August 23 , 2007

We need a hero, but where are they now?

by James Cook, Times Editor
Can you remember the days, growing up, when we all had heroes? Boys and girls a like had someone or something they looked up to. For some it was a cartoon or comic book figure. Superman, Batman, Spiderman or Wonder Woman were the heroes of many a children. For others, it was a sports hero. I fell into that category.
My hero was Johnny Bench. Old number five. The Big Red Machine’s main cog. Arguably (some may argue, I KNOW it to be fact) the best that ever played the position.
Bench was not real big, but not a small man either. He had big hands, he could hold seven baseballs in one hand (so I was told) and he was a power hitter. He was like a big cat behind the plate, quick and could throw out the fastest runners of that era.
I wanted to play baseball just like him.
I studied his batting stance and even duplicated it, with some success (though I never hit a real home run). I tried to catch like him and I even read his book on how to “play like Bench.”
I saw him hit towering dingers, some that even won key playoff games. He set records (for that time) for innings caught as he played every inning from 1968 to 1975, homeruns by a catcher with 327 (that’s been broken) and all kinds of awards. That included the National League Rookie of the Year in 1968, MVP (1970 and 1972) and made the All Star team 14 times. In the 1976 World Series he was named MVP after batting .533, driving in six runs, not allowing any stolen bases and hitting two home runs in the decisive game four. He was my hero and in some ways he still is my sports hero, in case you were not sure of where I stood.
But as you grow older, you realize that he is just a man. He has flaws and he is getting older just like we all do. He may say something in an interview that seems out of place.
He is human.
However, he never, like so many other of our childhood heroes, disgraced himself, the sport he played or the fans. You can not say that about today’s heroes.
Michael Vick, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, who told his fans that he had done nothing wrong, is ready to play Let’s Make A Deal with federal prosecutors.
As I write this, Vick has apparently agreed to a plea deal that could end the dog fighting case against him and send him to prison for anywhere from one to three years.
Vick swore he had nothing to do with this heinous case of animal cruelty. He said his friends used his property and he knew nothing of what they did there. Then they all turned witnesses against him and he began to do something that most NFL linebackers could not get him to do – sweat. One “friend” who he was willing to let “swing in the wind” told of how they saw him personally hang or drown dogs that lost in the fight ring.
Sounds like a hero to me?
Then you have Barry Bonds. The new all-time home run king, a title that some do not feel is legit. I am one that feels that his record is tainted, regardless of what he says. Just the hint of his wrong doing, his own admission that he “may have unknowingly” taken steroids (let me pause here – how can anyone so self absorbing about his body image NOT know what he is putting into it) and the evidence that is slowly building against him speaks volumes. I believe that if it sounds like a duck, walks like a duck, hangs out with steroid users, makers and pushers – it must be a duck on steroids. You know what I’m getting at.
We have even had political heroes who have, or should have, made us feel uneasy. Lie to the people, to Congress, to their family, to the entire world, argue about the definition of the world “it” and expect to be revered as a great leader or role model. Belittle other races because of their “old upbringing” or how about the ones that suddenly decide to become politically correct on every issue instead of standing for what is right.
Where are the heroes today?
Some are off across the sea, fighting in foreign lands so the so called “heroes” can do the things they do and expect to be allowed to continue even after they have been caught. Other heroes are as close as your own home.
In a recent AP/MTV Poll of our youth aged 13 to 24, I was surprised by the results. When they were asked about whom their heroes were, who they looked up to, the answers were shocking.
Almost 29 percent said their mother; another 21 percent said their fathers were their heroes. Of course, many other names came up like Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Hillary Clinton and even Michael Jordan. But about half chose their family. The poll also showed that 11 percent chose a friend and 10 percent chose God.
There is hope out there after all.
Just think, a Godly family can make up 61 percent of the poll numbers.
Having a hero, someone to look up to, is something we all do. As we grow older, we may realize that our real hero, our real inspiration was as close as the other room. Hopefully, we realize that God is also a big part of that realization. More importantly, we hope we realize that while we can still thank our parents for that upbringing and love.
The heroes are right here, if we look hard enough for substance and not flash.
I’m just saying . . .

(Would you like to add your own opinion? Let me hear from you, good or bad. E-mail me at cctimesnews@bellsouth.net)

View from the Mountain
Memories of "American Graffiti"
by David J. Griffin, Times Reporter

