"Maddening" Memories

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."  Ah yes, Andy Williams certainly got that right when he released his classic song in 1963, but why did he wait so long to record it when the NCAA Tournament actually began more than two decades earlier.

March Madness truly is a wonderful time of the year.  For me, it holds many wonderful memories.  Watching the tournament was a family affair at my house.  My two older brothers, my parents, younger sister and I would bust out the popcorn and enjoy evening after evening of hoops.

Cliff & Antoine

I grew up in Wichita, Kansas following the Wichita State Shockers as a teenager.  In 1980-81, the Shocks rode the excitement of bookend forwards Antoine Carr and Cliff Levingston, who helped WSU lead the nation in dunks, into the NCAA Tournament.  The great thing that year is that the University of Kansas was in the same bracket.  At that time, "big bad" KU would not agree to play Wichita State during the regular season.  In fact, the Kansas legislature even talked about passing a bill that would require in-state schools to play each other.  As it turned out, both teams advanced to the Midwest Regional in New Orleans.  Mike Jones hit a bomb in the final seconds and the "Battle of New Orleans" went to the Shockers.  Gold and black billboards went up all over town that simply read "66-65."  WSU ended up losing in the Midwest Region final to Louisiana State, but finished the season with a 26-7 record and major bragging rights over the Jayhawks.

In that same tournament, I watched my then "future" Alma mater in one of the greatest NCAA finishes nobody every talks about.  Danny Ainge, recently passed as BYU's all-time leading scorer by Jimmer Fredette, went coast-to-coast against in the final seconds as the Cougars knocked Notre Dame out of the tournament.  It was also the last time since this year that BYU advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.

Watching March Madness on TV is one thing, but being there in person is much, much better.  While I attended BYU during the mid 1980s, I had the chance to attend first and second round NCAA Tournament games for several years at either the University of Utah or Weber State University.  It was truly glorious--skip out of class and watch basketball all day for days with my brothers and roommates.  Among the highlights was watching St. John's University with Chris Mullin, Walter Berry and Bill Wennington roll through the West bracket and eventually into the Final Four.  I remember another year watching a well-tanned white forward at Central Michigan University who did it all--long jumpers, spin moves inside and impressive dunks.  He was Dan Marjle, who went on to be a first-round draft pick and played 14 years in the NBA.   

Kimble, Gathers & Fryer

But the most impressive performance, by far, was by Loyola-Marymount in the 1988 NCAA Tournament.  The Lions started the season with a 2-3 record, but then rolled into the NCAA Tournament with 22 consecutive victories behind the "run and gun" style preached by former Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Paul Westhead.  Hank Gathers was the inside force while Bo Kimble and Jeff Fryer bombed away from the outside.  Incredibly, LMU averaged 110 points a game, topped the 100-point mark 20 times, and scored a season-high 164 points versus Azusa Pacific earlier in the season!  Westhead was all about having his players push the tempo to an almost incomprehensibly frantic pace, and they excelled at it.

Thousands of Wyoming fans stuffed the upper bowl at the University of Utah arena, but they were silenced in an unbelievable, jaw-dropping performance.  LMU would sprint down court, chuck up a long jumper and swish!  Kimble...swish!  Gathers...dunk!  Fryer....swish!  Swish!  Dunk!  Swish!  Swish!  Layup!  Swish!  There's really no way to describe what we saw that day.  My two brothers, two roommates and I cheered and cheered and cheered.  At times, we were so amazed all we could do is look at each other and laugh.  Wyoming fans weren't laughing.  The Cowboys were so out of sinc that off the opening tip of the second half, Wyoming had a 3-on-1 break, but stopped at the free throw line and pulled the ball out in an attempt to slow the pace.  The crowd roared in disbelief.  At the end of the 119-115 LMU victory, the entire crowd rose to its feet as one for an extended standing ovation.  The final stat line told the story.  The Lions took an amazing 82 shots and hit 42 of them, including seven 3-pointers.  Gaines, Gathers and Fryer combined for 65 points themselves.  It was truly the most amazing game I have ever seen in person. Two weeks later, a group of us Kansans huddled in our house and watched the University of Kansas beat Oklahoma for the NCAA Championship.  (Two years later, on March 4, 1990, Gathers tragically collapsed and died during a game with a heart muscle disorder.)

