Last One on the PLANET?

If I was the last person on Earth, I’m not quite sure I could survive. Now sure I would move farther south and find fertile land to start farming and making a life for myself, but I’m such a social person and feel I need to be with people throughout my weeks just to keep in good spirits, and I think if I was all alone without someone to talk to or even see, I would probably live a sorrow filled life. I like to be social with friends and family. I play team sports and like to actively participate and lead in church activities or extra curricular school activities. One of the main reasons why I most likely feel so comfortable in school is because I know a lot of people and feel it’s a big place with a lot of kids just like me, so I can easily relate and talk to people. To even stand a chance being the last person on the Earth, I would, like I said before, need to move to a better climate and probably hunt and farm to keep myself alive. Though I’m not sure I could do it for very long, if it meant life or death, I would most likely do all I could to stay alive, and maybe even go search for other people, even if I never found someone, just the thought of not being so alone would comfort me.

Leadership

An article I read today was titled "The Sports Guy" written by Bill Simmons. It talked about how "naked" the sport of basketball is. No player is shielded by pads or helmets, so we can easily watch every move they make. If or not they run up and down the court or just walk back on defense, if they're playing each possession with heart and passion, whether or not they are giving it their all, and also their facial expressions. Facial expressions are a big key in basketball especially if you're a leader on the team because a lot of the time your teammates, fans, and your coaches are watching your every move and seeing how you react to a play or a call. This will really put a sign over your head, either something good such as: "respectful and positive leader". Or if you have a lousy attitude, people will start to think of you more downwards like a "negative selfish player". Because basketball is so, as Bill Simmons calls, "naked", first impressions matter more than any other sport because they can predict how you will be viewed for the rest of your career. This article connects to my life because now that I am a Sophomore and part of the high school basketball team, I have responsibility not just to be the best player I can be and help my team win, but to do so in a positive way. Today before our captains practice the coaches took aside 2 Juniors and 2 Sophomores who have shown signs of leadership throughout the past year. Together with the 3 senior captains, they explained to us what it meant to be a leader. How it's  not all about telling people what to do and only playing basketball, but how you have to be one with the team and really connect with them on a personal level. Also if some teammates could be doing something differently in games and or practices and you advise them to start working on something else, well if your not a reliable source, meaning if you don't show the team you sacrifice a lot of your time and work on that skill, or show up to practice early to work on foul shots, why do you think they would do it? Because they want to listen to the captain? Well as nice as that sounds that's not reality. Life is not like that and I've SEEN juniors and seniors get into it with their captain because the right steps haven't been taken to help the team chemistry. I'm very glad I was apart of the meeting today. I am a point guard so already I am kind of forced into being a leader; telling guys where they need to be on the court as I bring the ball up and set up a play, etc.  I'm used to the pressure that comes along with being in big games and worrisome situations. I like to take charge and show I can handle these times in the game where it just seems we're doomed for. Everything I do, the attitude I have, and the words that come out of my mouth are all seen by players, coaches, and fans. I know, to continue to be a leader and maybe one day be a captain, I have to stay humble, stay composed in pressure situations, and most of all, stay respectful in my actions just like in the article.

Would you end your college sports career and go to the pros?

This past week I read an article in the ESPN Magazine written by Luke Cyphers. The article was called Massive Returns, and it’s about young basketball players and their choices whether to leave college early to play in the NBA, or to finish out their career in school and enter the NBA Draft when they’re ready. The article brings up many good “pro’s and con’s” for the choice whether to leave school early or not and it relates deeply to common talk around sport television shows such as; Sportcenter, ESPN News, Sports Reporters, Jim Rome Is Burning, and also Pardon the Interruption. Most kids, teenagers, and also adults who are into sports find themselves commonly checking and updating themselves with scores and highlights from previous games and matches they have missed. Others turn on these stations during an early morning breakfast, a mid-day at lunch, or even in the evenings to see and hear the “gossip” around sports. In our nation, there are many competitive people. Most include those surrounded by sports in their everyday life. I want to connect this article I read in ESPN Magazine with these shows because the same concepts and ideas around young gentlemen entering the NBA before their 20 is a big choice that will effect not only themselves for the rest of their lives, but the choice will also effect their families, friends, other players and teams, fans and most of all their college team. Competitive college basketball teams recruit in the offseason like CRAZY. Do you think they could be as successful without going around America finding players that would fit their team’s needs perfectly? Absolutely not. But for some of the best players in the nation who may be on their team for only one or two years, that may get scouted and pressured into entering the NBA draft and having a “set” future, is it fair for them to leave their team and organization who has put so much time and energy into them? Is it a selfish thing to do, not only for the team and coaches, but also for college students and fans around America? But then again you would be in the NBA! The big show! Who would pass up a chance for that? I can tell you from a basketball player’s perspective that would be extremely amazed and flattered to be picked to play in the NBA as a college student that it would honestly be one of the hardest decisions I would ever have to make in my life. The instant money, fame, and not to mention just the self pride of knowing all your hard work ended up paying off is adored by almost every teenager. Arguments for not staying in school found in articles and T.V. broadcasts all the time are mostly about if you were to stay in school and had a knee, ankle, head, or any other career ending or career “slowing” injury, would it be worth the chance you gave up? I’m not sure. But if you did stay in school, had the time of your life playing for an exciting and just overjoyed league of players who all had that pride and passion you had, and being the best, would you want to leave that early just to be some average player in the NBA?  Questions like these KILL me. I’m not even- and probably won’t ever be at that point in my life to feel these pressures young men are feeling everyday, and I can’t even start to think how hard it would be to make this decision. But that’s why we have sports writers for newspapers and magazines and T.V. reporters that give us this information each year isn’t it?

