In the midst of increasing speculation regarding the state of the University of Michigan football program, U of M athletic director David Brandon (pictured at left) had the following to say at a press conference earlier today:
"Wolverine Fans,
We are part of an institution that has tradition, and that tradition has to be guarded by men who wear the Block ‘M’ proudly. Who's gonna do it? You, Drew Sharp? You, Michael Rosenberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Rodriguez and you curse our defense. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Rodriguez’s firing, while tragic, probably will win us some games. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, may just get us the Mad Hatter. You don't want the truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about on your blogs, you want me as the AD. You need me as the AD! We use words like Victors, Big House, and Big Ten Championships. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line! I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to bandwagon fans who rise and sleep under the very Maize and Blue blanket that I provide and then question the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a winged helmet and take a stance in the trenches. Either way, I don't give a wolverine's rear end what you think you are entitled to."
On completion of his comments, Brandon jumped from behind the podium and attacked Mitch Albom.
1. The only color you hate worse than scarlet is gray.
2. You promise to ask yourself at least once each day: What would Bo do?
3. You must be able to correctly spell Bennie Oosterbaan.
4. You believe whoever dots the “i” in Script Ohio should go on the TSA terrorist watch list.
5. You know all the words to “Victors” and can satisfactorily explain why the last line of a song about winning the Big Ten goes, “the champions of the West.” You also won’t mind when the band plays it 68 times on any given Saturday.
6. If you consider Legends and Leaders to be goofy titles for the new Big Ten divisions, you’ll keep it to yourself.
7. You consider the three most pressing problems to facing the nation to be the economy, the war and the seven-game losing streak to Ohio State. You’re just not sure of the order.
8. It doesn’t matter where you coached last, so long as you two don’t end up in court.
9. You have never bought any memorabilia from Terrelle Pryor.
10. You agree that the only place Michigan is supposed to give up 52 points in a game in January is at the basketball arena.
11. You voted for former Wolverine Gerald Ford for president.
12. You wouldn’t be caught dead coaching in a vest.
13. If you commit any violations, they will be for overtime parking.
14. You know at least three good Michigan State jokes.
15. You are willing to agree to the following contract clause: You can be terminated for moral turpitude, felony conviction or if Michigan ever loses to Toledo again.
16. You can’t understand why the 100-24 combined score of the past three losses to Ohio State has not been declared a disaster area by the governor.
17. You have always been under the impression that the Seven Wonders of the World included the Big House.
18. You won’t mind that half your fan base wishes you were Jim Harbaugh.
19. Your game plan will not be based on the premise that if your offense scores 40, you might have a chance to win.
20. When you were a kid, you thought your dream date was either Raquel Welch or Ann Arbor.
21. You can explain in terms easily understood by the layman why the devil reincarnate is among us and goes by the alias Jim Tressel.
22. You think Olentangy is a silly name for a river.
23. When you need a good stiff drink at home, you pour it into a Little Brown Jug.
24. All you want is a program your helmets can be proud of.
25. You will fill your staff only with coaches old enough to remember the last time Michigan beat Ohio State.
You've probably heard the story of Ted Williams, the homeless Columbus, Ohio man with the smooth radio voice. Williams, who had previously worked in radio before alcohol and drug problems caught up with him, was spotted by Doral Chenoweth, who works in multimedia for the Columbus Dispatch.
Chenoweth gave Williams a little money and recorded a short video of him which he eventually posted to the Dispatch website. The clip went viral and now Williams has found work, re-established a relationship with his mother (who he hadn't seen in twenty years) and is enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame. You can view the video below.
This chance encounter isn't all that crazy once you learn about Chenoweth and the type of person he is. Motivated by his Christian faith, it's not uncommon for him to take time to interact with those that many pass by. CNN.com tells his story:
"But the reason Chenoweth stopped goes deeper than his job.
It's "standard operating procedure" for him, he said, to stop and talk to people who are homeless, whether he's carrying a camera or not.
"It's part of my faith," he said after some prodding about his motivations. "You may not be able to help someone with money, but you can at least say hello, how you doing, and look at them."
About 14 years ago, Chenoweth said he was assigned to photograph a homeless ministry at New Life United Methodist Church in downtown Columbus. He was so impressed by the ability of the 50-member congregation to help the homeless that he and his wife joined.
The church's pastor said that Chenoweth routinely invites people who are homeless to the church for meals and medical attention. He's also photographed people on the street and displayed their photographs to emphasize their humanity, said the Rev. Jennifer Kimball Casto, New Life's pastor.
When asked if she was surprised by Chenoweth's action, Casto said: "Absolutely not. Doral has a special heart for people who are homeless and in need."
Chenoweth's concern for people goes beyond Columbus, and even the United States. His wife said they are regular Habitat for Humanity volunteers. They've also taken seven trips to Africa with their two children, Cassie, 12, and Kurtis, 10, to serve impoverished communities. Chenoweth has documented many of the trips on his website."
There is a story behind every face and a lot to be learned through the lives of others. For many of us, the homeless that we see by the side of the road or on the street corner are simply ignored or disregarded. But for those of us that are Christians, we must remember that each person has inherit value and dignity as image bearers of God. Each person is worthy of God's love.
Over the years, I've had the opportunity to interact with a number of homeless individuals. I'm ashamed to say that more times than not I have ignored them and went about my way. But, through God's grace, there have been instances where I've stopped and offered money or food and, on occasion, had the opportunity to sit for awhile and hear their story.
What I've learned is that the man or woman on the street is no different than me. They have the same sorts of hopes and dreams and needs in life. They are someone's son or daughter. Someone's brother or sister. They were once a child that didn't dream that one day they'd live on the street.
The homeless are in their predicament because of a variety of reasons. It could be drug or alcohol addiction or bad choices in life. It may have been because of a lost job. Or mental illness. Or unfairly getting accused of a crime. Or an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager where their family kicked them to the curb.
As a follower of Christ, Jesus tells me to demonstrate His love to those that I come across. It's amazing what we can learn when we sit down and hear someone's story. It's easy for us to decide in our mind that the homeless aren't worthy of our time and attention. But the story of Ted Williams and Doral Chenoweth demonstrate that there's often more to the story if we stop and take the time to listen.
