Still Going

Week 1, Day 3 of Couch to 5K completed this morning. Things will get a little harder when Week 2 begins next Monday.

Location:Farm-to-Market 2947,Greenville,United States

Mr. Motivated

Exercise. That's something I've never really put any serious commitment into over the last year or so. But as time goes on and I notice my waistline getting larger and larger, I knew something needed to be done. I started noticing friends of mine posting on Twitter about a new program they were involved with called Couch to 5K (Here's the link). So, I snooped around, asked some questions, and realized it was probably something I could handle, so now I've officially joined the program.

I'll be finishing the first week in the 9-week program tomorrow. It's been a good test, that's for sure, because I haven't run any sort of long distance in quite some time, probably since my military days (almost a decade ago). But, it definitely puts my body to the test, and demands a lot from my bad wheel (knee), but not so much that I can't handle it. The only drawback for me is waking up early enough to run before the sun gets so hot that my shoes melt to the pavement. Other than the early wakeup to avoid heatstroke, the running itself has been more than tolerable, and it feels rewarding when it's over.

It's strange how quickly something like that can motivate you if you let it. Throughout the entire week I've been looking for more ways to keep moving, to stay active, that I usually don't do. Whether it be swimming, or basketball, or even a night of dancing with my wife (like I did the night before for the 1st time ever), it's good to find a program that can motivate you to do other  things. That's something I'm already getting out of this program, the willingness to push it even further once the workout is completed.

I'm not only looking forward to completing the program, but have agreed to run in the first local 5K race available once I do finish. That's the kind of goal that can keep me hungry and focused. Who knows? Maybe it will lead to  bigger and better things. But the best thing about the motivation is that it's contagious. Being determined to excel in one area, like fitness for example, can spread to other facets of life like school, work, parenting, and even spiritual matters. Motivation is a huge key to a healthy lifestyle, and as long as I stay focused, that's what I'm setting my bar for.

Stepping Up

A few weeks ago our former youth worship leader left for another opportunity. Last night, one of our own Epic youth members, Dustin Dumdei, stepped up to lead the group. He did not disappoint.

The NFL Is Back, But Not Better

So, the NFL is finally back. No more bickering between players and owners, no more wondering if there will be a season, no more drama. We now know that the NFL is indeed back in action, at least for the next decade anyway.

What we don't know, and won't know for a while, is how the lockout will affect the teams, and ultimately, how it will affect the leave this season.

There were no rookie OTA's, no minicamps and no communication between coaches and players, which pretty much means: (1) Rookies are even more behind the curve than before, (2) Team chemistry has taken a serious hit because of the lack of team functions, and (3) Coaches will have a short window of time to evaluate new players, and/or establish relationships with others.

Football may be back, but it has these BIG issues and more to deal with. So, while NFL fans everywhere celebrated the lifting of the lockout, those of us who look deeper into the spectrum are left wondering about the side effects.

Mark my words: The NFL will look different this year.

• How does all this affect the Cowboys? Well, for starters, Dallas has quite a bit of fat to trim to get under the new salary cap, which means somebody that is needed will likely be released. Dallas will have to make the most adjustments to the new cap, but fortunately, the team has a load of talent to help get past it all. Dallas will be solid, I believe they're a playoff team. That's my WAY early prediction.

• As impressive as the Rangers' 20-6 win might have been last night, I was stuck on a couple of stats that stood out like a sore thumb. One was the number of combined errors by the two teams - 7. Wow. The other was 0-for-6. That was the plate performance of Longview native Chris Davis, who was lighting up the Triple-A circuit down in Round Rock, but couldn't ride the teams' momentum last night to get one measly hit. Sad.

• On to something a little more mind-boggling. David Beckham publicly defended the recent backheel shot attempt by Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, a play that was widely criticized worldwide and led to the Italian being benched. Defending a guy who tried to show up a vastly overmatched squad is not something that should be supported. But then again, neither is Beckham.

• Speaking of soccer, I got together with my buddy Adam last night for some FIFA. We always have great, competitive matches, usually grueling defensive struggles. Last night was no different as we split two matches with a total aggregate score of 2-2. Looking forward to the next time.

Have a great day, and enjoy the NFL frenzy!!

From the ground up

My dad picked me up late yesterday evening for some night fishing, something he and I have never done together. To be honest, my dad and I never do anything together. Our relationship up to this point has been, to summarize, non-existent. Sure, we've seen each other at family holidays and other gatherings, but  as far as what I want our relationship to be, it has never even scratched the surface.

My dad is a hard man, but he's kinda softened a little over the past couple years. The very fact that he invited me to go out fishing with him is a true indication of that. For me, this evening wsn't about reeling in a truckload of catfish, it was all about taking the first step in erecting a relationship that for 30 years, had never gotten off the ground.

