Ted Williams: Golden voice tarnished and deterred by drug and alcohol addiction

Ted Williams (not the Hall Of Fame professional MLB player) but the viral YouTube sensation with the "golden voice" has become 2011's first feel-good story of the year. He was discovered late last year by a reporter in his hometown of Columbus, OH. He was a homeless man panhandling and the reporter took a video of him talking and put it on YouTube. Millions of hits later, Ted is famous. He's getting job offers left and right from Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, NFL Network, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and even from Oprah Winfrey for her new OWN network.

However, after accepting the Kraft offer, being reunited with his mother and 5 of his 9 offspring, he had a bigger obstacle to overcome: drug and alcohol addiction. He has fallen on hard times over the past few years due to these evil vices. They caused him to be penniless and homeless, living out of a homemade tent on the side of the road in Columbus. Once he received money and fame again, he immediately fell off the wagon. He started drinking Coronas, Grey Goose, and even fighting with one of his children, Jenay. This altercation landed him a night in jail. Now, after speaking with Dr. Phil on a couple of occasions, he's in rehab trying to beat this addiction before he entertains these numerous offers (the ones that will still be available, that is).

Addiction is something I'm all too familar with. I have had numerous alcoholic and drug addicts in my family. The most recent one was my brother, Adam. His drug addiction eventually ended his life. Next Friday, January 28th, will be 5 years since he passed from a drug overdose. ANY time of addiction is a lifelong battle, one that requires lots of willpower, therapy, and prayer. It is up to that person as to whether or not they want to be rehabillitated. They have to be willing to be helped, change their lifestyle, and avoid negative influences that will place them back into harm's way.

This is exactly what Ted Williams must do. He has a lot of folks in his corner, including even his family, whom he has hurt emotionally and physically. He has to make up his mind that he wants to take full advantage of this second chance he has at success in life. He has a special voice but it is currently tarnished by his substance abuse and the negligence to treat this disease. Once his health is in order, it must be maintained, like an automobile. He will need to stay in touch with professionals such as Dr. Phil, have the support of his loved ones, and avoid any and ALL temptations. One in particular is his girlfriend, who is supposedly a drug addict and a prostitute. Unless she changes, she will ONLY bring Ted back to where he was before. Poor, homeless, and forgotten.

I am personally loving this story (the good and the bad) of Ted Williams. It's inspiring how he has a shimmer of hope despite this recent setback. The beginning of the New Year is about starting anew and leaving the past behind. This story emulates all of that. It's the type of stuff you really can't script or write. I will be following this story as it continues to unfold, even while Ted is in rehab and out of the public eye.

Again, Ted can beat this addiction. The main factor in this situation is himself. He has to be strong enough to resist temptation and realize what is as stake, but smart enough to have the right people around him as "barometers" to gauge his progress and keep him on the straight and narrow.

I look forward to hearing that "golden voice" again and pray that Ted is just not another negative statistic, but an inspirational, comeback story that great movies and books are made of.

SEC v. Big Ten: SEC still remains strongest in the nation in college football

This is my first blog entry for 2011 so I thought I would discuss college football since that's one of the first broadcasts (or sporting events) we see after the clock strikes midnight on January 1. There have been some criticisms against the Southeastern Conference (SEC), folks saying that the conference is down, and its quality of talent. They are also saying that the Big Ten is the top conference of this past season. Well I respectfully disagree and here is why.

Here's a little back story for you. The SEC has been dominant for the past decade. They have 6 BCS champions overall, and 4 straight (Florida, LSU, Florida again, and Alabama). They consistently have at least 2 teams playing in BCS bowls, and often up to 4 teams in the AP Top 5 poll. Also, the SEC consistently dominates in the other major bowls, ESPECIALLY when matched up against the Big Ten. When you have teams like Alabama, Auburn (the team playing for this year's BCS title), Arkansas, LSU, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and even Mississippi State, it's hard to deny the SEC of anything. Even this past season.

