God's Grace on the Golf Course

I played a round of golf with some friends the other day. That is an innocent enough statement. Please understand, I don't play golf nearly as much as I'd like to. The fact of the matter is, I play golf just enough to keep me wanting to play more. The golf course is not always friendly to me, and I'm sure there are people who are playing either with me, or behind me that wish I would choose a different part-time hobby. The last time I was on the golf course, though, brought some lessons I would like to share. The four-some on the course decided it would be prudent for our schedules if we played two-man best ball. For those not familiar with golf terminology, that basically means that we had two, two man teams. After each person hit the ball, the team could choose which ball had the best lie and would be able to play their next ball from that spot. It makes for a quicker and lower scoring game. On the first hole, my partner and I had some issues. We shot a +2 ~ two over par. My comment to my parnter upon entering the golf cart to go to the second hole, "New hole, new life." We had to consciously put that hole behind us. If we're not careful, we can dig ourselves a hole and get bogged down because of mistakes or bad days. It is a conscious choice to put mistakes behind us and start over. Incidentally, we went on to par the next few holes. Later in that round of golf, I hit a shot on a par 3 that landed on the green. That's precisely what was supposed to happen. The reason I say it that way, is that many times, the shots I hit don't do 'what they're supposed to do.' The putt that followed surprised everyone on the green ~ especially me! It fell into the bottom of the cup! Yes, I birdied the hole. The positive words that came from both my partner and the two friends we were playing with served to encourage me. I've hit a lot of golf balls, but few have actually gone where I fully intended them to go. I was thankful for the good play, and equally thankful for the encouragement from my friends. The back nine was not as kind on the whole. In fact, on one hole, both my partner and I hit our tee shots and we weren't sure where either of the balls landed. The trajectory of both balls were, to say the least, not headed for the fairway. The friends we were playing with extended grace. They offered to let us hit a mulligan. A mulligan is a 'do-over'. Hit another ball, without a penalty. We didn't deserve their kindness and generosity. We accepted it, of course, but we didn't deserve it by any means. By the end of the round, both my partner and I were tired. He had driven a couple of hours just to get to where we played golf. I had stayed up all night working. Both of us were playing on bad knees. He didn't have any ligaments in one knee and I have a knee with basically bone on bone and no cartilege. As we approached the 18th tee, we were ready for the round to be over. But we finished the round. Good, bad, or ugly, we finished what we set out to do. The fellowship was incredible! To be able to hang out with some of my best friends in the world is enough to make the day a great one. We are able to talk about a lot of things while we're enjoying a day on the golf course. We are able to talk about grace and how God's grace amazes us. We are able to discuss how we are able to extend grace to one another. We are able to put grace into action even as we miss a shot or hit a ball where we don't intend to. Those are mirrors of what God is to us. When we miss the opportunity to do what He wants us to do, or we are offended by someone's hurtful comments to us, we can practice extending grace. All men are born sinners. We have all been condemned at birth. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and come short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). But we have all been extended grace. When we didn't deserve it, Christ took our place on the cross. Even in our most unlovely state, He chose to die for us (Romans 5:8). Be encouraged today to love someone in spite of their faults or quirks. Jesus set the example to love us; now let us love them.

Christmas in ~~ March?

I have heard of several who have had Christmas in July events. It's kind of catchy to do something like that. After all, in the middle of the year; Christmas is a good five months away. Although, the commercialism of Christmas these days, there are some pretty good sales pushing Christmas gifts about that time of year. Wait, did I really type that? OK, you can feel free to insert a sly grin there.

I've told several people during the past few years that retailers make their money between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hmmm, ignore that last paragraph's sarcasm then. Back to my original thought ~ but hoteliers in Florida make their money between January and April, with a concentrated focus on March.

What normal person living in a cold weather climate doesn't enjoy a break from the dreary, gray skies of January and February? Spring breaks typically are in March for a reason! Additionally, who wants to throw a baseball in the great white North during Feburary and March? Not me! I'm so glad God allows me to live in Florida during the winter and spring months!

