On our TXA 21 Game of the Week we did a short tribute to one of our good friends, former North Crowley coach and teacher Ken Kershaw.  Because of time restrictions the tribute was not as long as I was hoping it would be so what follows is the full text of what I was hoping to say...

Texas high school football lost one of its biggest fans and greatest supporters when Kenneth Kershaw passed away on April 19^th of this year as the result of an automobile accident.  Coach Kershaw was a Texan, born in Brownsville, and he was passionate about all things Texan, especially hunting, BBQ, and high school football.

Coach Kershaw earned a Masters degree from TCU in 1988 and spent his entire adult life  teaching and coaching on the high school level, first at Fort Worth’s Western Hills, then on to Marble Falls in the Texas hill country.  After that is was back to Fort Worth and stops at Pascal and Southwest high schools before finally settling at North Crowley in 1999.

He was a successful coach, helping to lead baseball and football teams to winning seasons…the ultimate athletic prize came his way in 2003 when, as an assistant football coach, he was part of the magical North Crowley run to the 4A DI State Championship..

Athletics was only part of the Ken Kershaw story though…a beloved and respected educator, he was named North Crowley teacher of the year in 2003 and 2004 and Educator of the year in 2005.  His students marveled at how he knew the mascot for every high school in Texas, and how he could tell them about the best barbecue restaurants in any small Texas town…he pushed his students to excellence, and they loved him for it.

Coach Kershaw loved what he called “small ball” high school football on the 1A and 2A level..so its fitting that his family and friends are celebrating his life tonight at Waco ISD stadium where Bosqueville and Bartlett are squaring off in a “Battle of Bulldogs”.

Ken Kershaw absolutely adored the sport of Texas High School Football, so let me say this final thought in a way I think he would appreciate…On the scoreboard of life the points are not given for fame, money or possessions…rather they are earned by faith, the lives you touch, and the good that you do…by that measure Coach Ken Kershaw didn’t just light up the scoreboard, he blew it up.  I know I speak for his wife Sara, his kids Kristine and Kurt, and countless other members of his family and his friends when I say Coach, you are loved, and you are missed.

Football season is upon us!  The odometer on the year 2012 has officially rolled into August and that means it is time to start thinkin' bout football.  My wife, love her as I do, does not enjoy this fact.  To her there is still much summer left on the calender and thus we should not be focusing our attention on the gridiron just yet.  But we know better don't we?  Why, if you are just now starting to pay attention to your teams two-deep or if you haven't even purchased your copy of Dave Campbell's Texas Football, you are lagging behind!  So with that in mind, let's get geared up for the upcoming football season by going back a couple of seasons to one of the greatest games we have ever broadcast on TXA 21.  The State Quarterfinal matchup from Dragon Stadium between Coppell and Euless Trinity. Click on the link and enjoy!

http://legacysportsnetwork.com/LSNTV/Coppell-Trinity.htm

A Letter Home from a Traffic Jam

(This is what happens when I watch the Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War and then get caught in traffic the next day)

My Dearest, Warmest, Bridgette,

The fondest wish of my heart is that this letter finds you well.  It has been 50 terrible minutes since I departed my work post and set about for our homestead.  The caravan of motorized wagons that ensnares me stretches beyond the ability of my eyes to discern its end. It has vanquished all hope of forward momentum.  Our procession has slowed to such a degree that a wounded mule carrying two 100 pound gunny-sacks of sorghum could advance more rapidly were he of a mind to do so.

I fear that I may never look upon your lovely visage again my darling.  I long for the evenings when we would enjoy each others company in the parlor whilst watching the box with the moving pictures.  All the while the air circulator above our heads rotating swiftly, giving us a rather refreshing breeze.

If I perish on this God forsaken stretch of blacktop, tell the children that my final thoughts were of them, and you of course.  I must endeavor to.....oh cool honey it's starting to break up..gotta go!

Your most devoted and humble and kind hearted and goodly mannered husband,
Douglas

18 April, 2012

Why Bounties are Bad. Period.

