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What Torii Hunter Can Learn From Jackie Robinson

AFR — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 03:51:36 +0000

During a recent interview with Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times, former Minnesota and Los Angeles outfielder, Torii Hunter was asked about the idea of an “out” gay teammate. Hunter indicated that he would not-or could not be supportive of a teammate with a different sexual orientation than his own.

“For me, as a Christian-I will be uncomfortable because in all my teachings and all my learning biblically, it’s not right—it will be different and uncomfortable.”

In 2002, playwright Richard Greenberg wrote a new drama which premiered in London. It was called, “TAKE ME OUT”. It eventually moved to Off-Broadway at the Public Theatre before moving to Broadway in 2003 and winning the Tony Award for “Best Play” of the year. Much of the play is set in the locker room of a professional but fictional baseball team in New York. It has an all-male cast and explores the themes of homophobia, racism, class and masculinity in sports. The play’s main character is named Darren Lemming, a popular and successful, mixed-race player at the peak of his career when he decides to “come out” to his teammates…..with mixed results.

Playwright Greenberg has stated that one of his compulsions for creating a baseball play was his complete immersion into the sport in 1999 after following the NY Yankees (then record) 114 win season in 1998 and David Wells perfect game. Many believe the inspiration for the character of “Lemming” is MLB player Derek Jeter and the character of racist “Shane Mungitt” was based on former National League pitcher, John Rocker, then of the Atlanta Braves. Greenberg went so far as to name the fictional NYC team, “The Empires”.

I doubt very much that Torii Hunter saw this play. For if he did, he might have been reminded of the difficulties and sacrifices made by so many who came before him, namely the great Jackie Robinson.
Robinson might not have been gay, but he was no stranger to being a ground breaker….stirring up controversy….angering the establishment…and yet, remaining committed to the thing most important to him… being as excellent a player as he could be and setting his example out there on the baseball diamond. But what the black community has had that the GAY community now lacks, is a marquee name….a star….a legendary talent, to come OUT of the closet publically and say those two words that silence the strongest and toughest of men…..”I’M GAY”.

Perhaps until such a momentous event occurs, gay MLB players (yes they do exist) will continue to choose to remain closeted for fear of…..for fear of…..oh I don’t know, lost endorsements? Scorn of their adoring public? Being shunned by conservative fans, family and media? I wouldn’t know…. I’m out.

But thank goodness, the times seem to be changing. Many “high profile” sports figures have become rather vocal about their public support of gay men in sports and gay marriage equality. Take for example the words of NBA legend Charles Barkley.
Barkley was asked how he felt about gay players in the locker room. He responded,

“A gay player would only be judged based on whether or not they can play. If someone is gay, that’s their own business. But it bothers me how people try to say that jocks are not going to like this guy. I think gay people should be allowed to get married and God bless them, that’s their own business. Listen, if a guy can’t play, that’s the only time we don’t want to play with him. We don’t care about all that extra-curricular stuff.”

Echoing similar sentiments, when asked what he would do if there were a gay player in his locker room, NY Rangers hockey star Sean Avery stated, “I’ll stand beside him in the dressing room while he tells his teammates he is gay. Maybe if Sean Avery is there, they would have less of a problem with it.”

Wrestling star and Division 1 coach Hudson Taylor recently launched a new 501(c)(3) non-profit organization named, “Athlete Ally”, which aims to educate and empower straight allies in sports to speak out against homophobia and trans phobia. Perhaps if Torii Hunter is looking for a new tax deduction opportunity, he might consider donating some of his considerable salary to just such a cause.

Meanwhile, maybe what this issue needs is a gay athlete of some renown to embrace the truth of their self-identity at the same time they embrace their God-given level of athletic talent, bite the bullet and just “man up”…..be the first….set a trend….LEAD. Much like the iconic Jackie Robinson did….because what Jackie Robinson did by simply playing the game he loved as well as he did, was to turn his critics and naysayers into fan and believers….believers who once held a notion that “those who are different than us do not belong doing the same things as us”…..Jackie took that ridiculous notion and smashed the glass ceiling that prevented black athletes everywhere from participating with equality and respect in a game that now knows the true meaning of diversity… or does it?

