A New President, Tim Tebow and Chester Frazier: Brother's from another mother

The Pope's Telegram to (now) President Obama

"ON THE OCCASION OF YOUR INAUGURATION AS THE FORTY-FOURTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA I OFFER CORDIAL GOOD WISHES, TOGETHER WITH THE ASSURANCE OF MY PRAYERS THAT ALMIGHTY GOD WILL GRANT YOU UNFAILING WISDOM AND STRENGTH IN THE EXERCISE OF YOUR HIGH RESPONSIBILITIES. UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP MAY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CONTINUE TO FIND IN THEIR IMPRESSIVE RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL HERITAGE THE SPIRITUAL VALUES AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLES NEEDED TO COOPERATE IN THE BUILDING OF A TRULY JUST AND FREE SOCIETY, MARKED BY RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY, EQUALITY AND RIGHTS OF EACH OF ITS MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THE POOR, THE OUTCAST AND THOSE WHO HAVE NO VOICE. AT A TIME WHEN SO MANY OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD YEARN FOR LIBERATION FROM THE SCOURGE OF POVERTY, HUNGER AND VIOLENCE, I PRAY THAT YOU WILL BE CONFIRMED IN YOUR RESOLVE TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING, COOPERATION AND PEACE AMONG THE NATIONS, SO THAT ALL MAY SHARE IN THE BANQUET OF LIFE WHICH GOD WILLS TO SET FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY (cf. Isaiah 25:6-7). UPON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, AND UPON ALL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, I WILLINGLY INVOKE THE LORD’S BLESSINGS OF JOY AND PEACE"

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Tim Tebow might have the biggest heart of all College Athletes that I have seen play. There is just a humble determination and perseverance about him that he will do everything humanly possible so that his team has the best chance of winning. He may not be the most talented QB, but he is the best football player. Not one coach would not want him on his team. Which brings me to Chester Frazier.

"Bruce Weber recently showed the Illini a video that included snippets of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Apparently the point of the video was to depict a player who is a leader and a fighter for his team.

Weber theorized that guard Chester Frazier was channeling Tebow when he stepped forward after the Michigan State loss to call out some of his teammates and then said he planned to meet with those players to make his point."

The Illini will be successful as long as they play with the heart that Chester Frazier does every game and keeps comitting to the name on the front of the jersey: Illinois.

Prediction: Illinois 67 Ohio St. 58

Holiday Exercising

Holidays call for indulging in those good tasting treats and cookies. At the same time this can be a killer on the body. Check out this article for helpful tips on how to enjoy the eatings of the holidays without destroying your body!

Burn It Off
Though there are many tricks and tips for losing weight, packing on the pounds comes down to simple math: Consume more than you burn off, and you’ll gain weight. Sadly, increasing your exercise workload isn’t an effective way to cancel out chronic binging, during the holidays or any time of the year.

Here’s an idea of how much exercise you'd have to do to break even on your holiday indulgences:

2,100 jumping jacks: This exercise will sweat off the calories in 1 cup of egg nog
280 pushups: Sheds the calories in one glass of wine
1 hour, 30 minutes of calisthenics: Burns off a serving of nuts
2 hours of moderate walking: Eradicates one slice of pecan pie
13 minutes of jumprope: This activity will make that shot you took last night a distant memory

That's a lot of working out...definitely makes you think twice about indulging in that extra piece of pie or cookie...

D-Rose breaking ankles

Did You Know?

Professional Athletes = Genius?

Here is Rick Reilly's article about some of the genius that is Professional Athletes (just a few clippings):

Q: What does happen in the playoffs if the game is tied after the first overtime?

• Sam Madison, CB, Giants: "Are they gonna do a coin toss? The rule needs to be changed."
• Shaun O'Hara, C, Giants: "Yeah, we don't want the Super Bowl decided by a coin flip."

Correct answer: Play continues until one team scores.

Q: What's the maximum number of challenges a coach can make in a game if he's always right?

• Clark: "As many as he wants."
• Goff: "Two per half."
• O'Hara: "Four."
• Barton: "If he's right, why stop him?"
• Pace: "Six."
• Mangold: "I don't know. There goes my coaching gig."
• Rhodes: "Three. You're not going to get me."

Correct answer: Three.

And a few genius quotes...

• New Orleans Saint RB George Rogers when asked about the upcoming season: "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."

• Senior basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh: "I'm going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes."
• Chuck Nevi, North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to
  Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice: "My sister's expecting a baby, and I don't know if I'm going to be an uncle or an aunt."
• Lou Duva, veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regime of heavyweight Andrew Galoot: "He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the morning regardless of what time it is."
• Frank Layden, Utah Jazz president, on a former player: "I told him, 'Son, what is it with you? Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, 'Coach, I don't know and I don't care.'"

Well there you have it! It's no wonder professional athletes make some of the most bonehead mistakes and it just makes you wonder sometimes whether the wheels are spinning. But for as many of those athletes, there are those of the intelligent kind and can represent themselves and their sport respectfully.

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by U2

One of my Christmas Favorites...



To come the Ultimate Christmas Mix!

Illini continue to roll