I know it is Christmas Eve and there is so much more important things to think about but I missed the Ohio State story because of traveling to Alabama to spend Christmas with Lica's family! Well they are my family too, so it's not so bad. But I couldn't let this story go by without adding my spin to the joke that is the NCAA. So it appears that the way to get around any violation is the simple phrase "I didn't know"!
The athletic director wants to excuse the behavior of his athletes because the economy is down so they only sold their items to help their family. You can argue the ethically value of paying athletes all you want, but the fact is there are rules against what they did on the books now so that makes it wrong. And then there is the whole tattoo parlor discount thing. That's a big enough story but the way it has been handled by the NCAA is what gets me.
An SEC receiver sells a jersey and his suspension comes immediately. Another couple of SEC players and a bunch of ACC players go to a party at an agents house and they are suspended from a few games to having their whole career taken away from them. Yet these guys who are probably not coming back anyway get to go to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans and then serve a 5 game suspension. Sure Pryor was always coming back! Yeah not so much now! I will be very surprised if any of these guys were planning on coming back. That's why they knew it didn't matter if they got caught or not. So the penalty is nothing that bothers them at all. It doesn't hurt the team, it doesn't hurt their draft status, and it sure doesn't hurt their bottom line, but the tattoos might have hurt a little.
Seems a little like the Daddy Newton incident. The rules just don't matter if there isn't any real teeth in the NCAA's penalties. If there is not any more at stake than it appears to be from the last couple of infractions, then why bother even trying to play by the rules? So the NCAA should just place itself on probation. They should not be allowed to offer any rulings for a two year period and no longer be able to determine how we determine a national champion in football!
And a merry Christmas to all!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
A Year to Remember
Today marks the end of the regular season for the Florida Gator football team. Thank goodness our bowl game will be early in the season so all of us will put this behind us before the start of 2011! This is a year to remember. Did I write that? Yep, it is a year to remember.
It's a year to remember just how good the players who left here the last two years were. They had to overcome this offensive staff to actually win games. Do you realize how much talent that took? Well we do now! That's something to remember. So maybe it really is the Jimmies and Joes that make great coaches, because the coaches took this year's group of supposedly talented players and made them look average at best.
It's a year to remember your rivals celebrating both at home and on the road. It's that feeling that I hope the players remember all year long as they lift and run. But I don't think any of them with the exception of Ahmad Black have the heart, brains, or ... well you know what else they lack to learn anything from it. They say no one hurts like the players but I've been near them and they didn't seem to hurt after the game, unlike many of the fans I've seen and heard from after the losses. So I hope the fans remember what it was like to lose 5 games in a season because those of you born after 1987 have no idea what's that like as a Gator fan. Now you get the chance to prove that you are a real fan and get behind the team for next year starting right now!
It's a year to remember FSU celebrating with fireworks and carrying out a gator head to mid field after the game for the second time in the last 7 years. So that means that we get to bring a broken spear out next year or better yet the stuffed head of renegade or Chief Osceola doesn't it? No, it means we get to stay classy and just get back to the business of beating the clown college and acting like that it is always supposed to be that way. It's a year to remember to be humble when you win and gracious when you lose.
It's a year to remember that sometimes coaches need to realize that moving up is not always a good thing. Sometimes being the line coach is the best level you should attain. It is also the season to remember that losing coaches to other schools can set your program back as much as losing star players. Both of which happened to us this year on both sides of the ball. So we need to remember that it may take some time to get back to playing at the level we expect. And we need to remember that sometimes the best coach you need is the one you already got! So let's just keep our heads Gator fans and let Urban hold those on the staff accountable. Some of them need to do the honorable thing and submit the letters before they are requested!
It's also a year to remember that all kinds of crazy things happen in football. Texas plays for the title and then fails to play in any bowl game. Alabama wins it all and then loses three games. Heck, Oregon looks like they are going to play in the National Championship game and they have always been more known for their uniform combinations than their winning ways. And a guy who everybody wrote off when he transferred from Florida will probably win the Heisman. And just when you think it will be Boise and TCU in the championship game, Nevada comes up and beats BSU! It's a crazy game. That is what makes us love it so much.
So it truly is a year to remember. Just not a pleasant memory!
It's a year to remember just how good the players who left here the last two years were. They had to overcome this offensive staff to actually win games. Do you realize how much talent that took? Well we do now! That's something to remember. So maybe it really is the Jimmies and Joes that make great coaches, because the coaches took this year's group of supposedly talented players and made them look average at best.
It's a year to remember your rivals celebrating both at home and on the road. It's that feeling that I hope the players remember all year long as they lift and run. But I don't think any of them with the exception of Ahmad Black have the heart, brains, or ... well you know what else they lack to learn anything from it. They say no one hurts like the players but I've been near them and they didn't seem to hurt after the game, unlike many of the fans I've seen and heard from after the losses. So I hope the fans remember what it was like to lose 5 games in a season because those of you born after 1987 have no idea what's that like as a Gator fan. Now you get the chance to prove that you are a real fan and get behind the team for next year starting right now!
It's a year to remember FSU celebrating with fireworks and carrying out a gator head to mid field after the game for the second time in the last 7 years. So that means that we get to bring a broken spear out next year or better yet the stuffed head of renegade or Chief Osceola doesn't it? No, it means we get to stay classy and just get back to the business of beating the clown college and acting like that it is always supposed to be that way. It's a year to remember to be humble when you win and gracious when you lose.
