Previewing the Super Bowl: Why This Could Be a Meant-To-Be Year for the Ravens

In the preseason I posted my annual preseason NFL predictions on Facebook. I had predicted that the New England Patriots would win the Super Bowl. I thought that adding Brandon Lloyd to an offense that already has Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, and one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history Tom Brady would make them unstoppable. And I thought that adding guys like Aqib Talib and Dont'a Hightower to a young and improving defense would get Tom his fourth ring. Going in to last weekend, I couldn't have been more confident with my pick. The game was being played in Foxborough, and I thought this would be the last we ever see of Ray Lewis on the football field. I was wrong.

Within minutes of the game starting, the Pats best corner Aqib Talib pulled his hamstring, sidelining him for the rest of the game. That opened things up for Joe Flacco to make big throws in the passing game. I thought that the Pats would be able to outscore the Ravens even without Gronk playing. But the loss of Gronk was huge and the Pats struggled putting up the amount of points they normally do. With about six or seven minutes left, the Pats were in the red zone, down 28-13. Tom Brady dropped back and threw a pass that was deflected by a Ravens defensive lineman and then intercepted. At that point I knew the Patriots weren't winning the Super Bowl. But then I realized something else. The Ravens have caught every break imaginable this season. Maybe this was meant-to-be.

What do I mean by meant-to-be? I'm not saying that it was predestined for the Ravens to win the Super Bowl. What I'm saying it feels like the Ravens are telling the story of a championship team. With everything that has happened this year, it's felt like a movie. But this isn't a movie. This is real life. We are witnessing something very rare. Let me do a quick recap of the Ravens season:

Week 1- The Ravens start the season off by blowing out the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, a game in which Ed Reeds sets the new career record for interception return yards with 1,497. Ravens win 44-13 and are 1-0.
Week 2- The Ravens lose a close one against the Eagles 24-23. 1-1.
Week 3- This is where the Ravens' luck starts. Throughout the game, the Ravens had been receiving calls from the replacement officials that was heavily favoring them. Despite the controversial calls, the Patriots have the lead 30-28, with the Ravens kicking what would be a game-winning field goal. Justin Tucker kicks a ball that goes over the upright (no good) but the replacement refs call is good. Seriously, watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEAF8Q80ojU . Ravens win 31-30 and the Patriots have a losing record for the first time since 2003. 2-1.
Week 4- The Ravens escape a last-second desperation drive by the Browns and win 23-16. 3-1.
Week 5- In what might have been the most boring game of the season, the Ravens beat the league-worst Chiefs 9-6. 4-1.
Week 6- The Ravens escape another close game, this time against the Cowboys, winning 31-29. However, Ray Lewis injured his triceps in what looked to be a season-ending injury. 5-1.
Week 7- The Ravens get destroyed by the Texans, 43-13. Without Ray Lewis, it appears the Ravens' luck has run-out and they are headed for a free fall. 5-2.
Week 8- Bye Week.
Week 9- The Ravens beat the Browns again, 25-15, and get to 6-2.
Week 10- The Ravens crush the Raiders 55-20, showing signs of life. 7-2.
Week 11- With the 6-3 Steelers looking as good as they always do, coming off an overtime Monday Night Football game against the Chiefs, it became clear that the winner of this game would be in control of the division. However, Ben Roethlisberger hurt himself in the game before and back-up Byron Leftwich got the nod. The Steelers were down 13-10, with many opportunities to take the lead. Unfortunately for them, Leftwich hurt his shoulder but wasn't taken out of the game. The shoulder injury limited his ability to throw the ball down the field, and ultimately cost the Steelers the game. Ravens catch another break, 13-10. 8-2.
Week 12- Playing in San Diego, down 10-0, I started to think that this was the collapse of the Ravens we were waiting to see. But somehow, Joe Flacco brought his team back in to the game. Down by a touchdown, with two minutes left, the Ravens faced a near-impossible 4th and 29 play. I was driving home from church and checking the score at stoplights, and when I saw this, I thought for sure the Ravens were going to lose. Joe Flacco hopelessly dumped a pass off to speedster Ray Rice that he turned into an improbable first down. Originally ruled short of the first, the officials reviewed it and controversially gave the Ravens the first. Many would call it the play of the year, I would call it an illegal block in the back by Anquan Bolden http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&v=Si-2A_RFbE8&NR=1. Seriously, how is that not an illegal block? Regardless, it was a crazy play we don't see very often. It looked like a play we would only see in a movie or a video game. Ravens win in OT 16-13. 9-2.
Week 13- With the injury Byron Leftwich sustained against the Ravens, the Steelers had no other option but to start 38 year-old third-stringer Charlie Batch. Beat Charlie Batch at home? Sounds easy. But the Ravens let Charlie Batch lead the Steelers down the field to set-up a game-winning field goal and the Ravens lose. Now it starts to look like things are changing in the AFC North. 9-3.
Week 14- Taking on a hot Redskins team led by Robert Griffin III, the Ravens catch a break when RGIII gets injured. Up 28-20 with four minutes left, the Ravens let back-up Kirk Cousins lead the Redskins down the field to tie the game with a touchdown and two point conversion. The Redskins win in overtime 31-28. While the Ravens have lost two in a row now, their luck hasn't run out. Think about it. Who gets to play against a third string quarterback and a rookie back-up quarterback in back-to-back weeks? Yet, the Ravens did not capitalize. 9-4.
Week 15- The Ravens get blown out at home against the Denver Broncos. However, the Ravens did clinch a spot in the playoffs with the Steelers' loss to the Cowboys that night. 9-5.
Week 16- In a battle of two teams that are both on losing skids, the Ravens blow out the Giants and give hope to Ravens nation. 10-5.
Week 17- Ravens lose a close one to the division rival Cincinnati. 10-6.

