Rookie of the Year
4. Crimson - Debuting in TNA the last week of 2010, Crimson really made his first impact in TNA Wrestling in February by putting Abyss’ signature weapon Janice into the Monster’s back. Since then, Crimson has gone undefeated through 2011 with only an injury at the hands of Samoa Joe removing him from sure victory in the Bound for Glory Series. Crimson ended 2011 with his first title: TNA World Tag Team Champion alongside Matt Morgan. I think the sky is the limit for this unique powerhouse from Cleveland, Ohio.
3. Scotty McCreery / Lauren Alaina (TIE) - The country music world gained two new young stars thanks to American Idol in 2011 as both finalists in the season finale were rooted deep in country. North Carolina’s Scotty McCreery won the competition but both McCreery and Alaina have found themselves welcomed to Music City with open arms. McCreery’s debut single, “I Love You This Big,” was one of the hottest songs of the summer while Alaina’s current single, “Georgia Peaches,” is racing up the charts heading into 2012. The future appears to be very bright for both of these young talents.
2. Thompson Square - Husband and wife Keifer and Shawna Thompson compose one of the top new duos in all of music as Thompson Square burst onto the scene in a big way in 2011. Their single, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” was among the most-played songs on radio in all of 2011. Earning two Grammy nominations for the song, Thompson Square’s follow-up single “I Got You” reached the top ten. A popular act among their Nashville peers, Thompson Square appears on the verge of breakout success. If 2011 was an inclination of their potential, the future is bright for Keifer and Shawna.
1. Cam Newton - I am so glad to admit that I was wrong on Cam Newton. Make note of this, peeps. I was wrong. I was sure that Cam Newton was going to flame out of the NFL within two years. Through his rookie season as starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, Newton has shattered rookie records for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (currently at 14) and most passing yards by a rookie quarterback (currently at 3,893 yards). Newton has 20 touchdowns passing to 16 interceptions on the season and taken Carolina from 2-14 to a current record of 6-9 with one game left. More importantly, Newton is showing the rushing flare of Michael Vick with an arm to match. If he stays healthy, Cam Newton could revolutionize the quarterback position. Easily the Rookie of the Year for 2011, I am glad to say once again that I was wrong about Cam Newton.
Biggest Disappointment of the Year
4. Denny Hamlin / New York Jets (TIE) - In 2010, both Denny Hamlin and the New York Jets appeared to be on the verge of greatness in their respective sports. Hamlin was runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in the 2010 Chase for the Championship while the New York Jets lost in the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Both looked like victory in 2011 was certain. Looks can be deceiving. Denny Hamlin was never a factor in the 2011 Cup season, finishing ninth in the Chase standings with only one win for the entire season. Meanwhile, the New York Jets end 2011 on the outside of the Playoffs looking in with only a microscopic chance of playing in the postseason. Both were huge disappointments in 2011 after showing so much potential.
3. The Office without Steve Carell - I still tune in on Thursday nights to watch the exploits of the Dunder Mifflin gang. I will until The Office officially ends. However, I watch now out of commitment to the show for so long more than pure enjoyment created from the show as The Office is just not the same without Steve Carell. On April 28th, Michael Scott left Dunder Mifflin when Steve Carell was a part of his final episode of the award-winning comedy. In one of best episodes in series history, everything went perfectly to make you smile, laugh, and cry. Everything since has went downhill. Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) as the new boss has been mediocre at best. The addition of Robert California (James Spader) as a CEO who appears at this branch more than any other has fallen flat. The Office is nothing but a shell of its former self and I feel bad watching wonderful characters and performers like Jenna Fischer, John Kransinski, and Rainn Wilson waste away on what used to be among television’s best shows.
2. The premature ending of the Summer of Punk - I have said it time and time again: Vince McMahon is a millionaire in spite of himself. CM Punk did something this summer that nobody; not John Cena, Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, Triple H, The Undertaker, Batista, Shawn Michaels, Edge, Brock Lesnar, or even Bill Goldberg; did over the last decade. Punk made wrestling cool and relevant again. With the angle of whether or not Punk was resigning with WWE fueling the angle and allowing Punk to appear places other than RAW on Monday nights (namely a Chicago Cubs game), people were generally excited about the controversial professional wrestler dropping pipe bombs on his “former” employer. This angle could have dragged out for months with Punk claiming to be the real WWE Champion while blasting the company until a showdown took place at WrestleMania. Instead, Punk returned two weeks after his epic title win at Money in the Bank, jobbed the title at SummerSlam, lost to Triple H at Night of Champions, and was lost in the Triple H/Kevin Nash shuffle. By the time Punk regained his WWE Championship at Survivor Series, all of his momentum was dead and gone. Vince McMahon took a billion dollar idea that would have brought in disillusioned fans and pissed it away to appease the ego of his son-in-law and Trip’s friend.
