March Madness

Filled out my bracket tonight, even though I must admit I know nothing about what has happened this college basketball season.  Sure, I've heard all about Kentucky with freshmen and soon-to-be NBA lottery picks Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.  I can honestly say I didn't watch one single Longhorn game this year (haven't missed much apparently).  However, I have spent the past week catching up on the season reading bracketology columns and watching some of the bracket analysis on Sunday night.  In glancing at the cover of my SI college basketball preview issue, I see that a number of projected top 20 teams are not dancing this year - Pitt, UCLA, and AZ.

As usual, I am excited about the tournament.  There's just something about it that brings excitement every year along with the arrival of Spring Break.  I remember my first interest in college basketball was when I was 15 following the UH "Phi Slama Jama" Cougars.  I remember crying when they lost that game to NC St at the buzzer.  I was a big fan of Akeem (pre-Hakeem) Olajuwon as he led them back to the Final 4 the following year (lost to G'town), and then went on to play for the Rockets.

I remember filling out my first bracket 25 years ago (in '87) while on Spring Break in Destin during my freshmen year in college.  I remember filling out my first "office pool" bracket in '94 at ALSAC and discovering the bracket organizer was married to a fellow Longhorn here in Memphis.  I remember picking Texas as a sleeper pick in many brackets before they became a regular top tier seed, including their run to the final game in 2003 losing to Syracuse, and losing in the Elite 8 to LSU in '06 and Memphis in '08.  I also remember 25 years of filling out brackets and never winning the big prize, but there's always a next year.

So, this year I'm going with Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio St, and UNC as my Final 4.  No surprises there as Kentucky appears to be the most popular pick to win it all, but I'm taking UNC to win it.  My upset picks (8th seed or higher) for the sweet 16 are Belmont, Cal and K-State, but I have none of them advancing to the Elite 8.  It's easy to forget that 8th seeded Butler and 11th seeded VCU made it to the Final 4 last year...who's this year's surprise team(s)?

Childlike faith

Our sermon series during Lent this year is called Mosaic.  Shane is leading us through this study on how God uses broken pieces of our lives to reframe our lives and our purpose, turning our faults into something beautiful and useful -- a mosaic in which God uses all of the pieces.

Last Sunday (Ch.2 of the book pictured), we looked at how God uses our regret.  One of the points he brought up was how regret steals our joy, and he shared examples of how some people can't see past their mistakes.  This week our family experienced a good example of this, and it turned out to be a good life lesson for Taylor.

On Wed night at church, Taylor left her sweater (with ipod in pocket) in the bathroom.  This, after Cindy had told her to leave the ipod in the car.  However, she didn't listen and took it with her.  When she realized she left it in the bathroom, we retrieved her sweater but there was no ipod to be found.  This immediately brought tears and feelings of regret as we searched for it while tracking down the maintenance crew and the lost and found but to no avail.  Taylor cried the whole way home, knowing that she had made a mistake, and we counseled her on the importance of keeping up with your valuables, and we encouraged her that it may still be found and returned to her.

When we got home, Taylor prayed a heart-felt prayer to God that it would be returned, but first she acknowledged that there were more important things in her life that she was thankful for.  To our surprise on Thursday morning, we received a call from church that the ipod was found!  Taylor was so happy, and Cindy and I were so relieved, but the ipod is ours for a couple of weeks as punishment for not listening.  Lesson learned indeed.

But more importantly, I believe Taylor's faith was strengthened, and I'm continually awed by both Taylor and Nicole's childlike faith.  Taylor's prayer the last 2 nights have been ones of thanks to God for hearing her prayers.  Must be why we named her Taylor Faith.

When is Opening Day?

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball.  I'll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring." ~ Rogers Hornsby

This is one of my favorite baseball quotes, and with the spring-like weather this week, it got me thinking about Opening Day which is about a month away.  But when exactly is the official Opening Day this year, and why isn't more celebrated?

This year MLB is opening the season in Japan with a 2 game series between the A's-Mariners on Wed 3/28 at 5am CST.  Huh?  Why Japan?  Isn't it America's pastime?  I remember MLB did this 4 years ago as well and I never understood why.

Then, we have to wait one full week for what seems should be Opening Day as the newly named Miami Marlins open Marlins Park vs. the defending World Champion Cardinals on Wed 4/4.

Or, do we consider the following day, Thur 4/5, when about half of the major league teams open their season (why not all of them?), including the traditional matinee opener in Cincinnati, along with 6 other games.  The remaining teams open on Fri 4/6.

So, since the games in Japan are official games (not exhibition), Opening Day is 32 days away.  In anticipation of this, I'll begin my 30-day countdown to Opening Day on Monday by sharing one of my 30 favorite baseball quotes each day in countdown fashion via twitter (@vanduzee)

I still question why MLB doesn't try to showcase their sport with a big opening day splash, like the NFL has done in recent years.  Why not feature an East coast/West-coast DH on ESPN (like the NFL Monday Night Football opener)?  Let the defending WS champ play in one of the games and feature the opening of any new ballpark (if there is one) instead of opening in a foreign country at a time when most of America is sleeping.

