Underdog

Authors Note:This is a response to the book The Underdogs by Mike Lupica.




Underdog.  Definition, person or party that is expedited to fail or to lose. We all have been underdogs at some point in our life weather it be school or sports, or you been told that your for sure are going to fail. Then you go out and try prove them wrong. In the book The Underdogs that's what Will tries to do with his football team for a town that lost everything. Will lost almost everything to including his Mom. Proving that if you're from a town that's small or has a small team. You will be look down upon. In sports at least.        

When I played football my first year we were a small squad with a few good players. Size wise, we all where miniature the biggest player being 5'5. We were for sure the underdogs going in to every game and we lost ever single one. Most everyone gave up and stopped caring, but a couple of people my self included never gave in and we nearly won our last game only losing by 6 points. This relates to the story because no one care about the football team and they struggle to get 11 people just to be on the team. They got destroyed in their first game because know one cared.

 No one caring about something in general is bad but denying kids to play sports because of some odd or outlandish reason is just plan and flat out dumb. Like in the book Tackling Jim Crow by Alan Levy were black football players dealt with racism and criticism. This is related to the book I read because there were told that they were awful and couldn't. On a much smaller and less insensitive scale. Never the less though they were still the underdogs.

Underdog that title for some people it crushes them and makes them quit. For some people it drives them to rise above and do better. Mr. Lupica did great job of saying that in end saying "Maybe being an underdog isn't such a bad thing, well for me atleast" So no matter what if you are on a small team or for a small town you will always be under rated and an underdog, but it's your job to prove them wrong.

Death

Authors note:This is a response to the book Breathe By Cliff McNish. I not trying to persuade  you to thinking one way or another about death. That's your opinion not mine. This is just a response.




We all incur this problem. Someone you love or are close to dies. It's natural life. There's no stopping death, and it's foolish to try to. In the book Breathe by Cliff McNish. Jack and his Mom Shara lost their dad to a heart attack and move a shady house in a forest were four children died along with a mother. Jack’s talent of being able to communicate with the dead helps him find a story that he never wanted to find. Also he learns that people are all going to die at some time in the feature, so before that day comes enjoy it.         I've had this problem happen to me with someone dying in our family, my great grandma. I watched her die slowly each day. Did I stop caring about her though? No I didn't. Why should you then? She may have been dying but she kept smiling and joking around with our family until the very last moment. Everyone handles death differently, for some people it does affect them at all. Some burst in to tears. People even kill themselves over the deceased.        Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't be upset over a lost one, you should, no doubt about that. I'm just saying that you should remember them not try to bring them back to life, because in most cases they are going to a better place. Mr. McNish briefly talked about this at the end of the book saying. "...I understand that losing someone is sad, but there is no need to take them away from the other side. I will see all of them at some point..."        Death it's very sad, it always will be too. You cannot deny death no matter how stronger you are. Mr.McNish did a great job of getting this across and trying to keep good humor and a light mood in the story. Witch was hard especially with the main topic being death. At some point in our lives we are all going to die but before you do live your life do the fullest.

Adversity

Authors Note: This is a Response to the book Blood on the Horns by Roland Lazenby.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.". Martin Luther King Jr's said at one of the most famous speeches in the world’s history. Almost 50 years later people judge people by their race, color of skin and religion. Michael Jordan found this out as he played basketball. Proving that no matter how great you are you always have to battle adversity, in this case racism and criticism.   


In the book Blood on the Horns  by Roland Lazenby, he tells how Michael Jordan had to put up with and how he dealt with it.  That's not the only point in the book but it's the main one. He does a great job of getting the point across by telling the read some of the signs he would see and words that would be shouted at him. Giving a first person view of what being picked on because of your race. This was not only at away stadiums too it was at home stadiums.By Bull's fans! I think it's horrible that he had to put up with even by his own fans. That's like being called a fail or a mistake by your own parents. How would you like that? Yet people still do it to this day.        


That's not the only war he had to wage. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf and GM Jerry Krause did build the team around Jordan but they wanted to get rid of the Head Coach Phil Jackson. Michael didn't approve of this and said that if Jackson got let go he would leave. This sparked the bitter relationship. Eventually started a media firestorm of hateful comments and refusing to go to practices between player and head coach against owner and GM. This would only get worse when they attempted to trade away Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman who had became great friends with Michael.      


