Leader (By the Disciple)

I was trying to work on the post for the game last week. As I continue to analyze the direction of that, enjoy this piece on Kurt Warner.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?page=hotread17/kurtwarner&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

He is quite the example.

Seasons (by the Disciple)

Seasons.

True to my word, we have a one word title. This week I want to discuss two themes. We all know what a season is, but this is the thought of the redemptive qualities of each day we live. But, first I want to start with the idea of turning the page.

Turning the Page.

Well, you would think we would be on a bit of a sour note after the destruction on Sunday, but we are persistent. It will take a whole lot more to derail the movement that is happening than one poor game.

The Cardinals need to turn the page. They need to wash off what has happened. Not just the loss, but all of it. They need to cleanse themselves of the past. They need to re-establish themselves.

The main goal of the season was to make the Play-offs. That goal is complete. Now, we need to revamp and aim for a higher threshold.

The threshold needs to test the limits of ourselves. The threshold needs to be the most lofty and inconceivable outcome that we could imagine. If you challenge yourself to the ultimate goal of self, then you will find out how much you can handle.

If you understand that the world is energy. If you understand that everything is connected and the actions you take will not only affect your life but those closest to you. If you understand this mindset, then you can understand the importance of turning the page.

You need to get yourself out of the mindset of the past. You need to get yourself out of trying to repair what is broken. You need to stop worrying about others and their opinions toward the life you are leading.

If you are happy with the life you have, then continue. If you are unhappy, change. But, be aware that when you change, everything around you will change. Everything that holds value to you at the moment of your reversal will change its shape.

The same things and people will not make you feel the same way as they once did. You will think that you lost something. That you lost a connection with someone if you determine that your current course is not healthy and you need a change.

People will get angry and fight because they don’t like when the boat gets rocked. People don’t like when other people change because that makes them uncomfortable.

If everything is indeed energy and if you are living a life that is not fulfilling, you know that it is not. You know that you are not happy but distract yourself with petty things.

These petty things create a false world that is based on negative energy. Negative energy is the cause for all pain.

But, all that negative energy and that negative world that you created can be changed. If everything is energy, all you need to do is switch your mindset.

It may mean that you need to remove a hobby. You remove a job. You remove a person.

Then, only then, will you be making the change that you need to in order to be the person you are meant to be.

Trust me, it’s not easy. It’s not easy to change everything you know and destroy the world around you. But, if that would is self-destructive, you need to dissolve the world before it dissolves your humanity.

Turning the page is also about symmetry. Symmetry is in everything in the world. The world is broken down to 12 months. The months are broken down evenly between 4 seasons. The days are broken into 24-hour periods.

If you truly want to live in every moment you have an understanding toward the importance of each second. You understand what can happen in a second and the worth each of these have in our daily lives.

Analyze a day like you do a year. The morning when you rise is like spring. The early afternoon is like Summer. Dusk is like Fall and the evening is reserved for Winter.

You wake up and everything is new. You woke up today to an entirely new world at your fingertips. You could create and do anything that you want to do in this gift of the morning. This feeling is the same that over joys us in the Spring.

It is a feeling of renewal. It is a feeling of Hope and excitement. It is a feeling that overcomes you with happiness.

Then comes summer. Summer is a time that will cause you to enjoy life. You can relax and enjoy the fondest part of your existence. It is the time of the day when everything should slow down and you should recognize the small details of your surroundings.

Fall follows and the time of transition begins. The fall is the season where everything begins to prepare for a rest. You are exhausted from the energy and happiness that is brought by spring and summer.

Last, we have winter. Winter is the time that you need to regenerate. It is a time that allows for you to seize the run around, seize the commotion of everything around you and just relax with your inner spirit and mind. This is the same system that enables us each evening as we prepare ourselves for the next adventure the following morning.

Concluding, life is energy. We are all connected and when something is over you need to understand that the energy in it is gone too.
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There is no use trying to fight for a memory that is gone. Enjoy the memory, love the moment you had, but prepare yourself for the next one you will make.

Understand that each day is a lifetime. That each morning when you wake up you are completely cleansed from the previous days activities. You have the chose every morning to create the canvas of your life.

Just be happy. Understand the things and people in your life that make you happy and fill your heart. Locate the people that are in bad states and out of sorts. Try to help, but understand only a person can make the choice on their own to change the energy around them.

I love you all and be happy. We are about to begin anew in a few short weeks. And with the spring, comes new adventures with new people!

Be safe and smile today!

Dream (by the Disciple)

Dream.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the

2008 NFC West CHAMPION

Arizona Cardinals!

I have been waiting to write those words for over 15 years now.

Onto business, as you loyal readers know by now I am dictating to you on the basis of one word titles for the remainder of the season. Hope you like it.

A dream is something that happens to you when you fall asleep. In the case that you do not sleep, like I have not slept for a few days now, these dreams fail to exist. Like someone very close to me recently told me, when this begins to happen to you; you need to rest . . . It helps.

If you are like most people and do get your rest, you do dream. You dream about silly things like going grocery shopping, or you dream about profound things like your death or talking to someone who is dead.

This will not delve into what dreams mean, as they say that dreams are only interesting to the person who dreamt it.
What I want to shed light onto is a different kind of dream. The kind that does not happen in your subconscious when you are asleep, but the one that motivates you everyday.

