S7s- May 15: Hexed?

1) Yesterday was the Regional Track meet at AC Reynolds. We had one qualifier, Odyssey Gaines in the 200m Dash. She's our first stat qualifier in three season. She tried to get out of running the 200, but I made her run. She was in the slow heat and won. Better yet, her time was good enough to be second overall. I told her after her run that I was proud of her effort and she gave herself a good chance to qualify (finish in the top 4). After the fast heat, I told her she'd be close. I was surprised she was second, I would have been thrilled with third or fourth. 

We had some bad luck yesterday. Our 4x200 ran phenomenal. They went 1:49 and was the third team to cross the finish line. Then someone said there was a zone violation. Being the referee, I hustled to see what it was. It was lane 6, our lane. Heartbreaking. It would have been disappointing if we finished 6th and got DQed, but it was devastating because they went from being state qualifiers to being disqualified. As their coach, what can you say? Most of them were running again in the 4x100, so I told them to rally and be ready for their next event.

In the 4x100, we were running well and in the mix and the second handoff got dropped. I didn't even see it happen. It looked good and when I was looking for the third exchange, there was no North Henderson. Their spacing was good, they just dropped the baton. The thing is, these were what I consider my two most reliable athletes in terms of handoffs. If I had to pick two to do an exchange, it would be these two.

I'm proud of my kids. We were 5th in the 4x400 and 6th in the 300 hurdles. Some good efforts in the field events. Despite not qualifying our relays, I'm proud of their effort. There's a reason this happened. We were hit twice with really unfortunate luck in two of our best events-- the events we had the best chance to qualify in. I don't know why things work the way they do, but I'm confident we're all better people after this. Even if we're not happy people at the moment.

2) The 4x100 gave me flashbacks to last year's state championship tournament. Mitchel Langford loses an improbable match in the finals. I truly believe that if Mitchel and Mainz wrestled 100 times, Mitch would win 98 or 99 times. Mainz wrestled a good match and earned that victory but I don't doubt that Mitchel was the better wrestler. The same way that Dan Gable was better than Larry Owings. If my two girls do 100 handoffs, 95% of them are great.

I had a friend tell me that you've got to strive for 100%. 1% is bad. If 1% of parachutes failed, that would be terrible. In Mitchel's case and in the 4x100, we fell victim to that 1%.

3) North Henderson will be host for next year's track regionals. Why do I do this to myself?

4) Went out to dinner with the coaches after the meet. Had my bike. Headed over to Bent Creek to get a ride in. Towards the end, I lose a pedal. It comes off the spindle but is still clipped into my shoes. This is my fifth pair of Crank Brothers pedals and the newest. The first to fail. I slowly and awkwardly pedaled back to the car, just about a mile. It was hard with only one good pedal and trying to keep the other foot on the spindle. I was convinced someone had a voodoo doll of me or put some sort of curse on me.

I took a picture and posted it to Instagram. Also tagged Crank Brothers. They messaged me back and it looks like they're going to replace the pedal. That's good customer service!

As if I hadn't been victim of enough bad luck today, I'm on a solo night ride in the woods and this happens. The gods must be spiting me because earlier in the ride I had a hard fall-- going uphill. #howdoesthisevenhappen #mustnotbelivingright #mtbike #stillbetterthannoride

A photo posted by @heanguy on May 14, 2016 at 7:00pm PDT

 5) Spent the evening at the Grove Park for the WNC Sports Banquet presented by the Mountain Amateur Athletic Club. North Henderson was well represented, especially wrestling! Josh Blatt was a finalist for the 3A/4A Male Athlete in an Olympic Sport (Connor Fenn of Asheville School won), the team was a finalist for 3A/4A Male Team- Olympic Sport (won by Enka Wrestling) and Pete Willingham won a $1000 scholarship. Caroline Marsh, a volleyball player, was a finalist for 3A/4A Female Athlete- Major Sport.

6) "Are you interested or committed?" -Jerry Moore, former Appalachian State Football Coach and WNC Sports Hall of Fame inductee.

7) I'm really bummed out about the Spurs losing. I wanted Tim Duncan to win and retire. It will be an interesting off season for this team. Who do they sign? Who retires?

S7s: May 1- Springing into May

1) Kaida turned 4 last week. She had a party in SC yesterday. My brother, Chhay, also just got back from 6 months of deployment so it was a double celebration. And got to see a lot of other kiddos. It was great family time.

2) Speaking of birthdays, god daughter Sydney turned 9. She's growing so fast but she still thinks I'm great so I'll take that for now.

3) Yesterday was the North Henderson High School prom. I drove back from SC, got home around 9:00, changed and caught the end of the prom. I'm glad I made it back. It was great to see all the students dressed up and there were a few that I was very happy to catch. My wrestlers looked sharp and my track team was gorgeous. Everyone seemed to be having fun.

4) My favorite quote of the last week occured when we were outside I noticed what turned out to be fertilizer on the track. Not knowing what it was yet, I asked aloud what was on my track. One of my girls replied, "Grass seasoning". Dunno, I thought it was hilarious.

5)  We went to a meet at Western Carolina this week. The boys took first out of 15 teams. The girls placed 11th. I love WCU's facilities and Coach Williamson and his staff are great to us. The best thing about the meet is that, as coaches, we don't have to work any events or time. That's very rare. It was nice just to watch my athletes jump and throw.

6) I was really amazed by today's sermon. Charles McGowan was the guest preacher and he spoke on Matthew 16:13-17. 

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

I have read the passage before, but read it all wrong. In verse 18, I always assumed it was Peter that was the rock the church would be built on. It turns out that it's actually Peter's answer in verse 16 that is the Rock: Jesus the Messiah is what the church will be built on. 

Also, verse 18, about the gates of Hades... I always assumed that Hades cannot overcome the church. McGowan says that the church is marching on Hades and the gates built to keep the church out cannot win. The church is based on the Messiah  and Jesus cannot be held back by mere walls. 

