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DICKSON: Spring football has changed

Written by archive on May 12, 2015. Posted in columns, Sports.

It has been 40 years since I last went through spring football practice, but I still cling to memories surrounding those warm May afternoons in Gulf Breeze.

Back in my day, spring football might have meant more than it does today. Few, if any, high school football programs were in the year-round football business.

We started practice in August, and when the season ended in November or December, the footballs were put away until May. Some football players also played basketball; others ran track or played baseball.

At Gulf Breeze High, we had a class called varsity sports — a glorified physical education class for athletes. During football season and spring practice, the class basically consisted of getting into our practice gear and heading to the field. We did throw the ball around for a few minutes and stretched a bit, but there was nothing too intense.

In those months between football and spring football, we sharpened our skills on the foosball table or with a spirited game of basketball. Every once in a while, someone would suggest we lift weights. But lifting and conditioning weren't mandatory, and the school didn’t have the equipment to support a lifting program for all the team's players.

Undoubtedly, we needed spring football practice. And spring football provided us with a morsel of the game while we waited for practice to start in the fall.

Today’s players at Baker, Crestview and just about every other Florida school work out year-round. Football is never far from players' minds, even if those athletes are involved in other sports.

Each coach has his own regiment. Some coaches are really into weight training during the offseason. Other coaches combine conditioning and weight training in the months between the end of the season and the start of spring ball.

Most summer programs are geared on refining the skills needed in the regular season. The players who are not getting bigger, stronger and faster will be relegated to backup roles in the fall.

I believe there is still a place for spring football, but that place is changing. Spring practice's teaching moments that were once so important have been replaced by a year-round program.

My concern is a year-round focus on football doesn’t leave time for teenage kids to be kids.

I just have to think things might have been a little better when football was reserved for the fall and spring.

Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DICKSON: Spring football has changed

CROSE: Playing a musical instrument feeds the brain

Written by archive on May 12, 2015. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

Crestview High School's Spring Band Concert will be held 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at the Pearl Tyner Auditorium, 1250 Ferdon Blvd. N. Admission is free.

The program will feature four concert bands, two jazz bands and several small ensembles performing a variety of music from jazz standards to contemporary wind literature.

Under band director Jody Dunn and assistant band director Charles Andersen's direction, this concert is sure to be enjoyable, as were all of the band concerts I have attended.

The concerts are well attended, and since it is first come, first serve, they fill up quickly, so get there early to get a great seat.

But before you go, consider this: Research shows that playing a musical instrument develops certain brain processes. All music, both vocal and instrumental, requires regular instruction and practice, which develops our attention spans. A TedEd animation by educator Anita Collins states, "Playing music is the brain’s equivalent of a full-body workout… Playing an instrument engages practically every area of the brain at once — especially the visual, auditory, and motor cortices.

"And, as in any other workout, disciplined, structured practice in playing music strengthens those brain functions, allowing us to apply that strength to other activities…" (See the animation.)

Playing a musical instrument certainly teaches self-discipline, eye-hand coordination and multi-tasking skills. And, as CHS choral director Kevin Lusk said, "Music makes us better humans."

So there you have it. Practicing and playing an instrument are good for your brain — among other benefits. I am going to go practice my piano and do some vocalizing.

I hope to see you around town — please say "hi" if you see me.

Janice Lynn Crose lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim, her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine, and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: Playing a musical instrument feeds the brain

BUSH: Snakes are still fooling people

Written by archive on May 11, 2015. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

The best lies come with a bit of truth.

In the Genesis 1 story of Adam and Eve, the devil disguised himself as a serpent and convinced the woman to do the one thing the pair were told not to do.

Genesis 2: 15-17 says, “…The Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.'"

In Genesis 3, we see how a slight twist makes a big difference. The serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

“We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die," she answered.

“You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to Eve. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Like Eve, a lot of people today are listening to some real snakes. And like the serpent in the garden, snakes today use some truth to make their lies sound true.

The Prosperity Gospel is a name for the message these snake oil salesmen push on gullible, well-meaning people. They misinterpret and over-extrapolate a small number of scriptures to convince people to give them way too much money for all the wrong reasons.

Creflo Dollar, whom you've probably seen on TV, isn’t alone in his taste for the finer things paid for by parishioners — who can barely afford anything — but he is among the worst.

