Comfort Entertainment

Everyone has one, whether it’s a movie, a book, a video game, a TV show, it doesn’t matter, everyone has one. It’s that one thing that every time you were home sick as a child, you had to do. You watched the same movie, every time. You played the same video game, every time. You watched the same TV show, every time. I’m quite certain that every time after that first time Fred Savage got sick he wanted Peter Falk to come over and read him the story of Princess Buttercup and Westley. It’s just what you know. It’s like comfort entertainment to go with your comfort food. Well in my continuous quest to extend my ever growing DVD collection, I browse new titles being released about every couple weeks. This week, I did something different. I joined Netflix, as if I don’t already have enough to watch. Well I had to browse through a lot of titles to decide what movies I hadn’t seen that I wanted to see. Then, I remembered that there was one movie that I loved as a kid and as a result wore out my VHS taped off the TV version of it. I’d checked over the years to see if/when it would be released by the studio that owned it, but to no avail. So, just for fun, I typed the title into Netflix and wouldn’t you know it, it resurfaced. Not only did it resurface, it is being released on DVD on February 14th. I have never in my life wanted Valentine’s Day to actually come around, but if it means I get to see “Somewhere, Tomorrow” on DVD, by all means, let the countdown begin.

The movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker just after her days on Square Pegs and right before her portrayal of Willard Hewitt’s girlfriend on Footloose, and most definitely YEARS before her stint as Carrie Bradshaw. It’s a silly movie really, but I cried every time I watched it as if it were the first time I’d seen it. It always made me feel better, sleep better, get better, etc. A short synopsis from IMDB says this: Young Lori Anderson lost her father in a plane crash. While her mother appears to be picking up the pieces of her life, Lori isn't. She is resentful of every decision that her mother makes from selling the family horse farm to a relationship with the local sheriff. Lori doesn't know what to do and turns to her father's journals filled with psychology and metaphysics for answers. One day, a client coming to see about the boarding of his horse, crashes in a plane with his best friend. The friend manages to escape tragedy, but the client, Terry Stockton, dies in the accident. However, Lori can see and actually touch the supposedly dead Terry after she finds him in the woods. After some struggle, Lori comes to believe that she is meant to help Terry. With the aid of her father's journals and Terry's best friend, they try to find out why Terry's spirit hasn't crossed over. A complication then develops in the situation when Lori and Terry begin to fall for each other. Lori has a riding accident and tries to join Terry in the afterlife. It is then that the reason why Terry had trouble passing on, and the secrets of her father's journals are revealed.

I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m terribly excited about this movie being released. It’s like an old friend that you’d lost contact with somehow finds your number and calls you up to see how you’ve been. We have a lot of catching up to do, but it’ll be tons of fun.

Anybody else have one of those all time movies, games, shows, books, etc. that you just had to have when you were sick or needed a little comfort entertainment?

RIP: CORETTA SCOTT KING

Mrs. King, thank you for sharing your life, your spirit, your vision, and your husband with the world. Thank you for not giving up on the fight even after Dr. King's death. May you find peace, and may your family find comfort.

Coretta Scott King Dies at 78

By Stephen M. Silverman

Coretta Scott King

CREDIT: KEVIN MAZUR / WIREIMAGE

Coretta Scott King, widow of American Civil Rights icon the Rev. Martin Luther King, died Monday night. She was 78.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Long, a longtime friend of the King family, said on Tuesday morning's Today show via phone from Atlanta: "I was not expecting it, but she has been rather ill for the past few months. My first reaction was, she was ready to cross on over."

Young said Mrs. King did not stir when her daughter went in her bedroom to awaken her, and that Mrs. King had slipped away in her sleep. "Yet her spirit will remain with us," he added.

After suffering a stroke and heart attack last August, Mrs. King made a surprise appearance at a Jan. 14 event to honor her late husband. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the King family matriarch joined two of her four children, Dexter and Yolanda King, who served as emcees for the annual Salute to Greatness dinner at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta.