1. The end of Joe Paterno’s career - Joe Paterno is one of the greatest coaches in the history of college football. From 1966-2011, Paterno led the Penn State Nittany Lions to 409 victories, won two national championships, and won a record 24 bowl games during his tenure. Sadly, none of these achievements will be the first thing people think of anymore when they think of Joe Pa. Instead, his legacy was tarnished when the allegations of sexual misconduct by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky sent shockwaves through the sporting world. I think that the disappointment in Joe Paterno stems, not from what happened, but from what he could have done. Paterno reported the allegations of sexual misconduct to his superiors at Penn State. However, when nothing happened, Paterno should have reported this to law enforcement. Instead, Paterno did the bare minimum and allowed Sandusky to molest who knows how many other children before authorities finally stopped him in 2011. Penn State removed Paterno from his position as head coach in November and the 85-year old coach will never coach another game in college football. It is a sad, tragic, and disappointing end to one of the most legendary coaching careers in the history of college football.
Feud of the Year
4. President Barack Obama vs. Donald Trump - In early 2011, Donald Trump turned his usual hateful venom away from Rosie O’Donnell as “the Donald” turned his attention to President Obama. During a speech in Florida, Trump labeled Obama “the worst president in US history” while spreading the conspiracy theorist agenda that Obama was not a US citizen. Obama eventually replied to Trump and the naysayers with the release of his long form Certificate of Live Birth and a statement saying he hoped the matter was over as he could not be “distracted by side shows and carnival barkers.” Shortly after this, Obama waited until the final moments of the Celebrity Apprentice on May 1st to go public with the announcement of the death of Osama Bin Laden. While coincidental, many saw it as a move of pettiness and poor timing by Obama at the expense of his rival. Trump continues to trash President Obama as this heated rivalry continues.
3. National Basketball Players Association vs. NBA Owners - Coming off the heals of one of the most watched NBA Finals ever, the NBA went into a work stoppage that has divided fans around the world. The multi-millionaires argued with the billionaire owners over how they should distribute millions in revenue while claims that 22 of the league’s 30 teams were losing money in the 2010-2011 season. The entire deal boiled down to greed. Ultimately, unlike the NFL Lockout that only lost one meaningless preseason game, the NBA lockout resulted in the 82-game season shortened to 66 games. Also, many fans who watch the NBA as an escape from their own misery-filled lives turned against a sport who took the escape away because men who have no worries were squabbling over more money than they will ever spend. It was an ugly rivalry that will have long-term ramifications for a sport on the verge of a renaissance.
2. Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress vs. Kyle Busch - Regardless of how annoying the current product is, NASCAR can still deliver one thing: great theatrical animosity. Having been at odds for years, 2011 was the year things finally boiled over in the rivalry between Kyle Busch and the duo of Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress. In May, Busch caused an accident with Harvick and fellow RCR driver Clint Bowyer at Darlington. Harvick confronted Busch on pit road, leading Busch to spin Harvick’s parked car into the pit wall. Both men were placed on probation for a month. Later in the summer, Busch bumped RCR driver Joey Coulter during a truck race leading the 65-year old Childress to dominate Busch in a fight in the garage after the race. NASCAR placed Childress on probation while Busch was the butt of many jokes following the fight. In November, Busch intentionally crashed Kevin Harvick’s truck driver, Ron Hornaday, during a truck race at Texas. NASCAR parked Busch for the remainder of the weekend and he did not compete in the remainder of the Truck or Nationwide Series events of 2011. Frankly, I believe this rivalry still has room to bloom even more. Kyle Busch is too much of a numbskull to admit defeat or wrong while both Harvick and Childress are men who will not put up with Kyle’s attitude. One of the few entertaining moments of the 2011 NASCAR season was this awesome feud.
