College Baseball

A few days ago, I talked to my high school baseball coach about me playing in college. We talked about a few different schools I was interested in, and he gave me some insight into the program. One of the schools we discussed had an interesting story. About 7 years ago, my coach explained, they had a pretty bad team and was looking for basically anyone who wanted to play. Now, after winning a national championship a few years back, they are only recruiting the top schools in the country. A week prior to the talk with my high school coach, my dad and I talked with the coach of this team. He seemed cocky and a little full of himself. I really like that confidence in a coach because it makes me feel like a winner being recruited by him. But, at the same time, it made me realized just how fast things can change, which is why I want to be sure about where I want to go to school. The environment of the team can change very quickly, and I therefore have to be comfortable with the school as well.

NBA Lockout

Coming from a big sports fan, I can't tell you how disappointed I am that the NBA is continuing to cancel parts of their season. Plus, being a Chicago Bulls fan, I'm even more pissed because they are so good! I was so excited last year and was hoping to watch my team grow and get better. It's on day 100 and something, I'm not even keeping track anymore,  and they haven't really made any progress. People talk about them getting closer and closer, but in reality it's all about money and it almost impossible for both sides to be happy. There isn't really much to say except that I hope they come to an agreement. The president of the league stated that there will not be a full season under any circumstance. In conclusion, the league better come to an agreement soon if they want their fans like me to stay loyal and attached to the game.

Death Penalty #2

One of the most powerful stats I've seen about the death penalty was on a web page I read about a week ago. I put the same stat in my last post, the one about 17 white people being killed for the murder of blacks. And, 255 black people have been killed for the murder of whites. Now, when anyone tries telling me that race isn't a factor, I just send them the URL of that page. A few days ago, my friend and I got in an argument talking about how race effects the death penalty. He didn't believe it effected it at all, while I differed. He tried telling me that the reason for that stat is that there are more white people. Umm...hello? I'm not trying to be mean here or anything but that helps my argument. My teacher also posed the question, why is it that people of color or lower income people are more often sentenced to death? Unfortunately, people of color and low income people are often connected. One of the biggest reasons for this is that people with less money can't afford to have high level attorneys. And, for the one's that do, the attorneys often threaten them by saying if they aren't paid in full, they'll stop working.

The reason why many people are still for the death penalty, is because they are non educated. I guarantee you, that if everyone in the U.S went through the same research I have in my class, the death penalty would be no longer legal in any state. If you don't believe me, refer to the URL address on my last blog post and read the descriptions. It's unbelievable how creul it really is.

Overall, capital punishment is cruel, untrustworthy, and discriminatory. My mind has been altered to be anti-death penatly. Period.

The Death Penalty

The very first question that comes to mind when thinking about the death penalty is: Does this person deserve to die? This question could mean a variety of things, whether it be was their crime bad enough, or did they even commit the crime. One of the more famous recent cases, the Casey Anthony trial, discussed this question. Even after Ms. Anthony was acquitted, the majority of people believe she is guilty. This poses another question: Is our justice system doing a good enough job? One of the questions Mr. Kramer asked us was, do you believe that this system is sufficient to guarantee that only the guilty are convicted? No. Maybe someday with the advancement of technology we can come very very close, but I don't believe that justice systems can ever become completely clean.

After reading the different methods of execution I was stunned. I couldn't believe how painful each of the methods seemed. Reading about the grueling details (eyes popping out, burnt skin, blood and vomit, drool, and uncontrollable movement of limbs), made me sick. I didn't want to keep reading, that how bad it was. Here's the link: http://deathpenaltycurriculum.org/student/c/about/methods/contents.htm, I definitely recommend checking it out. Although none of them are very humane, I would say the lethal injection is the most humane. This is only because the victim feels the least amount of pain (unless the vein is "bad").

I just looked at a variety of charts about the death penalty in terms of race, region, and numbers. The most influential chart I saw was one on racial discrimination. In cases with a white defendant against a black victim, 17 people have been executed. In cases with a white victim and a black defendant, 255 people have been executed. Do you see any problem with that? That means that with these types of interrecial cases, 15 black people die before one white person. After reading about all the information surrounding the death penalty. I have changed my mind. Before I was completely for the death penalty because it was "quicker." I quickly learned that "quicker" doesn't mean better.

Petitioners v. Lindsay Earls

In both court cases, Vernonia v. Acton and Petitioners v. Earl, the students felt as though their rights were being violated. And, in both cases the school's protected their right to detect and deter drug use in their student athletes. The main difference is that Acton was suing because of his personal experience with being suspended due to testing positive in various drug tests. Earl merely felt as though the school was being unfair and nosy with their testing. In both cases, the court ruled that the school's actions were Constitutional because they have a right to help their students. "Finally, we find that testing students who participate in extracurricular activities is a reasonably effective means of addressing the School District's legitimate concerns in preventing, deterring, and detecting drug use" (Justice Thomas Petitioners v. Earl decision). The reasoning behind the courts decision to allow the school to perform drug tests in both cases, is because they feel as though the school has a right to know what is going on with their students. Plus, the court also realizes and that school children are the future of America, and if schools don't set them straight now, then they may never be. The court also ruled that it is not violating kids privacy if schools perform drug tests, in order to make a safe learning environment. I definitely agree with the courts decision to allow schools do carry out drug testing because of the many reasons listed above. Kids that do unlawful acts, should not have the same extracurricular rights as kids who follow the law and are good citizens.

My Favorite Quote

"There are only two types of players; those who keep their nerves in control and win championships, and those who do not" (Harry Vardon).

Greatest quote in the world, that's all I have to say. Although its seems simple, if you think about it, it connects to anything you do in life. Harry Vardon was a the greatest golfer in the world 100 years ago, and his character is played in the film and the book "The Greatest Game Ever Played." What Vardon is trying to say is that if one has the right attitude and effort, then they will more often than not come out on top.

Another great thing about Mr. Vardon was his ability to focus and get rid of his fears. This is especially portrayed in the movie. You are actually able to see him erase everything from his mind and focus solely on his golf shot. This is something everyone should learn from him. Being able to get rid of your fear and focus on the task at hand.

Finding the Right College

One of the toughest and most important decisions one will make is going to the right college. There are so many factors involved: Location, size, athletics, academics, environment, and Greek systems are just a few of the many confusing factors. Being an athlete, one of the biggest factors for me is whether the school has a baseball team. For many others, it is the academics and whether the school offers the degree that he or she wants to pursue. And of course, once you find the right school, you have to get in! Writing colleges essays and filling out the application is the easy part. Opening and reading the letter back from the school is the tough part. Recommendations are also very important. A little word of advice, pick a teacher that likes you. That may affect how your application turns out, just maybe. If you are a sports fanatic, than I would recommend going to a bigger school with a big time sports team, or if your a geek than look more into the ivy's. All of this may seem obvious, but once your in the middle of it you'll understand. Everything matters, and everything will change your opinion.