Chasing Dreams

There's a lot to be said for people who have held a strong and steady belief in others and their dreams. I'm so unbelievably blessed to count a large number of people who believe in me and have encouraged me to chase my dreams of working as an on-camera sports reporter. I have the incredible Laura Okmin and incomparable Celeste Gehring who have served as incredible mentors for me. I've been honored to have the support of Jay Adams, managing editor of AtlantaFalcons.com and all around badass, as well as LaMar Campbell, formerly of the Detroit Lions who currently has his own radio show "Life After the Game" and is a CNN contributor. I have incredible friends and family who have told me never to give up - and for all of you I'm so thankful. And then I have those who don't know me, like Amber Lee, who continues to include me in her BleacherReport.com countdowns. I'm honored to be #5 on her list of top 20 women who deserve a job in sports. Maybe...just maybe...I'll have some news to share soon....

Check out the Bleacher Report Countdown here.


Til next time...
S.

Meeting An Athlete...

I'm lucky, that's for sure. I've met a fair share of athletes and incredibly talented journalists as of late - and I've been able to learn about their stories and hear about their goals and learn more about what made them pursue a life in sports or sports journalism. There are amazing people like Charles Davis, who is an incredible talent and broadcaster and a personal mentor for me. I'm also lucky enough to say that the one and only Laura Okmin, has taken an active interest in me (and my career) and believes in me enough to continue to coach me on how to talk to athletes, how to learn their stories, and how to understand their love of sports and report it in a way that does them justice. There's also guys like my friend LaMar Campbell, who are working to achieve their own dreams outside of the gridiron who are pursuing their own dreams who inspire me.

Danielle & Carlos Boozer - Dukies Unite!

Then, there's the alternative, which is meeting an athlete in passing or with random circumstances,  like last night, when I was lucky enough to briefly meet Duke alum and Chicago Bulls power forward, Carlos Boozer. What a nice guy...seriously. I went to the Hawks v. Bulls game last night as a guest of my friend Danielle (who, as I've mentioned previously, is a die-hard Dukie). The Duke alumni club here in Atlanta had set up a meet-and-greet after the game, which she also kindly took me to. It was so interesting hearing him talk to these alumni about the campus, reminiscing about his time at Duke, on the team, and the campus. He talked about the team's future and made it clear he's a Dukie forever. I could see these alumni light up as he talked to them - such a special thing to witness. Now, of course, there was a drawing to win a Boozer jersey, and who wins? The non-Dukie, naturally. So looks like I'm getting a signed jersey...that's going straight to Danielle - it means far more to her. The point of this, though, is that it's always so great to see an athlete who has achieved great success be so willing to talk to those who helped propel him to that position. Fans and supporters are such a huge part of sports, and it's great to see that Boozer recognized that. He's one of the good ones, and it's always so great to see.

...Until next time.
S.

Well lookie here

This is my second time in Bleacher Report - very cool! I adore Amber Lee - she regularly features Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders in her columns and I feel honored to have made one of her countdowns for the second time! You can check it out here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1092382-winters-100-steamiest-sports-hottie-twit-pics/page/95

SEC Championship - A whole lotta love

UGA Fans at FanFest

I was lucky enough to spend time today covering the SEC Championship from the fans' perspective with my colleague, Ari Russell, who is the founder of BeyondUSports.com - another site to which I'm a regular contributor. We shot a ton of awesome video with UGA and LSU fans all over the World Congress Center and Georgia Dome, plus a really kick-ass tailgate. I really understood a lot more about SEC football today...at the end of the day, despite being fiercely loyal to their teams, these fans love everything about SEC traditions. That means being classy regardless of the outcome of the game. There were fans from various SEC schools at the tailgates, FanFest, and the game itself just supporting the glory and tradition that is so deeply valued in the SEC. 

The game started off with a bang. UGA came out swinging and held looked like they may just pull off the upset...until LSU decided to come alive. We all knew it was inevitable.

Intense LSU fan

Obviously, LSU won by a massive margin tonight, but I think UGA has a lot to be proud of. They came a long way after a shaky start to their season and proved many haters wrong (hey...haters gonna hate, anyway). So cheers to a great day, lots of fun and another fabulous college football season!

Check out the video coverage of all of the SEC Championship game events posted below or on BeyondUSports.com.

Suh's Bad Behavior

Andrew Weber/US Presswire

Part of me wants to make a snarky, "well it's because he went to Nebraska" comment, but I'll reserve bias because it really doesn't have anything to do with it (maybe).

