Thankful for two who crossed my path this year

As I type this out on Thanksgiving Day, 2013, there are so many things in life for which I am thankful.

Like most, I am thankful for my family, for my health and for the many material blessings I have. The older I get, the more I reflect on those simple things every day I live.

This year, a couple of people gave me some unexpected blessings that have truly changed my outlook on life. I am not sure the persons even realized it when they made me sit back, think, and then act on what they said.

I have no idea if Clay Perkins and Duane Allen have ever crossed paths, but I am eternally grateful they intersected with my journey through life in 2013.

Clay Perkins is the president of my alma mater, Mid-Atlantic Christian University. When I graduated over 30 years ago, it was known as Roanoke Bible College and, admittedly, I have been out of the loop when it comes to the school's affairs over that time.

Mr. Perkins and I talked at length this summer when we were both attending the North American Christian Convention in Louisville. I had met him before and had somewhat stayed in contact through Facebook, but to say that we know each other well would be a stretch.

What he did know about me was that I had been in the located ministry for about 20 years and that I sometimes beat myself up for not being in the pulpit every Sunday now. He encouraged me to remember God's grace.

I try to do that every day, but it is easier said than done.

At the college's alumni reception that week, I took some photos and sent them to Mr. Perkins, along with one my wife snapped of Clay and me together. A few days later, that same photo turned up on Facebook with the simple caption, “One of our graduates who is serving as a sports writer.”

I felt like someone turned a light on.

For years, I had tried to make sure my writings had reflected my faith. When someone had given a quote with what I considered inappropriate language, I had always omitted that or simply summarized the thought without a quote. I tried to refrain from the personally destructive comments that seem to sell so well in the media today.

But “serving as a sports writer?” That opened my eyes that we can really make a difference in nearly any profession.

Not long after Mr. Perkins wrote that, I talked about some moral issues in published columns. A reader e-mailed me commenting on the “boldness” I had used in those writings.

Then, in early September, fear of legal action by the ACLU prompted a decision by the Anderson County Board of Education that resulted in the football coach not publicly praying with his team.

I was not happy with the decision, but was glad I was in a position to give Christians a voice in the local media.

Yes, it was service. Thank you, Mr. Perkins, for reminding me.

In August, I had the privilege to interview Duane Allen. If you listen to country or gospel music, you know Duane. He's been the lead singer of The Oak Ridge Boys since 1966. The group is one of the most beloved in American music history with hits like “Elvira” and “American Made.”

I had stumbled across a local connection to Duane Allen's mega-successful career, so I took a chance and requested an interview.

Mr. Allen graciously consented and personally made sure everything was set up to accommodate my hearing impairment, including a face-to-face interview instead of over the phone or via e-mail.

He suggested we meet a few hours before the Oaks took the stage for what has been an annual show at the Kentucky State Fair for nearly 40 years.

He even set it up for my wife to sit in on the interview. It was a lesson in giving of one's self.

We were expecting 15 minutes. He gave us 45.

And Duane Allen gave us more than his time. When he recounted the incredible story of how he ended up with The Oaks, he punctuated it saying, “I have always had faith.  This was just another example of how God works in my life and directing every step I take. I never had any doubts about God being in my life. It is just another example.”

When I asked about going from gospel music to country, he noted, "Everything we do is dedicated to God. I don't pick out certain things and dedicate them to God.  I dedicate every country song, Every song that has crossed over to rock-and-roll. Thank you Elvira. It helped me pay bills and make people happy.”

And later in the interview, Duane told me, “I didn't find God in country music. I just found He was already there. I want him in my life. I don't put conditions on where he goes.”

It sounds so simple and basic, yet it is something many of us, including me, struggle with on a daily basis. If you are a Christian, you are a Christian 24-7, no matter where you are. We can't just compartmentalize our relationship with God. Whether we are preachers, academicians, entertainers, factory works, writers or anything else, God is there.

Our relationship should be, too.

It is something I have known in my head for many years. I believe I finally understood it in my heart this summer.

And for that, I am thankful for crossing paths with Clay Perkins and Duane Allen.

Real-life questions about praying at the games

(This is my column in the Sept. 11 edition of The Anderson News. Quick background: the local football coaching staff was advised they could no longer be around during organized prayers following games or practices, even though they did not lead in them. The community of Lawrenceburg, Ky. was furious.   Here is my take on it.)

I have to make this column fit into about 650 words.

I could probably use 6,500. Or more.

In my 28-plus years of getting paid to write, I don't think I have ever seen a local display of pure emotion, of such anger, such frustration as I have seen around Lawrenceburg since the news broke last Wednesday that the Anderson County High School football coach Mark Peach and his coaching staff could no longer pray with the Bearcat team.

This is not simply an on-field disappointment. Those hurt for a few hours, maybe even a few days, but eventually all is fine and you just try to get better.

But to those who hold their religious faith close to their heart and wear it on their sleeve, this is about real life. It's more than stopping an opponent on fourth-and-1 inside the 10-yard-line and the outrage that many have expressed is understandable.

I believe the outrage is warranted. To whom it should be directed, however, is not clear.

I also know there are some who disagree, who feel the anger and frustration are misguided and that the decision to keep the coaching staff out of the team prayers was a good one.

Some thoughts...

