Jimmy’s Blog

I was honored to be asked to serve as one of the five judges for the Miss District of Columbia pageant this past weekend.  The winner will be going to the Miss America Finals in Las Vegas early next year.

We interviewed the 13 finalists this past Friday afternoon at a downtown law firm.  Then, we held the finals last night at the historic Lincoln Theatre on U Street NW.   Last night’s finals featured the swimsuit competition, on-stage interviews, talent and evening gown competition.

This was a new experience for me since it was the first time I served as a judge for a pageant.  But, I walked with a great amount of respect and admiration.

When one thinks of a beauty pageant, most people assume it’s based strictly on looks.  But, that’s not the case.  These women are also extremely intelligent, talented and career-oriented.

Of the 13 finalists, one student is in medical school; one is in law school; one attended West Point; a few of them are in other graduate programs; and a number of them work on Capitol Hill.   It was truly a remarkable group.

In terms of talent, we were blown away — a few of them expertly sang opera tunes; a couple played the piano; one did an artistic Asian dance; and a couple of them dazzled us with their dance moves.

Last year’s wonderful winner, Kate Marie Grinold, set a high bar for this year’s contestants.  She finished in the top 10 of Miss America last year.  Kate Marie, as well as past winners, including Kate Michael (who did a great job with the on-stage interviews) and Shayna Rudd were also there.

Our new Miss District of Columbia is Jen Corey.   She thrilled the packed crowd with her talent (singing an operatic tune).    She also did well across all of the categories.  The Nation’s Capital will be represented well in the 2010 Miss America finals!

It was a great day on Sunday in the Washington, DC area as we watched the great Tiger Woods win his own golf tournament, the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club.

My friends and I arrived at CC at 1:00 pm … just in time to see Tiger, dressed in his classic Sunday outfit (red Nike shirt, black slacks), practicing on the driving range.   You could sense the buzz in the air as the crowd was stirring with excitement.

One other thing that jumped out at me when I first walked onto the grounds was the diversity of the crowd.   There were a number of African-Americans and Asian-Americans.  There’s no doubt that this is the “Tiger effect,” who is a mixture of Asian, African-American and Caucuasian.  But, many Asians were also there to root on the defending tourney champion, Anthony Kim.

It was interesting to see the massive crowds follow the final pairing, Tiger and Anthony.  Many of the not well-known golfers only had a handful of fans watching them.  But, with Tiger and AK, people were lining up six-deep to watch their awesome display of skills.

Another interesting thing to see live in person is Tiger’s physique.  He is ripped — there’s no doubt that he spends a good amount of time working out in the gym.  This is definitely in contrast with many of the veteran golfers.

Also, I love hearing the sound of Tiger striking the ball.  It’s a unique sound with his power and fury.  It’s amazing to think that he hits some of his tee shots the length of 3 to 3.5 100-yard football fields.  Crazy, eh.

Tiger did win the tourney by one shot over Hunter Mahan.  It was really cool to see him stride down the 18th fairway.  And, after he made his final putt, he threw his hands up in the air and let out a huge smile.  I’m sure his father was looking down on him with great pride.

In closing, it’s always wonderful to see Tiger’s dedication to the US Military (the military soldiers are admitted free to the tourney).  It’s a dedication to his late father, Earl Woods, a retired Army colonel.  As one who has lost his father, also a retired military veteran, recently, I greatly admire and respect how Tiger is paying tribute to his father by hosting this golf tourney in his father’s honor in the National’s Capital during a holiday weekend saluting the country.

Michael, Michael, Michael.  What can one say?  Yes, he is arguably ths most successful pop entertainer of the last half-century.  And, yes, he became so odd and wierd in the past 20+ years.

But, I was always a huge MJ fan.  I grew up on his music — and I loved “”Off the Wall” and “Thriller.”   I did like the Jackson 5 music as well as some of his later albums, but those two albums were the favorites.

I DJ’ed for over 15 years, including DJ’ing over 500 wedding receptions.   I used to always say that Michael Jackson was a dj’s best friend since if you have played his music, you could get the dance floor going (especially at wedding receptions).