I think it went well. We talked, laughed, knocked down a couple of cold beers, and even got excited about a snake in the water just off the dock we casted from. Like I said, it wasn't about the catch, because if it had been, it would've been a very unsuccessful night. Together, the two of us pulled in just a pair of catfish during five hours of fishing. (Note: My channel cat was almost 3 pounds, twice the size of his.)

But even though the livewell was virtually empty, I left with a full heart, for I knew that my dad and I had taken a huge step in building our relationship - from the ground up. We're already planning another trip just  like that one for the very near future. Before you know it, I might actually know my father, and he might finally get to know me. It may have taken 30 years, but I'm okay with that.

Small price to pay

The photo above was taken at a little place I like to call Retail Hell.

It's actually how I refer to all of the miserable places my wife loves to dump money in. The misery, of course, is all mine.

But it's just one of those cases where I have to give a little to get a little. The reward for tagging along was pretty sweet today.

Ill give the wife credit, today's shopping venture lasted less than a half hour. And my reward for suffering? MEXICAN FOOD!!

It was a small price to pay, for a large plate of happiness. Score.

Give the game a chance

Five years ago, I couldn't care less about soccer. Funny how things change.

Like many Americans, soccer wasn't something I was introduced to while I was growing up. Of course, in Texas, it was ALL about football. Other sports like basketball and baseball were just something to fill the gap between the end of one football season, and the beginning of the next.

When I started working as sports editor in Terrell, I was not only thrusted into the game, but I immediately gained a deep respect for it, but the more I watched the more I really loved soccer.

I covered the soccer teams at Terrell for four seasons, which forced me to learn the basic terminology. Then i threw my youngest boy into the game just months before his fourth birthday. Coaching the game meant I needed to learn the strategy of the sport.

After all of that, plus experiencing the highs and lows of both the US men and women during their respective World Cup tournaments, made me a huge fan.

Five years ago, I had no idea about the game. Now, I follow it more closely than most. I'm even joining a Fantasy Football league (soccer) for the first time this summer.

I realize that soccer will never be as popular as American football, but ask yourself this question, "Are you giving it a fair chance?"



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Pitching staff sets team record

The Rangers' 13 shutouts through their first 97 games are the most in team history. The 1977 and 1981 clubs had 12.

That's gettin' the job done.

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Hushing the Halos

I had to take an early exit from the game last night in order to get plenty of sleep for class this morning. I just knew that I was gonna be missing something special when I turned off the television.

While it might not have been a historic night for Alexi Ogando or the Texas Rangers (56-41), it certainly was the type of game I love to wtch my team play.

Ogando pitched 8 innings of shutout ball, allowing just 4 hits, and the Rangers went deep three times in a 7-0 road win over the Angels (51-46).

The win made it a league-best 12-straight for the Rangers, and also increased their AL West lead to five games over L.A. This winning streak is the second longest in club history, second only to the 14-game win streak from 1991. Ogando also continued an impressive run for the Rangers' starting rotation, during which they've allowed just two earned runs over the past six games - including four shutouts.

The series continues tonight from Anaheim, as Derek Holland (aka The Dutch Oven) will face the Angels' Dan Haren in a 9:05 p.m. contest.

Elsewhere,

Both sides of the NFL lockout mess appear confident a deal will be reached by weeks' end. As if I cared anymore. Just get on the damn field and play some ball!!

Yao Ming officially announced his retirement today, putting an end to all the speculation about just how many games he would miss due to injury during the 2011-12 season.

And how about this, the Pittsburgh Pirates remain in sole possession of first place in the NL Cenntral after a 1-0 shutout of the Reds. The Pirates are due for a second-half meltdown, but for now they remain a feel-good story.

That's it for me, I'm off to class.

Dandy Dozen?

The Rangers (55-41) not only have a chance to win their 12th consecutive game, but put a little distance between themselves and their division rivals, the Angels. 

It won't be easy, however, as Texas will have to try and do it in a place where it's been historically subpar, at the Angels' home field.  

Texas currently has a 4-game lead over the Halos (51-45), and could really widen the gap by winning this rival series. But they'll have to put their past Anaheim road failures behind them in order to do it. 

It's time Rangers. Throw strikes and bring the boomsticks. 

I'm Back!

Well, I played around with several different blogs, tryingf to see if there was another option out there for me. But the answer in the end was so clear, so I'm back with my latest version of THE FULL COUNT.

What you see here will be the same as before: lots of sports opinion, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and a little about myself as well.

So, let's do this . . . again.