The particular town where I live was home to the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers for 60+ years. It was a great love affair between our cities. Unfortunately, the Dodgers chose to leave our city for apparently greener pastures in Arizona, leaving our economy in a world of hurt at the most inopportune time. Enough about their loss!

The grounds that were once officially known as Dodgertown is now called (in official speak only) the Vero Beach Sports Village. It will, however, ALWAYS be Dodgertown to the Vero-ites. Minor League Baseball has been operating Dodger---- (see what I mean?) Vero Beach Sports Village, since the Dodgers left. They have worked diligently to bring high school and college baseball to Vero Beach during this time of year. They also host the USF Bulls football team in the August heat for their preseason camp. Umpires come down for clinics, as well as the Dodgers and Yankees (wow, that hurts) hosting their fantasy camps. Concerts and even festivals are hosted there now. They have built four new ball diamonds, as well. Essentially, this year has almost been a break through year for the hallowed grounds that once celebrated America's Past-time during February and March.

I work at a hotel about four miles away from Dodger---- (there I go again). During the first two weeks of March, this place has been almost 90% occupied. We've sold out several nights this month already. Tonight was one such night, therefore this blog post. I mentioned to my nightwatchman, I wish I had $5 for every person I've had to turn away tonight. I could take my wife out for a pretty nice dinner! We have two college baseball teams, a college rowing team, and a part of an orchestra from Germany in house tonight. It has been the proverbial zoo!

Yes, someone in the upper heirarchy of our hotel management would enjoy reading this for sure! But as I've seen the pained looks on people's faces as I've told them I've no rooms, another thought has crossed my mind. Luke 2:7, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because their was no room for them in the inn." The innkeeper in Bethlehem was presented a need. Mary needed a place to rest. Joseph must have been a bit nervous as he sought a place to lay their heads, knowing Mary's physical condition. I realize the customs and culture of the day was different. This innkeeper was not expected to leave the light on for them. Unfortunatly, hotels.com was not around to secure the cheapest room. The fact was, however, that there was no room to be found at the Bethelehem exit, and that's exactly where Joseph needed to stay in order to keep his appointment with the local office of the taxing and census bureau.

As I've turned people away tonight (and yes, the phone has been ringing all night, too), I've honestly thought of the Christmas story. I've put myself in the shoes of the innkeeper in Bethlehem. I wish I had a place to offer these people. In fact, one young man (literally, true story!) grinned as he headed back to the door and asked if I had a room at my house where he could stay! It almost broke my heart to tell him that was not a possibility. (Yes, my wife is breathing more comfortably now.) I heard stories of how people had been driving for hours, yes HOURS, looking at every hotel at every stop for 150 miles, to no avail. Earlier this week I had a lady from OnStar call me with a client she was trying to place. No room. Earlier tonight, I had another lady traveling alone, now in a full-blown panic attack because she couldn't find a place to stay. And yes, since beginning THIS PARAGRAPH, I've fielded two phone calls inquiring about our availability.

Is there a lesson to be learned? Other than make sure you have hotel reservations when traveling through Florida in March? I think the biggest lesson to learn is to be prepared to help those with whom we come in contact. Unfortunately, we may not be able to meet the ultimate need, i.e. a room in a sold out hotel, but we may be able to offer a word of encouragement along the way.

The ultimate way to help is to provide the good news that there is a Savior who has come to this world to give hope and help. There is a Savior who has come to give the hope of eternal life and help us through the comfort only He can provide.

Christmas in ~~ March? Christmas can come anytime when we are reminded of the special birth of our Savior. Share Him with someone today, won't you?

The SEC Championship Game ~ Should UGA show up?