7) NFL Draft thoughts:

• Laremy Tunsil better be a game changer. If he flops, the Dolphins have wasted another first round pick, a la Dion Jordan. 
• I don't love the Dolphins draft. But not being splashy sometimes is good.
• Panthers took three defensive backs in a row. Josh who?
• I hope Jared Goff is more Aaron Rogers than Brady Quinn.
• I like Denver's pick of Paxton Lynch. 
• I also love that Denver got Adam Gotsis in the second round. Go Jackets!
• DJ White makes plays. I hope he makes the Chiefs roster. 

S7s: 3 Apr- Bye, Break

1) Spring break is ending. Tomorrow, we're back for nine weeks left of the school year. Family and weather dictated that I stay close but I had a great week that included:

• My niece, Suelee, was in town for the week. She had her two kids. I hung out with them a bunch. Eva is pretty stinking cute.
  
• Went to Jack of the Wood for Trivia with some of the Enka crew. I learned that Charlotte is the second largest city in the Southeast after Jacksonville, FL. Atlanta metro is bigger, but the city itself is smaller. 
• Had drinks with Michael Hodges. He's an athletic trainer in Buncombe County and he's doing the Great Divide this summer. I'm so excited for him. And jealous. It was fun getting to share advice and reliving the journey.
• Cleaned the house a little. Got a bunch of stuff delivered to Goodwill and the recycling facility.
• I learned that I need a new motor for the washing machine. Not going to happen. This one is going trash and I'm shopping for a new one.
• I went camping in Turkeypen along the South Mills River. Just me and my hammock and some reading stuff. It was great to be solo and disconnected from technology. It was going to be two nights, but weather forced me to do just one. 

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2) This is Shawn Evans. Today is is his Birthday. Shawn is a new friend of mine, but a great guy. He hired wrestlers last year when he had to move and paid them well. He's a heck of a biker, he joined me for a few days of the Great Divide last year. We also got a ride in today. And yesterday, he brought me a refrigerator because I had posted on Facebook that I was looking for one. They had an extra. 

3) I learned in my reading last week that the human hand may have evolved for combat. We are the only hominid or primate that can close our hands into a fist. The human jaw may have evolved to better sustain blows. Interesting. Look it up.

4) I've been reading a little more about HB2. I stand by my position that it is not about bathrooms. I learned that in addition to stripping municipal governments of local control it also has moved all discrimination lawsuits out of state courts. That means if I feel like I am being discriminated against because of my ethnicity, I cannot legally sue within the state court system. I must file a federal suit, that can often take longer and be more costly. It's as if the state of North Carolina does not want to protect its citizens from discrimination.

5) I am starting to get into better riding shape from the winter. Rode the Davis-Evans loop on Monday, climbed Elk Mountain to the Blue Ridge Parkway on Friday and then hammered 43 miles with Dan and Derek over Jeter Mt and out to Etowah yesterday. Finished that with a ride today and I'm almost at 90 miles this week!

6) Opening Day of baseball today. I'm interested, but not that much. I love Clayton Kershaw. I get bored of baseball though. Shorten the season! I am excited that this is Master's Week!

7) Special congratulations to Josh Blatt. After finishing 7th in Greco in Fargo last summer and winning the State Championship in February at 106, he went to the NHSCA Nationals and placed 2nd! That's amazing. Mitchel Langford placed 4th two years ago, that tells you the depth of these tournaments. Great job on being an All American.

We also had three other kids go to Virginia Beach... all our state placers. Morgan King, Will Baldwin and Paul Searcy all went 2-2. They won against some tough kids and lost some close matches. We were always competitive and hopefully this experience will help us for next season. Knights Wrestling has some high expectations. 

S7s: 3/20- March Madness

1) NCAA Wrestling from Madison Square Garden this weekend. I watched some of the semifinals on Friday and was amazed. The Finals last night were terrific.

• Nolf vs I-Mar, Snyder vs Gwizz both lived up the the hype.
• How good is Nashon Garrett? A pin 21 second in the semifinals?! Against the defending national champion! 
• NYC was a great venue, despite my skepticism going into the tournament. 
• I am so impressed with Penn State and the level of wrestling they are able to achieve. Cael Sanderson has become a legend as a coach as well as a wrestler. And they're loaded for a good run for a few years. 
• Congratulations to Virginia Tech for finishing 3rd and NC State for a top 10 finish. 
• No champions for the Iowa Hawkeyes, but three finalists and a top 5 finish for Coach Brands' team.
• He didn't wrestle last night but he was interviewed several times: Jordan Burroughs is a winner, class act and great ambassador for the sport of wrestling. 

2) There was another national tournament happening this weekend. I followed very little basketball. I know my bracket is in the 12th percentile right now. Wrestling was more compelling to me.

3) Lady Knights Track had two meets this past week: the Jus Running Relays on Tuesday and Times-News Invitational on Saturday. Some solid performances. 10th place yesterday at Times-News. We're still a work in progress, but you can see we've got some great athletes. We need to get healthy. Spring Break will be much needed for my athletes. 

4) All Area Wrestling Teams announced by our local media outlets.

• Times News Wrestler of the Year was Josh Blatt. Well deserved and great honor for Josh.
• All-Area Wrestlers for the Times-News: Morgan King, Will Baldwin, Paul Searcy.
• Basketball teams had 17-18 players on the Times-News teams, while wrestling only had 9 total. Wrestling has 14 weight classes, basketball has 5 positions. Seems Daniel Dowling, Cele Cardenas should have made it. Possibly Pete Willingham, Damian Murphy and Joshua Feliz. Rosman High School underrepresented also.
• Citizen-Times All-WNC: Josh Blatt, Morgan King, Will Baldwin
• Searcy one of the best wrestlers in WNC but I can't argue with having Wilson on the team-- they split this season, but Conan placed higher at Regionals and State. 

5) I read this article the other day: In Love with Donald Trump

It's so good. Christians don't agree with Trump, his character or his morality. But people love his message. Why? Because we pursue the things we love and he's selling us what we love. And the love of many Christians is less in Christ and more in the offerings of the world.

6) Obama made an appointment for the Supreme Court. I know nothing about Merrick Garland. He may or may not be a good Justice. I do believe that the Senate has a duty to hold hearings on Mr Garland. It doesn't mean that they have to appoint him, but his case to be Justice needs to be heard.

