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Monday, June 22, 2009
My Father
I told you all that since my new gig with Examiner that I was going to use this space to vent more personally sometimes. So, if you've come here today looking for UGA news, I'm sorry but you're not going to get it.

I tried to get myself ready for bed after washing a load of clothes and having Sportscenter play off in the background. Monday begins another long week of calls and trying to reach new customers for the new job I have. I'm loving my job and couldn't be more blessed at this time in my life as far as work goes.

I took the clothes out of the dryer, hung them up and put new ones in. I stood in the living room as Sportscenter aired their Sunday Conversation about Payne Stewart, the Scottish (I believe) golfer who died tragically in a plane crash a month after he won the U.S. Open. I sat there as they detailed his win and spoke to his wife on what it meant to him. However, the kay factor in the whole thing is not the triumph of a man in sports, but a loss of a great father.

I had a rush of emotion at that very moment. A huge lump formed in my throat and I just had to sit down. I threw the clothes on my bed quickly, grabbed my phone and sent off a simple text message to my Dad, who I saw hours earlier today in Perry:

"I love you Daddy."

Ridicule as you wish, but as a 28 year old man, I have no qualms -- literally zero -- with still referring to my dad in person as "Daddy." He did to his dad until the day he died and I will until the moment he passes on. I'm from the South. It's what we do.

Then wave after wave came over me. I got to thinking about how lucky I was that I still had a father. That even after everything my dad and I have been through, that I got to spend a wonderful weekend with him, even though the Father's Day gifts (and birthday gift since he turned 54 on Saturday) had yet to arrive and I had nothing to give him but cards and promises that he would have them soon. I was thankful, humble and forgiving of past issues between us. That moment of clarity that we all get when we realize how quickly someone of such great importance to us can be taken from us. From cancer to car wrecks and heart attacks to plane crashes, life and God remind us how brief our time can be here.

And I cried. I'm still crying. Not flowing tears, but the welling up kind. The kind that make it tough to see and type because your hands are trembling. The kind that pains you to breathe. The kind that you fight because once that flood gate is opened, it's an uphill climb to turn off. Once that release valve is hit, all you end up with is a pounding headache, a sore chest and pure exhaustion. 

I cried not only because of myself being blessed, but I cried for others who don't have that opportunity. My friends Jeb, Stacey and Allyson, who all lost their fathers before they were ready to. For other friends who have fathers in poor health due to cancer and other diseases. For people who should've been dads but never got the chance because they passed on too early for our liking.

When I left Perry today, I didn't really get the magnitude of Father's Day. Of course it's important to honor your dad. Of course it's important to remind him of how much you love (or miss) him. However, life gets in the way sometimes. My work computer was in Atlanta. I work out of my home in Atlanta. I needed to be in Atlanta by sundown.

I spent a lot of time with my dad over the weekend but I also watched him sleep halfway through Friday evening and half of the day Saturday. When I left, he was probably either heading back to Winston Salem where he lives or he was going to go back inside and catch a nap. He's exhausted because he's still working the same job he took years ago when he sat me down and said in essence, "Kit, I'm taking a job working nights so that we can afford for you to go to college. I'll miss out on more things like you playing on Friday nights in the band and you being in plays. But I'm doing this because I love you and deserve to go to UGA where you earned the right to attend that school. You're going to go and get an education so that you won't have to work hard like me to provide for your kids. I hope you understand."

And I did.

I didn't come from money. Not saying that everyone does, but without my dad taking the job at what was then a cigarette factory in Macon, I wouldn't have been able to realize my dream of going to UGA. A dream that I shared with both my parents, but one that was particularly special in the eyes of my dad. 

I didn't grow up poor, but I didn't grow up rich. However, I grew up confident because of my parents. I learned how to be a man because of my dad. I learned how to avoid beginning fights but making sure that I'm keen on finishing them because of my dad. I shared his triumphs and learned through his mistakes. I'll be a good parent one day because of my parents as a unit. I'll be a great father because of my dad. 

For every new father that I forgot to congratulate today and every old father who I forgot to say "thank you" to, I'm sorry. I got wrapped up in reality and forgot briefly what was really important. I'll do my best to try to keep it from happening again, but I'm human...I also learned how to be one of those because of my dad. 

There's no good way to end a post like this. I could put pen to paper all night and not even remotely come up with a good way to express how much my dad means to me. However the best way to end things are usually complimented in the same manner in which they began...

I love you Daddy.




Until next time kids (and fathers).

Be safe.

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Journalistic integrity compromised at 12:47 AM.
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Thoughts on Cinderella
As I was perusing the blogs earlier today looking for tidbits on the new commitments that UGA got today, I came across a great post by PWD about Boise State and its "worthiness" of being a BCS Championship contender.

First, it's a great article and regardless of the side of the issue you fall on, but it does support my thought of people earning their seat at the table for the BCS discussion. So, since it supports what I think, of course I'm linking it. I don't link dissenting opinions. Who do you think I am, The Good Senator?

I've said for years now that if UGA could live off of a win like Boise State could live off of one, then we'd have played in the BCS Champ game about three or four times now. If you think about it, Boise State beating Oklahoma could've been one of the best games the BCS has EVER had in regards to play. It also could've been one of the worst things to happen to the system's credibility.

Let's be completely honest, for every Boise State or Utah, there are 100 Hawai'is. Utah had a beef last year and Boise State kind of had one in 2006, but let's not forget that Boise State beat Oklahoma, who would lay down for St. Vincent's Girl's School of the Blind's JV team if you put them in a BCS bowl. Utah did what all BCS wannabes should do -- play tougher competition.

The only problem I have with "BCS Busters" is that it's all media driven. The talk begins before anyone takes a snap. Hell, UGA was given the preseason national championship last year, but we all see how that worked out for the real national championship.

There is one caveat with all of this, though. How many actual contenders want to actually play a "BCS Buster?" I'd have to imagine that Boise State does have a little bit of a tougher time finding top quality opponents to play. I mean they call Arkansas State a "Cupcake" and not a "Buster" for a reason, right? 

So, for all of you who want to crown "Cinderella" before the season even begins, just remember, Cinderella was hot. She didn't get that way by eating Krystals and chugging Chick-Fil-A milkshakes. 

I'm not saying. I'm just saying.


Until next time kids.

Be safe.


P.S. -- Like PWD, I'd like to send a great big thank you to Dawgbone.net. It was crushing to hear that they are taking a bit of a sabbatical, but I can tell you that if anyone deserves it, they do. They've worked hard and given Dawg fans a great service for free for upwards around 5 years now. Whether or not the sun has set on Dawgbone, I don't know, but if it has, I owe them a great deal. I would've given this up years ago had I not been fortunate enough to be linked up by them. Enjoy the time off!!!!!!

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Journalistic integrity compromised at 12:12 AM.
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Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Georgia picks up a top recruit for 2010
Georgia picks up a top recruit for 2010

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Journalistic integrity compromised at 9:36 PM.
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