Detroit Lions Update: Playoffs?

It’s hard to believe that it’s already December. It feels like yesterday when I started college, and now my first semester is almost over. This is just amazing to me, but there’s something that truly is beyond belief. The NFL season has only three weeks left until the playoffs begin!! I can’t even begin to describe how fast the year has gone by. I remember watching the Lions play the first Monday Night Football game of the year, and now they’re in the middle of a playoff race with 8 contenders fighting it out for 6 spots. Before I discuss who the other teams that Detroit must deal with for the next month, let me start out by discussing how week 14 played out. 

This week, the Lions played host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a rebuilding franchise who tried to play the role of spoiler for Detroit’s season. In this game, the Bucs had nothing to lose, while the Lions had virtually everything to gain. In games like these, it’s the special players that need to step up and give their team the advantage. With this in mind, who better than both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson to carry Detroit to victory. Making sure that no upset-of-the-year game would occur, Stafford lit up Tampa’s Defense, throwing for 311 yards, along with three touchdowns. Johnson would be his main target, as Megatron caught 8 catches for 158 total yards, one of them being a 6 yard touchdown reception.

With the offense firing on all cylinders, the league’s top defense would slam the door shut on the opposition. They intercepted Tampa’s quarterback Josh McCown twice, and also forced him to fumble the ball, which gave the Lions a boost of motivation. When your defense is playing at the level Detroit’s has the past two weeks, it becomes fairly simple to get a win. That’s exactly what happened, as Detroit won 34-17.

There are only two games left on the Detroit Lion’s schedule, and there’s nothing easy about it. Next week they travel to Chicago to take on the Bears, a rival that would love nothing more than to spoil Detroit’s dream season. If we’re fortunate enough to escape with a win, it might clinch us a playoff berth for the first time in three years. However, if the Lions want to make a statement on the rest of the NFL, then the last week of the season would be the perfect opportunity. Detroit will travel to Lambeau Field to face off against the Green Bay Packers, arguably the best team in football. A main reason why is because of the play of their quarterback Aaron Rodgers, an easy choice for the MVP award. As of right now, Detroit’s tied with Dallas and Seattle with a 9-4 record. The problem is that there are two wild card spots, which means one team will be left out. As of now, Detroit would be in because Dallas beat Seattle in week 5, which gives them a tiebreaker. That’s what it looks like right now, but many things can happen in the next few weeks. We’ll see what happens, but until that time, GO LIONS!!

Favorite Athlete

In my life, I’ve been able to witness many great athletes from many different sports. The big question that comes to my mind however is which one’s my favorite? I’ve been lucky enough to watch possibly the two greatest quarterbacks of all time, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. I’ve also seen great baseball players such as Miguel Cabrera, Mariano Rivera, and Clayton Kershaw. I watched swimmer Michael Phelps win a record eight gold medals in the 2008 Olympics. The game of soccer is being dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who both could go down as the greatest soccer players in history. With the amount of historic talent that I’ve been grateful to see in my life, I must tell you that my favorite athlete isn’t mentioned above. This may come as a surprise at first, but I promise you that once you find out who it is, you won’t question it. My favorite athlete of all time is Michael Jordan, and there are many reasons why.

The first reason why Michael Jordan is my favorite athlete is because he’s the best basketball player of all time. I know it’s cliché to say that, but I can’t find another way to describe him. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good players today like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and others. However, none of them are better than Jordan was. To make this easier to understand, I’ll start by saying that Jordan made an impact on not only basketball, but pop culture as well. When someone thinks about basketball, even if they don’t know anything about the game, chances are they’ve at least heard of Michael Jordan. If you acknowledge the fact that millions of people today say that he’s the best, then he must’ve been pretty good.