The Other MJ

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To Contact The Other MJ or any AFRSports Columnist, please E-Mail: Contact@AFRSports.com

Michael Coluccio is a lifelong Yankee fan. An avid golfer, he has hit a hole in one and has never been dishonest in scorekeeping. Even though he’s the trustworthy one and it would be really easy.

The Magic of Sports

AFR — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 05:07:58 +0000

by Charles Messina

When I was ten years old, I believed in Magic. Johnson. I loved basketball and the Lakers, and I worshipped Magic. I wanted to be him. I passed like him, shot like him, dribbled like him, or at least I thought I did. When Magic hurt his knee and gimped, I even gimped like him. He was a 6 foot 9 inch point guard out of Michigan State. I was a 4 foot 6 two guard out of St. Anthony’s elementary school, living 3,000 miles away from the sunshine of LA and the Great Western Forum. No matter. He was the man. I stayed up late every other night in the ’80s to watch Lakers games that started at 10pm Eastern Standard Time and ended when I should have been well into my ninth dream. When I did finally fall asleep, I dreamed I could grow up and become the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. I dreamed of Magic, and as kids should, I believed it could come true.

Flash forward 30 years. I’m a father. I have a ten year old son, and like so many things that are passed down from generation to generation, fandom is one of them. My boy Ethan roots for his Lakers, just the way his purple and gold bleeding Dad does. We bond over sports, like many fathers and sons do. Our loyalties skew westward – Lakers, Niners. We do like the Yankees. I mean, we’re not that crazy. Sports is a common language we speak. Ethan knows the game as well as, or better, than I do. When we talk about sports, we share opinions, numbers, hunches. Most importantly, we share quality time over a common interest. Ethan has his own version of Magic and his name is Kobe Bryant.

I was never fortunate enough to meet Magic in person. My Dad, who was not a sports fan, did take me to a Lakers-Knicks game at Madison Square Garden on December 17, 1985. We sat in the nose bleeds. Lakers won, 115-109. Magic had 18 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. That’s the closest I ever got to him. On December 13, 2012, I took Ethan to see the Lakers-Knicks game at the Garden. Ethan received one small perk that I never had as a kid. He got to go backstage. Ethan got to be a part of the Lakers’ fan tunnel and greet the team as they came out onto the court. Standing in the wings of the Garden we saw Spike Lee, decked out in his retro Bernard King jersey. Woody Allen walked by. Stephen A. Smith rubbed Ethan’s head. Then Ethan went courtside, in his Kobe home jersey. He put his hand out to greet the Lakers as they rushed out onto the court and they slapped it as they ran by. Very cool stuff when you’re 10. Pretty cool at 40 also, as I stood by watching, grinning, and fiddling with my iPhone to record it all. But one thing was missing, no Kobe. He didn’t come out onto the court.

Ethan was led back into the fan tunnel. A very kind Knicks’ cheerleader let him stay there and wait to see Kobe. But after a few minutes, we were told that if Kobe didn’t come out, we would have to leave the area as the game was going to start. Then moments later we were told we had only about 30 seconds left. If Kobe didn’t come out soon, Ethan wouldn’t get to see him. Then this happened…

Ethan And Kobe

Ethan got to see Kobe, and he slapped his hand. What you don’t see in this video, because I was too excited to continue to record and wanted to live the experience firsthand, is the look on Ethan’s face when he turned to me. His eyes wide open, he held his hand out, the one Kobe had slapped, and he said in a voice that only the innocence of youth can muster, “Kobe…”

Too often sports is measured in wins and losses, meaningless fantasy numbers, salaries. The cynicism of sports can overshadow the magic of sports. Lost in the muck of it all — in scandals, spreads, suspensions, statistics — is the transcendent emotions of the game — the passion, the identification with yourself and others through a common rooting interest, the life lessons of competition, and the belief that on any given court, on any night, anything is possible. The Lakers lost to the Knicks that night when Ethan and I went to the game. Twenty years from now, Ethan may or may not remember who won or how many points Kobe had (although knowing him, he probably will!), but he will always remember that encounter with Kobe in the fan tunnel at MSG. He’ll remember the magic that came with seeing his sports idol in person and the hand slap that Kobe gave him. And hopefully he’ll remember that we were there together, as father and son. In the end, that’s the real Magic of sports.

