Who's your hero?

A reprint of my July 9 SlapShots column published in the Woodford Sun

Have you heard?

Michael Jackson died!

Of course you’ve heard. How could you not? The story dominated news coverage. You couldn’t turn on a television, listen to a radio show or even log onto the Web without finding yourself inundated by Jackson. Amazingly, coverage of the pop star’s death rivaled that of the protests in Iran and completely overshadowed debate in the U.S. House on cap and trade legislation – potentially one of the most far reaching laws ever passed.

Over two-thirds of Americans say there was too much media coverage, according to a Pew Research poll. Yet while we complained about the excessive coverage, we tuned in in droves. A CBS News special on Jackson boasted 7.5 million viewers and an ABC Jackson recap pulled in 5.7 million viewers on the same night. The three biggest cable news networks averaged 8.2 million viewers in prime-time the day of Jackson’s death. That compares with almost 4.7 million on a typical weeknight, according to Neilson.

It seems something in our nature drives us to elevate celebrities to hero status. Maybe it has to do with what we perceive as the mundane nature of our own lives. Perhaps people find excitement living vicariously through their heroes.

The phenomenon runs rampant in sports as well.

I’ve always been a little uncomfortable with hero worship. I do have my favorite sports figures and entertainers, but I try to keep things in perspective, recognizing that their talent does not make them better human beings than the average Joe.

But I do understand the thrill of meeting a favorite player. I can relate to the sense of awe that comes when watching an athlete perform at the top of his or her sport. I can even shrug off the over-the-top nature some fans display toward their favs.

But I can’t wrap my mind around why fans elevate nasty human beings to hero status – simply based on their ability to hit a ball, make a basket or sing a song.

I lost what little respect I had left for Jackson years ago when he hung his kid over a motel balcony. The man could write a song and cut some dance moves, but as far as I’m concerned the fact that he was a freak and a pervert overshadowed his artistic talent.

Yet society lifts him up and spends weeks obsessing over his passing. The entire world mourns for a man it never really knew. I just don’t get it.

But maybe it’s just me. I don’t get a lot of things.

I don’t get why people insist Pete Rose should enter the Baseball Hall of Fame despite betting on his own sport. I don’t get why thousands flocked to see baseball cheater Manny Ramirez play minor league games while he was serving a Major League Baseball suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. I don’t get why any fan would buy a Terrell Owens jersey after all of his shenanigans.

These folks and others like them have amazing talents. I can appreciate and admire their on the field abilities. I can watch in awe as they blast a homerun or make a gravity defying a touchdown grab, but I just can’t get that excited about people who can’t seem live life as decent human beings.

NBA superstar Charles Barkley once stated, “I don't believe professional athletes should be role models.” He makes a good point. "A million guys can dunk a basketball in jail; should they be role models?"

Perhaps that’s my problem. Maybe I expect too much. Maybe I should just learn to separate the athletic prowess from the personal life. Perhaps I should be able to cheer the player and ignore the off-court persona. Perhaps I make too much of the athletes life outside of sport.

But really – am I asking too much? Is it too much to expect that our heroes not cheat? That they not beat up their wives or drive drunk? Is it too much that I ask that they not take drugs or roll recklessly through life splattering bystanders with their overblown sense of entitlement?

I think the real problem is that we’ve forgotten what a real hero looks like.

I was at my grandfather’s house not long ago. A frame hangs on the wall in an out of the way spot. Inside that frame rests a purple heart, a bronze star and numerous combat ribbons. My grandfather served in the U.S. Army through World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He’s led a quiet life. Raised a family. Took care of my grandmother as her health failed. I never saw him hit a baseball. He can’t dunk a basketball. He doesn’t have much of a singing voice. But he wove his quiet strength through my life and taught me a lot about manhood.

I’ll always love sports. I will continue to admire certain players and athletes for their performance in the arena of competition. Some I will laud because of what they do off the field. I don’t agree with Barkley; athletes can serve as role models.

But my grandfather will always remain my hero.

Quick Shots

If nothing else, restrictor plate racing in NASCAR makes for some crazy finishes. My wife and I were screaming wildly as our favorite, Kyle Busch, passed Tony Stewart on the final lap of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. But moments later, Busch tried to block Stewart’s attempt to retake the lead and careened into the wall. Kasey Kahne plowed into the back of Busch’s car, lifting the rear of the number 18 Toyota off the track. Busch’s car slammed down onto the hood of Kahne’s as Stewart steered clear to cross the finish line for the win. Busch’s destroyed Toyota slid across for a 14th place finish and then got plowed by Joey Logano. Busch was clearly miffed after the accident and struggled against NASCAR officials as they steered him toward a car to take him to the medical center. Busch wisely refused to comment after the race.

The Tour de France kicked off on July 4. Lance Armstrong amazes me. Can he pull off an eighth win? I’m not sure, but the fact that he’s even competing at that level astonishes me.

Quote of the Week

"I don't want any part of winning a race because the guy who was leading the race got wrecked. I don't know that we did anything wrong. I've seen replays of it, and he's protecting his position, which is what he's got to do. I mean that's what he has to do as a driver. He can't just sit there and let us make a move like that and not try to defend it.”

