So Colin Kaepernick Got To You...

I have interviewed over a hundred people in my career. Minor leaguers, rookies, professional athletes, collegiate athletes, friends, coaches, All-Stars, celebrities, wives and girlfriends of athletes, families, strangers, fans, literally anyone you can think of, I've transcribed an interview or two. Not a lot of them are breakthrough worthy. Clint Barmes can only retire one time and an update on Timmy Lincecum comes once in a blue moon. 

Most of the time, the interviews are simple. I need a couple simple questions answered, and I get the simple questions answered. So when something delicious comes from the mouth of someone I'm asking questions to, my ears perk up. 

A situation happened Friday where 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat during the National Anthem before the preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers. He spoke to the NFL Network following the situation:

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told Steve Wyche of NFL Network. “To me, it’s bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street, and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

I wasn't aware of what happened until Saturday morning where I did the typical thing of waking up at 7:30 am, and staying on my phone for an extra hour. 

Scrolling through opinion after opinion and it was a lot to take in. One thing I hate about my job when it comes to my personality is how charismatic and how much compassion I have for the athletes I work with. Maybe it was because I'm a former athlete myself, or some of these women and men have opened up to me. Maybe in this case I was a tad biased because I got to watch Colin grow during his years playing for the Nevada Wolfpack. He was playing in Reno when I decided this is what I wanted to do for a living and he was one of the first players I was able to write about. I remember him being this scrawny quarterback in a blue jersey who nobody took seriously. And I also recognized being able to relate to that. I'm also a tad biased with the fact I adore Colin's family.

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Think of it this way: when you are drafting your fantasy lineups do you care that a guy just had a baby or is going through a divorce? Or that he just had to make a huge/sudden move across the country leaving his family? 

No.

You care about what's in the box scores week-after-week. That's what you look at. But then you complain you don't get enough from their interviews or they walk off because of an offensive question...Then an athlete gives an opinion that doesn't have a sparkly bow wrapped around it and all of a sudden an athlete stands up for something (no pun intended) and people are upset.

But YOU are allowed to react to what he did. You're allowed to burn his jerseys and you're allowed to call him a piece of shit.

But since he makes a certain amount of money and is in the limelight, he has to do it a certain way.

Do you understand the vicious circle that is occurring here?

Just as much as Kaepernick had the right to sit down during the National Anthem, you had the right to call him names and give your two cents about it. But guess what? At the end of the day there will still be issues. There will still be hate in this world, so it doesn't matter. 

I support Colin in sticking up for what he believes in. Just like I have supported others in decisions I may not agree with. He exercised his First Amendment Rights just as you and I do day-after-day.

Don't expect Colin to be the last person in the spotlight to stand up for what he believes in. Because he certainly wasn't the first. 

Why I finally love Father's Day...

Perhaps it was the pregnancy announcement that my brother and his girlfriend had recently made saying there was a "Baby Kleinschmidt" due in January that made this year the most difficult Father's Day yet.

Each year as the days passed, the anniversary of my daddy's death comes and goes, along with his birthday, his wedding anniversary to my mom; seven times now. Seven years without him, seven years of holidays and memories of me thinking "Damn, I really wish daddy were here to see this, hear this, feel this." Still, nothing compares to having a Father's Day without him. Absolutely nothing.

I was the luckiest girl in the world to have a man like him in my life. As strict and serious as he was; nobody got to see the softer side of him like I did. I was blessed to see the sides of him he wouldn't show anyone. He was a baseball coach to boys and men, still, he would come home and let me sleep in his lap. He would show up on dates if he did not get a good feeling about a guy, and take me out for dinner instead. Even when I was in trouble, I was never "really in trouble." Had that big man wrapped around my little finger, and I loved every moment of it.

God gave me someone for 19 years who shaped the person I am today. Every positive characteristic about myself is because of my father, and for that I will forever be thankful. 

It's strange. This has been the best year of my life. I have everything I have ever wanted, but he isn't here. 

