Jay Kersting's Blog

I had written about my son Alex a few days ago.  Now, I need to tell everyone about Ben. 

To make a long story short, after several years of tests and meetings, and even arguments, it was determined that Ben has a form of autism known as Aspergers Disorder.  Sometimes it is called Aspergers Syndrome.  For the lay person, this means that he is a very high functioning young man, very intelligent, but has some social issues.  In Ben's case, his main area of trouble is in language. 

The bottom line is, there is nothing WRONG with Ben.  He is just different.  Different than Alex, different than other eight year olds.  Shouldn't everyone be different?  In fact, the more I observe him, the more I realize that there is so much more right with him than some other children.

Sports never interested Ben much.  Back in 2003, we had signed up Ben to play in the NFL Flag Football program at the YMCA.  He liked being center...snapping the ball was it though.  Don't ask him to run a pass pattern.  Ben had no interest in that.  In fact, Ben would have been happy playing center for both teams, as long as all he did was snap the ball.  So, we tried to find other things for him to do.  Sadly, there is not much available for children that fits the time and financial constraints of the Kersting family. 

Last fall, Kathy and I "forced" Ben to play baseball.  Ben is funny.  He tells us repeatedly that he will not do something, right up to the point where he is not only doing it, but finishing it.  Then he tells us that he liked it and will do it again.  So, we say that we forced him, but we knew that he would end up enjoying it.   Since he had not played before, he struggled at first.  But, like his brother, he picked it up as the season went on.

This spring, Ben wanted to play baseball.  He would even drive us crazy by telling us, repeatedly, that he was a baseball player.  He had his struggles, but he got some decent hits, he was able to make some good stops and throws.  He had a lot of fun and wants to keep playing. 

Unlike Alex, Ben's league did not have a post season.  So, we needed to find him another activity. I was fortunate enough to meet some great folks from the Knoxville Track Club when I guest hosted WNOX's "The Phil Show" back in April.  I learned a lot about the program they have for children and thought that Track and Field might be a good fit for Ben.  Besides, I was in track when I was younger and then again when I was in high school.  As bad as I was, track and field was my best sport.  

I took Ben to his first practice and we practiced the "shot put" with a softball for about twenty minutes.  It was raining and storms were heading in.  Having kids holding a big steel ball would have been a poor decision.  Ben got one throw.  One throw total, with a softball, before he went to his first meet. 

So, I take Ben to his first meet.  We get him signed up for the shot put event.  He gets in the ring for his first toss.  And he now realizes how heavy this big steel ball is.  (Six pounds at his age.)  He tries to throw it, rather than put it, and he does so with both hands.  He hit six feet and one inch.  One of the officials shows him a trick, give me high fives using the put technique.  So, Ben tells me that it was too heavy and that he wasn't going to do it anymore.  He keeps on telling me this, while giving me the high fives and moving up the line to make his second toss.  He did it....hitting seven feet, ten inches!  Oh, and he was telling me that he was NOT going to do the throw as he stepped in to the ring. 

Now it was time for his third throw and I am standing in line with him doing the high five thing, when I got paged over the public address speakers to go to the start/finish line.  You see, WNOX is a media sponsor of the event.  They asked me to be the starter for a relay race.  So, Ben stood in line without me.  He had stopped telling me that he wasn't going to throw by this time as well.  So, I ran over, shot a starters pistol (a first for me) and went back to Ben.  Ben got in the ring and made is third toss.  This time he hit eight feet, 9 inches!  With each throw Ben improved.  That is what track and field is all about. 

He can push himself to get better and better.  Ben gets to compete with himself.  Sure, the other kids are there, but it is about what he can do.  Ben seems to like that.  He also likes getting ribbons, even if they are just for participating.   

He still "quits" during practices, but I get him right back in it and he has fun.  And he gets better.  Most importantly, he feels better about what he has done, at practice and at the meets.  We still let him say that he is going to quit, but we know that it is only words.  Like I said, there is nothing wrong with Ben.  He has a language issue.  Ben says that he wants to quit.  I think he means that he wants more encouragement.  So that is what we give him. 

Oh, and in his third meet, Ben set a personal best in the shot put with a toss of 9 feet 7 inches.  I encouaged him that morning.  As did his grandmother.  And if it takes embarrassing myself to do it, so be it.  At this meet, the parents event was the high jump.  Yes, I did take part.  No, I did not come close to winning.  And NO, I was not the first one out.  Ben seeing me try and not quit was, in a twisted and funny way, encouraging to him.