1. Charlie Sheen vs. Chuck Lorre - This ugly feud had America buzzing in the first half of 2011. In January, Charlie Sheen went to rehab for the third time in a year for drug and alcohol abuse. With rehab failing once again, CBS pulled the plug on the final four episodes of Sheen’s hit sitcom Two and a Half Men. In response, Sheen took to Twitter and his website to blast show creator Chuck Lorre. Sheen was then banned from the Warner Brothers lot where they film Two and a Half Men. Sheen, already the highest paid actor in television, demanded a 50% pay raise citing that he deserved a raise because of the revenue he brought in. CBS and Warner Brothers fired Sheen in early March, replacing him with Ashton Kutcher. Sheen sued while continuing to disparage Lorre in interviews and online statements. Lorre killed off Sheen’s character on the Two and a Half Men season premiere. While this feud appears to over, I fully expect more to come from Sheen as his career has stalled while Lorre’s success continues even without Charlie Sheen’s star attached. Also, Sheen loves his drugs. That will lead to something ridiculous.
Most Shocking Moment of the Year
4. Edge suddenly retires - In professional wrestling, and sports in general, it is nothing to see people retire only to return months later. They usually do not retire in their prime though. That is what happened when Adam Copeland, known the world over as the “Rated R Superstar” Edge, announced his retirement from professional wrestling on April 11th. Shortly after WrestleMania XXVII, Edge announced on RAW that he was relinquishing the World Heavyweight Championship and retiring after he was diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis. Years of physical abuse and a previous spinal fusion surgery had taken their toll on Copeland’s body. While on top of the world, Copeland called it a career before suffering an injury that could result in paralysis or death. It was a shocking moment to watch Edge say goodbye in 2011.
3. The death of Osama bin Laden - On May 1st, America rejoiced when President Barack Obama announced the unthinkable: Osama bin Laden was dead. The leader of al-Qaeda, the militant group responsible for the terrorist attacks of 9/11, was killed in Pakistan on May 2nd (local time) in an operation called Operation Neptune Spear carried out by a group of US Navy Seals and some CIA operatives on the ground. The US buried the body of bin Laden at sea 24 hours after his death. This led to speculations that the entire story was a fabrication to help build Obama’s approval rating in the wake of the birth certificate scandal. There have been no further video from bin Laden since the raid and al-Qaeda has not responded, showing they are a group of whack jobs without leadership. It was a wonderful moment, a long time coming, to see the poster child of the enemy pay for the crimes of 9/11 with his life. After almost a decade, it was a moment most of us believed would never come.
2. The death of Dan Wheldon - I remember everything about October 16th so vividly. Watching the season finale of the IndyCar Series, I was angry that DirecTV’s feed of the race had been without sound for 45 minutes. Still watching as the race began, I witnessed a horrific 15-car accident on the 11th lap of the event. Without sound on the telecast, I could not tell who drove some of the more mangled cars. It was on Twitter and Facebook where I saw people requesting prayers for Dan Wheldon. Just as sound returned to the telecast, an hour after the accident, I heard the sadness in the voices of his fellow drivers. Then, the announcement came shortly before 6PM that Dan Wheldon died from his injuries in the crash. It was like a kick in the stomach. One of the most charismatic and talented drivers in the sport was gone from this world in the blink of an eye.
1. The havoc reeked by Mother Nature - In 2011, Mother Nature appeared to be on the rag more times than not. In late April, tornadoes rocked the southeast as the Super Outbreak from April 25th to April 28th saw 353 tornadoes touch down in 21 states from Texas to New York. A total of 346 people died during this outbreak of storms. One of the largest tornadoes during this outbreak occurred in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama as the destructive storm claimed 64 lives in its 80-mile path. On May 22nd, a catastrophic F5 tornado destroyed the town of Joplin, Missouri. The tornado resulted in the deaths of 160 people. On March 11th, a 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Tohoku, Japan resulted in one of the most horrific scenes of Mother Nature’s fury as a tsunami washed away communities in a wall of unstoppable water. Almost 16,000 deaths and an additional 3,500 missing persons resulted from the tsunami while the damage to a nuclear reactor will lead to more causalities in years to come. Finally, on August 23rd, the east coast was “rocked” when a 5.8 earthquake occurred in Louisa County, Virginia. The quake was felt all over the east coast (even though I personally did not feel it) and caused a panic for many. No deaths occurred though the quake served as a reminder that Mother Nature’s fury could strike anytime and anywhere.