You can keep your dream to yourself and it could be a spiritual journey. Or, you can be vocal with your desire and broadcast it to the world.

Everyone is either living in a dream or working to make a dream come true.

The Cardinals had a dream and as a member of the Nation this dream materialized in a playoff birth.

It is that sort of goal that will motivate you to action. It is that objective that is needed to keep us on pace and continue to move ourselves forward.

Life is a constant progression. It is a progression of moments that are built together. These moments become days. The days become months and etc. . .

What is your dream? Are you living your dream? Are you building for your dream?

My dream since the time I was young was to be somebody. I wanted to be somebody that helped others. I wanted to always be happy and make the people that I love be happy as well.

This was a dream that was sidetracked recently. I lost track of who I was and what I was doing and how I was making others feel.I would like to discuss these as the Dark Ages of my life. We all go through these times. When you feel overwhelmed and everything that you have to do causes so much stress it is easier to run than to exist.

This is when you need to dream.

You need to remember what brought that smile to your face when you were a child. You need to surround yourself with the people that cause your heart to be filled. You need to simply be happy.

You need to dream so you can remember that you can do whatever you want to do. Your life is what exists in your mind and the perception of your conscious is how you see the world.

You need to dream and be that person you have always wanted to do.

The hardest thing to do is take that first step. When you are overwhelmed it is easier to place your dream out of mind as it will only cause you to feel worse about the time and life you are wasting.

When you are happy, your dream will allow you to move forward. It will create the world around you as you want it to be. You are the most powerful person in the world and dictate everything that happens to you.

The Cardinals found this out. When you have a dream and a goal to do something and it is achieved, you become the happiest person in the world. They were down, they were counted out for decades, but endless work has created this special moment in their lives.

As a human it is nearly impossible to remember days. You cannot remember everyday of your life, but you do remember moments. Moments make your life memorable and allow you to remember everything your heart and soul has gone through.
When I was much younger than I am today and was so naïve. I was in Germany. I was visiting Europe and this was part of my life experience that would mark how much of a man I had become.

Like all good philosophers, my friend and I became enlightened while walking. This walk took us around Berlin and showed us a lifestyle that we observed more than lived in, as these people were completely different from us.

The question was this:

“What gets you up everyday? What makes you want to live and what makes you the happiest?”

It was difficult for me to answer as it was something that I never thought about. I never actually analyzed the reason to get up, past the fact that you need to in order to live. After a few moments of consideration, I discovered my answer. It was an answer that would lead to what my dream is. It is an answer that will make all over my actions, outside of my period in the Dark Ages, make sense to myself and those closest.

I simply looked at him and all of his wisdom and told him:

“To make people happy. I get up everyday because I know that I will make someone smile and laugh and better someone else’s day.”

When this moment happened it was not that big of a deal. I just thought it sounded good and I didn’t know what else to say.
But now, years later, it has all come full circle. I look at that moment in my life and everything that has followed and that statement has been the catalyst to allow myself to make sense of my life. It is a life that has caused me to feel much pain and struggle, but has been so very fulfilling. I have loved and lost, then loved and lost again, but it has opened my heart to everyone.

Everything happens for a reason and all the energies are connected. Allow yourself to dream and love everything you encounter. Do not hold any contempt to those around and open your heart to your enemy.

The way to find heaven on earth is to love your enemies. If you love the person you are supposed to hate, who else is left for that negative energy?

The Arizona Cardinals will be hosting a play-off game in January and will let all the Nation celebrate their dream with them. They have conquered the fears and doubts within themselves to develop and grow into one of the best teams in the league.
There is nothing that you will ever face that is too powerful for you to handle. The person who has suffered and survived the most, have led the most fruitful life.

My desire for each of you is to dream. Dream for the first time in your life. Dream again and again. Be that little kid inside of your heart that wants to fly. Be whoever you need to be to feel that joy in your life again.

It is the holiday season and a time that will cause some of us to feel melancholy over what we have lost or what maybe gone at this time. Allow yourself to feel the good moments and dream with positive and loving energy.

What is your dream and what gets you out of bed every morning? Is it the love of someone else? Is it the look your dog gives when he sees you? Is it simply knowing that whatever happens is meant to be?

It is different for each person. Find yourself and you will find your dream.

Nation: Our dreams are finally coming true every morning when we awake to another sparkling day!

Love ya guys and keep the happiness in your heart.

LOVE (by the Disciple)

This is a re-post on my previous words. I just wanted to shed light onto this theme in light of where the Cardinals have led us as well as the celebration for President Obama.

Enjoy!

Love.

I think I am on a roll with one word titles. I am going to see if I could continue the pattern for the rest of the year. My first writing teacher in college would hate me for it, but what does he know, he only has books published and a career. I have a blog!

So, back on topic. The word again is linked with an emotion. It is a word that is just a word if you remove that emotion. In fact, without emotion behind it, the word is somewhat simple and boring. But, when the emotion enters the equation again it becomes the most beautiful word in the entire language.

They say that there is only one form of Love. That is the form of unconditional Love. That is a Love that never fades and is always there. It is the light that is in your heart that motivates you through the darkest of moments and it is the sensation that a memory or thought of a love one fills you with when you are completely alone.

Love never fades. It is something that never leaves you. When you truly Love something it doesn’t come and go like the fog of San Francisco. It is not an emotion that can change depending on the time of day. It is truly unconditional.

