Football and Transplants

I'm a BIG football fan, and a heart transplant recipient. There's not much I'd rather talk about than my favorite sport and the blessing of new, extended, healthy life that the Lord bestowed up on me. So, when I run across an article that mixes both football AND the story of someone else who received the same 2nd second chance at life that I did, I'm all over it.

Sam Wyche (photo credit)

Y'all remember former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Sam Wyche? Coach Wyche was at the helm when the Bengals played in the their only Super Bowl - Super Bowl 23 back in January 1989. Little did he know it at the time, but trying to win the Super Bowl would not be the toughest battle he would face.

According to a recent article, Coach Wyche was in heart failure just a few months ago and very close to dying before receiving a life-saving heart transplant. Now, he is out telling his story and encouraging others to register as organ and tissue donors. Due to his former position as an NFL coach, Wyche has the potential to be a great advocate for organ and tissue donation. One that folks will listen to.

I wish Wyche the best as he begins his post-transplant journey. If you'd like more information on organ and tissue donation, including how to register, then please click here to visit Donate Life America's website.

See article - "Former NFL Coach Discusses Organ Donation at Pittsburgh Center" on pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

Rule #1

In my first post of 2017 (here), I mentioned that I would be starting a new series, "Sheepdog's Rules".  Today, I kick the series off with Rule #1 - the most important of them all. The rest of the rules will be posted in no particular order of priority, but if you overlook Rule #1, you will one day lose everything. So, I guess Rule #1 is not really one of the Sheepdog's Rules, but God's Rule.

Credit : Managing Content Marketing

Rule #1 - 
When "The Roll Is Called Up Yonder", be sure your name is on the roll. (See John 3:16* and Romans 10:9-13**.) 

* John 3:16 (NKJV) - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

** Romans 10:9-13 (NKJV) - ... if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

The C is for Choke

I did not watch the national championship game Monday. However, when I learned of the results on Tuesday morning, I was rather amused. More on that later. Honestly, I had no real interest or dog in the fight, since Florida State (FSU) wasn't playing.

English: Locations of the ACC member schools, with the additions of Syracuse and Pittsburgh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

"But Sheepdog, why not support the ACC?" I don't get into the whole conference loyalty thing. It makes no sense to me. If the ONLY reason someone is rooting for a team is because they are from the same conference or division as their team, in my opinion, it's like a chicken rooting for the hawk simply because the hawk has feathers. Why support "the enemy" that is competing for the same recruits and same championship your team is?

"But, but the conference will earn extra revenue if they win?" So. I don't care about money. It's all about the wins and championships for me.

"Sheepdog, now you're just being a sore loser since FSU didn't make it." Naw. I don't think so. FSU had about the year I expected. This year's team was young and breaking in a new, freshman quarterback, so I thought it would be more of a re-building year with quite the learning curve. At the beginning of the season, I felt like the team would go 9-3, 10-2 at best, in the regular season. I figured they would lose to both Clemson and Louisville, but the loss to North Carolina surprised me. I thought if there was a 3rd loss it would be to Miami on the road.

If you know an FSU fan who was claiming,"This is our year", then here's a word to the wise - don't take any advice from them as to whom to lay that upcoming Super Bowl bet down on. They don't know football very well. Was it possible for FSU to make a championship run this year? Yes, absolutely. It was possible but highly unlikely. The talent is there, but not the experience. Now, if that same friend makes the same prediction for say 2018, listen to them, because the 'Noles will for sure be back. They just need a little time. In the next year or 2, they'll be back in the hunt.

So, Tuesday morning's news of Clemson's victory, the scoring summary of the game, and how the game ended provided a few laughs as I sipped my early morning, cold, Mountain Dew. As I read the synopsis, my mind raced back to Christmas 2013 and the words of my uncle. With the 2014 national championship game, in which FSU was playing Auburn, just a few days away, his opinion was, "They (Auburn) are gonna roll all over that team from that "itty bitty conference". In other words, there was no way an ACC team could compete with an SEC team. Ha! We know how that turned out, don't we?

Now, here's something interesting - there are a number of similarities between Monday night's game and the one from 2014:

• In 2014, Auburn led FSU by 14+ points in the 1st half and by 10+ in the 2nd half.
• In 2017, Alabama led Clemson by 14+ points in the 1st half and by 10+ in the 2nd half.
• In 2014, Auburn gave up up 21 points to FSU in the 4th quarter and lost.
• In 2017, Alabama gave up 21 points to Clemson in the 4th quarter and lost.
• In 2014, Auburn gave up the winning TD with 13 seconds left.
• In 2017, Alabama gave up the winning TD with 1 second left.

Interesting, huh? "So, Sheepdog what's your point?"

2017

It's hard to believe it's already 2017, but it is, and with it comes some changes here on The Sheepdog blog. My blogging has decreased the last few years writing just over a dozen posts in both 2016 and 2015. The truth is, I've been very seriously considering blogging retirement and signing off. However, I decided not to do so. I'm sure some would have welcomed that news. Sorry to disappoint. Get over it.

Since the 10th anniversary of my heart transplant is coming up this year, the first change here will be a shift back to transplant advocacy. During the last few years, I've posted more about politics than anything else, and let's be honest - everyone hates politics - me included. Now, I've still got some axes to grind and will finish grinding one I started on last year here in the very near future. However, politics will be a much smaller piece of this blog going forward and transplant advocacy will move back to the forefront.

Main logo/inter-art for the television series NCIS (TV series) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Second, I'm gonna start a new series. It will run randomly. I'm sure many of you are fans of the long-running CBS drama NCIS. I am, too. Do you know all the "Gibbs' Rules"? Well, just wait until ya get a load of "The Sheepdog's Rules". They're gonna be awesome and will range from serious, to humorous, to sarcastic. I'll release Rule #1 soon.

Everything else will stay the same. I'll still blog about football some and Music Mondays will continue to run. I actually need to do more of those, too. Those posts are fun.

Have a great 2017!! I'll see ya here.

Related articles

• Local man receives second chance at life with new heart, kidney (wtvr.com)