Here we go...the playoffs

So college football has a playoff. Not a single championship game, but an actual playoff structure. In the words of Coach Jim Mora...



Yes, playoffs.

So here we go. Let's do this, Bama. Two more games on the Road to 16.



Roll Tide!

Andrew Luck's "trash talking"

Did you see the article about Andrew Luck and his reaction to hard hits?

If you don't know, Luck is the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. He was a top contender for the Heisman trophy as Stanford's QB in 2010 and 2011, and is now one of the NFL's top stars.

So today, we learn that Luck compliments defensive linemen when they sack him, saying things like "Good hit!" And it's freaking them out. Here is a link to the whole story:

Andrew Luck: The NFL's Most Perplexing Trash Talker

I love that he is doing this, and I love that it is so puzzling to his opponents and the sports media.

I don't know Luck's motivation, and I can't find any public material as to whether he is a Christ-follower. But his reaction is exactly what Jesus taught his followers to do, and I think the reaction is exactly what one would expect...because it's so countercultural.

Our culture teaches us to get our revenge. To not let anyone push us around. To give back as good as we get. If someone hits me hard, I need to strike back - physically if possible, but at least with words.

But the Scriptures are full of admonitions to love our enemies, to treat people better than they treat us, and to show kindness in response to cruelty. It doesn't make sense, but it's what we are called to do. For example,

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all...Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To he contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17, 19-21)

 I've seen it work - kindness can be so perplexing that it freezes an enemy in his tracks.

Luck, intentionally or not, is practicing this principle. And it's generating a lot of buzz, which I love.

How do you think it would affect people if you and I did it? At work. In our families. I think it would change the tone of our lives.

It's certainly changing the tone of some NFL games. And that's awesome.

History and Tradition: Alabama-USC

On Wednesday it became official. Alabama and Southern California will meet on the gridiron to begin the 2016 football season. This is huge. They are two of the most storied traditions in college football, and they have not played in almost 30 years. And when they have played...wow.

One of my favorite football-related childhood memories was listening to the 1971 Bama-USC game on the radio. Alabama was coming off a 6-5-1 season and the Trojans were ranked #1 in the nation. Nobody gave the Tide a chance in Los Angeles that night, but Coach Paul Bryant unveiled the wishbone attack, and pulled one of the greatest upsets ever:



The Tide went on to play for the national championship that season, and it all began on a shocking night in California.

Another of my favorite Bama memories came in my late teens, when the Tide once again traveled to LA to play Southern Cal. This one was televised nationally with the legend Keith Jackson calling the game.  Once again, Alabama was coming off a disappointing year (8-3) and USC was ranked at the top of the polls. With another improbably road victory, the Tide launched itself into the national picture and laid the foundation to win two national titles in the next three years.

Here is the entire 4th quarter, with the drama of USC nearly coming back from a 21-6 deficit to win. I paced the floor the entire time. Watch the whole thing if you can, but if not, go to the 37:00 mark and see the Trojans' TD drawing the game to 21-20, and the dramatic two-point conversion attempt. What a game!



Two great programs. A total of 26 national championships between them. One of the best venues in the country, Cowboys Stadium. By 2015, Steve Sarkisian should have USC back in the national championship picture.

I can't wait. Roll Tide!

Richard Sherman: Between the lines

By now you have probably heard about all you want about Richard Sherman's explosive post-game interview Sunday.

You've heard the discussions about whether or not he's a thug. You've seen posts where people rushed to judge him based on one 30 second interview. You've seen posts where people defended him, pointing out his Stanford education and all the good he does in the community. You've even seen discussions of whether the reaction is symptomatic of racism.

