Why?

Author’s Note: I decided to write on this book and topic because I really like this topic and have passion for it. But I also wanted to show you the theme of the story.

According to CNN.com 49 % of people have had to deal with racism some way or another. Sadly Drew Lawson is one of that 49%.Racism is something nobody wants but will continue to happen forever and ever. It is horrible to judge someone on the color of their skin or their religion but people still do. This story will show the pain and suffering of racism, and how it affected Drew Lawson and his life in the book Game by Walter Dean Myers.

Although we know racism is horrible we still know it’s going to happen. Such as when Drew saw scouts were at his game he thought they were there for him. But no they were actually there for Tomas who happened to be the only white kid on the team. He wasn't even  that great. Tomas was getting scouted by Duke, Kansas and West Virginia all great basketball teams. The problem was Drew only had two offers from New York University and Depaul University both not very good teams. The only reason he wasn’t getting better offers was because the color of his skin. Which wasn’t fair at all. His response to it all was always the same "I know I got game" he would always say that to his coach and anyone who anted to know his opinion.

Secondly Drew and his team went to a tournament in Vancouver, Canada. People there were not the nicest to Drew. The media would  always go to their practice and only talked to Tomas and the coach. One day Drew asked one of the media “are you here to talk to me”  then they replied “No why would we be here to talk to you, we are here to talk to the star Tomas.” Drew used this as motivation and to make him work harder. Maybe that is why his team won the tournament, and he got tournament MVP? 

In addition to Drew having to deal with racism there are many other novels that have to deal with racism as well. Such as the books Glory Road and Danger Zone. In the book Glory Road  the University of Texas El Paso basketball team is verbally and physically beaten because of the color of their skin. They would travel to places and get robbed. One time they went to Kansas and they almost got stabbed in a restaurant bathroom. The reason behind all this was because they had the first ever all black starting lineup. Also in Danger Zone the USA under 18 nationals team went to Greece and in Greece they got threat letters that they were stupid white kids from the US and they were threaten to be killed. The reason behind that was because some people didn’t like the kids from the US

In conclusion to all this information it shows how racism does really affect people and especially Drew in the book Game. Please don’t make that 49% raise anymore. But also don’t judge people on the color of their skin or their religion or even where they live. I hope you can see it really hurts people. Just thinks of those people as you. So would you want to be treated like that?

The Jordan Brand

Authors Note: I wrote this because we had to use proper citation and bibliography so i decided to write on Jordan shoes because i have them and like them a lot.

In 1985 a man by the name of Michael Jordan created not only brand but one of the best selling basketball shoes ever. The best selling Jordan shoe ever was also the best selling shoe of all time even in front of the converse Chuck Taylor All Stars which many would have thought would be the number one selling shoe. But know the name of the number one selling shoe ever is the Air Jordan I. They have sold over a million pairs (Morrison).

Bibliography

Morrison, Dave. "Top 100 Basketball Shoes of all time." 25th October 2010. Bleacher Report. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/500756-the-top-100-basketball-shoes-of-all-time. 3 December 2012.

Game Winner

Author's Note: I decided to write a prediction to this book because i am reading it now and i am into the book a lot and i thought because i m not done it would be a great piece to do a prediction.

Creative Scene:

5,4,3,2.............1 The shot goes up and....errrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!! He got it a three at the buzzer to beat Bradley the #1 Team in the state. This was for the state title and Drew Lawson hit a game winner. This was by far the biggest shot of the young man's career.  After the game Drew got many scouts from colleges such as Minnesota, Depaul and Betune Cookman Which had a smoking basketball team. Although he got wonderful offers from all of those great schools he decided to go to Rutgers because he wanted to stay by his sister and mother because Rutgers University is right downtown.

Rationale:

1. The First Reason i beileve this will happen is because In the book on pages 170 and 129 There were scouts scouting him and one of those was from Depaul University. But not only but in the book Drew Says "I would love to stay close to home and play ball" to his mom. That is why I have him going to Rutgers which is really close to home.

2. When Drew hits the game winner i have that happening becuase in the story he passes to tomas and he hits the game winner and gets all the credit that is why in the end i think it will be Drew who gets the last laugh and make his own game winner. 

