LSU at Alabama: In Perspective

              Growing up, I heard many stories about the great Alabama games of the 70's. I heard about the blocked field goal against Penn State, the hit on Steve Berlein, and the shutting down of Gino Toretta. Since I have been on campus at the University of Alabama, I have been apart of some memorable games myself: Rocky Block, The Wipe out of the Blackout in Athens, Alligator Tears in Atlanta, and Taking Down Texas for the 1st time in school history in the National Title Game. Nick Saban has came to Alabama and won some big games. There is a problem, if you will, with his success. Every game now is expected to be a blowout. Who cares if we went to the Swamp and dismantled Florida? They weren't that good anyway... what does it matter that we have beaten Arkansas and Tennessee five years in a row now? See where this is going? 
              It takes alot to get this fanbase truly ready for a game. It usually takes playing a game where the universal feel is that we could lose the game. Let me say this: Forget about all of the other games that ever happened in your lifetime and ponder this upcoming game against LSU. Look at the following facts:
1) NEVER have 2 teams, undefeated, ranked 1 and 2 in the country, met in the regular season in the SEC.
2) NEVER, at least in my memory, have to teams walked through a season as easily as these two to reach this point.
3) The main reason this game is going to be so good? Nick Saban. He built both of these programs. Unfortunately, he forgot to kill the step kids when he left his first wife. They are still kickin', and stepdad is pretty good at being the head man of the house.
4) Experts are estimating that around half of the starting 44 between the two teams will be NFL draft picks one day.


             This is a game that will be remembered decades from now. It will be the most hyped game in the history of the SEC- even more than 2009's SEC title game. It truly features the two best teams in the country. It also features the two best coaching staffs in the country. EASILY. How big is this game? CBS, in an unprecedented move, pulled a four way swap and sacrificed games selections next year to ESPN/ABC just to get this game on the air in prime time. It will have a Superbowl feel. And it should, because there are players in this game that will be winning Superbowls down the road. Bet on it.
            As an Alabama fan, I am rendered speechless while I walk across the quad or drive by the stadium. How could I be so lucky as to be a student here when Alabama rediscovered its golden years? This is statistically and talent wise, and likely coaching wise, the best team Alabama has had since late 1970's. This may be the best LSU team of all-time. The unfortunate aspect of this whole deal is that due to the law of elimination, someone must lose on November 5. To all of my fellow Tide fans out there, let me offer a word of perspective here:
          Win or lose, Alabama football will likely never be this good to watch again. Enjoy it. Relish it. Don't whine about a bad half or slow start. If a "bad" half means downing the Vols by 4 and half touchdowns, I'll take it every single year. We will not have a better coach than Nick Saban simply for the fact that one doesn't exist. This alone is the reason I feel we will win the game, because we have a slight coaching edge. If we don't? It'll be disappointing. Life will go on though. Afterall, it is LSU. They are amazingly good this year. 
         One dynamic of this game that I feel is really worth looking at is the fact that, to date, neither team has had to play four quarters of football. We don't even know the resiliency of these teams in tough situations because they are so good that those situations have not taken place yet. This is yet another reason I feel the game leans to us. When teams are this close, the game usually comes down to three things:
- A player who is above and beyond everyone else on the field (Trent Richardson)
- winning the turnover battle (draw)
- the kicking game (LSU)


   As you can see, there still is no decided advantage here. Don't even call home field an advantage, because LSU has never been scared of this place. The clock is the only reason there will be a loser in this game. The BCS is the only reason they won't play again for the National Championship.  So sit back and enjoy what will be a clash of the only two teams in college football who are doing it old school- balanced offense, rock solid defense, and mental toughness. For the first three quarters, appreciate what your eyes are beholding...the hits, plays, sacks, all of it....from both sides....then when the fourth quarter rolls around, worry about who will win. This truly will be the game of century.


A prediction? A late game screen pass to Trent Richardson puts the Tide on top for good  on a third and 5 play in the fourth quarter. 