You cannot fall out of Love. You cannot one day look around and say, there is nothing around me beautiful enough to Love. That doesn’t happen, because unlike any of the other emotions, Love is not dependant on one person. You cannot Love something; that cannot Love you back. You can fear or hate or be happy or frustrated by something; and that something can have no idea it is causing you to feel this way.

But Love. That’s different. Once you Love something it is the truest expression of self as you are courageously exposing your soul to another.

I Love the Arizona Cardinals.

It is a Love that will never be compromised and no matter where my journey goes and who I meet down the road, they will always have a piece of my heart.

In the beginning of the season, and up until about eleven days ago, everyone else loved the Cardinals too. The Nation was growing and everyone was getting caught in the chaos of what might be and where this campaign may take us.

Then, we lose 2 games, everything gets turned upside down and those new members of Nation cashed in their cards. It’s not trendy or cool to support a team that is struggling.

The Cardinals have been out-classed the previous two games, one in front of the Nation on Thanksgiving. That is enough for the tarnish to be removed and the Honeymoon Period to be completely destroyed.

If you do research on relationships they break down into a structured pattern. It is a structure that happens in almost all relationships. Think back to your previous Love’s and see how accurate it is. But before we do that, you need to understand that the Honeymoon phase only exists for women and men will usually not feel this same way.

When a relationship starts, you both are smitten. You love doing everything together and you spend hours just talking. Everything you say to each other is profound and you complete each other in ways you never knew were possible.

This continues for a few months, depending on your personalities and time spent together. This is, in essence, the “Honeymoon phase.”

Once a woman begins to feel compromised in the relationship and the interest from the man lessens, confidence issues are created. She will go through an identity crisis and begin to lose her footing in the world around her. In the end, she becomes overwhelmed with the relationship.

At this point, it gets interesting. Does she stay around and truly Love you so you can work on the relationship; or does she flee and run away without ever turning back?

This is the usual tipping point for relationships. The timetable above is just based on research, but like anything is up for debate depending on the relationship. But the main goal of the research is this:

Do you stay in a relationship because you think it can work out and you love the other person; or do you run because it is too much work and you would rather repress whatever emotions you did or do have?

Now, if we link this research with that of the Cardinals this season it could be understood that those still here and battling are those who will fight for the Love.

They are the members of Nation that look at the Cardinals as more than a team that wins, but can identify with the struggle they face as a young team trying to build.

You have to look yourself in the eye and Love yourself before you can ever let anyone into your heart.

The Cardinals are learning to Love themselves. Despite the recent struggles, the Cardinals are still a team that is getting comfortable and confident with their positioning.

For a decade the Cardinals have been a team that have had the Nation love them. They were a team that never had confidence in themselves and the Nation was always there to try and pick them up. It’s a tough deal of it to unconditionally Love something and not have the Love returned to you only because they didn’t know how to express it.

The Cardinals are finding out how to express that Love this season.

They are returning the years and years of one-sided caring from the Nation with the hopes of a play-off birth and the possibility to finally make the Nation smile again.

It is a tough life to lead when everything you have learned to Love is taken away and you are constantly left heart broken. It will cause you to run when you feel Love, because you don’t trust the other person from doing what everyone else has down to that tainted heart.

What I say to that is, Love everything. Love everyone. Love is the only emotion you should feel everyday and if you allow yourself to Love, you will set yourself free. Everyone is different and when you find you are falling down that slippery slope of Love, just close your eyes and open your heart.

When your heart breaks, it’s not broken, just injured. The moments that caused you to feel that way for someone or something are not gone but repressed. You will always be loved if you remember the way that Love made you feel and the moments in the past will never be gone, but forever saved in your mind.

Concluding, this is simply about Love. Love everything and everyone. If you are fried and stressed, take a moment to meditate and get your self centered to the point of that first Love. Just remember how the look of the Love of your life would ground you and make you melt.

The moments are always in your memory, so use them when you are feeling overwhelmed.

Thanks and be Happy! Love something new today; it’ll open your eyes!

Four More Years? (by the Disciple)

After this.

Can we please get 4 more years?

It's a different Nation, loved with the same heart.

LOST (by the Disciple)

Lost.

Easy enough word to launch off of this week. It is a word that describes what happened on Sunday. It is also a word that could describe how many of us are feeling this week. It is a word that could describe a sporting event or a personal experience.

Everything in life is either won or lost. Every situation is either a challenge you win or lose. You could lose in everything that you do in any given day or moment and be completely devastated, but you need to get up.

As humans we learn the most from failure. We learn the most when we are pushed and challenged. When we get comfortable, we stop growing. When we stop getting pushed we lose the desire to challenge.

It is a cycle that we fall into. If you work at a job that doesn’t challenge you; you stop caring or performing. If you are in a relationship that is easy and you lose the edge of discovery, it stops moving forward and dies. When you get comfortable spiritually you stop learning and assume you know everything you need, then one day everything comes crashing down and you need to rebuild with materials that are outdated.

This is what happened to the Nation this weekend. We didn’t lose, self destruct and illustrate the point that there is a large gap between the talent of the Giants and that of the Red Birds.

Rather, we hit that wall. We hit the wall where we needed to challenge ourselves. We played the same way we had all year, but rather than win a close game, we lost. It is difficult to play the same way and compete on the same level, but rather than come away joyous, be defeated.

