Leave Your Hits On The Football Field

If you’ve been reading the news lately, particularly the sports page, you know there is a police report that accuses Rams running back Stephen Jackson of using his powerful stiff arm for more than warding off defenders and assaulted his ex-girlfriend.  According to an ESPN article, his struck his ex-girlfriend to the floor and shoved her into a door…while she was nine months pregnant.  If even a hint of this is true, I have to put this into a new category of “Just Not Manly.”  I might call it “Punk Assed B*tches.”

Now I don’t advocate violence against women, but when a woman is pregnant and carrying your child, that’s a whole new low.

For anyone who’s ever played a physical sport, especially one like football, you know that your aggression and physicality are what make you a success as much as your knowledge of the game.  It doesn’t do any good to know the X’s and O’s if you can’t execute.  I was taught that to be successful you must have the “3 iles”: You must be agile, you must be mobile, and above all…you must be hostile.

I was also taught that once the game is over, you turn it off.  That’s where the man in you has to take over.  You can’t take that same aggression home to the woman in your life, especially if she’s carrying your child.

If a woman just mouths off to you, that’s isn’t just cause to hook off on her off.  If she strikes you, (in most cases) that even that isn’t cause to reply in kind.  Restrain her if you have to so she’ll stop hitting you, but punching her in the mouth doesn’t make you any more a man.

(Note:  I say “in most cases”, because like all things, there are exceptions.  If I’m in the shower and you try to Al Green me by throwing pipin’ hot grits on me, you have just tried to mame and/or kill me.  You might have an unfortunate accident after that.  I might write a blog about it one day.  Let me know what you think.)

If the woman is PREGNANT, that’s something you just have to let go.  Walk out of the house.  Go to a friend’s house and talk.  Go to a sports bar and watch the game.  Do something, but hitting a pregnant woman is out of the question.

Steven Jackson, I’m hoping that what we’re reading is dead wrong, but if it is…you need to more than man up.  You need your punk ass whipped.

Feel free to comment.

Show Some Pride

This post will be short because:

1. a picture says 1000 words
2. I shouldn’t have to tell grown men to give their all in what they do.

Part of being a man is to be proud in one’s work and to give your best effort at all times.  Therefore, I must give the Chicago Bulls effort against the Toronto Raptors on December 5th a vote of “Just Not Manly”.  Their play was not TrueMan approved.

It isn’t because they lost by 32 points.  That happens sometimes; you win some, you lose some.  Sometimes you lose big because the other team was that much better than you on that given night.

However, effort is something entirely different.  I don’t care how badly you beat me or how bad the situation is, you’re going to know you’ve been in a fight.  That’s why when I saw this from Saturday nights effort against the Toronto Raptors I was shocked.

Yes, the game was well in hand, and the Bulls were going to lose, but to allow someone to bend over and tie their shoes during the game is unacceptable. At least run up and guard him and try to steal the ball.  Try to salvage something from this night that you can hold your head up high about.

This is something that not only applies in sports but in life.  It applies in your work, your relationships, your hustle, your dreams.  Like Kanye West says in his song Champion, “To me givin’ up’s way harder than tryin’.”

(Note: That is probably the first and last positive reference you’ll see me give to Kanye West.  Mark the date).

If you’re lax in some things, you’re probably lax in all.  At least try and act like you care.  At least try and act like you want to win, no matter what the final score says.

Chicago Bulls…it’s time to man up.

Game, Set, Match…

I was at a female friend’s place last Sunday watching a few of the football games.  Nothing sexual.  We’ve always flirted, but we kept it at that.  We kicked back on the sofa, threw a few pillows back and forth, ordered a pizza, and got ready for a full day of watching what many be the manliest of all sports.

She sat there in her t-shirt and oversized sweats, with her hair pulled back in a single pony tail.  No make up or perfume.  Just two friends layin’ back.

Out of the blue she says to me perhaps the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard…

“Notice how Eli (Manning) always says “Omaha” right before the snapcount they’re going on.  He might need to switch that up. The defense is starting to catch on.”

My head quickly snapped to.  Huh? How did she catch onto that?? And she said it before the announcer says the same thing.

Suddenly, she seemed to glow a bit, almost radiant.  A while later…

“Idiot!! Why would you pass on 3rd and a mile inside your own 10 yard line? You’ve given the other team great field position on the kickoff.  Why don’t you just give the game away? Moron.”

I smiled at her as she started talking about how the coach has been calling boneheaded plays all game, but I wasn’t paying attention.   I just kept staring at her longingly.  Luckily, I was able to come to my senses and focus on the game.

I almost got trapped.

Fellas, it can happen to you too.  Beware.  Nowadays, women are infiltrating the inner sanctum of our mancaves.  Football Sundays are no longer just ours.  Women are watching boxing more and more.  The commissioner of my fantasy football league is a woman (she’s good too).

It’s not a new concept.  We men have been doing that for years.  Tell me you haven’t tried to cook a woman a meal to impress her. Tell me you didn’t watch Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham in the movie “Boomerang” put on his mac and seduce Lela Rochon’s fine ass  and say….”Hmmmm, rosemary, huh.  I’ll have to add some of that next time I cook salmon” (great movie, rent if you haven’t seen it).

I’ve talked with female friends of mine that admitted to me they learned more about a sport to trap a man.  I’m not saying that there aren’t some women out there that are genuinely interested in football, but when a female friend of yours starts breaking down the zone blitz to you, your radar should be going up.

Women are smart fellas.  No longer are they thinking “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  Now, they’re telling you why a wide receiver’s yards after catch should be higher.

If a girl you’re dating know more about your favorite sport than you, she’s got a plan.

I’m just trying to look out for you.

What are your thoughts? Feel free to comment.