To Contact Charles Messina, or any AFRSports Columnist, please E-Mail: Contact@AFRSports.com

Charles Messina is a New York Based writer. He was All Star third baseman for his High School wiffle ball team and has shot free throws with Steve Nash. His cross over dribble can still break ankles.

Pitcher This!

AFR — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 18:23:14 +0000

by: Ethan Messina

I am one of the biggest Yankee fans in New York. Yet, even I have to admit that they make a lot of mistakes. Mostly with their pitching staff. Last week they did something smart. The Yankees re-signed 40 year old, veteran pitcher Andy Pettitte to a one year contract. It’ll be Pettite’s 18th season in the big leagues, 15 of those 18 years have been spent with the Yankees and it’s about to become his 16th. Even though he is 40, losing velocity and fighting injuries, he is a much needed left arm in the rotation, and could possibly be their most reliable pitcher, when healthy.

Of course, they have CC Sabathia who has pitched well. He is not as dominant as he once was but he is still their ace. The rest of the rotation could be a question mark going into the 2013 season. Ivan Nova’s career is slowly ending because of repeated injuries. Phil Hughes hasn’t been consistent as a starting pitcher. He’s just in the rotation because they do not have any better options. He would be better used in the bullpen. David Phelps has some potential but he is too young to be a spectacular starting pitcher just yet. Hiroki Kuroda is good but not very consistent either. Freddy Garcia is likely coming to the end of his career and cannot be counted on as a starter. In the ALCS against the Tigers, the Yankees scored a total of 6 runs in 4 games and they gave up 19 runs. That’s not good enough to get it done.

Once again, we face another winter and the conversation is still the same: They Yankees don’t have enough pitching. Now they need a catcher also. They should bring in a veteran catcher like A.J. Pierzynski. He’s a good hitter and good behind the plate. They are one of the richest teams in MLB, they can afford to bring in another decent pitcher and a catcher. In fact, it’s something they must do.

I’m 10 years old and I know that! They are a bunch of grown men and they can’t figure it out?!

To Contact Ethan or any AFRSPorts Columnist, E-Mail: Contact@AFRSports.com

A New York Yankee in “Friendly Fenway?!”

AFR — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:29:19 +0000

By Michael John Coluccio

It’s an oxymoron. It can’t be true….
Can a die-hard New York Yankee fan be convinced to attend not one but TWO Boston Red Sox Games in the same day?! Impossible as it seems, this is exactly what happened to me.

And I wouldn’t trade that day for the world.

The news of my best friends cancer diagnosis was a shock to me….the fact that he was barely in his 50’s made the pill that much harder to swallow but the reality truly set in when Tom approached me in as jovial a voice as he could muster and said, “MJ…would you consider a road trip up to Boston to see my beloved Sox”?

Any self-respecting Yankee fan would have greeted such a request with a mocking and dismissive laugh. I mean, this was 2009 and our team was in first place with the Sox squarely in second about 5 or 6 games back. So I responded the way any true Yankee fan would…..

“When do we leave”?!

I drove of course, and Tom provided the “tunes”. A creature of “old school” habits, he had carefully crafted a “mix tape” of some of our favorite “road trip” tunes….a lot of Beatles, Van Morrison, Eagles, Stones and of course, Dylan. The music though was secondary to the conversation….during which I finally got up the nerve to ask Tom the question that had been burning deep down inside me for years….

“Tom, how the hell does a boy from Bay Ridge Brooklyn, EVER become a Sox fan!?”

The twinkle in his eye started gleaming again as he began his reminiscent journey back to 1975. The Red Sox were having a great season in the American League East that year and the Yankees were frankly just not a great club then. As a younger man, Tom DID try to root for the Yanks and was huge fan of Mantle just like his dad was but the team…the TEAM just was not clicking for him and he needed something to root for….he needed and wanted to get behind a winner. So, he noticed players like Carl Yastremski and Freddy Lynn…Dwight Evans and Carlton Fisk. And he was sold.

Yes, the Red Sox would go on to win the 1975 AL East with a record of 95-65 but following a sweep of the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS, the Red Sox would lose the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in 7 games.

Little did Tom know, that the Yankees would “right their ship” and win the AL Championship for the next three years, taking it all in 77 and 78. By then it was too late for Tom. He was a Boston baby and there was no turning back now.