The season started vastly different for these two teams. LSU played Oregon on neutral turf (although much closer to Baton Rouge) and beat the ranked Oregon team. Georgia also played on neutral ground (yes, much closer to Athens) against a ranked Boise State team. Georgia was not as fortunate. Boise State thumped the Dogs rather handily. Georgia went on to lose to ranked South Carolina to begin SEC play and Mark Richt was supposedly going to finish the season coaching at Siberia U.

I watched both the Boise State and South Carolina games and saw marked improvement in UGA's effort. Were it not for a couple of unfortunate ball bounces and trick plays, UGA would have likely won. The look on Steve Spurrier's face during the game would not have landed him a job on the popular deoderant commercial ~ he let a national TV audience see him sweat.

That was almost three months ago. LSU has continued their march to an undefeated season ~ 12-0. That's no slouch by anyone's standards, let alone to go unscathed through the SEC West. UGA has also gone on their impressive run of 10 straight wins, through the SEC East. Say what you want, the SEC is the most grueling college football schedule in the country. To get to the SEC Championship Game at the end is a monumental milestone for both teams.

Much has been said about a possible LSU - Alabama rematch for the National Championship. I have an opinion about that, however not to be shared in this space. Since LSU and UGA have not met on the football field in a couple of years, I did some research on their 2011 seasons. Their schedules included at least six common teams. LSU and UGA won all six of those games. Since teams can (and should) improve throughout the season, I wanted to choose games that were relatively close to one another to compare. I chose the Mississippi State and Auburn games.

Without boring you with all the specific numbers (go to ESPN.com and look them up yourself if you're that interested), I noticed these games were remarkably similar.

For example, against Mississippi State, Georgia had 20 first downs while LSU had 21. Incidentally, both allowed MSU 13. LSU amassed 361 total yards to UGA's 315. The time of possession was within three minutes of each other. Final scores? LSU won 19-6 while UGA won 24-10.

In the Auburn game, UGA had 30 first downs, holding Auburn to only 9. In that category, LSU had 23 and Auburn had 18. Total yards ~ Auburn racked up 195 against UGA's defense, while gaining 248 against LSU. Incidentally, LSU looked strong against that Auburn defense, gaining 393 yards! But hold on to your hat, Lee Corso . . . UGA rolled up 528 yards against that Auburn defense! The possession time for LSU and Auburn were within 1:10 of each other. Georgia's offense stayed on the field almost 41 of their 60 minute game. The final scores were almost identical. LSU 45-10; UGA 45-7.

All things considered, LSU may have a better team on paper. LSU may win the game, we don't know yet. But that's why they play 'em. And so, to our friends at ESPN who so aptly predict college football games so well during this time of year, NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND!! I wouldn't be so quick to write off a strong showing by the Georgia Bulldogs this weekend in Atlanta. Win, lose, or draw, I think it will be a completely different team's showing than what the Nation saw in the opening week against Boise State.

Bruce Bochy Botched It!

Beware, this post will have a lot of numbers and statistics that, for a non-baseball fan will mean absolutely nothing. If you are a baseball fan, and in particular, a Braves fan, read on with interest.

First (or I suppose second, now) and foremost, I'll begin by saying I do not envy the job of the manager of an Major League Baseball All-Star Game. There are many people who are upset because they feel their favorite players or teammates should have been chosen to be an All-Star. I also will acknowledge that the manager has to work with many stipulations that may or may not be realized by the average fan. That having been said as a type of disclaimer, I will use this format to express my displeasure with the choices of the National League manager, Bruce Bochy of the San Fransisco Giants.

Popular vote of baseball fans around the world select the Game's starters. While that is also a bit of a farce from time to time, I must say that this year's National League starters seem quite deserving of the honor. (It is completely ironic to me, however, that most of the starters will have little to do with the outcome of the game.) The players then have a vote. In researching (yes, I did research for this post), I wanted to find out who was chosen by the players. Some, by reading various articles, I learned were chosen that way, but I was unable to find a specific list of such. The rest of the rosters are determined by the managers of each team (selected on the basis of the prior year's World Series participants). The glitch here is that each team must be represented by at least one player. So, if the fans have not elected a starter, or the players have not elected a representative from a team, the manager must find someone on that team to be an All-Star.

