Moonhowlings

There is more to the UVA Lacrosse story than the death of Yeardly Love. Tragic as it is, the entire UVA community, and especially its athletic community has been dealt a horrible blow. I called down today to life-long friends who live 2 blocks from the murder site. They were all devastated. University towns very much personalize their tragedies. Yeardly was a well-loved campus icon and the teams, both hers and his, were headed to the national finals.

There is another side to this story that transcends personal tragedy:

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

This murder sent shock waves across the nation. This story is just another perspective.

Yet when all is said and done, someone’s child is dead. Someone else’s child faces many years in prison if convicted. And sports teams come and sports teams go. The Duke lacrosse team recovered and so will UVA’s. Friends and family and the school in general, however, might not have that luxury.

Do student athletes lead a different life? Are they under more stress than others? Do they party harder to make up for the intensity of the sport they play? Is being BMOC or BWOC more difficult?

My father was a student athlete at UVA during the Great Depression. His family had no money to send him to school. He was fortunate enough to land a scholarship. There was no free lunch. He played 3 sports. Football, basketball, and baseball, and excelled at all three. Until his dying day he bore resentment towards sports and the amount of time they took out of his life. Maybe these kids felt the same way. And maybe it got too much for them.

Regardless, maybe this week we are all Wahoos.

That good old song of Wah-hoo-wah,
We ‘ll sing it o ‘er and o ‘er.
It cheers our hearts and warms our blood
To hear them shout and roar.
We come from Old Virginia,
Where all is bright and gay.
Let’s all join hands and give a yell,
For the dear old UVa.
Wah-hoo-wah,
Wah-hoo-wah.
Uni-v, Virginia,
Hoo-rah-ray,
Hoo-rah-ray,
Ray! Ray! U-V-A!

The Cavalier Dailyhas copies of affidavits and more on the story and crime scene

It’s that time of year again…time to run for the roses.  The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of 3 important horse races.  The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness , and the Belmont Stakes haven’t produced a triple crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

The odds are given at the official Kentucky Derby site.  You can also read more about the contenders, trainers, owners, jockeys. 

Kentucky Derby 136:  Race 11, 6:24 p.m. EDT post time on NBC

There are 20 horses currently on the slate to run.  Of course, anything can happen right up to post time.  There is one filly running, Devil May Care.   Racing critics feel she has been off her game this week.  To read a little about the contenders, see the next page:

Read more…

“The Ed Block Courage Award is a yearly honor given to those NFL players who “exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.”"

Each of the 32 NFL teams gets to select a recipient.

The Philadelphia Eagles chose Michael Vick who joined the team in August as their recipient.  Vick had spent the last 18 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring on his property.  

Vick’s award received mixed review both in the sports world and was soundly rejected by the animal rights world.  Many in the sports world simply feel that Vick was awarded too soon.  He needs more time.

Vick was quoted in thespec.com:

It means a great deal to me,” Vick said Wednesday. “I was voted unanimously by my teammates. They know what I’ve been through. I’ve been through a lot. It’s been great to come back and have an opportunity to play and be with a great group of guys. I’m just ecstatic about that and I enjoy every day.”
A three-time Pro Bowl pick in six seasons with Atlanta, Vick has played sparingly with the Eagles. He has two touchdowns rushing and one passing in 12 games.

Vick’s peers have acknowledged his courage and his journey back to the NFL. PETA, the animal rights group doesn’t quite have the same warm fuzzy feeling about Vick receiving this award as the Philadelphia Eagles. They issued a statement reprimanding the Eagles:

“The Philadelphia Eagles fumbled when they gave Michael Vick the Ed Block Courage Award, which was named after a man who advocated in behalf of abused children,” the PETA statement read. “Michael Vick should not be the person anyone points to as a model of sportsmanship, even though he has now exchanged dogs for touchdowns after serving time for extreme cruelty to animals. We wish him well in educating others, but this is not appropriate and does not mark a joyous moment in NFL history.”

Has the dude served his time? Has he shown remorse? Can leopards or NFL players change their spots?

Can the Eagles select their own recipient of the Ed Block Award without slack jaw from PETA?  They already took some from PETA for signing Vick.  When has a person served their time?  Vick has done countless hours of community service working with the Humane Society, and speaking to schools and community groups about his involvement in dogfighting and publicly admitting his wrong-doing.

Does Vick need more time before he is allowed back into the fold?  Vick is a gifted and talented athlete who wasn’t content with all he had.  The endorsements, NFL salary, and the accolades weren’t enough.  He had to have more.  And his life came crashing down upon him.  Has he had enough time to rehabilitate?  Is it time for second chances?