Everything I need to know.

Everything I needed to learn and still learn about is from my parents and my friends. Being around my parents I learn the basic things like; don’t steal, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t be mean. BASIC things. Yet very meaningful. Now obviously they talk to me more in-depth about these kinds of issues but I think you get the point of the kinds of things they have taught me and continue to teach me and the level that is at. Granted, they have taught me SO much more but for right now I want you to think about how I’m calling them “basic” things. Now maybe they’re not that basic to most people if you start to look at them more closely, but to me I feel I learn more about life and the “real world”- if you will, from my friends and peers. From school, parties, sporting events, and other activities, I am constantly bombarded by pressures and situations I learn from. I feel I confront these activities with an open mind because of the great teachers my mom and dad have been for me. Yet being out surrounded by others with no parents, I am forced to make my own decisions. It could be making fun at a kid at school, cheating on a quiz, stealing an iPod out of somebody’s backpack, and all the pressures around a school to when I’m out with friends I could be asked to drink alcohol, smoke, and end up being rowdy and careless and eventually end life how I may know it here in Edina. This meaning if I were to get caught or have somebody tell my parents about what I do, I know my basketball season, football season, church leadership, and any other activities I am involved in would be taken away in a blink of an eye. Because I have learned so much from my parents and then taking it into the “real world” of Edina, I feel very confident in my decisions and am happy I have 100% of people’s trust wherever I go.

Hero Worship

To me, a hero is someone that constantly, without being influenced by friends or family, does the right thing for him or herself and also for other human beings. I don’t think we as an influential and smart society can EVER say that we believe in the values and are willing to follow some “SUPER heroes” that we either see on T.V. shows or movies. We can’t look at comic books or war heroes and say they are true HEROES too because they really aren’t a hero. To me, a hero is someone who you personally have met and have had to take a step back and say, “Wow that person really has done something great.” It could be something that helps them or others but ultimately that something is some task or goal that has been met that note any one person could accomplish. A hero is somebody out of the ordinary that goes up and beyond. The only person I can think of that has been an “everyday hero” is Jesus, and I know I said a hero has to be somebody you physically have seen but of course that’s not an option for Jesus and me. Pretty much my definition of a hero is someone that does something right whether the consequences are great or minor, but it helps themselves or the people around them in a great great way.