Born and raised in Marion, Ala., Coretta Scott received a B.A. in music and education from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and then went on to study concert singing at Boston's New England Conservatory of Music, where she earned a degree in voice and violin. While in Boston she met Martin Luther King, Jr. who was then studying for his doctorate in systematic theology at Boston University, according to her official biography at Atlanta's King Center. (The center was established by Mrs. King in 1968, the year her husband was assassinated. It is dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of her husband's nonviolent movement for justice, equality and peace.)

Coretta and Martin were married on June 18, 1953, and in September 1954 took up residence in Montgomery, Ala., with Coretta Scott King assuming the many functions of pastor's wife at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. During Dr. King's career, Mrs. King devoted most of her time to raising their four children: Yolanda Denise (born in 1955), Martin Luther, III (1957), Dexter Scott (1961), and Bernice Albertine (1963).

In 1957, she and Dr. King traveled to Ghana to mark that country's independence. A year later, they spent a belated honeymoon in Mexico, where they observed firsthand the immense gulf between extreme wealth and extreme poverty. One year after that, Dr. and Mrs. King spent nearly a month in India on a pilgrimage to see disciples and sites associated with Mahatma Gandhi. And in 1964, she accompanied him to Oslo, Norway, where he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Even prior to her husband's public stand against the Vietnam War in 1967, Mrs. King functioned as liaison to peace and justice organizations, and as mediator to public officials on behalf of the unheard, her biography states.

For nearly four decades Mrs. King remained a dynamic figure in the struggle for civil rights, and Young considered her more of an activist than even her husband was in his prime. "Although people didn't realize it, the action part was always difficult for him," Young told PEOPLE in 1998. "He wanted to preach and reason things out. Coretta wanted to march."

Aside from facing the challenges of being a single mother with four children, Mrs. King made hundreds of speeches, led marches, raised funds and met with human rights and political leaders around the world. She orchestrated a 15-year effort that culminated in 1983, when President Reagan signed a bill creating a national holiday in her husband's memory. She joined the battle to end apartheid, lobbying hard for U.S. sanctions against South Africa. And, not confining herself to racial issues, she campaigned actively to defend gay rights.

Through it all, she kept alive the memory of her husband – and, in a personal touch, the red carnations her husband sent her in March 1968, kept safely in her home on Sunset Avenue in Atlanta. (It was the same one-story brick house she shared with Dr. King and their children.) "What was so strange was that he always sent me fresh flowers, and these were artificial," Mrs. King told PEOPLE six years ago. "When I asked why, Martin said he wanted me to have something I could keep, almost as if he knew they would have to last a very long time."

The Legend Lives On

I know I said there wouldn't be any more Alabama blogs for a while, but I nearly forgot about today, January 26th.

Some people may say that Alabama puts too much emphasis on Bear Bryant and his legacy, but until you've walked on that campus and seen it for yourself, you have no idea how much this one man means to his alma mater. (I do agree that sometimes the Athletic Dept. puts too much stock in hiring employees who worked for the Bear at one time, but until I can donate the big bucks to my alma mater, I don't get to complain.) In any case, I can attest to the strength of the legacy. I have stood, cheered, and screamed in Bryant-Denny Stadium with my hair standing on end, goose bumps on my arms, and tears in my eyes when that unmistakable baritone voice comes over the PA system saying, "I ain't never been nothin' but a winner" and the Alabama Tradition video rolls on the jumbotron. Beyond that, the feeling is indescribable.

A lot of people have seen the ESPN movie "Junction Boys," which dramatized Bear Bryant's 1st year of coaching at Texas A&M. They portrayed him as a hard-nosed coach who never let up on his players. In fact, it portrayed him partly as a monster. Players quit because they couldn't take it, and they hated Coach Bryant, but what Coach was left with after all of that were players who were strong and dedicated, who wanted to play for him, who wanted to win. Make no mistake, he was rough in his coaching, but what he taught his players was not only how to be strong football players, but also, how to be strong men. Every one of his players knows they are the men they are today because of what Coach Bryant taught them about life in the midst of playing a game.