First, Anderson County school superintendent Sheila Mitchell was caught in a no-win situation in this matter. She, like many other school districts in Kentucky, have received threats of litigation from the American Civil Liberties Union over the practice of the Gideons distributing Bibles in schools. The next obvious step would deal with prayers, even if they are student-led, when school personnel are present in official capacities.

Since Peach learned he would have to step away from his team's prayers or simply offer a moment of silence, there are many that are ready to fight the ACLU and stand up for what they believe to be their First Amendment rights. To do so would probably be a politically popular move.

However, a fight invites more litigation, which means thousands, maybe even millions of dollars in legal fees. Mitchell's decision, while not popular, was undoubtedly made with this in mind.

Secondly, the First Amendment says that government shall not establish religion, nor prohibit the free exercise thereof. I have been to every game Mark Peach has coached at Anderson County. While there is little doubt about his Christian world view, I have never seen him push his faith on anyone. For that matter, I have never seen him offer a prayer.

How a generic prayer is establishing religion is beyond me. The coaches are not coming around on Sunday and rounding up kids to go to church with them. They are not saying a kid must attend church to play linebacker. Are the coaches' rights being violated? I don't have the answer, but it is worth looking into.

Thirdly, kids have not been denied the right to pray. If a kid wants to pray and the desire was not the idea of a teacher, the kid can pray. Even the ACLU agrees on that.

Fourth, to make an issue of the way one prays is just sad. No other words are necessary.

Finally, the ACLU and similar groups like to use “tolerance” as a buzz word. Leslie Sparrow, of Anderson County, dropped me a note after Friday's game, asking the questions many are asking.

“Since when did tolerance become a one way street?” she wrote. “My kids have to be 'tolerant' of the kids they sit next to in class who refuse to stand for the flag because that is their 'right.' … When teachers speak of 'being made of stardust', my kids must be 'tolerant' and sit quietly. Oh, the list could continue. Where are my kids' rights? Who is 'tolerant' of their beliefs and allows them to express it?”

It's a question many want to ask when it seems like those who preach “tolerance” define that as simply agreeing with their positions.

Five-part harmony: Allen loves hoops, follows the Big Blue

(During my chat with Duane Allen, of the Oak Ridge Boys, we briefly talked about his passion for basketball. This also appeared in the Aug. 28 edition of The Anderson News.) 

Had Duane Allen not become a mega-success with The Oak Ridge Boys, chances are he would have become a highly-successful basketball coach at some level.

At least, that is how he had it planned.

“I get right into the very intracacies of coaching,” Allen said last week before taking the stage at the Kentucky State Fair. “I had dreamed when I was in school that I would be doing this until I got tired of it. I never dreamed it would last as long as it has.

Duane Allen, left, and William Lee Golden at the Ky. State Fair.

“I wanted to get an education degree so I could teach. I dreamed I would probably wind up in some school teaching music and coaching basketball. I love the game that much.”

Allen says as a high schooler in Texas, he was a 3-point shooter before there was a 3-point line. “It didn't mean any more than a layup then,” Allen chuckled.

The Kentucky Wildcats became one of his favorite basketball teams, a passion that was cemented over the years. “I have always loved Big Blue basketball,” Allen says. “My wife is from Kentucky (Bowling Green), my son-in-law is from Lexington. One of my children went to Kentucky for two years, one went for a year.”

Both eventually transferred to be closer to their Nashville home.

Allen's son, Dee, is a Nashville musician. Daughter Jamie is married to Paul Martin, who spent some time with the popular central Kentucky group, Exile, and now plays in country singer Marty Stuart's band.

For Duane Allen, the Big Blue roots run deep.

“My daughter was (former UK athletic director) C.M. Newton's secretary and worked in Rick Pitino's office when he was with the Big Blue,” Allen says, “so I went to a lot of Big Blue basketball games. I really like John Calipari. I met him when he was in Memphis.”

Allen, though, is a fan of many teams. He, and several other members of the Oak Ridge Boys, support Vanderbilt, the major college team in their adopted hometown.

The preferences of someone who has made a living singing four-part harmony should not come as a surprise. He loves five-part harmony on the hardwood.

“I love great basketball when it is taught as the game of life,” Allen says. “Of course you have to put the ball in the hoop, but you also teach the game of life like John Wooden taught (at UCLA). I am a fan of team basketball. Traditional basketball. I am not much of a fan of attitude players. They come and go and they come at every school. I am not putting my finger on one or another or talking about this one.”

Duane and Joe Bonall fist-bump during the singing of "Reach out and Touch a Hand."

Teams Allen follows sounds like the lineup of the most powerful names in college hoops history. Not only does he follow Kentucky, he mentioned North Carolina as another favorite along with a guy Cat fans love to despise.

“Indiana, when Bobby Knight was there,” Allen smiles. “I loved Bobby Knight, I don't care if he did throw a chair. I liked him because he built strong character in his players. I liked Arizona when Lute (Olsen) was out there. He had strong, strong teams and good people.

“I like Gonzaga right now. They have great basketball and teach them about the game of life and turn out good men.

“I like schools that turn out quality people with character. Basketball is not a game of how hot-shot you are. It is a game of skill. It is not how heavy you can knock somebody to the floor to shoot a layup.”

When done right, it's simply five-part harmony.

Going the extra mile is only natural for Oak Ridge Boy

(Note: One of the perks of my job as sports editor of The Anderson News is that I am often given the opportunity to sit down with interesting people. Occasionally, they are nationally famous. Such was the case when I was given the chance to interview one of the giants of the music industry, Duane Allen, of The Oak Ridge Boys, before the group's concert at the Kentucky State Fair. I found him to be even more engaging than I expected and one of the nicest people I have ever met. Here is that story, which appeared in the Aug. 28 edition of The Anderson News.)