The 2010-2011 college football season was a bit different for the SEC. Georgia and Tennessee were basically doormats. South Carolina scored huge wins over Alabama and Florida to play for the SEC title against Auburn. Arkansas and LSU both finished 10-2 in the regular season, while Alabama finished 9-3. South Carolina finished 9-4 after Auburn dismantled them 56-17 in the SEC Championship game. And finally, Auburn is 12-0 and #1 in the country. Led by controversial Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Cam Newton, the Auburn Tigers will play the also undefeated Oregon Ducks led by LeMichael James and their high-octane offense for the big prize. Doesn't sound like the SEC has skipped much of a beat.

Now consider this. EVERY school in the SEC except for Vanderbilt (a perennial cellar team) and Ole Miss were bowl eligible and played in bowls. Matter of fact, the SEC was undefeated during the New Year's Day bowls, and went 3-0 against the Big Ten head to head. Arkansas played Big Ten power Ohio State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. It was a great game, but in the end Ohio State prevailed, making it their first win in a BCS bowl game over the SEC. Name many (or any conference) that can boast of that success in any season.

OK now you have the Big Ten. This year, they had three 11-1 teams: Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State. Based on the BCS tiebreaker, Wisconsin was the conference winner and got the Big Ten BCS nod. Even as the "best" team coming out of the Big Ten, they fell to unbeaten TCU. Michigan State got their clock cleaned in their bowl game against Alabama. And we already know what happened with Ohio State. Overall, the Big Ten looked better record wise and even had overall more bowl wins than the SEC this year. However, with the exception of Ohio State this year, they still have the reputation of failing to deliver when it counts, in the BIGGEST games. The SEC has made a habit out of that.

This year, at least 4 (maybe even 5) SEC teams probably could have went into the Big Ten, Pac-10, or any other power conference and ran the table. They're just that talented. If you look at their schedule and records, the only teams that could really challenge them this year was each other.

The SEC has also been cranking out plenty of NFL Draft picks and stars. Minnesota's Sidney Rice is from South Carolina. Jason Campbell and Ronnie Brown are both from Auburn. Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin are from Florida, Darren McFadden is from Arkansas. Of course, Georgia, Tennessee, and even Ole Miss have several current NFL players on their rosters. You can't deny the talent, power, and dominance of this conference.

I was watching the Under Armour High School All-American All-Star game the other night. I noticed where well over half of the players on either squad have committed to SEC schools next year. The nation #1 prospect from nearby Rock Hill, SC, JaDaveon Clowney is strongly considering either South Carolina or Alabama. Doesn't appear that the SEC will experience much of a drop-off for a while.

Now one can safely say that certain teams (Georgia, Tennessee, and even Florida this year) were down. But to say the SEC as a whole is down? I think not. Even if Auburn loses to Oregon tomorrow night, the SEC still has maintained their overall power as a conference. They sent yet another representative to the national championship game, 5th year in a row. Let's see the Big Ten accomplish that.

THE YEAR-END COWBELL LIST FOR THE 2ND HALF OF 2010!!

