Competitive is my middle name. If anyone knows me or my family, that comes as no surprise. Just play board games with us. I dare you to play a sport against us - basketball, volleyball, football. No matter if it's a pick up game in the yard ora game during our "glory days" in high school, we played to win. Growing up, we were always glued to the TV during the "big game" - Superbowl, NBA Championships, World Series, NCAA basketball tournament and all of the Bowl Games you could ever want. Bottom line - we love sports and we love to win.
This brings me to the big game. Not just any big game, the 2009 BCS Championship with our team playing - the Texas Longhorns. Although there are lots of haters our there, you've gotta love Colt McCoy. A great quarterback who plays to win, but he plays to win in life, too. He loves Jesus. He doesn't just say he loves Jesus - he proves it with every game he plays. Colt's not just another college quarterback-he's good. Real good. Last year the Longhorns were one game short of a BCS title and he didn't want it to happen this year again. So what did he to - he led his team to an undefeated season and to the "big game". He's worked four years for this moment. UT dominates the first few minutes of the game. But then the work possible thing happened - our leader McCoy gets hurt and sees his dream of leading his team to a National title dissapear. As a UT fan I can't tell you what a shock this was. UT eventually lost the game, a game they had worked for all year. Losing wasn't the hardest part for Colt, I can guarantee that - it was most likely not getting to play. It was always wondering what if, and why? Why did he get hurt? Believe me, all UT fans everywhere were asking that on Thursday night. I'm sure Mac Brown and the McCoy family were thinking this too. I have no idea how I would have reacted to this situation. I'd never been in this situation. His whole team was counting on him and the Nation was watching.
What Colt did at the end of the heart-breaking thing was one of the most shocking and inspiring things I'd ever heard/seen an athlete do. He is interviewed after the most dissapointing game of his carreer and as he chokes back tears he states, "I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that if nothing else, I'm standing on the Rock." Holy Cow. Wow. This guy get's it. He knows what life is about. Colt just experienced the agony of defeat and he didn't even get to say he did his best - he didn't get to play. He'll always wonder. But you know what - he get's it. He sees the big picture. He knows there is more to life. He knows that God is in control. Wow. And one of the best things about Colt's statement is that he didn't pretend not to be upset about the loss. He was upset, he wanted to play and he wanted to win, but he knew that God's in control and he takes confort in that. Wow.
So maybe UT did feel the agony of defeat, I know it felt that way to me. Probably to my brother too who made a 23 hour road trip to see the game in person. But Colt McCoy experienced the thrill of victory afterall - the Victory that comes from knowing Christ. What an example he was to me!
So even though I wanted Texas to win that game I learned a little lesson instead. No matter how many agonizing "defeats" we have in life - and there will be many, we can take confort knowing that we have victory in Christ Jesus - and oh how sweet that is!
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