Duane Allen has only one rule for fans getting his autograph.

Be polite.

“All they have to do is remember one simple phrase: Be polite,” the country and gospel music legend said last week. “Just be polite. Nobody likes somebody that is rude.”

Duane Allen interacts with fans at the Ky. State Fair.

After sitting down with Allen less than two hours before he and his fellow Oak Ridge Boys took the stage at the Kentucky State Fair, I can't imagine him being any other way.

I am sure he was the same way the night he touched down in Lawrenceburg 48 years ago.

Long before he had performed before presidential audiences and became a household name in country music, Duane Allen sang at the Lawrenceburg Fair.

An advertisement in The Anderson News of July 8, 1965 invited readers to hear one of the hottest gospel groups of the day, The Prophets, at the fair the following week. Their newest member was the 22-year-old Texan singing baritone.

Working his way through Texas A&M – Commerce, Allen graduated in January of 1965. “I got my first offer to sing with The Prophets in April. On my birthday, April 29, I had my first concert with The Prophets,” he says. “I sang with them for a year and that is when we came to Lawrenceburg.”

It would probably be a stretch to say Duane Allen remembers that date. But I was there. Allen's blue eyes lit up and a big smile crossed his face when I related to him how I can still remember my aunt, Myrtle Perry, being so excited to see the star of the show, Big Lew, The Prophets' tenor.

Duane Allen singing "I Get To."

“Big Lew Garrison was a wonderful person,” Allen recalled. “He was one of the funniest people I have ever met in my life. To work with him on the road was like working with a full-time comedian.

"Lew sang so high that we had to have somebody sing under him. Singing baritone for The Prophets was like singing lead for other groups.”

Allen, who had also worked as a minister of music in Paris, Texas for two years, thought he had arrived. He thought he'd sing gospel music for several years before settling down to teach music and coach basketball.

That, however, was before Uncle Sam set an incredible chain of events in motion that eventually took Allen to the top of the music industry: Duane Allen was drafted.

He resigned from The Prophets and sold his car. Despite telling Army doctors that he had been treated for a heart condition since he was 3-years-old, Allen passed all of his physicals and appeared headed straight for Vietnam.

But just before heading to Fort Polk, La., Allen was pulled out of the group of draftees. “The man told me, 'The fact that you have this condition and you have been treated for it, if we put you on the front line and if you had a flare-up, you could own the Army. We can't afford you. We have to give you a medical discharge and you will never be called again,” Allen says.
Without a car and 130 miles from home, Allen called his banker who agreed to cover the cost of a car and work out the details of repayment when he got a job. Knowing the Oak Ridge Boys had been pursuing him about an opening in their quartet, Allen purchased a 1966 Buick Riviera and headed straight to Nashville to see if the job was still available.

Joe, Duane, William Lee and Richard at the Ky. State Fair.

There were no cell phones. There was no e-mail. He just drove all night.

“I went into the Oak Ridge Boys' office and the secretary put the phone down. She walked back to where the other three (Willie Wynn, Herman Harper and current Oak William Lee Golden) were. They came back and said, 'What are you doing here? We thought you were in the Army.'”

After heading to a church and singing several songs, the group offered Allen a full partnership. It was only later that Allen learned the group had told the secretary to try to call him one more time. If that was not successful, the group was prepared to disband.

It all happened in a matter of days.

There's little doubt that Allen firmly believes the God he loves and worships was active. The obvious question is if Allen's deep faith was strengthened by how things transpired.

“I have always had my faith,” he says. “This was just another example of how God works in my life, directing every step I take.”

Over the years, Allen has seen the Oak Ridge Boys become one of the most beloved groups in American music history. The current lineup first performed together in October of 1973 and when they performed at the state fair last week, it was the 37^th straight year the Oaks have been in Louisville in late August.

This year's show was on the turf at Cardinal Stadium after the grandstand had been ruled unsafe and is being prepared for demolition.

“We've been around so long, we have outlived that stadium,” tenor Joe Bonsall quipped during the show.

It is a show that was two hours of high-octane energy that belies the fact that Allen, Golden and bass singer Richard Sterban have all celebrated their 70^th birthdays. During last week's show, I was seated near a man who had to be pushing 80 but was dancing with the Oaks. Behind me was a group of teenagers doing the same.

The music celebrates positive values, honors veterans and simply makes fans happy.

Duane Allen and the Oaks were commissioned Ky. Colonels

During the state fair show, a Kentucky State Trooper joined the Oaks on stage to present them with their commissions as Kentucky Colonels by Gov. Steve Beshear, who honored the group for their many humanitarian causes.

There is little question about the music's root. Country hits like “Dig A Little Deeper in the Well” and “Make My Life with You” have an unmistakeable gospel sound.

Even the group's megahit “Elvira” sounds like something that could be heard at an all-day-singing-and-dinner-on-the-ground.

“Some of the traditions in gospel music are wonderful,” Allen says. “I learned so much from gospel music. Our four-part harmony came from southern gospel music.

“I never really left gospel music. I just left the business. I have always loved gospel music and I still do. We just quit working the

business end of it.”

That happened in the late 1970's.

