Growin' Up Gregory

So Facebook wants to know, "What's on your mind, John?"  Well, I'll tell you if you feel like listening... Right now my mind is wondering what the real problem is.  You see, everyone is either upset right now with Nike or Papa Johns, Kaepernick or Trump, the NFL or that their team will end up left out of the playoffs at end of the college football regular season (okay it's a little early for that one).  But the real problem isn't pizza or shoes, it's not the former QB or the current President, and it's not the leagues that develop and display some of the greatest athletes in our country. The real problem is a lack of love and the presence of hate.  It's not about if you play sports, like pizza, wear a suit and tie, or can throw a football.  It's about if you respect the people around you.  It's about if people are treated fairly in this country. The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States reads like so: "We the People ...

I watched a few NFL football games on Sunday.  At this point with all the protests and boycotts, I'm not sure if that makes people think that I'm an activist, a patriot, or just a guy who likes football.  Oddly enough, I actually enjoy the pregame talks and analysis more than the game itself sometimes.  And for the past few weeks I have tried to tune in early in order to see all of the pregame "activities." I noticed several weeks ago when kneeling in protest during the National Anthem became the "trendy" or "cool" thing to do that the NFL and major networks seemed to buy into that hype and attempt to use it to boost ratings.  I assume they were going with the old adage; "There is no such thing as bad publicity."  However, as ratings, sponsors, advertisers, and eventually money began to decline, the pregame protests became less of a focal point. And finally, this Sunday, November 12th, I believe the NFL and networks finally got it rig...

One of the website writers, Thomas Casale, that I read on fantasy football shared these thoughts this past week...pretty spot on. Everyone is protesting something. I got a text from someone I know telling me we need to protest against ESPN because they didn’t fire a particular host. Here’s the thing: I don’t care. I’m too d@#! old. I’m just trying to survive the week. I’ve had Type I diabetes for 34 years. I have two kids. I just want to make it to the weekend. I’m not going to protest against ESPN. I’m not going to protest against the NFL. I’m not going to protest against Obama. I’m not going to protest against Trump. You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to try to keep my blood sugar under control. I’m going to try to raise my kids the best I can. I’m going to wonder why Jerry Jones can win three playoff games in 20 years and not face more criticism for being the worst GM in the history of the NFL. I’m going to work my butt off. I’m going to root against the New York Y...

The national anthem of the United States of America is "The Star-Spangled Banner."  According to Wikipedia, it was written by " Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the large American flag, the Star-Spangled Banner, flying triumphantly above the fort during the American victory."  Key's poem was set to music by John Stafford Smith.  It was officially made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931 by President Herbert Hoover.   The American flag a/k/a "The Star-Spangled Banner" has represented our freedom, our history, our hope that we have had in America.  No, America's past is not all good.  There are many injustices that I wish were not a part of our country's history, but they are there nonetheless.  We can delete them from history books but not from history.  B...