Fresh out of college, I took a job as a television sportscaster in Topeka, Kansas.  Little did I know then, but that began a streak of covering at least one college team in 14 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including nine straight appearances for the Kansas Jayhawks, four trips for the Kansas State Wildcats and two trips to the NCAA Division II tournament quarterfinals for the Washburn Ichabods.  I later took another job as a sportscaster in Spokane, Washington in 1998 where I witnessed Gonzaga thrust itself onto the NCAA scene in a big way as the Zags made their first of 13 (and still counting) trips to the NCAAs.

Mark's March Madness Resume

1989   KSU lost to Minnesota (in Greensboro, NC*)

1990   KSU lost to Xavier

          KU defeated Robert Morris, lost to UCLA

1991   KU def New Orleans, Pitt, Indiana, Arkansas, N Carolina, lost to Duke in national championship (Sweet 16 & Elite Eight in Charlotte*)

1992   KU def Howard, lost to UTEP

1993   KU def Ball State, BYU, Cal, Indiana, lost to N Carolina in national semifinal (Final Four in New Orleans*)

          KSU lost to Tulane

          Washburn in Division II tournament (in Springfield, MA*)

1994   Washburn in Division II tournament (in Springfield, MA*)

          KU def Chattanooga, Wake Forest, lost to Purdue

1995   KU def Colgate, W Kentucky, lost to Virginia (Dayton, OH*)

1996   KU def S Carolina St, Santa Clara, Arizona, lost to Syracuse (Tempe, AZ*)

          KSU lost to N Mexico

1997   KU def Jackson St, Purdue, lost to Arizona

1998   KU def Prairie View A&M, lost to Rhode Island

1999   Gonzaga def Minnesota, Stanford, Florida, lost to UConn (Seattle & Phoenix*)

2000   Gonzaga def Louisville, St. Johns, lost to Purdue (Albuquerque & Tucson*)

2001   Gonzaga def Virginia, Indiana St, lost to Michigan St (Memphis & Atlanta*)

2002   Gonzaga lost to Wyoming

(Mark's NCAA Tournament road trips)

So many live shots, so many interviews, so many stories told, so many extremely long days, yet so many memories....

In 1989, I traveled with the Kansas State Wildcats to Greensboro, North Carolina.  While sitting on press row, the official game day scorecard listed the Kansas State "Jayhawks."  Ouch!

In 1991, the real Jayhawks upset Arkansas and North Carolina to earn a berth into the Final Four.  The flight home was a real kick.  The radio crew played the rebroadcast of the final minutes over the airplane speakers.  As the team charter approached Topeka, we could see throngs of people on the ground.  They held huge banners.  Thousands stuffed themselves into the terminal.  There was a band, cheerleaders and throngs of screaming fans.  It was like a rock concert, yet we were on center stage as we came off the plane.  I walked right off the plane, into the terminal, and went right on the air.

March of 1993 was madness as its most intense level.  First, I flew by myself as a "one man band" to Springfield, Massachusetts to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals with Washburn University.  While the Ichabods (yes, that's their mascot) lost their opener, I had the chance to visit the Basketball Hall of Fame. Wow, what an incredible place. 

Later that same month, the Jayhawks made another run to the Final Four.  This time, I got to the call to cover it in my hometown of New Orleans.  It was my first trip there since we moved away when I was six.  Again, I went by myself but I hooked up with a reporter and photographer from our sister station in Wichita.  Again, many live shots and many long hours.  One evening, we ate in the French Quarter.  I had crayfish, crocodile and other Cajun goodies that were scary looking, but oh so yummy.  The game was intriguing.  KU, coached by North Carolina grad and North Carolina native Roy Williams, going up against North Carolina, coached by Kansas grad and Kansas native Dean Smith.  Plus Coach Roy was an assistant under Smith before he came to Kansas.  The game was in the Superdome.  Carolina won so our stay was shorter than we and the Jayhawks hoped.