Another reason why Michael Jordan is my favorite athlete is because transcended the game of basketball during the 90’s like no other athlete did before or after his tenure. Michael Jordan made everyone want to play basketball in the 90’s because he grabbed everyone’s attention. He usually did this by making shoots that seem impossible to make. An example of this is when he was surrounded by three defenders and in mid-air, weaved through them and made the shoot. Michael Jordan made the impossible a piece of cake, and left fans around the world shaking their heads in disbelief.

Finally, the main reason why MJ is my favorite athlete is because he did the most important thing, which is winning. I believe that in order to be considered great, you must have victories to prove it. Michael Jordan fits perfectly with this description, as he won six NBA Titles, six Finals MVP awards, and five regular season MVP awards included. Not only did Michael Jordan affect pop culture and wowed audiences, but he proved himself as a champion as well. These are the reasons why Michael Jordan is my favorite athlete of all time.           

                                          

Fantasy Football

            For me, football is the most entertaining sport in the world. Yes, I know soccer is the most famous, and baseball is America’s past time, but when it comes to enjoying a game as either a player or spectator, football is the greatest game on Earth. There are two main reasons why football, especially the NFL, is an awesome sport. The first thing is that the NFL has a short season compared to the other sports, which makes every game important. However, the biggest reason why I believe the NFL is so huge in popularity today is because of the rapid growth of a primarily fan driven phenomenon, known as fantasy football.

            I first got introduced to fantasy football by my dad, who annually participates in a league for his work. When I was still in middle school, I would go to his drafts and help him pick his players. I was considered his good luck charm sometimes because the players he let me select usually had great seasons that particular year. I became so excited when it came time to the draft that once I entered high school, I decided I would attempt to manage my own fantasy football team. The rest as they say is history, as fantasy football quickly took control of my love for football.

            My first year of fantasy football didn’t go so well, as I finished with a .500 record and missed the playoffs. I’m honest to say that I don’t remember a single player from that team, probably because I like to forget how bad they were. My second year of fantasy football, however, was a different story. My quarterback that year was Peyton Manning, who would eventually break the single-season passing record for yards and touchdowns in a season. With Manning giving me a huge lift, I was able to qualify for the playoffs, where I eventually won the league championship!!   

             This is my third year doing fantasy football, and it’s going great. I’m currently tied for first in the league with an 8-3 record, and have my sights set on the playoffs. My quarterback is Russell Wilson, who produces a solid amount of points each week. My primary running back is Jamaal Charles, considered by many to be the best all-around back in the NFL. My main receivers are A.J. Green and Alshon Jeffery, who both give me solid production each week. I hope these players can keep it up, as I make a push for the playoffs, and possibly another league championship.  

Men's Softball

Throughout my life, I’ve encountered many experiences that I believe affected my passion for sports. Some of these examples include watching Michigan Football games on TV with my dad, playing basketball in my driveway, or attending Detroit Tiger games with my family. I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved with great youth sports organizations like Vassar Little League, and the Millington Church of God Basketball Foundation. All of these things were important to me growing up, because they gained my interest towards sports altogether. However, I think that one experience has affected me most, and it’s when my dad played recreational softball in Saginaw.

             My dad had been playing sports ever since he was little. He always tells me stories about how he was always on travel baseball and soccer teams for Saginaw Township growing up. He also tells me of how he used to play on recreational football teams when he was in college. Even though I never got to witness these events, I was lucky enough to watch my dad play recreational softball. As a young boy, you’re always trying to find a motivation for what you want to do when you’re older. For me, I knew for a fact that sports would always be a part of me when I watched my dad play.

            The first time I can remember watching my dad play softball was when I was only five years old. He played at Hoyt Park, a recreational sports complex that sat at the bottom of a hill right next to the Saginaw Zoo. Even though it’s primarily run down now, I will always remember how packed it was on game day. Instead of one field, there was more like ten, and each one had a game at the same time! You might view this as chaos, but I saw it as heaven. The sight of people sitting on the hill, kids my age running around playing tag, the great food being cooked at the concession stand, along with seeing my dad play, it was paradise.

