Power 12: "The Apostolics"

Just like Jesus picked a top 12 of all his disciples, I'm picking the top 12 of the college football landscape.

1. Ohio State -- John. This is the team whom the pollsters love. However, their win at Iowa is looking less impressive as the Hawkeyes lost to Indiana ... in football.

2. Michigan -- James. James & John were the "Sons of Thunder," and the Wolverines are on a collision course to meet the Buckeyes at the end of the season in a clash of the titans. I'll also point out here that I put Michigan #2 last week, and now the AP Poll agrees with me this week. Just goes to show the level of my influence over the world of college football ...

3. West Virginia -- Thomas, because everyone's doubting them. And perhaps they have some holes on defense, but who cares when their offense is so stinking good?!

4. Texas -- Andrew, who was the first-named Apostle. And I'm naming the Longhorns first among all the teams with one loss.

5. Auburn -- Judas Iscariot. Because I don't like them. Just like Judas. And I hope that their insides burst & their entrails pour out all over Bryant-Denny Stadium in about a month. The Tigers' defense isn't nearly as dominant as it has been in the last couple seasons. However, their offense is near unstoppable when it's on. Problem is that their offense hasn't clicked on that often this season -- they've scored 1 offensive touchdown in their last two games against Arkansas & Florida. So, Auburn may be the most beatable team among the 12. However, they've found crafty ways to beat two athletically superior teams, so I gotta give 'em their prop's.

6. Notre Dame -- Peter, because the Irish are Catholic & Peter was their first Pope. Plus, whenever Jesus decided to start calling Simon "Rocky," I imagine Simon Peter's friends started snickering -- just like you are right now because you think I've fallen into the "over-rating the Irish" trap. This team has looked awful at times, but incredible at others. They are #3 among the once-beatens by virtue that their loss was to Michigan, plus they do have at least one mildly impressive win on their resume (Georgia Tech). Perhaps over-rated, but at least they have a dependable QB, which is more than the next three schools can say.

7. Florida -- Jude. Both hard to figure out. At times, Jude is straight forward. And then he goes and references Enoch & Bell and the Dragon. Florida looks great at times. And then sometimes they disappear, like in the first half against Alabama & in the second half at Auburn this past Saturday.

8. Tennessee -- Bartholomew/Nathanael. "Can anything good come out of Knoxville?" Apparently so, at least when David Cutcliffe coordinates the offense. Will be fun to see him & Alabama defensive coordinator Joe Kines duke it out this Saturday.

9. Southern Cal -- Simon the Zealot. Just as Simon zelously desired to overthrow Roman rule, I urge everyone to band together & overthrow this silly BCS system that has the Trojans BLATANTLY over-rated at #2. Apparently, just squeaking by Arizona State at home earns you tons of respect. Guess what people? Carson Palmer isn't walking through that door. Matt Leinart isn't walking through that door. Reggie Bush isn't walking through that door. USC has talent, but they aren't a good team right now. And quite simply, I don't think they could beat any of the above eight teams right now.

10. Clemson -- Philip, who wanted Jesus to show him the Father (John 14:8-21). I want Clemson to show me more. They lost a squeaker early, beat a bad FSU squad, and appear to be the best of the ACC. They have a phenomenal offense, but they need to show me more. They'll have their chance to do just that this weekend at home versus Georgia Tech, as well as next week in Blacksburg, at Virginia Tech.

11. LSU -- Matthew, who borrowed a bunch of the material of his Gospel from Mark. LSU is living right now on a borrowed reputation from their former coach, who is now in the NFL. LSU has tons of talent, but unfortunately for them this season, whereas they have come up big in the small games, they have come up small in the big games.

12. Louisiville -- James, son of Alpheus. What do we know about him? What do we know about Louisville? This weekend they barely beat Cincinnati. AT home. In serious danger of falling out of my Power 12. They will earn points, major points, in my book if, and only if, they manage to beat the Mountaineers.



Waiting list (Matthias ... waiting for someone to "drop"): Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Cal, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Arkansas.

Praying in 2nd Person

For the latest installment of a lesser known Bible passage, a prayer. From Acts 4:24-31 (NASB, w/ a few adjustments):

²⁴And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, "O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, ²⁵who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

     "WHY DID THE NATIONS RAGE,
     AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
²⁶'THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
     AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
     AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS ANNOINTED ONE.'

²⁷"For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. ²⁹"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, ³⁰while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."

³¹And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

I enjoy a great many things about this prayer. For one, I love how the early Christians received an INSTANT answer to their request to speak the Word with boldness. It's always fun when God decides to answer our prayers instantly. Also, one of the things I've tried to emphasize in my teaching recently is how important it is that we retain a boldness when we speak about our faith. And, a lot of times, we equate boldness with rudeness or arrogance. Yet, there is example after example in Acts of how to be bold politely & in a well-mannered fashion (FWIW, my favorite example is Paul's defense in Acts 26). Among other things that we ask of God, we should ask him for Boldness.