It's a year to remember that sometimes coaches need to realize that moving up is not always a good thing. Sometimes being the line coach is the best level you should attain. It is also the season to remember that losing coaches to other schools can set your program back as much as losing star players. Both of which happened to us this year on both sides of the ball. So we need to remember that it may take some time to get back to playing at the level we expect. And we need to remember that sometimes the best coach you need is the one you already got! So let's just keep our heads Gator fans and let Urban hold those on the staff accountable. Some of them need to do the honorable thing and submit the letters before they are requested!
It's also a year to remember that all kinds of crazy things happen in football. Texas plays for the title and then fails to play in any bowl game. Alabama wins it all and then loses three games. Heck, Oregon looks like they are going to play in the National Championship game and they have always been more known for their uniform combinations than their winning ways. And a guy who everybody wrote off when he transferred from Florida will probably win the Heisman. And just when you think it will be Boise and TCU in the championship game, Nevada comes up and beats BSU! It's a crazy game. That is what makes us love it so much.
So it truly is a year to remember. Just not a pleasant memory!
Friday, November 19, 2010
You Find Out Who Your Friends Are
There is a country music song with the lyric “You find out who your friends are!” As you might imagine it involves lots of hardships and some tragic situations as the source of the revelation of who your friends truly are. Friends seem easy to come by when you are on top, whether that’s professionally, financially, or any other way. Everyone wants to be your friend when things are going great. But as the song says, you really find out who your friends are at 2 am when you need a favor, when your luck runs out, or when tragedy overtakes you at any moment. Maybe that is the difference between a friend and an acquaintance. Friends are there before the streak begins and remain long after your circumstances change for the worse.
You see that all too often in athletics. Those who have played the games at higher level know that all too well. Everyone is a fan when it is going well but starts to slip and so does the fervor of many of the faithful. Gator fans of late have been extremely spoiled. We are used to our teams being on top of the SEC in every sport. Heck, we are used to be in the top of national polls in most sports. Somewhere along the line we have begun to embrace the entitlement mentality that is so prevalent in our society. We think it is our “right” to be treated to the best possible example of sporting entertainment. We pay our coaches well and we expect a good return on our investment. Believe me, the coaches know that. At least the ones I know personally are fully aware of that sentiment. They embrace it or they would not have accepted the gig. This is not about expectations because fans can never expect more of a team than the coaches and players place on themselves.
This year has been a disappointment to say the least for our football team. Three losses at home just never happen at UF. In fact, it has been over 20 years since that happened the last time. That’s the point. It has been an incredible 20 year run that may not be repeated again. Just look at the national landscape, when TCU and Boise State can amass the talent and coaches to rank in the top 5 in November, the world of college football has changed and it ain’t going back! Coaches have learned that the lure of bigger programs might just be the lure to a noose around your own neck! The grass isn’t always greener on someone else’s field. In fact at Boise, they like their smurf turf! And Coach Peterson has turned down several offers from “Bigger” and supposedly “Better” programs to remain at BSU. The result has been a loyal fan base and the ability to lure top athletes away from bigger and better programs. The landscape has changed indeed. I think it will continue to move this way because now everyone has a bigger share of the dollars thanks to the ESPN and other networks bidding for more TV games. This means more players are getting seen every week, so the recruiting pitch that if you come to school x, you will get on TV more often doesn’t hold as much sway as it once did. The fact that NFL scouts go to other schools other than the BCS conferences can be seen by watching the introductions of NFL teams every week. Sure the majority of players are from schools you recognize as a casual fan, but notice how many players are from schools that you have no idea what conference they play in or even where the school is located. IF you are talented enough, the NFL will find you!
So the next time you wonder why the Gators are not the champs of the SEC East, remember that neither is Georgia or Tennessee. It’s the first time anyone else has represented the East. Maybe it’s a sign of the times in college football and not so much a reflection of poor coaching and execution. Unless by that you also mean recruiting the right players and having them work hard enough to out develop the other 3 or 4 star athletes that the other schools are recruiting. The national title may go to a school that doesn’t share an automatic bid, but I doubt it. Not because they aren’t talented enough to win it, but because the system is skewed in the favor of the BCS conferences to such a degree that it is almost impossible to overcome. But that’s a story for another blog!
You see that all too often in athletics. Those who have played the games at higher level know that all too well. Everyone is a fan when it is going well but starts to slip and so does the fervor of many of the faithful. Gator fans of late have been extremely spoiled. We are used to our teams being on top of the SEC in every sport. Heck, we are used to be in the top of national polls in most sports. Somewhere along the line we have begun to embrace the entitlement mentality that is so prevalent in our society. We think it is our “right” to be treated to the best possible example of sporting entertainment. We pay our coaches well and we expect a good return on our investment. Believe me, the coaches know that. At least the ones I know personally are fully aware of that sentiment. They embrace it or they would not have accepted the gig. This is not about expectations because fans can never expect more of a team than the coaches and players place on themselves.
This year has been a disappointment to say the least for our football team. Three losses at home just never happen at UF. In fact, it has been over 20 years since that happened the last time. That’s the point. It has been an incredible 20 year run that may not be repeated again. Just look at the national landscape, when TCU and Boise State can amass the talent and coaches to rank in the top 5 in November, the world of college football has changed and it ain’t going back! Coaches have learned that the lure of bigger programs might just be the lure to a noose around your own neck! The grass isn’t always greener on someone else’s field. In fact at Boise, they like their smurf turf! And Coach Peterson has turned down several offers from “Bigger” and supposedly “Better” programs to remain at BSU. The result has been a loyal fan base and the ability to lure top athletes away from bigger and better programs. The landscape has changed indeed. I think it will continue to move this way because now everyone has a bigger share of the dollars thanks to the ESPN and other networks bidding for more TV games. This means more players are getting seen every week, so the recruiting pitch that if you come to school x, you will get on TV more often doesn’t hold as much sway as it once did. The fact that NFL scouts go to other schools other than the BCS conferences can be seen by watching the introductions of NFL teams every week. Sure the majority of players are from schools you recognize as a casual fan, but notice how many players are from schools that you have no idea what conference they play in or even where the school is located. IF you are talented enough, the NFL will find you!
