Homecoming 2K8 Comes To A Close :(

Well I hadn't been able to post how I wanted to, I was shooting for a post after each eventful day. As you could have imagined, I was VERY busy and didn't have time to post, hopefully you'll understand LOL.

This was easily the best Homecoming I have ever been to. Maybe it was the same as the other one's, but I experienced it in a totally different light. Being a "VIP" guest of Howard University, things were very different as you could imagine.

I had an awesome time, all of my boys were there aside from one, Charles, he's a family man, so you know how that is, but he was there with us in spirit.

Of course Lance was there, Johnny came in from Houston, Murph is still in the area teaching and coaching, K flew in from Denver Friday morning, Joe Crakk the Don (Josef Sawyer) is still in the area producing for America's Most Wanted.
Let me give you the run down on the past couple of days.

Friday was pretty chill, we didn't have very much to do until around 2 when we went up to Howard for the infamous Yardfest. I didn't get to enjoy sleeping in because in his typical "I'm up so everyone else has to be up too" fashion, I'm awaken at 10 due to Lance banging on my door. It's all good though because who cares about sleep during Homecoming right??

Yardfest was poppin, it's always good running in to some old classmates and eating the good food they have out there. Usually we'd have to wait in those very long lines to get some action, but not now, I wonder why.......LOL.


They brought me and Lance up to the stage, I had always wonder what goes on behind that stage, it was pretty tight and the view was great from actually being on stage too. The crowd really supported of us. Howardites know how to love their own, outsiders......that's another story.
After we came off the stage, we did a walk over to this area they had blocked off so that you can take pictures and sign autographs with the fans. People we shaking and crying when they would get a hug or take a picture or get an autograph. That was so foreign to me, they were really excited. After that, I got to meet and take a picture with one of my favorite performers Bun-B! That was pretty tight to me.After all the festivities on the Yard, we headed to do some shopping and hit the Cheesecake Factory up for dinner then hit the hotel to change for Club Love. It was cool sitting around in the living room talking and reminiscing with the fellas, boy we had some times back in the day!

Love was crackin' as it usually does on a Homecoming Friday night. We had the VIP area going and the night was jumping. We always look forward to this party, I'm just glad that this year we didn't have to worry about leaving the Yard early as heck to get down there for the party. They start hitting you over the head on the charge once it gets packed, I'm talking hundreds of dollars. As a college kid and when I was fresh out of school, I couldn't swing that charge.

Lance, K and myselfJosef and JohnnyHoward University President's son, Brandon RibeauRight now, I will do something I didn't do Friday night, get some sleep! I got about 30 minutes Friday night, had to be up real early for the parade. I will give the Saturday update tomorrow, until then, enjoy.

Homecoming Update #1

As you know, I flew out to D.C. to kick off the Homecoming celebrations for 2008. I met up with Lance at the airport and just started having a ball shortly there after.

Howard has taken great care of us as usual. They put us up in these nice suites downtown, I'm sure we won't be spending very much time here, they also have us a driver that we probably won't use, Lance in his typical high-siding style, got a rental.


Our first order of the evening was the two fashion shows. This is always one of the hottest events during the festivities. Of course we were the "celebrity guests".

Several of my old college friends were in town, so we hung out a bit during the intermissions in between shows. David Payne was up here as well, so we got to chill for a minute. We always have a good time together and it was good seeing him out there.

We were in the last two scenes of each show, everytime Lance or myself would hit the stage, it would get crazy in the crowd!!



After the shows, we were whisked to this party to host. It is always cool just to sit back and relax. I ran in to SO many people, which is expected, but it was still crazy. Then everyone wants to try to talk to you over the loud music, I never understood that, but it's all good.
Today is Friday, one of the biggest days. Yardfest is the main event, it's an all day event with massive amounts of food and memorabilia. Artists come out and perform on the stage and all the fraternities and sororities come out and do their thing as well. My freshman year is still my favorite to date. Jay-Z and the Roc-A-Fella team, DMX and a whole host of other Def Jam cats came out and performed. I wonder who will be in attendance this year?

SOMEBODY GET ME A CASE OF RED BULL!!!!!!

Time To Ride Out Again

I'm on my way back to the Mecca, Howard University, for the 2008 Homecoming festivities. I haven't been back since 2005 and I'm really looking forward to the activities this year. Howard Homecoming is easily the greatest event on the planet, period! My good friend Lance and I are going to be hosting and participating in a lot of events this year, we are also Grand Marshals of the Homecoming Parade, that's a pretty big honor. I can't wait to get up there, it will be a fun filled weekend I'm sure of it. I will keep you posted.

Scared Of Success......

That's how I define my team, the Miami Dolphins. With a chance to go over .500 for the first time in forever, they found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with a one point loss to the previous winless Houston Texans. They had a chance of becoming just one game out of first place in the AFC East.

Like I believe, winners find a way to win, losers find a way to lose. They have to find a way to break that culture down there on South Beach.

My fantasy team is stinking it up too. We are 2-4 and in 10th place. We are coming off a win though, I have been decimated by injuries this year. I am going to find a way to get in to the playoffs, and with a good streak I could be in the top tier of the division. I'm only three games out of the top spot.