But there's one thing he said that gave me pause. And made me think about my life. So, if you'll indulge me, just a few more words.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, here's the interview:



So, the day after the game, in reaction to a social media explosion, Sherman took the initiative to write a piece explaining himself. There was an apologetic tone, and he made some really good points about his character, who he is, and the nature of football. I think he's mostly a good guy who got caught up in the moment. But there's one quote from him that still haunts me:

(D)on't judge a person's character by what they do between the lines. Judge a man by what he does off the field, what he does for his community, what he does for his family.

There is some truth to that. Character is determined by the totality of your life, not by one segment. But here's the thing: every segment is important. Including what happens between the lines. No, don't judge just by what happens between the lines. But don't leave it out either. It matters.
_____________________________

Every day I spend about eight hours "between the lines." I work with my own team, people from other parts of the company, management, and others. And how I treat them is important. If I lose my temper with an underwriter or a marketing rep because I don't like what they're telling me, that matters. I can't say (with any credibility), "Just judge me by my work with my church…my trips to Ethiopia…the love I have for my family and friends. Ignore the fact that I treat you like dirt. This is just work. This is just between the lines."

Uh uh. Doesn't pass the smell test.

Yes, Richard. All the other is great, but between the lines is important too.

And that goes for me too. I need to let Jesus shine through me everywhere…especially work.


Are you a different person at work than you are at home? In what way? Do you think that needs to change, or is it necessary to succeed?

Alabama football 2013 - closing thoughts

As we close out the 2013 season and savor our final 48 hours as reigning BCS champions, just a few random thoughts on Alabama football.

First, what an incredible group of seniors. Over the course of five years, they were 60-7, won three BCS championships, two SEC championships, and were ranked #1 for part of all five years. Maybe most remarkably, they have been favored in 54 consecutive games. All seven losses were upsets, meaning that the established such dominance that every time they lost, it was considered a surprise. Well done, seniors!

Second, with coaching stability that we have not enjoyed since the early 80s (an eighth year with the same head coach - Coach Bryant was the last one to do that) and maybe the best recruiting class ever coming in, the Tide is poised to continue this amazing run. We ended the season with a bitter taste in our mouths, but that has happened before during the last six years. Each time, Bama rebounded with a vengeance, and I expect that trend to continue.

About that bitter taste. Congratulations to Oklahoma! They played lights out on Thursday night, executed flawlessly, pressured our QB all night, and did everything they needed to do. They outplayed the beast of college football and deserve all the credit. Sometimes we get fans get tunnel vision and  think that every loss is just a failure on our team's part. I prefer to give the Sooners credit for an amazing game, instead of focusing on what Bama did wrong. Both teams played their hearts out; OU just played better.

Looking back on the season, I think this team had some holes from the NFL draft that coaching and effort covered up for most of the season. The pass rush needs to improve and we need to strengthen the edges, especially at cornerback. If I count right, due to inconsistency and injuries the Tide started five different players at CB this year. That will be remedied.

I also think that there was a repeat of 2010, where the mental toughness suffered from so much success. It's easy to forget how you got there. The lessons of 2013 will pay dividends in 2014.

And so we look to 2014. If you look to the upper right of this page, you will see a countdown clock. Before we know it, we will be kicking off the season in the Georgia Dome. Lots of work for the players and coaches to do before then. I believe they will get it done, and be prepared for the first ever College Football Playoff.

The road to 16 continues. Roll tide.

What is praise?

It's all through the Psalms…in fact, it's all the the Bible. Praise the Lord. Over and over, there are not only expressions of praise toward God, but exhortations to praise him? Why? Is it an obligation? Another rule we're supposed to follow if we want to please our Creator? Or maybe something else?

On a seemingly unrelated question, why do we post what we post on Facebook? What compels us to share certain things with our friends?

For some awesome thoughts that I think apply to both questions, check out this link (and then come back):

Praise: The Consummation of Joy

So, condensing and paraphrasing, God wants our praise not because he needs our approval, but because it is the expression of the fact that we get it. We understand just how awesome he is and how much he's done for us, and so of course it spills out. If it is not my natural inclination to praise him, it's a sign that I really don't understand.

