Thank You...

I know on a day like today that those two words may not be adequate enough, but what more can you say to those firefighters, police officers, first responders who go into harm's way on a daily basis to protect and serve their community.

I know here in Clinton and in Western Oklahoma we are blessed with some great people working and volunteering in our fire departments, police departments, Sinor EMS and county sheriffs offices.  I know some people might disagree with me on that (especially the latter) and that's fine.

There's a song that I'm putting here...it's a song by BeBe Winans and I think it's perfect for today.  Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13)  That would be the kind of love that would place itself in harm's way...a love for family, a love for community and a love for our country. 

To my friends who are firefighters, police officers, first responders and even my brothers and sisters in the military...THANK YOU!!!

It's Football Time...

As we get ready to launch into another football season and show our allegiances to whatever school we support, whether it be Oklahoma or Oklahoma State or whatever, here's to our friendships/relationships not exclusively hinging on Crimson & Cream or Orange & Black or any other color combination therein.

Also, I must say this...next Friday will start another season for the Clinton Red Tornadoes, this time with a new head coach.  And as I have done for several years ever since Facebook's been around, I will be providing almost up to the minute score updates. Now maybe this year, I can actually make it to at least a couple of home games. Therefore, I must say this...

If anybody for any reason thinks that I should not fill their news feeds with "RED TORNADO TOUCHDOWN" or any other relevant news regarding our high school alma mater, unfriend me now or forever hold your peace.  

With that being said...GO REDS/SOONERS/POKES/etc.

In the Case of Apple v. Orange...

Everyday we want to compare two scenarios that are quite the polar opposite of each other.  That is known as the "Apple vs. Orange" argument and it's been going on since practically the beginning of time.  I'm pretty sure Adam and Eve probably had that argument too at some point, but I digress.

Reason I bring this up...here are two different scenarios that are being weighed as I type this on sports shows around the country.

Apple:  Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns wide receiver.  Been in trouble numerous times with the law and the National Football League for possessing and partaking of marijuana. He was suspended for one year for his numerous infractions of the NFL Substance Abuse Policy.

Orange:  Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens running back.  Suspended for just two games for (supposedly) knocking his now-wife around in a casino. I mean, who is to trust that surveillance video anyway.  And you know my feelings on Tango Mike Zulu -- and the fact that at least in the Oklahoma City market they are being shown at a very late hour (12 Midnight) goes to prove that they don't deserve a primetime slot anywhere

While in my opinion both are equally as bad as the other...the people who will and who are going to compare the two suspensions will cry so loud a party foul it's not even funny. Meantime, you have a DB who has been fined/suspended six times for targeting a defenseless receiver and the fact remains 1) he has no intention to change his game plan and 2) the days of Jack Tatum or Jack Youngblood dang near decapitating receivers are over...as much as we like to react to a good "slobberknocker" or two.

With that said, to bring back an old saying....ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

Upon Further Review....

I've probably written a blog post with a similar title (I'll have to go back and look) but I just want to express my thoughts on a few things.

I'm probably going to make a few Charismatic/Full Gospel/Pentecostal folk mad at me for saying this, but I'm going to say it unapologetic.  There is a song I remember singing which goes...

Whose report will you believe?
We shall believe the Report of the Lord.

That's all well and good...but when you're faced with basically a life and death situation, that dog ain't going to hunt.

Take my current health situation as Exhibit A.  It's one thing to use that and continue down the path where the next thing you know I wind up as the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail -- losing his arms and legs but he's saying "it's just a flesh wound"...OR I can control the quantity of my food intake, cut out certain foods, do more walking than what I do already (not just to church and back) and maybe this time next year have our friend Becky draw a slimmer version of me.

That's where I'm going to need your help in helping me stay the course.  Those of you who I am in Sunday School with at church...keep me accountable, especially on birthday breakfast Sundays.  I'm sure Nancy can tell me, it pays to have an accountability partner.

