Sports...I recently watched the ESPN Films special '30 for 30' on Bo Jackson via the Internet (you can watch it here). It took me back to my youth watching his Royals highlights. I was a junior high kid when he joined the Royals and I was a Tecmo Bowl player when he joined the Raiders. His tenure with the Royals was brief due to the hip injury in football but he did have some great moments while donning the powder blue uniform. It sort of reminds me of Roy Hobbs in the movie 'The Natural'. A brief glimpse of what could have been that it almost seems like it never happened and is just a fictional story told about legends and fairy tales. The ESPN special shows him in a very positive spotlight but in all honesty there is nothing negative about this man that I could find. The show ends with a glimpse into who Bo is now. Living in a humble but nice house and spending time in his basement 'man-cave' making arrows (he's a big bow hunter). 
At the All-Star game festivities last summer here in Kansas City during the Celebrity Softball game (where he was the coach of one team) you could feel the love this city has for him. He was a hero that was taken from us too soon. Throughout the game the crowd let everyone know on/off the field that they wanted to see Bo take one at-bat. One at-bat to crush the ball farther than any player ever has since he launched the farthest home-run in the regular season during the 1986 season (475-foot shot & first career home run; only other farther hit home run in Kauffman Stadium is Johnny Bench's 1973 All-Star game shot of 480-feet). So, finally the final at-bat of the game comes and the crowd is chanting his name and after repeatedly turning down the chance he picks up a bat and approaches the plate. Although it was only a pop-up to the outfield and was caught, the fans showed him some love that we, Kansas City fans, show our sports heroes. 2nd Inning.
Firearms Corner...I've come across several lists highlighting the top conceal-carry guns. I obtained my CCW(Conceal Carry Weapon) permit several years ago and I am always paying attention to what is the best firearm for this purpose. You can find a couple of 'Top 10' CCW lists here and here and here. My top 5 (as decided by what I have carried or would like to have to carry) are as follows:- Springfield Armory XDm full size in 40 S&W. It's a full size which limits when you can wear it (fall/winter with sweatshirts and coats and long pants) but you get 16+1 in rounds carried.
- Glock 27 subcompact in 40 S&W. It's small and easily concealable and can be carried year round with long pants or shorts and either with a IWB(Inside the Waistband) holster or pocket holster with 9+1 rounds carried.
- Springfield Armory EMP in 40 S&W. It's a mini-1911 style pistol which would be a good all-year carry gun with 8 rounds carried in the magazine.
- Ruger LCR in .357/.38spl. It's very concealable and can be carried year round. Only drawback is the 5-shot capacity.
- Kimber Ultra-Carry II in .45 ACP. It's also a small version of the 1911 and fires the same cartridge as a traditional 1911. It can be carried year-round and holds 7 in the magazine.
3rd Inning.
This ole...Fraternity. To say I enjoyed high school or say that my teen years were the best would be telling a lie. The day I set foot on the campus of Arkansas State University(ASU) was the first day of my favorite years of schooling. Yes, I was a fraternity guy and for all the bad rap that stereotype is given don't knock it till you tried it. After getting my dorm room set up my roommate comes in and says this fella, Clark Atkins, has invited us to a party that night. Clark picked us up in his car and away we went. It was a great party and I knew from that point on where I was going to pledge. Now understand, I goofed off for a couple of years here in Kansas City at the University of Missouri-Kansas City before dropping out then deciding to go back to college a year or so later. So, when I arrived at ASU I was 21 years old (sort of between the traditional student age and non-traditional student age) but that didn't matter to these guys. The fraternity I joined is Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), Beta Psi Chapter. I was initiated in the fall of 1996. The TKE Chapeter at ASU has a storied past but when I joined it was living through some of it's worst years but that didn't matter to me...I saw potential. Through tireless efforts to re-brand the chapter we were able to return to some campus glory through intramurals, student government, interfraternity council, along with many other campus activities which lead to chapter awards from the national fraternity and university. 