#1 LSU   20
#2 ALA  24

Hola from Lima, Peru

the flight from atlanta was good. there was bad turbulence when we got over the andes mountains, but overall it was cool. equador is beautiful at night....the city streets are designed so that they look like lit up christmas ornament figures from the sky. the smell of the pacific ocean is very strong here... there are horns constantly blowing...driving is crazy but somehow nobody ever wrecks. anyway, we will be training this week to go into our villages. my teammates are abbie mendoza and jessica somebody...give me a break im bad with names. i apologize for the bad typing but i am in somewhat of a hurry so that others can use this computer. just know that we are safe and sound and we have already made friends down here. rachel and i love everybody and will try to post again sometime this week, maybe tomorrow night. to my family- i love ya'll....take care of my boo darlin. thats an order. adios mi amigos.

Jesus Christ Lives

            Now, more than ever, Christians should make a very concentrated effort to remind themselves and everyone else of the significance of Easter Sunday. I am preaching to myself as much as everyone else when I say this, but I feel it too often that we go through all of the religious holidays without a taking a moment to reflect, remember, and remind ourselves what the holiday is about. Tomorrow is approximately the 1978th (or so) anniversary of the single most history altering event in the universe. That is not an overstatement. The fact is that only one man ever lived a perfect life and died for the patheticness of everyone else's lives so that ALL of those people, if they would OH SO SIMPLY BELIEVE IT HAPPENED, would spend the eternity of their afterlife in Heaven. I am one of those people that it takes a lot sometimes to get me to really focus on something. Reading the story of the cricifixion and the resurrection from the Bible is good, but sometimes, due to the "I've heard this story a million times" mentality, it just does not move me like it should. Therefore, I have suggestion that has worked for me that I will offer to all of you: make it a point to watch Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". Forget about the Catholic influence in the movie where Mary is somewhat edified above everyone else (and I may actually be exaggerating that due to bias). Just watch the movie, and take in the story of Jesus Christ. If you can watch this movie and not be drawn to tears, have your heart swell with grief, disbelief, and thankfulness all at the same time, then you need to re-examine your life. This man died for us. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He loves us SOOOOO dang much that he went through a living hell and allowed people that despised him to torture and kill him so that we, in our pathetic and hopeless states, might have a chance to spend an eternity with him. Soak it in. Think about it. Pray about it. The day of his return is closer than ever. What a glorious day that will be......but until then, we should be rejoicing in his first return...the anniversary of his resurrection. Good night, and God bless all of you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

NIT Championship: ALABAMA vs. WICHITA STATE

What a great post season run Alabama has had, even though it was not in the NCAA Tournament! The guys have held in there and played extremely well. I just do not feel like we will beat Wichita State tonight. They are extremely well balanced and have tons of offensive fire power. I feel like our lack of consistency behind the arch and at the free throw line will finally catch up with us.
PREDICTION:


Wichita State   69
Alabama          61


I hope I am wrong, but I just don't have a good feeling about this game. 

NIT Final Four

Alabama 75
Colorado. 69

I predict they will play Wichita State for the title.

Miami @ Alabama ESPN2 8:00 pm

Prediction:
Miami 66
Alabama 72

ROLL TIDE. They are gonna go to Madison Square Garden!

DESTINATION: PERU

     As many of you are aware of, Rachel and I will be going to Peru, South America this summer for a 10 week mission trip. We will be flying out of Birmingham on May 23, 2011 and returning to Birmingham on July 30, 2011. This trip is going to be intense in so many ways, and it is apparent just by the prep work we are having to do. We have successfully finished the application process and are now trying to conquer the preparation aspect, including finding the money needed to go. Our trip is going to cost around $3,700.00 a person, and Baptist Campus Ministries is going to pay up to $2,000.00 of that. This leaves us $1,700.00 short. If you would like to contribute to our funds, just let me or her know through facebook, or shoot us a text.
Cell numbers:
Ty           205-792-5294
Rachel     334-830-2327

Please pray for us as we prepare to go into the Andes Mountains, and possibly the Rainforest, and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will be assisting church groups in this as well as building houses and churches for the villagers. Thank you for all of your prayers, and God bless.