Happy Cerebral Palsy Day!

Being that today is National Cerebral Palsy day...37 years old (I've had CP for 36 years, 7 months, and today)! Yet I'm still awesome, and making history! Take that universe!

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

Christmas decorations up, chocolate covered pretzels, and Russian tea cakes bought and/or made, and eaten. Presents under the tree, Christmas cards sent, and Christmas specials watched. Now listening to my Heavy Metal Xmas... And Headbanging New Year CD. Some people like to listen to Mariah Carrey sing Christmas carols. I prefer Lemmy Kilmister, Ronnie James Dio, and Tim "Ripper" Owens. I don't listen to metal cause I'm mean and angry fine people. It's cause it rocks, hard! haha. 

 

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays everybody. PS. Christmas sweater pic...PULLING...IT...OFF! LOL.

2020 Sports and COVID?

So as a sports fan, with the way 2020’s going on, I have to ask myself a few questions.

1) If COVID is as bad as everyone says it is, then why are they playing games in the 1st place, if you care so much about player safety?

2) Since football coaching is 1 of my many possible “careers”, and I know a who’s who of KC North Metro coaches whose high school seasons have been canceled. As well as having every college conference start at different times within the duration of the season, how can you gauge a true national champion in college when teams aren’t even playing the same amount of games?

3) These are all honest questions that I’ve asked myself over the year. I knew I wasn’t being a hypochondriac about COVID when a high school buddy of mine who is a coach for a Major League Baseball franchise contracted it. I myself had an unofficial meeting with an NFL franchise axed because of it, so something is definitely going on.

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

On this day, in 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked, which led to the United States entering World War II.

With today being the 79^th anniversary of this horrific, and history making day. I’d like to give a big shout out and thank you to all those of “the greatest generation” who sacrificed their lives, and their mental and emotional well-being for the safety of this nation, and other freedom loving nations around the world.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who didn’t make it home, as well as those still living who spent their golden years fighting evil incarnate.

If it wasn’t for all of you, people of color, people of Jewish descent, and any other type of people deemed not fit to live, especially people deemed disabled, such as myself would not exist if Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin as well as others like them, remained unopposed. There are not enough words in any language to be able to express my deepest gratitude for what you all endured on behalf of the rest of us.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everybody. Even though I don’t walk around a lot and have to do things from home like people have been doing for a while now, instead of writing 87,000 messages because I’m highly sociable. I just simply wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving, especially with these awkward circumstances. :-)

Happy Veterans Day!

Thank you to all the veterans past and present of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and National Guard, who have sacrificed their physical and mental well being, as well as their lives in certain cases to protect our freedoms. This day I remember you.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everybody!

 For those of you trick-or-treating still, please stay safe. In this day and age of Covid, a lot of neighborhoods aren’t trick-or-treating. So whatever you’re doing to celebrate the holiday this year, please enjoy yourselves, and come back in one piece. :)

Happy Constitution and Citizenship Day!

Happy Constitution and Citizenship Day everybody! I commemorate this day because in the United States, this is the day that our Constitution was ratified as well as the day that we commemorate all freedom loving citizens around the world.

I hope that wherever you’re at in the world, and whoever’s reading this, does really appreciate the freedoms, and rights they have in any Democratic Republic around the world. So here’s to all the freedom loving individuals in the various 196 to 250 countries in the world.

Happy Patriots’ Day!

Happy Patriots’ Day everybody! Like everybody else, I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001. I was in my high school drama class junior year. Such a tragic day! We were all in total shock. Words can’t express the deep sadness, heartbreak, and agony we all feel on this day!

 If Patriots’ Day is an unofficial holiday, it really should be an official national holiday because it was unfortunately burned into all of our brains, and none of us will ever forget those images.

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day! May you be rested from your constant struggles. Whether that’s work, or just the daily toils of life.

What you have to do is make the best of the situation, and find some joy in whatever you’re doing to make it seem less burdensome, and make the time go by easier, while being stress-free, and less life sucking!

Happy Fourth of July!

I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a happy Fourth of July! This year’s quite strange with home quarantines, social distancing, and pandemics left and right. Normally I would be barbecuing with family, shooting off fireworks even though I have cerebral palsy, and listening to Jimi Hendrix’s version of the Star-Spangled Banner at some point, but my usual traditions have been put on hold like everybody else, so I’m trying to make the best of the situation on America’s 244th birthday! Hope everyone else is too.

Brad Freeman's All-Time Lifetime Hockey Team

My all-time hockey team during my lifetime.