At home games in Tuscaloosa, you can almost see him standing on the field. Little boys grow up learning all about his legacy, and develop a desire to play for the Crimson Tide just for the opportunity to walk where Bear Bryant walked and say they were part of the tradition. As described to me by football players I knew, the first time you run out of that tunnel is an experience you never forget. Every week it starts with the team standing at the entrance to the field, and from somewhere in the midst of them, a player whispers, deeply, TIDE. Then another, a little louder, says GET READY TO ROLL. This continues until they're all chanting TIDE...GET READY TO ROLL...TIDE...GET READY TO ROLL. And then they run out onto the field, Big Al and the cheerleaders leading them. They run through the band that is playing the fight song, and do what so many have done before them. They play the game of football, for themselves, for a team, for their fans, for a school, and for a legacy.

Paul William "Bear" Bryant coached his last game on December 29, 1982 and retired from coaching that same season. He intended to stay on as the athletic director, but less than a month later, the physical Bear Bryant died on January 26th, 1983 in Tuscaloosa of a massive heart attack. But, if you listen carefully on Saturdays in the fall, you can hear his voice and feel his presence. It's deeply rooted in a small town in West Alabama, and I, for one, know no other college football tradition that I'd rather be a part of.

"If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride - and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards." ~ Coach Bryant

(This week, The Washington Times ran a story about his legacy. I have included the link to that story below. It's a great story about a man who wasn't afraid of change and knew that even though he was considered the best in the business, he could always learn something from his peers. Bear Bryant's retirement was too short)

RIP Willard Hewitt

I finally found an article about Chris Penn that actually mentioned "Footloose." Still haven't found one that mentions him as Tom Cruise's best friend in "All The Right Moves." However, a lot of people recognize his brother, Sean, better than they recognize Chris, but I adored the sweet, uncoordinated goofy guy (Willard Hewitt) he played in "Footloose" that Kevin Bacon tried to teach to dance while the song "Let's Hear It For The Boy" played in the background. I never did think he'd get that foot tapping right, but darn it all if he didn't try his heart out. May you find peace, Christopher.

Actor Chris Penn Dies

CREDIT: JEFFREY MAYER / WIREIMAGE

Actor Chris Penn has died in Santa Monica, Calif., PEOPLE has confirmed. He was 40.

Santa Monica police say there is no evidence of foul play in the death of the actor, whose brother is Sean Penn. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, authorities said.

"The Penn family would appreciate the media’s respect of their privacy during this difficult time," the family's rep said in a statement given to PEOPLE on Tuesday.

Penn's body was discovered in a bed inside his residence, located in a four-story condominium complex near the beach, said Capt. Ed Winter of the county coroner's office. Penn's housekeeper called authorities to the condominium complex, Winter said.

Penn, who has more than 50 acting credits to his name, has starred in such films as Reservoir Dogs, At Close Range, Mulholland Falls, Short Cuts and Footloose.

The California native hailed from a show-business family: In addition to his Oscar-winning brother Sean, his brother Michael is a musician; his father, Leo, was a TV director; and mother Eileen Ryan is an actress who appeared in the films I Am Sam and Magnolia.

Specificity

Maybe when I said all those weeks ago that I didn't want the Seahawks and the Colts to have to play each other in the Super Bowl so I wouldn't have to pick sides, I should have been more specific on which team I would have preferred in the big game out of the two if only one could go. Oh and maybe I should have taken back my comment at the beginning of the season when I said I'd give up the Super Bowl this year to have the Colts beat New England in Foxborough.

Hmmm....

In any case, I couldn't be happier for Shaun. I haven't seen him this happy since Alabama won the SEC Championship in 1999. You're a long way from Tuscaloosa (as am I), but never far from my heart. ROLL TIDE, 37!!

Making A Case

Well I'm nothing if not well-read, if you count reading every article known to man about the Colts/Steelers game from Sunday afternoon. It's come with its multitude of depression and trying to continue reading the words through teary-eyes, but I've made it through and I think I'm on the downslope now. If nothing else, reading all the criticism helped me sail right through those stages of grief pretty quickly. I even experienced for the first time a mixture of the upset and angry stages. I didn't think you could mix stages. I came to a new perspective, a positive one, on my feelings about John Elway. He's no longer the cocky, no talent I thought he was. I'll actually go to my grave believing whole heartedly that he was one of the best QBs to ever play the game but not because he won 2 Super Bowls. It's because he really was talented and he didn't give up on what he knew to be true. So, I can't say there aren't still some open wounds and that I don't cringe every time I hear Polamalu's name mentioned, but that'll all heal with time. February 5th will probably be hard, and the February 12th consolation prize game affectionately called the Pro Bowl will do little to easy that, but again...I'll move on because I know that Peyton is healing his wounds somewhere on vacation out of the country with his wife, Ashley. And so, moving on means accepting what has happened and dealing with reality.

