The Kid

He is 4 now. And he is a spark plug. He goes and goes and goes. His mum is wishing for an on/off switch after 730PM, and that is the exact time he gets going. Now our place is not huge but it is not small either, I know because he runs and hops all over it. LMAO He is a ball to watch, he enjoys life, not like a kid but like a free spirit. He is an only child and needs no one to entertain himself (like his mum and grandma). He does the things I used to think about when I was his age, to embarrassed or reserved to let people see me "act a fool". Hahahahaha. That's my son Jaden, and I never want him to change he is too much fun. He can sing/rap/dance in just one show.

We finally got some rain, I am not amused, entertained or happy. 2 things I do not like, rain and cold, and it has been both. However, it has provided a natural break in training. Just in time for a transition in cycles. ;)

While the Cardinals could not pull off my predicted upset (so close), my Lakers have run through the NBA this week. We are the team to beat. Just like the good old days (that would be the 80s for you youngsters). I could not resist texting Paul Doyle bright and early Friday morning. Shout out to Shawn Crawford for having court side seats right behind the Celtics bench, and Steve Hooker.
Now I wait for the playoffs because that's all that matters to me.

Good luck to all you indoor runners, stay healthy.

President Obama

I wrote this wonderful blog on my phone and was unable to post it, so here is the revised version.

It is official, Barack Obama is the President of the United States (POTUS). Sweet! A very proud moment in history.
NOW, here is what I have to say. There are no more excuses. No one should be saying they cannot believe this day ever came. More importantly I do not have to worry about my children facing the insinuation that there is something they cannot do in life. If you think carefully, no one ever told you that you could not be president, it was actual us saying things such as, "One day you could be president" that led to the belief that we had roadblocks there. Unless you are 45 or older, you have not faced any obstacles to your success, especially if you were raised in the West.

Now while some of you are sitting there feeling I have rained on the parade, let me come around the mountain. I am delighted! I love the satisfaction folks like my parents, my uncle, and Brooks Johnson feel. See they lived through the stuff we have watched on TV. It is not a black and white image, the blood is not some different shade of gray, it was red. Emmit Till is not a still image in a casket, it was real and scary. The Watts Riots were not a documentary, my parents lived right there, my uncle was in school when those murders happened and Angela Davis was arrested. They fought for this day and loved through the bullshit that was our society in the 60s.

I want to give a big shout to my man Brooks and his new blog. He brings such history and knowledge to the table. You never realize what it means to be honest until you meet someone that is truly honest. He minces no words or opinions. I appreciate it, and I tend to agree with 95% of everything he says. www.spikesandflats.com

Oh track? Training is going well for everyone. I expect good seasons for all. And there are a few surprises in store for a few out there.
Here comes indoor season. Folks are on their way. We will sit out here and watch the festivities from afar.

Happy New Year

The calendar has changed and here we are in 2009. So what did I learn.

I learned that I attract a whole lot of attention when I write online. And folks always got something to say about what I write. This is what I learned from that, I am a grown ass man, with a healthy mind and have things to say. YOU do not dictate what I say or when I say it, just as I do not to anyone else.

I learned that I can compartmentalize my life. And that sucks. I do not want to have to break it up, but that is what I learned this year.

I learned I can coach my ass off. I am a coach, Damon! LOL I did it. I can say it like that because this is my first major medal and I hope every coach that achieves at least one appreciates the process it took.

I learned HOW to coach BETTER. Aw man, if only you knew how this year transformed my coaching. I still feel like a 12 year old working amongst men, but that is wearing off. How to coach is the key. I have other coaches asking me questions and I stress the how over the what. The what is easy. The what is in books all over the place. The how is not in a book and cannot be put in a book.

I learned that a man's life is a lonely road. I was told this numerous times in my life, and just when I thought I had experienced what it meant I learned it is even lonelier.