Most Overrated of the Year
4. The wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries - In October 2010, Kim Kardashian began dating NBA player Kris Humphries. No, not NBA Superstar as the Kardashians would have you believe, merely NBA player Kris Humphries. They were engaged in May and married on August 20th in a lavish ceremony filmed for the two-part special on E! amidst allegations that the wedding was a publicity stunt. Fuel was added to that fire when, after 72 days of marriage, Kardashian filed for divorce. The wedding generated over $17 million dollars for the Kardashian brand and gained the already-annoying and reviled family more notoriety. Meanwhile, Humphries replaced LeBron James as the most hated man in the NBA. This wedding was one of the worst things to garner even a moment of publicity in 2011. Anyone who watched this or enjoyed it should be hurt.
3. Adele - Sorry, Adele fans. I just do not understand the appeal. She has an okay voice. Her songs are nothing special. She tries to be a new Mariah Carey or Aretha Franklin but she is neither one of them. Adele is just another female singer running riffs more than actually singing. However, her 2011 release 21 was one of the most acclaimed and successful albums of the year. She earned six Grammy nominations. After listening to her music, I simply have to say I don’t get it. Adele is not the greatest thing since sliced bread or the best thing in music today.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 - In the summer of 2011, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was on the minds of millions of moviegoers as the finale of the Harry potter series finally opened in theaters. I was not one of those people. I don’t get the appeal in Harry Potter or any of that mess. Yet, this film ultimately earned $1.4 billion dollars globally. Why? Apparently, people enjoy a ridiculously over-blown CGI mess with terrible acting, a weird story about witchcraft without the fun of horrific murders, and Daniel Radcliffe. Not for me.
1. The Royal Wedding - I thought we fought a war in the late 1700s to escape this nonsense. Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, married Catherine Middleton on April 29th in London, England. Millions of people (women, you know it was women) tuned into the wedding at 5AM or earlier in order to watch two people who have done absolutely nothing in life and have fallen into wealth because of their bloodline wed in another country. Social media was abuzz. Commemorative books, magazines, and television specials were prepared. People lost their minds with the joyous union of this balding, buck-toothed buffoon and his dead behind the eyes bride. Nothing was more overrated in 2011 than the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Big A’s Fantasy Babes of the Year
(In no particular order)
Cinematic Siren of the Year: Blake Lively
Devilish Delight of the Year: Madison Rayne
Enchanting Sweetheart of the Year: Taylor Swift
Hardcore Country Cutie of the Year: Mickie James
Lovely Lady of the Year: Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum
Sports Goddess of the Year: Michelle Beadle
Jerk of the Year
4. Nancy Grace - I cannot stand this self-proclaimed journalist. The host of Nancy Grace Live and former host of Swift Justice, Nancy Grace witnessed her star rise to new heights in 2011 thanks to her role in promoting the Casey Anthony trial on her television show. Nancy Grace cried on television repeatedly about how she wanted justice for Caylee Anthony, the 2-year old murdered in Florida and subject of the Casey Anthony trial. For years, Grace spent night after night burning Casey Anthony at the stake. Anthony was acquitted of all wrong doing however and the case remains unsolved. Grace used the case to create her own little empire that landed her on Dancing with the Stars and book deals. Nancy Grace turned the murder of a child into a million dollar industry for herself. She is a worthless excuse for a journalist, a crusader for justice (as she calls herself), and a human being.
3. Vince McMahon and Michael Cole (TIE) - 2011 was another dark period for World Wrestling Entertainment. John Cena and Randy Orton reigned supreme for a majority of the year while crowds were teased will glimmers of change at July’s Money in the Bank and December’s TLC pay-per-views. These two however earned their spot on the Jerk of the Year list for their mouths more than anything they did. World Wrestling Entertainment currently promotes an anti-bullying campaign in which they request that everybody “Be a Star” and end bullying. After those ads air, Michael Cole makes jokes about Jim Ross’ bells palsy, Jerry Lawler’s deceased mother, or someone’s appearance in a completely hypocritical message from what they promote with “Be a Star.” These jokes are constantly fed to Cole in his earpiece by the only person who finds them funny: Vince McMahon. In spite of all the horrible booking decisions, wastes of time on D-List celebrities, pushes of inept wrestlers over highly skilled wrestlers, or meaningless feuds designed to waste time, Vince McMahon and Michael Cole are jerks because of their hypocrisy more than anything else.
