Rick Reilly Does it Again

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Life of Reilly
No ticket, no problem. Some lucky D-backs fans got a free pass.
by Rick Reilly

Kaylea Hunt
The Diamondbacks honored Eric Robles (second from left) with season tickets.

The following column appears in the April 20 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

Here's a scoop for you. The Diamondbacks are flagrantly violating MLB rules. They're a pro team, and yet they're giving out full-ride scholarships. Been doing it for two years now!

Not to their players. To their fans.

It's an idea D-backs CEO Derrick Hall came up with at one game when a season-ticket holder who'd lost everything, even her car, introduced herself. She told him a fan in her section had bought her two season tickets for the rest of the year, even picked her up every game and took her home. And Hall thought, "Why don't we do this for our fans?" So he asked fans to send in applications for scholarships. Soon, his e-mail in-box was swamped.

My 13-year-old nephew is a huge fan. He is a really good kid but gets bullied for his need of dental work and lack of "designer" clothes. Baseball is his outlet. No one can see him underneath that catcher mask. His family has always struggled, and recently his father got laid off. He'd love to go to a game. -- Michelle

Michelle's nephew, who preferred not to be named, didn't get a ticket to just a single game. He's going to all 81, along with his parents, brother and sister.

Arizona put 18 families on scholarship.

"He went crazy," says his dad, an unemployed electrician. "He kept yelling, 'Are you kidding me!?!' And he put the letter from the D-backs up on his wall. He's such a good kid."

Next question: Anybody know a big­hearted orthodontist?

I'm a single mom of two amazing little boys. For the past two years [we've] been struggling to pick up the pieces after my [husband and I split abruptly]. We lost our house, our car and had to sell mostly everything we owned. I do not make enough to make ends meet, and my ex-husband is behind in child support by $20,000. [Editor's note: Daniel Lombardi's wages are now being used to pay down that debt.] I would really love to take my boys to the games and give them some enjoyment. -- Tami Lombardi

Derrick Hall called to tell Ms. Lombardi that she was getting not only three season tickets but free parking, $400 in food vouchers and spots for her boys in a Diamondbacks players' clinic. Will that do?

"It was so awesome," she gushes. "We never miss a game on TV. Now we get to go!"

Even better: Her ex is a huge D-backs fan. Choke on it, dude.

All told, the D-backs put 18 families on scholarship -- 41 season tickets worth nearly $100,000 -- and every one of their stories would make your knees give. There was the daughter whose softball-playing mom broke her leg sliding into second, couldn't work and is now losing her house. There was Beth Godfrey, who was fighting leukemia. She won tickets but died soon afterward. Now those tickets are being donated in her name to charity.

One mom nominated her firefighter son, Breezy Morago, who broke his leg playing football, then rebroke it when a Jeep hit him while he was riding his bike, then burned it fighting a fire. Oh, and he lost everything when his own house burned. He gets a pair of tickets. Maybe he'll be safe at the ballpark.

My favorite, though, might be this one:

I couldn't raise my three children without my young brother. He drives my son to all of his baseball games, picks up my sick kids, takes them to movies, helps with homework, always lends a hand. What 20-year-old single guy does this and is still a full-time student and holds down two jobs? My brother Eric! Ever since he was little, he has had season tickets on his Christmas list. Year after year it goes unanswered. This year I ask you to consider my sweet brother Eric, the Greatest Uncle. -- Carol Stuart

Like nearly every winner, the Greatest Uncle, Eric Robles, didn't know what his sister had done. When he found out he won, "It was five minutes before it hit me: I have season tickets!" Robles says.

And in a what-should-I-Twitter-about-myself-now? world, why would a young guy be so selfless? "Well, I know what it's like when your parents divorce. It can be hard. Moving. Splitting up from their dad. I wanted to make sure nothing happened to the kids."

He spends most days three feet off the ground now. In fact, on the season schedule, he has circled in red the games he's going to.

A co-worker was looking at it and finally said, "Eric, every game is circled."

Exactly.

Hey, pro, don't want to be a role model? It's not your choice.

I took this from the web, but it should be required reading for every professional athlete prior to their first game!!!

by Rick Reilly

Courtesy Christopher Hamlet

Jake meets John Elway.

This is a story I want to tell ALL athletes who think that what they do, how they act, the little kindnesses they give or withhold from fans don't matter.

It'll take only a minute.

My wife, Cynthia, was adopted. At 36, she found half her biological family on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana. Turns out she had four half brothers, one named Lil Bob, who was as big as a tree.

Lil Bob, a bar owner, could pick a man up with one hand and throw him out the front door. He was gregarious and funny and always seemed to have his son, Jake, hanging onto one of his huge legs. Unfortunately, he was also a full-blown alcoholic. Many were the days that started and ended with a quart of Jack Daniel's, although you could never tell.