Then again, isn't that all we ALL really want.  Encouragement.  Isn't that what we all need more often than we get it?

Like I said, there is nothing wrong with Ben.  I seem to learn more about what is right with him.  And, I seem to learn more about myself from him.

Thanks Ben.

Now I will work on using what Ben has taught me on others.  It is amazing what we can learn from our children, isn't it?

Posted by Jay Kersting at 07:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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As many of you know, I am the father of two great boys.  Alex, 10, is a smart, funny, hard working young man that most adults find to be quite polite and friendly.  That is always a compliment.  Kathy has done a great job raising him.  I am not sure that I deserve the credit.  Ben, 8, is also smart and funny, but he is a completely different personality.  He has Aspergers Disorder, a form of autism, that gives him a quirkier personality.  He is charming, adults like him, he likes adults.  Other children don't always warm up to him.  He is different, but he doesn't seem to care.  He is so smart and determined, that he will be a success in whatever he sets his mind to. 

Now that you have the background, let me get to my story.  This is about Alex.

Alex started playing baseball last fall, before his 10th Birthday.  He, as you would expect, was not very good when he got started.  Who is?  Baseball is not a sport of true naturals in my opinion.  It is a very complex game.  In any case, he improved a bunch during his fall season and he loved the game.  This spring, he again played baseball. 

The spring season is a bit different.  They have a basic skills assessment followed by a coaches draft.  Again with his lack of experience, he did not get a lot of attention.  One thing that I taught Alex, and this is based upon my experience in sports, was to push himself as hard as he can and to have a positive attitude.  Those are traits that coaches love and that his teammates may catch on to.  (In my case, I tried that on a basketball team that did not win a game in the two years before i joined them.  We did not win ANY games during my two years with the team either.  But, my enthusiasm got me named team captain on four occasions.)

Alex went this year from being a below average player on a good team, to being an average player on a very good team.  He did not get a lot of playing time late in the season.  The coach told me that this would be the case during the tournament season, but I thought he did not get as much as he had earned.  Alex was never bothered by it.  He ran out to help warm up the outfielders between innings, he led cheers in the dugout.  I then figured that if Alex was OK with his role, then I should be too.  As it turned out, he ended up getting more playing time as the city tournament went on.

So Monday night, Alex's team was in the semi finals of the Knoxville City 10 and under Tournament.  They were also shorthanded.  Three players, who also did much of their pitching, were out.  They only had nine players as the game began.  The Cardinals, Alex's team, fell behind early.  A tenth player arrived after they had fallen down by four runs.  Alex was rotated in and out of the game at that point.  The Cardinals came back and won the game 14-6.  They had to play another game to win the Knoxville City Championship.

This game was against a hated rival. This may be a bit strong, but it seemed like Chiefs-Raiders, Tennessee-Alabama, USC-ucla, Celtics-Lakers, Army-Navy, you name the rivalry, this one ranks up there.  The team was the winner of their regular season league, the Rocky Hill Dodgers.  So, it was the battle of Rocky Hill.  The first game was a Cardinals win.  The second game went to the Dodgers.  The third game was in the Rocky Hill Invitational Tournament, where the Cardinals and Dodgers hosted three "travelling" teams, or as I like to call them, junior professional teams.  The Dodgers won that game in an absolute rout.  It was something like 16-1.  Alex did not get to play because they ran out of time before they thought about substituting him in to the game.  That game was only nine days earlier.

Alex started again, this time in Centerfield (he was in left in the first game). The Cardinals fell early, trailing 3 to 1.  Alex, in his first at bat, made it to first base by hitting in to a fielders choice that got their lead runner.  He stole second base.  (The runner at second went a pitch earlier, so it was not a double steal.)  The batter hit deep into the outfield, Alex hit third and headed for home.  I am not completely clear as to why, but he had to dive for the plate, either he missed the plate, or was trying to avoid the catcher who he thought, but really did not, had the ball.  In any case, he got back up with a pronounced limp.  He hobbled to the dugout, everyone is giving him high fives, his coaches are praising him.  Alex was in pain.  I did not know how much.  I talked to him through the dugout, then I ran to get him some ice for his knees.  Soon after I got him the ice, the half inning was over and his coach decided to substitute him out. 