I also like how the early Christians connected Psalms 2 with what was happening in the world around them. One thing I like about modern-day post-liberal theology (and specifically with regard to Scripture) is how they capture the sense of how the early Christians viewed Scripture like unto a script to be lived out. That is, that Scripture is not simply a chronicle of past events, but that it is also a living document which finds allegorical-like application in current events. It is not simply a document to be studied, but it is also (and perhaps even more ...) a script to be lived out. And so the early Christians, in this prayer, found an allegorical match for every character mentioned in that Psalms 2 passage (as I underlined for you above). Also, for you non-Greekniks, "Nations" & "Gentiles" is the same word in the original language. So, in interpreting this way, they took courage from the words of Psalms 2. And as the installed ruler of Psalms 2 vanquishes the foe with ease, the early Christians ask that they may vanquish the foe via the name & authority of God's annointed.

None of us will ever forget September 11th -- it's events, it's aftermath, and where we were when we heard the news. I was at a Bible Major's Retreat at Camp Takodah in Arkansas, barely a month into my first semester at Harding University. It was an amazing scene to return to campus later that afternoon and to put pictures & video with the devastating descriptions we had already heard. And one other thing I will never forget is Chapel on September 12th. I remember sitting down & seeing a gigantic American flag behind the podium & Chapel leaders' seats. I don't remember what songs we sang or even anything that Dr. Burks said as he brought the devotional message that morning. But I'll never forget the Scripture that Dr. Burks read:

¹ God is our refuge and strength,

     A very present help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change

     And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

Was the writer of Psalms 46 writing prophetically about the events of September 11th? No. But it's words find new life & special meaning as it's words are compared with the events of September 11th. One thing that I love to do is to pray the Psalms -- reciting a Psalm & making it my own prayer. I suggest that you try it, as well, and that you try to capture a new wider view of Scripture, rather than just the narrow historical-critical perspective.

But what impresses me most about this prayer is what you will find emboldened. This prayer is almost exclusively in 2nd person. You know, you can tell a lot about someone from listening to how they speak. Even Jesus said, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt. 12:34). And as I think about this prayer alongside my own prayers, I think about how selfish I must sound. I mean, if I were to have prayed this prayer, I wonder if it might have sounded something like:

"Lord. I know you know about what's going on here. Things are about to get pretty tough for us down here. The Jewish Council threatened us, Lord. We need your help, and your power. Lord, bless us."

It is very subtle, but there is a distinct difference between speaking in 1st person vs. speaking in 2nd person. Do you see the difference? This second prayer is more me/we-centered. And it is primarily concerned with what happens to me/we.

However, the 2nd person prayer is more concerned with the movement of God & the will of God. These Christians see themselves no longer as individuals, but corporately as the literal body of Christ, carrying out God's wishes as Jesus' very hands & feet. They weren't concerned with the threats against their lives & livelihood; they were interested in how the recent events were going to affect the infant Christian movement.

Not only that, but the prayer was more personal. It was a conversation: you & me (or, with that group, I guess "us"). Sometimes, in my own prayers, I can catch myself drifting & have to catch and ask myself, "Who are you talking to? Yourself? Or God?" And I've found that being deliberate about using 2nd person language in prayer, and breaking out of normal speech patterns and well-worn prayer phrases, can be unsettling as you all of a sudden gain more perspective on who it is you are keeping company with: The Almighty.

I urge you to try this. Say a prayer in which you almost exclusively & very deliberately use 2nd person language. For those of you who may have more advanced prayer lives than me, perhaps this won't be very startling. But I'm guessing that for some of you who read this blog, praying in the 2nd person will almost be like a paradigm shift. It is amazing how we can sometimes almost subconciously think about God in a way that we would never affirm consciously. You will begin to view God in your prayers less as like a Divine Dispensing Machine (money in: candy bar out ... prayer in: blessing out), but begin to view Him more as a Person with feelings & values as you are talking to Him. Less of a mechanistic view and more of a personal view.

Best wishes to all of you as you learn how to better pray in the 2nd person.

Pop Culture Review

My new favorite comedian is a guy named Jim Gaffigan. You may not recognize the name, but you'll recognize his face from at least one of the hundreds of commercials that he has been on, whether it's Siera Mist, Saturn, ESPN, or Rolling Rock. He recently did the Gator Growl (University of Florida Homecoming pre-game festival) this past Saturday, and I wish I had known so I could have gone.

Click play below to listen to one of Gaffigan's best bits, as he talks about "Hot Pockets."

I'm not much of a television watcher, but that which I do watch I watch religiously.