In 1994, another trip to Springfield with Washburn.  I visited Holyoke College, an all girls school, where I really wanted to get a sweatshirt, but the school was closed for spring break.  I settled for a Holyoke Sporting Goods t-shirt instead.  The Ichabods won their opener but lost in the national semifinals.

In 1995, I accompanied the Jayhawks to Dayton, Ohio.  We got up early on game day and had some time to burn so a photographer and I visited the Air Force Museum.    Wow!  I am not really a museum kind of guy, but this was fascinating.  We saw everything from the Wright Brothers first plane to space capsules that landed on the moon.  We probably spent 3 to 4 hours there and could have spent at least that much longer there. 

In 1996, we drove from Topeka to Tempe to cover the Jayhawks in the Sweet 16.  We shot a road trip story along the way.  As we drove through Flagstaff, heavy snow fell.  Just hours later, we were in the desert and loving 80 degree temperatures.  

In 1999, Gonzaga made the most thrilling NCAA run in school history.  When we were in Seattle, it did NOT rain there for the first time in three months.  The Zags fired up a huge pro-Gonzaga crowd with wins over favorites Minnesota and Stanford.  Then we traveled to Phoenix for the Sweet 16 and perhaps the greatest finish in school history.  GU beat Florida in a game that gives me the chills every time I watch it (see video link below--crummy quality, but the best I could find).  The Bullodgs just came up short to eventual national champion Connecticut in the Elite Eight.

2000 and 2001 featured return trips to the Sweet 16 for Gonzaga.  For me, that meant trips to Albuquerque and Tucson, and then Memphis and Atlanta.  In Memphis, we did not have time to visit Graceland but we did drive by at night.  We did enjoy some late night music downtown.  In Atlanta, we were exhausted because of the time difference.  We did satellite live shots for all of our newscasts--morning, noon, 5, 6, 10, and 11.  When I did a live shot for our late news, it was 2 a.m. local time.  Once again, the Zags lost to the eventual champion.  This time it was Michigan State.

My work as a sportscaster gave me the opportunity to forge solid working relationships with many fine basketball coaches.  Among them are Bob Chipman, Roy Williams, Mark Few, Lon Kruger, Dan Monson, Dana Altman and Tom Asbury. 

Bob Chipman, Roy Williams, Mark Few, Lon Kruger

The list of players is much, much longer and includes Paul Pierce, Matt Santangelo, Dan Dickau, Jacque Vaughn, Greg Ostertag, Scot Pollard, Steve and Brian Henson, Raef LaFrentz, Casey Calvary, Mike Nilson and on and on. 

Paul Pierce, Matt Santangelo, Steve Henson, Casey Calvary

So here's to the memories.  Here's to March Madness.  I just hope my brackets don't get too busted.

"We" the People?

Polarized.  Politicized.  Self-serving?  Special interest?  Public interest?  Lack of interest?


What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on at our state legislatures?  Lawmakers across the nation are debating on and voting on issues that are drawing the ire of their constituents, and it doesn't seem to bother them one bit.  Now, just because citizens disagree or protest does not mean legislators should immediately change course, but they should at least pause and listen.  We have some real problems that need real, and often, painful solutions so we can all move forward.  Still, some of our lawmakers seem totally out of touch with the will of the people.


Front and center in the "us versus them" fight is Wisconsin.  Facing a significant budget deficit, the Republican-led legislature voted to roll back pay, benefits and bargaining rights for government and state workers.  Democratic Senators protested, but not in person.  Rather than digging in for a fight, they made what proved to be an unsuccessful run for the Illinois border.  Governor Scott Walker eventually signed the budget-cutting, union-rights-stripping measure into law.  Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and other states have similar proposals before them.  Seeing how unions are the largest contributors to the Democratic Party, this should set up the 2012 presidential election to be a real dandy.