The Dolphins must be rubbing off on me too, hopefully we both get back on the wagon here soon.

100,000 VISITORS

I see that my page has recently cracked the 100,000 views mark. That's amazing to me, I started this blog in April of 2007 and never thought that this many people would be interested in what it is I am doing. Thank you very much for the support. The picture section has been updated as well. Keep enjoying.

Furman University Blue Shoes Event

I was invited by The Furman Blue Shoes scholarship organization to speak at the prestigious University as a kick-off for their cross country meet and part of their Homecoming festivities.

Chris Borch (Furman '78) set this scholarship up. He set it up basically to extend the opportunity to high school students who are interested in attending, running for and experience Furman just as he did. He didn't want money to be the reason that would sway students away from the University.

Ken Pettus, head of athlete development at Furman and Dave Pate, former Furman runner, we very good hosts as well. I started my day off talking to the football team as they prepared for their Homecoming game, which they won. I am going to claim that I had something to do with victory!

Like I said earlier, this event was the kick-off for their cross country event, little did I know, it is a huge event! They had 46 high schools and 16 colleges in attendance this year. I talked and took pictures with a lot of the runners after they finished up practice, they were really excited. I felt like a rock star out there.

I toured around the campus, it is a very beautiful lay out and they have some wonderful facilities as well.

We ate, I meet several of the current track runners on the Furman team, then we started the program. I was the guest speaker during the main program, Dave gave me a pretty funny introduction. The theme of the program was "Life Lessons Through Learning and Scholarship" When I first accepted to do the speech, I had no idea what I was going to speak about, then I started to some reflection on my life as a whole. After doing that, I easily had a speech lined up that lasted over 20 minutes. I took everybody through the entire life of David Oliver, all the ups and downs and life changing experiences I had. Looking out in to the crowd, it seemed like all the kids were hanging on my words. At the end, I received a resounding standing ovation. Dave, Chris and Ken were telling me that I spoke directly to the audience and they were also very impressed. Maybe I have a niche for speaking, who knows. That's the main reason I wanted to be a marketing major, you can just talk and talk. LOL.

You never know who you can touch. Whether it's one person or 100 people, you never know. One girl specifically came up to me and could instantly identify with what I was talking about, so I know I got to one person, that's the most important part of being in a position to do what I am doing. Success on the track is just a platform to get a message out there.

I had a great time in Greenville, SC, another place I had never been in my life. I'm racking up a lot of those type of places! Thanks a lot Furman and the Blue Shoes organization.

White House Visit

I left Denver for a quick trip out to the D.C. area. U.S. athletes from the Olympics and Paralympics were invited to the area for a reception and a visit to the White House. We were staying out in Baltimore, there we had a nice reception hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee. I had the opportunity to talk with several different athletes, I was mainly interested in speaking with the athletes from the Paralympics. I was intrigued to hear how their Beijing experiences might have differed from those of mine. Our experiences weren't that different come to find out.

We had to be up on out the next morning at 6:30am! I tapped out while watching Monday Night Football, so that night turned out to be the most sleep I had gotten in a while. I was still trying to catch up on the sleep I had been missing, so I was sleep so hard on the bus ride from Baltimore to D.C. that I didn't even want to get up!

The White House visit was a cool experience, not too many people I know have ventured inside that building on Pennsylvania Ave. President Bush came and address us, then we went on a tour of the White House. I am happy I went, just one more conversation topic.


Me behind the President's podium
Me and 400m hurdle Gold Medalist Angelo Taylor rocking red in the Red Room at the White HouseAfter the White House visit, me and a few other athletes were invited down to USA Today for a social event to show our appreciation for what they did for us, while we were in Beijing, with their coverage. It was a great Q&A session and we signed photographs of us in competition.
Well, the whirlwind trip doesn't stop, I'm on my way to another engagement, more on that later.

Denver Wrap-Up

Well things in Denver went great! Like I said, I was awarded a "David Oliver Day", that is super tight, I got to catch up with a whole lot of people, reminisce at my old high school, see the dentist, eat, eat and more eating, party of course, but most importantly, I got to spend a lot of time with the family.

The celebration was concluded yesterday when my church family at Scott hosted a reception in my honor. It was very nice and had some wonderful tasting food.

My cheeks are tired and sore from all the smiling for the pictures and my left hand hurts from signing all the autographs, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Like I say, the alternative is definitely worse.

I'm sitting in Denver International Airport right now, waiting for this delayed plane to get here. I am operating on complete sleep deprivation, I know as soon as I sit in that seat it is going to be lights out for me!

Steve Johnson, President of the Fundamental Fun Foundation and the award he presented to me on behalf of his organization.

My high school track coaches , Coach Turner and Coach Allen and my best friend Kelvin Me and Bren
My nephew Khamari is getting way too big!

JoyceEboni flew in for the weekend, all we were missing was Lee, gotta wait til Christmas I guess

October 3........

From now on in the city of Denver will be known as David Oliver Day! Mayor Hickenlooper bestowed this citation upon me today.

Back at Denver East High School, the pep rally they hold for me was off the chart! I was overwhelmed with joy.

I saw my high school coach for the first time in forever, I didn't even know she was going to attend.

It has been great being back. I just wanted to do a quick update, now it's off to the dentist.