So the next time you wonder why the Gators are not the champs of the SEC East, remember that neither is Georgia or Tennessee. It’s the first time anyone else has represented the East. Maybe it’s a sign of the times in college football and not so much a reflection of poor coaching and execution. Unless by that you also mean recruiting the right players and having them work hard enough to out develop the other 3 or 4 star athletes that the other schools are recruiting. The national title may go to a school that doesn’t share an automatic bid, but I doubt it. Not because they aren’t talented enough to win it, but because the system is skewed in the favor of the BCS conferences to such a degree that it is almost impossible to overcome. But that’s a story for another blog!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Political Advertising AKA Harrassment!
I have had it with all the election campaign ads. You can’t watch TV for 5 minutes without seeing at least two of them telling you how rotten this candidate is or how horrible their voting record is or how much money they lost the state pension fund. I’m not a state employee so that last one has no bearing on me but my wife is, so I guess indirectly it affects us. But I digress. I am so sick of the attack ads. Why can’t you just tell me why I should vote for you?
Could it be that your campaign is so lame that you don’t think you are good enough to win without telling me why I shouldn’t vote for your opponent? Stop trying to make yourself look good by making the opponent look bad. If you can’t beat him or her on the issues, then maybe neither of you should be elected. I swear that in our state and local elections right now, all the candidates are crooks if you believe all the ads on TV. You can’t throw a nuclear bomb and hit a decent, respectable, honest, and not scandal tainted person running for office if the ads are true. Everyone of them represents special interest groups, have done some shady dealings in their business or political lives, and only look out for the other guys whoever they may be. I know more about the so called indiscretions than I do about why they really want to be elected in the first place. Who would want to submit themselves to this kind of mud slinging at all?
That doesn’t count the numerous pieces of junk mail I have gotten over the last few weeks. Those who claim to be environmentally conscious have contributed to some serious deforestation during this election season. But I guess it will keep the paper mills and the postal service running for a few more weeks as well as the printers and shippers, so it might be worth it. The worst part of all these mailings is that they too only feature what’s wrong with the other candidate or why I shouldn’t vote one way for an amendment. When are we going to get someone who just runs a positive campaign and says “No” to fighting fire with fire? I think I would elect someone who I disagreed with on the issues if they would just be honest enough to say what they really wanted to do and why they wanted to be elected and never said a bad word about their opponent. If you send me something in the mail, why not tell me why I should elect you and what you plan to do when I elect you.
Finally, I am perhaps most annoyed by the computerized phone messages being left daily on my answering machine at home. I hate to tell you, but getting a computerized call from Mitt Romney doesn’t mean a thing to me to get me to vote for you or from Barack Obama for that matter. I don’t care who you know or who wants me to vote for you, if they can’t take the time to call me directly, then I don’t think they really care that much that you get elected. Get all your celebrity friends to all sit down one night and give me a personal call. If I’m not there or don’t answer, have them prove that they were really calling my number if you want to impress me. I know, some of you will say there’s no way they could take that much time and this just makes it easier. I’m not looking for easy. If I have to check all those calls in the off chance that one of them is really important, then they could take the time to make a personal call in the off chance that I might actually give a darn and answer the phone!
I’m going to vote. I am going to examine the candidates and the issues and vote with a Biblical and Morally sound platform. I’m sure that the ads sway a few people, but not this guy. I’ve never voted for anyone or anything just because I have seen more signs or loved the cards in the mail and I don’t think I’ll start this year. I’ll just keep wishing for someone who would take the 70 million dollars spent on advertising and promise to cut the deficit by that amount if they are elected or at least use the remaining money to do something good for people whether they are elected or not. That amount is what Charlie Crist spent on advertising time alone in the election for Governor. It also makes me wonder what promises have to be kept by those who are elected just to pay back the money to bombard our lives with negative TV, print, and phone messages. But I guess that it’s just me that has those feelings!
Could it be that your campaign is so lame that you don’t think you are good enough to win without telling me why I shouldn’t vote for your opponent? Stop trying to make yourself look good by making the opponent look bad. If you can’t beat him or her on the issues, then maybe neither of you should be elected. I swear that in our state and local elections right now, all the candidates are crooks if you believe all the ads on TV. You can’t throw a nuclear bomb and hit a decent, respectable, honest, and not scandal tainted person running for office if the ads are true. Everyone of them represents special interest groups, have done some shady dealings in their business or political lives, and only look out for the other guys whoever they may be. I know more about the so called indiscretions than I do about why they really want to be elected in the first place. Who would want to submit themselves to this kind of mud slinging at all?
That doesn’t count the numerous pieces of junk mail I have gotten over the last few weeks. Those who claim to be environmentally conscious have contributed to some serious deforestation during this election season. But I guess it will keep the paper mills and the postal service running for a few more weeks as well as the printers and shippers, so it might be worth it. The worst part of all these mailings is that they too only feature what’s wrong with the other candidate or why I shouldn’t vote one way for an amendment. When are we going to get someone who just runs a positive campaign and says “No” to fighting fire with fire? I think I would elect someone who I disagreed with on the issues if they would just be honest enough to say what they really wanted to do and why they wanted to be elected and never said a bad word about their opponent. If you send me something in the mail, why not tell me why I should elect you and what you plan to do when I elect you.
