Random Thoughts on the College Football National Championship Game

– Did that really happen?
– Alabama is good.
– The happiest person on the planet right now, (next to Nick Saban) is the Alabama kicker. Alright, at the very least, the most relieved person on the planet. 
– Did that really happen?
– Georgia fans could use a hug today. Or two. Hug a Georgia fan if you see one.
– Tua Tagovailoa is good. I’m a fan of his, regardless of what jersey he wears. 
– The shot of Tua hugging his Dad after the game may have been the best visual of the night, in a game featuring one of the most improbable finishes of all time and some very memorable plays. 
– Alabama is good. 
– Two freshmen quarterbacks battled it out for the championship. Sure, one fell short, but my gosh, compared to what I was accomplishing (see: not accomplishing) during my freshman year of college…uh, yeah. Impressive work by both guys. Bright futures ahead. 
– The Georgia kicker is good.
– Somewhere around 11 o’clock I texted my Dad about what a wild, unbelievable game it was. Somewhere around 11:15, Carson texted me the same thing. Sports brings people together. 
– It must have been pretty frustrating for Jalen Hurts to get benched, despite the subpar performance in the first half. Cameras showed him enthusiastically cheering on the team, regardless from then on. Good sport. (Take note, kids…and parents.)
– So, he’s the backup quarterback, he’s asked to come in for the second half of the championship game, brings the team all the way back to even, then he gets sacked and his team is suddenly knocked out of field goal range in overtime, after they had missed a chance at winning the game in regulation, after the other team’s kicker then nailed a long field goal to put them back in the lead, their backs are against the wall…and then Tua throws a perfect, in stride, long touchdown pass to win it all? Sounds like a movie script to me. 
– How much confetti is up there in those rafters, anyway?! Do they have everyone bring a lawn bag full of shredded documents with them as part of their admission to the game? Always amazed by the sheer amount of that stuff falling down onto the field after a championship game wraps up. 
– I like sports. I really like college football.
– Did that really happen?

A Note to Billy Cundiff and Kyle Williams

There will be better days, gentlemen. You helped get your teams as far as they got and in the end, a team wins or loses together as a team.

Keep your heads up.

Tim Tebow

How could anyone not like you?

Some of you may remember that line, read by the character of Jerry’s adoring mother during one particular Seinfeld episode.

Have to believe that’s what Tim Tebow’s mom must think when the hurtful and hate-filled comments come in toward a guy who both on and off the football field embodies everything that is good and decent about humanity.

How could anyone not like him?

Read this:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/story/2012-01-11/tebow-exclusive/52518122/1 

I’ll fill you in on a secret before I continue. Several years ago, being a Florida State fan…I didn’t like him. He was so good against FSU and he led the Gators to such great heights, which as a Seminoles fan was in no way a good thing. So I admit, I was in that group during his Florida years.

Looking at Tim Tebow now, I’ll ask the question again: How could anyone not like him?

The guy is genuine, he’s polite, he’s charitable and puts others before himself, he glorifies God in all he does, and he doesn’t have the slightest hint of an ego. These are bad things?

I’m sure people don’t like him because they just want to be like him or envy what he has, which is: success, fame, the adoration of millions, and a great life. There are plenty of people out there who don’t like him for his openness about his faith. Some don’t like his football mechanics. Others, well, I suppose the list goes on an on.

I’ve become a big Tim Tebow fan. My kids like Tim Tebow. We root for him and I hope he and the Broncos will win it all this year.

According to the article above, Tebow was voted America’s new favorite athlete in the latest ESPN Sports poll.

I like it. It’s nice to see a positive, unselfish person at the top of a list like that. It’s certainly a departure from many other highly paid athletes who only think of themselves. (I’m not saying ALL athletes are that way, before you jump on me for writing that. Many. Not all. Many.)

Anyway, good for you Tim. I’ll pray that neither your accomplishments nor the pressures of society will change who you are. Stay strong in what you believe and keep up the good work.

Image by Jeffrey Beall via Flickr