I learned how to love. Let me say something publicly to you all, I love my wife. I do. This will mean different things to different people, including her, but to me it just says I learned how to love this year. Which is a really strange realization to come to but it is the truth.

I learned how to be. This is still a work in progress.

What I did not learn.

I did not learn how to hate.
I did not learn what to coach.
I did not learn how to be loved. Huge difference between loving and being loved, and you have to learn how to be loved as well. I think this is the trickiest part for me but not how some of you are thinking.
I did not learn how to take. I have to work on this one.
I did not learn how to be negative. THANK GOD! I can't do pessimism, cynicism. It grates me. I have my own private pity parties, I do not have the strength to deal with anyone elses. I need light around me, vision, positivity.
I did not learn how to be on the top step of the podium. Give me time, I will get someone(s) there.

ok back to what I did learn.
I learned that our world is what I thought it has always been, a place of chance and opportunity. Barack is president. Never once in my life did I think it was impossible, I am glad everyone else knows this now. I learned that the sport is changing and it is a hard change but damnit it is a necessary one for sure!!!!
I learned that the West Coast is on another planet and it cost too much for athletes to call Cali when they need a coach. :) For those prospecting, the West Coast is attached to the United States. The calling rates are the same as all the other states. And I have a few open spots out here. Doesn't mean I am open to everyone, but there are a select few I will entertain. Email, call, send pigeons, whatever works for you. LOL Seriously.
I learned that 2009 is a great year for me. I spoke it and it is.
D

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!
Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? I was about to tell you a cute story about getting older and not being the receiver but the giver now. But something struck me as I was typing, I did not ask the Man for anything. I was too focused on the material world.
Yes I received my Christmas gifts. Here they are;
My family is alive and healthy.
My mom survived a bout with cancer with a smile on her face and her spirit as high as any Olympic medalist.
My son is happy. He is smart. He is able to be a kid and learn and grow.
My oldest is a grown man, not involved in foolishness.
My girl is a senior in high school and loving life. Cheerleader captain, already accepted to a university, and maintains a 4.2 GPA.
My wife, Tasha Danvers won the bronze in Beijing. As a result her star is rising and she is riding it for all it is worth. She has a book, 'Keep Ya Peckah Up!' Stay tuned, her site will be up for you all to purchase this self help book. It is a great read, seriously.
I was able to go to Beijing and do my job. She stuck with me through everything and believed in me, and we walked away from the Games as Olympic medalists.
I survived my year. That is God's greatest gift to me. I thought I was built to coach, I thought the events in my life were preparing me to create champions on the track, I found out this year, I have been built to do the one thing we are all built for, live our own lives with all its circumstances.
Merry Christmas folks. Make sure you realize not one of those gifts in paper is the true gift you were given this morning when you opened your eyes.

The year in a sentence. Tasha won the bronze medal.
Now I need the rest of my crew to come on board and get theirs. That's my New Years resolution

Did he say that?!

