Derby Dilemma...

Here I lay on the floor, unable to get up without pain, unable to sneeze without pain, unable to cough without pain...seven years later and I'm not ready to give it up. Slamming my body against the concrete floor, the wood floor, the sports court...being pounded by other bodies. These are the days I wonder how much longer I can do this. My mind and my competitive side says "I must go on, continue...for the love of the game." But, over the last eight days I've had pain, I've had massages, I've soaked in a bath tub and in a jacuzzi, I've seen a physical therapist three times and cut down my activity to almost nothing. "These are the days that try men's souls"...my soul! I can't see life without roller derby. But, I must admit out loud, during times like the past week, I'm wondering how much the pounding is doing to my body, or the concussion a few years back, the torn ACL, the broken collarbone, the shoulder tightness, the lower back pain, the bruises...I'm not ready, my brain is not ready, dang it! I am not ready. Pass me the aspirin, hand me my skate bag, I gotta get to practice!

Famous misbehaving young people...

Back from a fantastic and relaxing vacation and I feel I must send a quick note to "Tongue out yo mouth Miley" and Manzie Panzie...Grow up! You are not that special. You may be able to play football extremely well, or have a famous last name, but you are not changing the world or saving any lives with your craft! I'd like to look at this from a different perspective. Because, I think we, as a society, are asking for this crap, aren't we? In the hours, days, months and years now of reality TV, TMZ, and photographers tracking people's every move...isn't this what people wanted? Doesn't the fascination with under-educated, ignorant, stupid people in Hollywood warrant the types of behavior we're seeing from our young people recently? Some folks in the public eye automatically think they can act however they'd like with no consequences. Talented athletes, singers, actors often get special treatment beginning pretty darn early in their careers. Maybe that's because a majority of our population forgot how to discipline their children. We've all seen it show up somewhere in our families, at our friends houses, on school campuses and out in public. Kids mouthing off at their parents with no punishment, talking back to managers, teachers, police officers and constantly disrespecting each other all over the darn social media outlets. If we continue to give spoiled, highly entitled and socially ignorant young people so much attention, shame on us! When we make them feel like the most important part of society, which they ARE NOT, this will remain the norm. I don't like the direction our youth is headed; in fact, just recently one of my high school interns cussed at me in front of a guest visiting the ESPN studio. If we back off on the amount of attention we give these mediocre people then, maybe that will help curb this behavior. Parents can you please help STOP the MADNESS!!! Am I crazy to think the threat of a bare handed spanking on the bottom coming back might help? Or is that child abuse? Because right now, I feel like we're in the midst of adult abuse!