My Hate For Tom Brady

                                                           

Tom Brady

You either love him or hate him.  

I so happen to hate him.

My hatred for Tom Brady started back when he played for the Patriots. He was considered the god of football and won about every game I watched him play. 

It was annoying. 

No matter who the Patriots were playing, it felt like the other team never had a real chance. Watching him win week after week wasn’t exciting it was exhausting. 

It made the sport feel boring because it was always the same predictable ending, Brady wins.

It wasn’t just the winning either it was the way he won. Every game turned into some dramatic, last-minute comeback where he somehow pulled off a miracle. 

You could feel it coming, even before it happened.

You’d think maybe, finally, someone else would beat him but then Brady would work his so called magic and steal the game at the last second. 

Tom Brady's Super Bowl Rings (7)

 It was like watching the same bad movie over and over.

And don’t even get me started on the fans.

Patriots fans acted like he could do no wrong. Every pass, every touchdown, every victory made people think Brady was some perfect, untouchable football "god."

It made football less fun when you already knew how the story was going to end Tom Brady on top again.

But what really made my hatred wasn’t just what happened on the field. 

It was the stuff off the field too.

 Sure, Tom Brady is a good football player probably one of the best ever but that doesn't automatically make him a good person. 

The way he handled his family and his marriage showed another side of him. Reports show how he chose football over his marriage, even after promising to retire, made it clear where his priorities were. Brady choosing football made his wife want to leave and divorce him.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen announce divorce after 13 years of marriage.

 For someone who supposedly "had it all," he couldn’t even put his family first. That’s not someone I can admire, no matter how many rings he has. 

Even after leaving the Patriots and winning a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay, nothing changed. 

If anything, it got worse. Brady was still being celebrated like a king, while in real life, his personal life was falling apart and somehow, nobody seemed to care.

 It’s like winning was enough to cover up everything else.

Maybe my hatred isn’t logical. Maybe it’s built more on frustration than pure facts. But sports are emotional, and so are the people we choose to cheer for and against. For me, Tom Brady will always be the villain of football, no matter how many trophies he racks up.

The Steroid Comeback

A Pie Chart Of Steroid Injection Usage in Sports

  Steroids Are Making a Comeback In Sports and in the Gym

More people at the gym, especially young men, are using steroids to get bigger, stronger, and "jacked" faster. What used to be a top-secret drug is now out in the open, becoming more common than most people think.

In sports, steroids used to be a big deal. Getting caught could ruin someone’s career. But now, things are different.

Athletes use new types of drugs that are harder to detect. Some use things like testosterone or other “recovery” treatments that help their bodies heal faster.

These aren’t always banned, but they still give athletes an advantage in the game. Fans have gotten used to seeing athletes perform to their best ability. 

Whether it’s someone running faster or hitting more home runs than normal, people often just cheer, they don’t question how it’s happening.

                                                                                      

Steroids are shaping male body image, creating unrealistic body types.

 

This mindset is spreading into regular gyms, too.

Fitness influencers on TikTok and Instagram show off bodies that look unrealistic to achieve, and most of it isn’t natural. Some are open about using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs (called PEDs), and they make it seem normal that they are taking them. This can cause people to try and achieve a body image they see online, but in reality, it is someone creating an impossible image using steroids. 

Regularly taking steroids can lead to physical and psychological changes in both men and women, as well as potentially dangerous medical conditions.

Some effects of steroids in men can include: reduced sperm count, infertility, shrunken testicles, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, breast development, increased risk of prostate cancer, severe acne, and stomach pain. 

Why do people not take this more seriously in the sports industry?  

Reigniting the Issue 

Just recently, professional tennis player Jannik Sinner tested positive for steroid use. Again.

But this time, nothing happened.

No suspension. No official punishment. No real consequences. He’s still allowed to play, as if nothing’s wrong.

If one of the top athletes in tennis can test positive for steroids and not be held accountable, what kind of message does that send?

It tells other athletes and even regular "gym rats" that cheating doesn’t really matter. That as long as you’re performing well, people will look the other way.

That’s dangerous. It’s unfair to clean athletes, and it encourages more people to take risks with their health just to keep up.

This isn’t just a sports problem anymore. It’s a cultural shift. And we need to decide where we stand before the damage gets worse. 

Athletes and leagues need to start enforcing stricter rules before it’s too late.

Jannik Sinner

    

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Steven Lynn Matheson Obituary

Obit

Steven Lynn Matheson

Steven Lynn Matheson, 74, passed away peacefully at home on December 27, 2023, surrounded by his loving family.

Steve was born on December 1, 1949, in Bristol, Virginia. He moved to Durham in 1966, where he graduated from Jordan High School and attended Sandhills Community College. Throughout his life, Steve was a hardworking and passionate entrepreneur, owning several women’s clothing stores like Mini-Dee Fashions and Carolina Girls. After retiring, he enjoyed working as a real estate photographer.

More than anything, Steve loved his family. 

He married his high school sweetheart, Kathy Rae Faulkner Matheson, and they spent 53 wonderful years together. He was a proud father to Steven Matheson II (Gina) and Abigail Matheson Merritt (David), and a loving grandfather to Starlyn Swearingen, Kacie Matheson, Eli Matheson, William Merritt, Wyatt Merritt, and Stormey Swearingen. Steve is also survived by his sister-in-law, Gail Faulkner Hudson, and his nieces, Dr. Cressent Hudson Pressly and Katie Hudson Collini.

