Should I Stay, or Should I Go?

     While contemplating whether or not to leave this blog and join a bigger better blog for more money, there are many things to consider. First and foremost I would like to thank my hood and my psychiatrist for helping me through this tough decision. Without their help none of this would even be possible. If leaving for a flashier blog I would have to take a pay cut of almost $15 million dollars a year over the life of my six year contract. Can I possibly live with only $110 million? I have to put food on the table you know. What about the critics that say I can't write successfully by myself on this blog, and could only be successful if I teamed up with two other great bloggers somewhere else. What about taking my skills to New York and teaming up with Carmelo to revive the New York blog scene? Chicago also needs some help, but would I be in the blog shadow of MJ? Finally, what about my loyal blog followers in my hometown? Do I remain loyal to them? So many angles to take into consideration.

     Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few months, you may have heard about this fellow named Lebron James and his new team the Miami Heat. After much anticipation and build up King James has finally picked a city and a supporting cast to write the next chapter in his career. Lebron joins fellow USA Olympic teammates Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade in south beach with hopes of an NBA title in the near future. All three players have reached agreements with the team, and all three will be taking "pay cuts". I put parentheses around those two words because it just seems wrong. Can we really use the term "pay cut" when we are talking about this amount of money? Regardless the amount of money these three will be losing by signing with the same team, I think they will still be able to pay their mortgage and buy Ramen Noodles to eat. They will be fine! With all three superstars locked in, it was time for the Heat and their fans to celebrate. James, Wade and Bosh all arrived in white Heat uniforms accompanied by plumes of smoke, screaming fans and a forklift to raise the three amigos into the air. "I understand now that I've made the right decision," James said. I have another trifecta for these three. I'm just going to throw it out there, take it or leave it. Money, fans, and a championship contender. Of course you made the right decision LBJ. Enough said.

     Now back to the decision at hand, should I stay or should I go? Is the love for my readers enough for me to stay at home and continue to write this blog? Should I take my talents elsewhere? I have been getting text messages all morning from various friends and family expressing their interest in where I am going to take my talents. Carlos Boozer and Amare Stoudemire continue to push for their new respective cities and I just got off the phone with Jay-Z talking about the possibilities to blog in Brooklyn. So many options, I don't know what to do. Blog websites continue to clear their entire staff to have enough cap space to sign me. I have an idea, now bare with me on this one. This may come as a shocking idea, but let me finish before you make a comment. Ready? You Sure? OK.

     I would like to announce that ESPN will be airing a one hour special called "The Decision" in which I will sit down with Jim Gray and announce where I will be taking my blogging talents next season.

Money is Power

   

Everyone is aware that the amount of money earned by a professional athlete, regardless of sport, is a ridiculous sum that the average human being will never see throughout a lifetime. Where did this display of nonsensical exchanging of money between a franchise and an athlete begin? The game took place in Trenton, New Jersey in 1896 between the Trenton Basketball Team and Brooklyn YMCA at a local Masonic Temple. This was presumably the first ever sporting contest in which the participants were paid to play. Ever since that fine day in New Jersey, 114 years ago these contracts and agreements have skyrocketed beyond what anyone could have imagined. It sparks the question, where is all this money being spent? Sports is now reaching a point where athletes don't know what to do, with the amount of money they are making. Which leads me into my main hope for this blog, if you have the capabilities and financial backing to make it happen, use the sports scene as a launching pad to make a difference in this world. Many athletes are currently making this hope a reality, and I wanted to spotlight a few organizations and their ongoing efforts.
     The Embassy of Hope is an organization that has been founded by Orlando Magic forward Vince Carter. The Embassy of Hope has touched the lives of countless children in the United States and Canada. Using money raised through the Foundation’s annual fundraisers, the Embassy of Hope has made a difference for children throughout Florida, New Jersey, Toronto, and elsewhere through a number of activities. As a part of Vince’s advocacy of children in the world of sports, he donated 2.5 million dollars to his high school to enhance the school’s gymnasium. Vince continually signs on to promote children’s causes through several other organizations including the Children’s Home Society, the Salvation Army, and the Wings of Hope Foundation. Vince Carter is truly making a difference in this world and using his athletic ability as a pathway to making this world a better place.
     Many of you may have heard recently about Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh, and the trade rumors circulating around him. What you may not have heard is about the work that he is doing with youth around the Toronto area. Chris founded the Chris Bosh Foundation in 2004 a non-profit organization promoting social enrichment, education and physical fitness among youth. The Foundation assists youth in reaching the educational and athletic goals they set through mentoring and setting examples in the community. They have programs in Toronto as well as Dallas, and have worked very closely with other organizations such as The Special Olympics. Once again, with the amount of money that Chris Bosh has made and is going to make in the future, and his ever growing popularity, I am pleased to learn about the work that is being done.
     I know that most of you have a yellow bracelet at home that says "Livestrong", but do any of you know the foundation behind it? Lance Armstrong, at age 25, was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Going untreated, the cancer had spread to Lance's abdomen, lungs and brain. During his treatment, before his recovery, before he even knew his own fate, he created the Lance Armstrong Foundation. This marked the beginning of Lance's life as an advocate for people living with cancer and a world representative for the cancer community. This is a world class athlete that again has stepped up and is trying to make a difference, by using his popularity and financial backing to give back. So next time you see someone with a yellow bracelet around their wrist, give them the "Sup" nod, because now you know the meaning behind it, and the courage it takes to persevere everyday for the cancer community.
     Finally, this kind of charitable work by professional athletes spans the globe. Dikembe Mutombo is one former athlete that is a humanitarian first and and an athlete second. The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation
is dedicated to improving the health, education and quality of life for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Foundation strives to accomplish this goal through an emphasis on primary health care and disease prevention, the promotion of health policy, health research and increased access to health care education for the people of the Congo. This dude is over in Congo emptying bed pans, and taking temperatures. Need I say anything else? Dikembe doesn't just write some checks (he does that as well) he gets his hands dirty and makes an impact in more ways than he knows.