It is a moment where you need to learn from the loss. You need to learn that all is not lost after this one game. The amount of information and the amount of character that could be built if the Nation unite and pick each other up is exponential for the remainder of the season.

Everything is a learning experience. No matter how terribly you may fail, no matter how horribly you may feel, you will be stronger when you face that tougher situation in the future.

Look, life is not easy. Nothing in life is easy besides meditating and that only works if you practice enough at it. You need to be strong. Not strong in the sense of physical strength, but mental and emotional strength.

This is an issue that I have and one that I am trying to conquer, that is why I feel that the way the Nation feels today is the same as my heart does.

It is always tough to move on past the good times and understand that you can not live in the past, but try to remember the joy that certain moments brought to your heart.

It is an interesting week this week as the Nation will be playing a game on a Thursday. It is not any Thursday, but one of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it is underrated. No one truly understands how amazing this day is. You get to be with family, friends and those you love the most. You get to talk and be merry and reconnect on levels that would normally never be open on a Thursday afternoon.

People travel from the furthest destinations for this one day to spend it with those they care about. The day has one of the greatest comedies ever made, made about it:

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles.”

And lastly, this is a selfish moment for myself and those closest will understand the depth of this statement, but it was the last holiday I spent with the person that was the first to steal my heart.

So, without getting sappy and emotional I just want everyone to be aware of the moment. Be aware of the loss that happened Sunday and understand what could be learned from it. Be aware of the loss in your life and the growth that will happen after that loss.

And finally, just understand the word Thanksgiving. Break it down into the two parts. Thank the people closest in your life. Love is an emotion that is not used enough in this society and one that is utilized more as a weapon to be spiteful to those you want to hurt, rather than to Love those who truly are in your spirit.

And, giving. Give yourself or something to someone else. Enjoy the spirit of giving. Even if it is only an ear to a friend when they need it or a hug to a stranger who has a hollowed, defeated look in their eye.

This is the holiday for giving thanks for everything we have in this great, big ol’ planet. Do so, and try not to be negative. Try to honestly and selflessly Love yourself, then you will truly be the light that is inside of your soul.

Happy Thanksgiving and just be Happy!

Maturity and Intimidation (by THE DISCIPLE)

Maturity and Intimidation.

Sorry friends, no old Greek or Latin for our heading today.

I will rather look at two words that are used by everyday people in everyday situation. I am an everyday person and live in everyday situations, so I most certainly am aware of these two emotions.

They are emotions that we know the meaning of, but we don’t know the feelings that are attached to those emotions.

As humans, we are unique. We are unique in look and appearance as well as mannerisms and tendencies. We are different from anyone else in the entire world. No matter what similar clothes we may wear or what music we may listen to, there is no one exactly like us.

Therefore, to try and measure the reasoning for another person is nearly impossible. Not nearly; but certainly impossible.

There are ups and downs with people. People could be having good days or bad days. No one is ever a blank slate. You do not encounter a perfectly rational person in your existence.

Someone may be very happy and therefore anything that happens will be ok. Someone could be pessimistic and no matter how much good you try to will into them, it will be for a lost cause.

This is perspective.

This is life.

People do not like to lose control on their lives. They do not want to feel helpless and to the point that they can not do an action even when they try. Once you lose confidence in yourself to that extent, you begin to go down the slippery slope of depression.

You can not forcefully make someone mature. You can not tell them how to do it or what to do about it. You can not adjust the actions of any other being on this planet other than yourself. You may try and think it is working, but it never does.

You will be fooling yourself.

People need to lose the intimidation of the unknown and go forward. They need to stop dwelling in the past and look forward to the future. They can not grow into what they see themselves without struggling and facing incredibly difficult challenges.

This is the battle we will see on Sunday.

This is the battle that will happen between the lines in Glendale.

We will see the mighty Super Bowl Champion Giants (fittingly ironic for this discussion), against our Red Birds of Nation.

The Giants have the superior team.

The Giants have the athletes. They have the record. They have the title. They have the experience. They are better on both sides of the ball.

If you were to look at the game objectively, which I can not do, it would appear that the Giants should continue their roll and make the Cardinals just another bullet on their resume for this year.

Enter the Nation. Enter the other side of the coin. Enter the fact that the Cardinals have not lost at home this year and are marching to a 7 game home winning streak.

Enter emotion.

As stated earlier, when you think of the words that are linked with emotion you understand what they mean. But, until it happens you can never truly tell how it will respond in a person.

The Cardinals are a very young team lead by a very weathered leader. They have players that have never experienced the success the team is this year, in their entire career. They have a newer coach who is learning how to win games for his team as the season moves along. They are now being mentioned as one of the best teams in the league, yet have not been truly challenged.

Until this week.

This week will prove to be that test that the team has been looking for. It is that test that we face when we hit that crossroads. That test that seems insurmountable and causes you to mature much quicker then you ever thought possible.

You never know your true strength or patience until you are faced with a situation that you can not defeat with logic. When you hit that test that causes your mind to shut down and the logic to be removed and you act solely on adrenaline, that’s when maturity happens.

It doesn’t happen with what degrees you have or how much money you have. It happens with your inner character and what happens when you are challenged by the outside and challenge yourself.