My favorite show right now is by far NBC's The Office, with Steve Carrel. If you like to laugh but don't appreciate standard sitcom humor ("Look, the husband has done something dumb again ... that's so funny"). OK. Now, you know when you here from like half a dozen people that something is "SO FUNNY," and you're not sure, so it makes you stay further away from watching it for some reason, and then one day you tune in on your own & you discover that it REALLY IS funny? THIS is THAT show. So if you've never watched The Office, give it a try. And I recommend that you start from the beginning ... go buy it on DVD. You will love it; I promise.

The BEST show you aren't watching.

OK, to preface what's coming next -- I am a man, and I am indeed heterosexual. One of my favorite shows is Gilmore Girls. I've really been disappointed with the trajectory of this show over the last several seasons, however. When it first began, Lorelai was eye candy, Rory was the innocent girl that reminded you of all that's right with women, & Luke was the one normal guy on television who was a good guy and who always came through in the clutch. Now, Lorelai is still eye candy, but is aging. Rory lost her virginity on the show and has never been the same and is slowing becoming all that is wrong with women. And the writers have made Luke into sort of a jerk. I just watched my first episode of the season last night, and it was a rather joyless experience. But I've invested myself into the first 6 seasons, I've gotta watch this last one, right? Maybe. We'll see ...

Those were my only two until I recently discovered ABC's new drama, Six Degrees. It is everything that is right with TV -- beautiful women, excellent plot development with believable writing, & likeable characters (with solid character development). I've been very impressed so far. If you haven't seen it, and are interested, you can catch the first three episodes in full on-line at ABC.com for free.

In music, I'm really excited, and unsure, about a new rock band: Hinder. I love pure rock & roll. Not head-banger stuff. Not punk rock. Not pop rock. ROCK. And Hinder has said publicly that they are making it their mission to bring rock back. I'm so happy about that. They also say they want to bring back the "Sex & Drugs" element back with it. I'm not sure if they're joking or serious. So, tread lightly there. But their music seems pretty good so far.

The Power 12

Because I have an opinion, and because Bob has no idea what he is doing, I'm introducing my Power 12. I doubt that I'll update it every week. But we've played enough football by now to begin judging the talent, so here goes.

Oh, and it's 12 because 'Bama has 12 National Championships ... in case you were wondering. ;-D

1. Ohio State -- Because they're consistent. Because they're supremely talented. Because they have a head coach who has done the deed before. And, quite simply, because I'd look stupid if I put anyone else in this spot.

2. Michigan -- Strength of schedule isn't all that great, but they are consistently winning comfortably. If they keep it up, it will be clear sailing until their showdown with the Buckeyes.

3. West Virginia -- They destroyed the reigning SEC Champs in the Sugar Bowl last year. Rich Rodriguez is an offensive guru ... and should be getting all the man-love that ESPN reserves for Urban Meyer. The Mountaineers are legit.

4. Florida -- They have looked good so far. Their test this weekend at Auburn & the annual Cocktail Party will be tough obstacles. But if they hurdle them both, I'll have to bump them up to #2.

5. Southern Cal -- They need to get their Booty in gear. Literally. Still, supremely talented & superior athletically to anyone they will face this season before the bowl game.

6. Tennessee -- SEC East is back on top with a couple SEC West Flops courtesy of Auburn & LSU. The Vols were unstoppable Saturday night against a good, athletic Georgia defense.

7. Texas -- Along with USC, Florida, & Ohio State, the only other school that legitimately recruits nation-wide. Dripping with talent & athleticism. Should roll through the rest of the Big XII.

8. Clemson -- Best offense in the ACC. And they have the best running back duo in the nation in Davis & Spiller.

9. Notre Dame -- Will win out at least until they face USC.

10. Auburn -- They were embarrassed by Arkansas. They will be fired up for the Gators.

11. Louisiville -- Some might think I'm ranking Bobby Petrino too low. However, no defense + playing with backups at QB & RB forces my hand.

12. LSU -- I'd put Cal here, except that SEC fans laugh at that prospect when you consider how they were manhandled at Tennessee. Have played pitiful offense in their two big early road tests (Auburn & Florida), and subsequently lost. Still, they may have the most talented roster of anyone in college football, so that's why they hang on here.

Knocking on the Door: Cal, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Missouri, Nebraska, and dare I say Rutgers

There is a God

As a Red Sox fan watching a Boston-less playoffs, fewer things could be more satisfying than to Detroit's victory over the Yankees last night. Kenny Rogers dismantled the Bronx Bombers & their $200 million lineup over 7.2 innings last night, and the Tigers knocked around the Big Unit, giving the Detoit Tigers a 2-1 Series lead in this short 5-game series.

Yankee fans would be stunned. Steinbrenner would be furious. A-Rod would be traded. Go Tigers!

The first week of playoff baseball has been pretty good so far. I have to admit that, for me, the highlight is the Tigers giving the Yankees all they want. I was glad to see the A's finally break through & win a series. Hooray for Moneyball. And hooray for the only other legitimate possibility of beating the Yankees if the Tigers can't finish them off.