- Antoine Dodson, WTH???
- Alvin Green. C'mon man, stop trying to run already, and just get a regular job. Somewhere, anywhere!
- Nikki Haley. South Carolina, how in the world did she get voted in? Makes me wanna move to North Carolina with the quickness.
- Lady Gaga (and that meat dress). She just keeps getting stranger and stranger.
- Blockbuster. Y'all in trouble, Redbox and Netflix are eating your lunch. Y'all better get it together in 2011!
- Alltel in Gaffney, great service, signal, but refusing to merge with Verizon. What are y'all going to do when they get the iPhone, the new Droid, and 4G coverage?
- Brett Favre (again). Dang man you keep messing up and causing trouble. Just go back to Kiln, MS already and enjoy your retirement.
- Dallas Cowboys, y'all always seem to underachieve. Thing is, this is a pretty good team this year, y'all just lack effort and consistency.
- Carolina Panthers. Y'all just need to cut everyone and start from scratch
- Drake. Dang man you're all over the radio, every frikkin hour. Plus you sold out. You're a much better rapper and artist than you're showing. Young Money is making you a borderline coon.
- Award shows. They're waaay too many, especially country music shows. There's, what, like 6 of them alone/year?
- Health insurance. It's just rising waaay too high, and gets to where you can't even afford medication now. C'mon healthcare reform, take effect!
- The Shake weight. I'm sure it gets some results, but really? You can't take that seriously as an effective way to sculpt your arms.
- Phaedra Parks (of #RHOA). Seriously, did you think anyone was going to believe that you were full-term pregnant at 7 months? Why don't you just admit that your baby was conceived a couple of months before marriage?
- Minnesota Vikings. Y'all are just a halfway house and a hot mess right now. Y'all seem like the Raiders at the moment.
- Cam Newton. C'mon dude, how can you risk your college and pro career like that? Have you not learned from Marcus Dupree, the SMU debacle, and most recently Reggie Bush? You had a second chance already at Division I college football. SMH!
- Dr. Laura, you should have known better. Once again, a person that failed to learn from recent history.
- Lebron James (and "The Decision"). Maan talk about narcissist! All that aside, I'm glad you're going somewhere where you have a decent shot at a championship ring.
- Dan Gilbert. You acted like a scorned lover and an all-around crybaby over the Lebron situation. Granted, he left the Cavs high and dry. But you weren't making any moves to try and cover your behind in case he left.
- Waka Flocka Flames: c'mon man, stop rapping, just stop talking period. Go to Sylvan!
- Bishop Eddie Long. Another example of a corrupt, crooked minister, smh again
That's all folks! I enjoyed blogging this year, and wait and see what I have for 2011. Until then, Happy New Year!

Don't forget the milk and bread and stay off the roads, it's inclement weather!

I've grown up and lived in the South pretty much all of my life. Therefore, it's typically mild to humid most of the year except for mid-November to early March. During this time, this is when the winter weather warnings can wreak havoc on vacation plans, work schedules, and just being able to get out of your house. Whether it's snow, sleet, ice, or freezing rain, inclement winter weather can either be refreshing, a buzz kill, or just a distraction.

Winter's not even officially here yet and already in this season we've have two threats of winter weather in the past few days. This past Thursday, there was sleet and freezing rain, forcing a two-hour delay for the local schools and from my job. Saturday, there was sleet and light snow flurries. Nothing major came of that. However, I had plans to go to Shelby and hang out but those were deferred.

I remember being back in school (and even working for the state of South Carolina) that it was almost always exciting when winter weather came through. You were out of school and/or work, and it was a big party basically. However, if it prolonged for too long (the weather) and too much school was missed, you had to make it up in the spring and it would cut into Spring Break. Not cool.

If you work for any organization (school, bank, post office, etc) that deals with the government and/or state, you're pretty much set to go far as days off from work. You're off from work and you don't have to worry about not getting paid, your pay getting cut, or even using any of your vacation or sick time. However, if this isn't the case and you don't have any vacation or sick time at work, then that can hurt. I'm currently out of all of my available time. I only lost out on two hours this past week, which wasn't too bad. However, I'm praying that any severe winter weather will subside until January since I cannot afford to miss any time or hours from work.

The winter weather is also not exciting for me to even play in. When I was a child, I would make snow angels, build snowmen, get into snowball fights, etc. The only REAL thrill now regarding snow is when there's enough of it to make snow cream. Now that's the business!! I believe folks that live up North take having snow cream pretty much on a weekly basis for granted. However, typically when it's bad weather and I can't leave, I'll lay around my house and sleep. I may watch TV, movies and eat in between, but I'm basically staying in the bed. Just can't get into all of that weather.

