Alphabetical
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June 26, 2009
Set:
If we made a list of hindrances to athletes today, what would it include? Drugs? Violence? Selfishness? Anger? Cheating? What if I said laziness was one of the top three hindrances to athletes? Some may disagree because of the intense training and conditioning of today’s athletes. I agree they are conditioned, ripped, and seem to be more physically conditioned than ever before, but I’m not talking about physical laziness.
Hebrews 6:12 describes “lazy” as something dull, unexciting; something that is slow or has lost its momentum. In other words, not moving with the same velocity and aggressiveness it once had. This is a picture of someone who has lost his drive—like sitting in a sports car and only shifting the gear into neutral.
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November 28, 2012
Set:
We know them well—athletes who, at first, worked hard and gave the credit to God for their success. But then as success increased, giving God the glory decreased. It happens all the time—the once humble athlete asks for more of the world and less of God. Pride takes over!
King Uzziah was one of these men. Under the spiritual influence of Zechariah, Uzziah sought the Lord and was blessed. But Uzziah started to focus more on himself and less on God. He became powerful quickly and quickly forgot who got him to that point. He became so proud and brash that he entered the temple and tried to do things only the priests were allowed to do.
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May 12, 2013
Set:
The Oscoda High School football team cancelled their season’s last five games as a result of going 0-4 and not scoring a point. I know going winless and scoreless stings, but my heart hurts thinking someone gave up on those athletes. I think about the possible victories they will never experience—not on-the-field victories, but the life victories they will miss. I guess they never heard the Winston Churchill quote, “Never give in—never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in . . .”
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October 01, 2009
Set:
Imagine an athlete lying outside a doctor’s office for 38 years, unable to walk because both legs are broken. For nearly 4 decades he waits for his name to be called. Then some guy comes up and says, “You’re next. Do you want to get well?” My first response would be, “Duh! Why do you think I’ve been sitting here for so long?” Then I would probably say something like, “I’ve been here so long I’ve read every sports magazine published since 1970, had 13,870 cups of coffee (one a day), and watched 38 World Series. I’m still waiting for the Cubs to win. Of course I want to be healed!”
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December 28, 2012
Set:
Professional golfer Blayne Barber had finally qualified for the PGA Tour. It was a dream come true! However, a week after playing in the tournament that qualified him, he couldn’t get the leaf out of his mind. Yes, a leaf. In the second round of the tournament, he had accidently brushed a leaf in the bunker on the 13th hole, so he marked his scorecard with a one-shot penalty for the infraction. Later that night, he learned it was a two-shot penalty. He played the final two rounds, but a week later, he didn’t have peace signing an incorrect scorecard, so he did the right thing. He disqualified himself, which cost him a spot on the PGA Tour. Blayne lived out the principle, “It’s never too late to do the right thing.”
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November 09, 2004
Set:
This year, the world of baseball gave us a very good example of perseverance. The Boston Red Sox, down three games to none against the New York Yankees, did not quit. They defied the odds and made something happen — something their organization had been incapable of doing for 86 years. They won the World Series. The Red Sox dug in and won eight straight games against probably the two best teams in baseball, the Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals.
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July 20, 2010
Set:
“In the beginning, God created…” These are familiar words to most people. We know the conclusion of this verse refers to the creation of the world.
Sometime in a humorous vein, those of us who love baseball will try to identify the Creator with our game by quoting the above as “In the big inning…” I believe there is an important lesson to be learned from the first five words in the Bible, one that relates more to those of us who live on the earth than to the earth itself.
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February 16, 2004
Set:
One of the most exciting times for an athlete is when their team gets new gear to wear — a new uniform, team sweats, team shoes or pre-game warm-up outfit. In new gear, the step seems quicker, the jumps a little higher. For some reason, it makes you feel better as an athlete. I remember those days as a player, and even when I ordered new things as a coach it was always fun. Outerwear, however, does not make the player different. It is what is on the inside that counts.
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December 25, 2013
Set:
As the coach of a college fall sport, for me, this time of year is a time of looking forward and planning ahead. We've finished reflecting on the past season, we've completed our exit interviews and we've laid out the plans for spring training. Now our attention turns to filling open positions with future recruits and envisioning what the future team will look like. Veterans return from Christmas break ready to embrace the challenge of becoming smarter, better and stronger. New recruits sign on with the hopes of becoming an important part of the future of the program.
In every new season, we are presented with new opportunities, new challenges, new relationships and new realities.
