Tag: football

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80 Long

Andrew had his first junior high football game last night. He is playing wide receiver and running in the play calls, just like I did many years ago!  Watching his games has taken me back to my playing days and has brought back a few of my football memories.  However, one in particular stands out – the 80 long play.

For those who don’t know – 80 long  is when the wide receiver runs straight down the sideline – way down the sideline –  like to the end zone down the sideline, and the quarterback rolls out and throws it to him.  The intent – the long bomb for a touchdown – and the cheers of the crowd, and FOOTBALL GLORY!

So, I remember Coach Wilson calling 80 Long in my ear hole.  As I ran towards the huddle I realized that this play was coming to me!  This was MY chance at glory.

I tore off down the side line, got past the cornerback, arrived in the endzone and turned over my out side shoulder for the ball.  And there was the ball, targeted for my inside shoulder!  Oh No!  In horror I watched the ball fall aimlessly to the ground.  Which in this case what a gravel track in the corner of the end zone. And dejected I ran back to the sideline.

I never ran 80 long into the huddle again.

So, I am sure I will recall that day until I pass from this world, but I can tell you I don’t dwell on the failure.  I mean really,  we all fail at things.  Here are two things that I do think about when I think about 80 long.

If I didn’t try at all, I wouldn’t even have this lousy sad story,  although the touchdown story would have been better.  (And hey, is it not better to learn early that you really aren’t good at something?)  The lesson there – Always Try.

and secondly, failure doesn’t define you – dwelling in failure does.  That missed touchdown has no bearing on the person I am today.  I have a memory, but really, I moved on, and have had tons of success.  The lesson there- failures is a part of the process.

So, what am I trying to say today?  We all have our 80 long, but , just like Paul,  we need to leave them behind and keep straining toward what really matters.

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  Philippians 3:13  New International Version (NIV)

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Bowl Season!

Yeah, it’s Bowl week, and it’s gotten off to a great start with to game saving touchdowns late in the game.  I have to say that fourth down call by The Herd was a great play.  But here’s something pretty cool that happened off the field.

As you probably know, the players are rewarded quite well at this games.  The bowl gifts range from TV’s to watches, from iPods to rings. Tons o’ swag – well – of course swag that is under the $300 NCAA limit.  Yesterday however, a few Louisiana Tech players gave their packages to children from the Make-A-Wish foundation.  That’s probably even more incredible than the touchdowns and tackles.  Jump over and read about it here.

And be inspired by the heart of those players, and the magic of the Christmas season.

Keep Giving!

 

38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:38 New International Version (NIV)

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Wear Your Colors

Today is College Colors Day.  It’s obvious that this day is really about the start of college football this weekend. So I hope you have clothed yourself with the colors of your favorite college.

But as I wrote about last football season when the old Mountaineers had some new fancy suits to wear, lets make sure you are clothed with something else today as well.

You see the whole idea of this day is to get you to identify yourself with your team – whose colors are you wearing?  Who do you support?  It’s a fun day.  But look at this, these words from the Christ.

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20 New International Version (NIV)

He says – “hey y’all,  you can tell who is on my team by what they do – how they act, by what legacy they leave”. And then later he says – “well boys, it’s like this, they will know you are my team because you love other people”.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 New International Version (NIV)

So put on the old Gold and Blue, the Purple and Gold, the Orange, the Crimson, the Red and Black, and also put on the fruit of the spirit and the colors of the Christ!

Let us be known by our fruit!

 

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Envious of Passion

Yesterday, I traveled to a small blacksmith shop in town that manufacturers supplementary equipment for the military and the police. It was such a small shop with 3 or 4 employees total, but they produce a great product.  However, what impressed me the most was their passion and the way they love what they are doing.

I saw the same thing a few weeks ago with the UTC football coaches when I was able to spend a few moments breaking down game film with them at a First Things First parenting event.  They had incredible knowledge and an incredible desire to win football games. 

I am so envious of the passion these people possess.  I love the focus and their desire for one thing.  I notice at my corporate America employment site it can become very easy to lose focus on the goal.  It’s so easy to get distracted and be going in a direction that makes no sense.

So, that is why I am so envious of the passion that is so evident in these people – focus, determined, heading toward one goal.

Hm, sort of what our creator expects from us! 

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17, New International Version)

This is the type of passion that I yearn for, one focus, one desire, on tasks. How about you?

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Second Chances

Oh I feel so bad for the Tennessee Volunteers – the purveyor of second chances. If you did not know, twice this year, it appeared the Volunteers had victory in its hand as the clock expired, and twice, the officials gave the opposing team one second and a second chance to beat the Volunteers.

So here we sit at the end of 2010, the relative last seconds of the game called 2010. How did you match up against your goals? Did you achieve your resolutions from last year – or did you fail short? If you did, you will get a second chance to beat those resolutions, as the new year is upon us. Even though it feels like the end of the game, a new year provides a second chance towards victory. So even though its really just another day, use this ending of the year as a ‘life marker’- a line in the sand – and be transformed.

Look at these words of encouragement from Isaiah, which are actually the biblegateway.com’s verse of the day:

“This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 New International Version, ©2010.