This past weekend my wife and I were surfing the Dish Network, trying to find something decent to watch on TV, when we stumbled onto the movie, “American Graffiti.” It has been a few years since I have seen it, and I was reminded just how true it is to the era it depicts. It filled me with instant nostalgia.
The movie is set in 1962, the year I graduated from high school. Society was making a difficult transition from the era of Eisenhower to the time of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Rock and roll was firmly established as the music of the day. All of the fads of the time are included in the movie: the language, the clothes, cruising, sock hops, car clubs, parking, burgers, and of course Wolfman Jack (or in our case Dick Biondi).
Even the main car of the film was a “bad” ’58 Chevy similar to the one that I owned at the time. As I believe I have mentioned before, my friends and I spent countless hours riding in that “black beauty.” One of the things I loved most about that ’58 Chevy was the front bench seat, which allowed my girlfriends to sit closely by my side as we kept the streets hot.
As I listened to the music of the movie, I was completely transformed to the days when we “cruised” for hours up and down Main Street and down Richmond Road toward Renfro Valley. We turned up the volume on the AM radio when one of our favorite tunes was being played on WLS in Chicago. Sometimes two or three cars would have the same song playing in unison as we slowly drove through town, creating a sort of echo in the streets.
When the Crests sing “Sixteen Candles” in the movie, it took me back all over again.
You’re only sixteenBut you’re my teenage queenYou’re the prettiest Loveliest girl I’ve ever seen
When the movie shifted to the segment of the local street gang called the “Pharaohs,” I thought about the car club that we formed called the “Kingsmen.” We were distinguished by the plaques hanging from our license plates, which would drag the pavement when we went over a bump in the road making sparks fly.
I will never forget one night when several of us were riding north on Richmond Avenue, and the Platters came on singing, “Only You.” Someone in my car suggested that we pull over to the curb and dance. And dance we did! Cars were rolling by blowing their horns while several teens waltzed on the sidewalk by the road. That song always makes me remember the “sidewalk dance.”
Only you can make this world seem right, Only you can make the darkness bright. Only you and you alone, Can thrill me like you do And fill my heart with love for only you.
The movie tells the story of a young man who was leaving the next morning to attend college in another city – reminding me of my last night in Mt. Vernon before moving on to UK.
Because the 60’s were in front of me, I had yet to experience the assassination, the Beatles, hippies, and, I suppose, the task of becoming a man. I was only 17. At that time I still thought of the world as cars, rock and roll, and having fun. I really did not want it to end. The Spaniels said it in their hit, “Goodnight Sweetheart.”
Goodnight, sweetheart, well, it’s time to go,
Goodnight, sweetheart, well, it’s time to go,
I hate to leave you, but I really must say,
Goodnight, sweetheart,goodnight.
This portrayal of the last night of summer 1962 will always be one of my favorite movies. The music, the cars, the girls, Wolfman Jack, and the dreams of the future are melted together in this classic “flick.” It’s about the closest thing this old mountain man will ever have to travelling back in time.

(You can reach me at mtnman@mis.net Thanks for the memories. I appreciate your comments and suggestions.)

Letters to the Editor

To the editor,
Sometimes it seems as if things are never going to get better and the problems that our community face will never go away. There is a war going on in our own county that we as citizens need to get behind and help fight. In order to do this we need to realize that there is HOPE that we can make a dent and put the lid on an epidemic that is sweeping away not only our young people, but people all over our community. With HOPE we can end this battle with drugs that we are facing and on July 28, the Powell County Youth Task Force brought this message of Hope to our community.
Nationally known Christian rock bands, Nevertheless and Eleventyseven stormed into Stanton to bring a message of love and hope through their music and fellowship. Over 300 young and old gathered at Emmanuel Baptist Church to enjoy the night of worship and fellowship. To say the least, we are extremely happy and blessed with the turnout and have deemed the event a huge success. This is something our young people have been looking forward to for a long time and is something we needed to do for them. Students come up to me at school daily talking about the concert and wanting to know when we are going to have another one. This is proof that our efforts are worth it.
Of course none of this could have happened without the amazing support, help and contributions of the people in this community. Putting on an event such as this takes a lot of hard work and time, but when you have amazing people to work with it makes it a little easier. I want to thank Billings Drugs, Rogers Hardware, Dairy Queen, Whitaker Bank, Allen’s Hardware, Anita’s, Clay City Diner, Ray Rogers Insurance, Court Street Signs, Clay City Pharmacy, Shiloh United Methodist Church, Grace Fellowship Church, Powell’s Valley Baptist Church, Blake Adams, Hearne’s Funeral Home and our major corporate sponsor Rednour Properties for making a sacrifice to help us out. You do so much for the people of Stanton. I also want to thank Bro. Anthony Molihan and the Ministerial Association, Bro. Greg Webb and Emmanuel Baptist Church, the Shiloh UMC Women’s Group, The Stanton Lions Club, James Cook and the Clay City Times, the Prayer Task Force and the Youth Task Force for all of their help and support.
Personally I want to thank my wife, my mom and dad, and my best friend Ryan Nolan for all of the dedication and hard work in putting this together. Most importantly I thank God for blessing this community with amazing people and for having his hand upon this event. We are already planning for next year’s concert and look forward to seeing it grow and lives changed. If you would like to be a part of this annual event you can contact the Ministerial Association, a Youth Task Force member or myself. We would love to get you involved.
Thanks and God bless!
Josh Crowe