#2016 celebrity softball

[dancedance-miserable]

Pete Wentz playing softball in uniform

07-10-16 MLB's All Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game 1 2

[blinkandyoumissit]

12 JUL 2016 | MLB • Fall Out Boy gives thoughts after participating in the Celebrity Softball Game and performing at All-Star Weekend in San Diego

[likeadevils]

2007 & 2008 Lover Diaries Transcripts

Apr 8, 2007- Nashville, TN -> Los Angeles, CA

I’m on the plane on the way to L.A. because we’re playing the opening day for the Dodgers tomorrow. Yeah. It’s Easter. I packed for LA and we (mom + I) went to the airport. At the gate, I got recognized by all these girls on a softball team, and this couple whose daughters love my cd … It happens everywhere I got now – at lunch it happened 5 times. So I signed the teams autographs and took pictures. Then they asked me to play a song (not thinking I’d say yes), so Emily, Grant, Ben, and I pulled out our instruments and played ‘Our Song’ and 'Teardrops On My Guitar’ right there in the airport terminal. Ha. It was fun. Now we’re just sitting here on the plane … Doing nothing. It’s exactly a week til the CMT Music Awards, and I am SO nervous.

Dec 30, 2007- Nashville, TN

I apologize for not writing in so long. A lot has happened... Let's see, Christmas. It was great... Austin and Andrea had their minds set on drying the turkey this year, so the day before Christmas eve, my friend and I went to WalMart to buy a turkey fryer. Apparently no one in the store knew where a turkey fryer would be located. So, one hour and 50 million "Will you sign this"'s later, we had a turkey fryer, which we found in the garden section. Of all paces. Frying the turkey was a cute idea. I give mom credit for being creative. They had their little rig set up in the back yard and the 70 barrels of oil... it was great. When it actually came to making edible food, that's where the whole thing fell apart. The turkey actually melted in the turkey fryer. It was disgusting. We had a vegetarian Christmas dinner. Present exchanging was cool. I painted my dad 2 paintings for his office, and mom cried like a baby when we played The Best Day DVD I made for her. I got an iphone from my parents, and I'm so obsessed with it, it's not even funny. It's my soulmate.

May 11, 2008- New York City, NY

Hey … This past week has been amazing and CRAZY! I’ve been in New York City doing all kinds of fashion stuff. I got invited to this event called ‘The Met Gala,’ which is THE party of the year, put on by Vogue. Each designer picks a celebrity to wear one of their new dresses from their new line, and I was picked/invited by Badgley Mischka, this AMAZING team of designers. I’ve loved their dresses for so long, and was SO excited when I got word that I was picked by them. The red carpet for the gala was held on the stone steps up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There was a tent over it, and paparazzi on each side of the stairs. When we got out, the paps started SCREAMING for me. It was crazy. We made our way up the red carpet, posing for everyone. All of the women looked so glamorous in their gowns. We got to the top of the stairs and waited in a long line to greet the hosts of the evening: Anna Wintour of Vogue, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Giorgio Armani. Along the sides of the long carpet we were on, models stood as decoration, standing still and wearing gorgeous gowns. Then we went into the cocktail area. I saw every celebrity ever created. Scarlett Johansson, Gisele, Tom Brady, Beyonce, Jon Bon Jovi (who called me over to talk to him), Victoria Beckham, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, EVERYONE.

(2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 & 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 & 2017)

[lalaloobzy]

Famous people that are Guardians fans:

Kid Cudi

Kid Cudi was born and raised and still living in Cleveland and he considers himself a superfan. Hosted a game at Progressive Field this past season. Has been seen wearing Guardians caps on many occasions including in the music video for "King Wizard". Pictured is Kid Cudi with Triston McKenzie, Xzavion Curry and Tanner Bibee; throwing a first pitch; and performing in a Guardians cap.

Stephanie Beatriz

Stephanie became a fan through her relationship with her husband Brad Hoss, who is from Ohio. Has supported and rooted for the team for years. Played for Cleveland at the 2019 celebrity allstar softball game. Pictured is Stephanie playing alongside baseball legend Kenny Lofton, and with her child at Progressive Field (picture quality is terrible on that one I'm sorry)

Vanessa Bayer

Vanessa grew up near Cleveland and has come back on occasion, including to throw the first pitch on father's day 2023. Pictured is Vanessa on that day, and her and her father meeting Tom Hamilton.

Drew Carey

Drew is a proud and loyal Clevelander and lifelong fan of all Cleveland sports. Has thrown several first pitches over the past three decades. Also played in the 2019 celebrity softball game. Had a sitcom called "The Drew Carey Show" which featured "Cleveland Rocks" as it's theme song (that song still plays at the end of every home game). Pictured is Drew and Mimi (a character on the show) fighting over a home run ball that she caught, Drew photobombing Mustard, and playing at the softball game.

Arsenio Hall

Arsenio (like almost everyone else on this list!) is from Cleveland and a longtime fan. Says many of his favorite childhood memories involved going to baseball games. Was featured in the documentary "Believeland" where he spoke about these memories. Pictured is Arsenio wearing a Guardians cap, and at the premiere of Believeland.

Michael Stanley

Michael lived his whole life in Cleveland and was one of the city's most beloved children. Wrote the song "My Town" which he performed at the unveiling of the new ballpark (then Jacobs Field - now Progressive Field). Spent a lot of time at that park and even bought a season ticket during the pandemic so his cardboard cutout could attend every game. Pictured is Michael performing at the Rock'n'Blast game 2007, and posing in the team dugout.

Travis Kelce

Travis is of course also from Cleveland and a big supporter of the team. Threw the (hilariously wild) first pitch at the 2023 home opener. I want to assume that his (also famous) brother Jason is a fan too but couldn't find any proof! Pictured is that aforementioned pitch, and Travis in the dugout with Terry Francona and Shane Bieber.

Tom Hanks

Tom was perhaps the only MAJOR celebrity to publicly root for us during the 2016 world series. Threw the first pitch at the 2022 home opener. Not from Cleveland but started his career here at Great Lakes Theater and attended many games during that time. Pictured is Tom with Larry Doby Jr., and in the recording booth with Rick Manning and Matt Underwood.

[brookston]

Holidays 6.13

Holidays

Beyond the Solar System Day

Dia de Exu (Brazil)

Flag Day (Palau)

International Albinism Awareness Day (UN)

International Axe Throwing Day

International Community Association Managers Day

Inventors’ Day (Hungary)

Jason Voorhees Day

Kitchen Klutzes of America Day

Loeys-Dietz Day of Giving

Miranda Day

National Albinism Awareness Day

National Chamoy Day

National Dance/Movement Therapy Advocacy Day

National Day of Abortion Storytelling Day

National Day of Productive Business Civility

National Doe B Day

National Elderflower Day

National Frances Day

National Jane Day

National Pigeon Day

National Productive Business Civility Day

National Random Acts of Light Day

National Weed Your Garden Day

Outdoor Marketing Day

Random Acts of Light Day

Roller Coaster Day

San Antonio Day (Ceuta, Spain)

Sewing Machine Day

Suleimaniah City Fallen and Martyrs Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Swiftie Day

Tench Day (French Republic)

Weed Your Garden Day

The Wicket World of Croquet Day

World Softball Day

Yawn-a-thon

Yeats Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Cupcake Lover’s Day

National Cucumber Day

Rosé Day [also 2nd Saturday]

2nd Tuesday in June

Broadcast Good Day [2nd Tuesday]

Call Your Doctor Day [2nd Tuesday]

National Forklift Safety Day [2nd Tuesday]

National Time Out Day [2nd Tuesday]

Waldchestag (Forest Day) [Tuesday after Whit Sunday]

World Pet Memorial Day [2nd Tuesday; also 2nd Sunday]

Independence Days

Princian Commonwealth (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Annie Sprinkle Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church (Christian; Saint) [Portugal]

Aquilina (Christian; Saint)

Buddha's Parinirvana (Bhutan)

Cetteus (Peregrinus; Christian; Saint)

Damhnade of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Day of the Living Children of Nut (Ancient Egypt)

Feast of Epona (Celtic; Pagan)

Felicula (Christian; Saint)

Festival of Jupiter Invictus (Jupiter the Unconquered)

G. K. Chesterton (Episcopal Church (USA))

Gerard of Clairvaux (Christian; Saint)