2. Jerry Sandusky and Bernie Fine (TIE) - One is a child molester who brought down a legendary coaching career. The other is a child molester who used his position with a premiere college basketball team to meet young boys. Jerry Sandusky and Bernie Fine were two of the biggest pieces of garbage to come to light in 2011. Sandusky was indicted on 42 counts of sexual misconduct with minors in late 2011. His scandal ended the coaching career of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and resulted in a complete overhaul of the athletics department. As this story shook things in Happy Valley, PA, allegations of misdeeds from Syracuse men’s assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine became public knowledge. Fired from Syracuse, Fine is currently awaiting charges from his heinous actions. Both of these men have cast a black cloud over respected programs in college athletics while stealing the innocence of many young children in the process. There is a special place in Hell for both Jerry Sandusky and Bernie Fine.
1. Kyle Busch and LeBron James (TIE) - There is no denying that both Kyle Busch and LeBron James are extraordinarily talented in their respective sports. Both men have won meaningless races and games without having the clutch gene develop yet to see either of them with anything memorable or important. The reason that these two men are the worst of the worst in 2011 is that they share a common attribute not found in anybody else in athletics or in pop culture today. These two men have the largest egos in the entire world.
Kyle Busch earned his Jerk of the Year honors through his antics both on and off the racetrack. In May alone, NASCAR placed Busch on probation once for on-track nonsense and then had to place him on double secret probation for a public incident that gave NASCAR a black eye. At Darlington, Busch caused an accident that took out Richard Childress Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer. Harvick confronted Busch on pit road only to have Busch spin Harvick’s unmanned car into the pit wall. Less than two weeks later, North Carolina Highway Patrolmen stopped Busch driving 128 mph in a 45 mph zone in Troutman, NC. While a normal person would have lost his/her license and served jail time, Busch received a small fine and 45-day suspension of his license. In July, Busch received a beating in the Kansas City garage from Richard Childress following a truck race where Busch roughed up RCR driver Joey Coulter. Busch received no punishment for provoking Childress. Finally, NASCAR grew a set in November after Busch intentionally wrecked Ron Hornaday during a truck race in Texas. NASCAR parked Busch for the remainder of the weekend for his antics while M&M’s almost left Joe Gibbs Racing as result of the embarrassment.
Meanwhile, in Miami, LeBron James continues to allow his personality to poison seemingly good people. During the NBA Finals, in which James proved his clutchness once again with a sub-par performance, James encouraged teammate Dwayne Wade to mock Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki before Game Four. Nowitzki played with a 101-degree fever. Their mockery paid off as Nowitzki hit the game-winning basket that tied the series at 2-2. Dallas never lost again. After the NBA Finals, LeBron James posted a video of himself dunking over an 11-year old child at a summer camp with glee. One year earlier, James and Nike destroyed all footage of a teenager dunking over James at a summer camp. The hypocrisy and the levels to which James goes in order to make himself feel good are ridiculous.
Both men are great athletes. However, their personal attitudes and actions make them poor representative for their respective sports. In an age where athletes are role models, Kyle Busch and LeBron James are inspiring a future generation of self-absorbed, petulant jerks. Neither man can win anything that matters until now. Congrats to the 2011 Jerks of the Year.
Superstar of the Year
4. Emma Stone - Riding the wave of an outstanding 2010, Emma Stone’s star grew brighter in 2011 as she was in everything awesome. Stone had a cameo appearance in the successful romantic-comedy Friends with Benefits in July. Also in July, Stone was a star in the ensemble cast of the hugely successful Crazy, Stupid, Love. In August, Stone appeared in The Help. Stone agreed to star as Gwen Stacy in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. Stone earned nominations for two People’s Choice Awards for her performances in Crazy, Stupid, Love and The Help while garnering Oscar buzz for her turn in The Help. A tremendous year for the feisty redhead, Emma Stone emerged as one of Hollywood’s top young actresses in 2011.
3. Michelle Beadle - Beadlemania was running wild in 2011 as Michelle Beadle’s star continued to rise this year. Hosting the wildly popular ESPN SportsNation with Colin Cowherd and Winners Bracket with Marcellus Wiley, Michelle found herself the center of attention in the world of sports media for more than just her awesome personality. First, Michelle broke her ankle in February and made ankle casts a fashion accessory for two months. Then, Beadle fought outrageous allegations from Erin Andrews involving drug use and sexual deeds at the ESPY Awards to come out looking more confident and awesome than ever as threats of a lawsuit ended the slanderous rumors. Later, she saved friend and ESPN anchor Linda Cohn from a rattlesnake bite during a retreat in Arizona. All the while, Beadle still won fans and shined like the star she is by remaining the funny, self-deprecating, knowledgeable, charming, sassy lady that Beadlemaniacs love on SportsNation. In addition, Michelle co-hosted Live with Regis and Kelly, started her own popular podcast, appeared in various publications, gained endorsement deals, and continued to become one of the most popular faces of ESPN and sports television in 2011. Plus, her Twitter account is a must-follow for anyone on the social media service. 2011 was another huge year for Michelle Beadle and the sky is the limit in 2012 for the Beadster.
