Thursday, March 17, 2011

One Shot.

"Look if you had One shot, or One opportunity..."

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment 

You own it, you better never let it go go 
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow 
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo

My current(always a classic) Kick-some-Ass song: "Lose Yourself" Eminem. Pretty fitting for the NCAA Division 1 Championship weekend.

If my husband is reading this is, he is calling "BS!" He hears my rants of dislike for Eminem because I am sick of the constant Martyr songs. The world is always out to get Eminem and it drives me CRAZY! Alas- It sells albums- LOTS of them. That is why it is kind of hard for me to admit, "Lose Yourself" is on loop on my Ipod (do people still use these???) It has more uses than motivating Athletes, even on a working mom, 6.5 months pregnant, trying to make her mark in the Professional Marketing world.    

Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity 
To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment 
Would you capture it? Or just let it slip? 

No one here has to remind any of these NCAA qualifiers that this is their 1 shot, 1 opportunity. And that is why I have mad-respect for Wrestlers. There is no one on that mat with them that they can depend on to pick up where they fumble, re-bound when they miss, bum-rush a predator in their blind-spot. It is 7 of the most intense minutes in sports- Who is going to prove to want it more?

(Outro) 

You can do anything you set your mind to, man


Yeah, 
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy 
There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti 
He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready 
To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgetting 
What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud 
He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out 
He's choking how, everybody's joking now 
The clock's run out, time's up over, bloah! 
Snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity 
Oh, there goes Rabbit, he choked 
He's so mad, but he won't give up that 
Easy, no 
He won't have it, he knows his whole back's to these ropes 
It don't matter, he's dope 
He knows that, but he's broke 
He's so stagnant that he knows 
When he goes back to his mobile home, that's when it's 
Back to the lab again yo 
This whole rhapsody 
He better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him 

(Verse 2) 
This soul's escaping, through this hole that is gaping 
This world is mine for the taking 
Make me king, as we move toward a, new world order 
A normal life is boring, but superstardom's close to post mortem 
It only grows harder, homie grows hotter 
He blows it's all over, these hoes is all on him 
Coast to coast shows, he's know as the Globetrotter 
Lonely roads, God only knows 
He's grown farther from home, he's no father 
He goes home and barely knows his own daughter 
But hold your nose 'cause here goes the cold water 
These hoes don't want him no mo', he's cold product 
They moved on to the next schmoe who flows 

He nose dove and sold nada 
So the soap opera is told and unfolds 
I suppose it's old partner, but the beat goes on 
Da da dum da dum da da da da  

(Verse 3) 
No more games, I'ma change what you call rage 
Tear this motherfucking roof off like two dogs caged 
I was playing in the beginning, the mood all changed 
I been chewed up, and spit out, and booed off stage 
But I kept rhyming and stepwritin' the next cypher 
Best believe somebody's paying the pied piper 
All the pain inside amplified by the 
Fact that I can't get by with my nine to five 
And I can't provide the right type of life for my family 
'Cause man, these Goddamn food stamps don't buy diapers 
And it's no movie, there's no Mekhi Phifer, this is my life 
And these times are so hard and it's getting even harder 
Trying to feed and water my seed, plus 
Teeter totter caught up between being a father and a prima donna 
Baby mama drama's screaming on and 
Too much for me to wanna 
Stay in one spot, another day of monotony 
Has gotten me to the point, I'm like a snail 
I've got to formulate a plot or end up in jail or shot 
Success is my only motherfucking option, failure's not 
Mom, I love you, but this trailer's got to go 
I cannot grow old in Salem's Lot 
So here I go it's my shot. 
Feet fail me not 'cause this may be the only opportunity that I got 
(Outro) 

You can do anything you set your mind to, man



Sunday, February 27, 2011

Married to Wrestling.: Big Guys need love too.

Married to Wrestling.: Big Guys need love too.

Big Guys need love too.

One of my biggest pet peeves at a tournament is the filing out of fans while wrestling is still in progress. It is not uncommon to have a close-to packed house for the National Anthem and whistles to start the 125-lbers, but before those same whistles are blown for the start of the HWT matches, half of the fans have already decided to call it a day.

Of course I am a bit biased about this topic. I have only ever had a direct personal connection with a 197-HWT wrestler. But now as a coach's wife- I have a connection to all ten NCAA weight classes. Like any other wrestling fan, I can find the appreciation of the different techniques in all weight classes. And I so, badly wish that more fans could find it in them to show support for more than just their favorites. I could not imagine what is is like to be a wrestler, preparing for a make-or-break match while watching the stands file out of the arena in an orderly fashion. Or getting into position for the start of the 2nd period only to hear the chattering of people leaving and a lack of cheering.

It never fails- It is a rant that my husband hears at the end of *every* session- Big Guys need love too!

*NCAAs 2010- Omaha, Nebraska SOLD OUT ARENA HWT Wrestlers Everhart [IU] vs. Kent State Look at the stands...

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Wrestling Family- Not just a Myth.

Being as I married into Wrestling, imagen my surprise when wedding plans came with a "Wrestling Family" invite list from my husband's side. I hadn't met any of these people, but many of them made cameos in family stories told 'round the dining room table.

After an insane whirlwind of a day, I was able to finally meet some of these VIP invitees after dinner and main dances on our wedding day. It was like I had been part of the fam the whole time! I was pretty well shocked at their generosity and welcoming arms. And now that I have my own, always growing, "Wrestling Family", I smile at those memories 5 1/2 years ago.

It wasn't necessarily a fluke that my husband's past had included such special people.
It wasn't terribly unheard of that someone could care that much about you and not share in common DNA.
A wrestling family is a real thing and those of us who are lucky enough to say that wrestling is a part of who we are, are lucky enough to experience the bond.
It is just how it is.

And every year, I look forward to...
putting in that Time-Off Request,
planning my St. Patrick's Day festivities in the NCAA choice of location,
packing my suitcase full of Cream and Crimson,
hittin' up the hotel bar
and Hootin' Hollerin' as those very special people start rolling in from near and far- many of whom I hadn't seen since the last NCAA tournament.

Philly or Bust!