from frustration to elation

So there I am, in my recliner, on Saturday afternoon at about 4:05 PM. I've been pretty well behaved throughout the first half. UT's up by 3 over Notre Dame, and they got the ball back with about 42 seconds left in the first half. First and ten, we run a draw and pick up two yards. Looks like we'll have to run one more play before the half, so I'm figuring that we'll either take a knee or run it. We're up 3, so don't risk anything, just go into the locker room. That's the Fulmer mentality. I look, and to my amazement they're in shotgun formation again. The snap is low (backup center in the game), and the QB is actually reading the safeties when it arrives. In the midst of the scramble, I'm in complete confustion. When Ainge hit the turf, I yelled, "Oh, no! Oh, no!" The bride comes yells from the kitchen, "What's wrong?!?!" I knew when he went down that he'd be out the rest of the game, if not for the season. UT played the second half with their third-string QB, and his ill-advised throw in their second possession turned into an interception for a touchdown. That was the difference in the game.

"Randy Sanders ought to be fired for that call!", I said at halftime. To which the bride responded, "You say that every week!" She's right, I do. But this week, I think I'm right. And so do alot of other UT faithful. That one call cost us dearly. We not only fell in the polls, but he's also endangered the remainder of the season. Vanderbilt and Kentucky are the bottom-dwellers in the SEC, but with a third-string QB (and an offensive line that can't block), who knows if we can even beat them now? And even if we do win both games, what will Auburn do to UT in the SEC Championship game? One busted play, one horrible call. Funny how quickly a season can change.

OK, that was the frustration portion of today's program. Now for the other half.....

Our family is hooked on Extreme Makeover - Home Edition. Anyone who watched last night's show and didn't shed a tear or two hundred is obviously dead. I mean, there have been deserving families on there before, but this one was the most deserving. Both parents, who have known each other since they were four, are deaf. They have two sons. Their youngest son is not only blind but also autistic. The oldest son is basically the caretaker and interpreter for the whole family. The design team and contractors incorporated so many things into the home to make their lives easier: fire alarms that flashed lights, tracking devices for their younger son who likes to roam, video monitors. Plus, at the end of the show, they presented the oldest son with a $50,000 college scholarship. What struck me was the way the father reacted to everything. It was obvious that he was not the kind of guy who cried alot. He tried to talk aloud, but his talking sounded more like groaning. I was moved, to say the least. He and his wife communicated beautifully. How many non-deaf couples can claim that? The whole program was so very touching. It made me not only happy for this family, but it also made me appreciate so much the blessings our family possesses.

So, yeah, I'm still upset over Saturday's game. But watching Extreme Makeover helped me put things in perspective a little better.....