jordans retro-Collected Wisdom: Shannon Miller, former Olympic gymnast and Edmond native

Shannon Miller, 35, won two gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and earned two silver medals and three bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Miller, a former Edmond native, competed against the best in the world and put herself through years of rigorous training to prepare for what she thought would be the toughest physical period of her life leading up to the '96 Games. Former Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller in 2011. Photo by Steve Gooch Steve Gooch Multimedia Photoview all photos Article Gallery: Collected Wisdom: Shannon Miller, former Olympic gymnast and Edmond native But that period didn't occur until December 2010 when Miller revealed she'd been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was given a clean bill of health in September 2011 and sought to encourage children who are ill. Miller recently gave one of her medals to Loma Linda University Children's Hospital as a part of the hospital's Medals of Courage program. I definitely learned more about priorities. I think as we go through life, sometimes, we really focus on our priorities like I did with the Olympic Games. Then I got out into real life, just balancing so many different things, sometimes, you forget what your priorities are. It was big reminder to me that health has to be at the top of the list. It kind of re-energized my passion for women's health because it hit home. It was absolutely so personal. I'm telling women, “Hey, go get your exams, go get your screenings, take care of your health.” I had to do that, and, if I hadn't, then I might not be here. It was all of those women that went before me that kind of reminded me that it's so important, which really helped me because I almost skipped my exam when they found the tumor. For me, it was just kind of a wake-up call to care of my own health because here I have a little boy. I want to be here for him, I want to watch him grow up. I want to be along for the ride. It affected me in a very emotional way — just the realization that I'm not invincible, that we're all human. Cancer does not discriminate. It doesn't care how many gold medals you have. When it calls your name, it calls your name. You've got to be ready to fight. I learned a lot about myself as a person and as a fighter and outside of gymnastics. On the gymnastics floor, I was always a fighter. I was the scrappy kid that was gonna go after it no matter what anyone told me, and that was fine. But I wasn't really that way in the rest of my life. I was very shy, very kind of soft-spoken, was fine being in the background. Cancer allowed me to be a little bit more of a voice for myself, not be embarrassed by things quite as easily. Not be quite as shy. We've got this one life, so live it to the fullest. When you lose your hair, it definitely changes you as a person. For me, I was worried about what other people thought, whether I was pleasing other people, just making sure that everyone else is happy. I kind of learned that I have to also make sure that I'm OK, too. The more I'm OK with things, the more other people will be OK with things. Particularly with my son, when I lost my hair, I was so worried that he was going to be scared of me. I had to be comfortable with how I looked in order for him to be comfortable with how I looked. Keep fighting. I had a good friend of mine on the night before I went in for my first cancer treatment, and I did not realize he was also a survivor. He said, “Shannon, this is just like the balance beam: You fall off, and you just get back up. And you just keep getting back up every single day.” I really took that to heart and kept that with me throughout treatment particularly. Those days that it just knocked me to the floor, and I was not sure I could get out of bed, my goal that day might be just to get dressed. I remembered what he said, and I just kept telling myself you've got to get back up. No. 1, you've got to set goals, and the Olympic Games is a great goal. But don't forget about all the other great things where gymnastics can lead — college, scholarship. Just the physical aspects — the balance, the coordination, the strength, the flexibility — that you're going to take with you no matter what sport you try or where you go in life. Don't forget about all of those goals, and make sure you set short term goals. Have something to achieve every single day that you get up because that's what's going to keep you motivated. I think you've gotta have fun. If you're not enjoying it, and you're not truly passionate about it, you won't be successful.