Gin Day (Pastafarian)

Gotthard Graubner (Artology)

Green Day (Pastafarian)

Ides of June (Ancient Rome)

Leon Chwistek (Artology)

Psalmodius (Christian; Saint)

Quinquatrus Minusculae (Old Roman Festival to Minerva)

Ragnebert (a.k.a. Rambert; Christian; Saint)

The Spaniel (Muppetism)

St. Theresa (Positivist; Saint)

Thomas Woodhouse (Christian; Blessed)

Triphyllius (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Premieres

The Apocalypse Watch, by Robert Ludlum (Novel; 1995)

Back to School (Film; 1986)

Backwoods Bunny (WB LT Cartoon; 1959)

BrainDead (TV Series; 2016)

Day of Infamy, by Walter Lord (History Book; 1957)

Faith and Courage, by Sinead O’Connor (Album; 2000)

Forever Your Girl, by Paula Abdul (Album; 1988)

Hercules (Animated Disney Film; 1997)

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Animated Film; 2014)

The Incredible Hulk (Film; 2008)

Jagged Little Pill, by Alan’s Morrisette (Album; 1995)

Kind Hearts and Coronets (Film; 1949)

Lolita (Film; 1962)

Make It With You, by Bread (Song; 1970)

Mona Lisa (Film; 1986)

Pat and Mike (Film; 1952)

Post, by Björk (Album; 1995)

The Prince and the Showgirl (Film; 1957)

Prozac Nation (Film; 2003)

Roadie (Film; 1980)

Texas Flood, by Stevie Ray Vaughan (Album; 1983)

22 Jump Street (Film; 2014)

…Very ‘Eavy …Very ‘Umble, by Uriah Heel (Album; 1970)

Vida La Vida, by Coldplay (Song; 2008)

The Washout Chronicle, by John Cheever (Novel; 1957)

Wholly Moses (Film; 1980)

The World is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman (Economics Book; 2005)

Yodeling Yokels (WB LT Cartoon; 1931)

You Only Live Twice (US Film; 1967) [James Bond #5]

Today’s Name Days

Antonius, Bernhard (Austria)

Antonija, Antun, Toni (Croatia)

Antonín (Czech Republic)

Cyrillus (Denmark)

Monika, Mooni, Moonika (Estonia)

Raila, Raili (Finland)

Antoine (France)

Anton, Antonius, Bernhard (Germany)

Trifilios (Greece)

Anett, Antal (Hungary)

Alice, Antonio (Italy)

Ainārs, Tautvaldis, Tobijs, Uva, Zigfrīds, Zigrids (Latvia)

Akvilina, Antanas, Kunotas, Skalvė (Lithuania)

Tanja, Tone, Tonje (Norway)

Antoni, Chociemir, Herman, Lucjan, Maria Magdalena, Tobiasz (Poland)

Achilina (România)

Anton (Slovakia)

Antonio (Spain)

Aina, Aino (Sweden)

Kalyna (Ukraine)

Ivey, Ivy, Lara, Larissa (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 164 of 2024; 201 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 24 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ding-Si), Day 26 (Red-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 24 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 24 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 14 Sol; Sevenday [14 of 30]

Julian: 31 May 2023

Moon: 20%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 24 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Theresa]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 85 of 92)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 23 of 32)

[lboogie1906]

Jasmine Tookes (born February 1, 1991) is a model and former Victoria’s Secret Angel.

She was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California. She has a younger sister. She did gymnastics for ten years and was active in volleyball and softball before she became a model at about the age of 15. Her mother is a celebrity fashion stylist. She was discovered at one of her mother’s showroom appointments.

Her first commercial ad campaigns were in 2010 for UGG Australia and Gap. She booked a Spring 2011 DKNY campaign and a layout in Vogue Italia.

She has appeared in editorials for Italian, American, French, German, and Spanish Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Numéro, W, and V. Her covers include Elle France February 2013, Vogue Espana, Harper’s BazaarVietnam, Maxim Magazine, and Elle USA.

She has walked the runways for Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo, Carolina Herrera, Moschino, Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Shiatzy Chen, Herve Leger, Ermanno Scervino, Giorgio Armani, Philipp Plein, Missoni, Jason Wu, Alberta Ferretti, Emilio Pucci, Balmain, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Giambattista Valli, Vera Wang, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, Yves Saint Laurent, Trussardi, Marchesa, Tory Burch, Dolce & Gabbana, Stella McCartney, Paco Rabanne, Helmut Lang, Louis Vuitton, DSquared2, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, Prada, Jill Stuart, rag+bone, Miu Miu and Versace.

She co-founded JOJA, an active-wear company.

She has appeared in advertising campaigns for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Jimmy Choo, Calvin Klein, Lancôme, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade, Gap, Ugg, and Victoria’s Secret. In 2015, she became a Victoria’s Secret Angel. She was selected to wear the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Fantasy Bra at the 2016 show, which was held in Paris, France, which made her the 3rd African American model to wear the bra. She made her debut at #17 on Forbes’ “The World’s Highest Paid Models” list in 2016.

She was ranked Most Beautiful Face in the World by TC Candler in 2022.

She married Juan David Borrero (2021). He is the director of international markets of Snap Inc. and the son of doctor Alfredo Borrero Vega, the former vice president of Ecuador. They have one child. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 11.24

Holidays

All Our Monkeys Are Uncles Day

Brownielocks Day

Brunette Pride Day

Carménère Day

Catherine (Katarzynki; Poland

Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Celebrating Mariachi Day

Christkindlesmarkt begins (Stoudt's; Adamstown, Pennsylvania)

D.B. Cooper Day

Discovery Day (Tasmania)

Evolution Day

Family Day (Palau)

Festival of Silence

Grace Darling Day

Guys and Dolls Day

International Carmenere Day

International Day of Action on Forest Biomass

International Day of the Bible [also 11.29]

Lachit Divas (Assam, India)

Martyrdom of Guru Tech Bahadur (India)

Medlar Day (French Republic)

Mothers of Civilization Day

National Border Collie Day

National Change Your Password Day (Netherlands)

National Email Unsubscribe Day

National Illustration Day (UK)

National Oliver Day

National Opt-Out Day

National Pride Day (Magnolia)

National 16-Inch Softball Day

Origin of the Species Day

Ragtime Day

Sasi Sura (Javanese New Year; Suriname)

Softball Day

Teachers’ Day (Turkey)

Use Even If Seal Is Broken Day

Vertical Marathon

Venus Day

World Walrus Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Fairy Bread Day (Australia)

National Sardines Day

St. Pumpkin's Day

World Day of Red Wine Day

4th & Last Friday in November

Black Hole Friday [Last Friday]

Friday after Thanksgiving (US) [4th Friday] (a.k.a. ... 

Black Friday

Bleak Friday (UK)

Buy Nothing Day

Buy Nothing (But Beer) Day

Family Day (Nevada)

Green Friday

Maize Day

National Day of Listening

National Farm to Pints Day

National Flossing Day

National Leftovers Day

National Turkey Sandwich Day

Native American Heritage Day

Plaid Friday

Planetary Buy Nothing Day

Plan Your Dagwood Sandwich Day

Random Acts of Kindness Friday

Robert E. Lee Day (Georgia)

Sinkie Day (celebrates eating over the sink)

You’re Welcome Day (a.k.a. You're Welcomegiving Day)

Fur-Free Friday [Last Friday]

International Systems Engineer Day [Last Friday]

National Day of Thanksgiving (Turks and Caicos) [Last Friday]

Stars in Our Schools Day (UK) [4th Friday]

Systems Engineer Day [Last Friday]

Thank a Property Manager Day [Last Friday]

Independence Days

Calsahara (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Natin (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Northumbria (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Albert of Louvaint (Christian; Saint)

Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Pierre Dumoulin-Borie, and companions (Christian; Vietnamese Martyrs)

Brumalia begins (Byzantine Feast of Dyonisus and New Wine Festival) [11.24 until Solstice]

Brumalia begins (Roman feast of Bacchus) [11.24 until Solstice]

Chrysogonus (Roman Catholic Church)

Colmán of Cloyne (Roman Catholic Church)

Day of Offerings to Sekhmet (Egyptian Warrior Goddess)

Eanflæd (Christian; Saint)

Firmina (Roman Catholic Church)

