Who is to blame?

This time of year is a time of great anticipation into America's great pastime, and it's football (no apologies to baseball fans, in 10 years it'll be a niche sport that will battle hockey for ratings). Whether it's parents getting their children ready for their Pop Warner games, to the NFL fantasy drafts that are being conducted as we speak, everyone is excited for the action to begin on the gridiron. No more so do we see the passion of the sport than on the collegiate level, where you can see more than 100,000 fans fill the seats on any given Saturday. Students are displaying the colors of their alma mater with pride, thinking that this is their season to finally break through and win it all. In Champagne, Illinois, however, those students are simply wondering who will be the head on the sidelines after the news broke that former football head coach Tim Beckham was fired this afternoon among allegations that he mistreated former Illini offensive lineman Simon Cvijanoic. 

Once other former players informed the Chicago Tribune that Cvijanoic's claims are true, and the university performed an internal investigation, they released their coach of three years a week before the season starts against Kent State. Granted, the Athletic Director would've been justified in releasing Beckham after comprising a 12-25 record, but once these claims were released, they had no other choice. Cvijanoic stated that when he sustained injuries in 2013 & 2014 that Beckham urged him to continue playing, even after dealing with psychological problems due to shoulder and knee injuries that ended his career. He also mentioned being pushed to play after tearing his labrum, with Beckham's offensive line coahc telling Cvijanoic that the injuries were in his head.

This isn't about wins and losses, and forget about scholarships, this is about a person's livelihood vs. the old adage of "win at all costs." The latter mentality is what led former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes to hit a player during a game, or current Washington State coach Mike Leach to get fired in 2009 after claims that he mistreated a player while at Texas Tech. Coaches who are being paid top dollar are in this quandary of doing the right thing by their players vs. getting them out there, healthy or no, to get that win against Rival U. We see it all the time, a coach allowing players who have questionable actions being allowed to play, but this is on a completely different level. This is short-sighted thinking at worst, treating the player more as a commodity and less as an individual. 

Parents entrust their children to these coaches to attend their program with the belief that they will train up their child to become successful on and off the field. These players should not feel as if they are unable to express their challenges for fear of not being allowed to play the game their love. We have seen some coaches show compassion in these types of situations, but then this is the opposite end of the spectrum, in which the seriousness of an ailment goes beyond a simple "tape him up." 

We teach children to be tough and handle pain, but there is also a time to use discretion and wisdom to deal with a delicate injury. Coaches must understand that when left untreated, the greatest harm to a student-athlete isn't the physical pain, it's the mental scars that remain long after they hang up the helmet. 

A penny saved...

Ever watch the ESPN 30 for 30 series "Broke"? It documents the lives of former NFL athletes such as Bernie Kosar and Andre Rison among others, and how their fortunes rapidly disappeared. While Kosar's case was somewhat unique given that it was his family taking advantage of his finances, many other athletes find themselves filing Chapter 11 because of a lack of discipline. Jalen Rose explains it much better than I could:

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Which is why the story of Detroit Lions Wide Receiver Ryan Broyles has become so refreshing. Broyles, who has been with the Lions since 2012, has suffered a myriad of injuries that has threatened his career but he is thinking ahead. According to an article in ESPN, Broyles and his wife made the decision that they are budgeting themselves to live on $60,000 a year. Now, I know what you're thinking. "He makes $3.6 million! Of course it's easy for him to live on that when he has so much to save."

Well, considering that he is going into his last season of his rookie contract, and add on to the fact that he hasn't exactly lit up the league, he may be looking at his last contract in the NFL, which stands for "Not For Long" if you haven't lived up to expectations. Despite having their first child recently, Broyles' mindset going into this year is not about only 2015, but beyond. He says he has the mind of a "businessman" and that will serve he and his family well in the future.

Why can't we have that same approach when it comes to handling our resources? We often quote Matt. 6:24 "You cannot serve both God and money. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despite the other."  We got to the altar asking God for provision yet not taking care of what He's already given us. We can't get to church fast enough when a prophet gives the Word, hoping to receive a prophecy that says in essence, "We're about to strike it rich! Here comes the blessing." We discussed maturity yesterday, and a benchmark of maturity is understanding the purpose of being a good steward of what God has already given us, for He will trust us with more if we prove ourselves faithful.

I remember watching a television series "The Lottery Ruined My Life," and it is a cautionary tale of what happens when the focus becomes so much on the material that the mental isn't strong enough to handle it. We can't ask God for blessings if we don't have the spiritual maturity to handle them. Broyles is displaying the type of discipline to see that it's not just about today, it's about being prepared for tomorrow, for a good steward always thinks about the future. 

Cam and Geno

NFL Summer Camps are always a time of bonding, with anticipation of a new season waiting in the wings as teammates are brought back together to re-acclimate themselves to the gridiron. It creates an atmosphere of camaraderie that is unlike any other in sports, as the grind of two-a-days bring togetherness and cooperation...

...So why on earth are all of these teams fighting each other?

The past few days we have seen the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans get into a fracas at a scrimmage that the teams had to be separated to different practice fields. That is almost expected nowadays, as the push comes to shove when teams are anxious to make contact with anyone in a helmet and pads. However, what happened yesterday and earlier today is on a different level, as these rumbles involve quarterbacks.