I've mentioned over the last week to several people that I could make a case for being happy if any of the 4 teams remaining wins the Super Bowl (except for Carolina). Steve Smith, I don't care how many times you sit in the parking lot of that Taco Bell you used to work at as a teenager, I just can't get behind Carolina winning it all. Of course, you realize this basically means they should just wrap that Lombardi Trophy up and deliver it to Charlotte because my karma ain't so good these days. In any case...here are my thoughts:

1. Seattle wins it all...I'll be happy for Shaun Alexander because we went to school together. He's a wonderful human being and though he was denied a national championship at Alabama, he is the single most reason that we have 21 SEC championships instead of just 20. :) Joe Jurevicius is also one of my favorites from my brief stint as a Tampa Bay fan (gotta save my inheritance you know). He's a fighter himself, and this will be his 3rd NFC title game. He's won the 2 previous ones. The one with Tampa, he caught a 72 yard touchdown pass that is arguably the biggest play in Bucs HISTORY, all while tending to his wife, who had just given birth to their son who lived only 2 months. Great people, and I'll be happy for them if they win, but the Alexander jersey stays in the frame. I'm not taking it out to wear on SB Sunday.

2. Denver wins it all...I'll be happy for John Lynch, another of my favorites from Tampa Bay. I thought he got a raw deal when they let him go, but he's shined even more so on Denver's defense. He's a great human being as well who LOVES his job. Any guy who walks onto a field and says, "ok, I'm ready to hit some people," man...now that's someone I can get behind. Denver's had a bit of a problem in the postseason since Elway's retirement (much like the Colts), so It'd be nice to see a team that has been criticized for that actually make it.

3. Pittsburgh wins it all...(deep breath...resist the tears...ok)...If this is the Bus's final season, then wow what a great way to go out. He's headed for the Hall with or without that SB ring, but I'm sure he'd like to go with it. And who wouldn't like to see a safety with longer hair than mine (Polamalu) hoisting that trophy over his head after what I'm sure would be an MVP performance in the big game. Plus, to see a 2nd year QB without the last name of Brady (Feb. '02) or Manning (I know the fact that I found humor in Eli's "performance" against the Panthers was a direct correlation to my bad karma.) win a SB gets my vote.

4. Carolina wins it all...Leann not happy...Thus, they end up winning it all. :(

Ok. There you have it. What's your pick?

2006--Looking Forward

I went to see Last Holiday on Friday night with my friend Megan (hope you made it back to ACU safely). It was a pretty good movie even if I figured out the hook about half way through. One interesting arc to the story was this journal that Queen Latifah's character kept called Possibilities. It got me to thinking...I'm a typical girl in this fashion...I over think things.

Well...even though the one thing I wanted to happen in 2006 has no chance of happening, I decided to make a list of things that I'm looking forward to. Just to cheer me up.

1. Bon Jovi returns to the MCI (Verizon) Center on February 2nd. I'll be there rocking the night away.
2. Pro Bowl in Hawaii on February 12th. Travel packages including tickets and hotel stays start at a little more than 1500. That's cheaper than the TV I was gonna buy for the Super Bowl, but I doubt they'll put the package on my Best Buy card and give me 3 years to pay. :) Oh well...my comfortable chair will be just fine and if I turn the heat up maybe I can simulate Aloha Stadium.
3. My brother and sister in law are coming to visit during their spring break. More importantly, they're driving up and Janet and I get to go shopping!!
4. March Madness. It probably won't turn out the way I want it to, but come on 32 games in 2 days. It doesn't get much better than that.
5. My mother is finally retiring in May after 40 years of teaching.
6. Silly enough, I'm looking forward to seeing which finalists for the NFL Hall of Fame are inducted. Old school Troy Aikman fan right here!!
7. Going to St. Louis for the annual conference in August. I've never been, maybe I'll make a stop over in Indianapolis on my way back so I can knock one more sporting venue off my list. :) Some people check off states, I check off sporting venues.
8. Last (but never least)...whatever God has in store for me. The possibilities are endless and that's half the fun.