Utah lawmakers just wrapped up one of their most contentious 45 day sessions ever by passing a bill limiting public access to public records.  Huh?  So much for transparency. Governor Gary Herbert quickly signed it into law meaning lawmakers can shield their voicemail, text and instant messages, and possibly even their emails, from the public.  “With one scribble of a pen, the governor made his state the most secretive in the nation, as well as more backward than most countries, including Mexico and Albania,” said David Cuillier of the Utah Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.  Citizens protested, but the new law stands.

 

Tom Luna (on left)

In Idaho, lawmakers considered a measure to eliminate 770 teacher positions over two years to generate millions of dollars in savings toward technology boosts like providing laptop computers for every high school student.  Yeah, like that makes a lot of sense--increase class sizes and cut teachers for the sake of "technology."  Luckily, that eventually got voted down but legislators did pass a bill that removes seniority and collective bargaining for teachers.  Idaho State Superintendent Tom Luna called it "a great step forward."  My brother, a teacher himself, called it "the beginning of the end of education in Idaho as we know it."  Aren't superintendents supposed to support their teachers?  Apparently, there's now a movement underway in Idaho to get Luna recalled.


Governor Rick Snyder

In Michigan, lawmakers are on the verge of approving a bill giving the governor power to appoint "emergency managers" to take over towns or school districts the state deems in financial distress.  In other words, these managers could declare an emergency and then swoop in to fire local elected officials, break contracts, seize and sell assets and eliminate services without any public input.  Republican Governor Rick Snyder says if it passes, he'll sign it into law.  Wow, this sounds like something more fitting out of Leningrad instead of Lansing.




Montana is not immune to proposals many deem bizarre.  One of them called for the formation of a committee, to nullify all federal laws.  I know some Montanans don't like medical marijuana or wolf laws, but nullifying all federal law?  My personal favorite is legalizing hunting with a hand-thrown spear.  So how does that work exactly?  First, you first throw a spear at an elk or deer or bear, then you jump on its back with your knife drawn and hang on like it's a bucking bronco until you can finish the kill?  I'm even a hunter but that's too weird.  Another House bill would give every Monana town the right to create its own fully-armed militia.  Now there's a great idea.  I can hear the conversation now, "Man I can't believe Drummond High beat us in football again.  Let's take the boys from the town militia over to their football field and hold target practice on their scoreboard."  Another proposal would eliminate a law that requires landlords to install carbon monoxide detectors.  And the reasoning for that is...what?  



Courtesy Great Falls Tribune

 Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer, ever the "show man,"  is anything but thrilled with the the Republican-controlled legislature.  The proposals, among other things, prompted him to pay $100 to the Montana Department of Livestock to register the "veto" brand, which he proudly displays in his office.  (Wonder if he'll ever actually use it on his political rivals?  That would be some great video.) 

While I'm on my soapbox, why don't you legislators put your spears down and do something about our crummy DUI laws?  They're weak, ineffective and do nothing to deter drinking and driving. 

The "We" in "We the People" means everyday citizens like you and I.  We need our elected lawmakers to represent us to enforce meaningful, effective and common sense law. 

Agree or disagree with the legislative wackiness across the country, at least Americans are paying attention.  And as far as the political process goes, that can only be a good thing, right?

Man's Best Friend

All my life, I wanted a dog.  As kids, we had different pets growing up--guinea pigs, hamsters, a cat, a turtle, a bird and others, but never a dog. 

In January of 2003, I took a job at KPAX-TV in Missoula, Montana, as a news anchor.  The move from Spokane, Washington was a difficult one--mostly for my oldest daughter who was a freshman in high school.  Among the things we told her to try to comfort her was "When we move to Montana, we'll get a dog."  After commuting back and forth from Washington to Montana for three months, we finally sold our home in Spokane so the entire family moved to the mouth of the Bitterroot Valley.  Soon afterwards, we went "dog shopping."