            My dad played for many different teams while at Hoyt Park. The first one I can remember was called Pride and Country, a hotel in Saginaw at the time that sponsored the team. As a matter of fact, most teams that played at Hoyt Park were sponsored. The team itself wasn’t that good, but my dad was. He was the catcher for them, but most people down there, including myself, believed that he was the best catcher in the whole league. He was great on defense, throwing people out that attempted to steal. He was also a great hitter, as he would consistently get base hits, and once in a while get a home run.

The other team that I can remember that he played for was called Heck’s Bar and Grill. Unlike Pride and Country, this team was good, and my dad was once again one of the best players. They were so good that they were invited to a state tournament in Houghton Lake, which was a cool experience for both my dad and me. I will always remember these moments because of the lasting impression they left on me as a kid, along with how they’ve affected me today, when it comes to the love I have for sports.

Detroit Lions Update

            There are two things that I’m finding hard to believe right now. The first is that the 2014 NFL Season is already past week 10. The other detail that seems almost too good to be true, however, is the fact that the Detroit Lions are 7-2 and are in first place in the NFC North. I can’t remember the last time the Lions had seven wins before Thanksgiving, which makes me very excited for the team. It also makes me wonder, more like hope, that 2014 might finally be the year the Detroit Lions will be playing more than 16 games in a season. I know there’s a long way to go before the playoffs, but it’s never too early to dream, right?

            The month of October was something the Lions will look back on when the season’s over, and be glad everything played out the way it did. Detroit entered October with a 3-1 record, hoping to keep the positive results in order to stay ahead of the competition from Green Bay and Chicago. The month didn’t get off to a good start, however. The Lions blew a 14-6 fourth quarter lead against Buffalo, with the final knockout punch coming from a 58 yard field goal with just 4 seconds remaining. This loss would have devastated most teams, but not Detroit. If anything, I would say they used it as fuel for what was to occur the next few weeks.

            The madness began when the Lions traveled to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. In a great showing by the league’s top defense, Detroit came away with a 17-3 victory. While this result didn’t shock many people, what happened the following week left everyone in a state of shock. The Lions returned home to take on the New Orleans Saints, known for their prenominal passing attack which was led by one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, Drew Brees. As expected, the Saints seemed to do anything they wanted in the air, as Brees threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns. With these stats, it would be easy to say that the Saints won the game. This should have been the case, but something happened in the final 4 minutes that I can’t even explain. With Detroit down 23-10 with just 3:45 left, quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a pass to wide receiver Golden Tate, which went from a 20 yard strike to a 79 yard footrace for a touchdown. With the crowd getting back into the game, the Lions defense made quite possibly the play of the year. With 3:20 to go in the game, safety Glover Quin made the play of his young career as he intercepted Drew Brees, and returned the ball to the 30 yard line of New Orleans. Detroit quickly took advantage of the rare Brees mistake, as Stafford threw a touchdown to Corey Fuller for 5 yards, which clinched a Lions victory. 

            While this event seemed incredible enough, the next game Detroit had was of equal amazement. Trailing 21-0 in the second half to the Falcons, the Lions came back to steal a win 22-21. Just yesterday, the Lions pulled off yet another miracle, beating the Miami Dolphins 20-16 thanks to a Theo Riddick touchdown catch from Stafford with just 30 seconds remaining. It makes you wonder how long the Lions can keep this up. If we’re lucky, maybe they can make it to the Super Bowl, where they can win their first Lombardi Trophy in team history.

Worst Game I Ever Attended

Even though it was four years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. The air was crisp, and the wind was howling. As we got close to the park, the crowd began to increase with thousands of fans flocking from all over Detroit. As my family and I waited at the entrance gate, I began to wonder how the experience would turn out. Would we have good seats? Would we win? Will there be any exciting moments? It would soon become apparent, however, that none of these questions would matter. What started as a normal trip to a ballgame quickly became much more, and it’s something I’ll never forget.