I realize I am not the only person in the world to lose a parent, or the only daughter whose father was taken away from her at 19, still, I decided instead of ignoring this day and curling up like a little ball, I will celebrate this day. I will make sure each and every one of my friends and family gives their dads a call and tells him they love him. I didn't always go above and beyond for daddy, but I didn't realize how important those little moments were until he was gone. Now those moments are in a small box that I go through late at night and cry my eyes out.  Take advantage of every moment. Please. 

For those of you who do not have a father still with us, you will be in my thoughts and prayers. 

This could easily be the most difficult Father's Day yet, but probably the best one since he's been gone.

Rest in Peace Daddy, I love you.

-Jessie

Antisocial Media: My Life in this Industry

Before I get started...I want to make sure you know this is my PERSONAL blog. This is in no way affiliated with my employers.

I have also written something similar, but some recent events have happened, and there aren't many people in my life who understand what I go through on social media, so here it goes.

I have been blessed beyond belief in so many ways with how my career has been progressing. Mind you, I'm the most impatient person in the world so there are days I second guess myself and am annoyed that I am not working for ESPN or Fox Sports 1, but I have to remember my hard work will eventually pay off.

So naturally, as I'm trying to make a name for myself in this industry, there are several people who are trying to ruin it for me. I realize you're supposed to "ignore it and let it go," but you're full of shit if you act like it doesn't bother you. If you notice there are a lot of athletes and celebrities who rarely reply to tweets and messages on social media (not saying it's a bad thing) unless it's something negative, then a response usually occurs.

Why is that? Why is it that we can take all of the compliments and positive things that are being said to us and let them roll off of our minds, but the moment something negative is introduced, we let that small phrase, the minute sentence, stick to us like glue?

I've stumbled upon a group of females that I used to consider being cool with. We had even exchanged secrets at one point. Now, through the circles I hear the most terrible things being said about me. And it's hurtful. In this case, I didn't just sit and let it happen, I confronted one of them, and received no response. Like the coward she was, she did not respond and blocked me from every social media outlet that we were "friends" on.

Which is okay. I don't need negative people like that in my life.

The strangest thing is: these women are trying to make it in this industry as well. We are supposed to support one another, be there for one another, and yet here I am dodging bullets that are being shot at me from behind a phone case.

I have been called every name on social media from a cleat chaser to a dumb bitch, and that is okay. I love that on social media you can say whatever the hell you want, but when you put the phone down and the people you ignore on social media are right in front of you, what can you think? It's scary.

I just feel if you're the type of person who will only talk shit over social media, and not to my face (ahem A's Fan Fest) then really, I would love it if I could block you from my real life as well. And that is exactly what I am going to do. I don't have to deal read 140 characters from you, retweet a #hashtag, or give you a star that you do not deserve.

I really don't understand it, and perhaps I never will.

A’s Clinch Second Consecutive AL West Title

A combination of beards, booze, and “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang being played over the speakers blanketed O.co Coliseum Sunday.  The Oakland Athletics won their second AL West title in two consecutive seasons.



via sports.yahoo.com

“Pure joy and happiness,” said Will MacNeil, A’s season ticket holder, and famous Section 149er.  “For me personally having Dan Straily point up to me and go ‘Hell yeah Will!’ felt pretty cool and special.”

Oakland was playing the Minnesota twins when talk got around The Coli of Kansas City Royal’s Justin Maxwell’s grand slam against the Rangers that resulted in a Texas loss.  This meant the A’s can officially call themselves the American League West champions.

Following the news, Evan Scribner struck out Josmil Pinto for the final out in the ninth inning.  A sea of gold uniforms swarmed the field from the Oakland dugout.

 “The atmosphere yesterday was different than it was when they clinched against the Rangers in the final games of the season last year,” said Brandon Plotz, Oakland A’s fan who was at the game Sunday. “Last year us fans were on cloud nine and yesterday it was more of a ‘yeah this was supposed to happen’ type of feeling.”

 With his now famous gold robe on, outfielder Josh Reddick ran around the Oakland clubhouse drinking beer.  And when he wasn’t drinking it, he was pouring it on the heads of anyone he spotted.  AJ Griffin danced around while sipping on a bottle of champagne, and Ray Fosse and Grant Balfour received a beer shower from Reddick. 

