism in which the body shifts away from carbs and toward fats.)

"The idea of a fat-adapted performance athlete is valid.  It's important to have a sports nutritionist guiding the transition to this type of diet.  Use high quality fat, moderate amounts of protein, and low carbohydrates."

As a personal disclaimer, I've been on a ketogenic diet for about three years now.  I have cured my hypoglycemia and am no longer constantly hungry.  (JB)

Thanks for everything Jenna.

Rough Week

This has been a rough week.  I always try and be positive about things, uplifting even.  But this might be a week I want to forget.

On Monday, we learned of the tragic death of Brittany Johnson.  We knew Brittany well at our office.  She was often injured yet her smile and sunny disposition always came through.  We loved her. 

I remember once when we had to deliver the bad news about her latest injury, half the office cried along with her.  We all cry for her now.

I've got friends in Houston.  Oh, they are all OK but not everyone is.  And in the long run, the cost to lives, property, and the community will be beyond comprehension. 

But in that disaster comes human stories that affirm our belief in the goodness of man.  Unlike events of the previous week, people of all colors, backgrounds, and cultures worked together, helping each other make the best of a bad situation. 

I saw a video of a line of pickup trucks all pulling boats headed for Houston.  I doubt any of those good ol' boys checked ethnicity or gender before offering a helping hand. 

Then on Wednesday, the news of the death of Lucas Jones was released.  Lucas had been courageously battling Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a particularly vicious and deadly form of childhood cancer. 

Last year, the local bicycling community came together and did a benefit ride for Lucas.  The turnout was awesome and the money donated exceeded our wildest expectations.  People that didn't know Lucas came out and gave freely of their time and money.  I know for a fact that the motorcycle community does that sort of thing all the time.

Still, so much has to be done.  Most of the money supporting pediatric cancer research comes from the government and the government is currently considering yet another cut in the money they allot for pediatric cancer research. 

That's a tragedy that approaches the heartbreak of Lucas' life, too soon snuffed out.  Is that what we send people to Washington to do?

Yet, life goes on.  It must.  I know in every part of my heart that we are put here to love others, to serve others.  So we must pick ourselves up, shake ourselves off, and get back on that path.

 At times like this, we need as much normalcy in our lives as we can get.  Our games can be an important part of that.  We need to be able to enjoy our sports, whether as participants or as spectators. 

When Bill Crisp died, I needed to get back on my bike.  For me.  For Bill.  I needed to ride to begin the healing process that started when Bill was injured in a bicycle wreck.

This week, Major League Baseball teams reached out to the Houston Astros, offering them their stadiums for play.  Offering schedule swaps to help them get through the season.

And JJ Watts of the Texans at last word had raised $5 million for relief efforts.  By himself.  And then was seen wading through the streets of Houston carrying children to safety. 

I don't mean to be all dark and dreary.  It is necessary to look to the light, to survive, to live on.   So I'm going to focus on Brittany's smile, on people coming together to help those flood victims, on the hope in the search for a cure for pediatric cancer. 

And knowing that the sun will come up tomorrow, I choose to live on.

I Love My Job

I love my life.  I love my wife.  I love my family.  I love my friends.

I love Benton's bacon, long bike rides, and hikes with my wife.  I love to cook, travel, and lots of different kinds of music.  I love working in my yard but can't find room in my heart for loving that dadgum weedeater.

I love to be a part of the solution to problems.  I love seeing others succeed, enabling them to reach their dreams.

I love my job.  I actually look forward to getting to work in the mornings.  I also look forward to getting home in the evenings (maybe that's the life/work balance thing).

In my clinic, people come see me to get better, to get healthy again.  What a privilege!  People trust me with their health.  How awesome is that!

I love high school football.  I've been involved with the game of football in one fashion or another since I was in the 4th grade.  I was 9 and most of the player on the team were 12 or 13.  Didn't matter.  I loved it.

My first game on the sidelines here was 1982 at Maryville High School.  Since then I've been on everybody's sideline at one time or another.  I love all our schools.

In the afternoons this time of year, I leave work early and head to Maryville High School where I am the Athletic Trainer for the football and baseball teams.  Jennifer Stanley covers all the other MHS sports.  We have eight  other athletic trainers that do the exact same thing. 

Peggy Bratt at Alcoa, David Ivens at Greenback, Amanda Cagle at Heritage, Beth Emeterio at Maryville Christian School, Cindy Ellis at Sequoyah, Shawn Davies at Sweetwater, and Sarah Tate and Tracy Martin at William Blount. Grant Davis helps out wherever he is needed.

I think I can speak for all of them when I tell you that we love what we do.  We couldn't tolerate the long hours if we didn't.

Think about it.  We get to be a part of a team.  We get to experience the excitement of competition.  We make lifelong friendships with coaches, parents, and kids.  And we get the opportunity to be a positive influence in the lives of those same kids.

Then there's Friday night.  Oh how I love Friday night football games.  By game time, we have all spent a lot of time together.  Tough time.  Maybe dealt with some injuries.  Battled through the blood, sweat, and tears.

I love all my kids but I must admit, I do love some of them more.  I love the ones that have further to go and get there.  Who discover through hard work that they can achieve their goals.  The ones that maybe somebody else gave up on yet they didn't give up on themselves.  I hope I'm the one there to pat them on the back and encourage them along the way.  I might have been that kid long ago.

I love to watch coaches coach.  They put so much of themselves in that process.  Their one common goal is to help every player on their team be the best that they can be.  The best coaches don't yell as much as teach. 

I get to walk the sidelines, listen in on the coaching and the strategies, and watch these young people that I've grown close to finally get to play a game they obviously love.  And maybe have some small part in the team's success.

What set me off down this path?  Charlottesville, Virginia.  I believe in the power of love.  I don't want another day go by without showing love to others.  What about you?