             I’ve been to many Detroit Tigers games in my life, but this one would be different. There are many reasons why this experience sticks in my mind more than the others, but I’ll start with the normal events. The Tigers were playing the San Francisco Giants, who would eventually win the World Series that year. As always, the first thing my family does is find our seats, that way we can get a glimpse as to what we’ll see that night. We had great seats down the third base line, only five rows from the field! After we found our seats, we decided to walk around see what we could do before the game started. I remember going into gift shops, playing the “guess your speed” pitching simulator, and grabbing something to eat. After my family and I did all that, we went back to our seats and waited for the game to start. I had no idea, however, that this was going to be the one of the worst nights of my life.

            The first three innings were as close to normal as possible. The game was back and forth, with each team scoring two runs each. Everything was shaping up to be a great night. Then, it happened. The wind started to pick up, and clouds began to role in. A few moments later, the rumble of thunder began to start. When this happened, the crowd, including me, started to act restless. Even though some people began to head for the exits, a majority of the people stayed in the stadium. That decision to stay has been a question I still ask myself to this day. About five minutes after the thunder started, the sky began to light up with flashes of lighting in the background. Right after that, the rain started to fall from the sky. It wasn’t raining, it was pouring! It got so bad that the cement became the floor of a mini-pool. The torrential downpour made me feel like I was in a rainforest, with no escape from it.

After an hour of waiting for the rain to stop, the game resumed. When my family returned to our seats, they looked like beach chairs that sat on the shore of Lake Michigan. To make matters worse, the game got ugly. San Francisco decided to hit everything in sight, as they scored 8 runs the next inning. After a total of six hours at Comerica Park, and at 1:30 in the morning, the game had finally ended. The final score was 11-3 San Francisco. Not only did Detroit get crushed, but I, along with thousands of other Tiger fans, got soaked in the process. This is hands down the worst game I’ve ever attended.

Team of Destiny

It was one of those experiences where you sit back in your chair and ask yourself a simple question. “Did that just happen?” this is what I was asking myself after the game had ended, and the Detroit Lions had won over the Atlanta Falcons, 22-21. It was one of those moments that you think about long after it happened and you still get goose bumps. The game was a so called tale of two halves from a Lions standpoint. There were a lot of things that played a role into how the game unfolded, so I should probably start from the beginning.

            First off, let me state that in order to watch the start of the Lion’s game, I had to set my alarm clock for 9:00 AM on a Sunday! That’s right, the event was starting in the morning, but not in the United States. Instead, the game was being played across the pond in beautiful London, England. Even though they had been practicing over there for a few days, I had a feeling that both teams might not have their ‘A’ game because of the early start. This turned out to be true for Detroit, but not so much for Atlanta. They dominated the Lions in the first half, moving the ball across the field with ease, and scoring three touchdowns in the process. It was an embarrassment in the first half, as the Falcons led at halftime 21-0.

            When the second half began, it was clear that Lions coach Jim Caldwell got after his team, and tried to light a fire in them. It started with the defense, as they began to display their toughness and intensity for the rest of the game. They began to stop the run, pressure the quarterback, and get a huge interception that led to a Lions score. The offense also stepped up, making big play after big play to stage a comeback. One play that definitely had a major impact on the outcome occurred with five minutes to go in the third quarter. Facing a 3rd. and 25, quarterback Matthew Stafford scrambled out of the pocket and threw a rocket pass out to receiver Golden Tate, who caught the ball and ran into the end zone for a Lions touchdown. This was no question the turning point in the game, but the ending was something I won’t soon forget.

