Every-Thing Sports

Sports and major events can create lifelong memories with your kids

Sports and major events can create lifelong memories with your kids
WreslteMania provided a real bonding opportunity. Jermaine Every


Madison and I in line at WrestleMania Axxess

Sports provide us with a wide range of emotions. They can evoke sadness that

borderlines on depression to euphoric happiness that causes you to forget your life’s troubles. Carried out to extremes, sports can often lead to some crazy times in our lives. However, we can use sports and sporting events to our advantage.

This past weekend, I took my daughter Madison to WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans. We had a blast. These are memories we will have forever. She can’t, and probably won’t for a while, stop talking about it. Now I know most people won’t recognize pro wrestling as a sport, but it requires more athletic ability than golf, pool, or poker, and it’s loosely covered by major outlets as a sport so it counts dammit!

WWE Superstar Paige and Madison at Axxess

At WrestleMania Axxess, an event taking place Thursday through Sunday morning, the WWE has a fan expo that has memorabilia displayed, autograph booths, various experiences, as well as a superstore complete with all types of merchandise. On Saturday at  

  Our hands compared to Andre The Giant’s

Axxess, Madi got to take a picture with Paige, a WWE superstar she’s admired for quite a while now. Paige thought I was Madi’s older brother because she said I looked too young to have a daughter that old. She was very nice and took time to chat with each fan that came through her line for an autograph.

We had a great time at Axxess and even won an authentic replica title belt! We also got to see some of the developmental talent from WWE’s NXT brand wrestle live. There was also a presentation for some Make A Wish Foundation kids which was really cool because

Seafood nachos at WrestleMania 34.

they were introduced as wrestlers with their own theme music and costumes. Overall, it was a pretty cool experience, but this was the appetizer to the main course of WrestleMania 34 itself the next day.

Sunday was the big day. After we arrived, found a great parking spot, and got inside the Mercedes Benz Superdome, we went to the concession stand because she Googled the food there and found out they had seafood nachos. The queso had shrimp and crawfish in it. Pretty good, but can be much better. She wanted her root beer in a souvenir cup, so I ordered my beer in a regular cup to save myself a few dollars. I quickly realized the lady didn’t charge me for the beer and felt like I won the night already.

Throughout the course of the near six hours there, I saw the unbridled joy of a child enjoying her time with her dad doing something we both love. Truth be told, I dislike large crowds. Arenas and stadiums aren’t made for guys my size so I get really uncomfortable very quickly. But it was all worth it to see the look on my daughter’s face.

As parents, we need to create more of these moments with our kids. Finding a common ground, such as a sporting event, can often create a bonding experience your kids will never forget. I’m a 37-year old man and I still remember being taken to different sporting events as a kid. And it may not always be a sporting event. My son was ecstatic that I took him to a movie premiere a few weeks ago. It could be something as simple as watching a game or movie or show with them. Giving them that attention can go a long way. Besides, you spell love t-i-m-e.

These days, kids have enough to deal with. Typical teenage angst is amplified by social media. School shootings and other incidents (such as bullying, fighting, etc) add more worry. If we as parents took more time to bond with our kids over a common ground, think of how much better we can make growing up for them? We’ve failed as a society on so many different fronts. Let’s not fail our kids by denying them life experiences we can bond over and strengthen our relationship with them.

 

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The Texans are back in action next week against the Dolphins. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.

But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.

“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”

Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.

Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.

“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”

The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.

They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.

Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.

Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.

Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.

“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”

While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.

He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.

Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.

Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.

“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”

The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.

“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”

The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.

Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.

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