You Throw Like a Girl

During the glory days of my Little League this tale was re-told often in the family circle. One particular game I was pitching and was throwing quite well. It was marvelous --- my brother was yelling, "Keep throwing smoke!" My Mom was smiling proud, yet contained. A gentleman fan proclaimed, "Wow! That boy can sure pitch!" To which my father stared at the man and exclaimed, "That's no boy, that's my daughter."

Being raised to be fully who I am and as one who has always enjoyed playing and watching sports (NOTE: I may want to clarify the watching when I think of the Pirates recent efforts...sigh...) I was encouraged to play. As I broke the gender-barrier in Little League my parents were encouraging, supportive, and present. When I pitched and would come to the bench at the inning break and my Dad would come to the bench and place his coat around my pitching arm to keep it warm for the next inning. To any Little Leaguer who dreamed of being like the big-league ballplayers that was just the best! Of course, my 9-year-old arm no more needed warmed up then I needed to be chewing a wad of bubble gum and spitting; it's all the image and the dream!

Following the incredible Summer Olympics that was truly the American Women's show, it is a great opportunity to encourage young girls to play sports and to be competitive. Forty years since the passage of TITLE IX, we are beginning to celebrate the athletic accomplishments of women. Yes, we are still only in the early phase because too often we comment on the attractiveness not the athleticism of the female athlete.

I'm not sure the words, "You throw like a girl" are ever spoken as a jeer or jest in this day and age. In light of current female athletic accomplishments, we should be complimenting each other by saying, "You run like a girl!" "You swim like a girl!" "You hit like a girl!" Claim it ladies and teach your children well!

sj;

Got Soap???

The one word that could never be used to describe me would be "prude." My language is also not that of "traditional" clergy speak....although, I do contend that the band of fishermen disciples were probably quite salty and coarse in their language.

Although an occasional curse word may cross my lips and the frequency does increase when at Pittsburgh sporting events, I rarely, if at all, drop the "F Bomb." Yet, I should be wearing a language flack jacket walking around the streets of Pittsburgh. Does anyone know, consider, or use another adjective or verb? Honestly, it seems that is all I hear and I hear it from men and women, children and adults, in anger and in jest. And, the word is a nasty, cutting, harsh word with all those hard consonants it just sounds ugly. This "F Bomb" explosion has worn me thin and I am to the point of asking the offending cusser if she or he knows any other words? Can they try and be creative in their verbal expression and try something different? Or, can they just go with "frig" or "friggin?"

My mother never swore...ever....never....never....nope. In fact, any time a cuss word was uttered one was greeted with "You know better than that." Truth is, I did and I do. Truth is, once you start the swearing it quickly becomes habit.

Following Biblcal counsel before putting the cake of soap in another's mouth, I first need to scrub my own tongue. I know and can do better. Maybe getting my own language in line will rub off on others.....if that happens the next item on my "peeved list" is does anyone use a turn signal anymore????

sj;

Big Question

With their win today, our Buccos took one out of three. All is well, dear Pirates fan, a good win today and still a lot of baseball to be played.

Yesterday, I was having conversation with a friend and, of course, talk turned to the Pirates. She wanted to know what all the talk was about the Pirates pitchers retaliating on the Reds in response to star, Andrew McCutchen being hit by a 101 mph pitch.

"That doesn't really happen?" my friend asked in regard to pitchers throwing at opposing batters to send a message that the hitting of one of their team was bush league at best. Yes, it does, I explained. It's part of the unwritten code of major league baseball. If they hit one of yours, you hit one of theirs....definitely so if it's your star player that gets hit by the pitch.

My friend was incredulous. "But it's baseball! It's such a calm, non-violent game. Why?"

Good question. Largely because the umpire sent a warning last night when another Pirate got plunked, no Buc hurler hit a Red. And, I'll admit, my rabid-fan response was "Just wait until the next time we play......"

What if we never did retaliate? What if we let it go and chose the higher path, displayed a deeper character? As I write this, I'm thinking, if we did that we would be the biggest team of wusses and pansies in the league.

Yet, it does make me think. When called a name, what if you just ignored it? When cut off in traffic, what if you just smiled? When wronged, what if you didn't retaliate and instead went about your business to the best of your ability? When I really think about it, that behavior is not weak, it's strong and is from a deeper sense of self. With further reflection, peaceful behavior comes from doing the necessary interior work that makes for peace.

Kudos to my friend for getting me to think about the bigger picture. Of course, she does know that football season is about to start and if anyone takes a cheap shot on Ben..........

sj;