Well, that's my list. Anyone else got a list of things they're looking forward to in 2006? It's a little spin on the whole new year's resolution thing.

An Open Letter To The Colts

Before I begin, allow me to give credit where credit is due. Congratulations to the Steelers who came into the RCA Dome and played a solid 60 minutes of amazing football for the opportunity to go to the AFC Championship game in Denver versus the Broncos. Best of luck to all of you in the coming weeks.

Now down to business...

An Introduction...I knew I would cry at the end of the season, I was just kind of hoping it would be on the night of February 5th and that it would be for a good reason. When you're as emotionally attached to any one player as I am and any one team as I am, well, emotions run high in big pressure situations such as the NFL Playoffs. And most people will say that it's just a game, but I see it differently. I see it from the players' and coachs' point of view. This is their job and to equate it a little, it's like they just lost a huge business deal that they've been working on for a better part of the last year that would have made their careers. So, they happen to play what we call a game, but they're getting to do exactly what they wanted to do with their lives. Isn't that what any of us really want for our careers? The opportunity to have a job that makes us happy and that we enjoy. The Colts brought all they had and it still wasn't enough, and I can't even imagine what that feels like because my heart aches for them...the kind of ache that physically hurts.

The Press Conference...I, for one, just really wanted to give Peyton a hug, but some how, after seeing the press conference, I doubt it would have done much in the way of consoling. He did, as I expected, an amazing interview after the game (although I'd like to buy him a thesaurus just for the word disappointed). He's a class act who gave the Steelers the credit they deserved and told the press that Mike Vanderjagt had nothing to apologize for. Ok, so the press walked him through the door to make a statement about the lack of coverage, but he still didn't point any fingers at any particular players and instead, pointed to the Steelers ability. He talked about the fact that the team lives and plays each game as if it's their last and doesn't look as far as the next season because they keep themselves in the here and now. Once you start thinking about next season, you're sunk. He spoke about preparing for every game as much as he can and that he never walks onto or off of a field thinking he could have prepared better regardless of how many passes he might like to take back. You have to leave it on the field, Peyton, as you always do. I just wish everyone could have a co-worker as dedicated to his other employees and bosses as Peyton is.

To the Wide Receivers (that's easier than naming all of you wonderful men)...you have blown me away this season as you did last year. So there weren't 49 touchdowns. The important part was that y'all played as a team and fought to make the team better no matter who got to catch the pass. There were passes thrown up that any ordinary crew of receivers never would have even tried to catch, but y'all jumped, stretched, and grabbed for every last one of them. Your persistence and love for your jobs has not gone unnoticed and you have made watching this season even more fun than last year (something I didn't think was possible).

To Edgerrin James (there's only one of you, so I can name you)...You continue to be an inspiration. You started this season as a player playing for a franchise that didn't seem to know what a talent they had in #32. You erased their blindness with every carry, every block, and every touchdown. You deserve one of the best contracts available, and though I hope it is with Indianapolis next year, I know that whatever team it is with, you'll give all of yourself for them. I am just thankful that you stayed as long as you did. You have made Peyton and the rest of your teammates better for it.

To Cato June, Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney, and the rest of the Defense...You did what no one thought was possible: you created a power defense for the Colts. Heck, I didn't even think it would ever happen, but you did it, and I couldn't be prouder. Don't let one iota of anything that happened today in the playoff game dissuade you from what you did in the regular season. Dwight, maybe someday you'll get to hit Peyton even though the coaches won't let you do so in practice because I know how much you hate QBs. I hope this defense will stick around and see what it can do next year.

To Mike Vanderjagt...I know it was an important kick, but there will be more of them. Don't beat yourself up about this one. Don't let yourself think that you were the only reason the team lost. Remember, y'all lost as a team not as an individual. You didn't let anyone down. You did what you could on every play you were called on for. I don't know what happened on that last one, and I may never know. But I have no doubt that you (in your insatiable desire to be a better player) will study that kick until it can't be studied anymore, so that it never happens, again. But remember, it does happen. Not every kick is going to make it, but I have enough confidence in you to know that most of them will.