Finally, I am perhaps most annoyed by the computerized phone messages being left daily on my answering machine at home. I hate to tell you, but getting a computerized call from Mitt Romney doesn’t mean a thing to me to get me to vote for you or from Barack Obama for that matter. I don’t care who you know or who wants me to vote for you, if they can’t take the time to call me directly, then I don’t think they really care that much that you get elected. Get all your celebrity friends to all sit down one night and give me a personal call. If I’m not there or don’t answer, have them prove that they were really calling my number if you want to impress me. I know, some of you will say there’s no way they could take that much time and this just makes it easier. I’m not looking for easy. If I have to check all those calls in the off chance that one of them is really important, then they could take the time to make a personal call in the off chance that I might actually give a darn and answer the phone!
I’m going to vote. I am going to examine the candidates and the issues and vote with a Biblical and Morally sound platform. I’m sure that the ads sway a few people, but not this guy. I’ve never voted for anyone or anything just because I have seen more signs or loved the cards in the mail and I don’t think I’ll start this year. I’ll just keep wishing for someone who would take the 70 million dollars spent on advertising and promise to cut the deficit by that amount if they are elected or at least use the remaining money to do something good for people whether they are elected or not. That amount is what Charlie Crist spent on advertising time alone in the election for Governor. It also makes me wonder what promises have to be kept by those who are elected just to pay back the money to bombard our lives with negative TV, print, and phone messages. But I guess that it’s just me that has those feelings!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Athletes and Arrests!
Ok, so now that the four letter word network has gotten into the act, everyone is accusing Florida of running a dirty program. You know the four letters I am talking about, don’t you? Yeah, the self-proclaimed, we are never wrong, we don’t show sports we create it, and we don’t care how many people have heat exhaustion just play the game when we want it network guys are now jumping on Florida for the arrest record under Coach Meyer. To me there is a difference in running a dirty program and having players who can’t keep off the mug shot website. I’ll touch on that in a minute, but let’s start with ESPN who recently had one of their own charged with a number of felonies. He’s not the first one either. Oh, they are no where near Florida’s 30 arrests in the last 6 years, but we also don’t have access to all their records and their “faces” are much less in number than just the 120 or so football players at UF. So we would expect their numbers to be less, but let’s not kid ourselves as to the number of guys who have gotten in trouble and maybe even been arrested and later had the charges dropped for various reasons. The only reason most of the stories about the guys at UF were because they were UF athletes, not because of the heinous crimes they were committing. I’m not excusing any crimes, just saying that most of what makes headlines concerning athletes might show up on page 6 of the local section in the daily paper if it made it all all.
Just take a look any day at the mug shots listed on the link on www.gainesville.com. You will see all kinds of people, both young and old. A few of their crimes make the headlines or the main section of the paper and maybe a one minute segment on the late news, then that’s the last you hear of it until it goes to trial. Many of their cases will be dropped or reduced without a bit of ink being wasted because it just doesn’t matter that the battery charge was dropped to something else and so and so had to do 200 hours of community service and keep his record clean for 6 months until the charges disappear completely from his or her record. But in the case of athletes, we somehow think that the coaches and administrators have the local DA in their back pocket because a kid who has a first offense doesn’t end up doing jail time. We need to let the justice system do it’s job and decide which criminals should be behind bars and which ones can do with a slap on the wrist that hopefully serves as a wake up call to behave better in society.
But why are athletes at UF getting in trouble so much these last few years. Do the coaches not talk about it? The answer is definitely “yes, they do”! The athletic department even has the equivalent of life coaches to help these young men and women develop into strong, productive citizens. And the vast majority does just that. Sure 30 arrests is too many, but even that is about 25% of the athletes on the football team. If you take a look at the background of most of the top tier athletes in this country you will find that many of them come from less than ideal situations. The majority of them are African-American and reared in single mom homes. That’s not a racial slur and not true of every athlete for sure. An interesting study would be to compare the arrest records of those who leave those environments to play sports and those who remain in those environments. We might have a better understanding of why these athletes get into trouble and my guess is that we would be amazed that so many of them stay out of trouble while they are in college.
Coaches and administrators cannot babysit every athlete at a university. Thanks to the NCAA, there is no longer an athletic dorm as there used to be. This might be something that needs to come back. At least when every athlete was in one dorm or two with a female athlete dorm, the staff could keep tabs on the comings and goings of players. They could control access by outside people and log who was visiting players during the week. It would be hard to get a runner for an agent by a diligent staff, hard but not impossible, right SMU? There will always be problems but at least the coaching staff would have a fighting chance to monitor the players if there was an athletic dorm. I know that sounds a little like a prison, but with a few more arrests, UF might have to hire the probation office who used to work at FSU and Miami anyway!
The problem is not a fun one to have at your University. It makes everyone look bad and not everyone is having these problems. But it seems unfair to blame the coach or call the program dirty when college guys are making dumb mistakes. I didn’t hear the numbers for the last home game but usually there are 40 plus arrests every home game in the swamp. And none of these are athletes, just regular “joes” and “janes” who do stupid stuff. And should we have access to the arrest records of a similar sample of students in Frats the numbers might be higher or lower depending on the recruitment standards of that particular Greek group. Athletes are not the only students getting arrested, but they certainly are the ones being talked about the most. So they have to stop the madness. The coaches can’t do it for them, the university can’t do it for them, and neither can the national media, or even the four letter network. The only thing that will change the culture is the changing of moral values from the inside of every individual and that change is brought about only through the forgiveness and changing of the heart found in a right relationship with God through Jesus. Anything less will only lead to temporary change!