Here is what I don't want to hear about bounties:
1) It's Football
2) Everybody Does It
3) Players will try to put other players out, money or no money.
4) As fans, our bloodlust is what brought this on.

That's ridiculous. Period.

Bounties are not an inherent part of football and if they are then I really have to re-evaluate whether or not I am interested in watching this game anymore.  Football is voilent, no question, but it is supposed to be an honest violence.  Boxing is violent.  Boxers are out to hurt each other.  But boxers know going in that is the goal.  They line up to face each other in the ring and they know that they are getting ready to beat each others brains in.  It is what they sign up for.  Football players, professional or not, do not sign up to be the subject of cheap shots or overly aggressive hits because some 300 pound buck on the other side of the ball is trying to put a skin on his wall.

I don't care if it is an unspoken part of the game that everyone turns a blind eye to, wrong is wrong.  There should still be a place for honor and sportsmanship in the game even if the stakes for winning and losing have risen to levels that only God can comprehend.  Hit hard, yes. But hit clean.

I know my parents rolled their eyes at my grandparents when they said "the world is going to hell." I know I rolled my eyes at my parents when they said "the world is going to hell."  I also know my kids will one day roll their eyes at me when I say "the world is going to hell."  But you know what, I am going to say it anyway. You know why?  Because THE WORLD IS GOING TO HELL!  When we laugh off the idea of one man trying to end another mans career for the sake of an "atta boy" and say "that's football" or "boys will be boys" then I am sorry but  I don't have a lot of hope for the future.

How much will we tolerate taking violence out of the game? I don't know.  We seem to throw a fit everytime the NFL makes a rule that portends to protect any given player be it a quarterback or a kick returner. I know most fans love their big hits but I don't believe the popularity of the league would be any less by making sure that those who are doing the hitting are doing it the right way, and for the right reasons.

So I went to a Men's Conference

Prior to this weekend I had never been to a Men's Conference.  To be honest, I never had much interest.  I figured if I wanted a bunch of strange men that I have no relationship with to hug me in an awkward way and make painfully dry small talk, I would just show up at the next family reunion.  But for some reason the Lord was telling me that I needed to attend Alpha Summit.  Alpha Summit is the Men's Conference at Gateway Church in Southlake.  I love Gateway.  My wife, my kids, we all love Gateway and have been members there for about six years.  But during that time I have never really connected with the men of Gateway.  I have been to a few men's groups but for one reason or another I never stuck with it. Alpha Summit was a chance to change that.

It would not be easy.  The conference had been marketed toward "guy's guys", I do not consider myself a "guy's guy."  I don't hunt or fish.  I hate to work on cars, I hate to mow the yard. I don't get excited about motorcycles or bows and arrows or even golf clubs for that matter.  Maybe living in a house with three women has made me soft, I don't know.  The point is I was not sure how or where I was going to fit in.

Thursday night I made absolutely no new friends.  In fact I did not even talk to anybody.  I did however discover at least one thing that I have in common with manly men...we like meat.  Thursday night was a tailgate party in the parking lot.  I have never seen such a wondrous display of carnivorous delights.  Brisket, ribs, fajitas, and my favorite, the jalapeno bratwurst.  All washed down with a choice of soda.  I had a warm feeling in my chest, either it was the hint of kinship with my fellow men, or heartburn, I could not tell.

Friday was the day that changed everything.  I started the day by volunteering as a greeter at one of the entrances.  During the course of shaking about 175 hands I made a new friend, a guy named Ian who was greeting alongside me.  As it would turn out my wife knows his wife and they are actually friends. This does not come as a shock since my wife knows everyone at church and seems to be friends with all of them.  A tremendous lineup of speakers taught throughout the day.  Bill Hybels on the importance of male friendships, a "band of brothers" if you will.  Tim Ross on the life of David, how he shaped generations to come and how we have the power to do the same.  Perry Noble on being passionate for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our savior Jesus Christ.  Awesome stuff.  Now I was starting to rethink my previous objections. Perhaps I had misjudged this whole Men's Conference thing.  God was doing some amazing things in the room that night and I was glad to be a part of it.

