*sigh*
Wow
"We picked a bad day, to have a bad day", pretty much sums it up.
Before i type anything more... Congratulations to the
Arizona Cardinals who pretty much "owned" my
Carolina Panthers on Saturday night. I had a hard time getting my hopes up all of last week. I didn't care what the "professionals" though. Carolina struggles when it is favored by more than 3 points, and they were favored by 10. This is the post season and there is never a team that has not earned their place there - no matter how "weak" their division is. A co-worker put it in perspective... it was like the old Sylvester and Tweety cartoons. sad, but true... No matter, i am still a Panthers fan. :)
Last week i had started two blogs about the Panthers and their history and owner. For anyone who is interested the Panthers are 15 years old, and here is a little bit of their
history (from the Charlotte Observer). Ironically that story posted just before the first game between the Panthers and the Cardinals. A second article i would like to link to is about the Panthers owner,
Mr. Jerry Richardson. It reminded me a lot about my father-in-law - but that is for another blog, maybe. I was really hoping for the Panthers to go all the way. Not so much for me as a fan, but for Mr. Richardson. Only God knows what the next season will bring for the Panthers and Mr. Richardson, but no matter what, i pray for all to feel God's grace and mercy.
I cannot imagine what Jake Delhomme is going through right now. I pray he does not take it too hard. I imagine he is going to be getting a lot of hate mail over the next few weeks. It's an ugly side of sports if you ask me. People who take the game far too seriously. People who are not out there on the field, who are not doing things in the off season, who give up sleep to study game film and memorize playbooks. People who wrap themselves up in how well a sports team does, or doesn't do. And i have to confess, i struggle with that very thing myself. It's not something i am proud of and i try and work through it with God's grace. In the end, it's just a game. On February 2nd the tarnish will begin to form on the 2008 Lombardi trophy... in a little over 3 months the 2009 draft begins, two months after that summer training camps begin to open... a month longer and the pre-season starts... then September comes and there are 32 teams all pushing towards the same goal. I enjoy watching the sport of profession American Football, but in the end... it's just a game.
A little while ago i mentioned about a friend from church who's 5 year old daughter had been diagnosed with Leukemia, well today their Caring Bridge update says that the doctor is saying that she is officially in REMISSION! Praise God! I know she still has a long road to go, but the fact she responded so well and so fast to the treatment gives a really good hope for the long haul! \o/
Another good piece of news is that my co-workers wife, the one who is a quadriplegic has been much more responsive and interactive with the doctors. She too has a long way to go, but this was a vast improvement over last weekend. I have sent him an e-mail with the link for the song below. For some reason i felt compelled to share it with him...
The Panthers finally traded for a DT. Louis Leonard from the Cleveland Browns. Since i don't follow the other NFL teams as closely as the Panthers i am not sure how hopeful to get. I am just glad that the Panthers have made some kind of move to shore up the middle on defense. I've read that this fellow started all 16 games last year so that is a most definite plus. In other news i also read this morning that the "Big Cat" basically gave the axe to his own two sons within the Panthers organization. Talk about the lack of nepotism! Personally i feel that this is a great move because apparently the two sons were fighting (that's impossible... brothers never fight... right Dan?) and it was beginning to affect the chemistry within the organization. It showed that Mr. Richardson was still in charge and he was taking charge.
Last but not least for today... i read that a deal is close in regards to the lawsuit against New Line Cinema by the Tolkien estate. If true and it all works out, this is great news for the fans of The Lord of the Rings movies and those who are hopeful for the upcoming Hobbit movies. With the lawsuit out of the way the road clears up considerably for the filming to move forward!
There is not much in the way of what God has been doing in my life of late. That's not because He is not doing something, but because i am still trying to process things i am learning, and things i feel He is showing me. May God be seen in, and through, all of the things i do.