Just take a look any day at the mug shots listed on the link on www.gainesville.com. You will see all kinds of people, both young and old. A few of their crimes make the headlines or the main section of the paper and maybe a one minute segment on the late news, then that’s the last you hear of it until it goes to trial. Many of their cases will be dropped or reduced without a bit of ink being wasted because it just doesn’t matter that the battery charge was dropped to something else and so and so had to do 200 hours of community service and keep his record clean for 6 months until the charges disappear completely from his or her record. But in the case of athletes, we somehow think that the coaches and administrators have the local DA in their back pocket because a kid who has a first offense doesn’t end up doing jail time. We need to let the justice system do it’s job and decide which criminals should be behind bars and which ones can do with a slap on the wrist that hopefully serves as a wake up call to behave better in society.
But why are athletes at UF getting in trouble so much these last few years. Do the coaches not talk about it? The answer is definitely “yes, they do”! The athletic department even has the equivalent of life coaches to help these young men and women develop into strong, productive citizens. And the vast majority does just that. Sure 30 arrests is too many, but even that is about 25% of the athletes on the football team. If you take a look at the background of most of the top tier athletes in this country you will find that many of them come from less than ideal situations. The majority of them are African-American and reared in single mom homes. That’s not a racial slur and not true of every athlete for sure. An interesting study would be to compare the arrest records of those who leave those environments to play sports and those who remain in those environments. We might have a better understanding of why these athletes get into trouble and my guess is that we would be amazed that so many of them stay out of trouble while they are in college.
Coaches and administrators cannot babysit every athlete at a university. Thanks to the NCAA, there is no longer an athletic dorm as there used to be. This might be something that needs to come back. At least when every athlete was in one dorm or two with a female athlete dorm, the staff could keep tabs on the comings and goings of players. They could control access by outside people and log who was visiting players during the week. It would be hard to get a runner for an agent by a diligent staff, hard but not impossible, right SMU? There will always be problems but at least the coaching staff would have a fighting chance to monitor the players if there was an athletic dorm. I know that sounds a little like a prison, but with a few more arrests, UF might have to hire the probation office who used to work at FSU and Miami anyway!
The problem is not a fun one to have at your University. It makes everyone look bad and not everyone is having these problems. But it seems unfair to blame the coach or call the program dirty when college guys are making dumb mistakes. I didn’t hear the numbers for the last home game but usually there are 40 plus arrests every home game in the swamp. And none of these are athletes, just regular “joes” and “janes” who do stupid stuff. And should we have access to the arrest records of a similar sample of students in Frats the numbers might be higher or lower depending on the recruitment standards of that particular Greek group. Athletes are not the only students getting arrested, but they certainly are the ones being talked about the most. So they have to stop the madness. The coaches can’t do it for them, the university can’t do it for them, and neither can the national media, or even the four letter network. The only thing that will change the culture is the changing of moral values from the inside of every individual and that change is brought about only through the forgiveness and changing of the heart found in a right relationship with God through Jesus. Anything less will only lead to temporary change!
Monday, September 13, 2010
How in the world did this happen?
How in the world does a guy who leads a 30 member church end up the center of attention for the entire world? That’s the question that I have been pondering over the last few weeks. Mostly because I have been asked by friends, alumni, and reporters to respond to Pastor Jones’ plans to burn the Koran since I live in Gainesville, I have been forced to ponder this. I would rather have been focusing on what is wrong with our Gator offense and sending my suggestions to Coach Addazio and Coach Meyer, but no, I have had to think about this most unusual occurrence.
The same guy who led the “Islam is of the Devil” fashion statement last year is at it again. By now you all know who he is and what he had planned to do. That’s because he sent out a press release! Can you guys just ignore him like you do the Westboro people and all the rest of the crazies in the world who send out press releases to their wacko parties? No, the media had to pick up on this one and then it got really crazy when Muslims from all over the world began to respond. There were threats of violence and protests in all kinds of places and people were hurt and killed because some small church Pastor released a statement about an event that was clearly planned to start some stuff.
If American Christians did that every time someone in another country decided to protest our religion or government, (they are often combined in the minds of many in distant countries), then we would be protesting something nearly every day. Let’s face it, there will be tremendous pressure on anyone who says or does anything against Islam, but almost no pressure on those who burn our flags or Bibles in other countries who are often the recipient of our aid and support. I’m not saying it’s right to burn either book or anyone else’s flag, I’m just saying it would be nice if the international media would pressure both sides equally. I’m sure the Afghan government leaders are not calling the Imam who is inciting the protests there to ask them to give up their plans to protest. I certainly don’t see the same kind of pressure being put on the Imam in NYC to move the cultural center because its location is offensive to some victims and their families of the 9-11 attacks. Let’s just make sure the playing field is level because both groups have the “right” as Americans to do what they have planned. But both groups should realize that having the “right” to do it is not the same as it being the “right” thing to do.
Thankfully, Saturday came and went without any major or minor event for that matter. The Pastor backed off his plans for now and maybe there is consideration of moving the NYC cultural center. Perhaps clearer heads will prevail in both situations. Then I can stop answering calls about how I feel about this or that thing that is affecting world politics and get back to answering questions about what’s really important. Gator Football! (Said with tongue firmly in cheeks!)
The same guy who led the “Islam is of the Devil” fashion statement last year is at it again. By now you all know who he is and what he had planned to do. That’s because he sent out a press release! Can you guys just ignore him like you do the Westboro people and all the rest of the crazies in the world who send out press releases to their wacko parties? No, the media had to pick up on this one and then it got really crazy when Muslims from all over the world began to respond. There were threats of violence and protests in all kinds of places and people were hurt and killed because some small church Pastor released a statement about an event that was clearly planned to start some stuff.