That's all I have for now...

Whatever Happened to...

I'm just pondering some things...feel free to comment on my musings.

1.  Whatever happened to "Real Journalism".  I'm talking the no holds barred, kick butt and take names journalism days of William R. Morrow, Walter Cronkite and Jack Ogle.  It seems as though the MSNBCs, CNNs and yes to an extent *Fox News forgot the bare essentials of journalism.  Instead of simply reporting a story, the networks want to throw something against a wall and see if it sticks (see Dan Rather).

*When I'm referring to Fox News, I'm talking about Fox News Channel not the local Fox affiliates.  They have their own little quirks, especially (if like our local Fox affiliate) they are owned by Sinclair which we found out in the 2004 election they themselves have a pretty radical tilt.

When a big story occurs, everyone wants to put the blame on somebody else.  "It's the liberales' fault" "It's the conservative's fault" "it's George W. Bush's fault" and so on and so on...

And don't get me started on Tango Mike Zulu...

2. Whatever happened to "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." That little sign of welcome on the base of the Statue of Liberty has all of a sudden been pushed out of the way because God forbid someone from Mexico or Cuba or somewhere in Central America decides they want to come to the US to build a better life for themselves and what do we do?  We stick them in military barracks in Ft. Sill, OK or anywhere else in the country, cut them off from the rest of civilization and make them, especially the children "political footballs".  I'm sure if a lot of our ancestors were treated then like the immigrants of today are treated, a lot of us would not be here. Am I right in making that assessment?

Those are just a few things that are weighing on my mind right now.  I'm sure if I think of more, I'll come back and do another post.  In the meantime, feel free to share this with your friends, your neighbors, whoever. 

It's Done...Now What?

As of this posting, it's been two days since the divorce was granted.  Now that I have had a little bit of time to actually think, the question comes up "Now what?"

I wasn't in any real big hurry when we separated to start another relationship...and now that I am officially a "free man" and available again, I'm still in no really big hurry.  Not to say that there aren't any prospects out there...I just want to bide my time a little more. Plus, thanks to the State of Oklahoma, if I want to marry again I have to sit out a 6 month waiting period, or as we say in broadcasting a "non-compete".

I know some people will say "it's sad that you had to go through that experience", but I say it's a relief.  She has been in and out of marriages so many times it's not even funny. One of her daughters even likened it to an addiction.  But I am glad that trial is over, I passed through victorious, no battle scars...

I do thank all of you for your prayers and your support this past month while the process played out.  Even though I was at peace through most of it, I did have some days where I was nervous but as Scripture says "all things work together for good".

That's about it for now...  

WE GET IT...NOW SHUT UP!!!

Since I've put out on my Facebook profile and other places that I am the chief writer/bottle washer of this blog, guess I better walk the talk and start putting stuff on here, huh.  Well, anyway as Jim Ross would say, "We're burnin' daylight"...

Lately I've been having to mute my TV lots more times than normal all because of all the political advertising/grade school-esque name calling.  You know what I'm referring to...

Candidate 1 (Jack):  "Joe's a doo doo head"
Candidate 2 (Joe):  "No, Jack's the doo doo head"
Jack (to Joe) "Yeah, well your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries"

And half the time, it's not the candidates themselves...it's some outside watchdog group (like in the case between US Senate candidates Rep. Lankford and T.W. Shannon) that's doing the name calling.  Even Dr. Tom Coburn (who they are running to replace) thinks this is getting out of hand.

(video courtesy YouTube/KOCO-TV)

I know it's easier said than done and difficult to execute, but can we at least have ONE campaign where the candidates state what their stance on issues are and state their voting record, and not attack the other candidate on what they have/have not done and revert to as I called it earlier grade school playground name calling?  PLEASE?!?!?!?!?!?!?  My sanity and my remote's mute button (and the batteries in my remote) will thank you!!!!

That's all I have for now...