Fed Up Friday - Ride or Die

I get so irritated when I am on social media and someone says that they are “Ride or Die” for their significant other/this week’s bestie/co-worker/sister of a friend of a friend, etc. I mean, I am glad that they feel some closeness to someone TODAY, but how long is that loyalty going to last? One month? One year? What is the life expectancy for the relationship that all these people are claiming to be "ride or die" for? Call my a cynic (right!?!) but I don't think I am going out on a limb by stating that "ride or die" for every relationship you have is just not feasible.  I rarely use that turn of phrase because I feel like the overuse lessens the meaning. I can’t lie—there is a group of people that I am ride or die for… my immediate family. Honey, listen: don’t come for my family. You will not like the fallout. There are a LOT of us and I live and breathe and for those folks. They get on my nerves sometimes… but they are supposed to, we are family. I want to punch them sometimes (and have a couple times)… but that is ok, we are family. I can talk about them ALL day and you might even be able to co-sign my objections… but you BET NOT (better not) even think of throwing in your own two cents. Dude, that is my family you talking about. And when you talk about them, thems fighting words to me.

Case and point: Y’all know that I head to my brother’s basketball games whenever I can. He is a freshman in college and he is adorable. I have not introduced the kiddos on the blog, so let's just call this brother Superman. So Superman had a close mid week game and I was able to finagle my way to leaving work an hour early so I could make it down there to watch. Super excited. Rode down the highway with my favorite guy-- Poppa Hot, Black and Bitter. Night was off to a fantastic start. Until we sat down. Now listen, I know that some people really get into seeing their children play sports, and can sometimes be a little... much at sporting events. Oh, but Wednesday night, it was not a parent, it was a drunk ass student. 

The amount of deep breathing that I had to do when he was screaming when my brother was on the court cannot measured. Cannot be measured because I am sure that I may have sucked up all the oxygen in that gym. I was trying hard not to say anything while he was woo hoo hooing it up the ENTIRE game, and while he did not really heckle my brother, per se, he was taking too much joy in heckling a court full of 18 year old kids who were playing their hearts out. The overprotective sister just LEAPT out of me, y'all. I could not help it. Totally a case of bad impulse control. I can admit it. I called his ass out. I flipped him the bird. Unapologetic. Sorry, not sorry style. His friends were telling him to be quiet and amazingly with three minutes left in the game, it was silent. Thankfully. And I told my father that if he was talking shit about my brother, the exchange would have been even more heated. Trust that.  

Here is the thing-- I am loyal, the epitome of ride or die. I am loyal to my family and to the people that my family counts as friends (until they show that they deserve no loyalty). That extends to sports teams, lab partners, tutors. I don't care. I know people heckle to get under the skin of the opposing team. To get in their minds, make them second guess that last pass, that last field goal attempt. I get it. I swear I do. But check this out, these are KIDS. Superman turned 18 after he started college. Kids. This ain't the Knicks and you have no money riding on this game. Our team wasn't jawing it up on the court and the parents who were there were not acting out of line. If you come to a basketball game, drunk and decide that you are going to try to dog my brother and his new found family, you have me to contend with. If you are representing a school that purports to exhibit "values that include integrity, service, simplicity, equality, peace and social justice and respect for all persons" and the "distinctive values of the "Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)" um, I am definitely going to correct you when you get out of line. If there are small children sitting right behind me and you are showing your ass, I will get you in line. And if you come for my brother... BABY... I am coming right at you, guns blazing, straight for the jugular, my friend. Don't do that. Save thyself! I am Ride or Die up in here!! Here is hoping that there is better behavior tomorrow at the game. I might get put out. LOL 

College Sports & Modern Day Slavery?