            With less than two minutes left and Detroit down 21-19, the Lions knew that it was now or never. Facing all sorts of pressure, Matthew Stafford and the rest of the Lion’s offense stayed calm, and quickly drove down the field on a shocked Falcon’s defense. With four seconds to go in the game, kicker Matt Prater lined up for a 43 yard field goal for the win. The snap was good, the hold was good, the kick, everything but good as it missed off to the right. The game was over, or was it? Before the play began, an official threw a flag on the Lions for a delay of game. Could it be that a penalty had just saved Detroit? With almost no time left on the clock, Prater lined up to attempt a 48 yard field goal to test this theory. As before, the snap and hold were good. When the ball left his foot, it was as if everything was in slow motion. It seemed like an eternity, but after the heart stopping moments, the ball found its way through the goal post. The kick was good!! The Detroit Lions had just won a game that at one point seemed impossible to win. With this in mind, I’ve come to a conclusion that this is a team of destiny, there’s no question about it.

Driveway Sports

Most of the memories that I have regarding sports usually is from teams in little league, youth soccer, or travel basketball. There are some moments that occurred in all of these sports that I will remember for the rest of my life, but the memories that are stuck on my brain come from sports that were played on the driveway of my house. Even though these experiences happened during my youth, I remember them like it was yesterday.

It all started one day when I was only five years old. I was outside with my dad when he got out a basketball and began shooting it at the basketball rim that was cemented on the edge of the pavement. After watching him shoot for a good five minutes, I decided to join in. I remember my dad lowering the rim to about six feet, which allowed me to shoot the ball without it coming three feet short of the basket. After I got used to shooting, my dad did something that I won’t ever forget. I can remember him lifting me up on his shoulders, then moving me right next to the rim so I could dunk the ball. When I dunked, I felt like I just did something amazing, even though it was more like me throwing the ball through the net. Nevertheless, that was an awesome feeling back then, but things got even better when my younger brothers began to play.

When I was ten, my brother Caleb, who was seven at the time, started to play with my dad along with myself. We would play games like ‘horse’ and ‘around the world’, which I think played a key role into me becoming an above average shooter. This was fun, but we started to actually play a real game when my youngest brother Noah, who was five, got a little older. Once he was seven, things got serious.

When we started playing 2 on 2, things weren’t all that bad. My brothers and I were about the same as far as talent. My dad, who obviously was better, would take it easy on us and barely try, which made it more even. This was a great time, don’t get me wrong, but the experience did bring out my aggressive side. You could say when my team lost, I would become a so called, ‘Detroit Bad Boy’. I would push and shove my other brothers, and occasionally pick up the ball and whip it at them from five feet away. Now that I’m older, I’ve been able to control my temper, and have become a better sport along the way.

Back then the games were unorganized and out of control, but now, it’s a completely different story. Now that I’m 18, with my brothers 15 and 13, our dad doesn’t play nice guy anymore. We have games now that are fun to play, and watch as well. We’ve all improved as players, which makes it even more enjoying. The best driveway game I’ve ever been a part of, however, occurred during my open house after graduation. With all of my family and friends in attendance, we had a 5 on 5 game, which was an incredible experience, considering the fact everyone was having fun, and a good time as well.

Like I said before, I’ve been a part of many teams in my life, but nothing compares to the excitement and enjoyment of playing driveway basketball with my family and friends.  

My Life and Baseball

For many kids the dream of becoming a professional athlete usually begins at an early age, when an extraordinary event occurs that changes the person’s life forever. This was the case for me, as my life would change forever when my dad gave me my first baseball glove when I was only five years old. You could say at that moment my dream of becoming a professional baseball player had begun. Like every kid who dreams of turning into the next Derek Jeter or Miguel Cabrera, they all must start from a humble beginning in youth baseball organizations all across the country. The place I’m talking about is called little league, and it’s where all journeys begin, and legends are born.

My first taste of organized baseball started for me at the age of six, when I signed up for my town’s local baseball organization, called Vassar Little League. The name of my team was the Rockies, and my dad was the assistant coach. I couldn’t wait for the season to start up, but I didn’t realize at the moment of my team’s first practice that playing baseball at the fairgrounds would become a routine for the next 10 years.

