It's down to four. For eight teams, the Sweet Sixteen is now simply the last game of the season and four additional teams played their last games in the Elite Eight. Wildcats, Tigers and Panthers have all been declawed; Jayhawks and Cardinals have had their wings clipped; Bulldogs have been kenneled; Blue Devils have been exorcised; Boilermakes have lost their steam; Sooners will have to try later; the Orange are blue; the Musketeers have been disarmed.
Who will reign victorious? UNC, with their record 18th appearance? The UConn Huskies, with a season record so far of 31-4? What about Villanova, the lowest seed remaining at number 3? Or will it be Michigan State, who stopped the number one of the number ones? My pick? It's hard to say. That is after all, why they play the game. But, since my Bulldogs are out, I will likely stay with the canines and root for the Huskies.
There you are. Three more games. Congratulations to all the teams.
Go Bulldogs! Oh, wait, sorry. Go Huskies!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Madness that is March
It's everywhere. The sound of sneakers squeaking on hardwood, the hollow thump of the orange sphere bounding off hardwood and glass, the swoosh of the three-pointer. Yes, the NCAA championship tournament is here. It's almost half over right now, and my favorite college team is still in it. That may not be true after tonight, but I can hope.
Oh, who am I rooting for? The Gonzaga Bulldogs.
What? But I'm from Texas! Why not the Aggies or the Longhorns? Why some college that is in Spokane, WA, a place I've never even visited? Simple; John Stockton.
Former point guard for the Utah Jazz, and arguably one of the best to have ever played the position, John Stockton was the primary reason I every watched pro basketball to begin with. His 19 year career was spent entirely in Utah, despite efforts by other teams to lure him away. He still holds the records for most career assists and most steals, and looks to hold them for awhile yet. Throughout his pro career, he made his statements on the court. He never accepted any endorsements, and when he wasn't playing, you didn't hear much about him. In the pro sports world, that's a good thing.
I was always impressed with his play, his work ethic, his respectability, and his loyalty. Things that are missing in too many pro athletes.
And so, I follow his alma mater in basketball, although I really don't follow the Jazz anymore. They simply aren't the same team without him, Karl Malone and Jeff Hornacek. But the Gonzaga Bulldogs are a consistently good team. They have been in the Tournament on a regular basis since 1999.
Tonight, the Bulldogs go up against No 1 ranked UNC. I have many friends from N. Carolina and I do have respect for the Tar Heels, but I still hope the Bulldogs win. I want them to go on and win the whole thing. But, for now, I'll enjoy the fact that they've made the Sweet Sixteen and take one game at a time.
Go Bulldogs!! Sorry, Tar Heels. It's time to go home.
Oh, who am I rooting for? The Gonzaga Bulldogs.
What? But I'm from Texas! Why not the Aggies or the Longhorns? Why some college that is in Spokane, WA, a place I've never even visited? Simple; John Stockton.
Former point guard for the Utah Jazz, and arguably one of the best to have ever played the position, John Stockton was the primary reason I every watched pro basketball to begin with. His 19 year career was spent entirely in Utah, despite efforts by other teams to lure him away. He still holds the records for most career assists and most steals, and looks to hold them for awhile yet. Throughout his pro career, he made his statements on the court. He never accepted any endorsements, and when he wasn't playing, you didn't hear much about him. In the pro sports world, that's a good thing.
I was always impressed with his play, his work ethic, his respectability, and his loyalty. Things that are missing in too many pro athletes.
And so, I follow his alma mater in basketball, although I really don't follow the Jazz anymore. They simply aren't the same team without him, Karl Malone and Jeff Hornacek. But the Gonzaga Bulldogs are a consistently good team. They have been in the Tournament on a regular basis since 1999.
Tonight, the Bulldogs go up against No 1 ranked UNC. I have many friends from N. Carolina and I do have respect for the Tar Heels, but I still hope the Bulldogs win. I want them to go on and win the whole thing. But, for now, I'll enjoy the fact that they've made the Sweet Sixteen and take one game at a time.
Go Bulldogs!! Sorry, Tar Heels. It's time to go home.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Moving On
Well, I missed February. Oh, I was on the planet. I was even awake and alert for most of the time, but I still somehow missed it.
So, here we are in March and life is moving on. I continue to work on my next manuscript, although I have to admit the time I have spent on it in recent days has been negligible. There have been some very rough bumps in my life's road since the beginning of the year, but, with God's grace and love, I will survive.
I am ramping up my attempts to find places at which to speak; either about India or about the places where God is leading me. And He is leading me into some unknown waters. I can see nothing but the small circle of light at my feet, but then, that's really all He intends us to see. Psalm 119:105 tells us that His Word is lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We are brightly illuminated right where we stand and a short distance up the path in front of us, but we still cannot see very far ahead. Most of the time, I don't want to know what's in store. I think it would scare me more than not knowing.
But lately, I've been battling. Why has nothing changed? What am I doing/not doing? Is it even me? God are you here?
Of course He's here. He's always here. I know that. I have to believe that I know that.
And so I continue, like Job, to question and yet still believe. I am no danger of discarding my faith. I am in no danger of running away from the One who loves me and protects me above all others. I've been simply sitting still for awhile and now it's time to get up and simply move forward. To where? I have no idea. But He is holding the lamp and lighting the area around my feet. I will not fall because He knows where all the drop-offs are and will steer me around them safely.
I will likely get rained on some more. I will still question "what's next" or "what now" but I will also hold fast to the simple truth that "what's next" is what's in His plan. I will go, He will lead.
It's time to move. Forward. In a small circle of light that will never be extinguished or diminished.
So, here we are in March and life is moving on. I continue to work on my next manuscript, although I have to admit the time I have spent on it in recent days has been negligible. There have been some very rough bumps in my life's road since the beginning of the year, but, with God's grace and love, I will survive.
I am ramping up my attempts to find places at which to speak; either about India or about the places where God is leading me. And He is leading me into some unknown waters. I can see nothing but the small circle of light at my feet, but then, that's really all He intends us to see. Psalm 119:105 tells us that His Word is lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We are brightly illuminated right where we stand and a short distance up the path in front of us, but we still cannot see very far ahead. Most of the time, I don't want to know what's in store. I think it would scare me more than not knowing.
But lately, I've been battling. Why has nothing changed? What am I doing/not doing? Is it even me? God are you here?
Of course He's here. He's always here. I know that. I have to believe that I know that.
And so I continue, like Job, to question and yet still believe. I am no danger of discarding my faith. I am in no danger of running away from the One who loves me and protects me above all others. I've been simply sitting still for awhile and now it's time to get up and simply move forward. To where? I have no idea. But He is holding the lamp and lighting the area around my feet. I will not fall because He knows where all the drop-offs are and will steer me around them safely.
I will likely get rained on some more. I will still question "what's next" or "what now" but I will also hold fast to the simple truth that "what's next" is what's in His plan. I will go, He will lead.
It's time to move. Forward. In a small circle of light that will never be extinguished or diminished.
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