So, it's natural for us to say things like

• That was the best movie ever!
• I couldn't put that book down!
• Did you see that game yesterday? It was amazing!
• You've got to try the new Thai restaurant!

And, if you're really experienced it,

• God is so awesome!

And that's the essence of true praise. Not something we do because we're supposed to. But something we do because it spills out.

Oh….Facebook.

This also helped me understand why social media blows up when something happens that fills a lot of people with joy at one time. It could be a TV show that captures the imagination. Or a movie that a lot of people have been waiting for. Or, yes, a spectacular football game.

It's natural to want to share joy; it's not natural to keep it to yourself. And so now there is a place where we go and share it. I think it's cool.

So when the Lord blesses me - when I see his handiwork in nature, when he shows me something in his Word, when I think of how Jesus came to bring me life - it's natural to share it. And so, the Psalmist would say, go ahead.

Share it.

Long and loud.

Praise the LORD, all you nations,

extol him, al you peoples.

For great is his love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.

Praise the LORD.  (Psalm 117)

Learning from history

About 33 years ago on a Saturday in November I was at YoungLife weekend camp. Fortunately (I thought) we had free time in afternoon and so I was listening to the Alabama game on the radio. Alabama was the two-time reigning national champion (familiar?), ranked #1 (familiar), and had a 28-game winning streak. On the road at Mississippi State. And then this happened:



Maybe the most stunning upset of the Tide in my lifetime. And it was not fun to listen to.

And so as I head to Starkville today, I am wary. Take this thing seriously. Don't let it happen again.

Roll Tide!

Real

So did you hear about Nebraska Coach Bo Pilini's profane rant about Cornhusker fans? If you follow college football at all, of course you did. Now, while I like to provide media links and embedded files for illustration, I don't think so this time. The language is way over the top, and so is his temper. If you haven't heard it and want to find it, I'm sure you can.

Let me say up front that I think the release of the recording was an unfair thing to do and obviously timed to embarrass him after a huge loss to UCLA. Nebraska fans are not happy with him. But the recording was made at a time when Coach Pelini thought he was in private, and it was two years ago.

Two years ago? A fair point. In private? Not so fast, my friend.

Authenticity. It is so lacking today. We wear so many masks - one for our family, one for our church friends, one for our golfing buddies, one for our co-workers...I could go on and on. We are so skilled at letting people see who we want them to see.

We ask for prayer from some people, and try to show we are confident and self-reliant in front of others.

We watch our language around our religious friends and curse like a sailor in the locker room.

We thank God for our meal...when we are with others who do the same.

We watch our diet around people that we know will challenge us about gluttony, and then sneak off to eat a double cheeseburger as soon as they're gone.

And so on. You could probably add a dozen examples.

The fact is, we are expert mask wearers. And Jesus had a word for it, one that literally meant "an actor in a play." Hypocrite.

It's really the only thing that he chewed people out about. He hung out with sinners, tax collectors, partiers, and prostitutes. He shared God's love with them and invited them to leave their party and join the great banquet of the King. But the hypocrites? Boom!

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!

  “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity." (Matthew 23:15, 25-28)

Like I said...BOOM!

I think Jesus would say the thing Bo Pilini needs to learn from this is to be the same person in private that he is in public. To be authentic. But more importantly, that is what he would say to me. I need to be one person - the same person in private, around my family, around my friends, around my co-workers. To not hide my faults, or the things I think you wouldn't approve of. Authentic, the good and the bad, not some image that I want people to like.

Real.

Bama football - Week 1

206 total yards. That one stat sums up most of what we're hearing from Tide fans about the 2013 season opener. Alabama throttled Virginia Tech, embarrassed their special teams with two TD returns, displayed a smothering defense, and got to play a ton of youngsters in a game against a name opponent. But fans love offense, and so there's a lot of hand wringing.