     All of these foundations are listed below with ways that you can get involved. Obviously there are way too many of these foundations to mention in one blog. More info is also available about others not mentioned here, please email me at bowman.trent@ymail.com. With the amount of money being thrown around in this modern era of professional sports, it is very pleasing to see many athletes having an impact. The next time someone comes up to you and wants you to settle down, because it is "Just a Game", you tell them about any of these foundations I have just shared with you and tell them, it seems like "More Than A Game" to me!

Embassy of Hope Foundation      Get Involved

Chris Bosh Foundation                Get Involved
Lance Armstrong Foundation       Get Involved

Dikembe Mutombo Foundation    Get Involved

    
    

Faith or Football?

     A wise man once said "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." That wise man was arguably the greatest coach to walk the face of the earth, John Wooden. He brings up a very good point when speaking of this generation's collegiate and professional athletes. Does the ability that you have on the field disguise your true character off of it?

   As all of you well know by now, there is a new face gracing the streets of the mile high city. Tim Tebow was drafted with the 25th overall selection in this years NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. There is also a new face gracing the hallways of Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Mississippi. Tiger Woods checked himself into a sex rehab program after reports had surfaced, he was (to put it lightly) being unfaithful to his wife Elin. Two completely different athletes, two completely different situations, one thing in common. Both Tim Tebow and Tiger Woods have the ability by the way they play on the field, and the way they act off it, to draw huge crowds. Whether that is positive publicity or negative the fact remains the same, people love to talk about both of these athlete's. With that said, this brings us back to our original question.  Does the ability that you have on the field disguise your true character off of it?

     NO. There is no way to justify, an athlete's ability to compete at a high level during competition making it fine to excuse his or hers actions off of it. The list of professional and collegiate athlete's behaving incorrectly off the field goes on and on. Let me just place a few in front of you. Athlete's taking money while still in college, shooting themselves in the foot (literally), cheating on their wives, gambling all of their money away, sexually violating younger women, throwing drinks at females in a club, doing drugs in the locker room, having drugs in your backpack while walking through the airport, using steroids, not to mention the lazy, selfish, "me first", "I just wanna get paid" attitude that 90% of professional athlete's have anyway. Just because Tiger Woods can drive a ball 300 yards down a fairway, doesn't mean he deserves to have the dad standing next to the tenth tee say "Don't worry about it Tiger. Now can you please autograph my son's nine iron? He is a huge fan!" Come on people, wake up to what is going on around you. A huge fan? I am all for forgiving people, and believe that everyone should be forgiven. It is a different matter all together though when people don't care what he did at all and continue on like nothing happened. So an athlete can put a ball in a hoop, throw a football, swing a baseball bat, that does not make it right to completely ignore what is going on outside of competition. I am sick and tired of these athlete's being in the spotlight and acting completely irresponsible. What kind of role models are these athletes being?
     This brings me to my final point, STOP HATING ON TIM TEBOW! The guy has release problems coming out of college, he comes from an offense that didn't throw the ball enough, the Denver Broncos drafted him way too high, he is way too religious, I have heard every excuse in the book. The fact remains that with the lack of positive role models in professional and collegiate athletics, why would anyone have anything negative to say about Tim Tebow? Really people? Were gonna slam a guy for needing to take a few milliseconds of his release? Were gonna be in an uproar over what style of offense he ran in college, and if it can translate into an NFL style offense? So the guy has some stuff that he needs to work on, I implore you to name a quarterback drafted in the past 50 years that DIDN'T have some things to work on. Tim Tebow is the prototype of what an athlete should say and do, and how he should carry himself. He is always on time, works twice as hard as most players, and (people tend to forget) is a very good football player. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2007! If I were the St.Louis Rams I would have drafted him with the first pick. I have already ordered my bright orange #15 Tebow jersey and will wear it with pride! Here's to you Tim Tebow, for trying to live your life the correct way, no matter what all the haters have to say.




"Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters." - John Wooden