Let's start in Carolina, where Panthers franchise quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Josh Norman engaged in fisticuffs after Newton threw an interception and Norman began to talk back. Although no one was hurt and the two made amends quickly, questions about Newton's growth have been put into question.

Speaking of lack of growth, New York Jets QB Geno Smith has been a lightning rod of controversy since arriving in Gotham for his immature antics. Whether it's missing practice due to attending a movie showing or displaying a slew of outbursts after throwing another interception, Smith has shown that he has yet to grasp the size of the enormous responsibility of the most important position in sports. This cumulated today as now former teammate Ik Enemkpali, who reportedly "sucker punched" Smith in the Jets locker room over an alleged dispute over money. Smith is out 6-10 weeks and an already fragile season for the Jets is even more in doubt.

Even though there have been quarterbacks in fights before (Roger Staubach/Clint Long come to mind) no one ever challenged the pedigree of "Captain Comeback." Newton and Smith came into the league with a shadow cast over them for the way they carried themselves before taking a snap, and when they are playing a position in which the most responsibility is placed upon them, it creates even more hesitation as to trust them to make the wisest decisions to lead their teams to victory. Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter and former NFL Front Office executive Louis Riddick came out and mentioned that these incidents show a lack of leadership, and that is where the responsibility lies, on the guys who wear the red jerseys in practice.

They are expected to rise above the fray, even when everything else around them is breaking down. Teams should expect their leaders in the huddle to be the epicenter of maturity and wisdom, and had these quarterbacks demonstrated the qualities that comes with the position, it never escalates to this situation. Owners who spend millions upon these players trust that they will make the right decisions, and today we know at least two of them who are shaking their heads.

I remember something my father always tells me regarding leadership, "If you are going somewhere and no one is following, all you're doing is taking a walk." Right now that walk in Charlotte and New York must be quite lonely.

When reality gets crossed...

Even as a child I knew that when I was watching a professional wrestling match that it was athletic theater, popularly defined these days as "Sports Entertainment." The competitors who faced off in the squared circle certainly knew how to entertain an audience with every move, and every storyline was designed to keep up enthralled. Many men even call it their very own soap opera, with anticipation of each dramatic episode keeping them on the edge of their seats. That said, there are those times in which those in attendance, and sometimes at home, believe that they are as much a part of the action as those who compete. Just go onto any blog site whenever an episode of WWE's "Monday Night Raw" has concluded, and you will read the opinions of many an armchair booker (booker is a term for someone who writes the wrestling storylines) who thinks they can create a better story, if only they had the chance. The vitriol becomes so intense that it turns into personal attacks, and people confuse fantasy with reality.

This confusion took place in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on Sunday when WWE wrestler Roman Reigns was attacked by a fan during his match. According to police, the fan used a gold-plated briefcase to throw it into the ring, hitting Reigns in the process. Fortunately no one was hurt and Reigns was able to finish the match, but the fan was removed from the arena and as a result was banned from all future wrestling shows.

Although the fan issued an apology and no charges were filed, what is interesting to note is that when other fans saw the briefcase, they chanted for the man to throw the briefcase in the ring. This is a symptom of a larger problem, in which people tend to listen to the voice of what's popular as opposed to what is right. I often tell my students what is mentioned in Proverbs 1:10 "My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!"


Go back to a time in which you listened to the wrong people, and the resulting consequences of those actions. What if you had decided "You know what? Thanks but no thanks," to the people who tried to steer you in the wrong direction? Are you listening to those voices even today? Innovation is not saying yes to every idea that comes along, but it's being able to say "No." It shows focus and determination to do what is best, and is a benchmark of maturity.

However, I'd have to question the maturity of a man who decided to spend his time painting a briefcase gold in the first place...

Just when you think you have all the answers...

Roderick Toombs, better known around the world as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, passed away last week at age 61 of cardiac arrest. I remember watching him from his days as a wrestler on the National Wrestling Alliance circuit, with his classic "dog collar" match against Greg Valentine, before he put on the kilt and hosted the WWF-themed talk show "Piper's Pit." His segments were always entertaining, most notably when he hit Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka with a coconut.

He was the ultimate heel to Hulk Hogan's All-American "good-guy" image (obviously this was before Hogan's recent comments) and Piper just knew how to rile up a crowd with his promos on the microphone. I used to loathe Piper as a child watching wrestling every week, hoping for the day when he got his comeuppance. As time went on, my respect for him grew even more when he parlayed his skills outside of the ring in the John Carpenter film "They Live." He had such range as a character that when he returned as a face I couldn't help but cheer for him. While he never won the World Championship, he never had to. He always had an audience and made himself into a legend in the industry and out of it.

Piper had an ability to keep people intrigued in what was coming next out of his mouth, and he represented the type of person that we always need in our circle: the one who has no problem telling us like it is. The person that is going to tell you the truth without concern about feelings, even if the words are a bit harsh. People looked at Piper as the ultimate instigator, the one that could create drama with just a few words. Just like a writer with the stroke of a pen, Piper's work on the microphone was a work of art, and in our lives we need someone who has the ability to call it as they see it. Do you have someone who always keeps you on your toes, that changes the environment in the room upon their mere presence?

Just like Piper, we need to always have someone that changes the questions when we think we have all the answers.