And that's understandable to a great extent. Next up is a legitimate Top 10 opponent in Texas A&M, a team that will likely score some points even on Bama's vaunted defense.  The offensive line play has got to improve, no question about it.

But, as Tony Barnhart points out in the third item of his column today, it all plays right into Coach Saban's hands.  If Alabama had come out and looked unbeatable in the first game, it might have been difficult to get the players' attention for all the things they need to learn before the September 14 battle in College Station.  But not now. He has their full attention and I expect a ton of learning to take place in the next 12 days.

I'll go a step further. I watched a good portion of the game again yesterday afternoon, and it looked to me like the quick strike from Christion Jones allowed Coach the luxury of letting things play out.  Don't get me wrong - I don't think he went into the game against a respected opponent with the intention of holding back. But I do think that once he got a big lead, that allowed him the luxury of teaching his offense a lesson. Y'all think you're so good? Well, I'll just keep pounding the ball up the middle against a nine-man front and let you struggle. Then maybe you'll listen to me next week.

Maybe not. But that's how it looked to me. I guess we'll see in two weeks.

Football is back...isn't this fun?

Let the season begin...

Twas the night before Christmas....ummmm....I mean football season.

Well it IS the most wonderful time of the year! And it starts in less than 20 hours, when the the two Carolinas kick it off.

I always look forward to football season, and I can't remember one that I've been more excited about. I'm not sure it's anything special about this one, even though it is the last year of the BCS system, and it is a year where history could be made. I think it's just that I am feeling especially appreciative of all the blessings in my life right now - and college football is a biggie.

So, as we move toward kickoff, here are just a few quick thoughts:

• Alabama. The Crimson Tide is coming off back-to-back BCS titles, something that is extremely rare. Even more rare is the fact that they've won three out of four. A couple of  milestones they are reaching for: In the AP poll era (since 1936), no team has ever won three in a row. And it's not just the team, but QB A.J. McCarron: no Alabama quarterback has ever gotten four national championship rings, or three as a starter. Yes, there is a lot to shoot for, and this Bama team is loaded with talent. But they do have question marks on the offensive line, and I always say that I'd bet on "the field" against any one team, no matter how good they are. So the odds are against them, but if they do it, it'll be special.

• Ohio State. Quarterback Braxton Miller is an amazing player and he has a lot of talent around him. And let's face it, the Big Ten schedule is not exactly a minefield. So the odds are very good that they will go undefeated and play for the BCS title. But I have a feeling they'll slip up along the way. It may just be that they will have to play rival Michigan two weeks in a row. If that happens, I think they'll go down in one of them.

• Florida State. Watch out for this team. Redshirt freshman QB Jameis Winston is going to be awfully good. I watched him play in the spring game and he looked game ready. Road games are tough for freshmen and so the Clemson game will be a real challenge. But Johnny Manziel did okay in Tuscaloosa, so it can be done. Watch out for the Noles!

• Johnny Manziel. No, you know what, I'm tired of this subject. Next.

• Stanford. I really like this team to go a long way. They play the tough physical brand of football that we love here in the South, and their opponents on the left coast are not used to it. That is a tremendous advantage, and also we know that style works don't we? (The SEC has won just a few championships with it.) Don't be surprised if they are in Pasadena on January 6.

I could go on and on...I love this topic. But let's wrap it up, and look forward to kickoff. So ready.

Roll tide. 

Commitment

Commitment.

It's a word that has become lost on our world. In s many ways, we don't know what it means. We hesitate to make commitments. When we do, we don't keep them.

Take for example that great holiday which comes the first Wednesday in February - National Signing Day. Tomorrow thousands of young people around the country will sign letters on intent, and thus college football teams will fill their rosters.

But leading up to that, these kids have been making verbal commitments.