Due to the small chapter size when I joined, I was thrust into a leadership role almost immediately and that carried over to Chapter President and eventually Chapter Advisor once I graduated and was in graduate school. The bonds I made with the young/old men of the chapter and alumni ranks are life-long friendships that I cherish. Almost all the men in my wedding were fraternity brothers. The fun we had and memories we made are something that I long to relive (much to my wife's dismay). This was not your average cookie-cutter fraternity where we all were clones wearing navy sport coats and khaki slacks. We came from all walks of life and age groups. We had farm boys, city boys, just graduated, and just out of the military. We had foreign guys from the Middle East (and from a couple of generations earlier a Jew and a Muslim that actually got along!), we had guys that were of a different sexual orientation, we had guys that were athletes, we had guys that were nerds, and we had Brotherhood!
One of my favorite moments in the fraternity was the day we had our 'Keg Roll' (we have an empty keg with a handle-bar attach so it will roll) to Memphis to St.Jude Children's Research Hospital. After touring the hospital to see the work they do for those kids we had a photo-op with one of those big checks we were presenting to them as part of our philanthropic fund-raising. We took the picture with a parent and some of the children and afterwards the mother came up to some of us with a tear in her eye and told us how grateful she was because through the money we raised we were able to pay for medicine for one of the children. I went to ASU a lost man but found the family I was searching for but didn't know it. They took me in and provided love, charity, and esteem. They provided me the opportunity to lead and I did. But most of all, and unlike high school, I was able to be me for the first time.
4th Inning.
Over for dinner...I had this thought cross my mind recently after visiting a friend's house for a wine-sampling...if you could have a dinner party and invite 10 people (living or dead or fictional) who would it be? I would send out invites to 1)Jesus, 2)Buck O'Neil, 3)George Washington 4)Yoda, 5)Elvis Presley, 6)Si Robertson, 7)Ron Burgundy, 8)Marilyn Monroe, 9)Wonder Woman, 10)My Papa Brewer. Leave your invites in the comments section!
5th Inning.
Movie I want to see...again...My Top 10 Teen Comedy Movies of the '80s Countdown..Part 1...So, I was looking through my DVD collection the other day and seeing some of the titles I have and don't have I thought I would put together a "Jeremy's Top 10 List of '80s Teen Comedy Movies". First on the list, and in no particular order, is 'Better Off Dead'. If there was one actor that you could point to as the representative of '80s Teen Comedy Movies it would be John Cusack as he was in many of them and almost in many more. My favorite, though, is 'Better Off Dead'. I recall seeing it for the first time with my old buddy, David Peterman, at the old Bannister Mall theater (actually I think we went to see it a couple of times there). The movie has many memorable scenes from his comedic attempts to commit suicide--to his mother's interesting cooking--to his racing adventures against a couple of Asian students--to his attempts on the ski slope to win back his girlfriend. This is a movie that will not disappoint in the laughter department. I own this one on DVD and you should too! 6th Inning.
American Symbols for the Folds of the Flag
The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature; as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace, as well as in times of war, for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.
The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.
The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are in the uppermost, reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust."
7th Inning.
FFL Factoid...For any of you that want to understand the background check process the folks over at the FBI NICS branch put together a video to explain it.
8th Inning.
Random Thoughts...Wanna see a man cry, let him pull a nose hair...In one bracket I'm picking Louisville and Florida in another...Gil Grissom needs to return to CSI before that show goes off the air...Shamrock shakes should be offered year-round...I really hope Dr. Ben Carson decides to run for President...Seriously, if the NCAA can have a tournament for basketball why not for football?...It's never good to be the parent that has to take the child to get shots...I believe Zac Brown and Willie Robertson are long-lost twins...The female human species can be just as smelly as the male species...Wedding dresses would make great snow camo for a hunter.9th Inning.
Spring Training...Baseball can be very inspiring at times.
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