We visited the Humane Society, pet stores, and hit shelters in Missoula and in Hamilton.  After searching for a couple of weeks, we returned to the Missoula Humane Society where we again walked a dog named "Verde" and wanted to adopt him.  As we started to do the paperwork, we were told the organization only released its dogs as "indoor dogs."  I guess that disqualified us since we said we planned to keep the dog outside during most of the day.  The kids were heartbroken.

We also monitored the newspaper where we noticed an ad for puppies in the "free section."  It was a rainy day but we loaded the kids into the minivan and headed into Missoula.  The mother was a skinny Australian Shepard with different colored eyes.  To be honest, she wasn't much to look at but her puppies were beautiful.  There were about eight little fur balls of all different colors--black, white, black and white and other spotted combinations-- in a dog house.  The kids were in puppy heaven.  Each of them pulled out a different puppy to love.  Now it was decision time.  As each of the three of them stated why we should take their favorite puppy home, my wife saw a chocolate-colored brown fur ball still in the dog house.  He was a good looking little fella.  Instantly, he stole our hearts.  We thanked the owners for their hospitality, piled back into the van and headed for home.  I don't remember how quickly it happened but before we knew it "Snickers" was his name.  The kids took him to the downstairs bathroom, bathed him, wrapped him in a warm towel and loved him.  When big sister got home from school, she too fell in love with Snickers.

We kept Snickers in a big box upstairs during his potty training time.  I still remember hearing his baby barking in the night so I'd take him outside and sit on the front steps at 4 a.m. until he did his "business."  Whenever we left the house, he went with us.  We took him to ball games, to the park, on walks and on out-of-state vacation trips.  As he got older, he spent most of his days in the back yard, but did not play or even walk in the garden.  (What a good boy.)  At night, he snuggled up to the back of the couch in "his room"--the downstairs family room.  Snickers truly was a member of the family.     

      

Two of my daughters took him to dog training classes.  Snickers learned how to sit, lay, and how to be obedient while on a walk.  We also taught him how to roll over, shake, and how to fall dead after pointing a finger at him and saying "bang."  What's funny is, even to this day, he treats my son as a sort of overgrown chew toy.  When Snickers was smaller, he would chase a sprinting Jace across the yard, tackle him, jump on and start tugging at his clothes.  Snickers got his own presents on Christmas and received lots of love. 

  

(courtesy Sandy)

He ran alongside while jogging with family members.  While he never, ever enjoyed getting a bath (see picture) we later discovered he LOVES to play in the water.  One day while talking a walk along the Bitterroot River, we played fetch with him in the shallow reaches of the water.  He tentatively started going in a little deeper and deeper until we threw the stick almost across the river.  We could see the joy on his face as he almost seemed to say "Hey, look at me!  I can swim!"  That first time out, he must have fetched the stick on about 50 tosses.  He also loves to ride in the back of my pickup and have the wind blow on his face.  We take him into the mountains where we pick huckleberries.  We like having him with us so he can both explore and serve as a protector if any bears show up in the same huckleberry patch.  Usually, after exploring a bit, he just plops down among the bushes nearby as we pick, but the last couple of times we took him with us, we witnessed that he is indeed a huckleberry house.  As we would pick, we'd see him grazing among the bushes eating as he went.  Too funny!   

When it is cold out, he will curl up on his pad or, better yet lay at our feet if we're on the computer or watching television in his room.  Like his Montana family, he loves the outdoors, especially trips into the mountains to find a Christmas tree in the snow.



Snickers, defender of his backyard domain

Snickers is a prime example of "man's best friend."  And my good friend Snickers turns eight years old (56 in dog years) this week.  Happy birthday Snickers!  Thanks for eight great years and here's to many more to come. 