Freshman on the Sophomore team

Basketball is one of my favorite sports because when I play I feel like I’m involved in something important. It feels good to train all year and give it all I’ve got during the season. I had an amazing opportunity last year when I was the starting point guard for the Sophomore Team. There were two other freshman who were asked to tryout for this older team as well. During the first week of tryouts it was really fun being the new and younger guy. Everybody wanted to know about me and wanted to see me play. But as tryouts came to a close, many of the older players felt pressure as to whether or not they were going to lose their spot on the team to a younger player. The whole tryout process was very overwhelming and honestly a little bit frightening. I still felt like a little boy competing with these huge tenth graders. The Tuesday of the next week the coaches made the first cuts of tryouts. They almost cut half of the guys trying out that day… Only 12 would make the final team. On the following Wednesday and Thursday tryouts, the coaches gave that “talk” to a couple players outside the gym. You never wanted to have “the talk” because it was going to be one of the two coaches telling you they didn’t think you were going to fit with the team that year and tried to give you advice on what you could do before varsity tryouts the following year to make the team. I played my heart out that week. I heard the “starting 5” players from the previous year in the gym and as we were leaving every day, talking about who they thought were going to make the team and what the starting lineups would be. “Who were these new freshman?” many of them wondered. I felt a little odd especially when the guys asked me why we were trying out with them or how much they thought we would play. I didn’t know what to say. I did know I had to keep playing my game and if I was going to play up every year for now on, I was going to have to get used to criticism and figure out how to deal with these sorts of questions. Friday was the last day of tryouts. One ninth-grader was already cut. I felt a level of stress leave my body thinking if they didn’t want Nate and I, (the remaining freshman trying out) the coaches would’ve cut us along with the other player. I told myself to keep playing because nothing was set in stone yet. When the coaches told us to shoot free throws with a partner, we knew they were going to quietly go around and grab one or two guys like they did all week and escort them out of the gym. Finally twelve boys were in the gym. The coaches then came in a few minutes later and congratulated us for making the 2007-2008 Edina Sophomore Basketball Team. We then made our way to the locker room and all congratulated each other. I felt a real bond with the team and knew that year would be so much more rewarding then previous traveling seasons. It was truly a wonderful feeling being a big part of that team. It was hard sometimes throughout the year when “the freshman” as we were now known as, were playing over some of the sophomores who have been the key players in previous years. But it was now high school sports and we learned very quickly that the best players play. Our team went 19-6 that year. Losing 4 of our games by less than two points. We knew this team would not stop and we got very excited for following years to come.

 

Paper Trail..

One of my favorite music artists is T.I.  I have been a fan of his music for a few years now and really like his new CD Paper Trail, which he recorded while under house arrest for being charged with possession of weapons and faces a year-long prison sentence that will begin in 2009. He’s from Atlanta and this is his sixth total album. I don’t look at him as a role model, because quite frankly that would be stupid. But I do like his music and listen to it when I’m getting ready for a football game or as I’m training for basketball. His songs have a constant bass and beat that gets me pumped up. I am a drummer so every rhythm and beat I hear instantly cranks up my adrenaline and gets me thinking of alternate beats that may sound really good along with each song. From this CD I really like the songs; My Life Your Entertainment, Swing Ya Rag, On Top Of The World, and Whatever You Like. When you listen to this new album, you can feel the songs have more passion and depth in them than his similar songs found in all his other albums, especially his previous one, T.I. vs T.I.P.  Many of my friends like Paper Trail, and I think it will be one of the best albums made by a Hip Hop artist to come out in a few years.

Where do YOU see yourself in twenty years?

My life story is being written everyday. "How do I want to be remembered?" I ask myself. College is an important thing in my family. My mother was the first one in her family to ever go to college, and she has her Masters Degree and a wonderful job doing on-camera work for a company that is very flexible and supportive of her. My father also went to college, as well as his 2 brothers, and has been working in television pretty much his whole life. My step mom went to college too, and has had the privilege to work and do many different things throughout her life. College means a lot to me, and I haven't even had the experience yet.

 

When I graduate high school and make my journey to college, I want to make sure it's surrounded by a place I could see myself living for many years. Knowing I could very well be there for 4 or more years, I try to think of myself and how I could operate in those surroundings. "Do I want to be in a city? By nature? Close to the ocean or the mountains?" Many questions like these come into my head as I start to juggle my options. I want to get my undergraduate degree in business and see where that puts me. If I go to a college that can quickly get me in the job market and put me in work strait after I graduate, I could save a lot of money and start making a life for myself. This excites me but then I also wonder what it would be like going for a Graduate Degree or even to get my P.H.D. "Is it too much work?" I ask myself. "Should I be less worried about social status and trying to make it to the top and be content with a job, and maybe trying to start a family, or should I challenge myself and see if I can do it". I wonder these things because the answer to my simple questions will effect how my life story is written. We all have one thing in common; As long as we're living on this earth, we have complete control of our actions and decisions. I truly believe if you want something great in life, you're really going to have to work your butt off and achieve it. Success is a good goal, but to achieve it, thats a whole other story.

Home Sick..