2. CM Punk and Ryan Gosling (TIE) - In 2011, two men stood out as guys that every other man wished they could be: CM Punk and Ryan Gosling. CM Punk set the professional wrestling world on fire with a pipe bomb of a promo on the June 27th episode of RAW. Punk won the WWE Championship from John Cena in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois at the July Money in the Bank PPV. Bringing popularity back to wrestling for a cup of coffee, Punk remained himself throughout all the company’s missteps and kept adults interested in a dying art. CM Punk was a manly man in a world of sports entertainers loaded with self-tanner and product in their hair. Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling simply brought coolness to the silver screen. Gosling appeared in the hugely successful Crazy, Stupid, Love during the summer. Later, Gosling starred in Drive and The Ides of March. Receiving Golden Globe nominations for Crazy, Stupid, Love and The Ides of March, Gosling’s performance in Drive earned him other award nominations along with comparisons to the late Steve McQueen. In 2011, two men defined manliness: CM Punk and Ryan Gosling.
1. Taylor Swift - Coming off an amazing 2010, I did not think things could get any bigger for Taylor Swift in 2011. I was wrong. Taylor Swift had an amazing 2011. Swift scored huge hits on the Billboard charts in multiple genres with “Back to December,” “Mean,” “The Story of Us,” “Sparks Fly,” and “Ours.” Swift toured the world in 2011 as her Speak Now World Tour filled arenas and became one of the most successful tours in country music history. In addition, she released her very own fragrance, Wonderstruck.
More importantly though, Swift showed that you can be a good person as well as a celebrity in 2011. Maintaining her charm and modesty throughout another year filled with accolades and success, Swift donated money to various charities and stressed the importance of self-esteem to her fans with messages and the music video for “Mean.” Taylor is a role model to young men and women everywhere in an age when most successful people take the low road in life. Billboard magazine named Swift the 2011 Woman of the Year. It was for more than just her musical accomplishments. Hit songs, a wildly successful tour, and humanitarian efforts second to none: 2011 was the year of Taylor Swift.
THE FINAL CREDITS for 2011
When I look back at 2011, I see a year that was full of heartbreak, stress, and pain. However, for every bad moment that left a mark on 2011, I found strength, joy, pleasure, and optimism for a brighter future also in the acts that made up the play of 2011. It was a year of highs and lows that will not soon be forgotten.
In 2011, I lost a loved family member in the tragic death of my cousin, Clarence Cheshire. I never truly appreciated how wonderful of a man he was until he was gone. I carry with me daily that regret. I took the death of Dan Wheldon especially hard as I truly respected and admired the two-time Indy 500 winner as I would a favorite driver. Also, I was heartbroken by the death of a childhood hero of mine when “Macho Man” Randy Savage passed away in May.
I took huge strides towards my future by re-enrolling in college to get my teaching license. If I cannot make something of myself as a writer, I can certainly try to shape the future teaching high school English. I reached out to old friends and shared many laughs with them in 2011 while having existing friendships grow stronger. I became an uncle with the birth of Mylie Overby (brother from another mother) and shared wonderful moments with everyone I hold near and dear to me. Plus, I attended my first Ring of Honor Wrestling show, a World Wrestling Entertainment show, and watched Lady Antebellum rock Roanoke, Virginia.
I am sure I’m forgetting some important people and moments. In addition, those who know me well are wondering why I have not gushed more over Michelle Beadle. The main point I want to make is that 2011 was definitely a year filled with emotion. I enjoyed the holidays. I find myself entering 2012 with a feeling of excitement for what’s next. I have amazing friends and family who put up with my foolishness and read my regular rants. Without them, I would not be the man that I am today. Here’s to an amazing 2012 filled with peace, love, joy, happiness and all the great things everyone wishes to have coming true. Also, for me personally, here’s to a 2012 where I land in a plush bed alongside my girls Michelle, Mickie, Taylor, Hillary, and a few others. That would be a great way to spend time in 2012. But, I digress.
Be good and take care of one another,
- Aaron Goins
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