The statement is well-known, "You can make statistics say anything you want." Baseball is a game of statistics. There are statistics for everything, including some things that seem totally ridiculous. But when looking at who to select for such a game, for such an honor, statistics must be considered.

An examination of some statistics clearly show that Bruce Bochy should have made some different selections. I'm a Braves fan. I've been a Braves fan for a long, LONG time. I'm pleased that Brian McCann was elected a starter for this year's team. He deserves that honor. I'm tickled that Jair Jurrjens was selected as a pitcher this year. He deserves that honor. Chipper Jones was selected by the players. He even thought his manager was playing a practical joke when he was informed of his All-Star selection. He said he was shocked. Quite frankly, so was I. Jonny Venters is a relief pitcher on my favorite team that has done extremely well this year. He deserves the chance to be there.

There are two deserving Braves players, however, who were omitted from the roster this year. Yes, I know there are others from other teams that deserve to go, too. That may be, but this is where things get dicey. Four pitchers from San Fransisco (Bruce Bochy's team) were selected to the roster. One of which (Ryan Vogelsong) is a 'feel-good' selection. His story is one that just gives people the warm fuzzies. If Coach Bochy wants to make him a selection to fulfill the 'every team must have a player' rule, then fine. Select him, fulfill your 'every team must have a player' rule, and select others who deserve the honor by their on-field play. Take a look at the numbers posted by the other pitchers chosen:

Matt Cain 7-4 record with a 3.02 ERA in 17 games. He has pitched 113.1 innings, giving up 94 hits and 37 earned runs. He has walked 29 batters while striking out 95. Opposing batters are hitting .223 against him.

Tim Lincecum is 6-7 (yes, a LOSING RECORD) with a 3.14 ERA in 18 games. He has pitched 117.1 innings, giving up 99 hits and 41 earned runs. He has walked 41 while striking out 126. Opposing batters are hitting .230 against him.

Adam Berry, writing for MLB.com (7/4/11 6:35PM Bochy Happy With NL All-Star Picks) said this about his interview with the manager, inferring the thoughts came from the manager, although quotes were not used. "Lincecum, who is coming off a rough stretch in June, deserved the spot for his performance this year and his status as one of baseball's most exciting pitchers." Friends, he's been a major league pitcher since 2007, pitching in 62 career games. Forgive my lack of correct English, but Nolan Ryan, he ain't!

Contrast these statistics to those of Braves pitcher, Tommy Hanson. Hanson is 10-4 with a 2.52 ERA in 16 games. He has pitched 96.1 innings, giving up 66 hits and 27 earned runs. He has walked 34 while striking out 103. Opposing batters are hitting .192 against him. He spent a couple weeks on the Disabled List, causing the fewer innings pitched. The guy has been dominant during most of his starts.

Let's look at a couple of relievers. Brian Wilson, closer for the Giants, who made the All-Star team has an impressive 6-1 record with a 3.03 ERA. He has pitched 38.2 innings, saving 24 of 28 opportunities. He has allowed 33 hits, 13 earned runs, walking 22 and striking out 36. Opposing batters are hitting .238 against him.

Craig Kimbrel, a rookie closer on the Braves pitching staff, has compiled the following numbers in the first half of the season. He has a 2-2 won-lost record with a 2.51 ERA in 44 games. He has saved 25 of 30 opportunities in 43 innings, giving up 12 earned runs. He has walked 18 while striking out 67. Opposing batters are hitting .188 against him.

Lest anyone think I'm simply crying foul because of a couple of Braves pitchers, I would also mention a Pirates pitcher, Correia. He is 11-6 with a 3.74 ERA pitching 113 innings in 19 games. He's walked 25 while striking out 57 and batters are hitting .260 against him.