We pulled into the hotel when Tom and I were staying for the next couple of days. The Nor’easter promised by the weathermen became a reality and the chances of Tom seeing his “double-header” that afternoon and evening became as gloomy as the grey sky above us. As we began to unpack our bags, Tom’s ashen color worsened and his energy disappeared. Between the weather forecast and Toms dwindling health, it seemed our visit to Fenway was not to be that day. Tom was content to sit in the hotel room, his eyes half closed from pain and exhaustion just watching a “NESN CLASSIC” on the hotel TV that night. He slept like a log and the next day awoke feeling more refreshed and with a noticeably improved spring in his step.
The good news was that the double headed was re-scheduled for that next day and our tickets would be honored for both games! After a hearty breakfast, Tom insisted he show me the sights of Boston, his “home away from home” before heading to the park.

Finally, the hour of reckoning was here! The Yankee fan was now finishing up his pint at the Cask and Flagon and making his way down Landsowne Road and Yawkee Way….streets that were steeped in Red Sox history. “Wait one second MJ!” Tom bellowed. “We need to get you outfitted the right way!”.

Before I knew it, I was being dragged into one of the many huge souvenir shops outside the park where Tom tossed me into a red sweatshirt and cap. He knew enough to not insult me by having them read “RED SOX” but they did read “BOSTON” (as in the city) and I guess I was going to have to be ok with that!

Tom and I entered Fenway and my first reaction was my most lasting reaction…”WHAT A FRIGGIN DUMP!” I exclaimed.

“Ah yes MJ, but it’s a WONDERFUL old dump” Tom said as we proceeded down the way toward our seats. “The Yankees might have their “Stadium”…but the Sox have this wonderful BALLPARK!”

Then we emerged from the musty bowels of the building into the field level of Fenway Park itself. The grass and the seats were all still wet from the storm the night before but the kindly elderly usher who greeted us was only too happy to wipe them down. Our seats were right behind the Red Sox dugout where it would appear, my good friend Tom was quite well known by many of the locals. Tom delighted in pointing out to me the “green monster” marred with the “dings” of the hundreds of balls that smacked it over the years, the John Hancock sign over looking left field and the bullpen out in right field. I noticed how tiny the seats were and was concerned that big guys like Tom and I wouldn’t be able to even fit into them…but we did…and we stayed and watched as the Sox played and beat the Seattle Mariners in game one…and then again in game two. Tom delighted in giving Beckett the business when he couldn’t find the zone and in leading our entire section in the seventh inning singing of “Sweet Caroline”. If ever I’ve seen a man feel “at home” it was that day.

Yet through it all, my eyes were firmly affixed to the “manual” scoreboard watching carefully to make sure my Yankees were keeping pace (we were) and so…for that one day, everything was ok in the baseball world.

Little did I know that not two months later, my beloved Yankees would win the 2009 World Series, a fact that Tom reminded me about on his deathbed a mere six months after our adventurous trip.

“MJ….I know your boys won it all this fall…but it was a great battle! And we’re gonna get you next year!” Then he paused, took a deep breath and said, “thank you for taking me to see my guys up in Beantown. It was a trip I’ll never forget”

“No Tom”, I replied…..”Thank YOU….for teaching me what it means to be a true fan”

To Contact Michael or any AFRSports columnist, please E-mail: Contact@AfrSports.com

Johnny Heisman

AFR — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 05:52:39 +0000

By Ethan Messina

The Heisman Trophy is the MVP (most valuable player) award for college football. It has been around since 1935. The Heisman has been won by some of the best football players of all time, like Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, OJ Simpson and Marcus Allen. This year the Heisman race is very close with great candidates, such as Kansas State’s Collin Klein, Texas A&M’s Johnny (Johnny Football) Manziel, Ohio State’s Braxton Miller, Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o, Stanford’s Stepfan Taylor, USC’s Marqise Lee, Clemson’s Tajh Boyd, Oregon’s Kenjon Barner, Georgia’s Jarvis Jones, Arizona’s Ke’Deem Casey, and Northern Illinois’ Jordan Lynch. Of all these possible Heisman winners there are 2 of them who really stand out, making this essentially a two player race between Collin Klein and Johnny Manziel.