• There's the argument that if the roles were reversed that Democrats would block the nominee from being confirmed or heard. It's like gerrymandering: just because the other side does it doesn't make it right. The nomination process can take months, so if we're looking at the next president appointing the next Supreme Court Justice, we're looking at the Supreme Court sitting with one Justice short for nearly two years.
• Any wonder why Congress has an 11% approval rating according to the Pew Research Center? 
• In case you're wondering, Gallup Poll for March 13 had the President at 51 percent approval.
• The Republicans are going all in, especially if they have to nominate a third party candidate or block Trump at the Convention. Between that and the refusal to hold hearings on the President's nominee, they are playing a dangerous game with perception. If enough moderates are turned off by the stance of the GOP led Senate, they may be putting their majorities in the House at risk. A longer shot is that they lose their Senate majority. 

7) Speaking of the President, he made an official visit to Cuba today. I am looking forward to more normalized relationships with Cuba. The policies of the last 60 years haven't worked there. I can't wait to visit the island. 

S7s- 6 Mar: Make up edition

1) I missed last week. My Sunday was just too busy. Did a long ride in Pisgah, had to take wash to laundromat since washing machine is dead and worked on getting things ready for our team banquet on Monday.

2) Our team banquet was on Monday. Just another reminder on what a great group of guys I have. We ate lots of food and share some laughs. I handed out awards and recognitions. Our superlatives were as follows:

• Most Valuable: Paul Searcy
• Most Outstanding: Josh Blatt
• Coach's Award: Will Baldwin
• Most Improved: Daniel Dowling

Last night also took a few of our kids to the Southern Conference Wrestling Championships. What a great time and great tournament. The last match at heavyweight was between Appalachian State and Chattanooga. Chattanooga led by 2.5 points in the team race, so the winner of the individual bout also clinches the tournament for his team. Appalachian got a late takedown to seal the win and the the team title. Fantastic finish!

3) Track is off and running. I am having a blast with a great group of kids. Hopefully, we'll have some success. Our meet on Thursday was cancelled due to snow. Everyone is itching to compete. We'll be at AC Reynolds on Tuesday and hosting a meet at North on Thursday. 

This was a great image my assistant coach took.

4) Super Tuesday was last week: Trump and Hillary had good days. Sanders is still in the mix, especially after Saturday's caucuses in Kentucky and Kansas. Cruz is surging, Kasich hanging in there and Rubio slipping. Here are some political thoughts:

• Trump basically advocated war crimes by increasing torture and bombing innocent targets. He rescinded the next day, but the damage is done. I think that helped Cruz yesterday.
• Kasich, if he hangs around long enough, may get the nomination. The question is, can he make it to the convention?
• I was getting text updates from my friends in Colorado on their caucus experience. First, no caucus for the Republicans. Second, the turnout was super high! The fire marshall forced Steve out of the Middle School they were in and onto the soccer field.  
• One of the reasons for high turnout was Colorado Cares. Colorado is looking to possibly go single payer for health care. Steve said that 3% salary tax would cover everyone, along with a 8% rate from employers. That's cheaper, by a lot, than most premiums. 
• Trump nomination, or being blocked at the convention could be bad for the Republican party. There could be a shift or split. The GOP as we know it could meet the same fate as the Whigs. 
• Another thing to consider is that the longer Trump stays around, the more it could hurt the Republicans. And he may very well win the presidency, but he may cause the party to lose their House majority and close Senate races. I really think it would be bad for the Senate to block an Obama Supreme Court nominee if the Republican party wants to keep their majorities in Congress.

5) Enjoy your next career, Peyton Manning. He'll be great in the booth or as a coach. He didn't need to play another season. Thanks for the memories.

6) Man, what a tough week for losses: Pat Conroy, Nancy Reagan. Two wonderful part of American history.

"I wanted to become the seeker, the aroused and passionate explorer, and it was better to go at it knowing nothing at all, always choosing the unmarked bottle, always choosing your own unproven method, armed with nothing but faith and a belief in astonishment."

Pat Conroy, "Lords of Discipline

7) Brian Land spoke today on Mark 5. The story of the bleeding woman who touched the robe of Christ has long resonated with me. She reaches, in desperation. Her faith was enough to heal her. Everyone wanted signs and miracles and she, a shunned woman, knew that Jesus was the miracle. 

"Love Alone" my favorite Caedmon's Call song. The chorus sings "Love Alone is not enough/to hold us up/ we've got to touch your robe/so swing your robe down low

All we have to do is believe and reach for his garment and He can heal us. "Don't be afraid, just believe" - Mark 5:36

S7s: Feb 21- State Championship Edition

1) This is my 16th year as the head coach of North Henderson Wrestling. I always tell my kids that our goal is February. We've had a great February so far with a conference championship and Regional Runner-up. We qualified six wrestlers to the state tournament, held this past weekend.

What a weekend it was for us. Our team finished tied for 2nd overall and we had four state placers. Josh Blatt fought his way to overtime in the 106 Championship finals. We were down by two with 30 seconds left and took our opponent down. In overtime, we were able to catch our opponent on his back and secure the fall. That ended up being huge. It moved us ahead of Piedmont for second place. The only team that could catch us was Hickory Ridge. Their 113 pounder was down most of the match and, in dramatic fashion, got a takedown and back points late in the third period. The win bumped Hickory Ridge into a tie with us.

Paul Searcy took 3rd at 145, Will Baldwin was 4th at 138 and Morgan King was 5th at 113. Considering our 220 was scratched at weigh ins, I'm really proud of the effort of the Knights. We were only 3 points behind Enka and we had opportunities to catch them. But our guys battled, showed character and excelled when it was demanded of them. We're excited to be returning all our state placers and we'll be shooting for that goal of a championship next year.

2) Lots of great memories from the weekend, but this photo is going to be talked about for years. Wayne Nock is now internet famous. This was right after the pin was called in Josh's match. Priceless. We were stunned, you can say...

. 

3) Cele, our 220 pounder, was disqualified because of a cold sore. It was truly a heartbreaker. This is a kid we really love and who loves his teammates. I took him home after practice every day his freshman year and most days his sophomore. He started off as an mediocre wrestler but stuck with the sport and became one of the best in the state. I hate he did not get a chance to compete for a state title. I think that he hates knowing that his points could have earned us a state title as a team. 