Steve was happiest when he was with his family. He never missed a game, concert, or special event when it came to his grandchildren, and he loved every moment of being their “Poppi.” He was also a huge Duke athletics fan and rarely missed watching a game.

Steve will be remembered for his kind heart, his loyalty, and his deep love for his family. Though we miss him terribly, we are grateful for the time we had with him and look forward to seeing him again one day.

Sushi Review

 Sushi

I decided to do a little sushi taste test and picked up sushi from Harris Teeter and Publix to see which one was better.

First, I went to Harris Teeter.

Their sushi section looked pretty good, and there were a lot of choices. I grabbed a California Roll. It came with soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger, which was nice.

When I opened it, it smelled fine not fishy or anything weird. But when I ate it, the rice was kind of dry and the crab didn’t really have much flavor. The seaweed was kind of tough too, and the roll kept falling apart when I picked it up. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either. Just kind of plain.

Then I went to Publix.

Right away, I noticed they had someone actually making the sushi fresh behind the counter, which was cool. I picked up a Spicy Tuna Roll this time. As soon as I opened it, I could tell it was fresher. The rice was way softer and had good flavor a little sweet and a little sour, like real sushi rice should be. The tuna tasted fresh too, and the spicy sauce had just the right amount of heat. The roll stayed together when I picked it up, and everything, even the ginger, tasted better.

Publix sushi was way better. It just tasted fresher and had way more flavor. Harris Teeter’s sushi was fine if you’re super hungry and just want something quick, but if you actually want good sushi without going to a restaurant, Publix is the move.

Publix wins for me. Next time I’m craving sushi, I’m definitely going back there.

My Secret Mentor

Erin Andrews 

Choosing a career path while at High Point University has been both exciting and challenging. I’ve always loved sports and writing, but finding a way to combine those took time.

Then, I discovered Erin Andrews.

She is a strong, accomplished woman who excels in sports reporting and does it with confidence and grace. 

From that moment on, she became my secret mentor.

Sports have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up watching games with my family, playing sports myself, and being surrounded by a love for the game. Sports aren't just something I enjoy, they are a part of who I am.

Erin Andrews has inspired me to pursue sports journalism, and she continues to be a role model for aspiring reporters. 

 She has worked with major networks like ESPN and FOX Sports, covering big events such as the Super Bowl and the World Series. Her knowledge of sports and her engaging style make her stand out in the industry, and I want to one day have these skills. 

As a woman entering sports journalism, I used to worry about the idea that only men talk about and love sports.

 But Erin Andrews has proven that wrong. With her knowledge and confidence, she has shown that women belong in sports journalism just as much as men. Her success gives me the courage to follow my own dreams.

Another reason she is a great role model is her professionalism. She stays calm under pressure, asks smart questions, and always speaks with confidence. Whether she is interviewing top athletes or hosting a talk show, she carries herself with grace and skill.

Erin Andrews Reporting

I hope one day I have her confidence in front of a camera and to have her professionalism in the sports industry. She always knows what she is talking about, and I strive to be like that. 

Everyone looks up to her and depends on her because she is just that good. 

Thank you, Erin Andrews, for helping me figure out what I want to do with my life. 

Me in 500 Words

Family Means Everything To Me

Growing up, my family wasn’t just close; we were all connected by the land we lived on.

 My grandparents, Mimi and PawPaw, and my uncle lived just steps away from my house, so every day, I’d visit my Mimi and PawPaw. Their home was my happy place, filled with PawPaw’s contagious laugh and Mimi’s warm hugs. I thought it would always be that way.

But life changes in ways you can never prepare for. When I was thirteen, my PawPaw passed away suddenly from a heart attack. It was the first loss I’d ever experienced, and it shattered my world.

 He wasn’t just my grandfather; he was my hero, a constant presence who made me feel safe and loved. His chair sat empty, his laugh was gone, and for the first time, I understood how fragile life really was.

As painful as that was, it was only the beginning.

Not long after, my aunt passed away from an overdose. The drugs she took were laced, and it killed her instantly. Losing her was a shock that rippled through my family, but it affected my dad the most. 

She was his sister, his best friend, and losing her nearly broke him. Watching my dad struggle with his grief was heartbreaking. I felt helpless, like I was losing him, too. I knew I had to step up to help him through the pain, even though I was still trying to process it myself.

And then we lost GG, my great-grandmother. GG was the heart of every family gathering. Her home was where we celebrated every holiday, and her warmth wrapped us in love. Without her, nothing felt the same. The holidays became quieter and emptier. Her absence was a loss we all carried, and it felt like the pieces of my family were falling away, one by one.

Through all of this, I learned how much family truly means.

 Losing the people I loved most taught me to hold tighter to those still here. I started cherishing the small moments: laughing at my dad’s jokes, sitting at the table with my mom, and calling my brother just to check in. I learned how precious time is, and I promised myself I wouldn’t take a moment for granted.

These losses have shaped who I am today. They’ve made me stronger and more empathetic. They’ve taught me to value connection and to show up for the people I love.

 My family is my everything, not just the ones who are still here, but the ones I’ve lost, too. I carry PawPaw’s laugh, my aunt’s spirit, and GG’s warmth with me every day. Their love lives on in me, guiding me to live a life where family comes first, always.

Even in grief, I’ve found purpose. I’ve learned that love and memories are what keep us whole, even when the world tries to take them away.