The NL, or Quadruple-A, playoffs have been more disappointing. I was hoping to see Nomar & the Dodgers capture a little playoff magic. Not happening. And the Padres make it to October and once again can't hit. It's sickening. I'm TIRED of the Cardinals. I suppose we're destined for an NLCS with matchups like Jeff Weaver vs. Steve Trachsel & Jeff Suppan vs. John Maine. BORRRR-EEEENG.

From ESPN.com. A nice read:

If there are indeed football gods -- and the next time Duke scores a touchdown, I'll be a true believer -- then perhaps justice is being served at Michigan State and Texas A&M.

Remember when Louisville's players learned coach John L. Smith was bolting for Michigan State during halftime of the Cardinals' 38-15 loss to Marshall in the GMAC Bowl at the end of the 2002 season?

Likewise, remember when Dennis Franchione implored his players at Alabama, which was under harsh NCAA sanctions, not to leave ("Hold the Rope") and stick with Coach Fran and the Crimson Tide? And then many of those same players watched Franchione bolt for a $2 million salary at Texas A&M in December 2002, before Alabama faced the worst of its probation.

At Michigan State, Smith's program is in meltdown. The Spartans blew a 17-point lead in the second half of their 40-37 loss to Notre Dame on Sept. 23, and then slept through a 23-20 loss to Illinois on Saturday.

It was the Illini's first victory in a Big Ten road game since 2002. Illinois had lost 24 of its last 25 conference games before spoiling the Spartans' homecoming.

"All week. That's the way we practiced, what you saw," Smith told reporters after the Illinois loss. "We can't get them to go. And apparently I don't have the answer. We can't get them to go hard in practice, so we've got to continue to look for the answer."

The stunning loss was followed by an ugly scene at midfield, when the teams exchanged punches and shoves when Illinois players tried to plant an Illini flag at midfield.

It might get much uglier in East Lansing, Mich. The Spartans play at No. 6 Michigan on Saturday, then host No. 1 Ohio State on Oct. 14. They'll probably play the Wolverines without quarterback Drew Stanton (bruised ribs) and tailback Javon Ringer (sprained knee). Left guard Daniel Zynn broke his ankle and is probably out for the rest of the season.

Texas A&M fans might not ever get over the Aggies' 31-27 loss to Texas Tech, in which the Red Raiders scored the game-winning touchdown on Graham Harrell's 37-yard touchdown pass to Robert Johnson with only 26 seconds to go. The Aggies had kicked the go-ahead field goal less than two minutes earlier.

The loss dropped Franchione's overall record at Texas A&M to 20-20 in three-plus seasons. The Aggies might need to win three of their next four games -- at Kansas, at home against surging Missouri and road games at Oklahoma State and Baylor -- to save Coach Fran's job.

Texas A&M finishes the season with home games against No. 14 Oklahoma and No. 22 Nebraska and a road finale at No. 7 Texas.

Technology

I am having the worst luck with electronics lately. I'm about to be with my third cell phone in the last calendar year. I've been through three computer chargers in the last calendar year. So, yes, that means I'm getting a new computer. And for now, I'm using someone else's.

I have had serious bad luck with regard to electronics in recent years.

(I'd like to be writing more. But with my RIDICULOUS bad electronics luck, I'm limited. Hope to be back soon.)

Ryder Cup: Why the Euro's Dominate

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I think I got a little bored with this medium ... and a little intimidated, even with a light readership. I've had stuff on my mind lately, though, so I'm making a comeback ...


Nick Faldo, from an article on ESPN.com this past July, on why the Euro's dominate the American's in Ryder Cup Competition every two years:

"There are some secrets you'll never get out of me. The biggest is the strategy we Europeans use in foursomes during the Ryder Cup. It's one area of the Ryder Cup we've dominated, and this strategy really is the reason we've won four of the last five Ryder Cups. Tony Jacklin invented it, and it's beautiful in its simplicity and devastating in terms of its effectiveness in the alternate-shot format. If the Americans got wind of it, there would go the Ryder Cup. It's subtle, but very visible when you look at it head-on. An observant person can see it."

... and ...

"The alternate-shot secret, I'm keeping to myself. But I will say this about the four-ball: You need a good partner. There's no way around that, and I've had several. I started out with Peter Oosterhuis -- he was my wing man, nailing down solid pars while I fired the big guns. Then Langer, Woosie, Monty and finally, Lee Westwood. By the time I got to Monty, I was the wing man. You want the young guy to be relaxed and playing as loosely as possible, while the more experienced player is charged with being the glue. That's a bit of strategy I reveal at the European team's peril: Formulate every team knowing one guy is the wing man and the other is the main gunner."

In a word: STRATEGERY.