I'll take it a step further -- let's petition to make Opening Day a national holiday.  This will sound un-Amercian, but let's rename the President's Day holiday and move it to the first Monday in April with a full schedule of Major League Baseball matinee games.  Let me explain my thinking:

• The President's Day holiday is too close to another holiday (just a month after MLK Jr holiday), and with it still being winter, it's hard to take advantage of this 3 day wknd with a planned fun outdoor activity.    
• On the other hand, the first weekend in April could be celebrated as the "Spring Break" for the non-student/working class folks.  Paired up with the Final 4 (on that Sat night and final game on Mon night), MLB could take advantage of this March Madness hoopla and make this proposed "Opening Day holiday/Spring Break 3 day weekend" the ultimate sports weekend by adding the MLB East-coast/West-coast game DH on ESPN on Sunday night followed by a full slate of matinee baseball games leading up the NCAA Final game Monday night.  You've got the day off, go enjoy it at a ballpark.  What's not to like about this idea?  

Maybe just wishful thinking.  But I do believe MLB needs to do a better job in marketing their Opening Day and making it an anticipated tradition for America's pastime.  

Jeremy Lin's faith and success

OK, I just finished watching Jeremy Lin lead the Knicks to another thrilling win over the Mavs.  Lin had 28 pts, 14 assists, 5 steals while logging 46 minutes, and he hit a big 3 pointer over Dirk to seal the victory.  So much has been written about him in the past 2 weeks that there's likely not much I can add that you haven't already heard, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the rise of this new star in the NBA.

My favorite part of Lin's story is his strong faith and the opportunity he has to share it on such a big stage for the world to see - playing in the world's most famous basketball arena, Madison Square Garden in NYC.  I loved Jeremy's post-game quotes the other night after the game winning shot he made in Toronto, calling his rags-to-riches story "a miracle from God":

"Anytime something like this happens, a lot of stuff has to be put into place, and a lot of it is out of my control.  If you look back at my story, doesn't mater where you look, but God's fingerprints are all over the place.  You can try to call it coincidence, but at the end of the day, there are 20, 30 things when you combine them all that had to happen at the right time in order for me to be here.  That's why I call it a miracle."

While I don't believe God favors certain sports teams and athletic achievements, I do believe God has raised Jeremy up giving him the opportunity to shine his light and highlight his basketball skills on the court.  I pray for Jeremy's continued success; that he is not overwhelmed by his new-found superstar status, and that he is not derailed by those who may try to bring him down for whatever reason.  I pray that he is able to be a bold witness for Jesus, and his story influences many others to follow Christ.  Our world needs more stories like his.

I encourage you to read this great essay detailing Lin's rise to stardom and his influence on today's culture  Denison Forum on Truth and Culture    

The closing paragraphs in the attached link talk about the influence both Lin and Tim Tebow have had in sharing their faith publicly.  We are called to be salt and light in this world, and my pastor Shane Stanford often closes his messages with a reminder that goes something like this, "Remember, God's going to angle the path of someone into your path who needs to hear the good news, and I hope that they'll find in each of us generous friends and that they'll see a difference.  Go into the world and be salt and light."

Takeaways from Downline Summit

On Friday night and Saturday I joined 1,500 other men for the 3rd annual Downline Summit.  The theme of this year's event was Legendary - examining discipleship in the light of the Great Commission as commanded by the One True Legend, Jesus Christ.  I was inspired and encouraged by all of the speakers who God raised up to teach and lead us through the principles of biblical discipleship.  Here are a few  key takeaways I will strive to follow and live out:  

Bryan Loritts, lead pastor at Fellowship Memphis Church, led us off with a great, yet simple, definition of discipleship.  Discipleship is the process of producing reproducers of Jesus Christ.  In Matthew 10:1-4, Jesus is giving shape to his team.  Note in v.1, he called the 12 "disciples", and in v.2, he called them "apostles".  Disciples are "learners"; apostles are "ones who are sent" (doers).  Learning and doing repeated over and over is the process, and Bryan used a great illustration of how golfer Phil Mickelson (a right hander) learned how to golf by mirroring this learning and doing approach from his father, which resulted in him becoming a left-handed golfer.

Dennis Rainey, President and CEO of Family Life, called us to Step Up to Courageous Manhood, walking us through the 5 steps of a man:  boyhood, adolescence, manhood, mentor and patriarch.  Dennis recalled the 4 principles of Biblical manhood; a man is to: Reject Passivity, Accept Responsibility, Lead Courageously, and Invest Eternally, and he added a 5th, Love Sacrificially.  In the mentoring stage, every man needs to have a mentor and be a mentor.    Or in the other words, every man needs a Paul, Barnabas and a Timothy in their life!  