As I said, I do not envy the job of a manager trying to make selections to the All-Star Game. There is absolutely no way to get it perfect. Someone who deserves the honor will be disappointed. But this year, I believe the statistics bear it out ~ Bruce Bochy, you BLEW IT!!!

One, Two, Three ~ TEAM

I've purposely not posted much (or any, actually) about the NBA Finals. I'm not a huge NBA fan, but because I love sports, I do keep up with the games a little bit. Since the Hawks (OK, remember, I AM a Georgian!) have been eliminated, and since I do love baseball more than I like basketball, following these playoffs at a safe distance is about all I can muster.

Last off-season, the Miami Heat made the huge splash with the mega-signing of Chris Bosh and LeBron James to play alongside Dwayne Wade. Mr. James made a huge deal out of this because his former (hometown) team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, just were not going to be good enough to win a Championship. He felt like these three men teaming together would be unbeatable. "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach" and play for the Heat.

They started out rocky before going on an incredible run that seemed like it was inevitably going to result in a championship. Then the team began to struggle again. News began to circulate that Mr. James could not finish a game as strongly as he had started. There was even some embarrassing news from the coach involving players crying in the locker room after a loss.

The Heat won their division, and began a run in the playoffs that seemed unbeatable. They seemed to be peaking at just the right time. At the same time, the Mavericks of Dallas were creating some news of their own in the Western Conference playoffs. As the series' progressed, these two teams met in the Finals.

While the coaching staff obviously did their job on the bench and in preparing their team, there was one player on the Mavericks that stood (quite literally) head and shoulders above everyone else. Dirk Nowitski was the catalyst on this Maverick team that would not give up. Nowitski took the team on his shoulders and led the team throughout the playoffs. Other team members contributed and did their part. The team fed off the leadership of Nowitski on the floor.

I'm not a basketball expert. I fully understand that ESPN will not come calling on me to be the next analyst, but I know enough to get by. And besides all that, this is my blog, and I'm going to offer my opinion here, most likely to the chagrin of most sports writers. Would you like to know the reason the Mavericks won the NBA Finals? TEAMWORK. Yes, there was a coaching staff who called plays and trained their players in a philosophy they wanted to carry out on the court. Yes, there is an owner who pays too much money to these guys to play the game. But they had 12 players on their roster who were able to execute the gameplan and not allow pride to get in the way of the job at hand. They were confident, obviously; but their confidence was channeled through their team instead of individuals.

If we are going to be successful in anything, we must recognize our role in the greater scheme of things. Whether at work, in our families, on our rec-league softball team ~ know your role and do everything within your power to be the very best you can be at executing that role.

Here we go, on three ~~ One, Two, Three ~~ TEAM!!

Tuesday's Top Tweet ~ another from Dale Murphy

On May 17, I wrote about Dale Murphy, a former player for the Atlanta Braves. Today's Top Tweet of the Day comes from Mr. Murphy. Actually, to be more correct, he retweeted and replied to someone else and the whole thing will be my Top Tweet today.

rj_brown77: "Got the mitt oiled up? Need to back in CF sir, with Heyward and McLouth going down."
DaleMurphy3: "Thx. Saw that. Ouch."

Those not familiar with baseball lingo / Braves news, here's the deal: Two of the Braves starting outfielders (Heyward and McLouth) have been placed on the Disabled List due to injuries. rj_brown77 is remembering Murph's days as the Braves centerfielder and asking if he's got his glove ready for playing.

I sure hope Heyward and McLouth are back soon, but what a treat it would be to see Murph patrolling centerfield again! Incidentally, I watched him play a celebrity softball game last June (see blog entry May 17), and he didn't look too badly!

Happy Birthday, Dad

Today is a day of remembrance for me. For the better part of the first 25 years of my life, May 24 was a day of celebration in our family. My dad would celebrate his birthday today. As I type this, I'm trying to think of some of the specific celebrations, and honestly, I can't remember any to share. Mom made lots of cakes, I'm sure. Most of them, at least in the later years, were probably known as "thin-layer chocolate cake". Those were his favorite.