I also worked in promotions and marketing at a few Washington, DC radio stations.   Since concerts were a big part of our job, I’ve probably attended 150 – 200 concerts, but I can easily place Michael’s concerts at the top of the list.  Nothing else really came close.

The way he moved and danced on the stage was incredible — the fans would shriek with joy and amazement (it might have been how the fans reacted to the Beatles in concert in the ’60’s).

I’ve seen many, many great acts (U2, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Who, Janet Jackson, Dave Matthews and on and on), but none matched the fervor of a MJ concert.

So, although he was out of the limelight the past few years … and although he did so many wierd and odd things, the memories I will take away are those two dynamic albums and the memorable concerts I was fortunate to see.

RIP, Michael.

We honored and buried one of my heroes and role models, General Jack Guthrie, this Tuesday at an incredibly moving ceremony at Ft Myer Chapel and Arlington National Cemetery.

The three heroes in my life — my father, General Guthrie and Uncle Art — are now resting in peace in Arlington National Cemetery.   First, Uncle Art was interred at ANC on Sept 11, 2007; then, my father was interred there last May 22nd; and now General Guthrie is buried right next to his beloved wife at ANC.

I’ve written and blogged in the past about the importance that General Guthrie had on my life.   And, after hearing the tributes and witnessing the ceremony, it once again validates what a great and important person he has been in my life.

The Guthrie family has six children and I’m considered the 7th sibling — it’s a wonderful and humbling honor.  I went with the family in the limo to Ft Myer on Tuesday morning at around 8:15.  As we got out of the car, I was blown away at what I witnessed.  There were literally hundreds and hundreds of soldiers in the parking lot — they were assembling for the ceremony.

Both my father and uncle, who were an Army and Air Force officer respectively,  also had the military honor guard at their funerals — but 4-star generals, rightfully so,  are accorded a special ceremony.  It turns there were over 400 soldiers there!  It was such a heart-warming sight.

The ceremony at Ft Myer Chapel started at 9:00 am — various family members delivered and moving tributes about the General.   It was powerful — and the tears flowed throughout the ceremony.   At around 9:30 am, we went outside for the processional march from the chapel to the burial site.

This was an incredible scene.  The US Army Honor Guard led us for the one-mile walk to the site.  There were eight horses pulling the casket.  Right behind the casket was the rider-less horse with the boots placed backward.  The site of over 400 soldiers leading the way is something we will never forget.

At the burial site, the US Army Honor Guard was simply spectacular.  The band played “Taps” as well as a couple of other songs (yes, I cried hard during the playing of “Taps.”)   There was a round of 17 shots fired individually by the Army soldiers.  This is an incredible honor afforded to the highest-ranking generals in the Armed Services.   Then, there was another round of 21 shots (3 rounds from 7 shooters).

Next was the flag-folding ceremony, then the presentation of the flag to the family.   The perfection of the soldiers during this presentation is something incredible.

There is simply no better way to honor a person.  The military sends their men and women off in the most honorable way.  People that witness this for the first time walk away in amazement.

I’ve now seen this for three years in a row.  It’s hard to see  and I’m emotionally fragile.  But, I feel fortunate that three heroes in my life all lived into their 80’s — they lived long, wonderful lives.   And, the thought of the three of them together is something that gives me peace and strength.

Thank you, Dad.  Thank you, Uncle Art.  Thank you, General Guthrie.  You three showed me how to live life the right way.  And, I hope to honor you for the rest of my life by trying to live by the lessons you taught me.  I love you and I miss you.  Peace.

Sadly, one of the best, most popular and most impactful non-profit organizations in Washington, DC over the past 13 years is shutting down due to lack of funds.

But, instead of mourning the closing of the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Foundation, I’d like to focus on what we accomplished for so many deserving youths as well as the legacy of the HDSF.

I’ve been an up close observer of HDSF as a long-time friend of the founder, Susie Kay, as well as serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the past few years.

In a nutshell, we were able to provide over 1,000 academic scholarships over the 13 years.  Many of these recipients are from lower-income areas; come from a single-parent families; and, are the first ones to attend and graduate college from their immediate family.

