Lcpl. Mendel S. Fowler USMC

If you were a friend of the show in 2010 and 2011, you couldn't avoid being captivated by an ol' vet from Hickory, NC.   Mendel Fowler became a friend to us all.  His service to our country not forgotten.  His friendship cherished.   Mendel died on Thanksgiving last year.  Today, Friday April 6, 2012 he received full military honors as his remains were interred at The Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.   Today's blogcast is in honor of our friend.

Click this link for today's audio tribute to Mendel 

David, Mendel, "Too Tall," Interns Chad and Zach, and "John from Michigan"

Read the newspaper account of Mendel's medal ceremony

Click on the video of the ceremony photographed by Sgt. Brian Christiansen

First time I met Mendel at a Clemson Baseball game April 2010.  He gave me the hat, a Marine tie clip

Mendel and a fellow Marine in Vietnam circa 1967.  That's Mendel with the weapon.

Humble Wednesday

While there are headlines today of athletes getting arrested for drugs and athletes getting suspended for this or that, here's a story of a 14 year old high school track athlete who is just doing her thing with humility.
  
And, oh, she's legally blind. 

Remember our listener a few years ago, Coach Cathy who said:  No one has a dis-ability.   Everyone has an A-bility.

Click on this link for today's inspirational video

If you want to read more about Charlotte's story...click on the following link:

Click here for Charlotte Brown's story

Don't Blame The Fray

Don’t blame The Fray.   Don’t blame them for what you thought might have been a butchering of a national symbol.   Don’t blame them for singing off key or making it too artistic.   Don’t blame The NCAA for making a poor choice for their national showcase event.   Don’t blame CBS, the record companies, oil companies, Rush Limbaugh, or President Obama.   It was a pretty good song.   I like The Fray.   It just wasn’t the Star Spangled Banner.  Same words, but it wasn't our National Anthem.   To hear more on this in today's audio blog, click on the following link:

Today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast National Anthem

*thanks to CBS for materials

OPENING DAY!

Opening Day?   Who knew?  Listen to this blog today and revel in the joy that is...Opening Day!   The picture is of two gloves who have become one. :)   Click on the story and I'll tell you more.

Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast Opening Day

It Never Satisfies

I just read Jeff Passan's article on former #1 Draft Pick of The Padres, Matt Bush.   It is an incredibly sad story.  Jeff Passan Article on Matt Bush

As I was reading I could not help but think of my own life.   While I could not throw a baseball 99 MPH, while I didn't play professional sports, while I never made millions, I did make a few of the same mistakes.   I thought there were things that could satisfy me. 

There is a new book out this week by Tiger Woods' old swing coach, Hank Haney.   Haney says that Tiger is rarely satisfied.  

A few years ago, Tom Brady was interviewed on 60 Minutes.   Brady said this,

"Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there's something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, 'Hey man, this is what is.' I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think, 'God, it's got to be more than this.' I mean this isn't, this can't be what it's all cracked up to be."
When queried for an answer to what that might be he added,

"I wish I knew. I wish I knew.  I love playing football and I love being quarterback for this team. But at the same time, I think there are a lot of other parts about me that I'm trying to find."

If you have read the Matt Bush article, you would know that he now sits in a jail cell.   Bail is set at $1,000,000.   About a third of his signing bonus a handful of years ago and about $998,000 more than he has now.   Another man, a 71 year old motorcyclist named Tony Tufano is in a hospital ICU with a brain injury sustained when Bush ran him over with an SUV last week.   Bush's blood alcohol level was .18.  

I can remember chasing things that I thought would satisfy.   Another beer.   Another joint.   Another girl.   Another job.  Another car.   Another round of golf.  Another anything.   Nothing, though, ever satisfied.   Nothing.  

A life chasing after the next thing that will satisfy will wind up like Little League trophies and High School Letterman's jackets.   They will either be thrown out or shoved in a box to be moved from house to house until someone throws them away.   

There is, however, someone who satisfies.   The One who satisfies will never go away.  Never tarnish.   Never disappoint.   Never leave. 

Pep Talk Friday...Gonna Bleed Awhile...

Yes...I know they ended Clemson's perfect season last year, however, this is a sweet pep talk!

Saints or Consequences

Everyone is either talking about The Saints or Tim Tebow.   I'll run with The Saints today and ask a tough question at the end.   Here's the link to today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast:

Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast-Consequences

March Gladness

It's been a busy week.   My other gig is working at The JoyFM in Atlanta, and this week was our "Friendraiser Event."   The JoyFM is listener supported radio.   So, we were fast at work getting folks to partner up with the ministry!