To the Offense...I could say a few choice things at this point, but what's the point...what's it gonna do in the long run. What I do know is that you played your hearts out and sometimes when the other team plays their hearts out, too, it's a little bit more than yours. You can't be faulted for that. You've proved your merit week in and week out, and you deserve nothing short of my respect for protecting, to the best of your abilities, one of the best QB's to ever play the game (just ask Sports Illustrated).

To Peyton Manning...I know I've already talked about you, but I could talk about you all day (oh wait...I already do) and I'd never grow tired of it. When I was a fan of Troy Aikman's I didn't think any QB would ever come along that could knock him off his pedestal in my mind. I was terribly, terribly wrong. You have been a part of my sports loving life for 12 years now, and all I've ever wanted was to see you succeed in the game you study, crave, live, and love. You are (in my opinion) the hardest working QB in the game. The reason you say you can't walk onto or off of that field any week thinking you could have prepared more is because it's not possible. I think you must work longer hours than some accountants (even your favorite one...shout out to last year's MasterCard commercial) do during tax season. But every week, when you take the field and take that first snap, my heart skips a beat because I know what I'm about to see will be nothing short of an amazing talent. Don't ever stop what you're doing. Don't ever think you're doing something wrong. I think just about any QB in the game would welcome the chance to study with you for one week and some have done so, sort of (Get Well Soon, Carson Palmer). Keep it up, you'll make it one day, and hopefully, I'll be there to see it.

To the Coaching staff...The confidence you have in the Colts players is amazing. You expect that when they take the field, they're giving everything they've got. And they know you expect this of them, so they deliver. No one garners more respect from any roster than y'all do. You are a team yourselves and your preparation each week is phenomenal.

To THE Tony Dungy...Who knew that one season could bring so many different emotions? None of us ever wanted to see the end of the season come with such a traumatic occurrence, but even as people kept saying how is Tony going to deal with this, I already knew. You were going to deal with it through your faith in God. After James's funeral, one of the players said it best, they were all there to support you and lift you up, and you turned around and supported them and lifted them up. You have and always will be my very favorite coach because you don't just teach football; you teach life. Every member of that team, from the owners to the coaches to the players to the water boy, is a better human being for having known you. In fact, I sometimes think you've affected my life because of the kind of person you are. You know how to gain respect, but more importantly, you know how to keep it. Just like Peyton, you'll make it one day, and I hope I'm there to see that, too. Hopefully it'll be the same night. :)

To the Colts as a whole...I'm proud of you. You never gave up even though you could have when it was 14-0. Bill Cowher wouldn't even celebrate until the final seconds of the game because he knew how much you were capable of. You are ALL champions in my book even if you don't have a ring on your finger or a trophy in the case. You don't need all that hardware to be champions to me. Every step you took, you didn't give up. Until that final second ticked off the clock, you gave it all you had on any given day. You did things your critics didn't think could ever happen (beating New England in Foxborough, winning 13 games in a row, producing a defense, etc.) and you did it as a team. When you won it was a team win, when you lost it was a team loss. I gave up on teams a long time ago and started paying attention to players, but y'all brought me back and gave me a reason to believe in them, again. So, I think I've finally found it, that one team that no matter what, win or lose, whoever is on the team, that's my team. I've been through the last 8 seasons with y'all (mostly because of Peyton), but as long as I live and as long as there is a Colts organization, I'll go through every one of those seasons to come. Whatever goals y'all set in training camp, had to be amazing because this was one of the most amazing seasons I've ever watched. I can't wait to see what Training Camp '06 has in store.

So there you have it. I'm spent, I almost cried again, and I'm ready for bed (though I don't know if I'll be able to sleep well). I may be one of the most crazed, lunatic fans out there (short of painting letters on my chest and spelling something crazy out of ESPN), but other than my love for my God, my family, and my friends, sports is about the only thing I've got in my life. And so I pay a lot of attention to it and so I get a little (ok, a lot) emotional about it. I don't care. It's who I am. I'm sure the Colts would agree that when you figure out who you are, it's best to stick to the program. And who am I to argue with my team. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CARL!!!