Yesterday, as I was watching the Packers vs. Lions game, all I could see was a whole lot of nothing the first half, and then a whole lot of self destruction by way of penalties and bad decisions the second half for the Lions. This post, however, has nothing to do with the Lions late-season self destruction or thinning secondary due to injury. This is all about Ndamukong Suh.

Suh was ejected from the game after he pounded the head of Packers' offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith, followed by a giant stomp on him.

Hold up. 

I'm sorry, in what world is that okay behavior? Grow up, Suh. He said later about his behavior, "I want to apologize to my teammates, my coaches and true fans for allowing the refs to have an opportunity to take me out of this game." Right...okay. He continued, "What I did was remove myself from the situation the best way I felt, with me being held down." I'm sorry, is it just me or is this just a giant "I'm the victim" play by Suh? He has lost his mind if he thinks anyone thought this wasn't intentional. To me, the worst part of this is he genuinely feels like he didn't do anything wrong. I hate to say it, but all of America would have to disagree here.  As ESPN.com blogger Kevin Seifert said, "...if Suh didn't intend to do what he did Thursday, he needs to be examined for involuntary leg and arm movement." While I got a small laugh out of this, it's incredibly true. There's no room for any sort of doubt in this situation. Suh has established himself as a dirty player. Once you go there, there's no going back.

Let's do a reality check here, real quick. Obviously things happen. Football isn't exactly a delicate sport, but there really is no place for behavior or actions like Suh's. Period. End of story. This situation makes me disappointed for a number of reasons. I liked Suh (despite that whole he-went-to-Nebraska thing) and actually found him rather interesting and well-spoken. Above all else, though, he was a bad-ass player with so much talent he almost didn't know what to do with it. Impressive. He single-handedly changed the Detroit Lions' defense and their team as a whole. Now, he's changing it for different reasons. Suh has been fined many, many times - last year for hits on Jay Cutler and Jake Delhomme, this year for a nasty hit on Andy Dalton in the preseason.

Let's talk numbers, now. Suh has now received three personal foul penalties this season alone, making his total number seven since his rookie season last year. He's now tied (ironically) with his teammate, Cliff Avril for the most personal foul penalties in the league since last year. Suh can say backwards, forwards, upside-down and sideways that he was justified in what he did and that there was reason for it...fine, let him. He's wrong. Obviously Suh doesn't care about his public perception and has a total lack of respect for the rules of the game, his coaches, teammates, fellow players and the NFL as a whole. Unbelievable.

My opinion? Suspend him for the rest of the season. It's time for Roger Goodell to make a point, and Lions coach Jim Schwartz needs to step in and back him up. There is no room in this game for actions like Suh's. His talent is undeniable, his behavior is unacceptable. Let him learn his lesson.

Until next time...
S.

It's ALMOST Fantasy Football time

This, my friends, is the greatest time of the year.

Smell that? THAT is anticipation...for the pigskin, the gridiron, and for me to sit behind a computer screen and create the most epic fantasy football team you've ever seen. Last year, one of my best friends came up with the totally brilliant idea of an all girls fantasy league. Believe me, if you thought YOUR fantasy league was competitive, you haven't seen anything by comparison. This year, I finally got the e-mail I've been waiting for...the email from Alissa that yes, it is indeed time once again to be a part of the greatest fantasy league in existence. SO, in honor of this great activity, I'll be posting a Fantasy Football special blog update in the coming days. I know you're just as excited as I am. Bring it.

New Horizons, Finding a Mentor, and an Interview with Charles Davis

I hate to deviate from my normal format - write about sports stories, be opinionated, make you laugh, make a point, and call it a day....but I feel compelled to share my story from this past weekend. Have you ever felt like you were on the precipice of something truly amazing? I think I had a major breakthrough. For those people who know me well, they know that I've been in a lull. I hit a major plateau (as Charles would say - but we'll get there in due time). I couldn't pick myself up. I was frustrated, unable to truly chase the bigger dream. If you've been reading my blog (here, or from another site I write for, or you are my friend/family member forced into reading), then you know all I really want in life is to be a sports reporter and broadcaster. I want nothing more than to write, report, produce, and most of all, impact. Let's go back two and a half years.