"News Anchor Barbie?" Puh-leese!!



News Anchor Barbie

I have nothing against Barbie.  Well, come to think of it, maybe I do.  My girls grew up playing with Barbie dolls, but back then she was just an airline attendant or a nurse or just going to the beach with friends.  But now Mattel has gone way too far! The toy giant just unveiled "News Anchor Barbie."  News Anchor Barbie?  Really?  C'mon!  

I have two problems with Barbie's latest career move.  First of all, she can't hold a steady job.  Believe it or not, Barbie just turned 52 years old this month.  Sure she doesn't look a day over 22, no doubt due to constant botox treatments and multiple liposuction procedures, but this is her 125th different career.  If you do the math, that means she held roughly two and a half different jobs a year her entire life.  That's not even long enough on the job to get past your probationary period.  As an employer, would you hire someone who only has the attention span or desire to last five months before walking out on you in search of the new, latest, greatest career?  (Besides, it says right on the box that "News Anchor Barbie" is a "choking hazard.")


My second issue is the broadcasting business already gets a bad wrap as it is.  In the "good old days," broadcasters would present the news and it was generally well-accepted.  Nowadays, those of us in broadcast news are greeted with much skepticism, accusations of bias and a lack of objectivity with every channel change of the remote.  I blame cable news for that.  Fox News tends to present "news" from the right.  MSNBC tends to present "news" from the left.  Their interviewers don't merely ask questions, they make political accusations, they're confrontational and they're more often argumentative than informative.  CNN tries to come down the middle but gets so caught up in its own "commentator showdown game" that it leaves viewers like me in an emotional fog.  

Here's what I mean.  Wolf Blitzer tosses to a reporter in the field who delivers the "facts" on a certain national or international story.  Then almost immediately, Wolf will say something like "Let's turn to the best political team on television."  A panel of 2 to 4 commentators, usually divided along Democratic and Republican political  party lines, then have at it each other in a made-for-TV verbal brouhaha.  No offense Barbie, but we don't need you and your pink power jacket, pink reporters notepad and black and pink pumps to make it even worse for us.  


But it only gets worse for Barbie.  She is having a very, very rough week.  You see, to offset dwindling sales in the United States, Mattel decided two years ago to sink $30 million into a 38,000 square foot, six-story, Barbie luxury concept store in China complete with a full-size hair salon, spa, cocktail bar, cosmetic counter, and a clothing line by Sex and the City designer Patricia Fields.  Unfortunately for her, just eight months after it officially opened, Mattel pulled the plug so Barbie got the boot out of her Shanghai dreamhouse and into a mobile home.  


Ironically enough, a much younger Ken (okay, just two years younger) celebrates his 50th birthday today.  If you remember back to 2004, Barbie announced a very public break-up with Ken soon after Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez did the same.  Ken seemed to fade into the background.  Then he picked up a new voice in former Batman star Michael Keaton last year, and burst back onto the national scene with a breakout performance in the Oscar nominated movie Toy Story 3 when he descended his three-story bachelor penthouse to sweep Barbie off her feet and back into his life.  

That emotionally charged reunion prompted Barbie fans worldside taking part in an online poll this past Valentine's Day to officially proclaim Barbie and Ken a "couple" again.  And so they are.  Here's hoping Barbie can finally enjoy some stability and happiness in her ever-changing life.

Wait, breaking news!  Barbie just announced her 126th career.  "Engineer Barbie!"  Hey Barbie, thanks for already leaving the broadcasting business behind.  And good luck to you.  You'll need it. 

Honoring the "Honor Code"

My alma mater, Brigham Young University, raised eyebrows all around the nation last week by suspending one of its best players on the best basketball team it's had for a long, long time.  Brandon Davies, a 6' 9" starting center who is a Mormon, went to school officials and told them he had sexual relations with his girlfriend.  He expressed remorse, sorrow and regret.  As a result, BYU suspended him for the rest of the season.