The Dodgers scored more runs, so did the Cardinals, but the game was soon into the sixth inning.  Throughout this time, I was helping Alex work to make sure he knee was OK.  His coach had told him that he could not substitute him back in until the sixth.  So, here it was.  I asked him if he thought he could play.  He told his coach that he could.  So, for the top of the sixth inning, Alex was in right field.  Since he ran out there, I ran around the field to make sure he was OK.  He was.  The Cardinals dispatched the Dodgers pretty easily in the top of the sixth, but the still trailed 10 to 7. 

Well, the Cards chipped away at the lead.  It was tied at 10.  Alex was "in the hole" waiting to bat.  I told him, half jokingly, that I hope he didn't get to bat.  I told him that I hoped the game was over before that happened.  Well, the Dodgers hit Aaron Mullins, the Cards first baseman, in the helmet.  Now, the bases were loaded.  There were two outs.  And Alex came up to the plate.  Jacob Meyers is a small and very quick young man.  He was at third base.  I was nervous as I have ever been.  Kathy was as well.  Alex was cool.  He listened to his coach.  He stepped up to the plate.  A ground out put them into extra innings.....and they really had no pitching left.....a pop out, same thing.  Alex knew that he needed to help his team by getting one of three things.  First, he could draw a walk.  That is something he has done many times this season.  Second, he could do what the Kersting family has called the "Suarez" and get hit by a pitch.  (Alex Suarez holds the UT Vols career hit by pitch record.)  We used "Suarez" as a code word.  Early in the season, he was terrified of getting hit by a pitch.  Not any longer.  In fact, he took one for the team on the Friday night game.  The third option was to hope to draw a wild pitch or passed ball.  In youth baseball, you do this by crowding the plate and the catcher. 

This is what Alex did.  He stood dang near on top of the plate.  He stood in the back of the batters box.  And he drew the wild pitch.  He backed out of the box to get away from the play.  By an odd bounce of the ball, he ended up "gumming up" the works for the Dodgers.  Jacob easily made it home. CARDINALS WIN!!! 

Earlier in the night, I told Alex that this would be something he would remember for all of his life.  I told him that when I was his age, I lived in a town of 2000.  He is in a city of 200,000.  I never really won anything is what I told him.  I lied, but not intentionally.  I actually won the high jump in the summer track program when I was 11.  But, nothing like this. 

So, am I proud that his team won?  Sure.  But that is not the real reason why I call myself a proud father today.  Alex cheered his team on during both games.  He got hurt and pushed to get himself back in the game.  But, when it came time for him to come to the plate, with the game on the line.  Two outs, last inning, ties score, bases loaded.  He did not go for the glory of the big hit.  He took a pitch that let someone else get the attention.

In doing so, he put team above himself once again.  That is Alex.  Maybe I did teach him something worthwhile.  Maybe I have helped raise him right. 

I am proud of him.  I once heard that sports do not build character, but instead, sports reveal character.  I think a LOT was revealed about Alex last night.

I am proud of Ben as well.  I will tell you about him next.  His story is very different.  Because Alex and Ben are very different boys.  I would not have them any other way.

Posted by Jay Kersting at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

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Today, I read my last posting on the air.  It is the one that you can find by scrolling down on this page.  It is about "An Inconvenient Truth" the film about the rants of Albert Arnold Gore, Junior, of Washington, D.C. regarding environmental disasters that he says are going to happen. 

I actually stated that I believe that Global Warming is real.  I disagree with how Gore says it happens.  Many have agreed with me, but others I am sure disagree.

One of them told me IMMEDIATELY after the show.  He said that I need to see the movie.  I told him that I am not paying my money to line Gore's pockets, but if I got a free pass, I'd go see it.  He offered to pay for my ticket to go.  I turned him down, because that would still put money in Gore's pockets.

Here is my point.  This film is a great way to skirt the rules of campaign finance.  Gore COULD use the profits and publicity from this film to set up a run for the White House in 2008.