I was working in retail while between jobs. I had just left CNN and had no idea what was next for me, other than total terror in the direction my life had taken. I was unsure of myself, who I was, and how to figure out what I needed to do to go where I wanted. I took a job in retail to pay the bills when Laura Okmin walked through the door. Don't know Laura? You should. She's one of the most accomplished and well respected reporters in the sports industry. She stands as an example of everything a strong woman working in the world of gridiron and testosterone should be. Of course I knew who she was - we talked Falcons and college ball, I sold her a pair of jeans and she left. Imagine my surprise when she came back into the store. We talked sports again, no doubt I began to irritate her, and she left. Finally, by the third time Laura came in, I shared with her that I was a pro cheerleader in the NFL. We talked a bit longer and said our goodbyes. That Sunday, she happened to be assigned to the sidelines right by me. Thus began a mentorship and friendship I would have never seen coming.

I had to tell this story to explain where I'm at. I stayed in touch with Laura. In early June, I reached a point where emotionally, mentally, and physically I had reached the bottom out point. Contacting Laura was like throwing out a proverbial life preserver. I sent it out with a hope and a prayer. A few days later I was on the phone with her, having a conversation I would have never expected. Laura had gone from someone I respected and admired to someone who wanted to mentor me. Talk about finding the light when you needed it most. Laura had seen my life preserver, grabbed it, and gave me floaties. In every sense of the word, she is my lifesaver.

I spent time with Laura, her best friend and executive producer at FOX Sports, Celeste, and a few other young women at various ages and points in their lives and careers over the weekend. I could have never anticipated the effect that this would have on me. Not only do I have a new lease on life, a completely and total renewed sense of self, and a fire lit inside of me that cannot be extinguished. I realize how cheesy that must all sound but it is so 100% true.

Without going into the nitty-gritty (and emotional) details, I feel so motivated, driven, and compelled to make sports reporting, writing, and broadcasting a career. I genuinely feel such a passion for this that it gives me butterflies. I love everything about it and I am excited to fight for success no matter what curveballs get thrown at me. I'll leave it at that, but I am so thankful and so very blessed to have people (like you!) reading my blog and supporting and cheering me on to achieve these dreams.

As a part of this adventure, I had the opportunity to spend time with Charles Davis and interview him on camera about his life in broadcasting, how he got to where he is, and his incredible barrier breaking achievements. Charles is the kind of guy you just relate to - if you don't feel connected to him then there is something wrong with you. He's personable and charismatic, and best of all, patient. I loved hearing about his path from college football standout at the University of Tennessee to broadcasting all-star. He has had his fair share of bumps in the road, struggles, and as he says, plateaus. He broke barriers as the first African-American PGA Tour Director, as well as the first to call a BCS National Championship game. Another challenge he overcame? Not having NFL experience...yet he is one of the top NFL analysts and broadcasters in the industry. How 'bout that, eh? When I sat down with him, I asked him about the surprising turns his career has taken and learned just how important his network really has been in his success. I took away a greater understanding of him as a person, an athlete, and a broadcaster. Impressive, to say the least.

I feel inspired. I can take on the world. I can do this. And I am so thankful for YOUR support as I do it. It's scary to chase a dream - as Celeste said yesterday, it is so much easier to rely on the easy times, but when you're really challenged is when you're in times of difficulty. Sometimes, you just have to leap, even without knowing where that net is. So off I go, jumping and praying for that net to appear, but deep down, I know it will. I'm so lucky to have amazing women in my life like Laura and Celeste who I know will fight tooth and nail to help see me succeed...what a rarity. They truly are more than just mentors - they're friends.

Off I go to pursue this dream with everything I have, and I've never been more ready.

Until next time...
S.

Overcoming.

I hear it all the time. My friend Kimberly actually said it today..."you don't want to live your life regretting not following your dreams." My dance coach always says that it is never too late to chase down the things that make you happy.

Ain't that the truth...

There are remarkable stories left and right about athletes who have given up everything to chase the dream of making it to the bigs, or perhaps even more inspiring, those who have lost everything and want to work back to it.

That brings me to a bigger point, what are we willing to risk, to give up, just to chase down a dream? For many, they sacrifice everything. Those who know me well can attest that I am hard headed and stubborn, and when it comes to pursuing something I'm passionate about...well you can't hold me back. Obnoxious?? Maybe, but I like to think it's one of my more redeeming qualities. At any rate, I feel inspired today to achieve my goals and to chase down my dreams til I can hold them in my hands.

I was just reading an update on Eric LeGrand's condition (which spurred all this, by the way). If you don't know, LeGrand was a stud defensive tackle for the Rutgers football team when tragedy struck. He went in for a major play last year against Army and was paralyzed from the shoulders down. Doctors initially told him that he'd never move again and would potentially be on a ventilator for the remainder of his life. Not only is he off a ventilator, he's slowly (but surely) regaining strength and beginning to have slow movement in his arms again. Pretty incredible. He said he'd walk again, and I'll be damned if he doesn't achieve it. Guys like Eric LeGrand inspire me to be better as a person, and continue to teach the age-old lesson of "never give up, always persevere."

