One for the Underdog

In all the years I played, coached, or officiated football I don't think I've ever seen a "Statue of Liberty" play. I've seen the swinging gate, the hook and lateral, the "fumblerooskie," and a lot more. Watching Boise State University lose momentum then come from behind with a "Statue of Liberty"-like play was fun. It was definitely one for the underdog!

I've walked on the blue football field at Boise State. I watched games in the stadium when BSU was still a I-AA program and Idaho and Montana State were their opponents. I sat just two rows below Cecil Andrus, the state governor at the time. That's the nature of Boise. Now that Boise State has come of age, the university wants to build sky boxes and deluxe suites. It will both enhance the Bronco's stature and take away the university's small town feeling. But then, Boise has boomed in the last decade and it isn't the same Boise it was when I lived there and taught at Boise Bible College.

Most who know me know I am usually a Big XII fan (Nebraska in particular). In most bowl games I root for the Big XII team. Not last night! My wife and I both cheered for Boise State. It brought back memories of an Air Force Academy bowl game we watched just after our son graduated from the academy. The Falcons played Ohio State and all the pundits, sportscasters, and most fans all said the academy didn't belong on the field with the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes themselves said as much. The Falcons ran away with the game beating OSU handily. Well, it wasn't quite as easy last night but it was fun listening to the broadcasters vascillating one way then another as the fortunes of the game changed. Though the margin of victory wasn't the same, the BSU Broncos showed the "big guys" they could play with them. As the old saying goes, "It is not so much the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!" It was a blast watching the game.

You may wonder what all this has to do with the Restoration Movement or the state of the churches tied to it. On one level, nothing I suppose! At the same time, we have become enamored of the big dogs. Most of our churches look to the mega-church preachers for their inspiration. What they're missing, however, is the fact that the "little guys" still have a lot to offer. Both have positives and negatives (see an earlier blog entry). I'll have more to say about this as time goes on.