Sports action heating up — literally

The beginning of football season is something we all yearn for, but only if the safety of those involved is the top priority, not wins and losses.



Published: The Gaffney Ledger, July 23, 2010

By Joe L. Hughes II

As if we needed a reminder.
For nearly four months, sports fans are delivered a treat in the form of March Madness and the NBA playoffs, being given wall-to-wall coverage of teams’ quest for college and professional basketball’s top prizes.
But following the coronation of a NBA champion, we enter a proverbial desert of sorts, annually arriving at a location on the calendar commonly referred to as the “Dog Days of Summer.”
At most points during the year, two sports are in season — one of which is getting cranked up, while another is preparing for another campaign to end. For example, each winter the Super Bowl marks the competitive conclusion of the NFL season, while NBA teams are making the push for the allstar break.
However, the summer is different. Baseball rules the tube.
Not that anything is wrong with baseball; after all, it is “America’s Pastime” for a reason.
The problem often during this time of year is that it is the only thing on the television, daily reminding people the season is a 162-game marathon — the only sport to begin and end its campaign during the same calendar year.
The FIFA World Cup offered those in need of competition their fix, the month-long tournament concluding July 11 with Spain being crowned champions of the world’s most popular sport. Seemingly gone as soon as it arrived, the World Cup served as a respite for those wanting something beyond the baseball diamond.
Despite all of baseball’s greatness and soccer’s worldwide appeal, I’d be mistaken not to believe a great many sports fans’ eyes were already intently focused on the final days in July and the weeks during the month of August.
Football season is right around the corner. What were you expecting me to say — I’m excited about the second season of Jersey Shore?
Trust me, I’ll be doing enough fist pumping to make “The Situation” and “Snooki” jealous. This time of year will do that to you.
The Cleveland Browns report to practice today in Berea, Ohio, with my team, the Dallas Cowboys, blowing the whistle to begin the first practice of the 2010 campaign Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.
In Birmingham, Ala., Southeastern Conference (SEC) football coaches are unofficially opening the college football season as you read with the annual circus that has become “SEC Media Days.” A three-day event allowing the media access to coaches prior to each school’s first practice, the session has been dominated with reports of NCAA rules violations involving agents and an alleged party on Miami’s (Fla.) South Beach, potentially putting the eligibility of athletes from several teams in jeopardy.
On a more positive note, fall sports in South Carolina — a pool including football, cross country, soccer and field hockey — begin practice July 30. I can expect the usual suspects to be at the top of the hill this year at Gaffney High School, watching practice in an effort to see what their Indians have in store for them.
The squads will begin practice during one of the most vicious heat waves in recent memory, with temperatures seemingly nearing the 100-degree mark on a daily basis in various portions of the country. Such high temperatures put athletes of all ages at risk of “running hot”, increasing their chances of some heat-related illness, particularly heat stroke.
Heat stroke is the third-leading cause of death among athletes in the U.S. According to data compiled by the National Center for Catastrophic Injury Research at the University of North Carolina, 39 football players — 29 of which were in high school — have succumbed to heat stroke since 1995.
The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) has made it clear such instances are not acceptable, outlining a plan to prevent it from happening here, or anywhere else.
“The main problem associated with exercising in the hot weather is water loss through sweating,” the SCHSL said in a document regarding how to keep athletes safe during summer practices. “Water loss is best replaced by allowing the athlete unrestricted access to water. Water breaks two to three times every hour are better than one break per hour.”
In addition, the state high school sports commission asks coaches never to restrict the amount of water an athlete drinks and be sure the athlete is drinking water.
While the SCHSL places the onus on coaches to make sure their teams are properly hydrated, athletes must take care of themselves.
Each year about this time, I’m in the ear of my brother making sure he is drinking enough fluids in anticipation of training camp. A redshirt sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), the speeches coming from my direction have lessened in recent years as he makes sure to get in the nutrients and fluids — particularly water — needed to excel on the gridiron, and most importantly in the game of life.
In the end, sports is nothing more than mere entertainment. Though bringing out the best in competition, exhibiting the talent welled up in athletes, the games mean nothing if you are not able to play — much less live.
I encourage coaches to keep a close eye on players as practice begins, staying alert for the warning signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. That winning feeling can last anywhere from a few hours to several months, but the painful loss of a teammate or friend lasts forever.
Let’s make sure not to lose another athlete due to something that could have been prevented. I think we would all rather there be more fist-pumps going around.

Preseason Top 25 released by USA Today

Mark Ingram and Alabama begin the 2010 campaign just where it ended last season, no. 1.