Still, every Oak Ridge Boys' show has a distinctive gospel flair. Last week, those songs included a rocking version of an old standard, “Where the Soul Never Dies” and an acapella rendition of “Amazing Grace” for an encore.

“I love gospel music,” Allen said. “It is my foundation. But it is not my goal to preserve gospel music or country music in its form. They are constantly changing. My goal is to keep the Oak Ridge Boys relevant, so when the cycle comes back around, to be relevant and include me again.”

Even though it has been years since they have had a huge hit, there is little question that the Oaks are relevant today.

During our time together, I found Duane Allen to be one deeply rooted in his Christian faith and carrying an unswavering positive outlook on life.

“My foundation for God came from my family who taught me,” he says. “My experience with God is a personal thing. I didn't get that in gospel music. I took it to gospel music when I went. I didn't get God in country music. I took him where I went. I just found God was already there.

“I want Him in my life and I don't put conditions on where He goes.”

Duane and me after our chat.

Early in the summer, I found out how to contact Duane Allen for an interview I have wanted to do for several years. When I did, I explained that I have a hearing impairment which would prevent a phone interview and that it should be face-to-face.

Instead of brushing me off, Allen replied, “John, I am going to do my best to make this happen.”

Several days later when my wife called the number Allen provided, it was apparent he already had done just that. The interview was already set up. To our surprise, he invited my wife to join us for the chat.

I asked Duane Allen why he did that for a Christian sports writer he had never met. “I very rarely do this before a show,” he said. “It is using my voice. I am paid to do a show. But I wanted to do this for you because I knew your physical condition you described. It made sense to me. We'll do it. Why not make that happen? So the way you make things happen, you go the extra mile.”

It's more than just being polite. It's being a Christian.

What happened to decency?

(Note: this is my column from the Aug. 21, 2013 edition of The Anderson News.)

Just when you think things can't go any lower, you realize they are.

In case you missed it, the state of California recently passed a law that allows student-athletes who identify themselves as transgender to choose which sex-segregated athletic teams they desire.

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill into law last week.

Really. I am not making this up. I wish I were.

Athletics are not the only thing covered under the law as it allows transgender students to choose which school locker rooms and bathrooms to use.

Words cannot describe the insanity of such a law, which I first read about on the Schooled in Sports blog on the Education Week website.

The new California provision reads, “(f) A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.”

Really, that law passed in California. It is set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2014.

Un. Be. Lieve. Able.

I have been getting paid to write about sports since 1985 and make no apologies that I am heavy on the games at the high school level. I thought I had seen it all until I read about this lunacy.

Thank goodness I live in Kentucky, where we are so “backward” I seriously doubt something this “progressive” would even get off the ground.

Let me say that over the years, I have seen female athletes who I believe could compete with males. That is especially true in non-contact sports, but I have seen girls' basketball players who I think could hold their own with the guys. Several years ago, a girl wrestler medaled at the Kentucky state wrestling tournament.

But let's face it. That is the exception rather than the norm. Usually, when the games are the same, the male version of sports are faster paced, more physical and played by bigger people than the female version. If you don't believe me, check out the world records in track and field, then let me know the result.

(Hint: Males usually run faster and jump higher.)

That being said, I could actually come around to girls playing boys' sports, even at the high school level. If a girl can slam dunk or run for a touchdown, so be it. Nothing should deny her the opportunity. The girl wrestler who medaled at the state tournament several years ago underscored this belief.

But playing on the field is much different than allowing someone to choose the locker rooms and bathrooms he will use.

During my writing career, I have been in many locker rooms. Guys are changing clothes, coming out of showers and the like. Over the last few years, I just began to usually wait outside the locker room to talk with a player. It just seems more professional and respectful.

And I am old-fashioned enough to believe the privacy of the locker room should not be violated.

Another Education Week blog, Rules for Engagement, pointed out that Massachusetts has a similar law and that school administrators are to talk with kids who are not comfortable with a transgender person sharing a locker room or rest room.

In other words, if common decency bothers you, you are the one with the problem.

Thankfully, this law is not even close to Kentucky. I doubt it would ever be passed in our state. At least not in my lifetime, it wouldn't. My only fear would be the federal government getting involved and mandating insanity for all 50 states.

From this corner, high school sports are wonderful educational tools. So many life lessons can be learned through sports, but insane political agendas need to be left on the sideline.

Better yet, keep them out of the arena all the time.

Children can teach all of us many lessons about racism

(This column, dealing with some of the racial issues in my hometown, appeared in the Aug. 14, 2013 edition of The Anderson News.)

 I recently had a very serious talk with my 12-year-old daughter.

We were driving to Louisville on U.S. 60, west of Simpsonville, when I pulled into what is now known as the Whitney Young Job Corps Center.

Fifty years ago, however, it was simply known as Lincoln Institute.

We didn't get out of the car, just drove around the campus while I told her how Lincoln Institute existed as a school for African-American children because most communities would not allow them to attend the local schools.

It was the price many good people paid simply because of the color of their skin.

With the simultaneous innocence and insight of a 12-year-old, my daughter simply said, “That's stupid.”

I am so glad she feels that way.

It was stupid. It was just plain wrong that Anderson County, like nearly every other locale south of the Ohio River – and many north of it – had separate schools for children with dark skin. However, many who attended Lincoln Institute believe their education was superior to the one the white children received.

I don't doubt that a bit.

