in regards...

i just wanted to make another comment about kids being bullied in school. my friend lesley's 9 year old son is also bullied regularly and as a parent you must feel a little out of control. i can tell lesley feels that way. what can a parent do besides complain to the school authorities or pull their child out and hope they aren't bullied in a new school? i too was bullied in school. it shattered my self-esteem into my adulthood and made me completely uninterested in school. i was bullied up until the last day of my senior year of high school. i was bullied for being gay - little did i know then that i was gay. [joke's on them, eh?] during my senior year, every day two boys in 4th period english and 5th period psychology (oooo, two classes in a row to torture me!) called me gay to my face as an insult. EVERY DAY. every day. i wasn't exactly insulted since i had no problem with being gay, if i was. because my parents taught me compassion i was able to clearly see that being called gay was not an insult. i ignored them all year but i will never forget dreading going to class. going to school. the problem here is that kids are calling other's "gay" as an insult. this has to start at home, parents. also, why aren't we teaching kids compassion in schools? why can kids get away with this? it's hideously harmful and hurtful to the child being bullied and the child doing the bullying. it is unacceptable and IT MUST STOP! carl hoover-walker's mother did everything right. she called the school officials repeatedly and was ignored. carl hoover-walker was bullied to death. i know kids are mean to each other but this is extreme. i better not hear of this happening to my niece or nephews. seriously. or them doing it to someone else. however, i know my sister and tim have instilled compassion in their children. it's not complicated, people. lead by example and you'll always be successful!

what about my trailblazers, huh? even though they lost last night they made a hell of a run a little too late last night. i do think they scared the rockets a bit there. their lack of defense and the inability to get anything to go down was truly frustrating. these teams are extremely well matched and all of these games are going to be hard won. i'm proud of my guys for not giving up - continuing to shoot and be aggressive. they are definitely the underdogs here but if they can steal one on sunday i think we have a chance. rip city uprise is at a full fever pitch here. signs in everyone's windows, businesses supporting the team and everyone in their gear on game day. last night at rsq every other table was sporting a tee-shirt, a jersey or hat supporting the boys on the road. go get em guys. watch those tapes. we've contained yao, now we need to contain luis scola and von wafer. these guys are desimating us. lamarcus did a good job on scola last night but he just couldn't miss. oh, and refs? just cause we are young and inexperienced doesn't mean the whistle shouldn't be blown on both ends. oh, and just because greg oden breathes on the ball doesn't mean he's commited a foul. give the kid a break! hang in there fellas. if anything, this is the most amazing learning experience and i think they've surprised some folks with their determination after being blown out in game 1.

RIP CITY UPRISE!!