Just Like You and Me

In a very lucky opportunity as a member of the TCU Young Alumni Board, I was given the chance to help volunteer at the Rotary Lombardi Award Presentation on Wednesday, December 8th at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Downtown Houston. While I wasn't using my astute selling skills in throwing off the shelves tshirts, mini footballs, mini helmets, lapel pins and more volunteering at the merchandise table - I had the chance to REALLY meet the stars of the show, as one man working with me so kindly put his $500 VIP admission badge around my neck and told me to go check things out. This is a "hodge podge" of those encounters....

The first two people I met that night... I didn't know who they were until they walked off! GOSH, what a horrible sports fan I am! First, a very tiny, firecracker of a man came up asking how much the books were that we were selling. Of course, in my due diligence I told him the price and explained that we would love to have him purchase one. He laughed and continued walking... then I realized... OH. MY GOSH. That was Rudy and he was asking about his own book. I am SUCH an idiot. HAHA! Nonetheless, he came back and signed all the copies and was very nice and goofy about his little trick.

Next, a petite little woman came up - the perfect picture of a Southern Belle - asking about all the prices of the items we were selling. She said she had 3 boys (pronounced with her accent... "3 boy-ees") and wanted to bring them home some goodies. She was straight up a brunette version of Sandra Bullock in the Blind Side - it was incredible! Needless to say, when she dropped $300+ without batting an eye I wanted to know who this woman was, then her husband walked up - none other than Dabo Swinney, the head coach of Clemson.


Finally, I made my way into the VIP Reception. The first autograph line I stopped in was Jake Kirkpatrick (of course!) - and I must say, he had the largest line of fans! He was chatting, taking pictures and so incredibly personable and friendly, in typical Horned Frog fashion :) When it was my turn I told him I was an alum from 2009 and I told him to beat up on the Badgers. He gave me a smile, a yes mam and of course a giant "GO FROGS!'

Next, I stumbled my way over to Nick Fairley. (Now, as a lifelong LSU fan, my impression of him may have been slightly skewed, but..... I'll continue) I guess he was too tired to stand up to greet his fans, so he was perched on a chair. He signed my program and I told him "Best of luck in the National Championship!" Now, I don't know if he just grunted or I got a "tanka" (thank you?). Hm, good thing it only takes a couple rocks in between the ears to hit people!

Then, this is where the evening hit a minor speed bump! I immediately spotted Gene Chizik and Dabo Swinney in the corner of the room, so I thought I could go over and get some autographs from them! I walked up and stood by their wives, one of them being my old friend from the merchandise table. I stood there for a while, not wanting to interrupt, but making my presence known. Mrs. Swinney remembered me and we talked for a minute. I told her that she reminded me of Sandra Bullock and she just LOVED me for that comment (SCORE!). She told me I was too sweet and to have a great evening. She offered to interrupt her husband (as most wives are skilled at doing), but they seemed pretty focused and I kindly declined her offer.


Now back to the coaches... of the two, only Chizik could see me - and he clearly made eye contact, but made no effort to stop the chat. He had quite the aura of arrogance, and he wasn't going to give me the time of day. If it had been Les Miles, he probably would have stopped and said HEY!, we would have shared a nice talk, maybe an appetizer of football field grass, then when we were done he would've said SEE YA! (One can only dream...) Oh well, no big deal!

After moving into the auditorium for the presentation - it revolved around the many mantras and philosophy of the award's namesake and sports icon - Vince Lombardi. A quote used over and over again - due to the award's affiliation with the American Cancer Soceity as well as football - was "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." This sentiment, echoed by keynote speaker Rudy Ruettiger, finalist introducer Judge Ed Emmet and all of the coaches in attendance became the true central theme and really hammered home a lesson for me to take home. It was also reinforced the following night watching the ESPN College Football Awards hearing the stories of Arkansas' DJ Williams (CLICK HERE TO READ HIS STORY) and the recent struggles of Lee Corso (CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO).

Despite the celebrity perception and exposure of these players and coaches I had met or dream of meeting - at the end of the day, we're all just normal human beings. We all have struggles and challenges along the way - but must continue to persist and strive for greatness, on the football field or in life.

