Did you ever think that the price of gas would have such a down-line impact on so much? I didn’t. I really wish someone who is REALLY smart would solve this issue. I’m tired of the blowhards spewing rhetoric, party lines, or PR agent-smoothed comment - it’s time for some reality on this subject. Hopefully from someone who really knows.

There’s more to this than the price at the pump. That, I do know.

This weekend marks the final home stand that LSU’s baseball team will play in famed Alex Box Stadium. Next year they move into a new facility just down the street which will be state of the art in college baseball. Everyone is hoping that the character, traditions and magic will transfer - but who knows? 

I grew up in Baton Rouge and unfortunately moved away in 1996. But, I was there in the early days of the Coach Bertman era of LSU baseball. My father was on the Coaches Committee then, so I was very fortunate to get to know the team and every little nook of Alex Box.

I have so many memories of that place and the people. It was a great place and time for a young teenager who loved baseball. Here are a few:

• The first regional trip in ‘85 to Austin, TX - that one started it all.
• Andy Galy’s sweatband that he wore all the time at practice with “OMAHA” on it.
• Riding back on the plane from a trip to play Central Florida when Robbie Smith wore a Goofy hat from Disneyworld all the way home. And, how nervous Eric Hetzel’s mom used to get when he pitched - she couldn’t watch at all and would go hide somewhere.
• I can’t tell you how many hundreds of buckets of balls I soft-tossed to Albert Belle in the batting cage - he was so nice to me.
• I went to every game in the ‘86 season - home and away - except for the final series against Kentucky when I got sick.
• The first trip to Omaha in ‘86 was incredible. I remember missing the bus from the hotel to the stadium and having to catch a ride with Jim Mashek, one of the Advocate reporters. Man my Dad was mad at me.
• Not to mention all of the Kid’s Clinics I attended as a kid there - that was great getting tips from pros from all over the major leagues.

The best thing that I can say about Alex Box is that, at least for me, being a kid in Baton Rouge infatuated with baseball - Alex Box was THE aspiration. It was the goal. I never made it, but I got a taste. That place made the years when I was between 12 and 14 some of the best of my life.

Last Saturday night I did something pretty cool - I became a fire-walker. Yeah - that kind of fire-walking…

Through the coaching of David Fabricius I was able to take the leap and walk over a 10 foot bed of coals. No burns - didn’t even hurt. It was an amazing experience and a great way to look at dealing with and overcoming your fears.

Prior to fire-walking - David gave an excellent presentation on “Breakthrough, Balance and Bliss.” There were some amazing topic covered and some great insight that I took away from the evening. One really interesting thing that I did take away was his quote about working 8-14 hours a day as the norm.

Working an extra 2-6 hours per day will do nothing to solve the real problems you’re avoiding in your life - either personally or professionally.

That’s so true. Think about it.