Respect

The last few days I have wanted to blog but have not been sure what to say. I'm going to get back to just saying what I experience. Tonight I saw a commercial for the Army. It brought me back to high school when I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after I graduated. My Dad said "join the Army", I about died. I thought I needed to play soccer and go to some college to do what my friends were going to do. Everyone I knew was going to college. I'm not big on change and doing something that my friend weren't doing was well, just crazy. That was before this war and the friends that I made here in Wichita Falls. I have been thinking a lot this week and it really hit home about the sacrifice that our troops make even today. My wife, Kelly, attended the one year memorial for Troy Gilbert who sacrificed his life for our country one year age last week. Our men and women are still defending America and sacrificing their lives each day. I will make sure to observe the people that work every day for our freedom. My point is simple - I appreciate everything the troops do and have done for our country.

Later

Soprano's

Let me just start off right now by saying that if you haven't seen the last episodes of this series stop reading now. There, I may have lost one of you and the rest just logged off because they don't want to hear me talk about this subject. Now that its just me typing to myself - I will move on. I watched an interview with some of the cast members of the show this summer. One of them described the character of Tony as a murderer. That struck me as odd at first but the more I have thought about it - how in the world do the producers and directors of this show get us to feel soryy for this man. He has killed just about one person every 6 episodes but yet I seem to always feel like I'm on his side. Well last night he killed Christopher (which he always treated like a son) and again I felt like it was his best option. Anyway it blows my mind that this show is produced in a way that we can watch a major criminal and root for him. Trust me I'm not giving a moral lesson here just simply stating that this intrigues me. Just some thoughts.

Later

Month long journey

Well its been a long and very strange month. I have been nationally ranked in soccer, lost a game we had no business losing, beat a team we have never beaten at their field, had a new athletic director hired, received the number two seed (and bye)for our conference tourney, lost the semi final game in the same tourney, had two other teams get upset in their tournaments and therfore blow our chance of making the national tournament. The program has never made the national tournament and we were ranked fifth the entire year in the region, well the top six get to go. You can see after two months of being in the top six how one day can ruin a season. This was by far my worst disappointment as a coach. I really was numb for a good three hours. I had no clue what to do or say I just spent Sunday afternoon in my room staring at the t.v. My wife was great by the way. She was stunned also but is actually in touch with her feelings and could process the news quicker than me. It took me a good three hours to realize the odds of this happening were very little and it did. Well I guess the Lord meant for this to happen. Its not one of those "Well it happened so its the Lord's will I guess" realizations for me. More of "Wow Lord you planned for this and now I must adjust and work to get through it and thank you". Thats so hard to actually thank Him and mean it. Now listen I know half of you are thinking "no one died or no one was hurt". I fully recognize that. I have a great job and wonderful, healthy family. Its just that it has been a process starting in Aug. and then to get the carpet pulled out in Nov. with all our expectations with it - thats hard.

Now the good news. I have started working at Grace with the youth group and really love it. I get the opportunity to teach the Soph. boys Sunday school class and am having a lot of fun. Its something I have wanted to do in the past so Kel and I talked and I have enjoyed the time with the youth. Its actually fun to hear teens call me Jeff and not Coach or Coach Jeff.

Well I just got season six part two of Sopranos from my wife for the old b-day so its time to re watch season six part one and begin part two later this week. Ahhh the life of an off season soccer coach has begun!

Later