I'm so grateful for the experience last Wednesday and my unwavering love and raw passion for sports continues...

In the true spirit of Les Miles... HAVE A GREAT DAY :)

Movin' on East, Movin' on Up?

Well, after calls, emails, comments, questions and text messages from best friends, old friends, business colleagues, old professors and even the random guy in my building who always finds a way to creepily talk to me in hallway about TCU (STILL not knowing how he knows I went to school there...) asking me about TCU's move to the Big East - I figured this switch was blog-worthy.

Yesterday TCU announced at a press conference that on July 1, 2012 it will officially become a member of the Big East Conference. You've got it - the conference that everyone (TCU fans alike!) has moaned and groaned about that has an automatic bid this year to a BCS bowl game - sending an unwarranted UConn to a likely Orange Bowl.

Now, I think I should be beyond thrilled about this move, but I'm still wavering on how I feel. There is no doubt this will immediately mean dollar signs in the athletic programs, sky-rocketing TV time, more respect, improved recruiting leverage, the loss of the "Non-AQ" prefix before our name in all media outlets and the removal of the "little sisters of the poor" from our schedule. Right, Gordon Gee? (PS - I really cannot wait for your Buckeyes to meet another SEC team in New Orleans and get a good ole fashion Razorback & Ryan Mallet ripping- although I'd prefer a Bayou Bengal beat down... Oops, I digress) Moving on...

I kind of feel like the little kid that tastes a REALLY yummy candy for the first time, but then eats 500 of them - and realizes he or she feels sick. I understand the publicity and exposure will be wonderful for TCU, and I think academically we do fit the mold - but a part of me wonders how long the Big East will satisfy our desire to be included in the media as one of the big boys. It may suffice our appetite for now, but what happens when in 6-8 years when the Big 12 (or even the SEC... don't gasp!) seems like a better regional fit? Is this merely a stepping stone in the long process of developing an athletic program? Are we like the confused young 15 year old in high school that changes her wardrobe and hair color with the changing trend as she tries to experiment and figure out who she is? Hmm, yet the confusion and drama ensue.

Nonetheless, GO FROGS! I'm excited to see the future for my alma mater - as we're the classic underdog and small private school, a shining beacon of purple pride drowning in an overwhelming Texas sea of orange and maroon.... Onwards and upwards Frogs! Let's continue to show the state and nation that we belong and we're here to stay - no matter what conference!

Fear the SEC

What are all cool kids up to at 11:30 pm on a Saturday night in the fall? Watching college football ALL day, then blogging about it - DUH! Ha.

Nonetheless - what a day! I started out on the big comfy couch at about 9:00 am watching the GameDay crew on the Smurf Turf, and needless to say the TV is just now going off. Phew - I'm exhausted, but nonetheless wanted to recap this wild and wacky day of entertaining football!

I'm just going to go through a quick recap of the notable games played this evening and my TCU game last night (maybe not all of them on the national stage, but at least in my world...)

*Alabama/Arkansas - WOW! I knew this was going to be a tough match-up with the high octane offense of Ryan Mallett, and boy was I right! Arkansas came out fired up, but slowly but surely the tough, grind-it-out offense of Alabama got the job done. It's unbelievable how effective Ingram and Richardson are as a duel threat - especially in the wildcat and after contact. They can move the whole pack while they keep churning away. Truly exceptional talent.

*Ohio State/another no name school on their scheulde - Buckeyes roll... big surprise.

*Boise State/Oregon State - Ohhhhhhhhhh you Beavers just broke my heart. The amount of this game that I saw (after flipping between every ESPN channel offered - I think I have carpal tunnel now... geez!) it looked like a pretty chippy game, definitley no love lost between these programs. The Broncos won, but not in the landslide that the GameDay crew was predicting. If I remember correctly Lee Corso said two things about OSU's chances: slim and none. Hmm, think this may be a What Was I Thinking in next week's show. Boise is solid, don't get me wrong - I just want to see more I suppose.