If American Christians did that every time someone in another country decided to protest our religion or government, (they are often combined in the minds of many in distant countries), then we would be protesting something nearly every day. Let’s face it, there will be tremendous pressure on anyone who says or does anything against Islam, but almost no pressure on those who burn our flags or Bibles in other countries who are often the recipient of our aid and support. I’m not saying it’s right to burn either book or anyone else’s flag, I’m just saying it would be nice if the international media would pressure both sides equally. I’m sure the Afghan government leaders are not calling the Imam who is inciting the protests there to ask them to give up their plans to protest. I certainly don’t see the same kind of pressure being put on the Imam in NYC to move the cultural center because its location is offensive to some victims and their families of the 9-11 attacks. Let’s just make sure the playing field is level because both groups have the “right” as Americans to do what they have planned. But both groups should realize that having the “right” to do it is not the same as it being the “right” thing to do.
Thankfully, Saturday came and went without any major or minor event for that matter. The Pastor backed off his plans for now and maybe there is consideration of moving the NYC cultural center. Perhaps clearer heads will prevail in both situations. Then I can stop answering calls about how I feel about this or that thing that is affecting world politics and get back to answering questions about what’s really important. Gator Football! (Said with tongue firmly in cheeks!)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Is it still the Mid-Summer Classic?
Monday, April 26, 2010
TWOC
This Week On Campus has been quite an interesting week. Last Sunday the Evangelical Campus Ministries Association along with Unite Now presented the Night of Worship at UF for the spring semester. I'm not sure how many people can fit in the amphitheater near the Reitz Union, but it can't hold any more than were there last Sunday night. The place was packed. The worship leaders led in an amazing selection of songs, hymns and spiritual songs. The Word was read and Matt Gordon, lead pastor of Gator Christian Life presented the gospel in a very straight forward manner. There were about a dozen decisions of some type that we know of made that night. Most of the crowd of over 1200 people, my estimate so it could be way off or right on, were already believers so that wasn't too big of a surprise.
As I stood there listening and watching it dawned on me that this is a glimpse of what the community of saints will be like in heaven. There were people of various skin tones, languages, worship customs, dress, and age all singing together the praises of the one true God and His Son Jesus who had delivered them from the penalty of their sins. There were no Baptists, no Presbyterians, no Catholics, no Pentecostals, or any other denomination for that matter. Oh, they were there it's just that no one really cared to ask for denominational loyalty. There were no Americans, no Chinese, no African nationals, no Indian, or any other nationality present. There were people from many countries present, but that was not the defining characteristic for them in that place. No, there were just believers praising the Lord together for that brief moment in time. As I smiled, I couldn't help but wonder if the Lord was smiling as well as for one moment, his people were doing the right thing the right way.
This week also marked the NFL draft and saw nine Gator players selected. That is the second most in the history of the school. There were 10 selected one year but the draft was 12 rounds in those days. UF had more players selected than any other school in this year's draft with three going in the first round. Haden was a lock to go in the first round. Not bad for a kid who was a quarterback prior to arriving on the campus. The first of the Pouncey's was almost a sure thing to go in the first round as well. It's good to see if you know anything about the kid and the family at all. But the big question on that first night was whether anyone would take a chance on Tim Tebow in the first round. Jacksonville had their chance and passed. I know the Jaguars fans may be upset but it was the best thing for both parties that they didn't take Tim. If they did take Tim, he would have been expected to start right away and I don't believe he's quite ready for that given the status of their offensive line. So they would have paid big bucks to get him and then start him and watch their season struggle for the first year and then every talking head would have been saying that Tim Tebow wasn't ready to be a starting NFL QB. And they would have been right. So instead of getting a solid big time guy, the Jags take a chance on another player from Cal on the defensive line. That's why they remain the Jags my friends! So instead, the Broncos move up to select Tim and the talking heads on the four letter network go ape crazy. My favorite moment was Gruden taking Kiper down a notch over the whole Tebow issue. I am not a fan of John Gruden but for those few moments I became one. He's right, Tim is and always has been a winner and there's no reason to believe he won't be at the next level. Remember Gator fans that Tim didn't start at QB his freshman year at Florida either and that turned out all right didn't it? He will have his moments and he will get the chance to develop into a top flight NFL QB. The best thing is that the city of Denver just got better. The broncos may not be a better football team, but the city just got better by adding Tim as a part of it. The organization just got better because they have a guy who will bring incredible PR to their team. And the churches in the area just got stronger because now not only will Tim be there, but so will Bob and Pam on numerous occasions and that can only be positive for their efforts to reach their community for Christ. Once again people said he wouldn't be selected until later, that he didn't belong in the first round as a quarterback in the NFL, that he was this or that, but one day people will learn to never doubt Tim Tebow and more importantly to doubt the God he serves!
As I stood there listening and watching it dawned on me that this is a glimpse of what the community of saints will be like in heaven. There were people of various skin tones, languages, worship customs, dress, and age all singing together the praises of the one true God and His Son Jesus who had delivered them from the penalty of their sins. There were no Baptists, no Presbyterians, no Catholics, no Pentecostals, or any other denomination for that matter. Oh, they were there it's just that no one really cared to ask for denominational loyalty. There were no Americans, no Chinese, no African nationals, no Indian, or any other nationality present. There were people from many countries present, but that was not the defining characteristic for them in that place. No, there were just believers praising the Lord together for that brief moment in time. As I smiled, I couldn't help but wonder if the Lord was smiling as well as for one moment, his people were doing the right thing the right way.