No DJ this week at least not in the title. This entry should be fun

Brooks has decided to blog and expose the liars and the lies. www.spikesandflats.com. If you are in track please read what he has written and study it. It is very relevant to the development of USA track.
Stephanie Hightower won the Presidency of USATF despite a concerted effort to bring her down and discredit her. It was not a campaign about who was better but rather a do not let her win campaign. It was pathetic to watch the effort due to the fact that she stood accused but very little by way of evidence was actually given. The irony is the most detailed information came from Brooks blog, where he put to rest the rumors and innuendo that was floated about. Thanks Brooks.
Track and field has too many PC people in important places, but that took a change this week.
Congratulations to Jon Drummond the new AAC chair. The next time he says he is done with track I am going to simply call him, "Lifer". I have friends in high places!
Listen my fellow USATF members, the elections could not have gone better, but there is a very important thing we have to pay attention to, the restructuring. Doug Logan was successful in passing his plan, mainly on the back of reducing the size of the board. However, that is not as dramatic as a few other changes people voted in without paying attention. The board members are not directly chosen by the respective committees, instead they submit three names and a selection committee will PICK who they deem best. And then there is the chairman of the board. The President has been the de facto chair up until now. Now the board will chose its own chairman in a separate vote, the bone thrown out there is that if the president were to lose they would be the automatic vice chair. This is misdirection at its best.
The mantra was streamlining and simplifying to remove the infighting and build bridges. This little piece does nothing more than provide contention. A president not winning the chair is an immediate vote of no confidence. The power struggle is immediate.
Then there is the FACT that the restructuring directs ALL business through the CEO and the national office. Nothing gets approved without the CEOs say so. As Brooks pointed out this is bad. This is as bad a structure as you can possibly lay out. Micromanagement is a bad idea in our complex and diverse organization.
Did I mention we will now have three USOC seats on our board? That is 3 voices on our board that have nothing to do with our everyday business but everything to do with money.
Brooks lays it out better than me, I will comment more later. Unless I get gagged, which has happened before LOL.
See you in Vegas next week. I will be there to steal the secrets from Brooks and see how he made D.O. the best hurdler in the US.

Free DJ

This one will be long, so if you are a skimmer feel free.
I am bitter sweet. A long time mentor and coach finally started blogging and he is killing them with information! It is fair to say the coach is a better blogger than the athlete, lol!

I am so frustrated with the USATF process. I have been trying to go for over five years now to the convention and can never get there, it cost too damn much. Athletes do not know this because they get their trips paid for. I cannot find that vehicle for myself. Sucks! I want to be involved but will be on the outside looking in once again.
For some this is a good thing, but for me I like information and I like being informed when I do hold an opinion, which I always have. Just ask my wife.
If you are reading this I am telling you to vote for Stephanie Hightower for President. If you are a sprinter/hurdler you have no choice. I hate the faction war, but I know it is time for us to have a voice in power and not a backroom voice. We have plenty of behind the scenes power, that is always backed up by the collection of medals we bring home every year.
Read this http://blog.spikesandflats.com/. These blogs speak directly to the criticisms and allegations floating out there.

Obama won, just in case anyone forgot. :)

The country, sorry the world is in an economic downturn, period. If you are foolish enough to think it is a US problem you are not paying attention. The exchange rate has dropped almost 60 cents to the pound.

Practice has started. Love it. Back to my reality, or is it my fantasy??? I no longer think there is a difference. The girls are doing well and learning. The guys are doing the same. And everyone is fit. Now to load them up and make them quit. LOL

This is the time of year I HATE college football, yet it remains my favorite team sport. The BCS is a joke and not having a playoff is inexcusable.

How bout dem Lakers!!! Just give us our rings already.

DJ Slippin

My blog game has been weak lately. Not sure it will pick up but I will be around. lol

Barack. Just wanted to remind you all.

No track meets. Just the marathons and road races (where the real money is)

Went to TMobile to see when the Bold was coming out. Never! TMobile will not have a new Blackberry for at least 6 months, and that is a maybe. Need to get the wife on BBM quick, she travels too much to keep texting and emailing and skype-ing

Next week is the USATF conference. Can a coach get a free trip too? I have been tryingt o get to the convention for five years now, and it always boils down to economics. Actually quite frustrating because I actually WANT to be involved, unlike most I know.

Lots of movement this offseason, wow! some surprising some pleasant and some just plain baffling. Look folks, if you run the marathon do not go to a long jump coach, thats all I am trying to say.

Dayron Robles won performance of the year. Now we all know I LOVE the hurdles. But this is a joke. 12.87 bested the wr by .01. Bolt posted a 9.69 complete with celebration and a stunning 19.30.
Isinbayeva won athlete of the year. Negative! Jelimo was hands down the best woman on the year. The times she posted this season have not been seen in 25 years!!!!!! Are you kidding me? The girl is a junior, just turned 18!