So while many of you look forward to this type of weather for various reasons, especially right now hoping for a White Christmas, you go ahead. Don't expect me to share your enthusiasm. Give me that good Fall-like weather anyday, the type of weather that I can ACTUALLY go out driving in without a greater risk of sliding, crashing, and dying. I do not own a SUV or a 4-wheeled drive vehicle and even if I did, I doubt I would be cruising in horrible weather. What's the point?

And finally, about everyone buying up the milk and bread. I can't get the fascination, especially for households that barely consume milk and/or bread. I prefer to stock up on supplies I actually use regularly and may not be able to get for a couple of days. Sometimes that is milk and bread, sometimes it isn't. However, out of shear habit, you best believe that if the National Weather Advisory is calling for winter weather, there will be a run on milk and bread.

So whenever we receive more of this terrible weather, enjoy yourselves with whatever you do. Get out in it. Drink some liquor and wine to stay warm. Just don't call or text me and expect an immediate answer. I'll be catching up on my ZZZs until the weather improves, which fortunately in the South isn't usually long.

Friday Night Lights: the best show NOT being watched, period!

These days of reality television such as American Idol, Survivor, Dancing With The Stars and Bad Girls Club has wreaked havoc on certain quality shows, almost killing off traditional sitcoms. However, hour-long dramas are still relevant. HBO and TNT has been featuring these for years. Now the CW has followed suit. Shows such as True Blood, NCIS, and the now-canceled 24 and Lost captivate the main-stream audience. Episodes of such dramas contain so much info, action and suspense that each week is almost like a movie. Well the 5 year old drama Friday Night Lights definitely falls in this category. Problem is, not many folks are taking note of it, or paying it any attention.

If you could put a single series right now under the word "unsung" in the dictionary, it would definitely be Friday Night Lights. It is the best show currently on TV, bar-none, and gets little to no respect. It premiered in October 2006 on NBC from the brain of Peter Berg and adapted from the 2004 movie of the same name. It started out being just about a small town in West Texas and their beloved football team. But now the show has evolved into sooo more. This show has covered subjects and issues such as abortion, rape, rehab, teenage romances, dementia, interracial dating, infidelity and much more. Plus you throw in football, which keeps the football fan's attention. The first season was a success despite low ratings. The second season fell short in quality and length, due mostly to the infamous Writer's Strike of 2008. NBC was then set to pull the plug on the series. They then struck a deal with DirecTV. DirecTV would get exclusive rights to air the 3rd season first, then NBC would air them towards the end of the programming season (April-August) to allow ratings titans such as The Office and new shows room. The deal worked out so well DirecTV agreed to a 2-year deal, with this being the 5th and final season.

It goes without saying that if you are not watching this show you are definitely missing out. Kyle Chandler (Early Edition, Lyon's Den) stars as the show's head football coach Eric Taylor. He deals with several challenges on and off the gridiron. As many real-life coaches do, he has to play father to many of his teammates while balancing home life as a husband and a father of a college-age teenager and a toddler. Many notable acting names have either had starring roles or cameos. These includes Connie Britton as Tami Taylor, Eric's wife, Brad Leland as Buddy Garrity, notable town businessman and booster, Jurnee' Smollett, as Jess Merriweather who dated the nerdy kicker but now is dating the star QB, and has went from dance team member to rally girl to equipment manager. You also have Michael B. Jordan (some of you know him as Wallace from the HBO series "The Wire") as Vince Howard, star QB in this season and the previous season. Other names include Steve Harris, who played Virgil "Big Mary" Merriweather, Jess's father, and owner's of Ray's BBQ, and Grey Damon (from the aforementioned True Blood) as Hastings Ruckle, a basketball star-converted wideout. Quality TV at its finest!