-Tony Stewart after winning the Coke Zero 400

Puck to the head

This week’s puck to the head flies at TNT for its “Wide Open Coverage” of NASCAR. Wide Open Coverage means that they play the commercials down in the lower right hand corner of the screen while continuing silent coverage of the race on the rest of the screen. I guess I’m supposed to feel like there aren’t any commercials. But I can’t multitask like that. I just end up getting annoyed that my eyes keep gravitating toward the ads. Just cut to the commercials and get it over with. I also have to shoot another puck at former University of Kentucky baseball player Jim Leyritz. You may remember me shooting a puck at his head a few weeks back. He will face trial in a couple of months for DUI manslaughter. He said that the death of the woman he killed driving drunk was “the accident’s fault.” Well, he’s in jail again. This time for allegedly beating up his ex-wife. I wonder whose fault that was?

WCHS athletic trainer gets the axe

Reprint of article in July 9 Sun

-By Mike Maharrey

The Bluegrass Community Hospital announced last week that it has eliminated the athletic training position at Woodford County High School, leaving the future of Walker Terhune’s job unclear. The announcement left school officials scrambling to find alternative funding with the start of football, soccer, cross country and volleyball practices only weeks away.

Terhune served as the Yellow Jacket athletic trainer for three years, providing on the field medical care and rehabilitation services to athletes in every sports program at the school. Bluegrass Community Hospital employed Terhune and contracted his services to the WCHS.

Bluegrass Community CEO Kathy Love said eliminating the position, along with the athletic trainer at Midway College, will save the hospital about $100,000 per year.

“We always have to preserve our core hospital services,” she said. “It was a painful decision.”

The hospital did not eliminate any other positions, and Love emphasized that the organization remains financially sound.

“We’re not in any sort of crisis,” she said. “We are tightening our belts.”

Love cited a drop in donations, as well as cost pressures with driving the decision to eliminate the athletic trainer positions. A rise in uncompensated care has strained the hospital’s budget, and uncertainties in the health care industry regarding the possibility of healthcare reform have administrators taking proactive measures. Love said that regardless of what form healthcare reform takes, she expects future cuts in provider reimbursements.

Woodford County High School assistant principal and athletic director Bob Gibson said that the school has already started looking for other healthcare organizations to partner with in order to keep an athletic trainer at WCHS – preferably Terhune. He said that school officials have meetings scheduled for later in the week.

“We may be able to get everything back on board,” he said. “Obviously, we would want to maintain not only the position, but the individual.”

Neither state law or the Kentucky High School Athletics Association require Kentucky schools to have a trainer on staff, but Gibson said that he recognizes the importance of the athletic trainer for health and safety of Jacket athletes.

“It’s of vital importance to our program.”

Gibson said that he understands the hospitals decision and that he doesn’t want people to perceive Bluegrass Community as the bad guy.

“They’ve been a big sponsor of our programs,” he said.

It remains unclear whether the Woodford County School Board will provide any funding for an athletic trainer if the school cannot find another healthcare organization to foot the bill.

“Obviously, we just found out last week,” Superintendent Scott Hawkins said. “We’re trying to explore all of our options. If we can keep an athletic trainer, we certainly want to do that.”

But dollars will factor into the decision.

“We don’t know what costs we’re looking at. We’ll see what kind of expenses we might be looking at. We want to provide quality service at a price that we can afford,” Hawkins said. “We’ll have a much clearer picture once we have some of these meetings and see what our options are.”

Yellow Jacket football coach Chris Tracy expressed concern about the possibility of going into late summer practices without an athletic trainer on the sideline. Last summer, Pleasure Ridge Park football player Max Gilpin died after collapsing during practice on a hot August evening. Prosecutors charged PRP coach Jason Stinson with negligent homicide. There was no athletic trainer at the practice when Gilpin succumbed to the heat.

“After what happened in Louisville, I don’t know that I want to be out there doing what we do without a trainer,” Tracy said.

Several WCHS athletes reacted to the news of the possible elimination of the athletic training position with dismay.

“I don’t really know what to say right now. I’m kind of in shock,” Yellow Jacket soccer player Katrina Ott said.

Terhune helped Ott rehab several injuries and she credits daily sessions with him for getting herself healed and back on the field faster. She said that she probably took his presence on the sidelines for granted.

“It’s really important to have a trainer at your convenience,” she said. “Sometimes when you’re hurt, coaches are not as qualified and don’t know.”

Terhune not only heals the body, he serves as a mentor and trusted adult figure in the lives of many Woodford County athletes.

Senior Jay Tackett, a soccer and football player, posted his feelings on the Woodford Sun Sports Facebook page.

“This is terrible. Woodford’s losing an awesome sports trainer. Walker’s been a great friend of mine through all my years of high school and he would be greatly missed.”

Meeks to the NBA

A reprint of my July 2 SlapShots column in the Woodford Sun

Jodie Meeks will head to the land of bratwursts and beer.

The Milwaukee Bucks drafted the former University of Kentucky guard with the 41st pick. He was the 11th pick in the second round.

