Who Ya Got?



Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert...Who ya got?

Go ahead, say it. Everyone else is, so why can't you? "Cam Newton will be the #1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft." There, now was that so hard? Actually, for me, it was, because I don't believe it.
Almost everybody is saying Newton's going first, yadayadayada, but don't listen to them. In fact, don't listen to me, because these predictions mean absolutely nothing.

Carolina, the team who did the worst last year, doesn't have to pick Cam Newton, Jake Locker, or Blaine Gabbert (the top 3 candidates, respectively). The panthers could pick one of the lowest prospects like Austin Arnaud of Iowa State (sorry Austin, I know you're pretty good, it's just, you're a Cyclone).

So don't think I or any of those "smart" people who "know" everything about sports, know who's going to be picked first. Because we don't know, the only difference between them and I is they get paid to tell you things that mean nothing.

So now that I've told you not to believe anything I say, let me tell you who I think will go #1. Jake Locker, HA! Fat chance. The Quarterback who passed the draft and probably a high pick last year, didn't have such a hot year this last season. There's no way he's going first.

Well, you already know that I don't think Cam Newton's going first. Carolina wants a scorer, and Cam is a scorer, but half of his scoring comes by running people over. That's just not the way teams do it today, they just want someone to drop back and throw the ball.

To me, Newton is a carbon copy of Tim Tebow, except Tebow is white. If Cam Newton is going to be an NFL quarterback, then he's going to have to learn how to throw the ball every down. It's that simple.

So obviously that leaves just one person, Blaine Gabbert. This guy's got it all, or at least most of it. The quarterback led the Missouri Tigers to some big wins the last couple of years. Though he did lose to my Iowa Hawkeyes in December at the Insight Bowl Thank you, by the way, Mr. Gabbert, for throwing that incoherent pass late in the game that allowed us to win!). But that was then, and this is now. He's got the chemistry, agility, accuracy, and most important, he's smart. That's not to say other quarterbacks aren't smart, he's just got a brain that works really well. That's why I think he'll go #1.

As for the other two, well, I could care less when they go. All that seems to matter today is who goes first.

So if there's anything you learned after reading this, I hope it's that you should never believe  what people say about the draft. So go ahead, make your prediction. But when Thursday comes the only thing that will matter is who Carolina thinks is best, that and that alone.

Let the Games Begin!

Tuesday I attended the Olympics in Indianola, Iowa...the Special Olympics to be specific.
Ben was participating in three different events. The softball throw, which he placed 3rd in. The 50 meter dash, which he placed 2nd in, and the 4x100 relay race, his team got 2nd in that one also.

It was very exciting for both athletes and friends & family that showed up to watched. But as I watched, I realized something. Every athlete's goal wasn't to win, but to compete and have fun!
From the time a race began to the time each one crossed the finish line they had a huge smile on their face. They didn't care whether or not they got first, they were just happy to be there, it was their moment.

It was amazing to see them do these things that some said they couldn't do. And to see them do it with a smile and not worry about what other people thought. That was very humbling.

And as I watched, I was reminded of how precious every single life is. No matter what extra challenges there might be with taking care of them, they're a gift from God. And to see them compete, not for pride and glory, but to just have fun, that was just awesome!
And you can count on one thing, I'll be back for years to come!

Hats Off

You have to tip your hat to the University of Connecticut Huskies...and Connecticut has to tip their hats to the Butler Bulldogs.
Uconn (for short) played absolutely terrible Monday night in the NCAA Championship Game at Relient Stadium in Houston, Texas.

But if it hadn't been for Butler's even worse performance, Uconn would have a long, quiet flight home. Without a trophy, they would watch as Butler danced in the streets, celebrating. The Huskies' stats were pretty bad. But thanks to Butler, who made to the big game for the second year in-a-row, Uconn was able to cut down the nets.


The Bulldogs scored just three 2-point baskets! For the whole game!! They went 12 for 64 with all their shots, that's only 18.8%! Not to mention Connecticut outscored them in the paint 26-2! If it hadn't been the championship game I would've watched Barney, he could have scored more points then both teams combined while blind folded and with no arms!

Butler, I'm sure, would love to just forget about the game. As for Uconn, it was an ugly win, but a win none-the-less.

So say thank you to Butler, because without their terrible play last night the Connecticut Huskies would be listening to their motivational tapes, and they wouldn't be Champions.

Loyalty and Money

Shaka Smart and the Virginia Commonwealth Ram's magical run in the NCAA tournament came to an end Saturday night losing to the Butler Bulldogs in the Final Four in Houston, Texas.

Nobody expected them to advance that far, let alone even be in the tournament. Shoot, even VCU themselves didn't watch the selection show March 13th because they didn't even think they would get in. 

But Virginia Commonwealth did, they had to play a play-in-game to do it, but they were in none the less. Knocking off excellent teams on their way to the Final Four, Shaka Smart became more and more popular.


But now that VCU's season is over, Shaka had to make an important decision, stay there at VCU or go to a major university. He decided to stay.


Now, he's either scared of the housing market or he is loyal to Virginia Commonwealth. I believe it's the ladder. 


It happens too often in today's world, people want more for themselves. They're always watching their own back, not thinking about how it'll affect another person. But that's not Shaka Smart.


No doubt he'll get a pay raise and extension at VCU, but he could get more dough if he wanted.



People are busting him now because - who wouldn't want a couple more million bucks? A person who cares more about his reputation than how much money he has. Shaka Smart showed his loyalty to Virginia Commonwealth in this situation. He has his priorities set.


Shaka is a person we all can learn from, no matter what people say.
I applaud you Shaka Smart, I applaud you.