Flavian of Ricina (Roman Catholic Church)

Flora and Maria (Christian; Saint)

Guru Tech Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day (India)

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec (Artology)

Jehu Jones (Lutheran)

Joachim Ho (Christian; Saint)

John of the Cross (Christian; Saint)

Justus Falckner (Lutheran)

Kenan (a.k.a. Cianán; Christian; Saint)

Krisfaluchi Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lester McBird (Muppetism)

Marie Bashkirtseff (Artology)

Mary of Cordoba (Christian; Saint)

Mercurius (Eastern Church)

Pierre Dumoulin-Borie (Christian; Saint)

Protasius of Milan (Christian; Saint)

Romanus of Blaye (Christian; Saint)

Sigd (ends at Sundown) [Hebrew, Cheshvan 29]

Turgot (Positivist; Saint)

Undead Understanding Day (Pastafarian)

Vainamoinen’s Day (Pagan)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell (Novel; 1877)

The Colour of Magic, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1983) [Discworld #1]

Dancing Lady (Film; 1933) [1st Fred Astaire movie]

Encanto (Animated Disney Film; 2021)

Far From the Tree (Disney Cartoon; 2021)

Guys & Dolls (Broadway Musical; 1950)

Harum Scarum (Film; 1965) [Elvis Presley #19]

Hawkeye (TV Series; 2021)

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (Cartoon Short; 2011)

Love and Other Drugs (Film; 2010)

Morris, the Midget Moose (Disney Cartoon; 1950)

Mrs. Doubtfire (Film; 1993)

Murder on the Orient Express (Film; 1974)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (TV Series; 1988)

On the Origin of Species (Book; 1859)

The Pearl (Short Story; 1947)

Simon & Simon (TV Series; 1991)

Tangled (Animated Disney Film; 2010)

Tomorrow Will Be Better, by Betty Smith (Novel; 1948)

Toy Story 2 (Animated Pixar Film; 1999)

Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, by Johann Strauss (Polka; 1858)

Two Crows from Tacos (WB MM Cartoons; 1956)

Today’s Name Days

Albert, Chrysogonus, Flora (Austria)

Ekaterina, Katerina, Katina, Katya (Bulgaria)

Andrija, Krizogon, Krševan (Croatia)

Emílie (Czech Republic)

Chrysogonus (Denmark)

Ustav, Ustus (Estonia)

Lemmikki, Lempi, Sivi (Finland)

Flora (France)

Albert, Chrysogon, Clemens, Flora (Germany)

Emma (Hungary)

Cristo, Firminia, Flaviano, Flora, Prospero (Italy)

Velta, Viliberts, Viola (Latvia)

Gerardas, Mantvinas, Žybartė (Lithuania)

Gudrun, Guro (Norway)

Dobrosław, Emilia, Emma, Flora, Franciszek, Gerard, Gerarda, Gerhard, Jan, Mina, Pęcisław, Protazy (Poland)

Clement (Romania)

Emília (Slovakia)

Flora, María (Spain)

Gudrun, Rune (Sweden)

Katerina, Katherine (Ukraine)

Zachariah, Zachary, Zachery, Zackary, Zackery (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 328 of 2024; 37 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 47 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 25 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Gui-Hai), Day 12 (Bing-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 11 Kislev 5784

Islamic: 11 Jumada I 1445

J Cal: 28 Mir; Sevenday [28 of 30]

Julian: 11 November 2023

Moon: 92%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 20 Frederic (12th Month) [Turgot]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 62 of 89)

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 3 of 30)

[cyarsk52-20]

CELEBRITY NEWS

Mamba Mentality: Quotes To Live By As We Remember The Great Kobe Bryant

Written byEditor at Global Grind

Published onAugust 23, 2023

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.585.0_en.html#goog_157457834PauseMuteSTART CASTINGFullscreen

The Daily Grind Video

Source: Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty

Three years ago, we lost one of America’s most beloved basketball players, Kobe Bryant. His untimely passing shocked the world at the top of a very strange year in 2020. Even if you weren’t the biggest Laker fan or a fan of the sport, the news of his death affected everyone, because his legacy was remarkably impactful. Today, we honor and celebrate the legendary athlete on his birthday (Aug. 23).

One principle that is forever engrained in the hearts of fans and family of the late, great Kobe Bryant is his legendary “Mamba Mentality.” Mamba Mentality is about obsession. It means prioritizing your professional goals over having an average, balanced life. During Kobe’s 2016 Mamba Mentality Tour, which aimed to challenge and inspire the next generation of young athletes, he explained what the phrase meant to him, “To sum up what mamba mentality is, it means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself. That is what the mentality is. It’s a constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday.” Everyone should adopt a Mamba Mentality and today, we remain inspired by these Kobe Bryant quotes.

These quotes explore themes of hard work, resilience, leadership, failure and success. Post them up on your wall or mirror so that you continue to live a prosperous, healthy and victorious life the way Mamba would.

1. “Dedication sees dreams come true.”

2. “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.”

3. “Everything negative — pressure, challenges — is all an opportunity for me to rise.”

4. “The moment you give up is the moment you let someone else win”

5. “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great at whatever they want to do.” 

6. “I’ve played with IVs before, during and after games. I’ve played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don’t miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn’t that serious in the first place.”

7. “Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.”

8. “I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I’m like, ‘My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don’t have it. I just want to chill.’ We all have self-doubt. You don’t deny it, but you also don’t capitulate to it. You embrace it.”

9. “When we are saying this cannot be accomplished, this cannot be done, then we are short-changing ourselves. My brain, it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I have to sit there and face myself and tell myself, ‘You are a failure,�� I think that is almost worse than dying.”

10. “The last time I was intimidated was when I was 6 years old in karate class. I was an orange belt and the instructor ordered me to fight a black belt who was a couple years older and a lot bigger. I was scared s–less. I mean, I was terrified and he kicked my ass. But then I realized he didn’t kick my ass as bad as I thought he was going to and that there was nothing really to be afraid of. That was around the time I realized that intimidation didn’t really exist if you’re in the right frame of mind.”

11. “I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.”

12. “The important thing is that your teammates have to know you’re pulling for them and you really want them to be successful.”

13. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what the injury — unless it’s completely debilitating — I’m going to be the same player I’ve always been. I’ll figure it out. I’ll make some tweaks, some changes, but I’m still coming.”

14. “When you make a choice and say, ‘Come hell or high water, I am going to be this,’ then you should not be surprised when you are that. It should not be something that is intoxicating or out of character because you have seen this moment for so long that … when that moment comes, of course it is here because it has been here the whole time, because it has been [in your mind] the whole time.”

15. “I realized that intimidation didn’t really exist if you’re in the right frame of mind.”

16. “I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.”

17. “I’m extremely willful to win, and I respond to challenges. It’s not a challenge to me to win the scoring title, because I know I can.”

18. “A lot of leaders fail because they don’t have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord.”

19. “Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue you will change.”

20. “If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail.”

21. “Use your success, wealth and influence to put them in the best position to realize their own dreams and find their true purpose.

22. “I create my own path. It was straight and narrow. I looked at it this way: you were either in my way, or out of it.”

23. “Haters are a good problem to have. Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones.”

24. “It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly.”

Safe to say, everyone remembers Kobe Bryant as a loving father and husband, dedicated player and teammate and a kind human being off the court. Kobe will always be remembered for his tenacity to make himself and the people around him the greatest of all time. We miss you, Kobe!

Sent from my iPhone

[boricuacherry-blog]

How did Michael Jackson get away with it for so long? The 'Wacko Jacko' persona was a deliberate ruse to cover a much darker truth, says Jacques Peretti as he examines his own complicity in letting the pop star off the hook.

If you keep wondering what to think of Michael Jackson's complicated legacy - is it OK to play Billie Jean at a party? Do you have to switch radio stations if Smooth Criminal comes on? - imagine how Jacques Peretti feels. He has made three films about the pop icon in the past 15 years and in this, his fourth, he aimed to build the fullest picture yet. But how many of us are brave enough to confront that picture?

The Real Michael Jackson (BBC Two) comes just over a year after the broadcast of HBO/Channel 4's Leaving Neverland, a gruelling, four-hour documentary built around the detailed accounts of two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who say they were sexually abused by Jackson as children.