In size and in heart, Lil Bob was one of Montana's biggest Broncos fans. His hero was John Elway. He joked that he wanted to be buried in an Elway jersey, with pallbearers in Elway jerseys, and an Elway football in his huge hand. His one regret was dropping out of school in eighth grade, ending his football career. His one dream was to take Jake to a Broncos game. Sometimes on the reservation, the dreams come small.

Last March, Lil Bob's liver failed. One awful hospital day, Jake, now 13, walked up to the bed, took his dad's head in his hands, put his mouth to his forehead and told him he couldn't go yet. Told him he needed him to stay and take him to a Broncos game. Stay and watch him grow up and play for the Broncos.

Lil Bob's death, a few days later, seemed to send Jake into that shapeless, black sinkhole where boys go when their best friend is gone for reasons they can't understand. "I tried to talk to him, but he was closed to it," says Jake's mom, Lona Burns. "He started doing bad in school. Kids picked on him. Every day I fought him just to go. His grades dropped. He didn't even care about going to football practice, didn't want to play."

Thirteen-year-olds don't meet gods.

Worse yet, since the day Lil Bob died, Jake hadn't cried.

And then, this past October, one of Lil Bob's best friends — a restaurant owner named Christopher Hamlet — decided to make good on an unfulfilled dream: He bought two plane tickets, packed up Jake and flew to Denver. Jake was finally going to a Broncos game.

As locals, Cynthia and I took them to lunch at one of Elway's restaurants so Jake could see all the jerseys and photos. The kid was so excited he hardly ate. And that was before a certain Hall of Fame QB walked in, all keg-chested and pigeon-toed. Immediately, Jake turned into an ice sculpture.

We introduced them, and it took a few seconds before Jake could even stick out his hand. Apparently, 13-year-olds are not used to meeting gods.

Elway took the time to sign Jake's football and pose for a picture. He even made us all go outside, where the light was better. Then, as we said goodbye — Jake's feet floating a foot off the ground — Elway turned and said, out of nowhere, "Hey, why don't you guys come by the box today?"

And the next thing Jake knew, he was in John Elway's luxury box at the game, asking him any question he wanted, all with a grin that threatened to split his happy head in half.

Then Elway said, "Comin' to dinner?"

And suddenly Jake was having his lettuce wedge cut for him by the legend, who tousled the kid's cowlick. Like a dad might.

Halfway through the night, a guy came out of the bathroom and said, "Are you guys with that kid? Because he's in there talking to his mom on the phone, crying. Is he OK?"

Yes, Jake would be OK.

"Jake came back a changed boy," his mom says. He started climbing out of that hole. He started making A's again. Started loving football again. He told his mom, "When I make it to the NFL, I'm going to buy you a big house in Denver so you can come to my games."

And I ask myself: Why did Elway do all that? Maybe because his late father, Jack, was his best friend, too? Maybe because his own son, Jack, went away to college last fall? Or maybe because that's how he is. In my 26 years of knowing Elway, I've never seen him turn down an autograph request, a picture request, a "Can I just tell you something?" request.

A lot of athletes don't want the burden that comes with being a role model. But what I want to tell them is: You don't get to choose. You don't get to tell 13-year-old boys with holes in their hearts who can help them heal.

I know it's a hassle, but it matters. Because you never know when you might just lead a kid out to where the light is better.

Love the column, hate the column, got a better idea? Go here.
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Be sure to check out Rick's latest project "Go Fish."

A Football Game Gives Hope-

The best five minutes you can spend.

Are You a Good Leader?

A must read Businessweek article on what being a leader means:

The five fundamental principles of ethics:
Do No Harm,
Make Things Better,
Respect Others,
Be Fair , and
Be Loving."

I would probably reorder, but the principles are sound.

The Outline is this:

By Bruce Weinstein, PhD

1. WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GANDER IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE.

2. KNOW YOUR PRODUCT.

3. WINNING (AT ALL COSTS) IS FOR LOSERS.

4. TELL THE TRUTH.

5. PREVENT HARM.

6. DON'T EXPLOIT.

7. DON'T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN'T KEEP.…..

8. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MISTAKES.

9. PEOPLE, NOT PROFITS.

10. BE KIND, NOT KING.

Bruce Weinstein, Ph.D. is the corporate consultant and public speaker known as The Ethics Guy. He has appeared on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "Anderson Cooper 360," "American Morning," and many other national television shows. His column, "The Ethics Guy," appears every other week on businessweek.com/managing/.