I wanted to take a moment and let you know that the blogs will continue in earnest next week and that I'm sitting in a coffee joint watching...yes...college basketball!  However, I'm probably not watching for the same reasons most of the country is watching.  

I'm not in a bracket pool (or twelve.)  I don't have a dog in the hunt, and I could care less about North Carolina-Asheville getting hosed by the refs.   I do, however, consider The NCAA Basketball Tournament a gift, and that's why I'm referring to it as March Gladness.   Gladness in that it brings millions of people together that normally would not be.   Gladness that it creates fun and camaraderie in the workplace.   Gladness that kids who get the chance to play in the tournament can have the dream to one day cut down the net in one shining moment...and...gladness that I have yet another thing to talk to my brother about.

I love my brother so much.  We are very much alike in many ways, and in many ways very different.   Sports is our bridge.   He is a huge Duke fan (don't hate him.)  He went to Duke and has been a Duke basketball fan since the Gene Banks era.   Yes, my brother is older than me.

My brother is a big college basketball fan.   I am not.   We can talk baseball, football, golf and many other sports without either faltering with statistical knowledge or parenthetical history.   Basketball we cannot.   At least I cannot.   As Martin Short referenced in an old SNL skit, "I'm not that strong a swimmer."

However, I can talk to my brother about how Duke is doing in the tournament (They do take on Lehigh tonight...the school I spent my first semester.)  We can joke about the big "Duke-Lehigh" wagers we've made over the years, and we can laugh the buzzer beating shots my brother made a thousand times in our driveway in Trappe, PA.


Sports is a great way for us to relate to each other.   We have context for friendship through our love of The Godfather, Hogan's Heroes and pizza, too.   Point being, it doesn't matter how much or how little we know about sports, but considering others interests of value allows us to consider others more significant than ourselves.    When we're in that position, friendship and love is easy. 

CJ Mahaney and Sports Part 2

It's Pep Talk Friday!  I could think of no better pep talk than the one CJ Mahaney, pastor and author of Don't Waste Your Sports, gave us on the show a couple of years ago.   His story is a pep talk.

Click this link to watch CJ's Don't Waste Your Sports Message

Celebration of Life Through Sports Episode CJ Mahaney Part 2

CJ Mahaney and Sports Part 1

Me, CJ and Nate "OD" Bauers



Chad and Zach

One of the highlights for me while hosting The Celebration of Life Through Sports,  was having Chad Mahaney and Zach Newquist as interns.   Chad's father is CJ Mahaney, President of Sovereign Grace Ministries and author of many books including, Don't Waste Your Sports, Living the Cross Centered Life, and Sex, Romance and The Glory of God.

While Chad and Zach were in the studio, CJ called in and after a few chuckles, we got down to the business of sports and honoring God through sports.   Today, I feature the first part of the interview.   For Pep Talk Friday tomorrow, I'll play Part 2 including CJ's testimony.

If you're a parent, a coach, an athlete or a fan...Don't Waste Your Sports is a must.
Here's a link to watch the Don't Waste Your Sports message from CJ and a place you can order the booklet.  http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/CJ-Mahaney-Dont-Waste-Your-Sports-booklet-1433522470-9781433522475.aspx

Listen to the interview here:
Celebration of Life Through Sports CJ Mahaney Part 1

Your MVP

There is someone special in your midst.   He doesn't renegotiate is contract.  He doesn't flip off the fans.   Who is it,  and why is he so important in sports?   Listen to today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast and find out:

Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast Episode MVP

Also...please join us on the Twitter @steinshow

Retweeting is how we can get folks tuned in to the message of this show.

1st Anniversary

Bama Mama Jamma and I are celebrating our first wedding anniversary today.   Henceforth, ergo and hither to which...the store is closed :)

The Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast returns tomorrow.

What is The Celebration of Life Through Sports?

It's about getting together to move and inspire each other to get off the bench and onto the court...to pay it forward and to take a look at sports as more than just the score of the game.

I was putting together some audio demos last week.   These are tools that we use to get the attention of folks in "the business."   One of the questions I have been asked over and over again is, "What is The Celebration of Life Through Sports?"   Well...that's a tough question to answer.  I like to paint the picture with words and stories.   So...here is something I sent out last week.   If you're coming across The Celebration for the first time and you're wondering just what it is...here's a taste:

Celebration of Life Through Sports Audio

Help us get the message of the show out to a big audience and repost, retweet @steinshow and let your friends on Facebook know.   Thank you so much,

David

P.S.  Big day tomorrow...first anniversary with BMJ!!!!