The Real Michael Jackson has much more in common with Louis Theroux's 2016 Savile film, in which the newly somber documentarian confronted his own journalistic failures and berated himself for not doing more to tackle a high-profile abuser who got away with it for so long. Didn't Jackson also "hide in plain sight"?

Peretti makes a compelling case that the pop star deliberately cultivated that 'Wacko Jacko' persona of the late 80s - Bubbles the chimp, the oxygen chamber, the Elephant Man bones - to provide cover for a truth that was much darker.

Savile's crimes were not on the same global scale. Peretti details the "Jackson machine", that small army of private investigators, expensive lawyers and fixers, which swung into gear during his trials, or whenever his reputation was threatened. It is an MO reminiscent of Harvey Weinstein or Jeffrey Epstein. Yet none of these other men had anything like Jackson's huge international fanbase, which, until uncomfortably recently, included Peretti himself.

"Is he a pedophile? That's the question that should be asked," Peretti says ruefully as he (and we) rewatch footage of a younger Peretti interviewing Jackson's longtime manager Bob Jones (who testified against Jackson in 2005) for one of his earlier films. "And I don't ask the question. That is a failure...that is a regret of mine."

In fairness, he is far from the only Jackson-adjacent journalist with regrets for not doing more to quiz Jackson on the rumors.

Jackson's habit of occasionally emerging from his post-Thriller seclusion to attend an awards ceremony arm-in-arm with a 12-year-old, or grant exclusive access to an interview, means there is a wealth of footage to scrutinize. Diane Sawyer in 1995 and Martin Bashir in 2003 made the most headlines - even asking him about the allegations - yet it's the softballs, including Oprah Winfrey's live 1993 interview at the Neverland ranch, which are retrospectively more creepy (although, to be fair, she did at least ask him about his sexuality). In the clip, Oprah approvingly notes one of several bedrooms on the property made up for young guests: "You have to be a person who really cares about children to build that into your architecture," she says.

Could anyone watch all this, especially after Leaving Neverland, and not have profound doubts about the professed innocence of Jackson's interest in young boys? Apparently so. J Randy Taraborrelli, the celebrity biographer and Jackson's loyal friend since childhood, continues to believe in Jackson's innocence and there were a couple occasions in his interview where you might wish he had been pushed harder. Ultimately though, the non-confrontational strategy paid off in an exchange that is enormously revealing about the nature of denial.

Peretti may not always ask the right question, but he has certainly been asking them of the right people. And now, at long last, the time is also right for genuine reflection. There are astute insights here from a variety of tabloid journalists as well as Jackson's fellow survivor of 70s child stardom Donny Osmond, and Matthew Knowles, talent manager and Beyoncé's dad. These guys weren't just there, in the distorting eye of the celebrity storm, they are all too aware of the types of games celebrities played to negotiate media scrutiny.

Is it possible to continue to continue to admire, even enjoy, Jackson in light of all that we now know? A lot of people remain very invested, both emotionally and financially, in believing that the answer to this question is yes.

[jessiejamesdeckers]

26th Annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game at First Tennessee Park - June 7, 2016

[puppetsoftomorrow]

okay so imagine: the trapped in the tv ep but with only british tv shows - if ur not british i'm sorry!! hopefully this will still be funny for you lol

No one was fazed as the classical music rang out overhead, and Nate and Mick waited patiently for it to finish. The pair were stood next to a low table, set on lush green grass and under a backdrop of a clear blue sky and a large country house, with people milling around and chatting, just quietly enough not to be heard over the music.

The logo flashed faintly in the sky, and Nate coughed, adjusting his glasses slightly.

"Well, here we have a lovely piece - a mantle clock, looks to be 17th Century, possibly Russian," He started, tipping the clock back slightly to get a better look at it. "Can you tell me a little more about how you came to have it?"

"It stole it." Mick shrugged. "It looked expensive."

"And you'd be correct." Nate said, waggling his finger to emphasize his point. "Made by an early pioneer of this type of time-keeping, Rip Hunter, the craftsmanship is just - exquisite, and there's not even - oh, there's a small dent here."

"Probably from when I hit Rasputin over the head with it." Mick said, and Nate nodded sagely.

"Well, even with that, it's extremely valuable - you don't see many of these pieces, I'm very honoured to be evaluating it. What do you think it's worth?"

"From the age and quality, I'd want a couple million." Mick grunted.

"And what would you use the money for?" Nate asked, and Mick shrugged again.

"Put Lita through college. Some for the Legends, buy more condiments."

"That sounds fantastic. Well -" Nate started, then paused for an unnaturally long time. Everyone held their breath. "I think, at auction, it could fetch up to £3 million."

Behind them, the Legends cheered, Ava punching the air. Mick nodded, then picked up the clock in his gloved hand wand walked off, swinging it as he did so.

///

The music faded out, and Sara shut the book she was reading, smiling widely. The nursery she was in was quiet, the children having not yet arrived for the day. "I didn't see you there! I'm Sara - what's your name?" She said, voice bright and bubbly.

There was silence for a few seconds, and Sara nodded, despite no one replying.

"Ah, of course. I'm so glad you're here - I need your help." She stood up, eyes wide. "There's a giant octopus named Tagumo terrorizing the village - and we need a special treat for the bake sale! But who should we ask for help?" She scratched her head in an exaggerated thinking motion, then stood up and walked backwards to the large, colourful map that hung on the nursery wall.

"We could ask - Ava the Bureaucrat?" She asked, pointing at a point on the map.

Ava popped up on screen, dressed in her suit and surrounded by stacks and stacks of papers, threatening to topple at any moment. She gave an exaggerated shrug.

"No, she's too busy. Maybe Nate the Historian?" Sara said in a sing-song voice.

At the top of a pink castle, a hand was waving.

"No, he's stuck at the top of his castle. Maybe Zari, the Cat Chat celebrity?"

Zari was on her phone but started to wave as the camera zoomed in on her.

"Yes, that's it! We'll ask Zari, the Cat Chat celebrity!" Sara said, smiling widely. "Come on, let's go to Zari's house!"

Sara walked through the quiet streets of Waverider, avoiding the large chunks of stone that were being thrown her way by an angry octopus. It was a sleepy seaside town, with brightly coloured buildings and extremely predictable weather, and she loved it. She stopped in front of the yellow house and knocked on the door.

"No! It's mine!" "It's mine!" came the muffled voices from inside.

"Oh no! I think Zari's having an argument with her brother Behrad." Sara said, eyes wide. "Let’s see if we can help."

She opened the door, where Zari and Behrad were having a tug of war with a small bracelet. Sara stood, hands on hips, with an exaggerated frown.

"Z! B! What's this?"

"It's my turn with the totem!" Behrad whined, and Zari stomped her foot.

"No, dummy, it's mine! You used it to beat Genghis Khan last week!"

"Did you two forget our last lesson, when we learnt about sharing?" Sara said, and the two broke apart, looking distinctly guilty.

“No, Miss Lance.” They said in unison.

“Good.” Sara said, smiling brightly. “How about – Zari, you use the family heirloom to capture the giant octopus, whilst Behrad and I make a treat for the bake sale!”

The pair brightened up. “Sounds great! We can make a Behrad brownie!” Behrad said brightly, moving towards the kitchen, when Sara put out her arm to stop him.

“Uh oh, did you forget something?”

Behrad struck his palm on his forehead with an exaggerated sigh.

“Whoops! Here you go, sis.” He said, passing the totem over. “I’m sorry I wasn’t sharing nicely.”

Zari shrugged, slipping the bracelet on. “I’m sorry too.” She said, and the pair hugged. When they broke apart, Zari blinked.

“Wait -”

///

The tannoy overhead started to play classical music, overlaid with the booming voice of an announcer. "DC's University Challenge! With your host - Raymond Palmer!"

The lights went up on the studio and Ray sat at a desk, smiling widely at the audience, shuffling his cards.

"Good evening and welcome to DC's University Challenge!” He said, barely being heard over the sounds of the audience clapping politely. He waited until they’d started to quiet down before beginning again. “Our first team tonight is the Time Bureau, a secret government organisation that has produced several bureaucrats, a multi-million-dollar magical creature theme park and around a dozen clones. The organisation has just under 1,000 employees and ranks number two in the inter-governmental department softball league. Their team tonight includes -"

"Hey! I'm Mona Wu, and I'm reading creature care and getting in touch with my wild side!" Mona said, waving and smiling brightly.