*TCU/SMU - Yikes. We did win the game, but it was NOT the knockout punch we were looking for. We kicked their pretty little pony QB around, but still wasn't our best showing. Still not convinced we're the same powerhouse of 2009, but hopefully my Frogs can prove me wrong!

*Auburn/South Carolina - WOW. Two solid and up-in-coming SEC programs. I just love Coach Spurrier... a true legend in sports. Good win for Auburn - this was a dog fight, they both looked pretty impressive.

*Texas/UCLA - Okay, Texas. I've really been wanting you to do something great so I could write a really nice blog about you. I made a promise (you know who you are!) to someone a couple weekends ago that I'd try and be nice - but you just WON'T let me! Sorry for the loss... it sure was a rough day for the burnt orange...

*LSU/West Virginia - Another W for the Tigers, and another UGLY W for the Tigers. Incredible how a team with zero offense is 4-0. Bring back Jarrett Lee (aka - a QB with an IQ over 30 who can actually throw the ball)... PLEEEEEEEEASE! Oh yeah, and give the Heisman to Patrick Petersen, what an ATHLETE! He's my dark horse candidate for Heisman.

*Mississippi State/Georgia - What a proud day for the Dawgs (the dawgs in maroon, that is...) Beating Georgia for the first time in a decade! Way to go Dan Mullen! Keep your eyes on Starkville in the next few years, I like what the ole Florida offensive coordinator has got cookin' down there.

All in all - one thing STILL rings true. The SEC is by far, leaps and bounds, head and shoulders, miles and miles ahead of all other conferences in college football. They are physical, agile, and built with just a brute strength that cannot be matched. I still wish we could see more teams dabble in the SEC. Let's see an Ohio State vs. Arkansas, TCU vs. Auburn, Boise State vs. Florida, Texas vs. LSU! How do those sound (other than losses for the Big 10, MWC, WAC and Big 12)? Sorry, I do love my Frogs - I'm just not sure they could match up with the SEC.

Okay, I'm done for the evening. My eyes need a rest from staring at screens - they're tired! See you next week and for tomorrow.... GO TEXANS!

There's No Crying in Baseball

Have you ever seen a pitcher in the big leagues collapse and break down into sobs on the mound after a homerun sails over his head? How about a right fielder who has a heads up play for the force out at 3rd base giggle around the outfield with his hands on his head not being able to control his excitement?

This is why I have just LOVED watching the Little League World Series - the pure, unbridled, unmasked emotional ride you get to experience with every change in the game - because it's written all over the player's faces.

These kids are just that - KIDS! I love the statistics - Height: 5'2" Weight: 96 pounds Favorite book: Mickey and Me. How precious are these little boys? They wear their emotions on their sleeve - they feel every emotional high and low all within five minutes of one another. They go from a pouty, fat bottom lip to doing the wackiest dance moves in the dugout when they have a great inning - it's wonderful! It embodies the true roller coaster, yet joyous ride of sports. They are learning the life lessons of handling success and defeat - all in front of our eyes, on national television no less.

Make sure you tune in TODAY at 3:00 pm as the boys from Pearland (suburb of Houston), Texas take on the boys from Hawaii! You bet I'll be watching and cheering on these new darlings of Houston, as will the whole city and state of Texas - MOVE OVER Yao Ming, Matt Schaub & company - there are new stars in town!

GO PEARLAND!

The BIG Picture

We're all guilty of it - getting ticked off, crying, or being down in the dumps when our favorite team loses in the last second of the game, when we don't swim close to our best time or when we lose to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game (okay... maybe that's just the picture above). We wear lucky t-shirts, lucky earrings, won't wash our socks and do other unthinkable superstitous acts so we ensure our team will win... but is it all worth it?

Now I'm going to momentarily get up on my soap box for a while in this entry... I've felt inspired to write this after a long talk with a really great long lost friend who recently lost his father. We both discussed how it's the BIG things in life that you should focus on, and all the little, insignificant matters that just seem to disappear...