Fifty years ago, however, Anderson County stopped sending young people to Lincoln Institute as Anderson High School integrated in the fall of 1963. Many other counties were doing the same thing at the same time and less than three years later, Lincoln Institute closed its doors as a high school.

I grew up in Anderson County and didn't start school until the fall of 1964, when I enrolled in first grade at Alton School. Every single kid in the entire school was white. I know I thought nothing about it because I did not know anything differently.

I was fortunate as child. It would be naïve to think I was raised with a strong understanding of race relations in an era when they were making the news nearly every day. White kids, like me, didn't know. We had not experienced discrimination, so we couldn't really know.

Still, I was blessed to be raised in a home that did not intentionally tolerate racism in an era when people were often denied service in a restaurant because of the color of their skin. My parents taught me to respect all people, regardless of color. And after being told I was not to use the “N-word,” I never tried to find out what my punishment would be if I did.

I'm thankful.

Yet, the older I got, the more I realized the Anderson County I called home was far more segregated than I ever realized. Was it blatant racism or the result of people unknowingly being products of the time in which they lived? Many of the ones that truly know have passed on, so we will never really know.

It probably doesn't matter. The shameful results were the same.

I never saw separate bathrooms or water fountains designated “white” and “colored,” but heard the latter term used so many times in reference to so many aspects of life, that I did not know it was hurtful as well.

I went to a school that was all-white and knew there was an elementary school on Lincoln Street for children who had different color skin than mine, even after the high school had integrated. That was just how it was.

But even as a little boy, I had become a sports fan who counted Cincinnati Reds center-fielder Vada Pinson as one of my heroes. I can remember thinking it was odd that kids who looked like him were treated differently than me.

I grew up in a town that had a swimming pool but an unwritten rule that African-Americans were not welcome. As a kid, I did not know things could be different.

But, like my daughter today, I thought it was stupid.

Thankfully, much has changed.

Lincoln Street School eventually closed in the 1960s, but the legacy of Mr. Coleman, a wonderful man who headed the school, has lived on in the lives of many of his students.

Three of my children graduated from Anderson County High School and counted many people of different races as their friends. They had African-American teachers, something that would have been unheard of 50 years ago.

It can't be denied that the world has developed a much better understanding of racial issues in the 50 years since Anderson High School first integrated. But it would be foolish for anyone, of any color, to think there is still not a huge gap to close.

As a sports writer, I long for the day when teams primarily made up of African-Americans are no longer referred to as “athletic,” while all-white teams are not automatically termed “intelligent.”

I looked forward to the day when someone who is not white could realistically have a chance to become President of the United States. I had hoped that person would have been Colin Powell, but that was not to be.

Now that someone who is not lily white has been elected as the leader of our country, I long for the day when people can disagree with policies – which I strongly do – and not be accused of doing so simply because of his skin color.

(Admittedly, it would be foolish to think racism is not at the root of some opposition and at some of the President's support as well. That is a different column for a different day.)

It's probably unrealistic to think we will ever live in a colorblind society. We are all shaped by our life experiences and perceptions which will affect us throughout our lives.

That doesn't mean, however, that a colorblind society is not a worthy goal.

Most of all, I long for the day when we all heed the words of Dr. Martin Luther King: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

The games provide the best lessons on color

(Note: My column from the July 24, 2013 Anderson News)

Usually, they are just games. They're diversions from everyday life.

We leave our cares at the office, then behold Joey Votto's sweet swing or Brandon Phillips' wizardry at second base. We could be mesmerized by Magic Johnson running Showtime or Larry Bird just fundamentaling his opponent into submission. We marvel at the artistry of Adrian Peterson and the precision of Tom Brady.

But the alarm clock goes off and the sun comes up on Monday morning for us to get right back to what we had tried to escape.

However, sports are best when they teach life lessons.

And how we need some life lessons in our country today.

I really don't know what to make of the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin case. Like 99.999 percent of the people who have voiced an opinion on the controversial verdict in Sanford, Fla., I got my information from the national news.I was not in the courtroom hearing the evidence.

There were times I would read an account of the trial proceedings and think, “There is no way Zimmerman is innocent.” The next day or two, I would read a different report and think, “There is no way Zimmerman is guilty.”

I do know there were, and are, strong opinions on the case.

What I don't know is who is right. From the conglomeration of reportage, there was reasonable doubt in the cases both sides presented, which, of course, super-charged the tensions that were already there.

What I do know is that a jury of peers, agreed upon by attorneys from both sides, heard the evidence and found Zimmerman not guilty of the charges brought against him.

That is where the world of sports comes in.

What I truly believe is that sports gives a much greater lesson in resolving racial tension than any number of protests or celebrations of a truly unfortunate incident.

It is kind of ironic that the movie “42” came out on DVD about the same time of the Zimmerman verdict. The contrasts are striking.

While people around the country have been framing their interpretations based on race, the Hollywood version of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier has a prominent scene depicting the story of Pee Wee Reese, the pride of racially-segregated Louisville, silencing the jeering and slurs directed at Robinson in Cincinnati's Crosley Field.

Reese, the Brooklyn Dodger shortstop, simply went to his teammate and put his arm around Robinson. Simple, yet powerful.

Legend says the incident happened in 1947, Robinson's first year as a big leaguer. Some say it most likely actually happened in 1948. Really, that doesn't matter. The message, “We are brothers,” is all that does.