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Rob Bell- Grace and Peace

Two great sermons to end his series on Philippians:

The first goes into great detail about the Divine Accountant understanding of God and how it really is the trinitarian relationship we need to have in all our relationships. VERY VERY POWERFUL

The second sermon goes through the entire series as only Rob can. Beautiful, poetic.
GRACE AND PEACE

Two Churches Battle it out..See the Signs! (Do All Dogs Go to Heaven?)

Two Churches Battle it out..See the Signs! (Do All Dogs Go to Heaven?) funny blog link

A Butler Well Served by This Election

Please read through this entire article. Real Life Real People to whom the election of Barack Obama means so much!!



My prayers are with Gene Allen today.

Articulate Reason to Believe in Obama

Brain McLaren has written a brilliant analysis of why he is voting for Barack Obama. I believe in the same narrative interpretation of why Obama is a better solution or America

Randy Pausch, Known for his "Last Lecture," Dies

I saw this on Friday, and I felt very sad. I am in the middle of finishing his book, and I can only say what a very insightful man he was. The world was better off for Professor Pausch being here!!!

The Final Injustice

Bush to leave a record budget deficit of $482 billion

Why I Support Barack Obama

I have been asked by a lot of people recently why I support Barack Obama, and I honestly struggled for a reason. The same way I struggled to explain why I believed in Bill Clinton. I read both their books and there were a lot of ideas in both. To many ideas to explain in two or three sentences.

I cam across this web site today that I will point people to going forward. This is why I believe and Support Barack Obama

Court Overturns Gay-Marriage Ban

I have to admit I am a big proponent of pictures telling a thousand words, so take a look at the sign and the couple. I can't imagine their overwhelming joy

Grace & Peace!

Microsoft Joins One Laptop per Child

Finally a reason to like Microsoft

Rob Bell Answers Critics

Please see above above for anyone wondering what Mars Hill is about. The whole sermon was 50 minutes long, but it is no longer available on line

Catch of the Day Bill Buckner Edition

Catch of the Day

Confessing is easier than forgiving
by John Fischer

Someone turned me on to some old news today, at least old to some. Apparently the Boston Red Sox began their home opener a few weeks ago by having Bill Buckner through out the first ball. Yes, that would be the same Bill Buckner who became the goat of the 1986 World Series that the Red Sox lost to the Mets. It usually takes a whole team to blow a lead, but because Buckner made the last error -- the one that allowed the winning run to come home for the Mets in the ninth inning of game 6 -- he got the brunt of it for the last 22 years.

I know enough about Bill Buckner to know that his life didn't grind to a halt after that. He settled in somewhere in Idaho with his family where he is a successful businessman who coaches his son's little league team and teaches Sunday school class in the local Baptist Church. When you've had a career as he has, you learn to take the low points along with the high ones. Life is like that. Every infielder that has ever played the game has had numerous balls roll under his glove and die in the outfield. It happens to the best of them, and Bill Buckner was one of the best. His career stats rival a number of Hall of Fame players, but Buckner will never see the Hall of Fame. And he's okay with that.

I know this because I have heard from someone who is a fellow Christian and goes to Buckner's church -- the same friend who passed on my article about him, "Thank You, Bill Buckner!" (http://www.fischtank.com/ft/articlesdetail.cfm?articleid=5) and collected an autographed baseball for me in return. He says that Buckner has made peace with his 22-season baseball career, and only hopes that the grilling he took from the media and the city of Boston hasn't discouraged some kid from trying for fear he might screw up. I understand that. Was that error the low point in his life? Not even close. That would be when his dad died when Billy was only 14.

So what was that 4-minute standing ovation the Boston fans gave him a few weeks ago all about? I really don't think it was for him. It was for them. With over 20 years and now two world championships between them to ease the pain of that lost Series, the city was ready to acknowledge how silly the whole thing had been. So what's the bottom line on all this? Confessing is easier than forgiving. Bill Buckner has been just fine for the last 22 years. Poor Boston is only now beginning to heal.

Forward this catch

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Copyright © 2008 by John Fischer

If you would like to comment on this "Catch of the Day" go to www.fischtank.com/ft/inthetank.cfm.

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Olivebranch Interfaith Peace Witness 03/07/08

Olivebranch Interfaith Peace Witness 03/07/08

Please watch

Giving the Poor a Means to Work

Giving the Poor a Means to Work

A great article and idea!

A Very Good Reminder for me


At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. "I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child."

Then he told the following story :

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning , Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

How ever, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second bas e, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run home! Run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

"That day", said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, " the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world".

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!


We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

Barack Obama Iowa Caucus Victory Speech

Barack Obama Iowa Caucus Victory Speech



GREAT SPEECH

HOPE is Alive!!

Additional video that tells the story of his life. Very Inspirational

A New Perspective on Leadership:How About Leading With Love?

A great summary article on an interesting concept that a business leader who is loving can be very successful. sounds good to me as I subscribe to the theory that love always wins.