What about Mike James? He may not be a household name, but the kid is a strong RB from the University of Miami. Last year, just a few days before Christmas, he lost his mother in a fatal car accident. Not only was this right before the holiday, but it was also mere days before UM was slated to play in the Sun Bowl. Adding onto an already emotional and tragic situation, the funeral was then planned for the day of the bowl game. Mike decided that he would play, in honor of his mother. I can't imagine what a difficult and emotional decision that had to have been. It's beautiful to me, though. His mother was his biggest fan. She was at every single UM game, cheering her little boy on as he ran into the end zone. She was his inspiration, and for that I think it was a beautifully touching thing that he played in that game. Despite a loss, he did what she would have wanted him to do. Pursue and chase his dream. Maybe it hits close to home for me, and maybe it holds extra weight because of the loss I've experienced with my own mother, but I remember hearing about James' story last year, and my heart breaking for him, and understanding every gut wrenching decision he made. That, my friends, is inspirational.

There are stories of tragedy to triumph and overcoming to achieve dreams everywhere you look -- Joannie Rochette competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics two days after her mom suddenly passed away to win a bronze, The Los Angeles Angels baseball team truly became one and went on to win the AL West in 2009 after their fallen teammate, Nick Adenhart, was killed in drunk driving accident; and of course, most famously, Michael Oher's rise from poverty to NFL star, by way of a loving adoptive family.

Regardless of the story, the bottom line stays the same: overcome and you shall succeed. I keep this in the back of my head, that even on the worst days, I can do this. Even if only one person finds value in my writing or sees my passion, then it's worth the exhaustive effort. Chasing dreams is something a lot of people are scared of...me included! If we can all take a cue from these athletes who have incredibly inspirational stories, then maybe we can all find our own level of success, no matter how big or small it may be.

Until next time...
S.

It's About Time...

I'm so thrilled to bring you my very own blog...it's long overdue, I know. Maybe you wandered here by way of my work on AtlantaFalcons.com, the wonderful PinkCleats blog, or I popped up in your Google search (or, more likely, you're a friend and/or family and I've forced you here...tough!).

Generally speaking, I'm a nitty-gritty type gal, I love to dig deep and bring out the real issues in the sports world. I'm blunt, bold, and always have an opinion (generally of the strong variety). This time around, though, I'm going to speak a little bit to what motivates and drives me.

Writing is something I've always loved. I remember as a child, my grandmother would give me a pen and paper to entertain myself...I have literally been writing from the moment I was capable. I just a kid when I fell in love with sports, watching John Elway carry the Denver Broncos to two SuperBowl victories and standing in the Stanley Cup parade when the Avalanche took home the ultimate title. Nuggets games sustained me during the football off-season and I lived for sitting in the "Rock Pile" at Coors Field watching the Rockies play, regardless of how terrible they were. There's something special about the Denver sports scene that pulls you in and never lets go (yes, I still root for my poor, ailing Colorado Buffaloes). It was growing up in the whirlwind of Denver sports that made me fall in love with everything that breathed a mention or hint of athleticism. I've now taken on additional sports loves (read: the Atlanta Falcons) and have found joy in learning about the subtlties of talking about sports...it's truly a universal language.

In the past few years, I've realized that combining two of my greatest loves - writing and sports - makes me supremely happy (I've also heard, and it may just be a rumor, that some people actually enjoy my writing, to that I say "thank you!"). I can only hope to turn this passion of sports writing and journalism into my career, and I'm glad to have you along for the ride.

Expect lots of entertaining conversation here on this blog, and I welcome comments, questions, concerns, criticism, blatant hatred of what I write...whatever, it's all free speech, right? I'm seriously blessed to have this outlet, and even luckier to have been able to come this far.

On another note, I obviously have the most amazing family in the world...my father deserves an epic pat on the back for hearing me talk about this crazy dream of being a sports journalist nonstop. The best part? He's nothing but completely supportive. Same goes for everyone else in my life. I don't know what I've done to deserve such an outpouring of incredible support, but I have it, and believe me, I am beyond thankful for it.

So, enough with the mushy stuff, let's get down to business. Stay tuned for more from me on an obnoxiously regular basis.

Cheers!
S