Thursday, May 3, 2012

Off the Bench - What I'm All About

Hey everyone! Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog! I have never done a blog, but I have always wanted to, so I guess there's no time like the present. Well, if you know me, you know that sports are my life. Sometime between my freshman and sophomore year, I accepted the fact that there wasn't much demand for 5'9" 145 lb. white guys with average speed in college football and the NFL (especially at the wide receiver position) and that my playing career would end after high school, so I thought, "Hey, if I can't play sports, I might as well write about them!" I'd like to think that as much ESPN I watch and Sports Illustrated I read, I'm an expert at all things sports (just don't ask me about soccer, cricket, curling, etc). However, one thing that has always frustrated me is the amount of press negative stories get in comparison to the positive ones. Eric LeGrand may take his first steps since being paralyzed in a football game while playing at Rutgers and get 15 minutes of air time on ESPN, but if Tiger Woods wrecks his car and it comes out that he has a million mistresses, it is covered 24/7 for three months. Something about that ratio just doesn't make sense to me. If we give the stupid athletes more air time, all that is doing is encouraging other athletes to go out and outdo them. Instead, if we focus more on the inspiring, positive stories, it will push athletes in the other direction. It would also give people in our society (the young people in particular) someone to look up to. Everyone wants their kids to aspire to be more like Pat Tillman, not Michael Vick. The purpose of this blog (and, hopefully someday, magazine) is to expose those under-covered stories. The name of this blog represents this. Much like players who come "off the bench," these stories are not widely known, yet are vital to the sports world. As a lifelong bench player, I understand the pecking order and that the starters get the press, but that doesn't necessarily mean I agree with it. I am making it my mission to find every story in Springdale, in Arkansas, in the U.S., and in the world, that will inspire you, make you laugh, make you cry, or just make you think about life. My entries may be about trips I take, satires on negative stories, or critical analysis on stupid athletes. As always, I'd love to hear what you think. If you do or don't like something I post, comment on it and let me know! I value the opinion of my reader. The same goes for if you know of a good story. If you hear about anything sports related that you even SLIGHTLY think I'll find interesting, let me know!

I hope you enjoy!

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