Gary coughed. "Uh - Hello - I'm Gary Green, and I'm studying as an apprentice of the dark arts under John Constantine."

"I'm Nate Heywood, and I'm doing a second PhD deductive historical reasoning and turning into steel." Nate said, giving the camera a mock salute.

"And finally, their Captain -"

"I'm Ava Sharpe, from 2213, and I'm reading how to move on from clone based psychological trauma." Ava said, nodding with a tight-lipped smile. She looked at her team – they looked good, all dressed in the Bureau suits. She hoped it would be enough to beat their opponents.

After the clapping ended, Ray gestured to the other side of the studio. "Our second team tonight are the Legends, founded in 2016 by Rip Hunter. Although seen as the underdogs, they won a comfortable victory against the Legion of Doom in the first round, answering questions on the French Revolution, punk rock and African oral history. With a combined age that's impossible to calculate, lets meet the team."

"Hey, I'm Behrad Tarazi, and I'm studying the air totem - but if my parents are watching, I'm studying .... business." Behrad said awkwardly, fiddling with the bracelet around his wrist.

"Hi, I'm Charlie, I'm from before the concept of time, and I'm reading loom weaving - and also shape-shifting." Charlie said, waving to the audience and adjusting the Beebo mascot they had placed behind their team name.

"I'm Mick." Mick grunted. There were a few seconds of silence before Ray spoke again.

"And their Captain -"

"Hey, I'm Sara Lance from Star City. I did two tours with the League of Assassins and now I'm reading kicking ass across the time stream." Sara said, pointing her finger guns towards Ava and winking, which caused the opposing captain to blush.

Ray set the cards down. "Right, well, we all know the rules, so I'll just get started. Your starter for 10 is - in the novels of Rebecca Silver, how many breasts does the alien queen Garima have?"

Mick was on the buzzer, but Mona was quicker. "Three!" She answered excitedly.

"I'm sorry, in the most recent novel, Death of a Rogue, she is revealed to have a secret fourth breast. Another starter for ten - the 1995 film Swamp Thaaang, written and directed by Greg Berlanti, was based on the memiors of what creature?"

John slapped the buzzer decisively. “Swamp Thing.”

Ray nodded and the crowd went wild. “Correct. Your questions will be on marine life. How many penis’ does a shark have?”

The team formed a little huddle, and Behrad shrugged.

“Anyone got any -” Sara started, but John cut in.

"Two." John said.

“Are you sure?” Sara asked, and John nodded, wincing slightly.

///

“Welcome back to – Top of the Pops!”

The lights came up on the little podium where Astra was standing, holding the slim microphone between her fingers, and she smiled widely.

"So, your top five this week is Doctor Mid-Nite with ‘Year 3000’ at number 5, Ava and the Clones with ‘The One and Only’ at number 4, Rip Hunter and Wally West with ‘Careless Whisper,’ entering the charts at number 3, and that was the JSA, staying strong at number 2 with ‘Kids in America.’ But, coming in hot at number 1, with their new hit ‘American Idiot’, it's the Legends of Tomorrow!"

Astra swept her hand towards the stage, where the lights came up to rapturous cheers from the audience.

"We are the Legends of Tomorrow - and we're here to change your destiny!" Charlie shouted into the mic, just as Mick started up on drums. Nate’s hands hovered over his bass guitar, looking over to Sara, who winked at him as the chords of her electric guitar rang out over the cheering audience.

///

(shows featured are - antiques roadshow, balamory, university challenge and top of the pops)

not featured: ava's very short episode of 'who do you think you are', the legends very chaotic stint on strictly come dancing and a master chef ep where the only food they make is mush variants

okay should i keep going!! should i post this on ao3? i wasn’t gonna but if ppl want me to i can :) thanks for reading!!

[blinkandyoumissit]

11 JUL 2016 | MLB • Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz had the perfect level of expectations for the Celebrity Softball Game

[ source | video download ]

[dippedanddripped]

It’s rare that it reaches 100 degrees in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon.

Even rarer still is the presence of an all-gold Dodge Challenger, its reflection giving the appearance of a bejeweled shooting star pulling into the parking lot.

This one also has a vanity license plate – “Sammyy” – that enhances the car’s extraterrestrial appearance.

The Challenger’s occupant exits and joins me at a table. As she takes a seat across from me, a group of 20-somethings not too far away becomes intrigued.

More stares start to accrue from the outdoor mall goers. Next up is a young couple pushing a stroller, followed by the employees at the coffee shop I had just exited.

A minute ago, neither myself nor the table I was at seemed to warrant much, if any, attention.

You can get the sense that “somebody” just entered the premises, even if they’re not quite sure who that somebody is.

I can tell that the attention phases me more than my recently-arrived guest. Despite the now fishbowl-like dynamic between the two of us and the mall-goers, she seems to barely notice.

Then again, when you have more than 2.5 million followers on instagram and nearly half a million more on Tik Tok, being recognized by random passerby doesn’t come as a surprise like it would for most.

Rockstar? No, influencer

I distinctly remember the plethora of classmates I graduated high school with who promised to one day grow up and become “rockstars.”

Unsurprisingly, I haven’t heard from any of those classmates since. What is surprising is how anachronistic the notion of being a “rockstar” has become.

The reality is that “rockstar” should probably be replaced with a new term – ”influencer.” Sure, it’s not quite as catchy, but it’s far more accurate when describing the world’s latest (and perhaps most enviable) celebrity class.

These days, very real rock stars have nothing on the modern day Influencer.

Influencing by the numbers

What little data on the subject tells us is that, in 2016, social media influencing was just under a $2 billion industry ($1.7B, for those with a penchant for exactness).

This figure grew to $3B in 2017, and $4.6B in 2018.

In 2020, estimates tell us that the sector is likely to surpass the $10B mark.

While that may not seem like a lot of money, think of it this way – in a little under 4 years, the size of the influencing industry grew 500%.

Should the industry continue on its current growth trajectory, it will become a $50B industry by 2024.

To put this in perspective, Goldman Sachs estimates that the total value of all recorded music streaming will grow to about $30B by 2030. That means that it will take some years for music to reach just half of what influencing brings in annually.

By some metrics, influencers have become more relevant as celebrities than their musical counterparts. It’s happened quickly; adults who use social media religiously often can’t see it.

But real professional influencers are out there. As a crowd begins forming near our table, I begin to witness firsthand what these ridiculous financial statistics truly mean.

Who is Sammyy02k?

Since 2014, Samantha Krieger has gone by a number of different names. These days, she’s known as Sammyy02k.

Despite her reluctance to do in-person interviews, she’s agreed to be the subject of an Artvoice feature on the rise of social media influence.

And while Krieger can exercise her massive reach with just a few taps of a smartphone, a lot of misinformation about her continues to circulate.

As part of her agreement to the interview, I offer to help clarify the basics about just who exactly she is.

Samantha Krieger, AKA Sammyy02k

Samantha Krieger was born in Portland, Oregon. For some years, she was no different than you or me, working tedious retail jobs and driving a non-gold car.

At Lakeridge high school, she was dealt with taunts from wealthy classmates. It’s likely these experiences would activate whatever latent stardom was already within her.

After graduating from Portland State University in 2014, Krieger had a vision.

She suspected, correctly, that it doesn’t take much to at least get started as an influencer.

You need photos and/or video, sure… but given the prevalence of acceptable cameras on the backs of phones, finding a suitable recording setup was simple.

The second ingredient Krieger inferred was something less tangible – the courage required to be exceptional.

Despite her natural shyness, she had ambitions that extended beyond what she thought her bachelors degree would help achieve. Then, one day, it clicked.

“You could say I decided to become an ‘antisocial social media star.’”

“I did what I wanted to do, and I knew there was going to be a way to make it work for me.”

From 0 to 60 (thousand followers)

Like any new profile, at one point, @Sammyy02k had 0 followers.

Constant content and connection with followers helped drive things quickly, however.

A few hundred followers within a month turned into one thousand, and one thousand turned into tens of thousands in less than a year.

While impressive to most, Krieger knew there was more to be gained.

“Once I hit 50 or 60 thousand, things started to snowball. I hit the gas.”