Starting Lineup:

C: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers/Los Angeles Kings) *favorite position player growing up

LW: Brendan Shanahan (St. Louis Blues/Detroit Red Wings)

RW: Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues/Dallas Stars/Detroit Red Wings)

LD: Ray Bourque (Boston Bruins/Colorado Avalanche)

RD: Paul Coffey (Edmonton Oilers/Pittsburgh Penguins/Los Angeles Kings/Detroit Red Wings)

G: Patrick Roy (Montréal Canadians/Colorado Avalanche) *favorite Goalie growing up

Bench:

C Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings)

C Jeremy Roenick (Chicago Blackhawks)

C Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins)

LW/C: Mark Messier (Edmonton Oilers/New York Rangers)

LW: Vyacheslav Kozlov (Detroit Red Wings)

LW: Paul Kariya (Anaheim Ducks)

RW: Claude Lemieux (New Jersey Devils/Colorado Avalanche)

RW: Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins)

RW: Teemu Selanne (Anaheim Ducks)

LD: Nicklaus Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings)

LD: Scott Stevens (New Jersey Devils)

RD: Chris Chelios (Montréal Canadians/Chicago Blackhawks/Detroit Red Wings)

RD: Scott Niedermayer (New Jersey Devils/Anaheim Ducks)

G: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils)

Non-Roster Players (in case someone gets injured since rosters have expanded from the traditional 20 players above to 23):

C Joe Sakic (Colorado Avalanche)

LD: Brian Leetch (New York Rangers)

RD: Al MacInnis (Calgary Flames/St. Louis Blues)

Honorable Mention:

C: Mike Modano (Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars)

LW/C: Peter Forsberg (Philadelphia Flyers/Colorado Avalanche)

G: Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres)

G: Ed Belfour (Chicago Blackhawks/Dallas Stars)

G: Grant Fuhr (Edmonton Oilers)

*Being born in July 1984, much like basketball, I didn’t have a home team that was tied to one city’s market being from Kansas City, MO. So I got games from all over the country. A lot of my favorite players were guys from the eighties, nineties, and 1^st decade of the 2000s. I adopted the NHL’s San Jose Sharks as my “home team” because at the time I was growing up, the minor league hockey team we did have in Kansas City was called the Blades, and they were the Sharks minor league affiliate. People have asked me since you’re a Kansas City Mavericks fan, which is the new minor league team since the Blades don’t exist anymore, are you a New York Islanders fan because the Mavericks are the Islanders minor league affiliate now? To be honest, no I’m not. But I’m always happy for the players who played for the Blades, and the Mavericks now, when they make it to the NHL because it’s hard to make it to any of the major sports leagues for all 5 sports in general. However, like most Missourians I rooted for the Blues when they finally made and won the Stanley Cup Finals 2018-19.

*My favorite teams in the Western Conference were the Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks. That Western Conference Final between the Avalanche and the Red Wings during the 95-96 season was rather epic. My team in the East was the New Jersey Devils by the way.

*I wrote down 5 Goaltenders because even though my favorite player was Wayne Gretzky, when I participated in hockey games during PE class, or recess, I always made a great Goalie sitting in my power chair. It was my way to participate. So most of the time, I analyzed the Goalkeeper because that was the position I usually played.

Brad Freeman's All-Time Legends Hockey Team

My all-time legends hockey team:

Starting Lineup:

C: Jean Beliveau (Montréal Canadians)         

LW: Bobby Hull (Chicago Blackhawks)

RW: Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings)

LD: Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins)

RD: Eddie Shore (Boston Bruins)

G: Georges Vezina (Montréal Canadians)

Bench:

C: Elmer Lach (Montréal Canadians)

C: Stan Mikita (Chicago Blackhawks)

C: Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins)

LW: Toe Blake (Montréal Canadians)

LW: Bernie Geoffrion (Montréal Canadians)                         

LW: Frank Mahovlich (Toronto Maple Leafs)

RW: Maurice Richard (Montréal Canadians)

RW: Guy Lafleur (Montréal Canadians)

RW: Andy Bathgate (New York Rangers)

LD: Doug Harvey (Montréal Canadians)

LD: King Clancy (Toronto Maple Leafs)

RD: Tim Horton (Toronto Maple Leafs)

RD: Larry Robinson (Montréal Canadians)

G: Terry Sawchuk (Detroit Red Wings)

Non-Roster Players (in case someone gets injured since rosters have expanded from the traditional 20 players above to 23):

C: Henri Richard (Montréal Canadians)

LD: Red Kelly (Detroit Red Wings)

RD: Brad Park (Boston Bruins)

Happy Flag Day!

Today we pay homage to 1 of our nation’s greatest symbols. The flag of the United States of America, itself. Where the red and white stripes represent the 13 colonies that began our country’s history and the 50 stars denote each of the individual states in our current union.

On a side note, I support any country around the world having a day to commemorate its own flag, and taking pride in its own history.

I’m looking at you other 195 to 249 countries around the world, depending on your definition of a country, to show your pride.

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day everybody! Today is a day to remember anybody we’ve lost really. But it’s an especially important day to remember those servicemen and women of the Army, Army Air Core, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, past and present, that gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, in-service to our country. A lot of the times they give up not only their physical well-being, but mental and emotional stability as well, if their wounds aren’t physical, so every day Americans can live in freedom. For all those committed to the cause of liberty, I say thank you!