Locally, I think of Anderson County's only state championship team at the high school level. Back in 1964, a group of young ladies, including two African-Americans, took the first girls' state track meet. The athletic accomplishments are often forgotten as the Kentucky High School Athletic Association did not take over the meet until two years later.

The lessons they learned were branded in their memory. The girls were confronted with the dilemma of eating in a restaurant where two teammates were not welcome because of the color of their skin. They chose to go hungry.

As one member of that team told me in an interview for a series nine years ago, “We were color blind.”

I am not naïve enough to think all people who participate in sports nearly 50 years later are color blind yet. For years, there was the ridiculous stereotype that an African-American male did not have what it takes to lead a team to a Super Bowl title. Thank you, Doug Williams for proving that wrong on the field. Thank you, Tony Dungy, for proving it wrong from the sidelines.

For years, a basketball player who can't jump has been said to have “White Man's Disease.” There are countless other racial stereotypes in sport and in life. All are wrong.

But more importantly, sports provide us with real teaching moments.

I know of no coach who fills out a lineup based on what color a player is. Produce and play within the framework of the team and you will play.

When someone goes to the line with the game tied and two seconds left, the only thing that matters is if someone can shoot free throws.

When a quarterback goes to make a handoff, all he cares about is getting the ball to the right man. When he's looking for a receiver in the end zone, he's not looking at the color of the hands that will cradle the touchdown pass.

Those are some real-life lessons of sport. In the game, the only color that matters is the hue of the jerseys. In real life, all that should matter is the clothing of one’s character.

In the games, players sweat together. They celebrate and cry with each other.

And people of all races need to learn sport's greatest lesson of all: When players bleed, it's all the same color.

A no-no after a no-no

           NOTE:  This is my column from the July 10, 2013, edition of The Anderson News.

            It seems like I can't quite catch a break when it comes to seeing a no-hitter.

At least at the major league level, I can't.

Since the day my parents took me to Cincinnati’s Crosley Field for my first baseball game in 1964, I have seen, by my best guesstimate, over 200 major league games. I have seen games in 11 different stadiums in nine different cities. I have seen some of the greats – Gibson, Drysdale, Glavine and Seaver, among others -- pitch.

But never have I seen a no-no.

Ironically, the very first game I ever attended, when the Reds beat the Houston Colt .45s, Houston's starting pitcher was a veteran right-hander named Don Larsen. He wasn't involved in the decision – thank you for that info, Baseball-Reference.com – and the name admittedly meant nothing to me at the time. But looking back, it's pretty cool that in my first game, the only guy to ever throw a perfect game in the World Series was on the hill.

I've come close a couple of times. Last year, I was at Great American Ball Park when Bronson Arroyo took a no-no into the eighth inning against the Brewers. And back in 1984, I was there when Reds' pitcher Mario Soto was one strike away from history before the Cardinals' George Hendrick hit one to Newport.

I've seen several no-hitters at the high school level and below and even saw one in Louisville years back when a Yankee farmhand named Kevin Mmahat – how could you ever forget that name? – dealt one against the Class AAA Redbirds.

But never in the big leagues.

I don't really know if last week's gem by the Reds' Homer Bailey qualifies as a near-miss. He dominated the Giants on Tuesday. I had tickets for Wednesday night, 24 hours too late. At least I watched Tuesday's masterpiece on Fox Sports from start to finish.

As Fox's multiple replays of Bailey's second no-no suggested, it really is a big deal.

Too bad the post-game interview wasn't so great.

In case you missed it, during an interview with Fox's Jeff Piecoro, Bailey uttered a profanity on live TV. He dropped what some call “the F-bomb” when Piecoro asked about a seventh-inning walk that was the difference between a no-hitter and a perfect game.

Since Bailey walked Gregor Blanco on a 3-2 pitch, he was actually one pitch from perfection.

Seeing there have been 280 no-hitters in major league history but only 23 perfect games, Piecoro asked a legitimate question.

It might not have been the biggest thing fans wanted to talk about, but was certainly a question that had to be asked.

Immediately, there were several reactions ranging from “Big deal,” to “He owes the fans an apology.”

From this corner, I was disappointed with the gaffe, but after being around sports all my life, can understand that sometimes in the moment, people say things without thinking. I hope that is what happened.

I also know that the number of people who have not uttered some sort of profanity under their breath at one time or another is very, very small.

It still doesn't make it right.

What is much more troubling is that our society has devolved to the point where profanity is considered OK.

During the few moments following Bailey's miscue – which I admittedly did not hear live due to my phone ringing at that time – my Twitter feed was full of tweets making light of Bailey's flub. Later, as some criticism started coming in, the not-a-big-deal crowd chimed in saying something along the lines of, “He just pitched a great game. I don’t care what he says.”

And, unbelievably, there were many who laid the blame at Piecoro’s feet for asking the question. In other words, someone else made Bailey say it.

Unfortunately, those who say it is a sign of the 21^st Century are correct.

Have we gotten to the point where our language, whether sports or every other aspect of life, has to be punctuated with profanity? Have we gotten to the point that we are desensitized by “word bombs?”

In 1939, Clark Gable upset many when he uttered what is considered a mild profanity in “Gone With the Wind.” Now? Much stronger language is almost the norm in film.

As a child, one of my elementary school teachers threatened to wash our mouths out with soap if we “cussed.” Thankfully, I never found out. Now, the same teacher would be accused of abusing children.