Why?  In this day where a run deep in the NCAA Tournament means millions of dollars for a private school like BYU, why would the school seemingly stab itself in its "financial bottom line" and make such a move?  And why now?  Why not wait until a month from now when the NCAA Tournament is over?  Simply put, Davies violated BYU's Honor Code. 


Brigham Young University is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which frowns on pre-marital relations.  All students who receive acceptance into the university agree to abide by the Honor Code.  (Click here to read it.)  Some people I know can't believe this is even a rule.  The Honor Code is no different now than it was for ESPN analyst and Super Bowl MVP Steve Young, former NBA champion and Boston Celtics great Danny Ainge, Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer who entered BYU as a Methodist, Super Bowl Champion quarterback Jim McMahon who was Catholic, or when I attended BYU back in the late 1980s.

The Honor Code is a matter of personal commitment and personal integrity.  To gain acceptance to BYU, you go through a series of interviews with Church leaders who spell out what the code entails.  If you decide to attend any of the BYU campuses, you agree to abide by the Honor Code.  As Young told Time Magazine, ""It's not like you find out later — 'Oh, you didn't tell me! I didn't know that!' But there's a spirit on campus that is just, 'O.K., fine, now let's now go have a good time." 


The Time Magazine report continues,"The willingness of BYU to police poor conduct is sharply at odds with other college programs. At Seton Hall University last season, for example, a basketball player who caused an accident while driving under the influence, causing an injury to the other driver, was suspended for only eight games. This year, a top player from Robert Morris University got a four-game penalty after a drunk-driving incident. In February, two players from Marshall University were charged with battery over a bar fight; they played in a game the next evening. Schools often let athletes off easy for on-field transgressions too. Two seasons ago, a University of Florida football player intentionally gouged an opponent's eyes. He was suspended for a half." 


You can add an additional high-profile incident at Ohio State last fall.  Star quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four teammates sold rings, jerseys and awards and received improper benefits from a tattoo parlor up to two years ago.  The NCAA ruled the actions amounted to a violation of its rules and issued a five-game suspension for each of the players, however the suspensions do not take effect until this fall.  As a result, Pryor and his teammates were allowed to play as Ohio State beat Arkansas 31-26 in the Sugar Bowl.


Senior Jimmer Fredette is the face of this year's sixth ranked Cougars.  While Fredette leads the nation in scoring and is the front-runner to win the John Wooden Award as college basketball's player of the year, Davis is (or should I say was) a key part of the squad.  Davis averaged 11 points and six rebounds a game as an inside presence.

Am I upset he got kicked off the team?  Yes.  Do I think this hurt BYU's chances to compete for a national championship?  You bet!  Am I mad at Davis?  Not really.  I feel for him.  I know how much this off-court action hurt him.  He knows he let himself down.  He knows he let his teammates down.  He knows he let BYU fans down.  The first game after his suspension, third-ranked BYU got blown out at home by unranked New Mexico.  Coach Dave Rose allowed Davies to sit on the bench and cheer on his teammates as they beat Wyoming to clinch the Mountain West Conference regular season championship.  He also allowed him to help cut down the nets.

"This could be a seminal moment in this young man's life," former BYU and Philadelphia Eagles kick returner Vai Sikahema told Time. "Better that it happens at 20, rather than 50, with four kids. He'll probably be a better man, and that's ultimately what BYU is about, building leaders, building men. If that means missing out a chance at the Final Four, well, that's what happens."

From everything I've seen and read, this is a good kid who just made a mistake.  I hope he learns from it, makes amends and finds his way back on the squad in the future.  As for my alma mater, I say thank you for not giving in to the "win at all costs" attitude and thank you for standing for something.

A Hero of Mine

There are many heroes in my life:  my father, mother, brothers, sister, wife, friends and others.  I recently lost one of them.  His name is Charles "Papa" Pennington.  My father-in-law passed away this past Christmas Eve day.     

