Good Times, Bad Times, Loss, And Football

On my way back from two of the greatest evenings I have ever spent in a baseball stadium, I found out that one of the legends of my childhood had passed away.

The Cubs and Royals split those two evening games. The ivy was lush, the weather for late in July was perfect, the hot dogs tasted extra special, I met another childhood icon, and balls were flying out of Wrigley Field.

My wife and I, on the drive to Chicago, asked each other random questions (as usual), some deep, some fun.

I asked her what celebrity death hit her the hardest, and her answer was Princess Diana.

My top four were all sports-related: Harry Caray, Walter Payton, Ron Santo, and Dean Smith.

Those four all hit me hard!

Then we transitioned to whose future deaths we thought would impact us the most. My responses were Hulk Hogan, Andre Dawson, Clint Eastwood, and Joe Montegna.

Then, while eating lunch in Des Moines, Iowa, a friend sent me a text that the Hulkster had passed away.

I was dumbfounded and shocked.

We talked to our waitress. Her eyes got teary, and she stated it had been a tough week for us Gen Xers, with the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Ozzy Osbourne, and now Terry Bollea.

Celebrities, and yes, athletes, are always under the "lights" now, and everyone is watching their every move. Some deal with it well, and others not so much.

All I can say is Hulk Hogan is why I grew up watching wrestling and why I still watch it today at the age of 48. I could spend the rest of my day on social media reading all the tributes to him and the negative comments about the man, but the world has to keep moving forward.

More than likely, I will watch a couple of his old matches and interviews, but I can't get bogged down in the past, so let me focus on the future for a minute or two.

If I were to offer advice to young prep athletes with college and professional sports aspirations, it would be: remember the world is always watching, and if you talk the talk, you need to walk the walk.

On and off the field, you need to do your best to be a role model and the best person you can be. Your peers, your parents, your future coaches, us scouts, and, more importantly, younger kids are watching you.

You won't always be perfect; none of us are, not even some of the childhood heroes that I mentioned before. Mistakes will be made some more significant than others, but try to learn from those mistakes so you don't make them again.

I never met Harry, Hulk, Sweetness, or Dean Smith.

I won't get to.

I did meet Ron Santo, a much longer story), and I have interviewed and talked with hundreds of professional athletes and celebs.

I will always remember most the ones who took an extra minute to talk to me and who were nice. That includes meeting former Chicago Cubs Public Address Announcer and current professional singer Wayne Messmer.

He sang the National Anthem before Tuesday night's game, and later in the evening, I saw him walking in the stands. He stopped and talked with me for a couple of minutes and indulged me with a selfie.

I mentioned Wayne in the 2012 book that I self-published, and I wanted him to know how his voice had impacted my patriotism and my love for baseball when I was younger.

I told him he was part of the soundtrack to my childhood, and he said I made his day. He appreciated that I had flagged him down.

He made my day and the entire trip worthwhile. It was the second time I got to hear him sing live and in person, and it sent chills down my spine!

Hulk Hogan was part of the documentary of my childhood, and I will always have memories of him ripping off his shirt, flexing, and motioning to the crowd to make more noise. Rest In Peace, Brother!

None of us knows when our lives might be snuffed out. So make the most of each day!

Here is a quick look at four Kansas athletes who look forward to taking this field this fall and who I believe will be great role models and leaders for their teammates and younger kids in their communities. Make the most of it, young men!