It is likely the most unimportant vote by college football pollsters each year.
USA Today revealed its preseason top 25 poll Friday, with defending national champion Alabama ranked no. 1 after receiving 55 first place votes.
Ohio State was the only other team to receive first place votes (4). After finishing strong to end the 2009 campaign, capping it with a Big Ten title and a 26-17 victory over Oregon at the Rose Bowl was enough for voters to tab the Buckeyes as no. 2.
The Jeff Brantley era begins with a no. 3 ranking for Florida, which though unproven is still a very talented squad. Rounding out the top 5 are last year's national runner-up Texas, and Boise State, which finished an undefeated 2009 campaign with a 17-10 win over TCU in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
As with any season, it begins with many questions. However, the 2010 college football season has a wealth of questions in need of answering, from top to bottom.
Each of the top 5 teams in the first USA Today poll has points of emphasis which will determine exactly how their seasons will go. Here are a few:

1. Alabama - After finishing undefeated and returning the storied program back to glory, the Crimson Tide should be as talented on the offensive side of the ball as any in the country this season, returning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, quarterback Greg McElroy and wide receiver Julio Jones.
Unlike last year, Alabama has an abundance of questions to answer on defense after graduation and the NFL draft took eight pieces of what was the nation's no. 2-ranked defense. For there to be glory in Tuscaloosa again in January, the defense will have to grow up -- fast.

2. Ohio State - The Buckeyes earned a measure of respect New Year's Day at the Rose Bowl in its disposal of Oregon, in the process proving the program could indeed reverse its current trend of finding ways to lose big games.
At the forefront of this about face was junior signal caller Terrelle Pryor, who showed toward the end of the season that he was evolving into the type quarterback which is able to be relied on in the clutch, which was not previously the case.
If Ohio State can weather an early tussle with Miami (Fla.) and road conference games at Wisconsin (Oct. 16) and Iowa (Nov. 20), watch out -- head coach Jim Tressel could again be leading his team to Arizona with a shot at the national title.

3. Florida - The biggest question about this bunch of Gators is not who is on the team, but what type of team will this be?
Obviously, the offense will be much different from the Tim Tebow-led squads of the past three seasons, taking on a more traditional approach under redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley. The biggest strength on this side of the ball may be its offensive line, returning center Mike Pouncey, right guard Carl Johnson and left tackle Marcus Gilbert, allowing the new signal caller to settle in among his many weapons led by speedy junior running back Jeff Demps.
Florida's defensive unit also must address an array of departures, only four starters returning from last year's campaign. The secondary will likely set the tone early on this side of the ball, with talented safety Ahmad Black and cornerback Janoris Jenkins doing their best to harass opposing receiving corps.

4. Texas - Similar to Florida, the Longhorns are breaking in a new starting quarterback in 2010, though each of us already know what true sophomore Garrett Gilbert is capable of.
With Texas trailing big in the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama, Gilbert replaced an injured Colt McCoy and nearly was able to pull off what would have been one of the most memorable comebacks in college football history. He is no longer as much a question mark on a team though talented on offense is rather inexperienced, particularly in the trenches.The offensive gameplan will also tend to be more balanced, quite different from what McCoy was able to offer during his time in Austin.
The Longhorns should remain one of the top defensive units in the country under the direction of coordinator Will Muschamp.

5. Boise State - If there was any better time for the Broncos to take the next step as an elite football program, 2010 would be it.
Already proving it belongs in the conversation as powerhouse despite not being a part of a BCS conference, Boise State with 17 starters returning from an undefeated team last season conceivably could make a run at the national title this year.
For the Broncos, a Labor Day matchup against Virginia Tech in Landover, Md., might as well be regarded as D-Day for the team, the Hokies likely their stiffest test of the campaign.

Favre calls it a carrer... AGAIN?

Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated

The end is here ... at least for Brett Favre, apparently.
Sending a message to teammates and to the media through an anonymous league source, the19-year NFL quarterback has decided to call it quits, ending one of the more decorated and storied careers in league history.
Favre holds the majority of NFL passing records, including those for passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions, attempts and interceptions. His 385 consecutive starts under center and 181 regular season victories are also records, in addition to the legend being the first active professional football player to also be a grandfather, his daughter Brittany giving birth in April to a boy, Parker Brett.
For all of his fame on the field, Favre has also been known to be quite the "media whore," expecting different treatment from that of his teammates.
During Favre's latter years with Green Bay, his utter disdain for training camp became an issue hard for the team to ignore. Of course, as the years begin to stack up and the body heal a bit slower due to six months of punishment, the question whether this year could be the last tends to take a little longer to answer.
Not getting the long-term commitment from the Packers he wished, the quarterback retired for the first time in an emotional press conference on March 4, 2008. All those looking on knew it would not be the last time we saw No. 4 don a jersey, even if it was not the Green Bay green and gold.
Already having moved on and refusing to budge despite Favre's presence in training camp, the Packers shipped their longtime signal caller to the N.Y. Jets where he led the club to a 9-7 record with him at the helm. It would be his only season in the "Big Apple."
Green Bay, meanwhile, has not lost a step without him under center, as Brett's longtime understudy Aaron Rodgers has risen to elite status as one of the league's top signal callers in addition to helping the team earn a playoff berth in 2009.
However, Favre did get his revenge. After being wooed last summer to the "Land of a Thousand Lakes" by head coach Brad Childress following another brief retirement, the legend took the Vikings to a 12-4 record and within three points of Super Bowl XLIV. During the campaign, he completed 68 percent of his passes while throwing the least amount of interceptions (7) since his rookie season in 1991.
Coming into the summer, Minnesota not investing in its future at the quarterback position seemed to signal Favre returning to the team for one more run at the Vince Lombardi Trophy -- his second, and the Vikings first in franchise history.
All the signs were there. Brett playfully lofting passes in the direction of receivers for the local high school football team, as well as reports his wife Deanna renewing her fitness club membership in Minneapolis, Minn., seemed to precede what has become the trend in recent years -- after a lot of fanfare Favre would announce he was coming back for one more year.
Guess we're the fools.
Favre announced Tuesday he would not return, a surprise to everyone -- fans, players and media alike.
"I am still shocked. … I really believed that because of the way the season ended last year he would be compelled to come back – and I think he was. … The only way he ever retires is if he literally physically cannot play," said ESPN Monday Night Football analyst and NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young in a prepared statement. "And if he’s retiring officially today or in the near future, it’s probably, most likely and absolutely, will be because he cannot do it. I think that’s the only reason Brett Favre will ever retire for. He’s a physical phenom that we will never understand. … I also believe that he’s not retiring because of his general health. I think it must be a specific injury that he cannot get over and that’s it.”
Honestly, I wonder if anyone is truly convinced this is the end for Favre. After all, we have been taken down this road before. There is still more than a month left until the NFL's 91st season commences, and still seven months until Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas ... who's to say Favre's mind changes between now and then.
Who knows?
"I don’t think fans here are ready to accept this is the final word … and you can’t really blame them," said ESPN Monday Night Football reporter and Minneapolis resident Michele Tafoya in a prepared statement.
Now all we're waiting for is a message from Favre himself. Sources...?

America's Next Top Model - Casting call attracts more than 100

More than 100 women threw their hat in the ring last month in hope of being selected for the next cast of the CW Network's "America's Next Top Model.


(Published July 12, 2010)

By Joe L. Hughes II
The Gaffney Ledger

For the more than 100 women who made the audition at Prime Outlets — Gaffney on Saturday, the journey toward chasing the dream began with a strut followed by a pose, each vying for the opportunity to be “America’s Next Top Model.”
One of the CW Network’s most watched shows, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) offers knowledge and expertise to women seeking a career as a model in the fashion industry. Created by model and talk show host Tyra Banks, up to 14 contestants are scouted to participate in the production, though only one winds up with the title, in addition to earning a modeling contract and the opportunity to grace the pages of the world’s most famous magazines.
"Modeling is my dream, it is always what I have wanted to do,” said Amber O’ Fair, 23, of Boiling Springs. “This is my passion and it has brought me here. Hopefully I’m one of the lucky ones selected.”
It was the first time such an audition was held at Prime Outlets — Gaffney, which partnered with CW Carolinas and Upstate music radio station Hot 98.1 to sponsor the event.
“We’re so honored to be chosen for something of such esteem like this. For a small place like Gaffney to be chosen among a lot of other larger markets is quite remarkable,” said Prime Outlets — Gaffney Marketing Manager Leesa Bodden. “It was a great marriage between each of us and I’m glad we made it work.”
Hundreds lined up outside the mall’s doors early Saturday morning, some peering through windows in an effort to get a glimpse of what was going on inside. Each person was given her chance, however, as for more than four hours contestant after contestant filed through the curtain for that lonesome walk to the end of the runway, where a camera focused on their every movement and emotion.
For Jennifer Jones of Kings Mountain, N.C., it was a blessing to be able to walk out there following a horrific jet-ski accident seven years ago.
“I actually broke my ankle seven years ago in the incident,” Jones said. “Doctors told me I never would walk again, but look at me now. ... This was an opportunity I could not pass up. I believe I could learn so much from Tyra (Banks) and the other judges.”
To be considered by ANTM producers, the female participants had to be between the ages of 18 and 27, 5-foot-7 or taller and a U.S. citizen.
Candidates were asked various questions during the audition, ranging from “Why do you feel you should be on ‘America’s Next Top Model?’,” to more unique ones such as, “If you were a jelly bean, what flavor would you be?”
Prior to the catwalk portion of the audition, each applicant provided the show with three photographs of themselves — a head shot and two full body shots, one of which was a photo of the model in a bathing suit.
For their effort, the first 100 women to audition were given gift bags laden with gift cards and coupons, courtesy of the outlet mall.
But the big prize each contestant wants is a phone call that has yet to be made.
“In my opinion, it is not just about being pretty, but being a beautiful person,” said Christina Kelly of Charlotte, N.C. “America’s Next Top Model exemplifies that and hopefully I get the chance to reveal that side to you.”