3. The reason why i dont think he should go to bethune cookman a smoking program is because the only reason was most great programs wanted only white kids then. Becuase this was taking place when race was a bigger problem

Change?

Did you know 78% of kids say their role model is their older sibling? Well that can be a good or bad thing. It is a bad thing though in “Night Hoops” By Carl Dueker.  Trent Dawson, a self proclaimed tough guy, isn’t the best kid in the world. But there are many ways that Trent Dawson changes throughout this novel and he impacts many lives by his changes.

Killing, beating, drinking  and smoking  all horrible things for a 17 year old kid to be doing but that is what Zack Dawson has been doing.  Although these are horrific, maybe the worst  thing is that he is his younger brothers role model.  Zack and Trent are only 3 years apart but they should not do the things they have done together. Such as killing chickens on a trail and stealing items from local convenience store. But the catalyst to Trent’s changing was when his brother shot Michael Ushakov.

Although, Trent is a horrible kid he changes a lot in the book.  The main part where I think he starts changing is when his brother Zack asked Trent if he wanted to go shoot down on the trail. That’s when Trent said no I’m playing basketball with Nick. Right after that was when Zack ended up shooting Michael Ushakov.

Change;  we all know it’s not easy. But  Trent Dawson persevered and changed throughout the book. Well he changed he also affected people’s lives.  The key reason why he changed was when his brother shot Michael. That was a crucial role of him changing. There were many great things that he also effected when he changed such as he changed the outcome of his teams basketball season. Know the self proclaimed tough guy has become a good guy.

Make it Right

Authors Note: This piece states how the constitution should be better. We made this piece as our Patriots Pen essay. 

There was 55 people who made the constitution. 39 of those 55 signed it. But yet we have had to make many changes to the constitution. Why didn’t we get it right the first time I wonder?  With 55 of the smartest men in the country making this why would we have had to change it. Maybe because there was only strict older men. No women no young people maybe that’s why. In this piece I will tell you some of the things that America has changed to the constitution since then and what they did wrong.

133 years that was how long it took America to pass the amendment to allow women to vote and have the same rights as men. Why is this important you might wonder this is important because women are a huge part of our society. They could have made the constitution much more far if they would have included women. Maybe if women were in the constitution they would have had different perspectives.

Although having women in the constitution would have helped a lot but also to make the constitution even better they also should have made a law or amendment that says that any person that is president should add something new to the constituion because then if each president adds or edits something to the constitution it will always be up to date and updated. I know that would help a lot, because I am sure there are some crucial laws missing or left out of the constituion.

With 55 people making the constitution why couldn’t they still get it right the first time? Well some of the reasons why were because women were not in the constitution and it hasn’t been updated that much since then. Just think maybe if women were in the constitution how much better it would be and if it was updated more often.  

Four!

Have you ever been golfing? Well the first time I have ever been golfing on the first hole I have to yell for. Anyone that has ever golfed  knows how embarrassing that is. In this story I will show you the  tribulations of a amateur golfer golfing for the first time.

The 1^st hole. We had a 4:45 tee time. I will never forget I get up to the tee.  Then I took some practice swings. Take a step closer to the ball and swing. Then I shanked it right all of a sudden I see the ball heading towards a cart. My dad yells…”Four”!!! they look and the ball bounces off the ground into the tire of the cart. It was so embarrassing.  I was so nervous know to hit the second shot. Because it was in the other fairway. When I got up to the ball I used my fairway driver. When I hit it, it was a ideal shot. I ended up getting a 7 on the hole which is a triple bogey.

The 6^th hole. The hole I will never forget I lost 6 balls in one hole. The hole was a par 3, 101 yards and 85 of those yards were over water.  My dad went first on the hole he uses his nine iron and lands within ten feet of the hole. It was a exceptional shot. Then I stepped up and hit the first five in the water with a 7 iron. Then I take  a driver and it over and into the woods. The last shot was with 4 iron landed it on the green.  I ended up with a par on the hole, not counting the balls I lost.