I can vividly remember the sight of opening day at Vassar Little League. The chained fences were decorated with red, white and blue banners. The air was filled with the smell of hot dogs and burgers being cooked on grills. The grass was fresh cut with the dirt seeming to blend in with the outfield. It was amazing to see because up until that moment, I had never experienced an opening day celebration that I would actually be a part of.  At the opening ceremony, each team got a chance to be introduced to all the parents, as well as the other teams in different age levels. After the introductions, the founder of Vassar Little League, which opened 40 years before that day, threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the season. It was finally time to play baseball!

 My first game was something I will never forget. It all started with my first at bat. I remember having two strikes on me, and the pitcher throwing what seemed like blazing speed. Now, I understand that he probably wasn’t even throwing 40 mph, but at the time it seemed like 100. Nevertheless, I recall focusing in on the next pitch, swinging as hard as I could, hitting the ball over the first baseman’s outstretched glove and into the outfield. I was ecstatic at the fact that I got my first hit, and it gave me a boatload of confidence for the rest of the season.

After my first year, I decided to keep playing baseball as long as I could. I played in Vassar Little League through grade school all the way up until eighth grade, when I had to stop playing because of my age. I tried out for my high school baseball team every year, but never made the roster. Most people today ask me why I didn’t make the cut, and the response I give back to them is that the coach told me they couldn’t take everyone that tried out. Every time I was told this, the coach would tell me that it wasn’t because I was bad, just the fact that the kids I grew up with were just a little better than I was. People I’m closest with today ask me why I didn’t just quit if that was the case. I usually smile and explain to them that it wasn’t the end of the world if I didn’t make the team. I tried out because I love to play baseball, and nothing will ever change that.

Soccer: Where it all Started

             The game itself is considered by some to be boring. The time it takes for something amazing to occur seems to take games off now and then. The sport I’m referring to is, according to many people, especially Europeans, is football. However, Americans prefer to call it a different name, soccer.

             Out of all the sports that exist today, soccer is by far the most popular. Statistics have proven that nearly every human on earth has played the so called, “beautiful game”, at least once in their lives. As you can probably predict, I have experienced this sport myself, but from many different angles. I’ve been associated with soccer by terms of a player, an assistant coach, as well as a spectator. With all this in mind, it’s safe to say that I have some memories that reflect my

I will start my discussion with how I became involved with soccer. When I was five years old, my parents felt that it would be good for me to become involved with a sport that could help me get active, as well as meet new kids along with it. They did this by signing me up for the AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) in Frankenmuth. My dad thought that this experience would be good for me because Frankenmuth was only ten minutes away from where we lived, so travel to and from the games wouldn’t really be an issue. Another reason why they did this was so I could use my energy, which every five year old boy has, for something productive.

When I showed up at my first practice, I didn’t have a clue as to who anyone was, the rules of the game, or what positions on the field were. With all these problems circulating in my brain, I decided to walk up and meet some of my teammates. Lucky for me, they all accepted me with open arms, and we got along well. I was also relieved when I found out that my coach was a pretty cool guy. He would joke around with us, teach us the rules and where to be on the field, as well as play with us on scrimmages. I believe that first year helped me become involved with the sport, as I would continue playing until the sixth grade. I had to stop playing because the league only allowed kids to play until you reached an age of 13, or if you were in sixth grade. I couldn’t play for my school because we didn’t have a soccer program. This meant that my soccer career was over.

With this in mind, I decided to help my dad coach my younger brother’s team. I would be responsible for participating in practice drills, as well as scrimmages. When my dad stopped coaching, I figured that I should just become a spectator. When my brother had tournaments that he played in, I would sit with my parents and grandparents and root him on and give him support.