@Sammyy02k posted more content, becoming more aware of her developing voice with every post.

At 500k followers, the contracts rolled in.

Brand building, Sammyy02k style

Krieger’s first contract of note was in Spring 2018, a lucrative deal with clothing brand Fashion Nova.

Now, instead of developing a brand on her own money and time, Krieger had companies competing against one another for the privilege of paying her to do what she loved.

The Fashion Nova contract was quickly followed by others, and within just a matter of months, Krieger’s lifestyle had changed dramatically.

She quit her last remaining part-time gig and moved into a luxury 2-bedroom apartment in Portland’s famed Pearl District.

With newfound status, however, came the need for significant soul searching.

Overcoming obstacles, digital and personal

Not too long after inking the Fashion Nova deal, Sammyy02k was offered to do a paid appearance at a party in downtown Portland. While there, she got a call from the police.

A gray Dodge Charger registered in her name had crashed into a median in China Town. The driver had fled, and the car was totaled.

Krieger immediately had a suspect in mind: a reckless boyfriend who had started taking advantage of her recently-acquired celebrity status.

Boyfriends weren’t the only concerns that Krieger had to deal with – even some of her own friends had started to become jealous, the relationships turning toxic.

To her friends, Krieger was still known as just “Sam”. People in her circle had difficulty comprehending the controlled entrepreneurism required to run @Sammyy02k.

They’d ask for shoutouts or suggest off-brand posts, not understanding that the Instagram profile required attention to detail and discipline.

Old friends becoming enemies seems like an overplayed Hollywood trope.

For a young adult who now could command thousands of dollars for just a few minutes of work, it was reality.

The type of loneliness that hides in shadows of success began to stretch further and further into Krieger’s personal life. The totalled car was the last straw.

While on the phone with the police at her first paid party appearance, Krieger took a deep breath and decided that staying on her desired path would require serious changes.

“I saw this as an opportunity where I could come back, and make a statement.”

It turned out that ditching the car (and the boyfriend) would be one of her best career decisions yet.

A car is born

A few weeks after the incident, Sammyy02k returned from a luxurious all-paid overseas trip to the Seychelles with a new travel sponsor. Krieger decided that she “needed a new whip.”

By now, Krieger had registered an LLC in her name. Business was coming fast and steady, and it wasn’t uncommon for her to be recognized on the street – not only in Portland, but in Los Angeles and even cities as far away as Kansas City.

Krieger elaborates:

“At this point, I was really stepping into my role as an influencer. This is when I really refined my style, my brand, and my image.”

For you and me, “refining your style” might mean picking up a few shirts from a department store.

To Krieger, it meant buying a brand new custom Dodge Challenger R/T wrapped in metallic gold with scissor-doors, the kind you’ll find on a Lamborghini.

According to Krieger, the car represents the essence of her brand, and the luxury of travel. It’s now one of the most recognized facets of her style.

Sammyy02k all over the world

Sammyy02k’s influence, today, is international.

With sponsorship deals taking her to the Seychelles, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and beyond, she is now recognized in 4 continents.

She prides herself on showing her fans different places around the world. The path less traveled, the freedom to be everywhere, the luxury lifestyle that many in our always-connected society dream of.

“I feel connected to the road, and traveling to exotic locations”

The opportunities that sudden stardom has afforded her seem almost surreal, even to her. Normalcy is a mirage in the rear view mirror.

Responding to criticism

In mid-2019, Krieger was the main guest on a Portland Fashion Week panel. Already an influencer to influencers, she insisted that whatever secret ingredients success exist come naturally.

During a Q&A, she fielded numerous questions regarding her chosen career path. Not all of the questions were softballs.

Some questioned the materialism and sexuality often used by influencers.

The response was simple:

“Your opinions don’t pay my bills.”

Always on the go

With more followers pouring in every day, Sammyy02k stays busy. She recounts tales of distant travels, and the types of perks that I thought were originally reserved for a few select people who orbited high above in the LA movie industry.

Thirty minutes into the interview, I notice that a distant crowd has accumulated around our table like rings around Saturn.

Krieger barely seems to notice. A reminder goes off on her phone, a notification about another engagement she has back in the city.

After a polite exchange of thank yous and goodbyes, she heads back to her car.

I hear the exhaust note of the Challenger float away from the parking lot as I gather my notes and get up from the table.

As I glance up, the crowd has already dispersed. The only people left pay me no mind as they stare at their phones.

[riilsports]

NFHS Celebrates High School Leaders During Black History Month

By Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff, NFHS Executive Director

    The NFHS is proud to join with many other groups across the country in celebrating Black History Month. Since the desegregation of schools in the 1960s – thanks to the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King and many others – there have been numerous African-Americans who have played prominent roles within the NFHS, our member state associations and 19,500 high schools across the country.   

    As we reflect on African-American leaders in high school sports administration the past 60 years, we start in 1994 and the state of Kentucky. 

It is hard to imagine anyone accomplishing more at all levels of high school athletics than the late Louis Stout, who became the first African-American to direct a state high school association when he was named commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) in 1994. 

    As a high school basketball player, Stout led the state of Kentucky in scoring (30.9) and rebounding (24.0) as a senior at Cynthiana High School. He also was a highly success basketball coach at Lexington Dunbar High School and was one of the state’s best umpires during a 26-year baseball and softball officiating career. 

    Stout served 23 years as assistant commissioner of the KHSAA before landing the commissioner’s position, where he served until his retirement in 2002. Stout’s legacy was his success in recruiting more minorities as high school coaches and officials. 

    Another trailblazer from Kentucky in 1994 was Alvis Johnson – the first African-American president of the NFHS. Johnson, who was athletic director, football coach and track coach at Harrodsburg High School for 22 years, was a tremendous leader during his three years on the NFHS Board of Directors in the early 1990s as the NFHS addressed many financial challenges. 

    Six years earlier, the late Joe Haynes of Mississippi was the first African-American to be appointed to the NFHS Executive Committee when he was chosen for a three-year, at-large position in 1988. Haynes contributions to education included serving as a teacher, principal, deputy superintendent and superintendent, and he also was a high school football official. 

    In 1975, Haynes became one of two African-American football officials in the Southeastern Conference, and he was chosen as a National Football League official in 1984 and worked games until his retirement in 1992. 

    Seven other African-Americans have been chosen to direct state high school associations, including six who currently hold CEO positions. 

    The first black female to direct a state high school association was Rhonda Blanford-Green, who was named executive director of the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) in 2012. After three years with the NSAA, Blanford-Green currently is in her fourth year as commissioner of the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA), where she was assistant commissioner for 16 years before accepting the Nebraska position. 

    Jerome Singleton is the longest-serving African-American state association director. Singleton was named commissioner of the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) in 2005 after 10 years as assistant and associate director. Other current state association executive directors are Bernard Childress (2009), Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association; Que Tucker (2015), North Carolina High School Athletic Association; David Jackson (2016), Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association; and Donna Polk (2020), Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association. Larry White, longtime assistant director of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), retired last year after three years as NJSIAA executive director.    

    Singleton (2017-18) and Jackson (2018-19) followed in Alvis Johnson’s footsteps as the second and third African-Americans, respectively, to be elected president of the NFHS Board of Directors. 

    We also want to recognize several African-Americans who have directed our member association in the District of Columbia, including Otto Jordan, Troy Mathieu and Marcus Ellis, among others. 

    At the local level, nine African-American coaches have been inducted into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame. Heading that list is Robert Hughes, now 92 years of age, who is the winningest high school basketball coach in history from Fort Worth, Texas, and who also was elected to the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame. 

    In 2018, Dorothy Gaters, who has coached girls basketball at John Marshall High School in Chicago for 45 years, became the first black female coach to be inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame.  

    Other black coaches include Russell Blunt of North Carolina, Taft Watson of South Carolina, S. T. Roach and William Kean of Kentucky, John Campbell of Indiana, Harry Breland of Mississippi and Oliver Elders of Arkansas. 

Forty-four incredible black athletes have been inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame, led by the legendary Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson, and other luminaries such as Archie Griffin, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Cheryl Miller, Oscar Robertson and Herschel Walker. Can you imagine the storied history of high school sports without these individuals?