Lastly, after the sixth hole I didn’t do so bad. The best hole I had all day was the 8^th hole .It was a par 4  313 yards. On that hole I got 4 shot which is a par.  On the tee shot I shot it and about 175 yard into the rough I thought. But the ball bounced of  a hill and landed in the fairway. It went roughly 25 yards farther and landed in the fairway.  That hole was very exciting because it was a really cool to get my first ever par.  In the end I shot a 69.

In conclusion this showed the tribulations of a amateur golfer golfing for the first time. I faced a lot of challenges on that day golfing. Since then I have gotten a lot better and have scored in the low 50’s. which I a lot better. So if you haven’t been golfing you should try it’s really fun.

Facing Clemens ( Cause/Effect)

Authors Note: We had to do a cause and effect piece and i decided to do it about the book Facing Clemens By Jonathan Mayo because i like baseball. But i also like this book.

The cause in this book or what happens is people claim Roger of taking steroids. Some of the people that claim hi of taking steroids in the book are Brain his trainer. Brain claims that he injected roger with steroids for many years. Also Many of his former teammates alleged him of taking steroids. Such as Andy Pettitte. Andy is one of Roger's Teammates when he was on the Yankees.

The Effect of the people accusing Roger of taking steroids is that he had to be suspended from the MLB season and also had to go to court. But the worst out of all of these is that Roger wont be able to be inducted into the hall of fame is he is accused of this. Roger is a very good pitcher and if he isn't accused he should be a first ballot hall of famer

Travel Team

The main conflict in the book Travel Team by Mike Lupica. Is that Danny walker is told by the coach that he is not tall enough to be on the Vikings, a local travel team.(Person vs Person) This travel team happens to be the same team that Danny’s dad was on when he led the team to a ESPN championship.  After all of this Danny thinks about quitting basketball. (Person vs Self)

Then the resolution was after Danny didn't make the Vikings his dad came up with their own team called the Middletown Warriors. After Danny's dad made the team. Danny’s best friend Ty who is on the Vikings joins the warriors. In the end the Warriors beat the Vikings 40-39.

Facing Clemens (Retelling)

Roger Clemens a man of mystery, may soon be a hall of fame pitcher. This book shows the trails and tribulations of Roger Clemens and is life. His reputation ruined by steroids talk.

The Great Race

Author's Note: I decided to write about this because the race was last weekend and it was really cool and my favorite race.

The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is held annually over the Memorial Day weekend, the last full weekend in May, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana The event lends its name to the Indy-car open wheel race cars that have compete in it.

The greatest team ever

The Boston Celtics also known as the Celts are NBA team based in Boston,Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which they share with the Boston Bruins of the NHL. The Celtics' 17 NBA Championships are the most for any NBA franchise, with their Western Conference rival, the Los Angles Lakers, following with 16 NBA Titles. From 1957 to 1969, the Celtics dominated the league winning 11 championships in 13 years, and eight in a row 1959–1966, the longest consecutive streak of any North American pro sports team.

Mr. Clutch

Author's Note: Our group chose to write about our favorite basketball player. I chose Paul because he is my favorite.

 

A 10 time all star Paul Pierce AKA The Truth. In my opinion he is the clutchest player of all time. With 11 game winners. but the reason i most like him is because he is classy and is not all cocky like Kobe or Lebron. He also helps in the community. He is a great person and basketball player. He is like Steve Nash.

Can he come up in the clutch?

Author's Note: Our group decided to write about  pro basketball and this story is important in basketball right now.

10.2 seconds left in the games the phillips arena is going crazy fans on their feet loudest that they ever have been all season. Atlanta’s Josh Smith to inbound the ball as he throws the ball in Boston’s Rajon Rondo steps in the passing lane stealing the ball. Time ticking down as he anxiously dribbling the ball up the court precious time ticking off the clock.9..8..7..6..5.. then Rondo gets trapped in the corner. Atlanta’s Josh Smith and Al Horford smothering him all in his face. Then not thinking he just throws up a lazy pass. which was weakly hit out of the air then the ball starts rolling heading out of bounds 4..3..2..1.. ERRRRRR the buzzer sounds the Atlanta Hawks win. The series 3-2 Celtics lead.

The Beginning

Author's Note: I chose to write about this book because basketball is my life and means a lot to me.