When I was a student at Anderson County High School, one of our coaches had a rule against profanity of any kind as he felt it showed a lack of self-control.

Today? People criticize those who are critical of profanity.

That last statement is much more troubling than anyone slipping on the spur of the moment.

Old fashioned? You bet. But there's nothing wrong with that.

For the record, I made a decision many years ago to never include a profanity, no matter how mild or harsh, in my writing. If a quote can be run without the word, as is usually the case, I leave it out. If it cannot, I leave the quote out. That is my decision and whether it violates the rules of journalism, I really don't care.

Profanity, no matter how strong or mild, is unnecessary.

And it should be even rarer than a perfect game.

Keeping a commitment

        Sometimes, my job as sports editor of The Anderson News gets unbelievably hectic. Most people in my profession will admit to having times when you feel like blocking ESPN from the TV and watching something -- ANYTHING -- besides sports.
       Then there are times when just out of the blue we are blessed beyond measure. One of those  came over a year ago when I learned that Anderson County High School softball player and golfer Anna-Marie Hyatt had never missed Sunday School despite being involved in travel team softball and being one of the better girl golfers in Kentucky.
       I approached her family about doing a story, which I held until just before she graduated from high school on May 30.
       The story below ran in the May 22 edition of The Anderson News. I am thankful that I got a chance to tell the story. But I am even more thankful for young people like Anna-Marie who are not ashamed of their faith but are not pushy about that commitment.  Just being in church really is a value we should all strive for.
        Anna-Marie's high school softball career came to an end on May 28 when the Anderson County Lady Bearcats lost in the regional semi-finals to highly-regarded Oldham County.
        But I believe Anna-Marie has won many greater victories with her faith.
        Here is her story. Thank you, Anna-Marie and her parents, Todd and Lois Ann, for sharing it with us.

Keeping her commitment every Sunday  

Despite busy sports career, Anna-Marie Hyatt keeps her appointment

Anna-Marie Hyatt won't be mentioned in any of the Miss Softball discussions. There might be a few post-season honors over the next few weeks, but the hullabaloo about them will probably be limited to a note in this newspaper or posts on Facebook.

Even though golf is going to help pay for her college education, she never made that state tournament in that sport, missing by one stroke last fall. There have been ups and downs along the way, but one thing has remained constant.

“I was born on a Wednesday,” Hyatt smiles, “and I was in church on Sunday.”

As she has been every Sunday since Nov. 13, 1994 when Todd Hyatt and his wife, Lois Ann Disponett, carried their 4-day old daughter through the doors of First Baptist Church in Lawrenceburg.

Every. Single. Sunday.

The Hyatt family has not been at their home church every Sunday since then mind you. Not when one of Kentucky's best high school golfers and a very good outfielder is in the family. There are schedules to juggle, trips to make and choices to entertain.

Except on Sunday, there never has been a choice. Anna-Marie will be in church, somehow, somewhere. The starting left fielder for an Anderson County team that has designs on making the state softball tournament where she plays her final high school game, Hyatt just finds a way.

“I just think it is important to be able to go worship and be in Sunday School to study,” she says.

“I really feel it is because of the foundation that was being built during all of the years of attendance,” Todd Hyatt says of his daughter's commitment to simply being in church. “There are plenty of things that you can do on Sunday but by being in church and absorbing whatever she has will provide her with the means to face whatever comes her way as she moves forward in her life. She may not realize that yet but she will in due time. I know I do now but did not realize at the time how important it was that Mamma and Daddy made sure we were all in church.”

It is usually not an issue during the school year. Very few high school golf tournaments or softball games are played on Sunday. But during the summer travel season, keeping that record intact can be tough.

“We have done whatever it takes,” Todd Hyatt says. “It says in Matthew 18:20, 'For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them' so we have done a lot of different things. We have gone to a lot of different churches, we have had Sunday School lessons in restaurants, in the car, on the beach, in the airport, you name it we have done it.

“A lot of people think you have to be in a church building but I don't think that is the case. I think it is a pretty good witness to have an open Bible and lesson in a restaurant or on the beach for people to see because you just never know how that could impact someone.”

Hyatt faced a real test Sunday when she was in New York City her school senior trip. However, she gathered with several others on the trip for a Bible study in the lobby of her hotel.

In a world where such commitment to one's faith has become the exception rather than the rule, some would see Hyatt's devotion as blind fanaticism, but her parents see it as a simply by-product of setting priorities.

“When we were being raised, we were just expected to be in church,” says Todd, who played football at Georgetown College. “People sometimes talk about avoiding bad habits, but there are good habits too.”

Todd also notes that his wife has had perfect church attendance for 49 years.

And, Todd says, it has not always been easy. There have been times when he or his wife have had to overrule their daughter and tell her she was going to church. “That's just part of being a kid,” Todd says with a smile. “It hasn't happened too often.”

On the field, Anna Marie Hyatt is a fierce competitor who was hoping to lead Anderson to its third district championship in her four varsity seasons Tuesday night. Monday, Hyatt was hitless in two at-bats, but walked and scored a run.

As a freshman, she got the decisive hit in a walk-off win over bitter rival Shelby County in the district final.

But there have also been let-downs. Earlier this year, she sat out one game for a team rules violation and watched from the stands.

Her skill level reached a point that, last summer, Hyatt was able to travel with Sports Reach, a Campbellsville-based Christian organization that uses sports as a platform to promote the Christian message.

