Getting fired

Whether or not you are a sports fan, I think the controversy surrounding the firing of New York Mets manager Willie Randolph is worthy of discussion. The controversy is that after the Mets beat the Angels in California earlier this week, Randolph did his post-game chat with the media and drove back to the hotel separately from the team bus where team general manager Omar Minaya was waiting. He fired Randolph. A press release came out shortly after midnight that same evening.

Randolph didn't see it coming as he is quoted as saying he was "stunned."

Sports talk shows have been buzzing with the question, "Is this the way to fire someone?"

Blog readers: Have you been fired or know of someone who was fired in an unusual way? Were you or someone you know "stunned"?

I can remember when Paxson Communications bought out WAKC TV 23 in Akron where I used to work, the day the company cut the news and sports operation, an announcement was made in the newsroom to the staff that was there. Unfortunately, not everyone starts their day at 8 a.m. Some people who work the afternoon shift found out they were fired by hearing it on the local radio newscast.

Tim Russert dies

Legendary newsman and interviewer Tim Russert died today of an apparent heart attack while at work for NBC. He was 58 years old. Russert was a graduate of John Carroll University and also went to Cleveland State. Anyone who watched a debate moderated by Russert or one of his Meet the Press shows knows how well prepared he was. Tom Brokaw, on MSNBC this afternoon, called Russert a "tireless worker" who researched a lot and did his homework.

Tim, you will be missed. Below is an example of his work from Meet the Press.

Intellectual development

This Tuesday, I begin another class, Research Methods. It's a Doctorate class in the Communications School at Kent State University. Five weeks with lots of work that will be very challenging.

What do you plan to do over the summer that will keep you mentally active? For me, besides class, the occasional nap helps.

E-d-u-c-a-t-i-o-n

Westlake High School recently got embarrassed for misspelling the word "education" on the diplomas they were handing out to graduates. The principal took a lot of heat for it. All of the diplomas had to be redone for it.

Then, in today's (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, a Westlake grad of 1990, wrote to the editor saying that Westlake is a fine place to go to school and that his English classes prepared him for his career. This person said that basically the goof was blown out of proportion.

The first sentence of his letter goes like this: "Twelve academic years for a diploma on which is misspelled the word "education.""

I had to read that sentence over again to make sure I wasn't seeing things. That is exactly how it is in the paper. I'm hoping for his sake that the Plain Dealer goofed and not him.

Class act

The photo above is of one of the best teachers to walk the halls of any school...and even at Aurora High School. Mr. John Smolko is an art teacher who is retiring this Friday. As a colleague, John was like a father-figure. He gave me advice and was honest. He didn't sugar-coat anything. I really appreciated that.

As a teacher, he was great to watch. He got on his kids when they needed it and he knew when to lay off and let them go to work. His kids constantly won awards. I loved going to his art room to watch his kids work. Their art skills were mind-blowing.

I told him during my first or second year at Aurora High School that if I had him as my art teacher when I was growing up in Massillon, I would have probably taken art up as a career. I love to draw and still do it on occasion. It's a very relaxing hobby of mine. I would have enjoyed taking Mr. Smolko's classes.

Get this, when I asked Mr. Smolko what he would be doing in retirement, he said he would be spending lots of time in his studio working on art. You have to love a guy who is so passionate about his craft.

Hat's off to you, Mr. Smolko. You deserve it.

Fellow readers of this blog, what teachers do you recall as being your favorite and why? What made them special?

How violent is too violent?

This past Saturday night on CBS, a mixed martial arts fight event was shown during prime time. The main event featured YouTube star Kimbo Slice against a guy named James Thompson who had a cauliflower ear that looked like a balloon.

The main event ended in the third round when Kimbo punched Thompson in the ear and his ear gushed blood. As reported on some sports talk shows, 7 of Kimbo's last nine punches landed on Thompson's head.

CBS has contracted to show three more MMA type events. Early numbers show Saturday's fight card did well viewer-wise.

Are we at the point where this is acceptable Saturday night entertainment for a broadcast network? USA Today had a great editorial tying the MMA fights to the recent death of Harvey Korman. Harvey once starred on the Carol Burnett/Tim Conway comedy shows on.........Saturday night. My, how times have changed.

The FCC regulates sexual content and language on tv but not violent content. My question is: what will be the 'tipping point' for violent content to be regulated on tv? Someone dying in the ring?

Much like Janet Jackson's breast sent shockwaves throughout the broadcast media in terms of sexual content, what will happen for violence to be regulated?

Last student rant of this school year.

This rant comes to us from Jamaal from my talented junior class.

This rant is about "An Inconvient Truth", the documentary made by Al Gore. After I watched this, my opinion on our environment and what we are doing to it can be prevented but we are too used to our way of life as we know it. To get rid of some of the luxuries to just give more time for the earth to be even longer. I saw this movie in my environmental class, forced, but I am so glad I saw this and if anyone haven't seen this I think you should rent it and watch it during this summer.