What’s Everyone Doing During Their Quarantine To Assault Life?

Just checking in… Making sure everyone’s doing okay. So what’s everyone doing during their quarantine to make the ultimate assault on life that I keep talking about?

Brad Freeman's Favorite Martial Artists If I Ever Got in a Fight

Since I’m also into martial arts, self-defense, and combat sports on top of your regular 5 major sports, if I was ever in a life threatening situation where self-defense was required, here are the people I would take with me to watch my back during a fight.

1. Bruce Lee (Wing Chun Kung Fu/Jeet Kune Do)

2. Muhammad Ali (speed stance Western Boxing)

3. Royce Gracie (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)

4. Dan Severn (Judo/Sambo/Greco-Roman Wrestling)

5. Chuck Norris (Karate/Judo/Taekwondo/Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)

6. Ken Shamrock (Shoot Fighting)

*Bruce Lee, while not only being great on-screen, developed a fighting system for self-defense as well. Not to mention, he’s my favorite action/martial arts actor. Ali is my favorite boxer, by the way.

*Back in the nineties, when the Ultimate Fighting Championship was truly full contact, no holds barred except eye gouging, biting, and shots to the groin via a gentlemen’s agreement. The fights pitted 2 combatants of totally different styles, in tournament format, to answer the age-old question, which style is best. Royce Gracie/Dan Severn/Ken Shamrock’s matches against each other during the 1^st 5 to 10 events were utterly legendary in the martial arts community. Not going to lie, I go back and watch those fights periodically.

Now, as of January 2001 when Dana White took over, UFC is way different. It’s more cleaned up. Fighters mix different styles together to cancel out each singular art’s weaknesses. And mix them together for the strengths of each art for a given situation. Hence, the term mixed martial arts coming into a regular part of American vernacular. Also, it now has rounds, weight classes, and championship belts for each weight class, much like boxing, and more extensive rules centered around grappling, for the safety of the fighters, so the sport could more easily get sanctioning by the state athletic commissions.

Brad Freeman's All-Time Lifetime Basketball Team

My all-time basketball team during my lifetime.

Starting Lineup:
C: Shaquille O’Neil (Orlando Magic/Los Angeles Lakers)
PF: Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
SF: Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
SG: Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) *favorite player and team growing up
PG: Earvin “Magic” Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)

Bench:
6. SG Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
7. SF Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers/Miami Heat)
8. PG/SG Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors)
9. PG Steve Nash (Dallas Mavericks/Phoenix Suns) *where I learned to pass from crazy angles
10. SG Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)
11. C David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)
12. PF Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)

Non-Roster Players (in case somebody gets injured)
13. SG Ray Allen (Milwaukee Bucks/Boston Celtics/Miami Heat)
14. SG Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers)

*The 92 Olympics in Barcelona Spain were the 1st time that NBA players were allowed to play in the Summer Olympics, instead of the mandatory college players. And yes, I owned and still own the “Dream Team” poster. I remember those players vividly, even though I was only 8.

*Being that the Kings had moved from Kansas City to Sacramento literally the year after I was born, I adopted the Bulls as my team.When leagues, have no teams tied to a certain city’s market, you get games from all around the country.

*While I appreciate Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James’s game, I’m not as awestruck because growing up I liked Michael Jordan, so I’ve seen it all before when it comes to what I like to call his 2 reincarnations. Plus, could Lebron or Kobe dunk the moon? I have the Michael Jordan: Space: The Final Frontier poster still. That’s the one where Jordan is dunking the moon over his head.

Brad Freeman's All-Time Legends Basketball Team

My all-time legends basketball team.

Starting Lineup:
C: Bill Russell (Boston Celtics)
PF: Wilt Chamberlain (Harlem Globetrotters/Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors/Philadelphia 76ers/LA Lakers)
SF: Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers)
SG: Pete Maravich (New Orleans/Utah Jazz)
PG: Bob Cousy (Boston Celtics)

Bench:
6. PG/SG Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers)
7. C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Milwaukee Bucks/Los Angeles Lakers)
8. SF Elgin Baylor (Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers)
9. PF Moses Malone (Philadelphia 76ers)
10. PG John Havlick (Boston Celtics) 
11. SG/SF George Gervin (San Antonio Spurs)
12. PG Oscar Robertson (Milwaukee Bucks)

Non-Roster Players (in case somebody gets injured)
13. PG Walt Frazier (New York Knicks)
14. C Willis Reed (New York Knicks)

Thank You to All Healthcare Workers and Scientists Battling COVID-19

I just want to give a big thank you to all essential healthcare workers and scientists that are on the front lines of battling this pandemic of Coronavirus. Thank you so very much for protecting the rest of us, and putting yourselves in harm’s way possibly. There’s nothing I can say that would be good enough. Stay healthy, stay safe, stay home!