On November 10th, Johnny Manziel led his #15 Texas A&M Aggiespast then #1 ranked Alabama 29-24. Texas A&M is currently ranked #9 in the BCS poll. Collin Klein’s Kansas State Wildcats’team was ranked #1 for one week this season and then suffered a lopsided loss to unranked Baylor 52-24. Now Kansas State is ranked #6. Against Alabama Manziel ran for 92 yards and threw for 253 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. In Kansas State’s loss to Baylor, Klein threw for 286 yards and 2 touchdowns but had 3 interceptions.

Johnny Manziel should be the Heisman Trophy winner this year because he has more touchdowns, more completions and more total yards than Collin Klein. Texas A&M’s win against Alabama completely changed the overall BCS rankings this season. Manziel’s performance in the game against Alabama was the most important one of the year because it knocked Alabama out of the #1 ranking and created a revolving door atop the BCS rankings for weeks to come.

So in addition to being the best quarterback in college football, Manziel also had the biggest impact on the season with his play against Alabama.

His nickname should be changed from Johnny Football to Johnny Heisman!

To Contact Ethan or any other AFRSports Columnist, please E-Mail: Contact@AFRSports.com

Mike ‘Antoni, No D

AFR — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 00:28:50 +0000

by Ethan Messina

The Los Angeles Lakers hired coach Mike D’Antoni. They hired him instead of their former coach Phil Jackson, an 11 time NBA champion. Do you know how many championships Mike D’Antoni has? I’ll give you a hint: Not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5…NONE!!!

I think that Lakers owner Jim Buss doesn’t like Phil Jackson and that had something to do with the final decision. Phil Jackson has coached the best player ever, Michael Jordan, to six NBA titles. I think he can coach Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant. Mike D’Antoni coached Nash and the Phoenix Suns and he had a decent run there. Then he coached the NY Knicks and they played terrible under him. They never made it past the first round of the playoffs while he was a coach. In the 2008-2011 seasons, when D’Antoni was coach, they didn’t even make the playoffs! D’Antoni coached two star players on the Knicks (Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire) and he completely failed, so how can we expect him to do coaching three stars for one of the biggest franchises in NBA history?

Mike D’Antoni isn’t the right fit for the Lakers because their problem is defense and he is an offensive coach. The Lakers have two 7 footers in Pao Gasol and Dwight Howard. They can use their size on offense, but on defense the more athletic teams in the league will run right past them. Lakers’ fans expect to see their team win championships and Phil Jackson has a record 11 rings, 5 of those with the Lakers. Mike D’Antoni has none and has never even been to an an NBA championship. He lacks the experience to coach this team. Phil Jackson has been a head coach for 19 1/2 years! D’Antoni has been a coach for 10 years but also coached 8 years in Italy. The best choice for the Lakers and for Lakers’ fans was Phil Jackson. Apparently that was obvious to everyone but the Lakers’ ownership.

To Contact Ethan or any Columnist at AFRSports, please email – Contact@AFRSports.com

High Anxiety

AFR — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 23:56:18 +0000

by Charles Messina

Did you hear the one about the Rocket that couldn’t take off?

There’s no punch line here because there is nothing funny about it. Royce White, the Houston Rockets #1 pick in the 2012 draft may never play a single game in the NBA. He hasn’t blown out his knee or suffered some career ending injury. He hasn’t been accused of rape or arrested for a DWI. No, White’s problem goes much deeper than that. What he’s fighting is something that no on can see, but it threatens to rob him of his professional basketball career and perhaps even a chance at a normal life. Royce White suffers from a generalized anxiety disorder. He has a debilitating fear of flying, among his other fears and anxieties, which prevent him from traveling with his team.

White’s condition, while apparently uncommon in professional sports, where hopping from city to city every night via aircraft is par for the course, is more common in the population at large. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) anxiety disorders affect nearly 40 million Americans. Fear of flying is one of the most common phobias, in fact. It is said that 1 in every 6 people suffer from some form of flying anxiety, causing them to avoid air travel altogether. But what if you depend on flying, and flying often, for your livelihood. What if you are Royce White?