A person’s character is best understood by the company that person keeps. Think of that the next time you wonder about your stance and direction.

This is the question the Cardinals need to ask themselves. How can they react to the emotions involved with success and challenge?

How do they respond to their friends around the top of the food chain of the NFL?

Will they lose their immaturity and grow up to the task at hand?

Or, will they be intimidated by the moment and repeal themselves back to the mediocre center because it is comfortable?

When placed in a desperate time, any outcome is possible.

Now, ask yourself, are you acting as mature as you know you are in your heart and mind, or are you just playing the fool, hoping that everything will work out without the needed action?

Life’s about perception and perspective my friends, make sure your current one is the accurate one.

Synecdoche (by THE DISCIPLE)

Synecdoche.
- a term denoting a part of something is used to refer to the whole thing, or
- a term denoting a thing (a "whole") is used to refer to part of it, or
- a term denoting a specific class of thing is used to refer to a larger, more general class, or
- a term denoting a general class of thing is used to refer to a smaller, more specific class.

That is the theme of the week. That is a term that will be used to isolate what happened on Sunday against the Seahawks and what the season has shown us thus far.

The game on Sunday was successful as the Cardinals won and did so in an environment that had not been productive for the Cardinals in recent memory.

The Cardinals opened with a 13 to nothing lead. They were in cruise control and had Seattle exactly where they wanted them.

Then, the Seahawks began their comeback. They scored the last 13 points of the game in the fourth quarter and it came down to an interception by the Cardinal rookie, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to seal the victory.

A win is a win and that adage has been put to the test these last two weeks as the Cardinals have survived against lesser opponents to gain a strangle hold on the NFC West.

The reason I began the way I did, was to shed to light how this game was more than a simple win. It was a synecdoche of the way the Cardinals season has gone.

It is a season of optimism with a pessimistic outline.

Yes the Cardinals have 7 wins.

Yes Kurt Warner may indeed be the leader for the MVP.

Yes the Cardinals have a 4 game lead with 6 to play.

Yes the Cardinals are going to make the play-offs.

But why then, why, do we as Nation have this strange feeling crowding us. This feeling of uncertainty. This feeling that there is more in work here than meets the eye.

Have we been conditioned to not trust this team from its actions in the past?

Analyze your life. I know, it’s not fun and not done nearly as often as it needs to be. But, try it. It may show you something you never knew existed.

If you look at your moment right now. Right this moment, as you sit there at work or home or school or in the bathroom or where ever.

As you read this, what does this moment tell you about yourself?

How is this moment an accurate or false symbol of a synecdoche.

Are you happy with where you are?

Are you happy with everything you are doing?

Are you where right now where you thought you would be when you answered that question in second grade concerning what you wanted to be when you grew up?

Take a moment and ponder. Listen to your favorite song. Check your favorite website. Pick your nose, I don’t know just clear your mind.
……

And we’re back. So, what did you find out?
Did you find out that your life is perfect right now?
Did you find out that you are afraid to grow and challenge yourself?
Did you find out that you were a childish youth and nothing that you said decades ago matters now?
Did you find out that you are unhappy but too afraid to change it because it is comfortable?

Look, I am not trying to force anyone to do what they don’t want to do. A majority of people that read this will skip it over and not take the moment to reflect.

All I have to say is reflection is needed to truly understand the capacity of every moment. You never know what you have until it is gone. You never know what someone is feeling or the outcome of a situation if you never did the action.

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared of who you may hurt or what may happen to you. The people that are closest and meant to be in your life will understand and grow with you.

Just don’t live with regret. Don’t settle for an existence that is not fully exciting to you. Don’t allow other people to impose their thoughts on what is best for you.

You need to decide on your own what is best for your soul. You need to open your heart to failure to understand the sweet aroma of success.

This is to you Red Nation, allow yourselves to fail and your character will grow beyond your wildest dreams.

Become that astronaut you wanted to be in second grade, the only person that can stop you is the doubt in yourself.

Take care and be happy!

MYSTERY SOLVED (by the DISCIPLE)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=clemmons/081112&sportCat=nfl&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab7pos1

Our Savior!

LONG, STRANGE JOURNEY (by THE DISCIPLE)

Long, Strange Journey

I am in the driver’s seat. I am idling behind a truck and not moving much. Excitement could be heard around the vessel of my vehicle from the locals. The faces who are the sources of the volume are not seen, but understood as that of Nation. As the radio plays with the raspy voices of the announcers in which have described the actions of football for the last 4 hours. I look through the driver’s side window to my left and witness Deuce Latui urinating.

I don’t believe it was the actual Latui, but I didn’t I.D. him so it may very well have been.

Rather, he was a very overweight Hispanic gentleman who was wobbling as he was trying to remain balanced for this very important action. I don’t believe Mr. Latui was urinating on his car, but that of another one of his nation brothers.

This urinating lasted for a good few minutes before he concluded. After in which, he gave a few fellow fans high fives and gave a bear hug to a female. I am assuming it was his significant other and he whipped those urine soaked claws all over her back.

The pond that was left on the tire of that Ford Truck glistened in the light cast down by University of Phoenix Stadium like a diamond lost on the Sea of life.

I looked over to the Godfather. He knew what I was thinking but we were too exhausted to give any logical reason for what we witnessed. In unison all we could must was:

“Nation!”