If he were still living, he'd be 76 years young today. I say it that way, because I remember him as being a young man. After all, he was only 55 when melanoma cancer took over his body. He was still playing softball regularly until fairly late in his life. Dad enjoyed sports ~ he played golf, softball, and enjoyed fishing. He taught me to be a Braves fan long before the team started winning.

More importantly, dad was a man of integrity and godliness. Perfect? Far from it. Did he get on my nerves? Hey, he was my dad ~ of course, he did. But I'd gladly trade a few frayed nerves to be able to pick his brain again. I'd obviously look beyond some of the imperfections to be able to hear him preach again.

Dad taught me to have a love for music. He sang in his high school FFA quartet, sang in his college choir, and ministered through music in many facets of church ministry. Incidentally, I sang a couple years in my high school literary quartet and sang in the same college's choir when I attended there. I followed many of my dad's footsteps, but if I can be half the man of integrity and godliness he was, I'll be a great man.

Ken Faison (1935-1990), I miss you. I love you, and look forward to the day we'll be reunited in Heaven. Oh, and Happy Birthday, dad.

Dale Murphy for the Hall

My pick for Tuesday's Tweet of the Day goes to Dickie V tweets "@DaleMurphy3 Hall of Fame is where u belong."

Dale Murphy, of course, was the center fielder for the Atlanta Braves during my teen years. He was one of the few bright spots on a pretty dim Braves team back then. For baseball purists, there are some statistical numbers that the powers-that-be look for to cement enshrinement in Cooperstown. Mr. Murphy is right on the cusp of those numbers. There are some who would say he just didn't have quite good enough statistics to be so honored. Others are able to show he indeed has the statistics to vote him into the Hall.

With all the controversy that surrounds many of the stars of the game today, it should be noted Murph was above reproach on the diamond and off. He had the character that many players of today's generation lack. That should stand for something. (Incidentally, I realize if Mr. Murphy and I were to sit and talk theology, we would vehemently disagree on some of the most basic tenets.) The fact remains his character is head and shoulders above most of those in the game today.

In June 2010, I had the opportunity of attending a couple of Braves games in Atlanta. It happened to be Alumni Weekend and one of the highlights of the trip was being able to interact with some of the Braves Alumni ~ of which Dale Murphy was one. The line to get Dale Murphy's signature on a baseball was long. It was well worth it, though, when I was able to speak to him. I simply said to him, "Thanks for the memories, Mr. Murphy." As sincerely as I've ever seen or heard a man, he looked me in the eye and said, "No, thank YOU."

I admit I was a little taken aback by his response. I hope I never forget it. More than that, I hope I never forget the intent behind it. Here's an athlete who played the game very well (that's an extreme understatement!) and yet recognized his athletic ability wasn't above the game nor the fans who made it possible for him to enjoy such a living.

It would be so nice for the present day athletes, in all sports, would learn and apply such a lesson.

Spring Training ~ Here Comes Baseball

Its hard to believe Spring Training 2011 is almost here. To non-baseball fans it doesn't mean anything. To the moderate baseball fan, it may not mean much. But to the baseball fan who truly loves the game, and particularly to those of us who live in Florida (or Arizona, I suppose) it means a LOT!

It is our time of year when we can view our favorite past-time up close and personal. I've been to quite a few baseball games in the past. I'm very fortunate that way. And while a regular season game means a lot more in the grand scheme of things, going to a Spring Training game where players are a lot more accessible brings back memories of what baseball used to be.

The Dodgers moving from Vero Beach was a sad time. I attended the last Dodger game at Dodgertown. That place was the epitome of Spring Training. Players and coaches actually took time to talk to fans. Fans would walk around and follow the players and coaches to the various work out sites. Media would be right there, too. I still remember a conversation I had with a notable ESPN baseball analyst one warm Spring Training day at Dodgertown. Those were the days.