    And we would be remiss without mentioning the contributions of Elliot Hopkins and Mautrice Meriweather, the longest-serving male and female African-Americans on the NFHS administrative staff. Since 1999, in addition to serving as editor of high school baseball rules, Hopkins has become a national leader in hazing prevention and student leadership efforts. Another 20-year employee, Meriweather joined the staff in 2000 and, in late 2018, was selected for the new position of NFHS Chief Talent Officer. 

    While these individuals are some of the more influential black leaders in high school sports in our nation’s history, we also want to recognize the thousands of teachers, coaches, officials and administrators of color who have provided athletic and performing arts opportunities to countless students for many decades.  

 

 Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her third year as executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years. 

[brookston]

Holidays 11.24

Holidays

All Our Monkeys Are Uncles Day

Brownielocks Day

Brunette Pride Day

Carménère Day

Catherine (Katarzynki; Poland

Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Celebrating Mariachi Day

Christkindlesmarkt begins (Stoudt's; Adamstown, Pennsylvania)

D.B. Cooper Day

Discovery Day (Tasmania)

Evolution Day

Family Day (Palau)

Festival of Silence

Grace Darling Day

Guys and Dolls Day

International Carmenere Day

International Day of Action on Forest Biomass

International Day of the Bible [also 11.29]

Lachit Divas (Assam, India)

Martyrdom of Guru Tech Bahadur (India)

Medlar Day (French Republic)

Mothers of Civilization Day

National Border Collie Day

National Change Your Password Day (Netherlands)

National Email Unsubscribe Day

National Illustration Day (UK)

National Oliver Day

National Opt-Out Day

National Pride Day (Magnolia)

National 16-Inch Softball Day

Origin of the Species Day

Ragtime Day

Sasi Sura (Javanese New Year; Suriname)

Softball Day

Teachers’ Day (Turkey)

Use Even If Seal Is Broken Day

Vertical Marathon

Venus Day

World Walrus Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Fairy Bread Day (Australia)

National Sardines Day

St. Pumpkin's Day

World Day of Red Wine Day

4th & Last Friday in November

Black Hole Friday [Last Friday]

Friday after Thanksgiving (US) [4th Friday] (a.k.a. ... 

Black Friday

Bleak Friday (UK)

Buy Nothing Day

Buy Nothing (But Beer) Day

Family Day (Nevada)

Green Friday

Maize Day

National Day of Listening

National Farm to Pints Day

National Flossing Day

National Leftovers Day

National Turkey Sandwich Day

Native American Heritage Day

Plaid Friday

Planetary Buy Nothing Day

Plan Your Dagwood Sandwich Day

Random Acts of Kindness Friday

Robert E. Lee Day (Georgia)

Sinkie Day (celebrates eating over the sink)

You’re Welcome Day (a.k.a. You're Welcomegiving Day)

Fur-Free Friday [Last Friday]

International Systems Engineer Day [Last Friday]

National Day of Thanksgiving (Turks and Caicos) [Last Friday]

Stars in Our Schools Day (UK) [4th Friday]

Systems Engineer Day [Last Friday]

Thank a Property Manager Day [Last Friday]

Independence Days

Calsahara (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Natin (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Northumbria (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Albert of Louvaint (Christian; Saint)

Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Pierre Dumoulin-Borie, and companions (Christian; Vietnamese Martyrs)

Brumalia begins (Byzantine Feast of Dyonisus and New Wine Festival) [11.24 until Solstice]

Brumalia begins (Roman feast of Bacchus) [11.24 until Solstice]

Chrysogonus (Roman Catholic Church)

Colmán of Cloyne (Roman Catholic Church)

Day of Offerings to Sekhmet (Egyptian Warrior Goddess)

Eanflæd (Christian; Saint)

Firmina (Roman Catholic Church)

Flavian of Ricina (Roman Catholic Church)

Flora and Maria (Christian; Saint)

Guru Tech Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day (India)

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec (Artology)

Jehu Jones (Lutheran)

Joachim Ho (Christian; Saint)

John of the Cross (Christian; Saint)

Justus Falckner (Lutheran)

Kenan (a.k.a. Cianán; Christian; Saint)

Krisfaluchi Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lester McBird (Muppetism)

Marie Bashkirtseff (Artology)

Mary of Cordoba (Christian; Saint)

Mercurius (Eastern Church)

Pierre Dumoulin-Borie (Christian; Saint)

Protasius of Milan (Christian; Saint)

Romanus of Blaye (Christian; Saint)

Sigd (ends at Sundown) [Hebrew, Cheshvan 29]

Turgot (Positivist; Saint)

Undead Understanding Day (Pastafarian)

Vainamoinen’s Day (Pagan)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell (Novel; 1877)

The Colour of Magic, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1983) [Discworld #1]

Dancing Lady (Film; 1933) [1st Fred Astaire movie]

Encanto (Animated Disney Film; 2021)

Far From the Tree (Disney Cartoon; 2021)

Guys & Dolls (Broadway Musical; 1950)

Harum Scarum (Film; 1965) [Elvis Presley #19]

Hawkeye (TV Series; 2021)

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (Cartoon Short; 2011)

Love and Other Drugs (Film; 2010)

Morris, the Midget Moose (Disney Cartoon; 1950)

Mrs. Doubtfire (Film; 1993)

Murder on the Orient Express (Film; 1974)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (TV Series; 1988)

On the Origin of Species (Book; 1859)

The Pearl (Short Story; 1947)

Simon & Simon (TV Series; 1991)

Tangled (Animated Disney Film; 2010)

Tomorrow Will Be Better, by Betty Smith (Novel; 1948)

Toy Story 2 (Animated Pixar Film; 1999)

Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, by Johann Strauss (Polka; 1858)

Two Crows from Tacos (WB MM Cartoons; 1956)

Today’s Name Days

Albert, Chrysogonus, Flora (Austria)

Ekaterina, Katerina, Katina, Katya (Bulgaria)

Andrija, Krizogon, Krševan (Croatia)

Emílie (Czech Republic)

Chrysogonus (Denmark)

Ustav, Ustus (Estonia)

Lemmikki, Lempi, Sivi (Finland)

Flora (France)

Albert, Chrysogon, Clemens, Flora (Germany)

Emma (Hungary)

Cristo, Firminia, Flaviano, Flora, Prospero (Italy)

Velta, Viliberts, Viola (Latvia)

Gerardas, Mantvinas, Žybartė (Lithuania)

Gudrun, Guro (Norway)

Dobrosław, Emilia, Emma, Flora, Franciszek, Gerard, Gerarda, Gerhard, Jan, Mina, Pęcisław, Protazy (Poland)

Clement (Romania)

Emília (Slovakia)

Flora, María (Spain)

Gudrun, Rune (Sweden)

Katerina, Katherine (Ukraine)

Zachariah, Zachary, Zachery, Zackary, Zackery (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 328 of 2024; 37 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 47 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 25 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Gui-Hai), Day 12 (Bing-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 11 Kislev 5784

Islamic: 11 Jumada I 1445

J Cal: 28 Mir; Sevenday [28 of 30]

Julian: 11 November 2023

Moon: 92%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 20 Frederic (12th Month) [Turgot]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 62 of 89)

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 3 of 30)

[purplesurveys]

942

“ar_”

ARB Have you ever had strawberry rhubarb pie? Do you like it? I have not. I’m afraid I don’t even entirely know what rhubarb is; I wouldn’t call it a part of Filipino culture. I don’t know if I would like this kind of pie; I prefer my pies more savory than fruity. Do you like carbs a little too much? Yes ma’am. I can’t exist without heaps of rice in every meal. Last garb you wore? The last fancy/formal thing I wore was my business casual look for last Thursday’s interview. I felt a little overdressed arriving at the office because the other applicants just wore a shirt and jeans...but ultimately I think it was better that I looked more prepared than they did lol. Do you know anyone named Barb? There’s a teacher in my old school named Barbie but the other teachers call her Barb. ARC Would you like to see the Arc de Triumphe? Sure.