Ronnie Stevens kicked us off early Saturday morning.  I was looking forward to hearing him teach as I really enjoyed his teachings on Acts last year in Downline.  He taught from Luke 5:4-11 where Jesus calls his first disciples to follow him.  Reading from this passage, Ronnie illustrated 7 goals of discipleship, narrowing it down to 1 explicit goal:  catching of men.  This "catching of men" (or bringing people into the kingdom of God through a relationship with Jesus), builds on the analogy of catching fish in v.10 as these fishermen (Simon Peter, James and John) were doing when Jesus encountered them.  Ronnie clearly pointed out the message here:  Fish don't want to be caught.  That's why you have to catch them!  

Next we heard from JB Selecman and Ron Surgeon as they gave a lay perspective on disciple-making.  It's not just Christian education - transferring the truth of God into a another man, but it's also accompanied by the cultivation of a life-on-life relationship with that individual.  In short, disciple-making is truth and life transference in the context of an authentic relationship.

The conference workshops I attended had an emphasis on discipleship in the home.  Dennis Rainey shared his experiences/challenges in the raising of his 6 children.  The scripture passage he modeled comes from Ephesians 6:1-4  


Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.


Dennis spoke on the priority of discipling your children and he communicated 5 principles of courageous parenting using examples from his own life:  Courage to repent, to connect, to protect, to correct, and to direct.  Kennon Vaughan delivered a great talk on discipleship in the home during the early stages of childhood with practical examples that he and Kathryn are using with their 3 boys (all under the age of 4!)

Kennon closed the conference looking at Jesus' final words to his disciples in Matthew 28:16-20, and implored us to live out the Great Commission as a lifestyle.  And, to catch a vision for discipleship not as a duty, but a delight; not merely a responsibility but rather a privilege.  

In closing, I'll part with a quick note on Super Bowl 46.  I'm excited about the match up, and you could make an argument for either team but I'm rooting for the Patriots to avenge their upsetting loss 4 years ago.  Besides the commercials, I'll be paying close attention to the numbers this year as I hope to score big in my SB squares contest which will payout $500 per quarter.  Although I think the game will be really close, I'm predicting (hoping) a score along the lines of NE 34 NY26, or NE 35 NY 21 would be just as good.  Enjoy the game!

Make Your Own Luck

On Monday night the Grizzlies came back from being down 18 in the 4th quarter for a remarkable win at Golden State.  In a post-game interview Rudy Gay looked into the camera with this closing message, "Kids out there, make your own luck.  Make your own luck."

Luck is defined as:

1. the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities  2. good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance

So what did Rudy mean by make your own luck?  I've been reflecting on this quote over the week.  To me it means being intentional; being proactive rather than reactive; being aware of your situation and having a plan in place to succeed and make a positive impact.  There have been times in my life when I felt like I was just going through the motions, reacting to life as it comes.  But lately I have been focusing my vision on how God is leading me to live out my life more fully.  In the past year I have been more aware of how God is working out His plan for my life through both the trials and opportunities that I experience.

As I'm reading through Genesis, I'm seeing the works of God around me through Joseph's story.  Joseph was taken through adversity for 17 years - rejection by his brothers, enslavement in Egypt, imprisonment, yet he had a strong faith.  Through the trials, he was able to see how God was preparing him for tasks he could have never imagined.  Joseph's good fortune, or luck, played out through his unwavering faith in God and his obedience to follow God's leading, despite the adversity faced and extended time.

So, back to Rudy Gay.  On Thursday night as the 1st qtr was winding down in LA, Rudy's prophetic quote played out in this half court buzzer beater.  After witnessing it, you can imagine what my first thought was.

Super Bowl 46 picks

I'm looking forward to the games tomorrow.  Intriguing match ups and some good story lines in play...the possible rematch of SB 42 between the Patriots and Giants seems to be the favorite, and of course the potential of a Harbaugh Bowl pitting brothers John (Ravens) vs. Jim (Niners).  Or, what about the possibility of Baltimore (former home of the Colts) winning the SB in Indy in the year the Colts had what was surely their worst season ever?

After going 4-0 against the line with my Wild card picks, I went 1-3 last wknd.  Here's how I see the games playing out.

Patriots -7   Defense wins championships is the old adage and many say this is where Baltimore has the advantage; however, I'm going with the high scoring Patriots at home.  The Patriots have averaged 37 points in their past 9 games (all wins), and the Ravens have had some dog games on the road this year, including an early season loss in Nashville and bad losses on the road to Jacksonville, Seattle and SD.  I like NE 35-20.

49ers -2'  The forecast is for rain tomorrow making it likely a game that will be won by the running game.  SF was best in the league at stopping the run this year.  The Giants are on some kind of roll winning their past 4 in dominant fashion, but prior to that they had lost 5 of 6.  I like what Jim Harbaugh has done in turning the 49ers around in one season, so I'm going with the Niners in a close game won by a FG, something like 16-13.