There are 161,200 people who play basketball 58.5 % are males. There is one man behind this amazing invention. His name James Naismith and he changed sports forever. In the book Cages To Jump Shots By: Robert W. Peterson, shows how James Naismith has changed my life and many more peoples life’s as well. This is why he is one of the most important men in my life.

These are some reasons why he is one of the most important men in my life. One reason is because basketball is my life. Everything I do involves basketball. For example I do all my projects in computer publications basketball related. If someone would not have created this my life would be changed drastically. My life wouldn’t be as fun without basketball. The last way basketball changed my life was when my parents got divorced and even now when I am stressed out I go out and play basketball. It is a good way to get away from life for a while.

Although those were a lot of reasons why he meant so much to me, he was also very popular. The ways he is popular is he is the basketball hall of fame. But the way that people know him now is the Kansas University basketball court is named after him, because he taught there.

Lastly the ways that I can connect to James is he wasn’t the richest and didn’t have the best job so he wanted to create something. I am not the richest and I have always wanted to create something just like he did. Also James’s parents both died when he was 9 years old. My parents didn’t die but they are divorced so we both went through tough times when we were young.

These were just some reasons why James Naismith is one of the most men in my life. In the book Cages to Jump Shots by: Robert W. Peterson it shows how he was such a great man and changed people’s life. I hope with all this information and facts that you realize what a great man James is.

The Select Team

Author's Note: I wrote about this book because I can relates to it many ways.

Have you ever had the feeling of being cut from a basketball because of being small and short?  That is how Danny Walker felt in Travel Team by: Mike Lupica. They just judged him on his size and not his talent level.  I have read a lot of books but this one has the most meaning to me I can also relate to this book the best.

I have had the feeling of not making the team that I wanted to make like Danny did in the book Travel Team by: Mike Lupica. When I tried out for the Pewaukee Travel Team I made the “A” Team the first year but then the next two years I made the “B” team. I can relate to Danny because I also have more friends on the other team. Also I was very sad when I made the other team. Because I thought I was going to make the “A” team but I didn’t so I was disappointed.

Did you know that over 70% of kids that try out for a sports team don’t make it or quit in the U.S.A. That’s according to Michael Pfahl of life.famileducation.com this is a very disappointing but interesting stat. It is interesting because 23% of the kids that tried out for Pewaukee select basketball didn’t make it. But most of these kids tryout the next year. So they didn’t quit they kept trying out year after year.

How would you feel if you didn’t make the select team at your school?  Well I know how it feels and so does Danny walker in Travel Team by: Mike Lupica. These are some of the reasons why I can relate to this book and why it has so much meaning to me.

In a Summer day

Authors Note: I decided to write about this because it show a lot of lessons.

The agony of not seeing the sun in seven years all you seeing is rain, must be very hard on a person because seeing no sun and just rain is gloomy and sad feeling. In the book All Summer in a Day By: Ray Bradbury. It shows the trials and tribulations of a little girl that nobody believes and that gets bullied.

                                     

The main part in this book that I can relate to is how Margaret is new to her school. In Venus were they haven’t seen sun in seven years. That reminds me of when I was new to Pewaukee and I felt left out in the beginning because everyone had their own groups. I didn’t have many friends then. That is why I kind of feel bad for Margaret but in the long run she will make friends and like school again.

The part that I couldn’t relate to is the way she got bullied when I came to this school I didn’t bullied. But I did get bullied at my old school they made fun of me but that was I very small and not that good and football. It didn’t go on long because I showed I wasn’t that ad at football. But it still doesn’t feel good to be bullied in any way.

Lastly in the students from Venus’s perspective. It is hard for the kids from Venus to believe a girl who has come from earth and seen the sun? Because they have never been to earth so they don’t know any better. Similar to if someone from mars came to earth and said they were from mars and they have seen something like two moons crossing over each other that we haven’t seen. Haven’t seen I don’t think I would believe them because I haven’t been to mars.

                                                                                                           

In the short story All Summer in a Day By: Ray Bradbury. It just shows the trials and tribulations of the little girl that was different and was picked on. It just shows how everyone should be nice to everyone and don’t ever pick on anyone. Or bully anyone.

The Fist Pump That Changed Golf

People would say why would a fist pump change golf? Well its not just the fist pump its the guy that does the pump also changed it. Tiger Woods is his name. Most people have heard that name before. well the reason you might have hears his name are good and bad. the good is he is probably the best golfer in the last 10 years and has one many well know tournaments. but in the last few years tiger hasn't been the same. Ever since he cheated on his wife and then ran in to a tree then they got a divorce and ever since then he hasn't been the same golfer. he has only won once this year.  

The Show Goes On

Authors Note: I chose to do it on the song The Show Goes On because it has a lot of meaning and is a really good song. 

Yeah yeah, the World is yours, I was once that little boy( that the younger kids the world will be there’s when there older)
Terrified of the World ( scared of a lot of thing but you can still do it)
Now I’m on a World tour( now he became big and famous that’s what we could do too)
I will give up everything, even start a world war( he will do anything for us)
For these ghettos girls and boys I’m rapping round’ the World for! ( he is rapping for the kids that are where he is from)
Africa to New York, Haiti then I detour, Oakland out to Auckland( where he goes for them)
Gaza Strip to Detroit, say hip-hop only destroy( where he goes for them)

Tell em’ look at me, boy!( look at how good he is doing)
I hope your son don’t have a gun and that would be a bad boy. ( don’t grow up and have guns grow up and do something positive with your life)

Alright, already the show goes on ( life is a show and it goes on)
Alright, till the morning we dream so long.( dream about what we could be)

Anybody ever wonder, when they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up, The show goes on!( even when it comes up life still goes on)

So no matter what you been through( no matter what has happened in your life)
No matter what you into( no matter what you’ve done)
No matter what you see when you look outside your window( no matter where you live)
Brown grass or green grass( nice or bad area)
Picket fence or barbed wire(Nice or bad area)
That you struggling and survivin’ that you gonna persevere( even if you are struggling in your life you got to persevere)
Even if they turn the lights out the show is goin’ on!(even if your life is going downhill life goes on)

I think this song has a lot of meaning to people. because a lot of people lives are not good and this song really shows them what they can be.

The Greatest Sport Ever

Authors Note: I wrote this because basketball is like my life and i have not done many poems this year so i decided to do one on this. I also used all basketball related words too.

Backboard

Acrobatic    

Shot

Kobe

Elbowing

Turnover

Basketball

Alley-oops

Layups

Low-post

The Great Present

Author's Note I wrote this in the basketballs point of view. I choose a basketball because it was one of my favorite christmas presents.

How would you feel if you got bounced around and throw of the rim and a hard plastic backboard? Well that’s how I feel and then they always call me a rock or basketball. That’s what I am that’s not my name though. My real name is Theodore though. Just like they don’t call people, “people” they call them a name like Nick or Justin. I wish that people would understand that I’m not just any basketball I have feelings just like you do.

Also when I was at Sports Authority people would judge me and say I was too small or too big. They would also touch and feel me I mean that’s kind of weird. Even one time someone opened my package and started bouncing me. But then they said I was to flat so they throw me down. The pain of the bouncing was so bad it was like throwing your head against the ground hard over and over. I think I might have even got a minor concussion wow those mean people. A.K.A HATERS.

But then on one special say a mom a came and bought me. She didn’t hurt or feel me but she knew I was the right one for her son. She even complemented me by say I was perfect and the right size. I was just hoping that it would be a nice family. Hopefully they won’t rub and touch me that really creeps me out. Also I hope the kid cleans me and doesn’t get dirty like other basketballs. My brother was a good example they missed the game winner then chucked my brother at a poll the impact was so severe  it popped him…. He died. Then to make it worse the next my girlfriend got sold the day before me I was sad wondering if I would ever see her again…

The day I was always waiting for the time they open me on Christmas day this is my dream coming true. But it also wasn’t also. When he opened me he was excited then did what I wished he hadn’t ripped me open and was feeling me. AHHHHH…. I wanted to scream my leather right off. But I couldn’t. They were nice but the just kept dribbling and feeling me.

But in the long run things have been good. He has been very nice to me and has cleaned me. He took good care of me.