Last season, Meeks led the SEC with 24.2 points per game. He was fifth in the nation in scoring and earned second-team All American honors. After his breakout junior season, Meeks decided to forgo his senior year at UK and enter the NBA draft.

Was it the right decision?

Only time will tell. We have no way of looking into the future. No way to know if Meeks will develop into an NBA level player. The Bucks think highly of him and believe his scoring ability will translate to the NBA game.

“He was a guy we had on our board for the last few days, and up until (Wednesday) night, and we said, ‘No way this kid makes it to the second round,’” Bucks GM John Hammond said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We just felt he’s one of the top-notch shooters in this draft.”

Of course Hammond was already proved wrong on one theory. Meeks did last into the second round.

I tend to think Meeks isn’t quite ready for the NBA. I think he needs some more time to develop his obvious talent. He made huge strides last season. I think one more season would have probably made him a first round pick – especially under the tutelage of John Calipari.

Several readers agree.

“Meeks will have a lot of learning left to do, which he could have done under Calipari,” Versailles resident Paul Krueger said. “I guess he'll be paid for learning now – is that all that different from the SEC, though?”

Woodford County High School senior Carson Reynolds said that he thinks Meeks has a future in the NBA, but that it may take a couple of developmental years before he makes it to the big dance.

“As far as Meeks being successful I’m sorry to say but it won't be for a couple of years. He is either going overseas or to the D- league, he said. “But hey, look at the bright side, at least he got drafted because many thought he was stupid for leaving because he wouldn't get drafted.”

Nate Cowan, a sports writer in St. Petersburg, Fla., counters.

“As far as being happy to just be drafted, that's not a victory for him at all. Only first rounders get guaranteed contracts so he should have stayed in school.”

But this is really all speculation. We won’t know what Meeks will gain by entering the NBA early until next fall. We do know this – as a second round pick, Meeks has no guarantees. As Cowan pointed out, first round picks get guaranteed money. Second round picks get nothing but an opportunity.

And we do know what Meeks gave up. A senior season playing under a coach known for developing NBA players. A legitimate shot at an NCAA national championship. Another year to develop his game. Continuing his education.

Yes, I’m one of those old fashioned folks who actually believe that even talented athletes should take advantage of the opportunity to get a college education.

But Meeks made his decision and now it’s up to him to make the most of his opportunity. Fortunately for him, Milwaukee will likely provide a good fit. The team boasts a long line of successful second round picks. Last year the Bucks took Luc Richard Mbah a Moute from UCLA with the 37th pick. He played all 82 games as a rookie.

I wonder how Meeks will do facing NBA caliber players on defense night after night. Ball handling and driving the net isn’t Meeks’ forte. But he can shoot the lights out – provided he can get open – and sometimes when he’s not.

In that sense, Cowan thinks Meeks landed on the right team.

“The Bucks aren't a great team and Meeks has trouble creating his own shot. Picking up a pass first point guard like Brandon Jennings helps him in that department and he gets to play behind Michael Redd so he won't be facing the other teams' top perimeter defender,” he said. “The NBA isn't the SEC. The guys guarding him will be bigger and better than that game. He's a catch and shoot guy right now but really athletic. D. Jones and Jennings don't even play the same position as Meeks so they aren't in his way. Redd is coming back from ACL surgery so Meeks can make the squad.”

Cowan also thinks playing on a small market team will benefit the former Cat.

“Milwaukee is a good place for Meeks to land. He played under more scrutiny at UK then he'll see at a place like Milwaukee so the lights of the show won't get to him.”

The verdict remains out in my mind. I’m not sure how Meeks will fare at the next level. But if nothing else, he’s earned an opportunity. I hope he makes the most of it.

Quick Shots

How about the U.S. beating Spain in the FIFA Confederations Cup? After a lackluster start to the tournament, the American’s finally found some passion and shocked the Spaniards with a 2-0 win. Spain was ranked first in the world.

For the first time in three weeks, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch didn’t whine about coming in second in the Nationwide race. That’s because he finally won one. Busch turned the tables on Joey Logano, who led 108 of the 200 laps, passing the youngster with 36 laps remaining.

But Logano’s week got a lot better on Sunday. The rookie won his first Sprint Cup race, taking the checkered flag in a rain shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301 in New Hampshire.

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Quote of the Week

“The 48 did the same thing. I think they had a pit-road penalty or got caught on pit road or something like that, and drove right up through the field. It looked like the rest of us were racing mini-stocks and he was in a super late model. It looked stupid. We need to make our cars like that where we make everybody look stupid instead of us being the ones that look stupid.” –Kyle Busch talking his recent struggles and the race at Pocono.

Puck to the Head

This week’s puck flies at the head Manny Ramirez – again. The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger is serving a 50 game suspension from Major League Baseball after testing positive for a banned substance. Except he’s not really serving the suspension. Ramirez has spent the last several weeks touring around the west playing in minor league games. What kind of punishment is that? The guy cheats, yet gets to keep playing baseball. And to make matters worse, fans have crammed the ballparks to watch the cheater. They all get pucks to the head too! That’s part of what’s wrong with this society – no real consequences for actions.