I am blessed to have two wonderful mentors, Ted Leonsis and Mario Mario.  They are both legendary in DC for their phenomenal philanthropic vision and efforts.  But, I must also send major props to another person who “showed me the way,”  Ms. Susie Kay.   I watched this incredible person launch her dream of helping and providing students from Wards 7 and 8 (areas that many DC area people have never been to) the opportunity to go to college.

I watched her give and give and give.   It was due to her energy and passion that so many of us from the business community signed on to help her make her dream come true.

As I told the board at our meeting earlier this week, watching Susie in action helped spur me on to get more and more involved with community service, mentoring and non-profits.   I  now work in some capacity (board member, adviser, connector, volunteer, fund-raiser) for 14 non-profits in this area.    I know that over the past decade we have touched and improved the lives of hundreds and hundreds of deserving young men and women.

Multiply my simple efforts with the many others that were touched by Susie’s actions at HDSF.  So, in effect, she not only helped 1,000 students receive scholarship, she and her HDSF has helped spur community involvement — and has literally impacted tens of thousands of lives.   The legacy will continue for decades and decades because many of these young students will be the ones mentoring the younger generations.

I am so proud of the mentees I’ve gotten to know over the years.  They will remain friends for a lifetime.  Michael – who has become a younger brother to me – is a proud graduate of Hampton Univ and now works for Verizon; Fanchon just graduated from Temple Univ; Ayana is a rising senior at AU; and Emily is a rising junior at Princeton Univ.

To these young men and women; to Susie Kay; to our board; to our many wonderful mentors and volunteers — I salute you for all of our fantastic efforts.   Yes, we are closing down this year, but the dream will live on.

What a special afternoon.  I went to the White House for the 37th anniversary of Title IX, which is one of the most important pieces of legislation passed in the 20th century.

There was a one-hour round-table session hosted by Valerie Jarrett, President Obama’s senior adviser and confidante, and Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education.  Joining them was the legendary Billie Jean King, leaders from the Women’s Sports Foundation and leaders from the education, science and engineering fields.

Per Wikipedia, Title IX states:  “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”^[1] Although the most prominent “public face” of Title IX is its impact on high school and collegiate athletics, the original statute made no reference to athletics.^[2]

Since I’m a sports person, that’s the part I’m focused on.  I helped invite a few of the sports leaders that were in attendance y-day.   I’m a strong supporter of women in athletics, the WNBA and the new women’s pro soccer league.   As one who tries his best to support diversity, I think it’s remarkable to see the increased number of girls and women participating in a wide range of sports from all age groups.

With our increased focus on healthcare costs and helping reduce obesity, the issue of health and fitnesss will continue to be a critical issue in the coming years.   So, if we can continue to put the spotlight on the importance of Sports and Health / Fitness, the country will be better off.

This is difficult to believe but yesterday was the first time that Title IX was ever celebrated at the White House.   Ms. Jarrett said this will become a regular occurrence and that we’ll be celebrating the 38th anniversary of this important legislation a year from now at the White House.

My kudos to the trailblazers and champions of women’s sports, such as Billie Jean King and Donna de Varona who showed us the way.   Thanks to their courage, vision and dedication, it’s a more level playing field now for female athletes from youth leagues to high schools to colleges to the professional leagues.  There’s still a long way to go, but we’re moving in the right direction.

Since I was on the road, I didn’t blog last week, so here’s a quick catch-up:

– Tue, Jun 16:  I’m co-teaching a Sports Leadership Management class in Georgetown University’s Sports Industry Management Masters program.    It’s a bit different teaching grad students vs the undergrad seniors I teach during the spring semesters.   But, similarly to the undergrads, the grad students have been terrific thus far … very interactive and engaged in the class.  I’m enjoying it very much thus far.

– Thu, Jun 18:  I went back to one of my favorite cities, Montreal, for a couple of days.   I’m continuing to work on sharpening the business plan for my new sports strategic advisory firm, JLynn Associates.  My friend, Rob, has been terrific in helping me with the branding and positioning of my new business.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to launch a web site soon for the business (hopefully sometime in July).