How did I get here you might ask? How did I get the once in a lifetime opportunity to see a gentleman christen a tire like that? Sit back my friends, and enjoy this Long, Strange Journey!

Entering the game on the evening of November 10, the Red Nation had not faired well on Monday Night Football. The last time three games on Monday Night had been losses. The Nation had never won a home Monday Night game in their history in Arizona.

We call that karma and after experiencing the game on Monday, we could official say there is a karmic switch going on before our eyes this season.

The theme of the evening was based on Aeneus Williams. Williams was one of the greatest Cardinals ever and probably the greatest Cardinal I have ever seen play.

He will be minted in the mind of the Nation for many key plays and none bigger than the last time the Cardinals hosted the Niners on Monday Night Football.

Williams came in off of the corner on a blitz and sacked Steve Young. That would be the last play in Young’s Hall of Fame career.

Williams went to a knee next to Young and dropped his head in prayer. He didn’t dance and gloat because he had sacked him. But, rather he prayed that he would be ok. That is the kind of player and man he is. He was a class act and Nation!

Therefore, it seems fitting that on a night when the Nation entered Williams into the rafters they flip karma on its head. Williams is named after the mythological character Aeneas.

Without getting into too much mythology, Aeneas is understood as the life-death-rebirth deity.

Life-Death-Rebirth

This is the known balance of action in our life. Every moment we live in, the moment dies, but then is reborn through the next moment.

The Cardinals had life before the game. They were heavily favored with a comfortable lead in the division. They were about to get all of the exposure they had been dreaming. They had created a high expectation for self in which the product was impossible to reach.

They set themselves up for failure. The opening kick off was returned for a touchdown. They didn’t take their first lead of the game onto there were only 4 minutes remaining in the game. They caused 5 turnovers in the final quarter. Two were given right back by penalties. And, they still needed a goal line stop with 2 seconds left to win the game.

Within one game, Nation had life, death and a rebirth.

No journey is ever worth while if there is no struggle. The spoiled person is the one that never appreciates anything because they never truly earned anything. If the Cardinals came out and won the game the way they were expected to, there would be no trial. There would be no test of will.

This win builds character.

As in life, the road that is the most winding is the one in which will have the most complete traveler. We grow as individuals by the actions we take and how we carry ourselves in the worst of situations.

Ask Latui about the journey. He would not be wobbling and hugging his closest friends and loved ones if the Nation had won by 4 touchdowns. There would have been no drama if they played up to the level they were supposed to and did the expected.

Love the unexpected in life and you will be happy. If you begin to get stressed out and become overwhelmed when things get difficult, you need to relax. The mantra of “No drama” is the best way to deal with drama.

Just continue to breath in every moment. Take everything as it is supposed to happen in your life. Continue to back the Cardinals as they take their Nation onto the play-offs.

As with the Cardinals, your own life should be a winding road and a long, strange journey. Once it begins to get boring, something will change everything and challenge you again.

Be aware and ready for everything!

Veteran's Day (by THE DISCIPLE)

Check this website.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSWh6fvsPYE

Happy Veterans day to everyone. If you know a Veteran just say “thank you.” If you are a Veteran; thank you! If you have never known or met a Veteran you know the stories. As members of Red Nation we all knew a Veteran.

Pat Tillman

We may not have known him personally, but we are aware of his actions. On this day of memorial I want to call to light Veterans. It is easy, as this is the day dedicated to them and their service.

A majority of everyone reading this has no idea about the actions rendered by the men and women in the service. I am in that majority as all of my knowledge and information is based on what I have read or watched; but never truly experienced.

I have never been in my life as selfless as the men and women that sacrifice themselves for the good of the country. I do not have the courage or heart to place myself into that danger. Millions of Americans have that calling and to them I have the most utmost respect.

Pat Tillman was one of those people.

Tillman was a man born in California and a fun loving guy. We are aware enough of the icon that he has become. He was a Cardinal and will always be a Cardinal.

Many people questioned him for his actions. Why would you walk away from the life of a millionaire to fight for your country?

I would have asked this question as it defies the logic I based my actions upon at the time. I am not selfless enough to sacrifice any part of my existence. I am not strong enough to endure the trials and tribulations that are encountered everyday in battle.

I am not a soldier. I am never going to be a soldier. I don’t have the mindset of a soldier, but I am learning.

I was the guy that sat on the sideline and questioned the reasoning of those who do sacrifice themselves for the service. I could never understand how someone would enter the complete unknown and place themselves in danger for a country or a cause. I was cynical of these people and since they were different;

They were wrong.

Why are we so afraid of being different?

Why are we so afraid of listening to and following the desires in our heart?

Pat Tillman did this and so do millions of other Americans.

At the funeral for Tillman, which I only watched because it was on TV, everyone that spoke said Pat would be pissed off with what happened after he died. He would be upset with the exposure that was created.

I never understood this. How could someone be upset with attention they received for their actions?

We are Americans. We are built to be famous. We read about famous people and what they eat. We watch famous people and talk to other people about famous people we have never met, but know so much about.

We love celebrity. I love celebrity. I do all of this for the attention. I love the attention that I get when someone tells me they liked what I had to say. I like the thought of celebrity of fame.

I am selfish.

I am not a soldier.

I don’t have the make-up to last five minutes doing anything that would challenge me.

I am a majority of Americans.