Well if that ain't a great birthday present, I don't know what is!! Actually, I called up my old buddy John Lynch today and asked him if he could do something special for you since it was your birthday and all. He said he'd get an interception just for you. Sorry he waited until the end of the 4th quarter to do so, but at least he came through on his promise.

I actually completely believed the Broncos would win that game because they had beaten the Patriots once this season already. Experience has to count for something.

In any case, Happy Birthday, again, Carl. :)

Sidebar

I've put a link on the sidebar to Katherine's sister's Nelson page from her blog so that anyone who wants to keep up with his growth won't have to find my blog post about it to get to the link. The link will always be there.

There are some new pictures from this weekend up there. SO CUTE. The little man gets bigger every day! His little nursery page is up on the wall in the Seedlings classroom and his little Bible is all ready for him.

Murray and Jaime...Faith's is on the wall and her Bible is there, too...I'm all ready for her.
Brent and Kelli...Rachel's will probably be in there this Sunday.

And to both couples...I can't wait to meet your precious girls very soon!!! These 4 months will just fly by until they are old enough to be in the class!

FINALLY

It's taken a while for the NFL to catch up with something I've known for a long time, but finally the Associated Press recognized one of the most underated players in the league. He is the only person that I would ever want Peyton to lose the MVP award to, and that is exactly what happened...

Congratulations, Shaun. I am proud to be an alumnus with you.

Alexander easily wins MVP honors

NFL.com wire reports
NEW YORK (Jan. 5, 2006) -- Shaun Alexander set an NFL record for touchdowns, led the league in rushing and ran away with The Associated Press Most Valuable Player award.
And with free agency on the horizon, the Seattle running back could parlay his sensational year into unprecedented riches.

Alexander spearheaded the Seahawks' rise to the best record in the NFL, including a victory over the league's other 14-2 team, the Colts. It was the most productive season in Seahawks history, one in which Alexander scored 28 touchdowns and rushed for 1,880 yards.

That earned him 19 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. He ended the two-year reign of Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, who received 13 votes.

"I think that is a team goal," Alexander said of winning the award. "The way I always looked at MVPs was it was a player that did really, really good on a really, really good team. That is why I am even more excited about this year, because I have put together some great numbers, but we have a great team."

Those great numbers included 11 games rushing for 100 yards or more, topped by 173 against Arizona on Nov. 6. He scored 27 TDs on the ground and one as a receiver to break Priest Holmes ' seasonal record by one.

His lowest output was in a game in Philadelphia, a 42-0 romp in which he played only the first half and had 49 yards in the snow.

Alexander became the only player in NFL history with at least 15 TDs in five straight seasons and the fourth with consecutive 20-touchdown years. He also became Seattle's career rushing leader this season.

"It's just like all the things -- the rushing title, the MVP, all those things -- it's exciting to talk about," said the sixth-year pro out of Alabama. "But I don't think it would mean that much until after I retire, because then it would actually hit me what it means.

"Right now, we're on this ride and it's just kind of one of those things; everything is kind of numb to us. It's all exciting. We're already in the second round of the playoffs, we've just got a bunch of cool things that we are really not used to."

Seattle would like to get used to having Alexander in the backfield. But he could leave in the offseason.

He was designated the Seahawks' franchise player before this season and accepted the team's one-year, $6.323 million offer -- with a proviso. The team agreed not to use the same franchise tag on him in 2006.

So either the Seahawks come up with a huge financial package, or the MVP could be scoring touchdowns and gaining all those yards elsewhere next season.

"It is a business," he said. "The Seahawks have to make their own decisions. I am going to be happy for whatever they do."

Alexander is the first Seahawk to win the award. He also is the first running back voted MVP since Marshall Faulk in 2000.

Trailing Manning in the balloting were New England quarterback Tom Brady with 10 votes, New York Giants running back Tiki Barber with six and Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer with two.

Nelson Bennett

Per the momma and the daddy's request, here is a link to the Nelson page on Katherine's sister's blog where you can see additional photos of the little man. The pictures go back through Katherine's pregnancy as well, but the most recent photos are at the top of the page.