This week also marked the NFL draft and saw nine Gator players selected. That is the second most in the history of the school. There were 10 selected one year but the draft was 12 rounds in those days. UF had more players selected than any other school in this year's draft with three going in the first round. Haden was a lock to go in the first round. Not bad for a kid who was a quarterback prior to arriving on the campus. The first of the Pouncey's was almost a sure thing to go in the first round as well. It's good to see if you know anything about the kid and the family at all. But the big question on that first night was whether anyone would take a chance on Tim Tebow in the first round. Jacksonville had their chance and passed. I know the Jaguars fans may be upset but it was the best thing for both parties that they didn't take Tim. If they did take Tim, he would have been expected to start right away and I don't believe he's quite ready for that given the status of their offensive line. So they would have paid big bucks to get him and then start him and watch their season struggle for the first year and then every talking head would have been saying that Tim Tebow wasn't ready to be a starting NFL QB. And they would have been right. So instead of getting a solid big time guy, the Jags take a chance on another player from Cal on the defensive line. That's why they remain the Jags my friends! So instead, the Broncos move up to select Tim and the talking heads on the four letter network go ape crazy. My favorite moment was Gruden taking Kiper down a notch over the whole Tebow issue. I am not a fan of John Gruden but for those few moments I became one. He's right, Tim is and always has been a winner and there's no reason to believe he won't be at the next level. Remember Gator fans that Tim didn't start at QB his freshman year at Florida either and that turned out all right didn't it? He will have his moments and he will get the chance to develop into a top flight NFL QB. The best thing is that the city of Denver just got better. The broncos may not be a better football team, but the city just got better by adding Tim as a part of it. The organization just got better because they have a guy who will bring incredible PR to their team. And the churches in the area just got stronger because now not only will Tim be there, but so will Bob and Pam on numerous occasions and that can only be positive for their efforts to reach their community for Christ. Once again people said he wouldn't be selected until later, that he didn't belong in the first round as a quarterback in the NFL, that he was this or that, but one day people will learn to never doubt Tim Tebow and more importantly to doubt the God he serves!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Should Tim Tebow Be In A SuperBowl Ad?
There is a great article in the Washington Post that you should read. Here's the link but please don't go read it until you finish my blog: http://bit.ly/apJPCA.
So here's my thoughts on the whole controversy. Why is it that a beer company can spend 15 million or more to run 5 commercials and nobody mentions that it is a waste of money, yet Focus on the Family honors a gift to buy the time and produce a spot that celebrates life and they are wasting money? I have been watching the Super Bowl since it first was shown on TV. I think that was the first one. Yes, I am that old but that is another story entirely. I can't tell you how many different beer commercials I have seen. I can remember a few like the Bud frogs. They are always funny and often very memorable. But they have never enticed me to pop a top on any can. I have never bought a product solely based on one of the SuperBowl commercials. I don't think anybody will be radically swayed in their convictions based on Tim's commercial either.
That's why I don't see what all the fuss is about. If you don't like what Tim and his mom, Pam, have to say, go to the fridge and get some more chips and dip. Flip the channel to something else for 30 seconds. Or just listen and see what their viewpoint is to see if you agree or not. Somehow we have become frightened of any opinion other than the politically correct one. But who determines what is politically correct. I guess it's ok to have a woman strip off part of her clothes to promote a domain registry business and the good ladies at NOW have no problem with that, but let a woman stand up and defend her choice to keep her child and the whole liberal world is in an uproar.
If you really are pro-choice, shouldn't you be glad that someone is speaking about making a choice. Oh wait, it's only pro-choice is they agree with your choice to end the life of the child. One editorial in the local college paper this week promoted the airing of a same-sex dating site as balancing the scale for CBS. I don't care if CBS wants to air that ad as long as they have to pony up the same amount for it. I can exercise my right to go to the bathroom during that span if necessary.
I think Tim and Pam have just as much of a right to be in a SuperBowl Ad standing up for what they believe in as does Charles Barkley for being in one for Taco Bell. I am sure Sir Charles is a big fan of the tacos that he is pitching. Tim may never have as much influence as he does right now and you can bet he is thankful that Pam decided that he was worth the risk to carry to term. Another person mentioned that she wondered if Pam would have thought so much of her choice if Tim had been born with some defect or turned out differently. Knowing Pam and Bob, I think the answer would have been yes on both accounts. It's just that most people would have never known about their love for that son because he probably wouldn't have been on ESPN every week for the last four years.
So here's my thoughts on the whole controversy. Why is it that a beer company can spend 15 million or more to run 5 commercials and nobody mentions that it is a waste of money, yet Focus on the Family honors a gift to buy the time and produce a spot that celebrates life and they are wasting money? I have been watching the Super Bowl since it first was shown on TV. I think that was the first one. Yes, I am that old but that is another story entirely. I can't tell you how many different beer commercials I have seen. I can remember a few like the Bud frogs. They are always funny and often very memorable. But they have never enticed me to pop a top on any can. I have never bought a product solely based on one of the SuperBowl commercials. I don't think anybody will be radically swayed in their convictions based on Tim's commercial either.
That's why I don't see what all the fuss is about. If you don't like what Tim and his mom, Pam, have to say, go to the fridge and get some more chips and dip. Flip the channel to something else for 30 seconds. Or just listen and see what their viewpoint is to see if you agree or not. Somehow we have become frightened of any opinion other than the politically correct one. But who determines what is politically correct. I guess it's ok to have a woman strip off part of her clothes to promote a domain registry business and the good ladies at NOW have no problem with that, but let a woman stand up and defend her choice to keep her child and the whole liberal world is in an uproar.