All things happen for a reason. I don't know what the reason is here, but I trust that God has great things in store for Cele, our kids and myself through this experience. 

4) Last week was my birthday week. The people at school were really nice and made me feel special without embarrassing me. I had a small dinner after practice with some friends and some of my favorites.

5) I didn't love To Kill a Mockingbird, but I can appreciate the importance of Harper Lee's novel. We've lost another American icon.

6) Oh, South Carolina. Nice job in the primaries. I still can't believe that people follow Trump, but I understand it reflects a part of the American soul that we've kept hidden. There is a lot of fear and hatred still in us. That said, I believe that Cruz is much more dangerous than Trump. 

7) I'm tired. But I'm grateful for what I do. We teach and mold. We challenge and shape. We laugh and cry. Moments like this weekend remind me that I get to be a part of something special. 

S7s: Feb 14

1) Big burden off my shoulders today. We hosted the 3A West Regional Tournament over the weekend. 24 schools and the top 4 finishers in each weight class advance to the State Tournament next weekend in Greensboro. It's a huge undertaking that requires weeks of planning and organizing volunteers, supplies and prepping for the tournament.

We pulled it off. The tournament ran great. The volunteers were fantastic and there was some great wrestling all weekend. I spent the better part of the last two weeks getting things ready and now that the tournament is over, there is a lot of relief.

On top of hosting a great tournament, we wrestled really well as a team. The Knights finished 2nd overall to Enka and we qualified 6 wrestlers to the State Tournament. Josh Blatt was champion at 106. Paul Searcy (145), Daniel Dowling (182) and Cele Cardenas (195) finished 2nd in their weights and Morgan King (113) and Will Baldwin (138) were 3rd place. It was a great weekend to be a Knight. On to States...

2) Today is Valentine's Day. Even if I were in a relationship, I'd think Valentine's Day is stupid. Good day for Hallmark, restaurants and florists though.

3) Rest in Peace, Antonin Scalia. 

4) Went and saw the Revenant today. Stunning, especially when you learned that the crew and actors were on set in really extreme conditions. Some scenes made me cold. Others made me grimace. It's based on the true story Hugh Glass. Or is it. The movie is exaggerated a bit from the actual story but if Glass was indeed mauled by a bear and dragged himself 80 miles back to a settlement. Movie also made me miss the west. 

5) Track season officially starts tomorrow. Congratulations to my friend and now former TC Roberson Track coach Andy Morgan. He's starting his new gig as track coach and HEAD Football Coach at McDowell. Wish you the best, Andy. Roberson is a premier program, I wonder who will take over there. Citizen-Times

6) This is not okay: 5 DWI and Still Driving

There has to be a better way of keeping people who have charges off the road. I understand innocent until proven guilty, but this woman is a repeat offender. We are fortunate someone is not dead. 

7) Got a ride in last week before the Super Bowl. 43 miles. Up to Pinnacle Mt Rd on the ECR, all the way to Sky Top in Dupont, to Reasonover Rd, left on Green River Rd, climb Cabin Creek and then home. I barely made it home. Didn't have enough carbs. Was bonking. Looking forward to more saddle time after wrestling is over and when the weather improves. We're in the middle of the coldest week of the winter. 

S7s: Feb 6

1) Sunday Sevens is Saturday Sevens this week. Tomorrow is the Super Bowl Sunday, I doubt I'll be blogging much tomorrow. That said, I'm hoping for a good game. I think the final score will be 27-24. I have no idea who will win.

2) Knights Wrestling fell in the first round of the State Duals this week. We lost to Piedmont 31-30. There were several opportunities for us to make up at least that one point, if not more. Piedmont wrestled really well and they're a great team, nothing bad to say about them. They earned the win.

• I do wish the NCHSAA would seed the dual team state playoffs. Tournament is already paired, we knew a month ago we'd get Piedmont and I believe that both teams are among the best in the state. That's the luck of the draw. In another pairing, two teams with losing records met in the first round.
• Enka and Piedmont met for the West Championship (State Semifinals). We lost to both teams by a combined 5 points. Between those two teams, they won 14 matches and we won 14 matches.
• Congratulations to Enka and Mitchell for making the state finals. They both lost to formidable opponents, but getting there is a feat.
• We beat Mitchell and dropped a 4 point loss to Enka. We also beat 2A Regional Finalist Chase. Our team has been challenged and wrestled up to the challenges. 
• Regional Tournament is at North next weekend.

3) I got a bike ride in today. 30 miles out to Etowah and back. I am not as fit as I want to be. Sean and Robert really hammered a strong pace and I couldn't keep up. Two more weeks of wrestling and hopefully I'll get more bike time. Maybe by then, the trails will dry out a little also.

4) I have been an opponent of gerrymandering for years, no matter who does the gerrymandering. I often here Republicans use the argument that the Democrats did it when they were in control. It doesn't matter. It's wrong and not democratic. And the fact is, North Carolina is the most gerrymandered state in America. Map below is NC in 2003 and then 2013.

This week, a federal court invalidated two of North Carolina's congressional districts, the 1st and 12th. In Congress, Part of Buncombe County is in a district that stretches to Gastonia! Representatives have no accountability since they are often in districts with little or no competition. And we let it happen over and over. Hopefully, this is change.

5) Near tie in Iowa for the Democrats. Bernie probably takes New Hampshire, so does that make the race interesting. Sanders has a lot of momentum. I wonder if he's electable in a general election. His best chances are probably against Cruz, who though he won Iowa, I don't see as electable as a Rubio or even Bush. I still like Kasich. Cruz is just so unlikeable. He's most popular with the far right, which doesn't necessarily make a great general election candidate.

6) Is this Martin Shkrelli the most hated man in America? Maybe. His smirk makes me want to punch him. His testimony and the reason it's going on is an example of what's wrong with our health care system. Insurance and big pharmaceuticals have pushed costs higher. Hospitals bill what insurance will pay and we pay more in higher premiums. The leading cost of personal bankruptcy is health care costs. You don't have to like Obamacare, but please don't tell me the system is fine.