After he stopped playing, it was also the end for me being involved with soccer. Even though I’m not part of it anymore, I still believe soccer played an important role in my life. It not only gave me something to look forward to every Saturday morning, but also gave me a love for sports, which I still have to this day.

Detroit Lions Update

   Week 4 of the 2014 NFL season is concluding, and for the first time that I can remember, the Detroit Lions are first in their division this late into the season! Yes, I know that it's only week 4, but for the first time since the 1990's, fans of Detroit, including myself, believe that this could be a very special year for the team.
   I guess the main reason why I'm so excited is because we've only made the playoffs once in the past 15 years. Along with that, if you look at it from a historical standpoint, the Detroit Lions might be the worst professional sports franchise in America. The last championship that we've won was back in the 50's, which means that Detroit has never won a Super Bowl, let alone a conference championship. That is the main reason why I'm so excited about this year.
   The Detroit Lions have started the year 3-1, which, to us, is a near perfect start. Our offense, lead by Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford, and Golden Tate, are moving the ball very well. However, I think that the main reason why we are winning is because of our defense. A few weeks ago, the Lions played the Green Bay Packers, a team that has arguably the best quarterback in the league, Aaron Rodgers. Their receivers also were considered top notch, so most people were thinking that Detroit didn't stand a chance. Our defense, however, proved all the doubters wrong, as they shout down Green Bay's offense in a 16-7 victory.
   With the Lions gaining momentum, they had to travel out to New York to play the Jets, who are known for their tough defense. Knowing that they would have to be efficient on offense, the Lions put together some good drives down the field, as well as capitalizing on some big pass plays to numerous receivers to keep the Jets defense guessing all game long. The Detroit defense also stepped up, stopping New York's offense at key moments in the game. In the end, the Lions had pulled off a major road win, improving to 3-1 on the year. Hopefully, they can keep this up, as we make a run at the playoffs.    Go Lions!!

Basketball

   

Throughout my life, I've played many sports. Some I've liked, others, not so much. However, I know for a fact that my favorite sport is basketball. Basketball quickly became my favorite sport because it required teamwork, as well as countless hours of practice, which was fine with me if I knew that it would make me a better player. Another reason why I like basketball is because it forces you to stay in shape. For the entire game, you have to be running full court, which, over time, will help your stamina and insurance. You also need to be a good teammate by passing the ball, playing good defense, and by hustling on every play.

 I started playing when I was just eight years old for a recreational team. The organization that I played for every Saturday morning was called the Church of God Organization, which consists of kids, aged between 8 and 14, that helped kids develop skills such as dribbling, shooting, defense, and teamwork. Once I began, I never looked back. When I finished playing in the Church of God Organization, I began to play for my school’s team. I started this when I was in fifth grade, and the differences were much greater than the similarities. First of all, the opposing teams were much better as terms of a talent standpoint. The kids were faster, could shoot better, and were extremely competitive. It was then that I realized that in order to compete at the level I wanted to, I had to become more dedicated toward how I approached the game.

I became serious about basketball when I entered sixth grade. I had learned from the past year just how much time and effort I had to put in if I wanted to be even close to the level of talent that these other kids were at. I started playing a lot more with my dad and my brothers in our driveway almost every single night. I also tried extremely hard at practice on my dribbling ability, as well as shooting the ball every chance I had. Along with all of this, I learned one very important accolade that I believe every good player must have, which is a certain level of heart and the will to get succeed. With all of this in mind, I started to play with those kids again. I immediately noticed a difference, as I became more and more accustomed to how everyone else on the team, as well as the league, was.

After that, I continued to play basketball for my school’s junior high team. When that ended, my basketball career, as far as a competitive league, was over. Even though I didn’t play in high school, I continue to play in as many pickup games as I can, because basketball is my favorite sport, and probably will be for quite some time.

