A day late and a dollar short. It seems like that is how my writing schedule has gone this past week. With a conference presentation on my platter, and a freelance article for National Masters News on deadline, my normal publication schedule went askew. There is no better time than now to get back in the zone.
This episode of the Rhubarb Report looks at intelligence, testing, and the scholar athlete. Sit down, relax, and enjoy some fresh Rhubarb!
In my youth, I always warmed to the thought of the pen being mightier than the sword. I was a scrawny kid, so I had to use words many times to get myself out of trouble with the neighborhood bullies. There is no better way to discover the power of the right words at the right time.
I always found myself attracted to the words and speeches of the great orators. There was drama and vocal inflection, sure, but it was the words that fascinated me.
I was never much of a writer, and I probably have my share of English teachers to confirm that theory. Let’s just say that math and science were my bread and butter in school. I always loved to read (and still do), but putting my own thoughts into words proved a challenge.
Fortunately, I now see the world from the perspective of reader and writer. With that in mind, I decided that this year I would finally attend the Texas Book Festival. I thought it might prove to be a valuable experience. I wasn’t wrong.
I wish I could have been around when our founding fathers had the discussions regarding church and state, when they spoke of freedoms and rights and responsibilities. It sure would provide some necessary context and intent right now in our current political climate.
But until I have the opportunity to travel back through the space-time continuum, I just wish that religion and politics would go to separate neutral corners and stay there.
As Sergeant Joe Friday always used to say, “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts”. So let’s at least stick with the facts as a starting point.
We all know that freedom of speech and freedom of religion are laid out in the First Amendment of the US Constitution. But the problem exists when the facts get bent for political gain, or when religious intolerance disguises itself as freedom of speech.
I am sure that we really shouldn’t have expected much this season. Considering that the Longhorns have played 20 freshman over the course of the first few games, it appears that they are thinking about the long term plan. But the University of Texas got off to a fast start, and lulled everyone into a Top 25, errr, fringes-of-the-Top-10 ranking (depending on the poll you read).
That was the mistake. This team really shouldn’t be looking at a Top 25 ranking. What makes matters worse is that they would be forced to play two Top 10 teams in consecutive weeks. The truth would be revealed. Quickly. The Longhorns have been 7 – 0 the week after an OU loss. Until now.
The fall is upon us finally. Maybe. The temperatures are starting to drop from near-solar levels. We’ve actually experienced rain here in Austin, though initially it was thought that the sky was falling. Chicken Little would have been proud. With the transition to fall weather, It is clearly time for the craziness of college football.
In Episode 25 of the Rhubarb Report I will take a look at a few new developments in the Big 12 Conference and the intriguing conundrum that is the presence of religion in politics.
Reality – what a concept. If you were around in 1979, it was the name of a Robin Williams album. Good laughs, indeed. If you were at the State Fair this past weekend, it was what you embraced following the Longhorns’ 55 – 17 loss to Boomer Sooner. No laughs there.
It was, without doubt, a reality check.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have made light of the Texas A&M Aggies for their recent inability to play for more than two quarters. I may have to apologize – at least they got 2 quarters in. The University of Texas Longhorns mustered a sum total of one quarter of good play against Oklahoma this past weekend.
For one quarter, they were in the game. The defense had managed to shut down the OU rushing attack, and they did a lot of bending and not much breaking in the red zone. The score was 6 – 3. But then reality set in.
The words on the page were hard to comprehend. Steve Jobs – one of the great entrepreneurs and innovators of the modern era – died this week at the age of 56. Jobs had battled cancer for many years.
In a time when medical science has boosted the average life expectancy into the 70s, a death at age 56 just seems so incomprehensible. It is only harder to imagine when that person is an icon of your era, one of our inspirational leaders and cultural heroes. Aren’t those people supposed to live forever?
Many shared stories and musings about the man. Many common themes emerged. Although I have written many posts about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness over the years, the news served up a vivid reminder once again of how fragile our lives really are.
Fortunately, Jobs provided us not only with some great technical innovations, but some insightful thoughts of his life experiences as well.
Up to 60% of runners will sustain an injury within any given year. Poor running mechanics, in conjunction with poor, ineffective and outdated training methods, can pose a significant injury risk. "RunSmart" was written to address these issues in the running community.
"Running Injuries: Etiology And Recovery- Based Treatment" (co-author Bridget Clark, PT) appears in the third edition and fourth editions of "Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: A Team Approach" by Charles Giangarra, MD and Robert C. Manske, PT.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.
Top 5 finalist in three categories: "Best Overall Blog", "Best PT Blog" and "Best Advocacy Blog".
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