Dollar recently said that God informed him that a fleet of Rolls-Royces and a private jet weren’t sufficient to preach the gospel. He needed a new $65 million jet. He is currently waiting for his congregants to find a way to make his faith become a reality.

The more these hucksters mislead and misappropriate money from people who mistakenly place their faith in them, the fewer people find true faith in God, who needs nothing from us.

I love the metaphor of God as our father. As a father, I love my sons. When they do nice things for me and with me, I truly appreciate it and I feel the love they are showing me.

But I don’t need anything from them. At 11 and 7 years old, anything my children have is because I gave it to them in the first place.

So why do people forget the “God as a father” metaphor and choose to believe he is a genie in a bottle? If you give some megachurch preacher a few bucks, somehow this God who created the entire universe owes you money?

God is all you need — unless you need a $65 million jet. Then you need a lot of gullible people to send in cash.

Otherwise, find a local church and discover what God has to offer. It's worth so much more than money can buy.

Kent Bush, publisher of Shawnee (Oklahoma) News-Star, is a nationally syndicated columnist. You can reach him at kent.bush@news-star.com.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet @cnbeditor on local issues that you are passionate about to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BUSH: Snakes are still fooling people

GARVEN: ‘Deflategate’ report nothing more than a witch hunt

Written by archive on May 11, 2015. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

Tom Brady has presumably had enough time to digest the Wells Report, which has placed New England’s gridiron glamour god in jeopardy of not being the Patriots’ starting quarterback in a season opener.

That hasn't been the case in 14 years.

The report, overseen by Holy Cross graduate Ted Wells, addresses allegations that Brady and two low-level employees conspired to gain a competitive edge by under-inflating footballs used in the Patriots’ 45-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the Jan. 18 AFC Championship.

Here’s a look at the most prominent points of pontificating by the pigskin public while we await a ruling on Deflategate, which the NFL should announce this week.

•Ironically, Brady’s only public comment on the Wells Report since its release last Wednesday was at a previously-agreed-to speaking engagement the next day in Salem, Mass. The seaside community was the site of the infamous witch trials in the late 1600s, and the Fickle Foxboro Faithful fervently believe this a witch hunt designed to get back at the jealousy-inducing Patriots by bringing down the franchise's face.

Don Yee, Brady’s agent/lawyer, incited conspiracy theorists by saying the league attempted to set up the Patriots by orchestrating a “sting operation.”

Get real.

Are there teams in the league that are envious of or dislike the Patriots because of the overwhelmingly successful way they operate their organization?

Of course.

But the other 31 mostly billionaire-owned teams also understand the Patriots being on top is good for the overall bottom line. Love them or hate them, they generate ratings and, thus, revenue.

The NFL kicks off the 2015 season Sept. 10 with the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium. Suspending Brady for one of the most hyped games of the regular season is not a shrewd business move.

•According to The New York Daily News, the decision to suspend Brady has already been made, as commissioner Roger Goodell believes the game's integrity has been violated. The NFL disputed the report on Saturday.

What’s unknown is for how long, but one or, at most, two games would seem appropriate if a suspension is indeed coming.

What the league is initially unlikely to do is give Brady a one-game suspension. Brady and Yee will undoubtedly appeal any suspension. And if they won their appeal on a one-game suspension, there would be no suspension.

So it goes back to Brady getting a minimum of two games to start, even if the league believes one is all that’s warranted.

•Yee was all over the news — both the sporting and real worlds — starting Thursday night and heading into the weekend. His defense of his client has been to discredit the Wells Report, which he termed a “significant and terrible disappointment.”

This strategy dates to Ancient Greece and is based on not proving innocence of the accused but creating doubt in the accusers. And since it’s still being used in modern America, you know it’s proven to be more successful than not.

Still, it would have been more reassuring if Yee had just once unequivocally proclaimed Brady’s innocence rather than offering a cautious, “In my opinion, yes.” Those words sounded a lot like Brady four days after the AFC Championship when he responded to a query of being a cheater by saying, “I don’t believe so.”

That ambiguity was deflating to those still uncertain as to the extent of Brady’s knowledge of or participation in Deflategate.

•Owner Robert Kraft and Coach Bill Belichick were exonerated of any wrongdoing in the report. However, there’s a growing sentiment that either or both of the Patriot power brokers will be penalized, as they’re ultimately responsible for what goes on in Foxboro.

