Happy New Year

2007-1-1 06:40:00

Happy New Year my friends.

Artie and I have had a lot to celebrate. Last Monday was Christmas, Friday was her birthday, and last night was New Year's eve and today is our 19th wedding anniversary.

It has been an interesting year, but I suspect that the coming year will have even more to offer.

I've lost two people very close to me, but then I have several new grandkids filled with the love and innocence of new life. I've only lost those through death to a temporary separation, while, at the same time, new life coming forth ends temporary separation of the past.

I have much to be thankful for and look not at a glass half full, but overflowing with bounteous gifts from God.

That for which I am most thankful are the distillations of truth and principles that come upon my soul from time to time. In the whole scheme of things they are only small snapshots of a great picture that defies the imagination, but pieces of the truth nonetheless for which I feel honored beyond measure to give out to the group and the world. My prayer is that I can maintain the focus and humility necessary to continue to be a channel to send forth light to stimulate and inspire the minds of true seekers.

On a more earthy level I join with other Boise residents in looking forward to perhaps the most important football game in the history of our state. There are only two unbeaten college teams in the BCS stats in the whole of the United States.

The first is Ohio State (12-0) and the second is Boise State (12-0). So why does the championship game have Ohio State playing Florida who has lost a game?

The reason is we are in a lesser league than what is termed the BCS teams. In fact, our perfect season has earned us the right to participate in one of the big bowls. This is only the second time a smaller league team has done this. Utah was the first to make this breakthrough two years ago.

As it is we are lined up to play Oklahoma, which has been one of the most powerful teams in the history of college football and have won seven national titles. They have about ten times the budget we do and smaller leagues such as Boise have to take leftovers compared to what Oklahoma has to choose from.

Oklahoma has lost two games this season and one of them was due to a bad call by a ref. If it weren't for that they would probably be playing Ohio for the championship and there's a good chance they would win. For one thing, their star running back was injured early in the season and he is back now giving them even more potency than they have had most of the season. In addition they seemed to have improved during the latter half of the season winning their last seven games in a row decisively.

As it is, we play them tonight at 6:30 MST at the Fiesta Bowl broadcast on Fox. They are rated number 7 and we are rated as number 9 in the nation. Las Vegas gives odds that Oklahoma will beat us by 10 points.

What do I think our chances are?

I think Oklahoma is the more powerful team and the odds are in their favor, but I think our team and coach are a little smarter. We have the only coach in the nation who has never lost a game. He has a unique ability to take a smaller less powerful team and organize them into a unified whole that can overcome other teams with much more brut strength. I would give us about a 30% chance of winning, which means we can win if we have a little luck and play almost perfect ball. If we do win it is quite possible someone may make a movie someday of our effort.

My next post will tell the tale as to whether Boise is the happiest city in the country.

Sure, winning isn't everything. It's the only thing.
Henry Sanders, in Sports Illustrated,
Dec. 26, 1955