“It was insane,” says Taylor Fernandez, long time Oakland A’s fan.  “Everyone was giving each other high fives, hugs everywhere, and of course the ‘Let’s Go Oakland!’ chants started right away.”  “Tears were shed and then as soon as the scoreboard was changed (after the Royals win) the entire stadium stood up and cheered for the team while the team gave handshakes to each other in the dugout.”

 The A’s have won 20 of their last 26 games to go from 2.5 games back in the AL West to eight games ahead.

They clinch their 16^th division title and 25^th postseason appearance. Only the Yankees (51) and the Dodgers (27) have more postseason appearances than the A’s.

Love is the Most Important Thing in the World, but Baseball is Pretty Good too...

The First Kiss

"How can you not be romantic about baseball?" Billy Beane spoke these words, and you hear them all the time, I know you do.  However, when you really stop to think about it, I mean really let that question sink in, you almost want to kiss Beane yourself.  

I may not come off as the romantic type, but I am a female, this means once in a while I do love the mushy gushy romance stuff.  While I don't have a special guy in my life to share those romantic moments with, I do realize there are other ways to express your love for something until someONE comes along.  As most of you know I work...a lot.  However in addition to my day job that I've had for almost a decade, I am blessed to have many career opportunities in the thing I'm the most passionate about.  Baseball.  

Your first thought is "Oh she loves men in tight, white pants..." Well duh.  I'm human.  However think about that man in tight white pants, making a web-gem diving catch, covered in red dirt, making Sportscenter's Top 10 plays of the day.  You kind of give out a sigh only The Notebook could give someone right?  

Love doesn't necessarily have to mean romance though.  Love and baseball also means spending time with your friends and family at a baseball game.  Think about it.  You are combined with so many people who share a passion not only about the game itself, but most of the time, the team you're watching.  I can't tell you how many times I leave O.co Coliseum with such a high.  That type of high you get after an amazing date, and possibly a hot make-out session.  What?  You were thinking it.  

Make my cleat pop-up when we kiss so I know it's real.

My parents, brothers, and myself spent most days at a baseball field.  Whether daddy was coaching, mom was score keeping, or one of my brothers or myself had a game.  So growing up, you're surrounded by the exact same people for years and years and years.  You spend crappy weathered games bundled up in your favorite MLB team blankets,  the hot days sweating from places you didn't know existed,  getting bleacher butt which is extremely annoying (especially for someone like me who NEVER sat the bench ;) and of course the grueling hours of practices, games, and inclement weather.  Sounds horrible right?  IT WAS AWESOME.  Then, some of the brothers don't go on to play college baseball, or stop playing, and some of us grow a part, but you never lose the feeling you get when you're at a baseball field.  To the point you think it's weird people think it's weird you have those feelings.  I know, it's weird.

Am I weird?  Probably.  Most girls get obsessed with the newest Chanel perfume (well I do that sometimes), I'm sitting there, you look over and my face is ass-deep my baseball mitt, because have you smelt a leather baseball mitt?!  Or the sound when a Fungo bat hits a ball when the team takes the infield.  The clink of a metal bat against metal cleats.  If you're not turned on by now, I don't know what to tell you.

Ok ok ok, so this may even be borderline inappropriate, and I'm not exactly allowed to say things that will get me in trouble, I'm just simply showing you how much I appreciate the sport of baseball.  From the time I was little up until now, it's played a huge role in my life.  My first KISS happened in the dugout of my little league field.  Think about it.  The lights shining down on you, the beautiful green grass and red dirt beneath your feet, the bench to sit on.  It's pretty romantic.

One of my favorite baseball romance stories to tell is one time when I was at a baseball game (I can't remember if I was working or there for fun) and I was near the wives and girlfriends (I happen to know someone on staff so she gave me tickets to sit in the "family section"), one of the girls was in the middle of a conversation when I hear "HEADS UP!" we look over and there's a ball the rolled perfectly to her feet.  It was thrown by her boyfriend, one of the pitchers from the team.  It had his autograph on it (with the jersey number of course), and it simply said "I LOVE YOU."  My heart melted, and I was insanely jealous.  They are now married with a beautiful daughter last I heard.  Just brought the biggest smile to my face.  

