The Next Two...

I have written but not posted in a while. The following two are about two completely different subjects but nonetheless from me. It was a good Sabbath...

Random Post #1 (Solemn Day For Us That Loved This Great Man...)

A lot has happened since I last wrote. It was an eventful January and it has continued into February. I write this on Sunday, February 10, 2008 and am enjoying sitting with my wife while we watch some television and recap the week. One of the major milestones that I feel like recording is the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Two weeks ago to the day I was sitting on my couch and I received a text message from my friend Doug. It was about 8 o’clock and his message said “we have a new prophet.” I texted back a response along the lines of “huh?” and then he replied that President Hinckley has passed away earlier that evening. I immediately tried to log on to ksl.com to see if what he had said was true and the site wasn’t working. I later found out it was because it was being inundated with traffic for people trying to find out the same thing that I was. I logged on to the website of a competitor of KSL and saw the notice and story of how he had passed away at about 7pm that night and it was because of symptoms relating to his age. It seemed surreal to me that he would die; I honestly could not see a time when the church wouldn’t be led by him. He seemed almost iconic with the way that he led the church. He was the prophet for the majority of the time that I can say that had a testimony and it was quite a shock to hear of his passing.

It wasn’t until later that night that I found myself emotional over his passing. When I was a child the prophet was Ezra Taft Benson. The prophet that gave me my mission call was Howard W. Hunter. But President Hinckley was always present throughout the presidencies of both of those men and I can honestly say that I remember him more than any of the other president of the church. He was always a source for guidance and light; he was and is important to my development as a member of the church. I love him and am grateful for his influence in my life. All of that came to the surface as I pondered that the church would now be without Gordon Hinckley the man and the mantle of Prophet would pass to another. I found that for a short week I was curious to how my heart would embrace President Monson after he was sustained as the new President of the church. I watched the funeral proceedings of President Hinckley and was deeply touched by the countless expressions of love and gratitude for what he did for all mankind as he was here on the earth. I wept as I listened to his daughter share the personal side of his emotions and health after the passing of his wife Marjorie years ago. I connected in my heart once again that a willing man plus the mantle equals an inspired servant. I rejoiced silently for him and the reunion he was experiencing with his sweet wife. All is well.

A few days later was the press conference announcing to the world President Thomas S. Monson as the new prophet and new president of the church. He (the Lord) chose President Henry B. Erying and President Deter F. Uchtdorf to be his counselors. He answered questions about his feelings and the direction he would take the church. I loved that this his response was that he had served with Gordon B. Hinckley for 44 years and that he wasn’t going to depart much from the course President Hinckley had trod; the doctrine was constant. What a testament to the unity of those brethren!! I saw in him the same prophetic mantle and felt the same Spirit remind my soul that the man only holds what God will allow him to, and that has passed to this man, Thomas S. Monson. On top of that, I guess the work rolls on.

I will share more of my thoughts about this at a later time...

Random Post #2 (Pretty Boy Floyd vs. the World... Really...)

This is going to be another one of those entries that I write that is along the lines of a commentary about some certain opinion I have. Ever since the Super Bowl a few weeks ago I have been thinking about the state of sports as they are and have been; forming an afterthought that I would like to share here. Whether it is the steroid issue in baseball, the spying accusations against the New England Patriots, the fall from grace for Marion Jones the exposure of cheating in sports is at an all time high. To be a child athlete nowadays must be rough; trying to find someone that you can look up to as a sports figure is challenging at it's best. I open this entry with that lead-in as I have been contemplating perfection in sports and what it means for the legacy of competition.

A few weeks ago (December 8, 2008) I watched a boxing match where two unbeatens faced off to have one of them leave the match with one loss. The Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Ricky Hatton fight was an interesting spectacle in that both fighters were meeting in the latter part of their careers and both had never been beaten. Mayweather was 38-0 and Hatton was 43-0 entering that fight; numbers that reflect that they have seen a slew of opponents, styles, and beatings in their professional career. It is not unheard of for boxers to be undefeated, but with that many wins under thier belt it is quite an accomplishment. Mayweather added another victory making his record 39-0; and the road to that record has been what is most impressive. Floyd Mayweather throughout his run has held title belts for five weight classes and have 25 knockouts in his 39 wins. He has given hope to the viability of boxing as he has broken records for Pay-Per-View numbers, set records for the most revenue from his fights and became something that no one since Sugar Ray Leonard has done; be a marketable boxer that crosses the lines of the sport to other genres. Two fights ago as he fought Oscar De La Hoya and beat him by split decision lasting the entire 12 rounds and is slated to rematch that fight this September. He has become something that no other team/athlete in recent memory has been; unequivocally perfect without accusation of cheating.

My afterthought is this: After his fight with Oscar De La Hoya he said he was going to retire. Ricky Hatton called him out so he came out of retirement to fight him. He said after the Hatton victory that he was retiring from the sport to focus on promoting boxing, where the real money is (side note: Mayweather took home about 25 million from the De La Hoya fight, and De La Hoya who was the promoter reportedly took home 180 million since his company, Golden Boy Promotions promoted the fight... WOW, not bad for a LOSS). This month Oscar came knocking again wanting a rematch so he is once again coming out of retirement to fight. Floyd Mayweather should stick with his original claim and remain retired. Boxing is one of the few sports where it is so highly regulated that it is near impossible to cheat. The athletes are tested for substances that could alter their ability to perform, they are required to maintain a weight that must fall within their class (a window of between 5-8 lbs. depending on their class) and on top of that, if they last the entire match with their opponent the fight is decided on who fought a better fight. To win in boxing there aren't many ways to do it other than to be better and want it more than your opponent. I say in our current state in sports where everything that we thought was good and fair has been exposed as a lie and cheat Floyd needs to save all of sports and give us something to see that is possible without cheating; perfection. Had the Patriots finished their run it wouldn’t be such a big deal but since they didn’t and their integrity is in question we are left to Floyd to save us…God help us.

There is a reason no boxer makes it their entire career without at least one loss. The lure of money, fame and then the constant nagging of their own ego telling them that no one can beat them ultimately catches up to them as youth beat them to a loss. Floyd will still fight I am sure of it and who knows, he still has the skills and talent to beat the best in his sport hence the reason for his undefeated record. His only real competition right now is a boxer named Miguel Cotto; he has an undefeated record of 31-0 currently but isn’t enough of a money draw for Floyd to waste his time fighting him. Hopefully for those of us that enjoy the history side of accomplishment in sports he will hang it up before he has a -1 on the end of his record.

Anyway, that’s it. Prescott out...