Fines, the forfeiture of a draft pick or suspensions are possible punishments. The fact that Belichick is a micromanager doesn’t weigh in his favor. Ignorance doesn’t always equal innocence.

But it says here only Brady is disciplined.

Coming down on his bosses, too, would make it look like the league was on a, yup, witch hunt.

Contact The Telegram & Gazette columnist Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet @cnbeditor on local issues that you are passionate about to news@crestviewbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: GARVEN: ‘Deflategate’ report nothing more than a witch hunt

BROADHEAD: Focus on uniting similarities, not divisive differences

Written by archive on May 8, 2015. Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Editor's Note: This is the fourth column in a series on how to restore any lost respect for Christianity.

For the past several weeks I have pointed out several matters within the contemporary Christian church that I believe have caused great anxiety within Christianity.

Pride, arrogance, privilege (and the loss of it) have been looked at.

It is a shame that within Christ’s church, people don’t seem to stop often enough to think about how much more we have in common than we have in differences.

Granted, the number of differences between us is far greater than the similarities that untie us. But the significance of what we have in common far outweighs our differences — if we would only focus on it.

A good friend of mine once told me that a baseball coach of his said that when his game seemed to be out of focus, it was a good practice to get back to the basics.

In the Christian church, our game is out of focus. We are divided more than ever. We are scorned more than ever. We are ignored more than ever. We need to go back to the basics.

We all have three major things in common. It is those three — when we focus on them to a greater degree — that should unite us more than the other issues divide us.

What is central to our faith, what we all have in common as disciples of Jesus Christ, is the Trinity and the fact that Jesus Christ is the center of our faith. We have been called to love and serve him. We have been called to preach his good news. We have been called to care for each other and those in need. We have been called to have the mind of Jesus Christ.

How we interpret the elements of the Lord’s Supper — secondary.

How we interpret the age or method of Baptism — secondary.

The creation of the world in a literal six days or six millennia — secondary.

A literal or symbolic apostolic succession — secondary.

By acknowledging the strength of what we have in common more than we argue about our differences, we will be able to become more united in our diversity. We will provide a much stronger witness in the world for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ — rather than our particular denomination or theological interpretation. We will be more effective in conveying the message that it is okay to have differences, and to let God be the Lord of the conscience.

Jesus said, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Very important words by which to live.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BROADHEAD: Focus on uniting similarities, not divisive differences

HUBBUB: Dam construction underway, move Crestview Parks & Rec money

Written by archive on May 6, 2015. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

Featured comments from our discussion at facebook.com/crestview.bulletin

•••

Facebook fans weighed in on Grandview Pond's progress since the April 29-30, 2014 flooding.

Here's what they had to say:

•••

Dam construction underway

As HOA members and officers, we tried to get as many educated opinions on the repair and future maintenance of the dam (including from Northwest Florida Water Management) before we presented the information to HOA members.

We also conducted a thorough search for qualified contractors to complete the construction, all the while ensuring a competitive bidding process.

The Grandview Heights HOA board of directors didn’t take this task lightly and conducted business with the entire HOA membership in mind, trying to balance cost and effective conservation stewardship. Construction began on Monday.

Dave Arenz

•••

All homeowners benefit from lake

Pretty sure the people fishing on Grand Lake are not just folks with lake property. The lakes are used by a lot of the residents, and even non-residents.

Being part of an association community means sharing the burden, and benefit, of all communal amenities.

Neda Burtman

•••

Re-thinking HOA benefits

This is why I'd never own property in an HOA: taxation without representation.

Fly a U.S.A. flag, you get drama. Refuse to pay whatever they dictate, however unconstitutional, you get drama.

David Key-Harriss

•••

Facebook fans expressed excitement and concern after reading about the Crestview Parks and Recreation Department's hope to build softball and baseball fields on Brookmeade Drive.

Build a complete recreation park

The city needs to move forward with a plan to build a complete park: a park with five or six ball fields (that can be converted to accommodate all age groups), a couple of football fields, open land for soccer fields, a playground equipment area, basketball courts, skateboard complex, nature trails, concession stands, bathrooms, tons of parking, a gym (with A/C) and employees. And it needs to be accessible all day long.

Jeff Fowler

•••

Move Parks & Rec money

If the city of Crestview had all Parks & Recreation money going into its own separate account, I bet the city would have the money to fund this more appropriately.