I've also never been on a date to a baseball game.  I'm saving that first one for someone special.  Why not?  I am probably the most strange female to go to a game with.  

I know, I probably totally weirded you out on the cheesiness.  It could be that time of year.  Every one of my friends seems to have found their soul mate.  

Until my time comes, I remain me.  Watching a stolen base, in hopes of one day finding that perfect man, who has stolen my heart.

Baseball Heaven

5 years ago, my father went to Baseball Heaven.  We received a letter in the mail in a card saying "I believe in the Field of Dreams, and I'm pretty sure that's where your dad went..."

Since then, I literally find sanctuary at the baseball fields.  Afterall, we spent almost every day at the fields, John Adam and I would have a game, dad would be coaching, mom would be working the snack bar, or tending to parental matters ("You don't know politics until you become the President of a Little League," daddy used to say). Our family dinners were Saturday nights, in the Snack Bar of Valley Providence Little League in Reno, Nevada. 

So I heard long ago Heaven is whatever you want it to be. You are surrounded by everything and everyone you love.  I believe in Baseball Heaven.  This is my idea of Baseball Heaven.

• There are no lines at the Snack Bar-and there is no groaning coming from the crowds worried about spending so much money on food and beer.  Snack Bar food in Baseball Heaven is free.
• You get every Big League Chew flavor you can handle...and get this guys-it NEVER loses it's flavor.
• You get to have batting practice with Jackie Robinson, Willy Mays, and Mickey Mantle-and you pull the ball oppo field every time.
• You have the perfect pop-up slide into 2nd and 3rd base.  I would say your uniform doesn't get dirty, but in Baseball Heaven, a dirty jersey, is a great jersey.
• Baseball Heaven your team is not only made up of legends and Hall of Famers, but your shortstop could be your mom, your dad, your favorite little league coach...or the love of your life that you may have lost.
• You have a decent batting average.  One that keeps you honest, and still reminds you to play hard.
• Your sunflower seeds peel off the shell perfectly every time-and you throw the shell on the ground because there is no sign at the Baseball Heaven fields saying "No seeds allowed..."
• Angel Hernandez does not umpire in Baseball Heaven
• Your parents are in the stands and cheer for you every time you are at the plate and on the field.  And they are waiting for you after your game to tell you how proud they are of you.  Even after and 0-for game. (In Baseball Heaven-0-fors to not excist)
• When you pitch, you throw perfect games.  This doesn't mean the batters couldn't hit off of you necessarily. This means- every game you throw in Baseball Heaven, is a perfect game.
• Your mit is perfectly oiled and broken in.
• Nasty one-hoppers do not exist in Baseball Heaven unless they conclude in a web-gem catch.
• Your cleats kiss the concrete in the dugout perfectly everytime-a sound that makes you smile.
• Cleat chasers, are in Baseball Hell. They are not in Baseball Heaven.
• Every mom is The Team Mom.
• You still cannot step on the foul lines in Baseball Heaven.
• You don't have to measure the plate in Baseball Heaven.  Your bat will cover it just fine.
• You rob homeruns, then give them to the poor.
• Pete Rose makes the Hall of Fame in Baseball Heaven.
• I get to play catch with my dad again in Baseball Heaven.
• There are no rain delays in Baseball Heaven.
• You don't have to break in your cleats.
• Everyone has his/her own walkup song.
• The umpires in Baseball Heaven have a consistent strike-zone
• There's no crying in Baseball...Heaven
• Every player makes the All Star team

With Father's Day just around the corner, I became inspired, and just like every Father's Day before that, I will pour a bottle of dad's favorite whiskey in the coach's box where he would rarely give me the sign to bunt.