But Jay, Gore told us he did not want to run.  Well, Nixon told us in 1962 that would would not have "Dick Nixon to kick around anymore."  Wasn't he elected President in 1968?  And again in 1972?  So, with a little bit of money, a positive spin on his views courtesy of this movie and he may make that run for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 

Am I anti-Albert Arnold Gore, Junior, of Washington, D.C.?  Maybe a little.  Because he is dishonest with us.  First, his environmental views are based on junk science.  I say that because HE cannot explain the warming of Mars, Venus and other planets.  The warming exists there and THEY HAVE NO CARS, TRUCKS OR EVEN SUV's!!!  Second, he is dishonest in his roots.  He claims to be from Tennessee.  He was born in Washington, D.C.  He was educated in Washington, D.C.  He has worked most of his adult life in, you guessed it, Washington, D.C.  He spent time in Carthage, Tennessee, as he was growing up.  His FAMILY had and still has property there.  But I am willing to bet that I have spent more time in Tennessee than he has.  I am 35 years old, I have lived here since I was 26.  I moved here in June 1997.  Gore is 58 years old.  I do not know how much time he has spent here.  I may not have him in actual time, but I am sure that I have him as a percentage.  I have spent over a quarter of my life as a Tennessean.  I am a graduate of the University of Tennessee, as well.  My sons attend PUBLIC schools in Tennessee. 

And take notice of where Gore has spent his post Vice Presidential life?

I bet that he is a decent guy.  I really do.  But I have a hard time giving him and credibility when he says things that are simply distorted or untrue.

Can you see my point?  Or do these concerns simply seem petty?  Let me know.

Posted by Jay Kersting at 04:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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The former Vice President of the United States of America has a film out.  Albert Arnold Gore, Junior, of Washington, D.C., has spread his environmental campaign to the big screen with "An Inconvenient Truth" this past weekend. 

Gore once again warns us about global warming.  I am not really that interested in this film.  It is not because I think that global warming is not an important concern.  I actually think that it is very important. 

I think we need to be responsible with out continued use of fossil fuels.  I think we need to be careful with our water supply.  Over population of the planet worries me a bit as well.  I never litter and I admit that I should recycle.  But, I have a problem PAYING to recycle.  If it is "free" like trash pickup (meaning part of the services I pay taxes to get) or offered by a recycling company who profits from the stuff I leave at the curb, then I will do it more often.  I do place cans and bottle in recycling bins when I am out.

So, being environmentally aware is a good idea.

The problem is Albert Arnold Gore, Junior, of Washington, D.C. does not get it.  Global warming as we know it today is not caused only by our actions here on Earth.  In fact, most of the problem with global warming is beyond the control of humans.

You see, there is this thing that many of us see on a daily basis.  I like to call it, THE SUN!!!  It is a big ball sitting about 93 million miles away from me here in Knoxville.  And if you measure the same way as I do, you will find that it is 93 million miles from where ever you are.  It produces a lot of light and heat.  We know this as energy.

It is a case of scientific fact that the Sun, a star in case you did not know, runs its energy in cycles.  At least it does relative to us here on Earth.  How do I know this? I learned some basic principles of geology during my education.  Fossil records, sedimentary rocks, etc.  You know pretty dry stuff.  I'll get back to that after a brief side track.

Now some of you may want to argue the age of the Earth on religious reasons.  All I can say is a couple of philosophical things to think about.  First, God created the heavens and the earth in six days, rested on the seventh, right?  How long is a day to God?  Second, you may think that evolution is bunk.  To which I respond, wouldn't God want to "cover his tracks" in order to insure FAITH? 

Back to what we learned in Geology Class.  The Earth has had periods of great cooling, known as Ice Ages, and great heat.  Guess what we may be going through right now?  It may not be great heat, but if the recent history, the last couple of thousand years, were cold it would make things seem warmer.  Right?

But Jay, but Jay, but Jay, this has gotten really bad since the widespread use of the automobile.  OK, so this may be true.  And, it may NOT.  Now, the pollution created by the internal combustion engine running in your SUV may cause of lot of things.  And the coal burning plants that make electricity may cause acid rain.  I will give you all of that argument.  But not global warming.

Now you are asking, Jay, how can you be so sure?  Simple.

Explain to me the global warming on Mars?  On Venus?  Other planets?  Remember the polar ice caps we saw on Mars back in the 1970's?  And now?  Gone....or almost gone.

Many film critics have taken Albert Arnold Gore, Junior, of Washington, D.C.'s bait.  Roger Ebert for one.   Here is my response to them. 

It is just like "The Da Vinci Code"......a nice piece of fiction.  I doubt it is as entertaining.  Tom Hanks or Albert Arnold Gore, Junior, of Washington, D.C.???  Hmmmm......