I am not proud of this.

We need a day in the middle of the week for us to recognize the works of people who are otherwise never remembered. We need a day on a calendar to stop for a second and say:

“Oh, yeah, everything that we live for is only possible because there are other people not as selfish as I.”

This may come off as harsh but I am frustrated. Not with anyone else, but with myself.

We, as a society, get caught up with all of these petty distractions that work our emotions up until we are ready to burst. But, we never take a moment to look at how easy we have it. We worry about the silliest things and lose sight of what is truly important.

Ask anyone who knows me; I am not one of those Patriotic, heart thumping Americans with the flag in my yard. I am not anti-America either. I just never thought about it, because I never understood it.

Just because we, as a society, don’t understand the logic and selflessness you carry as soldiers. We do thank you. We are uncomfortable with the unknown; you as soldiers are the unknown.

Never be ashamed of the service you have done for this country and for me.

As an American you have fought for me and allowed me the freedom to do this, so thank you.

Please thank a Veteran today. Give one a hug and look into their eyes and say thank you. Just because they are soldiers does not mean they are not human and have the same heart and soul as we do.

Happy Veteran’s Day and keep Hope alive, it’s a new day in America!

CONTENDERS? COMMUNITY?

HERE IS A LINK TO A QUESTION

CROSSROADS (by THE DISCIPLE)

Hello again. This is a midweek post that should have been done earlier but there was somewhat of a big event that happened yesterday that consumed the time. First of all, congratulations to the new President, Mr. Barry Obama.

Moving past that, there is some business that needs to be taken care of. The Arizona Cardinals have again won this year. The game on Sunday puts them in a very comfortable lead and it appears as though they will make the play-offs. Everyone is talking about how the team is one of the team’s to beat and that there is no way for a derailment.

Not so fast my friends.

The beauty of life and sports is that both are as unpredictable as the acting career of Eddie Murphy. Just when you think that you have everything figured out a curveball comes and changes the plan. If everything is perfect, it probably isn’t.

The Cardinals right now are perfect. They are playing well and winning the games they are supposed to win. They are moving the ball on offense and causing enough turnovers on defense to pressure opponents. The only worry is what happens when the music stops.

What happens when the positive feelings of winning and success become not enough to satisfy the spirit?

What happens when the soul becomes bored with the current?

When the soul forgets about where it has been, how happy it has become, and where it may go.

The question is one that needs to be asked to each person individually.

This is what could be understood as a crossroads. It is the metaphor that ended the film “Castaway.” When you regain all of the freedom you so desperately wanted and fought for; how will you utilize the change of spirit? Where the Cardinals stand now, they are at the crossroads of not being the team that has always been the laughing stock, but they can go forward and be a team that causes change and inspires people. The Cardinals can become Barry Obama. They can be the team that had no chance and had no options for success, but had the hope to succeed.

This is a hope that is in each of us. We have the chance to hit that crossroads and rather than cower with what to do, embrace the challenge. Nothing in this life that was ever worth anything was earned without action. The most gratifying prizes are those that are not seen when the road was initially chosen. You need to expose yourself to everything. You cannot simply stay stationary and expect the world to be polite and ask if you would like to contribute anything.

This is a journey that needs to be internal. The crossroads are in every decision you make. The crossroads are the conscious that guides you through the terrain of this emotional and savage world. You can have others around to help and establish support, but the overall decision of action is a personal experience.

Barry Obama is a man that was always different. He was never “normal.” But rather than utilize that as a crutch, it became one of his strengths. It motivated him when others said:

“It could never be done” or “Why waste your time?”

The ones who try to limit the spirit are the ones who are afraid of their crossroads. They are afraid of the decisions they have to make everyday.

These people need to lose the cynicism and allow themselves to fail. Failure is not a finished product, but a tick along the way of progress.

The Arizona Cardinals are at this crossroads and as fans we have to understand the future. We have to understand that there is a chance the team could continue in their journey and we have to support them. We cannot do it for them, but we need to embrace them. And like a good parent, when your child falls you need to pick them up. This journey will not be easy and there will be bumps along the way, but we need to be supportive.

An equilibrium of emotions need to be found in everything that is done in our lives. We can never get too high when things are at their best and feel defeated when the tasks appear to be insurmountable. Nothing is ever as it appears; as the entire world is a house of cards just waiting to be blown down.

Everything around us is a form of the energy we give it; allow yourself to be positive and embrace your crossroads of time. Make the decision that is agreed upon in your heart and mind and the truth will be found.

The Arizona Cardinals are going to probably make the play-offs and we need to support the movement they are creating. We need to be honest with them and ourselves in every moment.

One of our contributors, the Prodigal, has always said: “When the times get the toughest, remember the truth will always set you free!”

Red Nation: The Truth will set you Free!

UP OFF THE GROUND (by THE PRODIGAL)

BOLDIN'S TD CELEBRATION WAS THE NFL PHOTO OF THE WEEK, AND DESERVEDLY SO COMING ONLY WEEKS AFTER THIS...



GET UP AND DUST YOURSELF OFF TODAY, BRING ON THE RAMS, BRING ON TOMORROW

FUTURE OF THE NATION (by THE STOIC)

THE FUTURE OF THE NATION IS ONE SACK AWAY FROM THIS......



