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There had not been an undefeated winner in the Kentucky Derby since Seattle Slew did it in 1977. Fans watching the 2004 Derby saw a Pennsylvania-bred horse named Smarty Jones, with a trainer and a jockey who were both Derby rookies, end the 27-year drought by running his record to 7-0. Jockey Stewart Elliott said, "At the three-eighths pole I was biding my time. I knew I had a loaded gun beneath me. He straightened up, switched leads, and I figured it was time to go."
To this day, Leah O’Brien-Amico remembers the phone call. It came a decade ago, but it seems like yesterday. It was in the morning. O’Brien-Amico, who was at the time still in the process of building her softball-legend status as part of the U.S. National Team, was standing in the lobby of a hotel chatting with some teammates.
She was in a good mood; it was a joyful time. An Olympic gold medal-winning athlete, O’Brien-Amico had just wrapped up her final season at the University of Arizona, where her team had won the College World Series about a month earlier. It was the third national title Arizona had won while she was there.
Ron interviews Danny Wuerffel. We hear a message delivered by Rayfield Wright. Next Ron interviews Jeff Martin about Fields of Faith. Lastly, Les talks about communication.
In sports, there exist two liars of the highest order. They lie to competitors of every level from novices to high achievers, the obscure to the famous. These liars are fluent in every language and are skilled in deceiving without awakening the conscience. They both whisper and shout with equal effectiveness, and they never tire, take a day off, or worry about being caught.
As the Competitor’s Creed states, your desire as an athlete is to “compete for the pleasure of [your] Heavenly Father, the honor of Christ and the reputation of the Holy Spirit.” That is truly competing with a spiritual focus, not a physical focus.
To hear Texas A&M University basketball coach Billy Gillispie talk about Chris Walker's natural talent, you'd probably think the senior was a benchwarmer, not a guy who started 23 games last season. But to hear Gillispie gush, in the same sentence, about the "intangibles" that Walker brings to the Aggies, you'd think he was a sure-fire NBA lottery pick.
Nic Cardwell’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
It was 2002, and Cardwell, then a senior at Robert B. Glenn (N.C.) High School, and his father were on a football recruiting trip to nearby Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. After a short wait in the lobby of the on-campus inn, a team representative — an “old guy,” as Nic remembers — greeted the Cardwells and sat down to chat with them.
Thirty minutes passed, and Cardwell’s mind drifted. Finally, the older gentleman got up and said, “OK, let’s go eat.” Cardwell quickly snapped to attention. Perplexed, he blurted, “Wait a second! I haven’t met the head coach yet.”
Growing up in Pennsylvania, my grandmother raised me to go to church. I did all the normal Christian things like go to Sunday school, sing in the choir and participate in our group of junior missionaries. Obviously, by the time I got to college, I knew who God was. I could tell you all the Bible stories and knew about Jesus, but it all was a very premature version of knowing Him. I didn't really recognize Christ as my Lord and Savior or have a personal relationship with Him.
In 1954 Don Larson struggled through one of the worst seasons ever experienced by a pitcher. He won three games and lost twenty-one. Strangely enough, he was then traded to the best team in baseball at that time, the New York Yankees. Things got better for Don Larson. Two years later, he had a record of 11–5 and the team made it to the World Series. In game five Larson pitched perfectly; not one runner got to first base. Afterward Larson said, “It’s amazing…not long ago, I was a nobody, and now, everybody wants me.”
Guests include Tim Tebow, Ron Brown, Irving Fryar and FCA’s President Les Steckel
“I wasted a lot of years not giving God any glory,” says FCA’s Amy Marino as she reflects on her own college athletic career. “I didn’t want players on my team telling me about Christ. I didn’t feel I needed Him.” But seeing the joy that radiates from her face, you would never know there was a time when Marino’s heart wasn’t pursuing Christ.
Since her “Saul to Paul” conversion, Marino has dedicated her role as an FCA representative at the University of Illinois to leaving a mark on a new generation of athletes.
Depression has been called an "elephant in the room" in the Christian church. The black sheep of all medical conditions. The one thing no one wants to acknowledge. Yet, it seems to be the one thing everyone is dealing with, either personally or through friends or family members. Everyone knows someone who is currently or has previously battled this disorder. And that's not just an assumption; it's a statistical fact.
In the United States alone, 18.8 million people (close to 10 percent of the adult population) are affected by a depressive disorder in a given year. That's almost one out of 10 people.
They call him a king, yet he is only 19. They say he is the lord of his court, yet he failed to conquer all his foes. They say he will rule over all one day, but I seriously doubt it. Who is this king? King James — LeBron James, that is. Many have labeled him the next Jordan, the next Magic, the next hero of the league. But even though he is very good, LeBron James is NO king. He is one man, not THE man!
Many discussions about this year’s men’s Final Four have been filled with a number of main storylines: VCU and their improbable run, Butler’s incredible two-year dominance, UConn’s amazing post-season string, and Kentucky’s resilience. As story after story emerges about each team and their journey, members of each squad are discussing their season’s defining moments.
One is an unassuming, 6-foot-2 junior point guard who chooses to strike from afar. The other is a 6-foot-8, senior forward whose flashy, aerial deeds make the highlight reels. One comes from a Methodist background; the other Catholic. One was raised in a well-to-do family where life’s big challenge was growing up between two sisters. The other’s parents worked hard to steer him away from the dangerous, sometimes fatal, lawlessness that plagued his extended family.
Far away from the adoring fans and the harassing media, the smooth-talking agents and the lure of the NBA, Alabama point guard Ronald Steele withdraws to quiet places to pray.
A preseason All-American, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Steele has high expectations for his junior year with the Tide. He dreams of an SEC title for his team and All-America honors for himself. He dreams of next season, too.
North Carolina head women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchel, Kansas State head women’s basketball coach Deb Patterson, Vice President for FCA Sports Sean McNamara & FCA President Les Steckel
Ministry
Sport
Book of the Bible
FCA Bible Topic