cheap nike jordans-OU commitment D.J. Ward has college football in his blood

LAWTON — D.J. Ward understands how lucky he's been. Ward is in a military family. His dad, Demetrius Sr., was in the Army for nearly 25 years. High school football player D.J. Ward poses for a photo at his Lawton, Okla., home on Thursday, July 19, 2012. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman Multimedia Photoview all photos Article Gallery: OU commitment D.J. Ward has college football in his blood More Info No. 1: D.J. Ward School: Douglass (Played last season at Lawton) Height: 6-3 Weight: 245 Position: Defensive end Recruited by: Committed to Oklahoma. Also has offers from Arizona, Auburn, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Tulsa among others. His mother, Vanessa, grew up in a military family herself. Unlike many military families, though, including plenty of his friends at Lawton, Ward hasn't moved from base to base around the country. Demetrius was stationed at Fort Sill, where he met Vanessa, from 1985 until 2009, when he retired and joined Northrop Grumann, a large defense contractor. It wasn't easy, though, as the tradeoff involved Demetrius volunteering for hardship tours in Korea (three times) and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (once), so his family could remain in Lawton. Now, though, Ward is facing a move for the first time, after his father accepted a Junior ROTC instructing job at Douglass High School. The final paperwork on the job is expected to be completed by next week, allowing the family to move and for D.J. to start school at Douglass on Aug. 1. “I'm just looking forward to finishing my senior year,” Ward said. Ward is the No. 1 player on The Oklahoman 's Super 30 list of the state's top recruits. He has committed to Oklahoma, giving the Sooners four commitments on the list. “I always watched college football and thought there was no way I'd ever be able to do that,” Ward said. “When I started being recruited and realized I could have that chance, it was surreal, knowing that I was blessed enough to get this opportunity.” There's no doubt now Ward belongs at that level. In addition to the Oklahoma offer, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive end has offers from other big-time schools from around the country. He'd likely be garnering many more if he wasn't committed to the Sooners. That Ward he turned into a big-time football player shouldn't have been that big of a surprise. Demetrius grew up in Lima, Ohio, about two hours outside of Columbus. He was — and remains — a big Ohio State fan, something that has rubbed off on D.J. The curb addresses at the family's Lawton home feature the scarlet “O” logo, as does a flag in the front yard. A blanket in the living room also displays his Ohio State pride. “I went to Akron for a year but it's always Ohio State for me,” Demetrius said. After one season on the Akron football team, Demetrius' grades took a dip and he was quickly ineligible. The experience has shaped the way the Wards have raised their children, three boys and a girl. “I use myself as an example of what not to do,” Demetrius said. “You've got to be focused. You can't go in there like you're half-cocked. After football season, I didn't worry about school. I use that a lot in telling them not to do the things I've done.” The message has sunk in with D.J., the youngest of the four. “Just be respectful and don't do anything crazy,” Ward said of his attitude. “Don't do anything your mom would be disappointed of.” 

jordan shoes for sale-Dusty Dvoracek, Teddy Lehman are in a rush

 NORMAN — Less than 10 minutes remained until the afternoon drive time show kicked off. Dusty Dvoracek and Teddy Lehman, former OU stars and talk show hosts for KREF-AM 1400, were nowhere to be seen. Teddy Lehman, left, and Dusty Dvoracek have taken their talents to an afternoon radio sports show. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman Multimedia Videoview all videos Former OU players turn radio hosts Jul 20Former OU stars, Dusty Dvoracek and Teddy Lehman, enjoy... Photoview all photos Article Gallery: Dusty Dvoracek, Teddy Lehman are in a rush Chris Joseph, the radio show host who taught them how to transition from breaks, set down a pair of headphones. “I feel like Yoda,” Joseph said, followed by the sound of the famous Star Wars master. “But seriously these guys are like two German shepherds who still think they're lap dogs.” The door to Auto Accessories Unlimited in Norman opened. Lehman smiled as he walked in, followed by Dvoracek, who was on his iPhone. Lehman began texting on his phone. The two fairly new radio hosts of “The Rush” were trying to set up a discussion about the NFC North with players from the division for that afternoon. After spending every summer since they were in middle school in shoulder pads and helmets under the hot August sun, the two former OU and NFL players decided to hang up their cleats and grab some microphones after the 2011 season. Since their playing days at Oklahoma, they worked out together in the offseason in Norman, so they decided there was no better place to find a post-football job than back home. Just one week after Lehman ended his UFL career in Las Vegas last November, they pitched the idea of their show to the local radio station manager. “He said, ‘No, thanks. But do you want to come in this Saturday for a one-hour postgame show?'” Dvoracek said. “That was the Saturday against A&M,” Lehman added. A month later, Dvoracek and Lehman had a 10 a.m.-1 p.m. show. By the middle of April, they were moved to drive time from 2-6 p.m. Intensity on the air Dvoracek and Lehman both hung up their phones from calls to players they were planning to put on the air in just a few hours. The clock read 2:01. “Always putting things off to the last second — that's why we're called ‘The Rush,'” Dvoracek said. “We both sent about 700 text messages and got like three replies each.” By 2:04, the commercial break ended, and Dvoracek was starting the first of four one-hour segments. They talked about Dallas receiver Dez Bryant, the U.S. Olympic hoops game against Brazil and — Dvoracek's favorite — “Big Brother.” They brought intensity to the air just like they did to the field in their playing days. During a break at 2:32, the off-air discussion turned immediately to football: Wisconsin football, to be specific. As they talked, they dropped their deep voices even lower to mimic the Badgers, and then laughed.