“Last summer was a blast,” Hyatt says. “We were able to minister to a lot of people and that makes you feel good that you can influence someone.”

Over four summers, Hyatt traveled in the summer with the Batcats, a local team, with her father as one of the coaches. Her final year with the team, she and her father prepared “Bible Bags,” a small bag holding a Bible, devotionals about character and other spiritual materials. All of the team members received bags embroidered with the simple logo, “Batcats Softball Sunday School.”

Todd says it was his daughter's idea. Players were not required to attend, but most did.

“They would all bring them to the park on Sunday and we would have Sunday School at the ball park. … We even used the firehouse and EMT building in Versailles at the park one day because it was pouring down rain and they called the games off but the girls wanted to have Sunday School.

Anna Marie Hyatt says seeing one make a decision to accept Christ is more thrilling than a walk-off home run.

“It feels good to know I have been able to help make a difference in someone's life,” she says.

Sometime over the next three weeks, Anna Marie Hyatt's days as a competitive softball player will end. She will bypass softball to work on her golf game in preparation for her career at Campbellsville University.

Yes, the daughter of a former Georgetown player will be hitting the greens for the arch-rival.

For now, however, Anna Marie Hyatt, one of only two Lady Bearcat seniors, is trying to lead her team to the state tournament for the first time in five years.

If they make it, there will be joy.

If they fall short, there will be no regrets. In her mind, at least, simply putting forth the effort to be in church is a greater championship.

Anna Marie smiles, “I wouldn't have it any other way.”

Living a dream

(My Anderson News column from May 8, 2013)

There is just something about those quiet types, you know.

Not a lot of chatter, not a lot of extraneous noise. When they talk, it's generally to the point.

In the lustrous annals of University of Kentucky basketball, there probably have been few quieter than A'dia Mathies.

That means when she speaks, we'd do well to listen.

Mathies, who just finished her career at the University of Kentucky, spoke loudly in her Wildcat career. She is one of only five players – Valerie Still, Dan Issel, Kenny Walker and Jack Givens are the others – to score over 2,000 points while wearing the Blue and White. During her career, UK advanced to the women's basketball Elite Eight three times.

To put that in perspective, before Mathies arrived on campus in the fall of 2009, Kentucky had made the regional final once. Only once, back in 1982.

UK won an SEC championship and began to make regular appearances in the Top 10.

Even though Mathies was not even ranked in the nation's Top 50 players coming out of Louisville's Iroquois High School, where she won a state championship and was named Miss Basketball, the Los Angeles Sparks made her the 10^th pick in the WNBA draft.

If you follow women's basketball at all, you probably already knew what I just typed out.

And you know that Mathies is worthy to be heard.

The All-American was in Lawrenceburg last Monday to speak at Turner Elementary School.

Her mission was simple and to the point: Do your best in everything you do if you want to be successful.

“I tried to talk about practice and working hard and taking control of your opportunities,” said Mathies, who brought UK teammate Azia Bishop along for the ride.

Mathies got an enormous opportunity because of an ability to play basketball. Because of that ability, she now has a college degree – she graduated from UK on Sunday – and her contract with the Sparks will likely be much more lucrative than the average entry level job for a college graduate.

“I used basketball as a tool,” Mathies said.

A two-time SEC Player of the Year, there is little doubt that Mathies became skilled in her craft, but at the same time, she became a well-rounded person.

The quiet young lady from Louisville eventually became one of the most recognizable – and most beloved – faces of UK women's basketball.

“In order to grow and be the person I need to be, I know I need to interact with people,” Mathies said with a smile.

Last Monday, Mathies showed just how much she has grown since casting her lot with Kentucky. Mathies spoke briefly, then took questions from Wildcat wannabes.

Her sport?

“Take your sport seriously and work hard,” Mathies said. “If you do, your college will be able to pay for going to school.”

But always, Mathies said, take advantage of the opportunities.

That is exactly what Mathies did when she surprised many observers by turning down a chance to play for her hometown team, winding up 75 miles east.

Still scored more points and a handful of other Wildcat women have been higher-ranked recruits than Mathies coming out of high school. But it can be argued that A'dia Mathies is the most important player to ever ink with the Kentucky women. Surely, it would be hard to envision the kind of success UK has had over the last few years without Adia Mathies.

That Mathies, the high school senior, chose UK the same year Louisville made its first appearance in the women's Final Four is significant.

“I wanted to get a little bit away from Louisville,” Mathies said.

But she also invoked the name of a Cardinal great for her ambition. “I wanted to be the Angel McCoughtry for the UK team,” Mathies said.

While Mathies was never able to lead the Wildcats into the Final Four – UConn ended the run the last two years – she unquestionably fueled the transformation of UK Hoops from SEC also-ran to contender.

“I'm glad I made that choice,” Mathies said. “It worked out really well.”

Mathies was planning to leave for Los Angeles after her graduation. The Sparks' first pre-season game is Sunday with the first regular season game set for June 1 in San Antonio.

(The best chance for Kentucky fans to catch Mathies in person will be when the Sparks visit the Indiana Fever on Thursday, Aug. 8 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.)

But last week, A'dia Mathies, the quiet superstar, left her mark in Lawrenceburg.

“It's a rush,” she smiled when asked if she liked going into the schools. “I hope I got through to just one of them.”

It is the message all should hear and believe.

“If you continue to work hard and put your grades first,” Mathies said, “you can live out a dream like I have.”