Nelson's Page

Enjoy!!

Let the Games Begin

I'm officially scared, nervous, anxious, worried, etc. etc. etc. The playoffs begin Saturday, and while the Colts have the week off due to their division win and best AFC record status, I'm still nervous as all get out because every team that I didn't want them to have to play in the playoffs is in the playoffs. I realize that they are playing the best in the AFC, but it certainly doesn't help my blood pressure any to think of the prospects for their first playoff game. Thankfully they won't have to play Denver on that first game because the idea of Peyton vs. John Lynch is keeping me up at night. Add to that the fact that the Colts will have play at least someone they have already beaten during the season...possibly someone they've already beaten twice this season. Teams hold grudges and I don't even want to think of the grudge held by some of these teams. After that Arizona game on Sunday and seeing the playoff picture, I just thought to myself that Indy is going to have to bring it. No slacking off, no we should win just because we're Indy...no they're going to have to bring it...every bit of it that they have...every game...because none of these teams are going to lie down and die for them.

So I decided a couple weeks back when I started getting scared, nervous, anxious, blah, blah, blah...that maybe I should come to terms with the idea of them not making the super bowl. So I sat down and thought about it. I desperately want them to go this year because I think they have a great team and I don't know that Tony Dungy will ever have this great of a team again. Peyton (Heaven help me) much like John Elway is talented enough to eventually win a super bowl...even if it has to come during his last seasons in the NFL. Therefore, while I really would love to see it happen this year...I've come to terms with the idea that it won't be the end of the world if they don't. God determines the end of the world, and I doubt He's planning to end it just because the Colts don't make it to the super bowl. Call it a hunch. :)

In any case...let the games begin and may the best team win...the best team that plays with everything, every game and not just the best team on that particular day.

Alabama's Newest Fan

In the Clutch...

It was a game that saw one of the best offenses square off against one of the best defenses. It was a game that put MIKE Leach against Mike Shula. It was a game that put Cody vs. Brodie. But more importantly it was a bad episode of What Not To Wear with fire-engine red and crimson red in the stands together. Oh how they clashed, but on the field...it was one rough game, and I'm still wondering if it really happened the way it did. When Tech scored that last touchdown of the game to tie the score at 10-10, I just knew Jamie was going to have our backs. He'd been doing it most of the season...coming in for the clutch kick. All we had to rely on was Brodie getting him into field goal range. 45 yards...his longest ever if he made it. We held our breath, we couldn't celebrate until we saw the referees put their hands up, and then we were just stunned. It was par for the course that our season should end that way with Jamie kicking us into the W column. I was just so proud of how they played. They didn't give up and they fought hard. I was equally proud of Texas Tech who gave us a run for our money and kept up with us the whole time. Cody Hodges is one strong cat for coming back in the game after tearing some ligaments in his knee. Now that's what I call playing with heart and not giving up. I even thought we were going to lose during most of the game. (Ye of little faith...I know.) Jamie's kick was the ugliest we've seen all year, but as long as it sails through the uprights, it counts no matter how it looks. So...

Congrats to the seniors for staring adversity square in the eyes and not letting it get you down. For saying, this is OUR Alabama Football legacy no matter who the coach is. Congrats to Mike Shula (my vote for SEC coach of the year) for taking a team that was so emotionally scarred by the time you got to them and teaching them what it means to play 4 quarters, again. Congrats to Jamie for being a phenomenal clutch kicker and being consistent. Every time you miss your first FG, we win the game on your last FG. You are now in the record books with the likes of Joe Montana as the only players to win the Cotton Bowl in the last seconds of the game. But more importantly, kudos to you for not giving up on your dream of playing college football. You had to walk-on at Alabama to get your kicking position and for that perseverance, I thank you. This was the 53rd Bowl appearance for the Tide and the 30th win...both NCAA records...but this last one was special because of what this team has been through at the hands of players and coaches who are no longer students or employees of the University.

This is my last Alabama football post until September (unless something fantastic happens at the NFL draft in April). I know some of you are thankful, but at least now you know some of the things that I'm passionate about. So, everyone together now...one more time...just for Jamie!!

ROLL TIDE ROLL