I did not watch the National Championship College Basketball Game Monday night. Like many nights, I was at work... sigh. I'm working on getting a new job, but anyway-- I also didn't watch because if there is one person who loathes michigan more than me, I have not met them. Ok, maybe I have... she's my mother. I was glad to see that Louisville won (Yay!) Yes, so I wake up Tuesday afternoon (a second shift job will do that to you) and watched Facebook and Twitter timelines light up with references to college sports and slavery. Universities living on the backs of unpaid athletes. These poor, poor kids that are taken advantage of. Uh, no ma'ams... no sirs.

To say that I disagree would be putting it lightly-- too lightly. And I'll tell you why. I have a brother who will more than likely play college sports. Hell, one day, I may be watching him on tv. He plays basketball because he loves it. He knows that basketball could be the avenue to take him to a different kind of life. Trust me, the life he lives now is comfortable- new shoes, clothes, food (always... teenage boys, damn- no food is safe), private school; but a sport has the ability to elevate a very comfortable life to one where millions of dollars are on the table. He, like others, will manipulate his ability to play a sport to get closer to the possibility of a fabulous pay out. I see nothing wrong with that. Colleges and universities will use his ability to come closer and closer to millions of dollars in advertising, alumni contributions and team recognition. I see nothing wrong with that, either.

Student athletes are not allowed to have jobs. Ok, but they are compensated. They get free tuition, a free education, free food. Trust me, free food for teenage boys equals tons of money! And as a person who is beginning to pay back student loans (oh my god, I will be broke for life) believe me when I tell you a free education is nothing to scoff at. A free education is priceless. There is literally no amount that I could put on that. When you think for a moment that some of these athletes are taken from bad environments and given the chance to grow in their sport AND academically (often with FREE help, supplied BECAUSE they are athletes) maybe we should be a little more upset that these athletes do not take full advantage of the universities that give them these scholarships. Maybe we should be more upset about athletes leaving without college degrees vs. being mad at the universities for "pimping" these "poor students."

And yes, I KNOW the NCAA has rules against receiving money. I also know that athletes receive money... from all sources. We all know this game and the rules, don't we? This game brings up no semblance of slavery for me.


 

An Ohioan who doesn't understand the LeBron problem

Clearly, I have to write about this because between my email, Twitter and Facebook news feeds, everyone is either laughing or having a meltdown about LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. Um, really? Now, let me preface this by saying what we ALL know: I am from Ohio- I carry that state proudly in my heart every day. I love being a Buckeye and no place will EVER be like home. With that said- I am *not* from Cleveland. Some of my best friends are, but I hail from the capital city (Columbus). Cleveland is like your little sister- you can talk about her all you want, but no one outside the family is allowed to! So, while the things I say may sound harsh- I am allowed! :)

LeBron is leaving- so? Ok, I would be pissed because of the way he did it. All that hype and he knew he was headed out of town... that sucks and was completely unnecessary. But that is what people love about him (another disclaimer- so not a LeBron fan- never have been, never will be). For God's sake that guy started every game by throwing chalk dust into the air and everyone called him the King. I can see how he has a huge ego. He gets paid millions of dollars to play a game. That is all basketball is- a child's game. And now he is leaving.

People are burning jerseys and acting like the world is going to end. I just don't get it. Let's review exactly what LeBron has brought to the city: NOTHING. Cleveland has not won a championship in the last 7 years while LeBron was "king." He made a substantial salary and gave Cleveland nothing but dashed hopes, drama (with his mother sleeping with his teammate) and no ring. And you are mad that he is leaving? Huh?

I say let LeBron and his big ego go play second fiddle in Miami. DeWayne Wade is not going to let someone run his team. LeBron is no long going to be king, instead he is going to be prince #2, behind Bosh and Wade. Let him go and use his salary to rebuild your team. Seriously- the city of Cleveland has been through worse, and will probably go through worse. One man does not make or break you, so get over it. Who cares? I don't and you shouldn't either.

PS- to the grown men burning jerseys... dude, you still BUY jerseys? You wear another man's name on your back? Really? Ewwwwww. Grow up. That $80 could be used for something else.