Here’s a kid from Minneapolis, who was a 6 ft 8 inch stand out power forward in high school. He received tons of scholarship offers from colleges all across the country. Surprise-surprise, he stayed in his home state and played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Those who suffer from anxiety do not do well with the unfamiliar. Royce stayed in his comfort zone. Anxiety forces people to do that, it takes away choice. He stayed in a place where he felt safe and comfortable. In October of 2009, Royce was arrested for stealing $100 worth of clothes from the Mall of America and was suspended by the university. Soon after he announced his departure from the Univ of Minnesota. As a basketball player, he was sought after and recruited by other teams, including the gold standard of college basketball, the University of Kentucky and coach John Calipari. A call from Calipari and the mere thought of going to Kentucky triggered a panic attack in White. Again, he decided to stay a little closer to home and play for Iowa State. Royce was a star there. He was voted Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and he was a First Team All-Big 12 selection. He was living a dream, while fighting through a personal nightmare, trapped inside an unrelenting mental disorder.

Royce decided to forgo his junior and senior years of college and enter the 2012 NBA Draft, where he was chosen by the Houston Rockets as the 16th overall pick. White requested that as a part of his contract that he be allowed to purchase a bus to reduce the amount of flying he would have to do. He cited his fear of flying as a “trigger” for his anxiety disorder. The Rockets and White came to an agreement to try to eliminate as many triggers as possible for his disorder and approved the use of the personal bus for him to travel from game to game whenever possible. White missed the first week of training camp until the agreement was finalized. Soon after, White had a dispute with the team regarding the handling of his anxiety disorder. White was sent to the D-league (the equivalent of the minor leagues in baseball). The Rockets learned what so many friends and family members of those with anxiety disorders have learned: being sensitive and educated to the condition is important; being an enabler is unhelpful. The possibility now exists that White will never play a single game for the Houston Rockets or for any other NBA team.

White has stated that he would rather “never play again” than “compromise his health in the interest of business.” Plain and simple, this is his fear and anxiety talking. Never playing a game is exactly what is compromising his health! He is blaming the Houston Rockets for his own unwillingness or inability to get a handle on his mental disorder. He is submitting to the fear. Royce White may be able to pass this off as someone else’s problem, or play the victimization card for convenience, but the problem is solely and squarely on his broad shoulders. It is his obligation to make himself better and healthier. If he never wants to play again that is fine. But he should acknowledge that he isn’t making that decision, his anxiety is making it for him. The Rockets will go on. The NBA will go on. But he may look back on it all one day and say to himself: I let anxiety beat me. He let it rob him, as it has robbed so many, of opportunity, constancy, normalcy.

Royce White needs to step up for the sake of himself and for all those who suffer along with him — like the writer of this piece — and become a shining example of resilience in the face of fear. He is one of the those rare individuals who can use his public profile to make a statement about defeating a mental condition that affects so many of us. The answer isn’t a bus. It isn’t a public quarrel with the Rockets. The answer is inside of him. He needs to get good, sound treatment and he must will himself to be better. Anxiety thrives on avoidance. You must always do the opposite of what anxiety is telling you to do, no matter how difficult, no matter how painful. If it tells you you to sit, you stand, if it tells you you can’t, you must. If it tells you to not play, you play. White is submitting to anxiety by not playing, by not flying and by putting the reason for this on anyone or anything other than his anxiety.

Royce White is not alone. So many of us deal with this condition every single day, and it’s a constant battle to maintain, to push on, to defeat the fear that holds us back. If White doesn’t face it now, at 21, the anxiety will get worse and worse and it won’t just be about not playing in the NBA. It won’t just be about having passed up a golden opportunity. His world will get smaller and smaller and it will become about not getting in a car, not going to the store, not leaving the house. Anxiety doesn’t give up just because you do.

My own therapist once said these simple words to me and they seemed to help, above all the medical treatment and pills, they resonated: A coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero dies but one. Those of us who suffer from anxiety must be brave in the face of an insidious illness. We must be willing to fight every day to do those basic things that others do with such ease. The best advice is to take it a step at a time. Make a flight plan, resolve to see it through, show up at the airport and see what happens. We must not avoid, we must confront. Now’s the chance for Royce White to be a hero, even if he never scores one basket in the NBA. He can be a hero to himself and to so many of us by just showing up to play.

For help with Anxiety Disorder, Panic, or Fear of Flying, please contact The White Plains Hospital Anxiety & Phobia Treatment Center at www.phobia-anxiety.org or call (914) 681-1038.

To get in touch with Charles, or any columnist here at AFRSports, please email us – Contact@afrsports.com

Ty Cobb

Carlo — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:06:46 +0000

Was the greatest of all time