Getting my smile back...

If you don't like what you are doing, why are you performing that activity in the first place?
Typically, the activity is something once extremely fun which has turned tiresome and boring. For me, the activity is my passion, and most importantly how I make a living.
Honestly, sometimes I wonder what profession I would take up if journalism was not my full-time job. To this day, I still draw blanks.
It's something that gave me joy, providing an outlet to voice my opinion or merely vent about an issue which I did not agree with and applaud those approved by yours truly.
Funny where a pencil and a dream can take you. However, recently that spark has been missing, in hibernation for the past couple of months.
Yes, blame the dog days of summer, in which vacations and relaxation rule the day. While friends and family were at the beach or spending time at the cookout of their choice, I was working.
Not to say that is bad, it just takes your mind off the task at hand.
It was last October that yours truly previously had mental vacation, much needed -- particularly in my line of work -- much too long.
Thank goodness, I'm free for this week!
Speaking of vacations, it has been a minute since I got on here and spoke my mind about anything, ranging from sports and music to well, life.
On a more consistent basis I will bring material your way, both from my professional job at The Gaffney Ledger but also articles and whatever else I can dig up for this site, 'Hughes Views.'
Hope you enjoy, and never be to shy to leave feedback, good or bad. I have a tough skin, I can take it.

Yours truly,
Joe L. Hughes II

Instructions How To Make Moonshine

Don't ask why I have a picture of a recipe for moonshine, alcohol drank by many Americans during prohibition during the early 1900s.
I actually found this recipe at a museum while touring with a group of elementary school students. Odd, ain't it?
If you want to take a try at making it, moonshine only takes a little more than a week to make. Just follow the instructions above.

Relay for Life again a big draw

By JOE L. HUGHES II
The Gaffney Ledger
joe@gaffneyledger.com

There may not be an "official" Cherokee County fair, but those traveling along Old Georgia Highway on Friday night who saw the activity at the Timken Track likely thought there was one.
With traffic backed up as much as a mile and the aroma of fried flounder, hot dogs and funnel cakes floating in the air, scores made their way to the site to make a statement: Cancer would no longer cast a shadow over them or their household.
Annually one of the county's biggest events, this year's Relay for Life festivities did not disappoint, honoring those who lost their battle to the disease, strengthening those currently fighting it and cancer survivors serving as pillars of strength and examples that a cancer diagnosis does not equate to a death sentence.
"I'm so happy this many people came out here," said Relay for Life of Cherokee County income manager Harlan Thompson. "Cancer has affected each of them in some way and we're glad all of them are out here in support of 'celebrating more birthdays.'"
The theme for this year's Relay for Life fundraiser was “American Cancer Society: The Official Sponsor of Birthdays.”
Relay for Life of Cherokee County is known for the many unique means of raising money during the event, with everything being sold from hot dogs, pizza, and hamburgers to fish, peanuts and turkey legs, all used to garner support for a cause that has touched them all in some form or fashion.
"I know there are some who are seeing me dance and wonder, 'What is that crazy woman doing?'" said local resident Allison Herndon. "But guess what? I'm going to continue to dance ... I'm out here to support my husband and his fight against cancer."
Nearly two years ago, Herndon's husband, Blair, was diagnosed with the disease after doctors found two tumors on his brain.
"They found two tumors on the front of his brain in December of 2008, diagnosing him with a Stage 4 form of cancer, basically terminal," she said. "He's been through several rounds of chemotherapy, which have taken quite a toll."
Despite a grave prognosis which included him being given six months to live, the local resident continues to fight, using what his wife describes as "a mere will to live" and the opportunity to enjoy time with his grandson.
"A lot of people are quick to have a pity party when diagnosed with cancer; not him though," Allison Herndon said. "He's still fighting and I'm very proud; honestly it's a testament to faith and prayer. His grandson of course is his inspiration, and he regularly says he is going to do what it takes to beat this so he can continue to enjoy life with our grandson."
Relay for Life's roots were sown by Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma, Wash., colorectal surgeon, who decided to personally raise money for his local American Cancer Society (ACS) by participating in one of his hobbies — running marathons.
In 1985, the surgeon spent 24 hours circling the Baker Stadium track at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma for more than 83 miles. That night he raised $27,000 to fight cancer, as friends paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him.
Dr. Klatt's efforts have since far exceeded anything he could have dreamed of, raising billions of dollars for cancer research and becoming the ACS's premier fundraising effort.
Thousands of dollars were raised during local Relay festivities this year, though final figures will not be available for some time.