He was a hero to so many for so many different reasons.  He was a hero to his wife of 46 years.  He was a hero to his four children.  He was a hero to his four younger siblings.  He was a hero to his fourteen grandchildren.  He was a hero to his many friends.  He was a hero to his former co-workers.  And he was a hero to his country.

To me, he was a hero because of the way he treated people and the way he lived and loved life.  Charles always had a smile on his face.  He had a contagious, cackling kind of laugh that only drew you to him.  He loved to tell a good joke.  He loved to meet people.  In fact, several of us were talking during his viewing, wondering what he would think of it.  We came to the conclusion that he wouldn't have even been there.  Instead, he would've probably been down the hall at another viewing just so he could meet new people.  That's exactly the kind of person he was.  

I was honored to serve as a pallbearer at his funeral alongside my son, son-in-law, brother-in-law and other relatives.  As a newscaster, I have reported on too many funerals with full military honors, but I had never attended one in person.  Even though a cold rain poured down on us, an honor guard stood at full attention as we carried the American flag-covered casket to the burial spot.  A group of elderly veterans also stood at attention.  The honor guard fired three volleys of shots into the air.  Two of the veterans played taps.  It was a moving sight as immediate family huddled under a tarp.  

Honor guard members respectfully gathered and meticulously folded the flag thirteen times.  As per military tradition, each fold has special representation: 

1st:  a symbol of life

2nd: a symbol of belief in eternal life

3rd:  to honor the Veteran who gave a piece of his life in defense of country

4th;  trusting in God during times of peace and war

5th:  a tribute to country

6th:  where people's hearts lie and in allegiance to the flag of the United States

7th:  a tribute to the Armed Forces

8th:  a tribute to the one who entered into the shadow of death

9th:  a tribute to womanhood

10th:  a tribute to fatherhood

11th:  in the eyes of Hebrew citizens to glorify God

12th:  in the eyes to Christian citizens to glorify God

13th & final fold:  the stars are uppermost in remembrance of the U.S. national motto "In God We Trust"

 

An honor guard representing the United States Air Force then presented the flag to Charles' wife, Mary Jo, and said, "On behalf of the President of the United States, the Department of the Air Force, and a grateful nation, we offer this flag for the faithful and dedicated service of Captain Charles DeLee Pennington."

The grave site service concluded when Charles' only son, Jon, offered a prayer to dedicate the grave.  Then, one by one, his wife, children, four siblings, grandchildren and others placed a yellow rose on his casket.  You see, Charles was a proud Texan.  He grew up in the oil fields of East Texas.  He loved his family and his Texas roots.  This display of affection was just one way to honor a true "Yellow Rose of Texas."  His oldest daughter, Sheri, then sprinkled some special soil on his grave.  It was Texas soil, brought to southern Utah by family members.

Charles was extremely patriotic and demonstrated that by his living actions.  He served his country and he served his fellow man.  He joined the ROTC program as a student at Texas A&M University.  After serving a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he graduated from Brigham Young University.  He joined the Air Force and received training as a navigator. He flew 365 combat missions over Vietnam, many of them in extremely dangerous conditions.  He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Oak Leaf Clusters (DFC W/2 OLC on his grave marker).

I remember Charles for so many things.  He loved taking us, especially his grandkids, out to eat and to McDonalds for breakfast. Whenever we moved, he was there with his bag of tools as the "king of small projects."  I can't tell you how many ceiling fans we installed together.  He also installed dead bolt locks, telephone lines, lighting, electrical outlets and switches, shelving and drywall.  But more than those temporal skills, I remember him for his kind words and loving attitude.  He truly was a peacemaker in word and deed.

Charles called me the night before he passed away.  It was a very short 40 to 45 second conversation.  He was weak and fragile but clear of mind.  He expressed gratitude and love for me and my family.  I thanked him for his life, his example and his daughter--my wife Lori.  I told him we would always love, honor and remember him.  That's a promise I will always keep.  Thanks Charles for being my hero.