7) We're in February! Black History month. Birthday Month. President's Day! Regional and State Wrestling. Beginning of track! 

S7s: Closing January

1) Last week was a sort of Winter Break for students of Henderson County Public Schools. They were out Monday-Wednesday. I went into work each day and was somewhat productive. Much of my time revolved around getting our wrestling match scheduled. On Thursday, we had a two hour delay. Friday was a regular schedule. It was sort of weird and difficult, since this was the first full day with my second semester students.

Speaking of which: so far, so good. Really nice group of kids. Also, smaller class numbers than last semester, which makes for slightly easier management and more opportunities to collaborate and do discussions. I am really looking forward to this group, though I'll apologize in advance for February. Hosting the Regional Wrestling and then going to the State tournament means I don't get to be in the classroom and miss out on some instruction.

2) The snow made me miss Pompey. The Mazda doesn't have the clearance of the Nissan (not that the Maxima had that much more clearance). Backed into a snow bank, which turned out to be an ice bank. Small paint scratch beneath the rear bumper. I also liked having manual transmission in the snow and ice. Really, the car handled fine in the snow.

3) 62 people are valued as much as 3.6 billion.

The wealthiest 62 people worth more than the poorest half of the world. I know the right screams of the dangers of socialism, but the widening wage gap, struggles of the middle class and the cost of health care worry me more than the dangers of socialism. I'm not advocating that the United States go welfare state in the European model, but I'll go on record that the system is broken. Costs have risen while wages have been stagnant, making the American dream difficult to achieve. Not impossible, but exceptional. And if you get to a safe place financially, you're one major injury or cancer diagnosis from having to declare bankruptcy. In the meantime, the profits and net value of the wealthiest individuals and corporations have skyrocketed comparatively. Middle class income has barely changed in the last two decades. It's a gamed system that is rigged to benefit the top of society and make it difficult for the everyone else.

4) Photo of the week, I still need to go to Iceland:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BA-RXa4AKPy/

5) While I hate that someone died, I'm hoping that the standoff at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon is coming to an end. I biked through Burns, Oregon when I went coast to coast in 2010. I had fond memories there. I stayed at a hotel to get out of the sun and ate at the Meat Hook. Ran into Charlie, who ended up rescuing a lost sock monkey a few days later. 

These guys who led the occupation are not patriots. They claim to love America but then disregard the laws and authority. Anyone else would be labeled threats or terrorists, but we let these guys persist because there are so many like them. Their interest is self serving and not community or national. They were never welcomed by the community they were holding siege. If change is what they wanted to invoke, what a pathetic effort they gave. In the end, nothing changed, they looked foolish and one person is unnecessarily dead.

6) Best Meme of the Week:

That said, tomorrow will be interesting and fun to watch as Iowa kicks of primary season. My prediction is that the Republican winner in Iowa, whoever it is, does not win the nomination. I think Clinton wins in Iowa with Sanders putting up a good fight.

7) So, we were not able to practice on Monday or Tuesday. That's after having to cancel practice Friday. We wrestled our last match against Tuscola on Wednesday. The match was supposed to be at Tuscola, but we moved it to Brevard. Brevard had matches against Tuscola and East Henderson left. We were able to get the win and finish and undefeated conference season. 7-0 and Conference Champions!

We carried that momentum into Saturday. We took 10 kids into the finals and had 7 champions. We also had two third place wrestlers, a fourth and a sixth. We were able to win the tournament, the first sweep of the conference and the tournament for us since 2001. We've won the tournament a few times but finished 2nd in the regular season. But I'm really proud of an great group of guys. They work hard, are good students and care for one another. 

We wrestle Tuesday in the first round of the Dual Team Playoffs. 

S7s: Jan 10

1) Exam week at North Henderson (and a lot of other schools). My kids seemed to have done well. I'm not at liberty to talk about the tests but I feel good about what we accomplished this semester and I hope that they were able to carry that over into their tests. I hope that they also know that they are not defined by the tests.

Big kudos to our testing coordinators, who organized, planned and prepared hundreds of tests, computers and separate setting placements each day. It was a pretty smooth week and that's because there was a lot of cooperation, planning and communication happening.

2) Republican debate last week, here are a few thoughts:

• I hope they know that they are not running against Barack Obama. You would think they were.
• Remember when Ben Carson was relevant? 
• On that note, who's Carly Fiorina?
• I feel as Trump has reached his high water mark.
• Drop the matter on Cruz's eligibility, Trump. How about you run on issues?
• Christie doesn't want you to forget that he's still there. 
• I can't believe that the American servicemen captured and then released by Iraq was even an issue. They were legally detained and then released. The candidates sounded like we should have started a war over it.
• Jeb Bush is the invisible candidate, but he still win the nomination.
• I think it will be either Rubio or Cruz. 

3) I should have mentioned it in last week's Sunday 7s: Ken Griffey, Jr. Congratulations on the Hall, Kid. Such an effortless swing, the backwards hat, great athlete and fun to watch. And then there was the smile. He looked like he was having fun. If not for injuries, his numbers may be even more staggering. And, as far as we know, he is free from all the doping allegations that followed the greats of that era. Someone said the fact that Junior was hurt proved he wasn't on performance enhancing drugs since drugs help you heal faster.

4) I officially said goodbye to Pompey on Friday. Signed the title over and handed the keys to my nephew, Benny. Real sentimental moment. I was very attached to that car. I hope Benny loves it half as much I loved it. Things worked out well: I got a little money for my car (3 times what the dealer was gonna give me), helped my nephew out and even got my roof rack sold!

John Hart drove me down to deliver the vehicle. We made a stop at the Beacon for some "A-plenty":

5) I must confess: I fell asleep during the 3rd quarter of the College Football Championship Game. It was a good game though. Kudos for Alabama for playing well and being gutsy with the onsides kick. Clemson has nothing to hang their heads about: they played excellent and Watson is a legit star! They'll be in the conversation next season for number 1. 