Are you a narc? That’s not a common slang where I live, but I’m gonna say no. ARD Have you ever read “The Tales of the Beetle and the Bard”? Nope, I’ve never heard of it. Do you have a credit or debit card? Debit. I don’t exactly know how credit cards work just yet, so my dad has kept me from getting one hahahaha. What’s the last card you received? For which holiday? We don’t really exchange cards over here. We tend to go ahead and give physical gifts, no matter how simple it is. I think the last one I received was a birthday card from Athenna, five years ago. That was a different time. What’s something that is hard for you? Letting go. I have serious issues with abandonment and I always feel like it’s the end of the world when someone leaves my life or something I’ve been accustomed to abruptly ends. I’ve never been good at handling all of that. Do you ever feel like a tub of lard? I am almost positive that I’ve never felt like one before. What is in your front yard? How is it landscaped? Just a few plants and a tree that my grandpa planted for my mom shortly before he passed. Last piece of meat that you’ve charred? I’ll get back to this question in a few years where I’ve hopefully learned how to cook a few things, including meat. Have you ever lived with barred windows? No. That sounds awful. Is it easy for you to let your guard down? Just with the right people. Otherwise I prefer keeping a wall up; no one else needs to know who I am behind closed doors. Have you ever cut yourself on a shard of glass? No. Again, sounds like my worst nightmare. This happened to my mom a year ago and I remember being unable to help her because I would’ve proceeded to just faint anyway lmao Favorite barnyard animal? Cows. What do you like to do in your backyard? Cooper loves our backyard, so I bring him there to play and run. He loves staying there so much more than actually walking around the neighborhood, which is a little confusing but still endearing. What do you think of people who use the word “retard”? They’re stuck in the late 2000s and early 2010s and need to be schooled on Twitter as soon as possible lol. Last person you sent warm regards to? The HR person who hooked me up with my internship. What do you tend to disregard? Fake news or people who routinely share fake news, for obvious reasons. Have you ever worn a leotard before? For what? I’ve worn a swimsuit as a leotard, but I’ve never owned a leotard that was meant to be that.

ARF Last time you barfed? I kept hurling last week when I did a lot of crying and had a few breakdowns, but nothing ever came up. The last time I puked would be over a year ago when I was at Pop-Up with friends. Last food you scarfed down? My mom’s burger from last night. Do you rock a fashion scarf? Nah, not really my article of choice. What does your winter scarf look like? I don’t own one. ARK What pair of animals would you like to bring on Noah’s ark? I would try to save as many of them as possible; but in the cruel circumstance that I only have limited choices, I would prioritize stray cats and dogs first as well as cats and dogs in animal shelters. Did you used to watch Arthur the aardvark? I did not watch the show – I’m not sure if they ever aired it here – but I liked reading Arthur books. Those were one of my favorites to read at the library. Have you ever been to a ballpark? No. Well baseball is not a popular sport here so it’s not like we’ve got lots of those, and the few that we have are a little dilapidated due to a lack of interest or support in the sport...we do have a field in my old school that’s designated for our softball games, but it’s hardly a legit softball field. Is your bark worse than your bite? If this is a saying or slang, I don’t know what it means. What’s a personal benchmark of yours? Hmm I know what a benchmark refers to, but I’m not exactly sure of the context in this question. Where is your birthmark? My most distinguishable birthmark is on the upper left region of my back, but I also have one by my butt. I used to have one on my right arm that was green-blue when I was an infant, but now it’s nothing more than a super slight discoloration that is only noticeable if you look hard enough. Do you fold book pages over, or use a bookmark? I remember the page number. I don’t like the gaps that bookmarks create, and I like keeping the pages of my book pristine. Are you afraid of the dark? Only if the context is meant to be scary, like how abandoned houses or forests are dark. I like the dark when I’m trying to fall asleep though. Do you prefer dark or light colors? I prefer neither extreme. I like muted and pastel tones. Last time you disembarked a ship? 2016. Last time you embarked on an adventure? End of February, 2020. Do you celebrate any of the hallmark holidays? Some of them, but I take them seriously a lot less than the actual holidays. I celebrate them primarily because I have people in my life who value those Hallmark holidays, so I greet them so they don’t feel forgotten, like greeting my parents on Mother’s/Father’s Day. If I had it my way I’d ignore those holidays completely, though. Do you watch the Hallmark channel? No. I don’t think we even have that channel here. Do you like the song “Hark The Herald Angels Sing”? I have nothing against it. Which landmark would you like to visit? The pyramids at Giza. Last mark you made on a paper? I made random scribbles because I was just checking if my pen had ink. Do you know anyone named Mark? I don’t think so. No Marks are coming to mind. Have you ever heard a lark sing? Nope. Do you know how to parallel park? Yeah but I’m kind of cheating a bit because I own a really tiny car that fits nearly anywhere ha. What’s your favorite activity to do at the park? We don’t have any public parks...if we did, I imagine I’d have picnics and take my dogs there for long walks. Last postmarked piece of mail you received? I don’t really receive mail of my own. Last person you left a remark for? Idk maybe my dad when I remarked how spicy the sisig he made for dinner was. Do you speak with a lot of snark? Only in private or with my closest friends. I try not to be snarky with workmates. Do you ever have the Baby Shark song stuck in your head? That does happen sometimes, yes. Until today ha. Last time you went around your house stark naked? Oof, I never walk around the entire house naked. I only do so in the bathroom and within my own room. What’s your signature trademark? Everyone knows me as loving Paramore, so maybe that. Does it bother you when there’s a watermark on an image that you want to use? Sometimes yes, sometimes I realize someone took effort for that image and probably just needs to earn a little bit for it. ARL Who did you snarl at last? I don’t snarl a lot these days. Are your fingers gnarled? No. I don’t actually know what this means but my fingers are pretty healthy so I’m guessing it’s not whatever gnarled is. ARM Have you ever broken an arm? Nopes. Do you keep people at an arm’s length? In some ways, like how I refuse to talk about the things I’m going through and I don’t like showing most people that I struggle.

Last time you went to a farm? I’m not sure if I’ve been to one. We drive through fields and farms all the time, in the provinice; but we’ve never actually stopped over and went to a farm. Do you self-harm? Yes. Surprisingly, I haven’t done so this month. But yes, I have in general. What time is your alarm set for? For a while it wasn’t set to anything but now that I have an internship I’ll probably need to set it to at least around 8 AM. Do you own any firearms? No thanks. Would you get a tattoo on your forearm? Sure. Do you have a certain charm about you? Don’t you kind of have to ask other people when it comes to possessing charm? I certainly wouldn’t endorse this myself, lol. Do you need to be disarmed? I have nothing on me, so no. ARN Were you raised in a barn? I was not. I grew up in a house in a suburban-ish neighborhood. Do you use “damn” or “darn” more often? Damn. I’ve never used darn...or if I have, it would’ve been well over a decade ago. Do you knit or crochet with yarn? I don’t crochet or knit. ARP Have you ever caught a carp while fishing? No, I’ve never gone fishing before actually.

Do you like harp seals? I’ve never heard of them until now but it’s an automatic yes for me because they are animals. Would you like to learn how to play the harp? Sure. Name something in your house that is sharp? Keys. Is anything you own covered by a tarp? No. ART Last time you fell apart? This morning. Well, it’s 2 AM now so it’s more accurate to say yesterday morning. Are you good at any sort of art forms? Not at all. I like coloring and painting, but with painting I like those that come with paint-by-number guides. I’m not very creative myself and don’t know for the life of me what colors work together and I’m terrible at creating images. Last place you used a shopping cart? Grocery store, ages ago. Have you ever created a chart in Microsoft Excel? Yes but it’s not my favorite thing in the world to do. Who is your other counterpart? I dunno if I have anyone. Angela, I guess. Do you like to play darts? I’ve never played it but it looks fun and I’m always up for a friendly game. Who’s the last person you departed from? My family, when I left the living room where we were all staying at to go back to my bedroom to resign for the evening. How often do you fart? Never. I don’t like the sensation and if I feel one coming I suppress it lol. No one has heard me do it before, and I don’t plan on making it heard hahahaha How’s your heart been feeling lately? Not well. Is there a K-Mart or a PetSmart where you live? No. Is it easy for you to outsmart a child? Idk man, they can be a little surprise at times. Where is the part in your hair? It’s on the left side. Have you ever gotten a part in a play? No, because I’ve never auditioned for one. Not interested in that kind of activity, either. Last time you had to restart your computer? It’s been a while. Would you consider yourself to be smart? In some ways, like in academics. What trend would you like to start? I don’t feel like starting one. Do you like tarts?     Not very much, but my old school has this trademark tart that I love so much. [a-zebra-is-a-striped-horse]