Some of you are probably like "Well I'd like to view it, but I don't have DirecTV." No problem. While the series had a very short-lived run on ABC Family in syndication, there are DVDs available of all four seasons for purchase and rental. Many of you may be buying the DVDs once you rent them from Netflix. Also, season 5 will be premiering sometime in May. Don't miss it, it's the final one!

The thing is, this show simply goes against the grain, is very realistic and dramatic, and simply exciting. I often find myself watching episodes 3-4 times to make sure I didn't miss the smallest detail. Plus it's so easy to relate to the characters as they experience real, everyday problems and express many emotions. There is also plenty of eye candy for both sexes. Connie Britton, Jurnee' Smollett, Madison Burge, just to name a few for the fellas. Michael B. Jordan, Matt Lauria, and Grey Damon just to name some hunks for the ladies.

Friday Night Lights will most likely be one of those shows that once it does end, people will talk about it constantly and wish it were still here, like "Arrested Development" or other shows of its liking that had loyal fanbases, quality actors and storylines, but low ratings.

It kills me when folks are slaves to ratings, and what's the buzz in TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly and on Twitter. Might I suggest watching what you like for a change, and what's REALLY good? I express some of this in my blog months ago "Keeping it 100?". How many of us REALLY, really like the shows that we watch weekly.

I know I not only like but LOVE Friday Night Lights! Although I think 5 seasons has been really good for this show, it still hasn't gotten the respect it sorely deserves. But I like it, will miss it, and will continue to watch the episodes long after it's gone. Who's with me?

Getting in shape, working on your fitness goal: why the time is NOW!

There are less than 30 days left in 2010 which means it's almost time for folks to begin making New Year's Resolutions. One of the top ones every year is to lose weight, get in better shape, etc. During the first of the year, gyms, fitness centers, and YMCAs around the country are flooded with folks purchasing memberships and joining to work towards their goals. Many of these folks don't last till March. They simply get caught up in the craze and may not have definite fitness goals and motivation, outside of a brand new year. I refer to these types of folks in another blog as "Holiday Hoppers".

My thing is if you want to get into better shape or if you have a different goal, the time is NOW, or even earlier in the year. I personally like to start my new fitness goals around September or October. Many folks say they do not want to try and lose weight during Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. They feel it defeats the purpose and they want to start anew during January.

I'm a self-proclaimed "gym-rat", working out 4-5 times/week for at least an hour per session (as I've explained in previous blogs). I've been working out for a long time, have had success losing weight, and even giving advice on how to lose weight using traditional tried-and-true methods. It does seem easier to start in January but it really isn't. Between September-December (now), the gyms are actually not as full, not even during the beginning of the week. Come January, you will have nearly every treadmill, bike, ellipitical and weight bench full during many hours, and especially in the afternoons when the larger crowds are present. It's harder in my mind to get into shape and maintain when you can't work out on what you want to, or what you feel really comfortable on.

Also, you get a head-start and you begin to develop a plan for yourself, what works for you, what doesn't. If you're taking a fitness class or you've hired a trainer, you've also had ample time to see how the class is going to work out, and if the trainer/instructor gives you what you're looking for. Think of the final few months of the year as your jump-off point. Then come January 2nd, hit the ground running full blast. It's even possible to lose weight during the holidays, so you can already have momentum and your metabolism flowing, making it easier to reach your New Year's Resolutions. You will then be less likely to drop out of the gym.

I know all too well how hard it is to stick to a diet during the holiday season and even to have time to workout with extra vacation time with family, Christmas shopping, etc. You could just start out very slowly, with a couple of times/week for about 30 minutes/day. Plus, reserve your holiday eating for the ACTUAL holidays and weekends. I've mentioned before this are ideal free days, or "cheat days".

Most importantly, it's crucial to have the right mindset going into achieving your goals. Make sure you're really doing this for yourself. You may want to improve your look, or even your health. However, one must REALLY make sure they want it, or they will not stick with it. It's a tough and a long process. It's easier with a defined goal and a step-by-step, simple plan.