Here are the final rankings according to me: 1) Alabama 2) Clemson 3) Ohio State 4) TCU 5) Stanford 6) Oklahoma 7) Michigan St 

6) Huge week for the wrestling team. We won on Thursday against Smoky Mountain 74-4. On Saturday, we went 5-0 to win the Ram Duals at TC Roberson. Our record is now 23-4, 4-0 in the WNCAC. 23 wins sets a new school record for wins in a season. The old record was 22, set by the 2011-2012 team. This week is rivalry week: West Henderson on Tuesday, East Henderson on Friday.

I think what I like best about this photo is not that we won the Ram Duals, but how much fun it looks like the team is having and how much they like each other. I'm really blessed with a great group of kids.

7) The NFL is popular because they give us great entertainment. Up until Alabama-Clemson, most bowl games were lame. They were lopsided. Last week's first round games in the NFL were very exciting and this week's even better. You had Carolina take a 31-0 lead and barely hold on to win. Arizona won in improbable ways, Kansas City mismanaged the clock and Peyton holds off an injury ridden Steelers team. Great stuff.

Predictions for next week:

• Carolina is playing too well and getting great efforts by more than Newton. As good as Larry Fitzgerald was yesterday, he can't carry the Cardinals out of Charlotte with a victory. Carolina by 6
• I am pulling for Manning. But New England has been like his Kryptonite. And, when's the last time 2 number 1 seeds played in the Super Bowl. As much as I'd like to see Carolina-Denver, I have to pick New England by 3.

S7s: Dec 3- Ode to Pompey

1) Happy New Year! 2015 was indeed a great year for me. Lots of highlights and some trying times. Blessed with a great career, friends, church and community. I got to share in some really cool moments. Had a neat moments of reflection. I worked too hard sometimes and not hard enough during others. I'll post my photo review later, but in the meantime I am stoked at what 2016 has to offer this soul of mine.

2) I bit the bullet and did something that will surprise and shock a lot of people: I bought a new car. My old car, affectionately named Pompey, has been a rock for 15 years and over 230,000 miles. She still runs strong, but has some issues that older cars get. I was looking for a replacement and found a good deal on a 2012 Mazda 3. It leather heated seats, moonroof and gets 40 MPG on the highway. I will miss the stick shift (still on original clutch) and all the great adventures Pomp and I had. She drove to Alaska! She's been to Colorado twice, RAGBRAI and Nova Scotia. There have been countless trips to Atlanta and we've hauled bikes to almost all those places. 15 years is a long time together and I bought her new, so there is a lot of sentimental value. I'm hoping this new car is half the car that Pompey was.

3) There are "militia" members who took over a National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon. I biked through Harney County in 2015 and spent a night in Burns. A few gripes:

• The same people who call these guys heroes and militia would also call similar people standing up to "oppression" thugs, terrorists or traitors. Double standard 1.
• The same people who claim patriotism are the first to cry foul, tyranny and offense when they don't get there way. The ones say they stand behind the Constitution don't bother to follow the methods set by the Constitution to change laws, amend policy and effect change.
• These people are like Westboro Baptist: attention hungry, disillusioned and narrow minded. They don't want to understand or try to be part of a nation that is diverse and made of many people, needs, interests and beliefs. 
• Double standard 2: if others are offended or feel put off, they are told to suck it up and not be so damn easily offended. If they are offended or feel put off, it is acceptable to throw a tantrum and issue threats with lots of firearms.
• I do feel, in my limited knowledge, that maybe the jail time for the Hammonds might be excessive, we do have a legal process for appeals. You know, the Constitution. No where in the law of the land does it advocate taking matters into your own hands.

4) Instagram Top Nine: babies, bikes, outside! 

5) Quote of the Week: "Not the glittering weapon fights the fight, but rather the hero's heart."

6) Wrestling competed in the Holy Angels Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The tournament featured 66 teams and North finished 11th. We only entered 7 wrestlers. Josh Blatt beat the #1 4A wrestler in the state in overtime in the finals. Paul Searcy had three tough matches in a row to win at 145 lbs. We had three other placers in the tournament and three place in the JV Tournament. It was a great weekend, this team showed lots of heart.

7) The college bowl games have been lame. Too many blow outs. Clemson played well and Alabama looked angry. Could be a great National Title game. Hope it's not a blow out.

In the NFL lots of action this week:

• Chip Kelly out in Philly. Sort of a surprise. Thought he'd get one more year.
• Welcome back Peyton Manning.
• I hope the Dolphins find the right coach.
• Tom Coughlin: classy guy. I hope he enjoys retirement and doesn't return to coaching. 
• Is there a bigger mess than Cleveland? What a train wreck-- from personnel to coaching. But it all starts at the front office.
• Congratulations to Carolina. They looked great. 
• I want a Panthers-Broncos Superbowl.

Sunday 7s: Dec 27

1) Last Sevens of the year. New year starts on Friday. I'm not much of  a New Year's guy. This year, we leave early on Friday morning for a tournament in Charlotte, so New Year's will be low key-- much like it is every year for me.

2) Christmas was grande around here. It involved some driving, but saw lots of the family and especially excited to see the kiddos.

• Weird weather: I've been wearing shorts the last few days. And just a tee shirt. Highs in the 70s the last few days.
• We've also had lots of rain. Got a break today and yesterday, but last week was basically a lot of rain.
• Brother, Ang, made it in from Oregon on a last minute decision. We weren't expecting to have him around, so it was good for him to be able to make it home for us. I know he was happy to be around the family also.
• We rocked Scrabble and laughs late into the night. It was fun. I lost because I had nothing but vowels. 

3) I ran in the 2nd Reindeer Run, hosted by North alum Ryan Jones to benefit the Jones Family Scholarship. Last year, it rained. This year, it rained. But it was a good time. I ran 26:28. I had three wrestlers also run, but they all beat me. Great turnout by North Henderson faculty and alumni.

4) I still have yet to figure out what exactly Boxing Day is. Happy Kwanza and Festivus to everyone else though.

5) We got a group ride in on Tuesday. Thought we were going to get rained out, but the rain held off long enough for nine of us to hit the trails. The route we rode was Spencer Gap, Fletcher Creek, back to Spencer Branch and the bottom of Fletcher Creek again. Brian fell, being his first ride clipless, and dislocated his shoulder. He had to walk out. Shawn dressed up as Santa. That's no lie; photos below to prove it.