As of now, all money from all sports goes into a general city fund. I have personally tried to get the city to allow us to have business sponsorships for the fields, but they won't allow it because all monies go into a general fund.

Until that's resolved, the new fields should be put on hold.

Breana Carlson Uptigrove

•••

Try a different location

Why does the city want to build a sports complex in an area that already has problems with traffic congestion?

The city also owns a 240-acre parcel of land that is bordered by Arena Road, Titanium Drive and Rasberry Road. This would allow for plenty of parking and the ability to build a complete park …

It would also keep more traffic away from the constant traffic jam that exists between I-10 and Redstone Avenue.

Jeff Crawford

•••

What about soccer?

Is there any plan for soccer fields in the area? There is a growing need for them that should be addressed as well.

Carrie Prescott

Join the conversation on our Facebook page>>

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HUBBUB: Dam construction underway, move Crestview Parks & Rec money

BONI: Prayer, done right, comes from peace

Written by archive on May 6, 2015. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

Tomorrow is the 64th National Day of Prayer, one of those rare occasions when people from different backgrounds unite for a cause.

Services are scheduled throughout Northwest Florida, including Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Milton, Niceville and Santa Rosa Beach, among others. (Read more about Crestview's observance.)

This year's theme is "Lord, Hear Our Cry." Oh, isn't there plenty to cry about, too.

One recent example is the Baltimore riots, which show we are not living in a so-called post-racial society, though some in the media and throughout our country jumped to that conclusion with President Barack Obama's election and re-election.

As you probably know, Freddie Gray was a 25-year-old black man who reportedly received injuries to his neck and spine while being transported in a police vehicle after his April 12 arrest. Baltimore residents protested April 18 after Gray fell into a coma. He died April 19.

Peaceful protest included a march from Baltimore City Hall to Inner Harbor, but acts soon turned violent, including pelting police with rocks, burning buildings and vehicles, and looting, according to news reports.

Gray's death followed a year of deaths that many people feel could have been prevented, including Michael Brown's in Ferguson, Mo.; Eric Garner's in Staten Island, N.Y.; and Tamir Rice's in Cleveland, Ohio.

"Black Lives Matter" marches popped up across the U.S., including the Okaloosa County NAACP's December gatherings in Crestview and Fort Walton Beach.

Yes, this is one example where prayer could help. (At least, it couldn't hurt.)

After all, if Baltimore's violent protesters folded their hands and meditated on perceived injustice, as opposed to destroying their own city and its morale, they might have found constructive solutions.

In cases like these, violence is never the answer, particularly since "the enemy" — police, for instance — may include many people who are not racist.

Amid all this destruction came a voice of reason, namely from Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson.

"… How do you react when something is wrong?" he said in an interview with GQ Magazine shortly after the riots. "If you have an unpleasant experience with a plumber, do you go out and declare a war on all plumbers? Or teachers or doctors? Of course not. And it makes no sense to do that with police either."

Common sense isn't exclusive to religious and spiritual citizens. I imagine that many people who don't believe in God, those who celebrated Openly Secular Day on April 23, for instance, would agree with Carson.

But one of the reasons we celebrate National Day of Prayer is because prayer, when done right, comes completely from a place of peace.

Forget the Crusades and jihads that give faith a bad name. The truth is that prayer, done right, comes completely from a place of peace.

Let's remember that tomorrow, and whenever perceived social injustice strikes us.

What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BONI: Prayer, done right, comes from peace

North Okaloosa faith calendar

Written by archive on May 6, 2015. Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

CRESTVIEW — North Okaloosa residents can celebrate their faith and grow closer to God during these upcoming events.

UPCOMING

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER: Crestview observances on Thursday, May 7 are as follows:

•Noon, city hall, 198 Wilson St. N.

•6 p.m. on Okaloosa County Courthouse's southern steps, 101 James Lee Blvd. E., Crestview. Pastors Dwight Baggett of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Mark Broadhead of Crestview First Presbyterian Church, and Paul Mixon of Central Baptist Church will lead the ceremony.

DIXIE ECHOES CONCERT:6 p.m. May 9, Central Baptist Church, 951 Ferdon Blvd. S., Crestview. A suggested $10 donation is requested at the door. Details: 682-5525.

DORM LUAU: 4-6 p.m. May 17, DFAC parking lot, Eglin Air Force Base. Hosted by Eglin Chapel Singles and Young Adults, and the Asian Pacific American Heritage Committee. Hula dancers, music, bungee jump, rock climb, free food and fun. Details: Technical Sgt. Norman Davis, 883-4694, or Chaplain Baker, 882-2111.