Pep Talk Friday...The Real Last Play

I can't think of a better way to start a Friday than with The. Greatest. Pep. Talk. Ever.

Coach Ed Burke led Torrey Pines High School and other schools in the San Diego area for 30 years.   During his tenure as a head coach, his teams went 243-96-6 with 10 league championships.  

In an interview I did with Coach Burke 3 years ago, he said that this speech was nothing out of the ordinary.  

Thank you to Mirror Mirror Digital Media for this excellent video of friend of The David Stein Show, Coach Ed Burke.

Inspirational Quotes and Stories

I love me some inspirational quotes and stories!   I need your help.   Together we're going to create The Celebration of Life Through Sports Inspirational Sports Quote and Sports Story Tournament! 

It's our little version of March Madness!

Tweet your entries on www.twitter.com  My twitter name:  @steinshow

Post your entries on The David Stein Show Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-David-Stein-Show/183820971664223?ref=ts

or post a comment with your entry right here on the blog.

Celebration of Life Through Sports Episode 8

Check back throughout the month...maybe YOUR entry will be featured in the daily blogcast! 

The Little Things

Oh...the little things in life...

I am a fan of the little things.   I love the little things.   I celebrate the little things entire catalog.   Here is today's blogcast...talkin' 'bout the little things:

Celebration of Life Through Sports Episode 7 The Little Things

Who Was Jacobus?

He was born 125 years ago.   He made an indelible mark in the world of sports.   Do you know who he is?  Listen to today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast and guess.

Celebration of Life Through Sports Episode 6 Jacobus



Are You Shleprock? Living in Circumstances?

What could this Flinstones character possibly have to do with today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast?    Click on the link below and find out.

Celebration of Life Through Sports Episode 5 Shleprock

Pep Talk Friday! Clempson...Clempson...Clempson...

When I look back over the past 7 months, the most asked things from friends of the show are:  When are you coming back?  Where are the cats? And, when can we hear Pep Talk Friday again?  Question #3?  How 'bout right now!

Here is today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast and The Pep Talk Hall of Fame!

Celebration of Life Through Sports Episode 4 Pep Talk Hall of Fame

Is This Sports Most Important Piece of Furniture? No.

February 23, 1985...Bobby Knight went Earl Anthony on this innocent piece of furniture, but is this the most important piece of furniture in sports?   No.   Listen to today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast and find out what is.

Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast Episode 3 Sports Furniture

Tune in tomorrow...it's PEP TALK FRIDAY!   Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Ordinary Men...Extraordinary Things...Believe

Hey there...it's Episode 2 of The Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast!   Thank you SOOOO much for your response yesterday via twitter @steinshow and The David Stein Show Facebook Page!    I heard from Too Tall, Jaqueline from Arizona and many more friends of the show.   Please retweet and get the word out that COLTS is back!

Today I talk about some ordinary men who did an extraordinary thing.   I would love to hear your responses to the question I ask at the end of the monologue.   Post it here or on FB or tweet me @steinshow.

BTW...I had some help today.   I don't know why, but I had the feeling that I was being watched while recording this.

Anyhoodles...here's the link to today's Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast:

Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast Episode 2 Ordinary Men

This Is Not A Blog About Jeremy Lin!

Hi Folks...here is my first blogcast (an audio blog just like the monologue of the radio show) since leaving my daily show on Sporting News Radio.   I'm excited about a lot of things going on in my life, and while I'm in the process of bringing back The Celebration of Life Through Sports, it's time to do something that I talked about EVERY show that ever aired.   What might that be? Thank you so much for your kind letters and posts over the past 7 months and thank you for joining me in listening to two of the shows I've been hosting:  The Tiger Tailgate Show for those ACC Champ Clemson Tigers and Saturday and Sunday evenings on The JoyFM 93.3 in Atlanta.


My goal is to share things in this blogcast that are compelling, funny, inspirational, encouraging, uplifting and real.   Some days the blogcast will be 20 minutes.   Some days it will be an hour and some days it will be just a couple of minutes.  

The first blogcast is titled: This Is Not An Article About Jeremy Lin!

Celebration of Life Through Sports Blogcast Episode 1