When Keeping It Professional Goes Wrong

I saw an Ex-girlfriend of mine post something on Facebook that made me laugh and shake my head at the same time. However it was interesting at the same time because she always tried to make me out to be such a Facebook heathen. It was in reference to what people have on their Facebook pages and if they cared about what people thought of them based on that.

Well for me its real simple and has always been. It depends on what you using Facebook for. For example:

1) If you use it to chat with friends and to have a good time well then cool. Put up all the silly youtube links, photos, quotes and etc. Say what you want and live it up.

2) If you use it to do networking and business type things then by all means keep it business like. Nothing personal in your life should be used on that page just strictly business.

It is and has always been funny to see someone that always thinks they know more then the next person but yet make no sense at all sometimes. Notice how I said this person is an "Ex-Girlfriend right? She actually dumped me which turned out to be the best thing that she could have done me because it was going to happen anyway just in due time. She saved me time in my life, THANK YOU MUCH!

But I am getting away from my point...

And the point I wanted to touch though was it seems to me there are a lot of people out there that are always quick to judge someone else before looking at themselves. Now I know that there are some people that tell me I always judge people when it comes to performance enhancing drugs. Indeed I do talk all kinds of stuff about people that take drugs to enhance performance illegally and that is because I never went that route. I am not perfect in life but I am perfect on that topic. So on that topic I am without sin & casting stones all over the place! John 8:7

My Talent + Haters = Broken Collar Bone

Seems as though you can't be better then regular people anymore and just try to enjoy some recreational activities. I have been playing flag football for years and never have I been hated on more then I was yesterday.

Sports for me now are just a way to get away from the everyday stresses of life and I just like to have fun from time to time. Before when I was getting paid to perform on the track it was about business. Seems as though some people take flag football a little more serious then it should be.

Here is the run down of what happen...

My team was playing a game and we were on offense. I am spread out wide and my route was a "Go Route" straight down the side line. I was being covered by a guy who I knew that I could run by. He was about 7 yards off the line and when the ball was snapped I took off on my route. He started back pedaling and when I got next to him he turned to run with me. My QB knows that if he sees me running at full speed no one should be able to keep up with me so let the ball go! He did just that and when he did the defense yelled "ball" so the defender would know to look for the ball. He obviously knew he was beat so he stepped on my heals not once but "TWICE" to try and keep me from catching the ball. So at about my full speed I hit the grown and tried to turn and land on my back but didnt quite make it. Oh and let me not leave out that I didnt even get the penalty. Referee took out the flag and thought about it for about 5 seconds and then put it back.

Haters are truly everywhere...

1 Year & Some Change Later

About a little over a year ago I ran in a race that may have looked to be my last race ever. Not the way I wanted to end my career but I said to myself then that I was satisfied because of what I had accomplished pretty quietly as an athlete in an event that I was always a contender in. However, although I accomplished a lot there were things that I just didn't get the chance to do that I wanted to. For instance...run sub 46 in the open 400m (which I know is a surprise that I didn't) yet I split 44 high on lead off leg of a few 4x400 relays and show my short sprint speed. I did run 6.7 for 60m with no speed work and oh yeah in 2001 I was part of a 38 second 4x100.

With all the things that I did and didn't do, there are many more things that I feel define me more then anything. I enjoyed many more things in life then track and field even when I was performing on an outstanding level. Things like flag football, basketball, playing video games, spending time with my kids, advising and coaching all seemed to give me a better feeling inside then running track ever did. Is that a bad thing?

I guess I looked at track and field as a job and not something to have fun doing. I took it serious as anyone with a "job" should. I honestly feel like taking a year off from track helped me understand ME quite a bit better. Imagine having to base everything you do around what it is you are doing for a living. There is plenty that you would miss out on. I now have had the chance to see what it feels like to know that I can go to work, make a living and then when I am done...Do whatever the hell I feel like doing and no worry about anything. It's such a lovely feeling!

I will compete in track and field again in the future but to me there is no feeling like feeling free to do whatever you have interest in doing at the time it comes to mind. I have no regrets on anything that I did cause I learn from everything and what I have learned in the past 10 years is this...Live today & worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes.