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.