The A-Rod saga ramped up when he got hit by a pitch in a game against the Red Sox. His mangager, Joe Girardi in turn lost his composure and got thrown out of the game. It’s no better for the boys of winter - Von Miller is looking at suspension due to violating the NFL’s drug policy and there are numerous cheap hits and swinging helmet incidents under review by the NFL after just the second week of the preseason! Is this what healthy competition on a playing field where rules of the game are to be enforced consistently has become? It seems that players and coaches today respond to pressure with a focus on self instead of with respect for something bigger than themselves– in these cases, the GAME.
A better story - read on...

Baseball, hotdogs and apple pie – staples for summertime in America. But the boys of summer have lost some luster the last few years. The time is being referred to as the “steroid era” - Who used and who didn’t – who knows? A-Rod is the most recent athlete caught up in the mess. The game that is all about history and statistics has cracks in its structure. Men from this era with Hall of Fame numbers are automatically suspect. Some suggest that an asterisk be put by their names if they are admitted to the Hall. Others say to not admit them regardless of the numbers because they “cheated”. Still others say the system, the road to the major leagues is so demanding that any athlete at times has to feel he is a fool to try and compete without enhancement. The noise that is the steroid era is tainting what the game was meant to be.
The t-shirt reads, Baseball is Life. Since the Big Inning, noise that is sin in man’s life has tainted the life the Lord meant for us. The challenge before us today is to navigate through the noise and stay under the influence of the right stuff. Read on ...

Fields of study have been discussed. A few schools were chosen. Applications were completed. Acceptances were received. Decisions were made. Registration is in process. The first round of (many) funds have been forwarded. The car is packed. Are you forgetting anything?

Do not forget to arm your student specifically for the next step – read more ...