Now it's one thing to change your mind; that can happen to anyone. Although I would argue that if there's even a chance of that, you should not announce a "commitment" - because it isn't one yet. But what gets me is when we hear quotes like, "I'm still 100% committed to Mississippi State, but I'll decide whether I'll stick to after my visit to Tennessee this weekend."

Huh? Huh?

What does the word mean? It reminds me of this classic scene from Seinfeld:



Take that entire conversation and substitute in the word commitment. Voila! The world of college football recruiting.

But it's not just these kids. It's so easy to point our fingers. But truth be told, all of us break our word from time to time. We rationalize it. We think we have good reasons. But when it comes down to it, we just mess up.

That's why Jesus said, while discussing oaths and promises, "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No, 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

Imagine a world where you could count on everyone's word. What a marvelous thing that would be!

Now...back to the world of recruiting. Here's hoping that recruit with the tattoo keeps his word (you know who I mean). At least his latest one.

What a resume....a rant

Did you see it? If you are a college football fan, you know that the Louisville Cardinals destroyed the mighty Florida Gators in last night's Sugar Bowl. The score was 33-23, but it was far worse than that. Louisville jumped out to a huge 21-3 lead and were never seriously threatened.

It was perhaps the biggest upset in BCS Bowl history. How could this happen?

Well, forgive me while I get something off my chest. It's a pet peeve about the way NCAA basketball tournament teams are selected. It will, no doubt, come into play in 2014 when the football playoffs start. And this game was a perfect example of why it's garbage.

When it comes time for the basketball selection committee to do its work, we are inundated with resume comparisons. This team's resume is better than that team's. How many non-conference teams did you play in the RPI Top 20? Top 50? Top 100? How many of those did you win? We see side-by-sides; we see blind side-by-sides (Team A vs. Team B). Over and over. And the results often do not pass the eye test.

So...this Florida team. They beat USCe (South Carolina). They beat LSU. They beat Texas A&M. They beat Florida State. Their only loss was to Georgia. By resume, they would be a clear choice to be a Top 4 team and qualify for the playoff. (Many thought their resume was enough that they should have been in the Top 2.) But they never - ever - looked the part. There always seemed to be something missing. They never passed the "eye test". And finally it showed. It showed with an embarrassing performance.

Now think about this: how does one go about finding a job? You create a good resume and send out alot of them, right? Good resumes are important; they get you in the door. A good resume gets you on the short list so that you get an interview. But there's always an interview. No employer in his right mind would hire you strictly based on a sheet of paper!

So what makes us think selecting the most deserving teams to play for a championship is any different? Selecting teams based on resume and resume only is equivalent to picking a resume out of a stack and hiring somebody without ever talking to them! Ridiculous. You have to meet them, talk to them, and get a feel for whether they are the right person for the job. Nobody hires from resumes alone.

So you've got to watch teams play. Observe matchups. Evaluate talent, cohesiveness, and discipline. The resume narrows it down to maybe 10 or 15. But the eye has to pick the four. It only makes sense.

Otherwise, you'll get a team like Florida playing for the championship. Ughhhh.

There, I'm done. Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Vultures

I was interested to read this article on Tim Tebow and the flap over his reaction to not starting for the Jets this past Sunday:

No Letup in Attacks on Tebow

Now, it's no secret that I was glad Greg McElroy got the start. It's great to see a Bama man get his chance, and I thought it was fitting that he be chosen over the guy that Bama tried to recruit before "settling" for Greg.

But the writer has a point. Tebow has been a model of character ever since he was thrust into the public eye. He often turns the other cheek to vicious comments. He works in overseas missions for the oppressed at every opportunity. He honors God's command to save himself for marriage. I think he lives a life of service to the King of kings to the best of his ability.

But he is human. And thus he is a sinner. And, as the article points out, the vultures are circling - waiting for their chance to say, "See? Fake! Fake! Fake!"

Because that's what happens when light shines in the darkness. The darkness can't stand it and wants to put it out. If I can show the light to be imperfect, maybe it'll have to go away.