– Fri, Jun 19:  Montreal is such a great city … only a 75-minute flight from DC.   It definitely has a European flavor.  And, I love Old Montreal – it’s one of my favorite parts of town.  And, eating at Garde Manger is a must!

– Sat, Jun 20:  Back in DC.  I went to a superb b-day party for Jarvis Stewart at the House of Sweden.   The HOS is a great, great venue for a party — located on the water right next to the Georgetown Harbour.  The party was full of great friends, a good meal and hours of dancing and fun.,

– Sun, Jun 21:  Ugh, somehow got up at 7:00 am to play baseball at 8:00 am.   Not wise on limited sleep – yes, I missed a fly ball in CF in the 1st inning.  LOL.   But, once I started to sweat it out, things got much better.  But, we lost our play-off game and the spring season over.  Time to go home and watch the US Open on the couch on Sunday afternoon!  I did take a break to run over to Arlington National Cemetery to pay respects and wish Happy Father’s Day to my Dad.   Love you, Dad.  Miss you.

– Mon, Jun 22:  I went back to AOL for the first time since I left in late March.  I gave a presentation to the interns — on the Dulles campus as well as ones who tele-conferenced in from the NY and Baltimore offices.   I love talking and sharing tips and advice with the younger generation. 

The last blog posting was brief since I was still tired from the jet lag.  But, I’m catching up on my rest.  Here’s some observations about Japan, in particular Tokyo.

First, I do love living in the US.  I’ve been here since my junior year in high school (I spent 13 of my first 16 years in Japan).   But, it’s interesting to travel internationally — in comparing countries / cities, each has its own plusses and minuses.

Random observations about Japan:

– The public transportation system is remarkable.   Both the trains and buses have schedules and times listed — and they show up on time over 90% of the time.

– The roads are so narrow in Tokyo — I don’t how the bus drivers navigate the roads … but they do so — with grace and humility.   It’s rare to hear loud honking, drivers yelling and people making obscene gestures.

– The service is world-class … at hotels, restaurants, stores, public venues, etc   People seem more considerate and friendly.   I realize each culture is different, but it’s clearly noticeable and appreciated when visiting Tokyo.

– Wow, are there a lot of people living in Tokyo!  If you think Manahattan is crowded, try walking through Shinjuku or Shibuya during the morning or evening rush hour.

– The way the locals cram into the trains in rush hour is unbelievable.  They squeeze in there … and they have employees that help squeeze citizens in the train cars.  It’s a bizarre scene but one that takes place daily.

– Tokyo can be expensive, especially at restaurants, but if you like comfort food, like ramen noodles, it’s very affordable.   To me, eating ramen noodles is like eating pizza in NYC (it’s the signature, local and go-to food).

– The sushi in Tokyo is out-of-this-world.   No surprise, but the freshness of the fish is outstanding.

– Conducting a business meeting in Tokyo with high-level executives is quite different than doing so in the U.S.   It’s a good idea to learn the proper etiquette before holding a meeting.  It was a great learning experience for me.

– I visited our family cemetery in Yoshikawa, which is over 600 years old.  It’s definitely remarkable to be able to trace about the lineage over 600 years old.   I gain so much strength each and every time I visit.

– In closing, it was great to visit our relatives and Tokyo – as well as the homes we used to frequent when we were kids.  We may be getting older, but the memories are still so fresh and vivid.

Peace.

I returned from Japan on Tuesday afternoon.  Although it was about a 12.5 hour flight, it wasn’t too bad.  I don’t sleep to well on planes – I only slept about two hours but I kept myself busy by reading magazines, a book and watching movies.

It was a terrific trip to Japan — for both business and personal reasons.  In terms of meeting with new potential clients / partners, I had three excellent meetings.   I’m looking to developing relationships with these  executives.

Personally speaking, my brother and I had the best time with our relatives.   A couple of nights before we left, we had a fantastic family reunion, with 19 in total at the dinner.   So many laughs and good stories were exchanged.

More on Japan to come in the next blog.