Even the male bonding exercise of building a catapault was enjoyable.  Although our catapault self-destructed after two practice launches and my only contribution was coming up with sportsy nicknames for my teamates ( like our captian Michael "Coupe" Deville) I still had a great time.

Saturday ended the conference on a high.  Perry Noble spoke again. If you have not heard him you owe it to yourself to check him out.  He pastors a church in South Carolina and speaks the Truth in a way only a southern born, southern bred believer can.  When it was all said and done, I came away grateful that I went.  Grateful for the friends I have, and the friends to come.  I may not like some of the same things that "manly men" like, but I am a warrior for Christ.  I am also the leader of my house, the protector of my family, and the one who is responsible for how my children grow up.  Bring it on...

"I can do all things through him that gives me strength."  (Philippians 4:13)

A Question of Trust

Trusting God sounds simple enough.  After all, what do we know about God?  We know He created the universe.  That He created us to love Him and love each other.  That He is all knowing, all seeing and that above all He is good! He loves us, cares for us, and does not desire to harm us.  This is all in the book. 

If anyone has earned our trust, it is God.  So why do I find it so hard sometimes to fully put my trust in Him? Two weeks ago I was having major trust issues.  My finances were not lining up the way I wanted them to.  My job was not going the way I wanted it to.  My marriage was not flowing the way I wanted it to. All of these things that were not going my way were causing me to turn my frustration toward God.  I was angry because I felt like I had been a good boy, done and said the right things, I had been faithful in giving and going to church and not cussing (at least not much) and so I had held up my end of the bargain.  Why then was God not holding up his?

Then I started noticing a pattern, every lesson I studied in quiet time, every sermon I heard on the radio, even the subject of study at my men's group were all hitting on the same theme, courage.  The men's group was studying Ephesians Ch. 6 where Paul tells the church at Ephesus to "put on the full armor of God".  The breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, most importantly the shield of faith.  You don't put on armor unless you are going into battle and if you are going into battle you better have courage and courage covered by faith.  Two different radio ministries were discussing the story of Paul's shipwreck on his way to Rome which is told in Acts Ch. 27.  It is Paul, the prisoner, who stands up bravely and tells his shipmates that not a one shall perish even though the ship is to be run aground.  Courage covered by Faith.  Our family night movie was "Courageous." Police officers who overcome tragedy and challenge themselves to be the best fathers they can be, to do what is right no matter the cost. Courage covered by Faith.

Finally through prayer and listening, I started to catch on.  My God, who meets every need, who guards me like a lioness, who loves me with boundless love I cannot comprehend, had not abandoned me. He had not even left my side for a second.  He just wanted me to trust Him. Did you see a pattern to the problems I mentioned earlier?  I was upset because things were not going MY way.  My circumstances were not working out the way I wanted them to.  Guess what? Things don't have to go my way, they only need to go God's way because God is enough!  So it was up to me to trust God and let him work out the details.   Now what does this have to do with courage?   That, my friend, is where I had my revelation.  See, it takes a courageous man to fully and utterly surrender to God.  If there is one thing guys hate, it is giving up control.  We want to be behind the wheel, we want to choose the restaurant, and we want our hands on the remote! But God wants, and deserves, our trust.  Once I began to relate courage to surrender and bravery to trust, my mind was put right.  My heart softened.  I was back in my Fathers arms, such an awesome place to be. 

Needless to say, things started getting better. I had peace, my relationships improved, my finances were blessed.  Most importantly I grew closer to God, hearing Him in a stronger way. Connecting with Him with a freshness in my spirit.  I can't wait to see what happens next.

My bottom line: Until you surrender to God, you are not ready for the fight.  Put on his armor, and hold on tight.

"I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation but take heart, I have overcome the world."  -John 16:33