And so they pounced this week. Tebow probably didn't handle the situation perfectly. I know I couldn't navigate that mine field. But wow, what an overreaction!

And, as the writer points out, they will continue to circle. Waiting for the next slip up.
________________________

And so it is for all of us who endeavor to follow Jesus. There are forces out there who don't want to believe it's real. And so they watch. And circle. Waiting to devour us if we falter.

And so it has been and so it is written / On the doorway to Paradise / That those who falter and those who fall / Must pay the price. (Javert in Stars, Les Miserables)

 No room for grace.

But we are children of grace. We will fail, and God is there to pick us up.

I pray for Tim Tebow. He is in the spotlight, and rightly or wrongly some will judge the validity of the Christian faith by watching him.

And I pray for you - because somewhere there is someone watching you in the same way. And so please...pray for me too.

Hang in there, Tim.

32 days....

Roll Tide

One for the ages

The Crimson Tide of Alabama now has SEC Championship #23. And it's on the a quest for National Championship #15. But it was not without a "dawgfight." A few weeks ago, I wrote about the LSU game and tried to put it in perspective with the best Bama games I have been blessed to attend. I was not wrong - it was an amazing game and contained that one moment you can look back on if you win a championship. But what I saw Saturday night..well, it was at another level. Let me explain...but first, let's take a moment to enjoy the key moment:



So I've been asking myself, "What makes this one so special?" At the risk of overanalyzing, I've come up with this: All the great games on my list contain at least some key elements that make a game memorable. Elements like:

• An exciting finish, with the outcome in doubt until the final horn,
• Tremendous intensity from both sides throughout the course of the game,
• A handful of plays from both sides that were turning points,
• Multiple changes in momentum,
• A refuse-to-lose mentality from both teams,
• High stakes, and
• A packed house and an amazing atmosphere from the the fans.

As I look back on all the games I've attended, a few stand out - as I mentioned in the previously linked post. But as I looked over the list, I noticed that most of them were amazing because of some of the items on this list. For example, the 1985 Georgia game had everything except the high stakes - there were no championships on the line. Or the 2009 SEC Championship Game:  it had the high stakes and will always be a wonderful memory as a Bama fan, but Florida did not do their part to make it an all round classic like this one.

But this one...wow! Everything on that list - everything! - was there. Back and forth, back and forth. Big plays. Turning points. Teams in the brink of disaster but somehow rising up to fight again. A finish that will be talked about for decades. And stakes up there with the highest - the championship of the sport's best conference and a chance to play for the big prize.

And finally, one of the best examples of mutual respect I've ever seen between two fan bases.

What a day! Roll Tide! And, because they earned it...Go Dawgs!

One of those nights

Last night was amazing.

Yes, the dominoes fell to get my Crimson Tide back in the BCS race. Yes, there was amazing football to watch. Yes, I was on the edge of my seat, and even pacing, as the incredible game between Stanford and Oregon played out.

But mostly it was amazing because it was one of those "shared experiences" (a perfect term used by my friend Brian). I didn't just watch the greatest sport on earth and feel the drama as several games played out all at once. I did so with a group of friends and family totally about 20. It was a night with those people that I will never forget. It was like /I was frozen in time, and that frozen moment will always exist.

As much as I might try to capture every day like that, there are some that stand above others. This was one:

November 17, 2012

Saturday in perspective

I think this tweet says it all:

Barrett Jones ‏@BarrettAJones

This weekend was a great reminder that nothing (including Alabama football) can truly fulfill you besides a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 You think you're into football? You think it's important to you? No way it can be more so than it is to Barrett Jones, who invests blood, sweat, and tears into being the best offensive lineman he can be. And yet, this is his perspective.

So yeah, Saturday hurt. That's the point and fun of competition: the "thrill of victory" that comes from the fact that there is always the possibility of the "agony of defeat".

But it can't fulfill. Thanks, Barrett, for the reminder.