Michigan Football

I can't explain to you what it truly means to be a Michigan fan. For me, it was something that I was born with. I don't know exactly how I got glued to the team, but I have loved them as long as I can remember.
Let me start by saying that if you're a Michigan fan, you're a Michigan fan for life, it's not one of those things where you see a team start to win and you decide to jump on their bandwagon, even though you could care less about what their school stands for. With Michigan, if you truly understand their tradition, it's hard, or better yet impossible, to find a team that's better.
Yes, I know that the past five or six years haven't met the team's expectations, but I look at it as a slump. Every team has them. For instance, before Alabama became a so called " pro team", they were mediocre at best. Florida State, the defending champions, had a stretch of at least five losses a year. What I'm trying to say is that I don't look at the past five years, but rather the past 50 or even 100 years.
Michigan is the winning program in history. They have won 42 Big Ten Championships, and 11 National Titles as well. They have three Heisman trophy winners, and all of them clinched it in their performances against Ohio State. We have the biggest football stadium in America, and have, in my opinion, the best fight song in the world. Not to mention the fact that we also have the most recognizable helmet in football. And, for one final thought, we still have the series lead over Ohio State by more than 10 games!!
These are the reasons why I love Michigan, and nothing will ever change that.

Go Blue!!

Why I Chose Sports

        Ever since I was a young, I've seemed to find a liking in many different things, all of which represent something about me, and who I am. For most of my life, I've had the opportunity to find a personal love for the outdoors, spending time with my family, traveling across the country to historic places, as well as enjoying holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. It's hard for me to decide which one of these means the most to me, but when it comes to what I love the most, it seems almost impossible for me to debate that sports is head and shoulders above the rest.
      There are many reasons why I feel in love with sports, which makes it very challenging to explain just how I became interested in it to begin with. I feel that I should start by telling you just how it all began, so that I can make it easier to understand. It all started when I was four years old, and my dad took me to one of his recreational softball games. I don't know what it was, maybe the fresh smell of the grass that was just cut, or even the view of the hot dogs and popcorn just sitting on the concession stand counter, just waiting to be eaten? Never less, just the images that I took in from that day I will never forget. The way the crowd reacted, the way the players, one of them my dad, played with determination to win, just made me feel like I wanted to do something like this one day.
     When I was six years old, I finally had the chance to do what I've seen my dad do for almost two years. I finally could play an organized game of baseball for my town's public little league program! Nerves is an understatement compared to what I was feeling that day. It was the first time I had actually played a real game of any kind. I mean, yes, I did have those days where I would through a football around with my dad in the backyard, but this was real. To me at the time, this was the real deal. I can remember my dad repeating to me, "Just relax, you'll do fine", he would always say. I'm happy I took his advice, because when I started playing, all of my nerves seemed to disappear with every passing moment. After the game, it felt like I had the time of my life. Little did I know, however, just how much sports would become part of my life, and how it would impact me forever.
    Realizing the amount of fun that I had playing baseball, I then turned my attention to other sports. Another sport that I played was soccer, which I did for probably four or five years. I couldn't play in junior high or high school because my school didn't have a soccer program, so I decided to stop playing altogether. The other sport, however, is one that I intend to participate in for as long as I can. The sport I'm talking about is basketball.
   I started playing organized basketball when I was eight years old, in a recreational league just ten minutes from where I live. I played in that league for five years, then decided to quit because I had another opportunity ahead of me, which was playing junior high basketball for my school. I played during my eighth grade year, and enjoyed every minute of it. When I started high school, it became apparent that I would have to make the cut in order to play in high school. I worked extremely hard, but I guess not hard enough, as I didn't make a single high school team. Now at Delta, I intend on going back to recreational basketball, which will allow me to play for as long as I want to.
   With all the years of playing, as well as following my favorite teams on television, I decided that sports would be the best choice for me to talk and share with you about. I will continue to describe many different situations that got me into following sports, as well as how I feel about a specific subject about the sport I'm discussing. To sum it all up, this is the main reason why I chose sports.