Into the Fire

Monday posts spread across the blogosphere: back to work in blogdom. Wonder how many were written during the past week or late Sunday night . . .

I’m sure to some extent those who are returning to their blogs considered how they wanted to start out 2010. I’ve been calling it 20/10, how ‘bout you? Anyway, here are some of the topics I considered: lists (of novels, of course), perspective (again), renewed thoughts on publishing challenges (ay, ay, ay), politics (but starting out the year with a raging rant didn’t pass inspection) . . . you get my drift.

“New” year stuff felt old. I already posted on the “past”. So . . . where to for the first Monday post?

Football. What?! Yes, football. I happen to be a huge fan of a bad team with lots of quality players who’ve gotten smacked around for most of the season. Yes, the coaches and the systems are new, the players have admitted some consternation in adapting to them, and the results have been . . . well, horrible. When the system fails to work, what once might have been minor weaknesses suddenly become exposed as major weaknesses because in the scheme of things where disorder permeates the method and mood, those who can often pick up the slack can’t be found in the midst of their own confusion.

Writing this post on Saturday, it’ll be the final game of the season for us tomorrow, and it’s actually a relief. It’s tough seeing good athletes getting tromped on week after week, looking like they can’t play the game when they certainly can. All the clichés about “learning from this”, and so many more, will quiet, and fans will move on to rooting against the team they hate more than the other team. At least I will.

Football at the NFL professional level consists of athletes who generally are bigger and faster than all the others to play the game. The exceptions come in smaller and less flamboyant packages, but they still excel where others couldn’t. Even waiting on the bench are quality players who’ve made it through a battery of tests and super scrutiny to gain that position where only the most devoted fans know their names.

However, as is the case in another sport with which I’m familiar, in horse racing as in football there are athletes who might not get to play where their talents indicate they should. Struck down by injury and/or timing, their prowess remains unknown to most because for whatever reason their performance has been hobbled and will not be available for public consumption.

There’s an analogy in there somewhere if you want to make it . . .

Guess I decided to come in with a whisper.

Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings, your kindness, and your help in all things. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.