But here we are again. Spring Training is right around the corner. Although I can't attend games at Dodgertown anymore, my buddy Bob and I are fully prepared to go root on our Braves at Disney in March. We are Braves fans and that has become a favorite trip to look forward to.

For those friends still stuck in some frozen part of the United States, let this be an encouraging word to you. Baseball is right around the corner. The frigid winter will not last forever! Play ball!!!!

Character Building in Sports

Although I'm not a huge fan of the NBA, I am a sports fan. I'm a regular viewer / listener to ESPN television and radio. One of my favorite segments of ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning is What People Are Talking About. This is where they give the 'headlines' of the sports world. If you want to know what the hot topics are for that morning around the water cooler at work, they can summarize them for you in five minutes or less.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are playing a playoff series. The Cleveland star is a native-son of Ohio, Lebron James. With the best of seven series tied at two games apiece, playing on their home floor, Mr. James and Cavs just didn't play to their level of ability. The Celtics dominated and travel home to Boston and need to only win one of the next two games to advance to the next round.

What's the big deal, you may ask? The city of Cleveland hasn't had a championship for their city in a long, long time. This is their best chance in the minds of many. What's even more antsy is the contract of Lebron James expires this year. Will he be back next year? After all, without him, there is absolutely NO CHANCE of Cleveland winning.

James didn't give his best effort. The team didn't rally around him while he was having a bad night. I even heard some say he did this on purpose. People are beginning to question the legacy he will leave behind. His response to that last line actually impressed me. Summarizing what he said, I'm only 25 years old. I've got plenty of playing time left. It's too early to think of my legacy as a basketball player.

Everyone will have a bad day. It is physically and humanly impossible to be on top of your game every night. Cleveland fans, be thankful this is the NBA and not the NCAA. One bad game in the NCAA tournament of March Madness and your toast! So, if this were the NCAA, the Cavs would be done. Finished. Packing up their lockers. If the Celtics win the series, that means they're probably the better team.

The overall point of this is to remind you that Lebron James is not the only person on the Cleveland Cavaliers team. If the Celtics win the series, chances are they are the better team. And Cleveland, there is life after getting so close ~ again. Let's face it, I'm a fan of all teams Georgia. I know plenty about waiting til next year. The best thing about being a Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and DAWGS fan is not being a Mets/Yankees, Patriots, Lakers, and Gators/Jackets fan. OK that last line is just in jest, but seriously, as much as I want my favorite teams to win, life does go on. There's winning, and there's character-building. Sometimes, our character needs just a little fine-tuning.

Resting Sports Stars ~ Good or Bad Practice?

Those who know me well understand that I am indeed a sports junkie. Some might even call me a sports geek. After all, I am the one who would listen to a looped sports talk show (one that is simply repeated every half-hour or hour, etc.) or watch a game that happened earlier, even if I've already seen it. Shoot, I'm the guy who would go to the game, have it recorded while I'm there, and then watch it when I get home!

Some of the sports pundits the last few days have been jawing back and forth about play-off bound teams resting their star players during the last few regular season games. They are understanably excusing those with minor, nagging injuries; in effort to have them as close to 100% ready for playoff action. The controversy comes about in resting players that are healthy and ready for action. The debate is lively on both sides of the coin, and I suppose there are convincing arguments either way.

While sitting in a restaurant recently, I posed the question to my 17-year old daughter from the business standpoint. The fan pays $100 for a ticket and wants to watch the team, including the star player, play. The star sits, and the fan feels slighted. Right or wrong, fair or foul, good or bad?

Her first reaction is, "It's just a game. I'm not going to pay $100 to sit there and watch grown men play a game, anyway." I see her point, but taking that human interest factor out of the equation, the fact remains, that the consumer is paying a chunk of change to watch a competitive game.