A Girl's Advice to Get Through Her Man's Fantasy Football Season

So you got yourself a boyfriend/husband/significant other.  Good for you babe! (You're already doing better than me---I digress)

Now you are probably passed the "honeymoon" stage where you pretend to be interested in what he's doing, and can kind of do your own thing right?

Well here are some tips on how to maintain your sanity when dealing with a man who plays fantasy sports.  And trust me, if you follow my rules, he will make every one of YOUR fantasies come true ;)

1. THE DRAFT PARTY RULES AND REGULATIONS

There are a couple ways to have a Fantasy Draft, before your man enters the draft, here's a little tip-go to the local grocery store and pickup a draft magazine for him. I can promise you that ring from Tiffany's will be ordered REAL quick.  Let me give you the 411 on each of them.

• Draft Party: This is where your hubby gets together with all of his friends at a location (usually a place with wifi and it's more than likely at the only single guy in the league's pad) and gets his roster filled.  WARNING: If you can get out of this DO IT!  Unless you are in the league yourself, or are weird like me, you will be BORED out of your mind.  Stay home, go shopping, get drunk do whatever you want, he'll end up appreciating the fact you weren't begging him for attention during the draft.
• Online Draft: Refer to the Draft Party.  Leave him the HELL alone.  For instance: If you had to get a lineup of extremely sexy guys to do a "Magic Mike" type of routine, and when it was your turn to snag Channing Tatum, and you were distracted because your boyfriend needed toilet paper, so you had to settle for a John Goodman-looking dude? Yeah you would be pissed.  So let him be.  The beauty of the draft from home is it doesn't take too long.   

   2. SAVE YOUR CHEAT DAYS FOR SUNDAYS

Babe, your Sundays will be non-existent during football season. Even myself who was in a league, I'm constantly dieting (because Victoria's Secret models and Mila Kunis make me hate myself) I made sure I saved my cheat days for Sundays. I can promise you though there is nothing more fun than drinking beer, wearing a really cute football jersey, and eating carbs until you wind up in the fetal position.  NOTHING.


   3. ACTUALLY WATCH THE GAMES

Remember that Tiffany's ring I mentioned?  That thing will have more karats than Bugs Bunny's diet if you shout something to the TV like "Holy crap AP just got you some fantasy points..." And I will expect a wedding invitation in the mail.

  4.  ASK HIM QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON

Believe it or not, guys do realize not every girl will love sports.  However, they have no problem teaching you about it.  You probably talk to them about stuff you know they're not into.  Go ahead and ask.  He'll love you for it.


  5.  BUY NFL GEAR

Every guy has a fantasy of a beautiful girl wearing their favorite team's apparel.  So fantasy football has more than one meaning pretty girl ;)  I can promise you too, after watching a little bit every now and then you will grow an appreciation.  A lot of girls tend to like football without even realizing it.  


  6.  HOW TO DEAL WHEN YOUR MAN'S TEAM LOSES

Do. Not. Panic.  This happens.  It's a rarity (like no line at a Chipotle rarity)  that your man will have an undefeated season.  He may be pissed which means punching walls, silent with you for an hour or so, and heavily drinking---actually scratch that last one...it's not football Sunday without a Hangover Monday-let the man drink.  Just wait until he approaches you.  Check online at his team and see what went wrong even...he will be so appreciative and you will get so much respect from your man.

7.  PARTICIPATE

I can't tell you how many guys find it SO attractive when a girl participates in a draft league with them.  Especially the same league as your hubby.  TRUST ME.  He will help you win-especially if you both had to pay a fee to enter the league, that means some of the winnings will be his.  Plus, there are a ton of sources that make drafts so easy like magazines, or even the draft itself.  It's not complicated whatsoever, and it makes the games that much more fun on Sundays too.  Then your man gets to brag about you, you gain some sports knowledge, and I feel like there's one more girl on this earth I can spend Sundays with.  Because let's face it, I love the fact I have a bunch of brothers and guy friends, but even I can use some female companionship. 

Have fun with it.  Your man loves you, so you know you will do anything for him.  Good luck my dear, and remember: tackling doesn't have to be left on the football field. ;)