This year has been so deeply eye-opening for me when it comes to perspective. Life is all about changes, peaks and valleys - and it's all been revealed (sometimes in harsh fashion) the past year or so. I've had some of my best friends lose parents and siblings - and known people whose lives were changed in one single moment. With the ever-changing power that is life - it's so important to focus on how you treat people EVERY SINGLE TIME you interact with them. You must put all your efforts towards being compassionate, loving and steadfast at every single moment. Is it worth yelling at someone when they don't text message you back in .2 seconds? No. Is that dirty towel on the floor really hurting anybody? No. Just BREATHE...

That being said - does it really matter when your beloved Houston Texans don't get that 1st down? Does the Fiesta Bowl defeat really seem as important? Does your time in the 500 freestyle from when you were 18 years old really mean ANYTHING in the scheme of things? The answer is simple - NOT IN THE LEAST.

Sports are a fantastic outlet, an incredible provider of lifelong lessons, and a wonderful support team but they do not define you. When your life is over does the person presiding at your funeral read your stat sheet from your athletic career? Not in a million years. What defines you is the way in which you live your life. The people you touch with your compassion and those whom you reach by your giving spirit. You're remembered by the way you loved and cared - not the way you threw touchdowns or hit homeruns.

Remember this... and it may make the last second losses, the interceptions, the upsets, the blown calls, and all of the other insignificant details a little easier to stomach.

Rapid Fire Rewind

Sound the alarm! I'm BAAAACK! With the clock ticking down to football season, I feel like I now have some passion behind my posts again! It's time to be back in business, folks.

To get started I'm going to quickly review the year in sports from the last time I posted (Ehhhh mind you it was Fall of 2009...) some of it you may not agree with what I have to say, but hey - you can't please 'em all.

1. NCAA Football -Alabama stomped Texas for the National Championship. PS - Texas did not lose because Colt McCoy got hurt (cough WIMP cough). Texas lost because Alabama was and is a better, more aggressive more physical team. They just flat got out-played. As always, I would just LOVE to see Texas play a mediocre SEC schedule (at best) - what a wake up call that would be.

2. NFL - The Saints won the Super Bowl in the MOST exciting, inspiring, energizing, FANTASTIC professional football game that I've seen in a long time. Between the images of Drew Brees with his ear-muff clad son, or the owner waving around his LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL umbrella - it was unbelivable. Talk about a feel good sports story (for once!) coming out of the NFL. Thank you, New Orleans.

Oh yeah - The NFL also lost a legend, class act, first rate QB in Kurt Warner. What a fantastic role model for children growing up in the sport. Hey, maybe he could even be a role model for Brett Favre (NOTE TO BRETT - Give it up already before you break your hip out there.... Oh, and make a decision - then actually MAKE it)

3. NBA - The Lakers won the NBA Championship. Yuck. Bryant? Over it. Gasol? SHAVE for crying outloud. Odom? You're more fun on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Jackson? Aren't you like 100 years old? Haven't you won like 38 championships? Retire already, dude.

LeBron James has a HUGE, RIDICULOUS, OUT OF CONTROL ego. I hope it fits in the franchise at Miami - yikes! He said he wanted to win championships with Wade and Bosh. Well, I have news for him - it's not going to happen. You have a successful team with a leader, support players, and those who fill VITAL non-on the court attributes. You don't have a successful team with three egos... and some other guys...

4. NCAA Baseball - On a more personal note, my Horned Frogs reached the College World Series for the first time and became the darlings of Omaha! Needless to say, after Matt Curry's grand slam - I was hoarse the next day. Wow, what an unbelievable moment in TCU history. I'm SO proud to be a Horned Frog - then, now and ALWAYS!

Oh and South Carolina won - good job Cocks... (heehee)

5. World Cup - Uhhhhhh.... they went to South Africa? There were loud annoying noises? There was an octopus that was really successful in picking the winners. Spain won. That's all I've got :) Needless to say, soccer ain't my thing!

6. MLB - The Astros are HORRIBLE TERRIBLE NO GOOD VERY BAD baseball team. End of story. That's where my baseball care stops - and it CRASHED AND BURNED this year with the Dis-Astros.

Well, folks - that's all I've got for now! I'm excited to be writing again, it feels good.

Let me know if I missed anything - I'll gladly give my 2 cents! :)

Until we meet again.... (and I promise it won't be August 2011!)