Cardinal's one-time top prospect, Matt Leinert, having a hard time moving past his glory days at USC
(Doesn't he look bored? )

ANOTHER SUNDAY, ANOTHER CHAPTER (by THE DISCIPLE)

Another Sunday, another story.

Bare with me for a moment, but understand the universe I am going to create. If we analyze every week as it’s own universe. Then, everyday of that week as it’s own universe, every hour of each day as it’s own universe and etc…

Every breathe that we take and every moment you live you can experience a life time of love or sorrow. We can experience a lifetime of joy or heartache in that single moment.

Each breathe encompasses a lifetime, if you allow yourself to live in that moment. Live in every moment and it will allow yourself to be free. Enjoy every moment to the fullest and never worry about what has gone or what will come. We can never manipulate whatever we do not fully embrace.

Live in every moment, enjoy every encounter and deflect every piece of negative energy. This is the advice I give to you as a member of the Red Nation. My reasoning for how this Ethos works is with the play of our beloved romantics.

The Nation is a team that constantly gets caught up in the past. The history that has been unkind. Or they are worried about the future and analyzing situations that are strictly hypothetical. The Nation never truly embrace the reality they are surrounded by. They have one eye on the past and the other on the future.

You can analyze the game on Sunday with this critical eye and it would lend you to the conclusion that they cannot handle the success of the moment. In the matter of 51 seconds the Nation went from a 14-point lead to that of being tied. The excuses will come from the rafters for the reasons, but look at it with a different eye.

Look at the fact that the Nation looked to what they were about to do without understanding that nothing was over yet. They began to worry about the future and what interviews they will be doing. They began to get their agents cell phone number ready for when the endorsements came in.

They never took that breathe.

That breathe that centers our spirit and slows the mind.

They never took a chance to understand the actual situation, but rather caught themselves up in the product without finishing the job. This is something that happens in our lives on a daily basis. We lose track of the journey, we lose track of the scares from the fight, but want to skip to the end.

We want to skip along, feel no pain, fight no battles and assume we need to be rewarded for showing up. We know what we need to do, we know the step that needs to happen, but are too scared to execute it. The excuses follow on the reasoning why the avoidance of the inevitable happens, but deep down, deep in the darkness of the inside you know what happens?

Fear.

Fear of failure.

Fear of success.

Fear of difference.

We create this universe where we know our role, but once outside of that universe, once outside of that bubble, you get exposed to criticism. Criticism that you are too afraid to face with the lack of self-confidence you feel. You are your only enemy when it comes to your soul.

The Nation needs to understand that this universe needs to be shattered. This universe that is created from the past actions needs to be buried. The future is whatever you allow it to be.

Don’t be afraid of the possibilities, but be excited to take that path laid in front of you twist it to whatever shape you want it to be. Until the Nation begins to live in every moment and understand that they are their own worst enemy, they will be stuck in this self-loathing universe.

This same universe that we are shackled with every breathe when we feel overwhelmed with the possibilities of actions and would rather shield our inner emotions to the exposure of the public.

The Nation needs to pick themselves up and lose the fear of success.

We need to embrace the moment and build on each one. If they build a strong foundation on each moment they will be given the wings to flow over the cliff. Rather than push ourselves to the moment of self-destruction and loathe about what went wrong, we need to embrace the possibility of failure and understand failure is better than self-doubt.

It is better to fail through living, than die through shielding.

FOLLOW THE WISDOM (by THE DISCIPLE)

Come one, come all. Welcome to the desert. If you are not in the desert, need not worry we will take care of you. This is not a blog about the Arizona Football Cardinals.

This is not going to gloat and tell you about the team or leak gossip or rumors about players. And this is definitely not a blog created to show certain players enjoying the company of under-aged coeds with beer bongs. This is a look into the life of those who are hopeless romantics.

This is not for football fans. This is for you. This is for Hope. Not Barack Obama Hope, but the Hope that anything can happen. Until this day, we have remained silent. We have sat back and tried to comprehend everything that is going around us. We lost ourselves with distractions from the greater good. The greater good that is happiness; that is a release from the daily grind of our surroundings.

For years and decades the Arizona Cardinals have been a team without an identity. They have been a team in transition. They have been a team that is always a step too slow or too early. They are a team that has missed on every “can’t miss” opportunity. The team was never seen as a beckon of hope, but rather a metaphor that no matter what happens in you day-to-day life you can rely on the fact that you are better off then them.

When you speak of the Cardinals the normal pronouns associated with sports are lost. Rather than describing the team or its actions as “We” did this, it is always “They.” “I can’t believe THEY did that!” You never want to associate yourself with their play or performance.

When defending the reasoning to outsiders for being a Cardinal fan there is never a pride element. You never say I love the Cardinals because there is a happy memory associated with them. But, deep down, deep inside the core of the true believers there is a burning desire. There is a burning desire in each of us that motivates the team to get to the top.

Come on, we read about them in the Super Bowl in Chuck Palahniuk’s “Survivor” and watched Rod Tidwell go over the middle in “Jerry Maguire.” These are not coincidences; these are the cracks to the foundation that has been laid against the Cardinals by the non-believers.

In leaving, this blog will not be regarded as a reliable source for information, but a way into the mind and spirit of Red Nation. The Arizona Cardinals have been heartbreaking. The Arizona Cardinals are hopeless romantics. But . . . STAY TUNED!