6) I miss being around my wrestling team. I am thankful for a time of mental rest and recovery. We are back at it on Tuesday. Congratulations to Brandon Johnson for being the WNCAC Defensive Player of the Year and, announced this week: Times News Defensive Player of the Year and Citizen Times All WNC Team. Jacob Garrett made the Times News team and was honorable mention for All WNC.

7) NFL is close to ending it's regular season. 

• Dolphins will once again be home for the playoffs and played inspired today.
• Why would you not give the ball to Tom Brady in OT, Bill?
• Panthers lost, which I argue is good. Too much pressure being undefeated and they are still in control of their destiny for homefield advantage.
• I think Arizona is really, really dangerous. Don't overlook them.
• I hope the story on Manning and PEDs is not true.

Sunday 7s: Dec 20

1) Got sick yesterday and went to bed early. Stomach bug. So I didn't blog. This week's Sunday 7s is posted on Monday.

2) I subscribe to both Time and Sports Illustrated. I enjoy the Person of the Year and Sportsman of the Year Issues. History was made last week when, on the cover of both magazines, was a woman. Angela Merkel and Serena Williams made it a sweep for the ladies. Merkel is only 4th woman to be named Person of the Year by Time and the first woman in 29 years.

3) I love David Wilcox. It appears there is a documentary based on his music coming out. Appropriately, it's titled Eye of the Hurricane, after one of his trademark songs. Here's more information: https://goodlookingfilms.com/eye-of-the-hurricane/

4) I was never going to vote for him, but I'm a bit saddened by Lindsay Graham's departure from the presidential race. Graham is out and Rick Santorum is still in? Amazing.

5) There was a GOP debate and a Democratic debate this past week. I watched neither. I had a match on Tuesday and I was just too tired on Saturday. I'll be more interested in the debates after the primaries are over.

6) 5 days until Christmas. Everything is here, just needs to be wrapped. I am really thankful for Amazon Prime. Looking forward to seeing the family. Thankful for a break. I am pretty tired and could use some mental rest.

7) Good week for Knights Wrestling. We went 6-1 this past week and our record is now 16-4 and 2-0 in the conference. Highlights:

• Tuesday we went to Boiling Springs. We were missing some starters due to sickness and a band and chorus concert. A little undermanned, we still beat Dutch Fork and Clover and fell to Boiling Springs. The Boilings Springs match would have been interesting if we had everyone. There was also a punch thrown, but not by my wrestler. Pretty intense.
• Wednesday we hosted Brevard, Hendersonville and Franklin and won all three pretty easily. Brevard and Franklin were conference matches. We're in a good spot right now, being 2-0 in the conference. Our next match is a big one: Pisgah!
• Today (Monday) we hosted my good friend Todd Odom and his Robbinsville Black Knights. We were able to take that match 48-23 behind some strong efforts by my core. It was a good win for us, I have so much respect for what they do over there in Graham county.
• Practice tomorrow morning and then we are off until next Tuesday. 

Sunday 7s: Dec 13

1) "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation" - Henry David Thoreau, Walden

I must have not been paying good attention in high school when we read Walden. I assigned an excerpt for my American History students and got to re-read some of it. Awesome. Unbelievable that it was written in 1815. Change a few words and it could be relevant today. Technology and conveniences have not necessarily made our lives easier or better. We become trapped by them. Thoreau escaped to Walden pond. I escaped to the Great Divide. Need a break from the distractions, but it's the things that are supposed to make us better that are the distractions.

2) Our local sports writer, Dean Hensley, writes an interesting op-ed on High School sports:
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20151212/PREPS/151219941/1151?Title=For-everyone-s-sake-changes-need-to-be-made

I was talking with one of our basketball coaches this week. We had a quad match that didn't get done until after 10:00. It was a late night for us, but not normal. A typical basketball game always gets done that late. 2 JV games and then 2 varsity games makes for a late night for the athletes and the coaches. All our coaches are teachers too, so sometimes their students suffer from a tired, overworked, underslept teacher.

Dean's proposal to play JV games in aux gyms might help in many places, but not North Henderson. The geniuses that designed our school made a second gym with no bleachers and little extra room. Playing a game with fans lining the wall would not be safe or enjoyable.

But I totally agree, basketball takes too long. We've gone an hour away, wrestled and been back before the end of boys games before. I feel for the coaches and the student-athletes.

3) Car update: new starter installed. $153 for the part. Thanks to Danny Williams for helping and to John Williams (no relation) for letting me use his truck for two weeks.

4) The US Forest Service is inventorying land in Western North Carolina for redesignation. It can range from become National Recreation Areas to Wilderness Areas. There's a lot to sort out because it is a government agency, but lots of outdoor, conservation and various interest groups are lobbying and commenting. Those groups range from conservation groups to organizations like the Sierra Club, Backcountry Horsemen of WNC and International Mountain Biking Association.

The thing that concerns some in the biking community is the potential to expand Wilderness Areas. Wilderness Areas like Shining Rock are closed to mountain bikes and are maintained differently from other areas of National Forests. The problem is that some of the best areas for riding are in the inventory, including North Mills River (Spencer Branch, Fletcher Creek, Middle Prong Trails), South Mills River, which has several great biking and camping areas (campfires prohibited in Wilderness Areas also), Laurel Mountain and Daniel Ridge. That's basically over 60% of the potential biking trails in Pisgah.

The latest proposals seem to have left the Wilderness designation off all of the above. Let's see how this all plays out. Here are some links:
Citizen-Times article
Singletracks blog
US Forest Service

5) Speaking of rides, took advantage of highs in the 60s to get out and enjoy Pisgah. Did the Cove Creek loop and added part of Daniel Ridge. Great ride, great weather and great friends. Brian Land got to ride with us. Noah took his new bike out on it's first ride. Shawn, Mr Reliable, was a part of the crew. It was a good time: 13 miles, 1,600 feet of elevation gained. Oskar Blues post-ride for Old Chub and Chub Burger.

