The Burrow

She was next to him as he was drafted; she "still has the lean face of an athlete," said TBG. Who is she? She's Karen Taylor, a Jackson State Hall of Fame basketball player who played professionally in Europe.  She raised the Detroit Pistons' 2015 number one draft pick on a steady diet of basketball, competition, and love. She created and coached an AAU team for him at 5, and all the good lessons one can learn from sports were poured into him. "Be there for your team when they need you" led to striving for perfection. "Don't expect me to 'Mommy' you once we're in the gym" stoked the competitive spirit he'll bring to the NBA. The practice interviews, the respect for the game, the knowledge that more work yields more rewards - these are parenting-from-your-strength skills worth knowing about. I read the local sports pages every day; I'm TBG's lifeline for what Tucson is saying.  He spends an inordinate amount...

The phone rings and TBG jumps up.  "I'll get it," is out of his mouth as his feet hit the floor.  It's Big Cuter.  There must've been an amazing play.With The Red Zone automatically presenting the most fascinating sequences from all the games currently being contested, there is little if any down time.  There's always something to watch.  I used to enjoy sitting on Douglas with TBG, the game a droning hum of testosterone until the fans erupted and I could look up from my book or my crossword puzzle or my Sudoku and enjoy the replay.  We could chat during commercials, or as the refs were reviewing the play; I was part of the experience. Now, when there is always something wonderful to see; when the screen is split into three or four segments, when the announcers direct your eyes to the upper right corner, there is little time for wifely chatter.  I'm welcome to stay..... if I want to watch.  September 9, 2012   2pm Hence, I am in t...