I hate being sick. It always seems like I catch something around this time of year, after summer and before winter, when I’m home from school. I'm pretty sure it's allergies but I've never been tested for them so I'm not positive. Last year I missed a little over a week of school with a sinus infection, where I really couldn't do anything. I can’t stand being sick for a many reasons. One because I don’t operate as well being inside all day and unable to just go run around and be with friends if I want to, plus my parents have a rule that if I’m home from school during the day, I have to be home and skip any plans or sports I have that evening. I don’t like this rule because many times I feel better after a few hours of resting but I guess I understand where they’re coming from. I also take medication and hope it will cure me of whatever bug I have in a few hours or for sure by the next morning, where in reality, the pills will take at least a few days if not more for my body to fully recover and become 100% again. This frustrates me more than anything because I do not like to wait. And I hate feeling sick, as I’m sure everybody does. Another reason I hate being under the weather is because I get really behind in school. Whether I’m out for a day or a week, it seems the workload could never be more! It’s like in the 7 hours everyone’s in school and completing assignments, I have those 7 hours to catch-up on “in-class” assignments on top of the daily homework! I just feel like I’m in a huge hole and I get stressed even more with all the work I have to make up and might be out for another two days! I’m not sick a lot, but it feels I have bad luck sometimes because whenever I am home from school, I’m usually missing a test or am out for a few days and that just takes me out of my routine. I have a lot on my plate between managing good grades, sports, friends, leading a small group of 6^th grade boys at church, and taking care of my two dogs that when I’m sick and out, or delayed from doing many of the things I love to do, it really sets me back and I cant complete everything to the best of my abilities. These are reasons why I hate being sick.

The Passion of Football.

This season the Sophomore Football team’s record so far is 2-1. We lost a heartbreaking game week one. We were leading at the half by ten points, and then had the win taken from us on a final drive by Hopkins with just about a minute remaining in our home opener.  This was a wake up call to our team. All of us, including myself, were taking the game for granted and started slacking off in the fourth quarter just as our opponents were getting hungry and inching their way back into it. “We can’t let them win,” were the words stuck in my head with just a few seconds left. At the end of the game when the score read, Edina 30, Hopkins 33, the coaches had us go over to the end zone to have a team meeting. You could tell this was our first game because all the guys seemed to have that look on their face like, “wait, the game’s OVER?”  Throughout the game we didn’t play every down like it was our last. We didn’t leave everything we had out on the field. If we had, and STILL lost, then we would be able to hold our heads high. I KNOW my team wants to have that game back. I know this because looking at everyone’s face that night and seeing it the next week at practice was like night and day. The stares and tired looks quickly became excitement and eagerness. The fear became anger. We wanted this game back. And since we can’t play it over again, every game we have we know to go out there, every play, and put in our all. “If you get hit, stay on your feet and keep driving your legs.” I remember hearing this from my 9^th grade coach all season. Our second game was also at home but it was an out of conference game against Southwest. You knew it was game day when we took the field. All the players were encouraging each other and running from place to place on the field. Pregame practice felt like the real game. I needed to take a break for a few minutes just to save some energy for when it REALLY mattered! They kicked the ball off to us, and that was the last time they ever did. We scored on every possession and our defense stopped them on every down. They didn’t gain one first down that whole game. This is when I knew we had what it takes. The intensity, the  passion.  The heart.

A Journey I Intend to Take.

Sometime in my lifetime, I would like to take a trip to the jungle. I think it would be a lot of fun to be all alone in the forest with a few friends, not stressing over jobs or school, friends or family, or whose house we're going to hang out at next Friday night. Just being out there by ourselves with nothing to worry about. I want to be able to say I did something exciting in my life. I also would love to have a relaxing vacation where we could just be around nature playing poker and talking. Exploring the jungle and going down a waterfall sounds like a blast. I would love to raft down a raging river and feel the thrill of something dangerous. Something I can't control. These are reasons I would like to take a journey to the jungle.

Blog Expectations

My name is Brendan Canova. This is my super cool blog, which I will personalize and make my own (but not post pics of myself on or use my last name on). I will always use appropriate language on my school blog and follow t he conventions of the English language.
The expectation for this assignment is that I post on my blog once a week for the remainder of the school year. I am expected to comment on texts that I am viewing in the world around me. These might include, but are not limited to: books, magazines, movies, internet articles, television shows, trips to museaums, etc.
Each post should be at least 200 words. Each weekly post is due by 8am on that wednesday. Therefore, Q1 due dates are: 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, and 10/29. That makes for a total of 7 posts this first quarter. I understand that blogs are worth 100 points per quarter and are graded holistically (That means there will be no specific grading rubric). I also understand that blogging is a significant component of my quarter grade. By the way, what I have just typed is only 196 words! Now it is 200!