If you really are pro-choice, shouldn't you be glad that someone is speaking about making a choice. Oh wait, it's only pro-choice is they agree with your choice to end the life of the child. One editorial in the local college paper this week promoted the airing of a same-sex dating site as balancing the scale for CBS. I don't care if CBS wants to air that ad as long as they have to pony up the same amount for it. I can exercise my right to go to the bathroom during that span if necessary.
I think Tim and Pam have just as much of a right to be in a SuperBowl Ad standing up for what they believe in as does Charles Barkley for being in one for Taco Bell. I am sure Sir Charles is a big fan of the tacos that he is pitching. Tim may never have as much influence as he does right now and you can bet he is thankful that Pam decided that he was worth the risk to carry to term. Another person mentioned that she wondered if Pam would have thought so much of her choice if Tim had been born with some defect or turned out differently. Knowing Pam and Bob, I think the answer would have been yes on both accounts. It's just that most people would have never known about their love for that son because he probably wouldn't have been on ESPN every week for the last four years.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tebow's Legacy may really be only a Legend
After the awesome Sugar Bowl game played by Tim Tebow and the Gator football team, I began to reflect on the career of Tim Tebow at the University of Florida. I have been asked by multiple media outlets about Tim, with questions ranging from his "real" character, his off the field life, and even his effect on Baptist faith on campus. I have written previously about his being a unique character on our campus and the reasons I think he has had a greater personal influence than any previous Gator athlete. This time my thoughts moved to a question that he was asked either prior to the broadcast or in the post game celebration, I don't remember which. The games are ending way to early in the morning for me these days. Which I think is a sign of my age rather than a change in broadcasting schedules! Anyway the question had to do with what Tim would like to be his "legacy" at UF.
As always, Tim gave a very thoughtful response. But after thinking about it for a while, I've come to the conclusion that the question is the wrong one. Because Tim cannot determine what his legacy will be at UF. Legacy is something we leave behind for others. What the interviewer really had in mind is what will the "legend" be of Tim. Put down those rocks Gator fans and hear me out on this one! Legend can be defined as a series of stories about someone or something or the person or thing at the center of such stories.
Tim has had his share of legendary performances including the last game of his career in New Orleans. The story of "the promise" will forever be immortalized by the plaque outside the football offices entrance. The Heisman Trophy will remain on display and there will surely be his name someday up on the ring of honor in the stadium. His jump passes will be the stuff of legend and before long everyone in the state will have been present when Tim beat the Sooners by himself in Miami. The things that Tim did are the stuff of legends. Two SEC championships, Two National Championships, more individual awards than most houses can hold, and more appearances on ESPN than Stuart Scott over the last four years are things that will never be forgotten.
But to evaluate a Legacy, we will have to wait a few years. We will have to wait and see if the players coming after Tim embrace the fans the way that he did. We will have to wait and see if they live out their faith and values like he did. We will have to wait and see if the future Gators play as hard, train as hard, and push each other as hard as Tim did. Because you see if those qualities that Tim have that made his a great leader do not get passed down to this year's team and the teams that come after this, then he will not have left a legacy. But he will always be a legend!
That leads me to ask myself the question, "Am I living to leave a legacy or make a legend of myself?" What about you? When you and I are gone from this earth will people remember us or will people embody the values and faith that we cherish. As I approach the last half of my life, I am beginning to care more about leaving a legacy than worrying about my legend. I have to admit at times in my earlier career it was the other way around. Perhaps that is the wisdom of age or maybe just a revelation that I don't want to waste my life. Either way I hope to invest in leaving a legacy for the remaining years of my life. Care to join me?
As always, Tim gave a very thoughtful response. But after thinking about it for a while, I've come to the conclusion that the question is the wrong one. Because Tim cannot determine what his legacy will be at UF. Legacy is something we leave behind for others. What the interviewer really had in mind is what will the "legend" be of Tim. Put down those rocks Gator fans and hear me out on this one! Legend can be defined as a series of stories about someone or something or the person or thing at the center of such stories.
Tim has had his share of legendary performances including the last game of his career in New Orleans. The story of "the promise" will forever be immortalized by the plaque outside the football offices entrance. The Heisman Trophy will remain on display and there will surely be his name someday up on the ring of honor in the stadium. His jump passes will be the stuff of legend and before long everyone in the state will have been present when Tim beat the Sooners by himself in Miami. The things that Tim did are the stuff of legends. Two SEC championships, Two National Championships, more individual awards than most houses can hold, and more appearances on ESPN than Stuart Scott over the last four years are things that will never be forgotten.
But to evaluate a Legacy, we will have to wait a few years. We will have to wait and see if the players coming after Tim embrace the fans the way that he did. We will have to wait and see if they live out their faith and values like he did. We will have to wait and see if the future Gators play as hard, train as hard, and push each other as hard as Tim did. Because you see if those qualities that Tim have that made his a great leader do not get passed down to this year's team and the teams that come after this, then he will not have left a legacy. But he will always be a legend!
That leads me to ask myself the question, "Am I living to leave a legacy or make a legend of myself?" What about you? When you and I are gone from this earth will people remember us or will people embody the values and faith that we cherish. As I approach the last half of my life, I am beginning to care more about leaving a legacy than worrying about my legend. I have to admit at times in my earlier career it was the other way around. Perhaps that is the wisdom of age or maybe just a revelation that I don't want to waste my life. Either way I hope to invest in leaving a legacy for the remaining years of my life. Care to join me?
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