Consider this. The team has secured a spot in the playoffs. The coach does not want to risk unnecessary injury to a key player, and maybe the long season is taking its toll on the human body. Resting the player(s) can prove damaging to the routine of the athletes. Just ask the Indianapolis Colts. The athletes need to stay sharp and focused on the job at hand.

Put the starting players on the court (or field, as the case may be), let him get his statistical average, then let him sit. This accomplishes many goals: the athlete stays sharp and focused in his energies, the team does not lose the needed rhythm entering the postseason, the fans are able to see the stars AND the reserves who need the playing time. Everyone wins.

The injury factor is there in any sport. No one wants to get hurt, much less in a 'meaningless' game. But I submit, any game has meaning ~ to someone. Don't take away the competitive edge for any team. Make the game fair in every aspect. Start the same team you'd start if it were in the middle of the season. Its just the right thing to do.

A College Football Fan's Perspective

College football is filled with tradition and pageantry. Fans of each team in every conference of major college football will be able to give reason after reason why their favorite team and / or conference is the best. I suppose I'm no different. I'm obviously biased and partial to the Georgia Bulldogs and the Southeastern Conference. Whether it is the multiple national and conference championships, the Heisman trophy winners, the Hedges or the line of purebred white English Bulldogs named Uga, I see myriad of reasons to be partial to the Bulldogs.

College football programs (as well as basketball and baseball) are cyclical at best. There are very few dynasties that last more than a few years, before rebuilding must occur. The true fan will ride the wave of the good years and tread the water of the bad. The disappointments of a coaches decision and a players' inability to execute the play on the field can add to the frustration of seasons gone awry. It's easy to point fingers and make excuses, but the fact remains, there must be a winner and a loser. The 'what-ifs' of life will not yield the character that sportsmanship and athletics desire to build in the life of the athlete ~ and the fan.

College football has, somewhat sadly, become as much a business as a tradition. In case you haven't noticed that fact, check the latest ticket prices to attend a game. Somehow, there are 90,000+ fans who are willing to pay exorbitant prices to paint their faces, drive their expensive campers to weekend-long tailgating parties, and spend more money than the average person could imagine are making sure a working, middle-class family of four cannot reasonably attend a game.

Coaches make thousands, if not millions, of dollars annually, and are forced year in and year out to prove their worth. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to allegations, investigations, and sometimes penalizing innocent young men; for you see, it is always the players who are years removed from the infraction who must pay the price for their predecessors wrongdoings. Much like an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the field, it's always the one who retaliates who draws the yellow hankey to the turf.

"Its just a game," some say. Superficially, those fine folks are correct. Football, basketball, baseball, soccer ~ they're games. Like Scrabble, Monopoly, Rook, and Tiddly-winks ~ they're games. The difference is these games have the timeless tradition, the proud pageantry and the glorious grandeur of serious competition. Week in and week out rivals run deep and bragging rights are on the line. Friends and families are sometimes split for just a few hours on a Saturday afternoon or evening because after the National Anthem plays, until there is no time left in the 4th Quarter, it's strictly competition.

Because of these rivalries, there are some teams in the Southeastern Conference that I cannot, in good conscience, root for unless they are playing in a bowl game against another conference. I have many friends who are die-hard fans of all the teams in the SEC. This past weekend, Gators and Elephants (why they're called the Crimson Tide, I don't know) played for the most prized possession of the Southeastern Conference ~ the Conference championship. Along with it, this season (as in the past several), the winner gets the chance to play for the National Championship. I have dear friends who wore crimson and white as well as blue and orange. Some even in the same family! There are players on each SEC team that I admire and whose abilities I respect. There are coaches who I admire ~ others I loathe. But at the end of the tongue in cheek trash talk, when the clock has said 0:00 the fourth time, we're still friends. Whether you're a Vol, a 'Dore, an Elephant, Tiger (choose whichever version may apply), Hog, Wildcat, Rebel, Rooster, the wrong Bulldog, or yes, even a Gator, I love ya ~ even if I root for the other team. Because there are just some teams I cannot bring myself to root for.