6) Wrestling team had a full week of competition this week. Our issue is that sickness has been hitting us hard. We had a few kids out on Tuesday and then a few more out yesterday. One actually left during the tournament, he felt so bad. But here's what we did:

• Tuesday, we went 2-1. We beat Mitchell and Erwin and lost to Eastside 33-31. Tough loss to a very good team. It was brutally close match that went back and forth. Erwin, we were actually down 28-6 before getting 6 pins in a row. Final score, 42-31.
• Yesterday was a good day that started rough. We drew Jefferson City, GA and they have won 15 state titles in a row. They beat us pretty good: 59-16. We only won 3 matches. But the group rallied and won the next four matches to take third. I was really proud of the way they overcame adversity
• Team is 10-3 for the season, with two losses by a combined 6 points and another to a juggernaut team. This week we have a quad a Boiling Springs on Tuesday and then  host Franklin, Brevard and Hendersonville on Wednesday.

7) I'm going to have to find new topics for number 7 since college football is wrapping up. Army-Navy was the closest game in years, but the Midshipmen still have the advantage over the cadets from West Point. Congratulations to Derek Henry on winning the Heisman, though I think the Heisman is the most overrated award in athletics. And it doesn't go to the best player in the country, it goes to the best player on one of the best teams in the country. Based on what I know, I like McCaffrey. Keenan Reynolds and Trevone Boykins would have been my picks, but Reynolds plays for a service academy and TCU lost down the stretch so they would never win.

Sunday 7s: Nov 15

1) Paris. The City of Lights. The city of Voltaire, Rousseau and Hugo. A city I have never been to. I tried to go to France when I was living in London, but the line at the French Embassy for a visa was longer than I wanted to wait. Which is real unfortunate, because I love French culture and food and I did take two years of French with Madame Klein way back in high school.

What happened this weekend of course is unspeakable. I don't know the answers. I hurt because of the human tragedy and because that could have been any of us going out to eat, attending a concert or cheering at a sporting event. Here's what I do know:

• The threat from radical Islam is real. These people are serious.
• If we live in and by fear, the terrorists win.
• I feel bad for my Muslim friends, some of which are truly among the best people I've met.. In many ways, they have it difficult already in this nation and other western countries. This doesn't make it easier. 
• We need to answer what draws people to radical Islam. It's not just ideology. There is an entire group of people who feel alienated for one reason or another and seems to have found refuge in religion.
• As I type, France has begun airstrikes on ISIS targets. I wish them the best. I want to take down the bad guys. I worry about collateral damage. Do we perpetuate and raise more terrorism by simply raining bombs on helpless people? Today's children are tomorrow's ______________ [fill in the blank].
• I think we help determine what goes in that blank.
• Call me naive or dumb, but I do not believe ISIS can sustain itself. It's message and branding I believe will get tiresome to the masses. I just believe good will overcome. Humanity will win out. There will be a backlash and it will come internally. I just hope it comes sooner than later.
• I will go to Paris. Soon, I hope. I need to eat outside in a cafe, walk along the Seine, be humbled at Notre Dame, soak in the view from the Eiffel Tower and be introspective at the Louvre. Then there is Normandy, the Riviera, Corsica, and the Alps. And, I still need to see the Tour de France live. Yes, France, I'm coming for you.

2) I did not forget Beirut and Kenya. My heart hurts there too. I don't think there's a media conspiracy to ignore it as some people have alluded. I believe, as one of my friends shared, that we can relate with Paris. There's empathy there. We know Les Miserables, the French Revolution and Dijon Mustard. There's less of a connection with the Lebanon (though it is part of the biblical land of Canaan). Most Americans couldn't tell you Nairobi is a city in, much less the capital, of Kenya. Many more could tell you Paris is in France. For the great majority of Americans, Paris hurts because it feels like a small part of us hurts. The human tragedy of Lebanon and Kenya hurt us, but there's less of an emotional connection.

3) I spent the weekend at Pioneer Plunge on the Grace Watershed High School Man's Retreat. It's a weekend of bonding and spending time connecting with and depending on each other. There's no running water, electricity or heat. We slept in uninsulated cabins. I slept in a hammock. Temperatures got into the 20s. 

• Pioneer Plunge is on the property of Windy Gap, a ministry of Young Life. All the land was sold years ago to Young Life for $1 to use as a ministry to high school and college youth.
• The main cabin at Plunge burned down last year. Groups like ours are helping rebuild it. We learned to lay block, filled a retaining wall, hewed logs and chopped wood. It was great stuff.
• The theme was Brotherhood. What does a Christian brotherhood look like? We used the story of the friendship of David and Jonathan as an example. 
• I'm really thankful for the adult leaders that came and poured their hearts, talents and love into these young men. They set great examples for the boys and inspire me.
• Since we had no cellular service, I did not get any updates on the tragedies. What a shock to turn on my phone and try to decipher all the information.

 

 

 

 

 

4) I did get a ride in. Buck Tanner asked me today if I wanted to ride up Thrift Cove and down Black Mountain with him and his son. Tired from the retreat, I went to get away from the news. I love this route. Thrift was a long climb, but easy since we got to go at Rowan's pace. Black was dry for once and fun to hop down. They called it a day and I went on and finished with Sycamore Cove, a rooty and fun trail that has several small creek crossings towards the end. I'm glad I got a ride in. I needed it.

5) How cool is this: a wrestling match in a football stadium. Over 42,000 people in attendance.

6) Speaking of wrestling, Knights Wrestling had two big events last week:

• Wednesday was our Boot Camp. We took the kids out to John Rock in Pisgah and ran them up to the top, did some team building and drills and came down for lunch. Good time was had by all and no one fell. Some of my students have never been to Pisgah, so it was great to get to share that with them.
• Thursday was our intersquad scrimmage. Our Purple-Gold Scrimmage has become a fun tradition. I divide them into teams and they compete in a regular dual. It's the first real experience for some of our kids. We had a close, hard fought scrimmage. Purple won 31-21.

7) I watched zero football yesterday since I was at Pioneer Plunge. Based on that:

• Georgia Tech's 18 year Bowl Streak (3rd longest in the nation), will come to an end. So many mistakes on Thursday night.
• Top 7: 1) Clemson 2) Alabama 3) Oklahoma St 4) Ohio St 5) Notre Dame 6) Oklahoma 7) Iowa