Posted by Jay Kersting at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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So this week, the United States Senate is going to vote on a proposed Marriage Protection Amendment.  First, this will fail.  It is a Constitutional Amendment.....it requires 67 votes in the Senate.  Then it needs to get 290 votes in the House.  THEN it needs to be radified by 38 states.  Since NONE of this is going to happen, this is a HUGE waste of time.

The bright side is this.  While they are focused on this issue, they are too busy to screw up anything else.

My problem is this.  It is completely reactionary.  The reason we are given for the move toward an amendment is this......because of judges who legislate from the bench.  Really?

If this is the case, I have an idea for you.  HOW ABOUT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM WITH THE JUDGES THEMSELVES??????  Sorry, that would make too much sense.

The founding fathers of the greatest nation in the history of this planet did a great and AMAZING thing when they created our Constitution with its limited Federal Government.  They did another brilliant thing with the creation of the separation of powers within that Constitution.

Today, we have a branch of that government exceeding its power.  Members of the Judiciary Branch are acting outside the law. The solution?  Ignore the problem and do an end run around them.  This is a case of Mom said no, so I will ask Dad.  In this example, Mom is the Federal judge, and Dad is the Congress.

And President Bush is focusing his attention on this issue!!!!  I'm sorry Mr. President, but there are TONS of issues that deserve a LOT more attention than this stupid and ill-conceived proposed Constitutional Amendment that EVEN YOU KNOW will fail.  Last I checked, we have an on-going war on terror, a border security issue, gas prices are high, and the American people are overtaxed.  So, lets do the "Rope-A-Dope" on the American people and tell us that Gay Marriage will destroy the framework of our society as we know it.

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!

Now, let me be clear on this.  I am not in favor of Gay Marriage.  It just SIMPLY is not that DAMNED IMPORTANT.  Border security is an issue that needs to be addressed.  The War on Terror needs to be supported.  And the American People need to be convinced of that.  Too many have forgotten why we fight.  Why?  Because the idiots in Washington are doing the "Rope-A-Dope" to make us think that Gay Marriage is important.  Again, it simply isn't.

So, when things don't go your way, let us push to amend the Constitution.  Bad idea and here is why.  Thanks to Carry Nation and her group of zealots I have a great example to give.  It is the EIGHTEENTH Amendment.  That temperance movement is the reason for the rise of the criminal underground.  You know, the Mafia.  Al Capone?  Now without her efforts, we probably would not have the HBO TV series "The Sopranos" either.  But, back on topic.  Prohibition was REACTIONARY!!  A group of zealots got support from a large enough portion of the public to push their short sighted cause.  They were wrong.  Prohibition failed.  For more proof, see the Twenty First Amendment.

So, am I saying that that banning Gay Marriage with a Constitional Amendment will lead to the growth of a criminal underground to conduct the illegal weddings of gay/lesbian couples?  No, but I can see the Rainbow Chapel Speak Easy establishments popping up all around the country.  I have an idea.  Vito Spatofore from "The Sopranos" can run them!!  Johnny Cake can cater the events!

How about this for a Constitutional Amendment?  All motor vehicle drivers are required to use their turn signals!! 

If we got that one through, the roads would be EMPTY.  Pollution would decrease.  Maybe THAT is a GOOD IDEA!!!

As Peter LaFleur in "Dodgeball" would ask....."Is all this really necessary?" But the fine folks we have put in Washington will do it anyway, "because they like the taste."

Posted by Jay Kersting at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Now, I jump into the world of sports.  I am, and this is painful to admit, but I am a fan of the Kansas City Royals.  I will admit, that I am more or less a casual fan.  And I have been since the retirement of my favorite player, George Brett. 

But I do know that in the past few years a lot a significant players pass through this team.  Johnny Damon, Carlos Beltran and Jermaine Dye. Mike Sweeney is on the DL now, how long until he gets dealt? 

NOW, a bit of good news.  Allard Baird was canned as the general manager.  A new guy comes in from Atlanta following the amateur draft.  He worked for John Schuerholz, the former Royals GM and current Braves GM.  He grew up a Royals fan.  His name, Dayton Moore. 

I mention this because I think the name Dayton Moore is similar in sounding to the name of the actor who played the Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore.  Can he come to the rescue on horseback, with Tonto at his side, for the Royals. 

I guess we will find out in the next couple of years.  This will be a marathon.  NOT a Sprint!!

Posted by Jay Kersting at 02:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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