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To kickoff the whirlwind of 2020, one of America’s most beloved basketball icons and his young daughter died in a plane crash in Calabasas, California.

Whether you liked baseball or not, it is hard to not know the name Kobe Bryant.

Joe Bryant, Kobe’s father, played professional basketball in Italy where Kobe attended school and was fluent in Italian.

Bryant decided that he was ready to enter the NBA had no need for college, and, boy, was he right!

The self-proclaimed “Black Mamba” led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships with his impressive skillset.

He was the youngest player in the NBA in 1992, the year he was drafted and spent his entire professional career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bryant’s iconic “shot” granted him a number four spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, and has carried over into a playful joke.

I can still hear my junior high classmates shouting “Kobe!” as they attempted to throw a balled piece of paper into the nearest trash can.

Bryant’s list of awards in the NBA are impressive:

18x NBA All-Star selections
2x NBA scoring champion
5x NBA champion
15x All-NBA selections
12x All-Defensive selections
4x NBA All-Star Game MVP
2x NBA Finals MVP
NBA Most Valuable Player (2007–08)
selected for NBA All-Rookie team, 1996–97

The death of the Bryants truly saddened America. Bryant’s legacy will always be remembered.

Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics.

As I write blog posts about famous athletes, I learn so much about iconic people I hadn’t even known existed.

Researching Rudolph made me feel excited and motivated; not only did she make history, but she did it as one of the most vulnerable persons during the 1960s: a strong Black woman.

Rudolph wore a brace on her left leg as a child, but overcame her disability to compete in the 1959 Summer Olympic Games.

She became the fastest woman in the world at the 1960 Olympics.

Rudolph holds the record for running 100 meters at 11.2 seconds and 200 meters at 22.9 seconds.

Additionally, Rudolph used her national recognition to be a voice for people of color; specifically, Black women.

She broke the blatant gender barrier of all-male events, her legacy still living on today.

I’d always respected and admired Jackie Robinson for overcoming prejudice and pioneering the integration of major league baseball.

Robinson’s first year playing for the National League, he won Rookie of the Year with 12 home-runs, 29 steals, and a .279 average.

Robinson was eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

Aside from his incredible feats as a professional baseball player, Robinson lead a fascinating and full life.

In addition to baseball, Jackie Robinson was a prolific athlete in football, basketball and track at UCLA.

In 1942, Robinson was drafted into the Army. While station in Fort Hood, he refused to sit in the back of a segregated bus and was court-martialed and eventually exonerated.

He also played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. He used his fame to increase awareness about social injustice.

42 is the only number to be retired across all of Major League Baseball to honor Robinson and his feats.

My love for Jackie Robinson has been rekindled by the research.

RIP to the king.

With a name to go with the title, Usain Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time.

Usain St. Leo Bolt was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica on August 21, 1986.

In his preteen years, Bolt excelled as a cricket fast bowler. Shortly thereafter, he developed a deep passion for soccer, but his coaches advised him to run track instead.

In 2002, 15-year-old Bolt uncovered his prodigal skill by winning gold in the 200 meter race, becoming the youngest male to ever win a world junior champion event.

Standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall. Bolt defied the understood knowledge that taller people had a disadvantage as fast starters.

Five after a hamstring injury, Bolt seemed newly dedicated to his running and won a silver medal in 2002 at the world championships.

In 2008, Bolt ran 100 m in 9.72 seconds, defeating the former world champion Tyson Gray.

At the 2008 Olympic Games, Bolt won the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4 x 100 meter relay, setting world records for each.

In 2009, he broke his record for a final time, running the 100 meter race in 9.58 seconds.

Since then, Bolt has walked away with a plethora of gold medals from the Olympics.

He retied in 2017 from athletics, taking the title for the fastest man in the world.

This semester is weeks from ending, and my seasonal writer’s block is starting to set in.

So, I’ve decided to use the remainder of this sports blog to highlight iconic athletes throughout history.

George Herman “Babe” Ruth was born February 6, 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland to George Sr. and Kate.

Ruth’s parents worked long hours to support him and his sister, Mamie.

His behavior became unruly due to the lack of supervision, and he was sent to St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys at age 7.

St. Mary’s not only improved Ruth’s behavior, but this is where he discovered his passion for baseball.

Brother Matthias, a monk at Ruth’s school, found an instant liking to George and quickly evolved into a father-figure for him.

Aside from an emotional connection, Brother Matthias played baseball with Ruth, forming him into the machine his record proves he played.

Jack Dunn, the owner of the Baltimore Orioles, was invited to watch Ruth play. After less than an hour of watching him, the 19-year-old was offered a contract to play professionally.

Because he was so young, his teammates referred to him as “Jack’s new babe”, granting him the nickname of “Babe”.

Impressive gameplay with the Orioles landed Ruth with the Boston Red Socks where his pitching skills shined.

In December of 1919, he was sold to the New York Yankees.

During his time as a Yankee, Ruth set a homerun record of 60, keeping the record for 34 years.

Before his arrival, the Yankees never won a title of any kind. Babe helped the Yankees capture seven pennants and four World Series titles.

Ruth finished his year in 1935 with the Boston Braves with a record of 714 home runs.

Tonight, I’m attending a local high school football game.

I absolutely loved Friday night lights when I was in high school, so I was really looking forward to reliving my glory days, ordering some popcorn, and watching some friendly football.

For this week’s blog, I wanted to give a first-hand experience of what this football is like. Right now, it’s 52 degrees. Honestly, I’m shivering my behind off.

The air smells like hot chocolate; everyone is drinking it from the concession stand in an effort to stay warm.

People chit-chat and cheer ad the game plays on, anxiously awaiting the winner.

Oak Grove is playing against Pearl High School; and the game is heating up! I have no clue who the winner will be, but I hope Oak Grove wins!

I’m impressed with the football team, and high schoolers are a lot smaller than I remember.

I’ll probably come to another game; it is kind of fun to relive high school times with my college town’s team!

With Halloween tomorrow, October 2020 takes its final bow and makes room for this year’s big event: election day.

This Tuesday will decide the fate of the United States for the next four years, making the choice between Republican candidate, Donald Trump, or Democratic candidate, Joe Biden.

Professional athletics and politics have, inevitably, intersected throughout history.

Athletes gain fame quickly, using their voices for platforms they are passionate about.

This morning, former NFL quarterback and 3 time MVP Brett Favre, tweeted his support for Trump:

“My Vote is for what makes this country great, freedom of speech & religion, 2nd Amnd, hard working tax paying citizens, police & military,” Favre’s tweet began. “In this election, we have freedom of choice, which all should respect. For me & these principles, my Vote is for @RealDonaldTrump. #Vote”

Favre also happens to be a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, my current school of study.

Favre and Trump also played golf during the summer, tying the knot on their forever friendship.

Where my views don’t necessarily line up with Favre’s, I am a fan of famous people using their voice and making an impact.

America is a democracy for a reason. It is next to impossible to get everyone to agree, but respecting one another’s opinions is part of common decency.