Even through all the hate and disrespect he became the best basketball player even. One of the point in the story is this never let someone tell you that you can't do this or that because of you religion or race.   Also another point in the book is that adversity will always be in your life and you have two choices. Get stronger from it or give in to all the hate, criticism and racism

The Worst Day Ever(The first day of school)

"No Mom" I screamed as I was getting read for my first day of school. I was tried beyond belief as I fought for control of my backpack. Finally I cracked and gave in. The walk to my stop seemed like a mile but it was only a few yards. My first step on the bus was horrifying, all the older kids look at me with the I'm going to kill you look. So I gladly took a seat in the front of the bus and rocked back and front like I had just seen a ghost. Beads of tears rolled down my face as I nervously watched other people getting on the bus. When we arrived to school my teacher looked mean and grumpy. This traumatized me even more. The next thing I did was do a full 180 and face plat on the hard floor.      When I awoke I was sitting next to my teacher in the health room and this "grumpy old lady" was actually very nice, and what she said next I'll never forget "Ryan....if I had a dime every time a kid on the first day did this, I be on a beach in Mexico, don't worry about it your fine". I smiled like a champ and laughed. Even though I moved I see once in a while and we smile at each other knowing that share the worst day of my life. Witch turned out to be the one of the best.

One day

Authors note: This is based on a true story about my friend in my old school, that this happened to him and was his best friend. Also he did have a dog but it name was not  Rufus that was what he called he.


I stare out the window, it's a beautiful day. Little kids running around, shouting and playing ball. I use to be able to do those things but know I'm locked up in this room. Oh my name is Gunner by the way...well that's my nickname at least and I have muscle disorder witch means I can 't walk or move my arms but I can write though. That's how I communicate, no phone, no video games and no tv. Just a pen and paper, that's all I need. I had many friends but no anymore. The only people that cares about is my mom and my dad, but that sometimes. I have a dog  Rufus a German Shepard. He is my best friend and he never leaves my room expect for walks. With Christmas closing in I just wish for one thing, to make my families life not so hard and to be normal again, but that will never happen so I guess an xbox would be cool.           Before the muscle issue I use to be an elite football player. One of the best, but that collapsed allowing with the rest of my life. I really want to go back to school though.That's all I want. At least I have a cool room. It's all white.with a small bed in it, but I've learned a very important lesson, that nothing in life is handed to you that you have to work for it. This is how my life is every day. Once one obstacle is clear 14 more show up, but that gives me courage to fight for a normal life again. One day maybe there will be a cure for cancer and for my disorder. One day.

The Importance of read instructions

Authors note: This is about what that quote means to me. Also this is for school and I'm a bit of a novice so if you can give me feed back about what I could fix.

Quote"When all else fails, read the instructions"-Unknown  

 3 years ago

As I stroll down the labyrinth of row that create Wal-mart I try stay 10 steps behind this man that I have to call my dad. I hate this man, he left my mom, my sister and I when I was 3 years old. Sometimes he'd try to start conversation about how life was, I would never respond. Once we got home I was greeted by a surprise. A lego car. My dad goes "Hey would you like to help me build this"? "Umm....Sure". He opened the box without even looking at anything put the box in front of him and started to build. "Hey dad aren't you going to look at the instructions" "Son I build cars before I think I know what I'm doing ". I watched in amazement as head fiddled away with all the tiny pieces until he made something that looked like a tank. This process went on for hours until about 1 in the morning. When I finally said "Dad I think they made these instructions for a reason" "You're right". For the next 2 hours me and my dad put this together piece by piece and when we were done I actually did something that I never did before and smiled at him.

Life in the day of a Gift Card

Authors Note:This is about what I think it would be like as life as a  gift card. Also I received this for Christmas

Whoa...Whoa. Get me out of here. It’s freezing in this box and it smells worse than were I came from with I have no clue is. Agghhhh I am in the air know, very scary. Finally light. “Oh thanks mom from the gift card”. Next thing I know I’m under a shirt with some money. “Hey wassup” “WHO ARE YOU!”Washington “Money, we have been in  this draw for years”. Then I blacked out.

When I awoke still with money, only we were moving. “Where are we”? I asked.”We are leaving” said a piece of money whose name was . “Ok we are here then”  “Walmart I thi...” Before he could finish the sentence. We were flung into the air and It became very dark. Along time later I grabbed by a man with huge hands and swiped though slot, and jammed in a huge thing. With a lot of Washington and that's the story of my life so far.