I think it's great people are thinking about their health since the USA is the most obese country in the world. The intentions are there and are great. Now they just need to be timely and more thought out so that long-term results can be gained. And if I can help in that matter in any way, I certainly will. Keep reading guys!

My journey with my finger

This has been the weekend that we have designated for giving thanks for friends, family, blessings in our life, etc. This hasn't been the best year of my life in many aspects, but it has been far from my worst. One of the things that I've been giving thanks for the past two months has been the speedy recovery of my dislocated right pinkie finger that I suffered over Labor Day weekend.

Many of you know by now that I pretty much live in the gym, doing a wide variety of activities from weight lifting, cardio, basketball, aerobics and most recently ZUMBA. On the Friday before Labor Day of this year, I was playing a 2 on 2 pickup basketball game at the gym. It was getting pretty rough and intense. I couldn't hit water from a boat, shotwise, but my defense was on that day. I was going against one of the best outside shooters that comes to our gym and I was shutting him down. I was making him drive to the basket. We both went up for a rebound and our hands collided. When I came down, I felt a little pain in my right pinkie. I figured it was a little bump until I looked at my finger. It was disfigured and bent the other direction. I held it up and asked the other guys what they thought and they were all like "WHOAA!!!!" I immediately left and went to the emergency room. That's when the pain started subsiding. They put my finger in a splint, prescribed some pain meds, and left me with a lot of concern as to what I was going to do next.

I didn't know how long I was going to have to be out of work, the gym, and if I was going to be able to play in the upcoming alumni football game I was helping organize. I really was doing a lot of praying during this time, especially that Labor Day weekend. I never really realize how valuable my pinkies were until that moment right there.

Since it was Labor Day weekend, I went to the doctor on Tuesday after I went to work and informed my employers of the situation. The doctor performed another X-ray, and took my finger out of the splint. I still couldn't move it much without any pain so the doctor recommend that I take it light on my finger until I could move it and see him again in a week. If I couldn't move the finger any better, I would have to undergo therapy. I stayed out of work for a week, dissolving the rest of my vacation and sick time (that's the policy at my job if you take leave and it's not their fault). It turns out I had just enough time to cover just that time fortunately. I only worked out three days before I saw the doctor again, only cardio and abs. By Saturday, I could move my finger much better, but I still couldn't make a fist. Nevertheless, that next Tuesday, the doctor was pleased that I could move my finger without any pain, and cleared me to work and do more activity.

During my personal research and diagnosis, I was told that my injury could take 3-6 weeks or longer to heal. Well, inside of 4 weeks, I could make a fist. By 6 weeks, I had very minimal pain and was basically healed. I still experience a little pain, but nothing serious nor substantial. I had to baby my finger for so long and I do get cautious about it, especially when I bump it accidently. However, I'm more confident in what I can do with my finger, and grateful about my recovery.

It could have been much, much worse. I could have broken my arm or leg, or have had required surgery that would have kept me out of work for weeks and lost myself money, even with my company's short-term disability plan. I look back now at what happened and smile. I'm glad things turned out the way that they did. I now practice even more safety measures, especially with my style of play on the basketball court. I plan on using my vacation and sick time more carefully (which I usually do anyways) when I receive it again in January. Moreover, I'm doing my best not to take ANY of my limbs for granted.

Once again, this hasn't been the best year for me but I know things could be far, far worse. Now I'm grateful for the little things, like being able to type this blog with ALL ten of my fingers, give someone a firm handshake without pain (which took almost all 6 weeks to be able to do), and for a newer perspective on life.

Someone reminded me on Facebook that there are 33 days left of 2010. I will do what I can to make these 33 the best I can, and to make the most out of 2011. I've had worse setbacks than the one I suffered almost three months ago now, I'm a strong-willed, determined person. I'm not gonna let anything keep me down for long. I will enjoy life and what it has given and taken from me.