LIFEPOINT ACADEMY SUMMER CAMP: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 8 through Aug. 14, Lifepoint Church, 400 Ferdon Blvd. S., Crestview. For ages 6-12. Enrollment costs $35; weekly tuition costs $90. Christ-centered program involves fun bible challenges, enrichment activities, guest presentations and special interest camps. 306-2245.

RECURRING

WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, West Gate Chapel, Eglin Air Force Base. Open to women with base access. Janette Gregg, 863-4264.

REFORMERS UNANIMOUS: 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays, Central Baptist Church, 951 Ferdon Blvd. S., Crestview. Faith-based recovery program for people with any addiction. Directed by Wendell Morgan. 682-5525.

FOOD DRIVE: The Joy Fellowship youth group is "Saving Lives One Can/Jar at a Time." Goal: collect 5,000 pounds of canned, nonperishable items for local food pantries and the Crestview Pregnancy Center. Drop off donations from 10 a.m. to noon weekdays at 5978 Old Bethel Road, Crestview.

Email your church’s announcements to be included in the listing>>

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa faith calendar

HELMS: Hope — that's a promise you can believe

Written by archive on May 6, 2015. Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Did you know we use the word hope in a fashion different from its Biblical definition?

We say, "I hope it rains tomorrow," and the word indicates there is a possibility that it might not rain.

However, in the Concise Bible Dictionary, the word hope is explained as waiting for something promised. Using this definition, we can see a slightly different, as well as more positive, perspective to the promises contained in His precious Word.

Understand this: It is impossible for God to lie. That being said, why do we approach His promises as though they might not happen?

Whenever you see the word hope in your Bible, it is intended to instill in us an assurance, or guarantee that a promise is being fulfilled.

We have hope in His return, which means He is returning and we need to be acting like we are expecting it. Not wavering, thinking that it may or may not occur.

Be sure in your relationship with God. Know that He loves and cares for you. Know that because of hope (assurance) in Him we will one day stand before Him. It will happen!

When we live in the rest of His hope, we will have victory.

That, my friend, is a promise that you can believe in.

Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Missions, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Hope — that's a promise you can believe

DICKSON: Thanks to all the moms

Written by archive on May 5, 2015. Posted in columns, Sports.

I’ll be out of town the next few days.

I leave for DeLand on Thursday to spend Mother’s Day — which also happens to be my birthday this year — with Mom, Joan Dickson, and my sisters.

As best I can remember, this will be the first time all three sisters and I have been together on Mother’s Day since 1975, when my older sister was a senior in high school.

If my dad was my first coach, Mom was my first fan. She cheered for, and encouraged me. There were even a few times that she unintentionally embarrassed me.

Some of those stories have become part of our family’s lore. My favorite of those stories go back to the spring of 1966, when I was in my first year of church league baseball in Memphis, Tenn.

I am right-handed in everything I do, except swinging a bat. Unfortunately, Mom didn’t know I swing a bat from the left side of the plate. When I took my stance in the batter’s box that first game, Mom stood up and yelled, “You’re standing on the wrong side of the plate.”

My coach quickly informed her that I was in fact a left-handed batter and she sat down.

Judging from the way I hit, I might have been better off trying to hit from the right side of the plate.

My mom was a baseball and basketball mom long before anyone coined the term “soccer mom.”

Mom was much like many of the moms I’ve seen and had the good fortune of getting to know in this area. She did her share of concession stand duty and helped me sell whatever the fundraiser of the year might have been.

She bandaged my skinned knees and consoled my damaged emotions. I imagine if anyone said anything derogatory about my limited talents, my mom, the Baptist Sunday School teacher, would have been on them like a rabid dog.

I really think it takes 20 or 30 years for children to fully appreciate the price their moms pay so they can play ball or be in the chorus or band. So take heed, all of you moms in Crestview, Baker and Laurel Hill: your sons and daughters might not understand the sacrifice you are making now, but they will in the years to come.

I will celebrate Mother’s Day with several special moms in my life — Mom, my three sisters, who are all moms, and nieces who are moms, as well as my older sister’s mother-in-law.

And I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my birthday, either.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there. Thanks for all you do.

Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DICKSON: Thanks to all the moms

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