To God be all the glory.

The night before "Christmas"

Well, I just arrived in Baton Rouge a little while ago, and I am now settled into my hotel room. And it does feel a little like Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve, when as a kid you are so excited about what the next day will bring. For Alabama and LSU football fans, this day has become like that. Every meeting seems to be proclaimed a "game of the century." Once again, it's a battle of Top 5 teams with national championship implications. This has truly become the most anticipated game on the Tide's schedule every year. For good reason.

So...random thoughts as I sit here trying to decide if there's any point in trying to sleep.

• Objectively, all the data about team performance this year suggests that my side ought to be alright. The QB play has been worse than mediocre, which is what I expected as expressed at the beginning of the season in this blog post.

• However, Bama is playing a team that can match up with them physically for the first time all year and that can't be ignored. If LSU comes out with their best game, it will be a war. I hope that when the Tide is in a war - for the first time this year - they'll be mentally tough enough to close it out. I think they will, but - as they say - "that's why they play the game."

• I don't know which game or games, but I believe there will be major upsets tomorrow, and there will be a reset of the BCS discussion. Oklahoma State is so explosive offensively that I suspect it'll be Kansas State falling.

• And, despite the ineptness of Lane Kiffin as a coach, don't count out USC against Oregon. The same thing applies to them as LSU. Incredible talent that has been underperforming.

• Ole Miss has been much better than expected and Georgia is coming off a huge, emotional win. The Bulldogs had better be ready...this one smells dangerous.

Regardless, it's all going to be fun. I can't believe we are already in week 10. It goes by waaaaaaay too fast.

Roll Tide. Beat everyone.

Just in case you're confused...

If you are my friend, you know this is my current facebook profile picture, taken in Knoxville last Saturday...

Now, I know what you're thinking. Those are the two young ladies who were all over ESPN during the game Saturday night! Right? Like in this screen shot from the broadcast:

So...clearly, I saw them on campus and said, "Hey! I know y'all. Can I get a picture with you?"

No, not quite. They are my nieces and I am very proud of them. Not because they were on TV but because of who they are.

It was a great trip, and another great Bama game.

More on our road trip legacy later in the week. Well, it's a crazy week at work, so if I can carve out some blogging time, more later.

And if you see Haley or Macy, be sure to ask them for an autograph. Or a picture with them... ;)

The Kingdom on a football field

"But I tell you: love your enemies! ...Look at it like this: if you love those who love you, do you expect a special reward? Even tax-collectors do that, don't they? And if you only greet your own family, what's so special about that? Even Gentiles do that, don't they?" (Matthew 5:44, 46-47)

 "The kingdom of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard seed, which someone took and sowed in his field. It's the smallest of all the seeds, but when it grows it turns into the biggest of shrubs. It becomes a tree, and the birds in the sky can then come and nest in its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32)

A friend tweeted a link earlier this evening to a story. A story that surpasses anything from my ordinary day that I might write about it. So I felt compelled to share it. As I watched this short video (about 5 minutes), I could see the life of Jesus bursting at the seams. This is why he came, to produce fruit like this. Check it out:



The first thing I saw was this: The very idea is full of what God's kingdom is about. Jesus came to launch a world where through his power we can do the impossible: loving those who can give us nothing in return for no reason other than it's how God loved us. Forgiving them completely. Drawing them to the person of the Messiah through love that is so powerful it cannot be resisted.

The second thing is just as significant: This video told the story of how other schools latched on to the idea and made it happen again. And before long, these kids are encountering the unconditional love of God wherever they go to play football. That is what I believe Jesus meant in the parable of the mustard seed. It starts so small - random acts of obedience that can be only explained by the fact that God's Kingdom has arrived. And it grows...and grows....and grows. Like a mustard seed grows into a tree.

It makes me ask myself: What can I do today that will plant a seed? That's all I need to do...God will take it from there.