Alphabetical
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January 30, 2013
Set:
It's absolutely crazy what athletes go through in the NFL Scouting Combine. A few days of testing that will most likely determine if they are drafted or have a future in the NFL.
There are training facilities across the country that help those NFL hopefuls prepare for Combine's physically challenging events including the vertical jump, 40-yard dash, 3-cone drill and bench press among others.
In addition to the drill work, these facilities do a number of tests including putting athletes in a "bod pod," to test the body's fat count, as well as doing electromagnetic testing of the nerves and joints. There are nutritionists, orthopedic surgeons and even interview coaches.
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February 08, 2013
Set:
A few days ago, I went out for a long training run. It wasn't a particularly pretty day, and I wasn't exactly looking forward to the run ahead of me. About four miles in, it started to drizzle. A mile later, it was raining. I found myself looking around realizing that I was the only one out there running in the weather. My mind started to harp on how miserable it was, how much longer I had to go, and how I could probably just take a shortcut and go home. Then I felt God speak to me.
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June 17, 2010
Set:
A few days ago, I went out for a long training run. It wasn't a particularly pretty day, and I wasn't exactly looking forward to the run ahead of me. About four miles in, it started to drizzle. A mile later, it was raining. I found myself looking around realizing that I was the only one around running in the rain. My mind started to harp on how miserable it was, how much longer I had to go, and how I could probably just take a shortcut and go home. Then I felt God speak to me.
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November 07, 2012
Set:
I love the fact that Paul draws a comparison between physical and spiritual training. But most of us do one of two things with this passage. We either completely discount the benefits of physical training, or we miss the fact that we should actually engage in spiritual training.
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April 11, 2006
Set:
“Some of my vivid images of Jerry Rice are him working out at the Pro Bowl. Here you are, after he wins the Super Bowl, he’s played in front of 500 million people. Less than a week later, he’s out there running wind sprints to play in what is our only exhibition game,’ says NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue on ESPN Classic’s SportsCentury series.
Jerry Rice is arguably the best wide receiver in the history of football. Rice had a reputation for training hard. He understood the benefits of taking care of his physical body so that on the field he could perform at a level that surpassed everyone else. He understood the power of training.
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July 08, 2013
Set:
I recently saw my old coach whom I love and respect. He seemed even closer to Christ and his faith more vibrant than the last time I saw him. He is 67 and still desires to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. It gives me great optimism. My coach will never change. For him to change would be to stop moving forward, to stop desiring God. He knows he is on a journey, he knows where his citizenship rests.
Can we grasp how hard it is, and yet how fundamental it is to progress? Our brains, bodies, and even friends resist our transformation. Habit, routine, and a planned agenda give a sense of security. The older we get, the harder change becomes. It is much easier to transplant a sapling than a mature tree.
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June 11, 2004
Set:
He received the handoff, and moved towards the line. They had him cornered, pinned in the backfield for a big loss. But next thing you know, Barry Sanders wiggled his way through all the defenders for a touchdown. Left standing in his dust, the linemen had to think, "We had him trapped! There's no way he could have gotten out of that jam." More often than not, Sanders did get out of the jams, and that is what made him such a special player. A modern-day football Houdini, Sanders broke through many traps set before him and turned calamity into celebration. All it took for Sanders was a small opening.
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April 11, 2013
Set:
In 1998, the Ohio State Buckeyes beat Northwestern 36–10, but personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct tainted the win. OSU’s coach at the time, John Cooper, made a point to his number-one ranked team, emphasizing that there is no place in football for trash talking and taunting and that it can be a distraction more than a help. Guard Rob Murphy said, “He got his point across.”
Discussing the numerous flags that were thrown during the game, Cooper demanded that the trash-talk behavior stop. Again Murphy said, “I agree. We need to play more and talk less.”
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April 07, 2008
Set:
When Laura Wilkinson says she used to be a very quiet and shy person, it’s a little hard to believe. That’s because these days, the outgoing, personable world-class diver is one of sport’s most outspoken Christian athletes.
Wilkinson is also very articulate when it comes to matters of faith. She strives to live with integrity in an effort to maintain solid footing on the broad platform that worldwide notoriety as an Olympic gold medalist has afforded her.
“I’ve had to learn to speak up for God in my life,” Wilkinson says. “I’ve realized that if He has a presence in my heart, He needs to have a presence in everything. If He’s really the center of my life, He’s really going to be involved in everything.”
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November 22, 2011
Set:
I still remember being a 12-year-old aspiring basketball player and hearing NBA Hall-of-Famer Adrian Dantley teach about basketball’s “triple threat.” I learned that when you first receive the ball, you are in a great position with three potential options: dribble, shoot or pass. I wouldn’t soon forget the power of the triple threat. It changed the way I played basketball, and it even helped me beat my older brother in one-on-one a few times.
As followers of Christ, we also have a “triple threat.” Our opponent, Satan, wants to defeat us and take us out. He doesn’t want us to win and is working overtime to make sure you and I are discouraged and overwhelmed. We start believing that the goal in life is to just survive—just get through one more day.