Heading into the playoffs, it looked like Baltimore was doomed for an early exit, but then two big story lines might have changed just that. It was announced that Ray Lewis would be returning to game action in the playoffs and then later announced that Lewis would retire after this season. This announcement gave the Ravens new life. It resurrected that hard-nosed defense that had somewhat disappeared towards the end of the regular season. Lewis has been known for being one of the best leaders in football, and with him back and suited up for the playoffs it got the Ravens pumped up and ready to try to send him off the best way possible- with another Super Bowl ring. While we didn't know how far the Ravens could ride this out, we did know one thing for sure: this first round game against the Colts would be the last game he would ever play at M&T Bank Stadium in front of his fans.

In this first round game, we saw what we had seen from the Ravens in past years, that we believed they had lost, their tough, nasty, hard-hitting defense that showed no mercy. Andrew Luck and his Colts team was in for a physical beating. The Ravens kept the Colts from scoring a single touchdown on the day, and made the victory look as easy as can be. 24-9.

Going on the road to take on a Denver Broncos team that finished its season by winning its last 13 games, I thought for sure that this was the end of the Ray Lewis story. Again, I was wrong. The Broncos had a 7-point lead with two minutes left, but instead of trying to get first downs, Coach John Fox took his time and ran down as much time as the Broncos could. This was a very controversial decision as it could open the door for a Ravens comeback. Joe Flacco throws up a hopeless heave, and the Ravens tie it to send it to overtime. Seriously, I can't do this play justice by just explaining it. Watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=B5misEJYMsA&NR=1. Have you ever seen worse coverage? That is something that only happens in movies. That was a miracle. In overtime, the Ravens won and moved on to the AFC Championship, and we all know the story from there.

Look, how is this not a story of a championship team? From the time their hero went down, and yet they were still finding ways to win games. Did they get some help on the way? Yes. But everything leading up to this game has been unbelievable, whether you're a Ravens fan or not. Two HUGE plays stick out in my mind. The Ray Rice 4th and 29 play, and the Joe Flacco touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones to send it to overtime. Stuff like that happens to championship teams. Remember the 2007 Super Bowl? The Eli Manning to David Tyree play? That's the type of stuff we're witnessing right now. This is Ray Lewis' last NFL season. Ray made a smart decision to tell his team that he would be retiring at the end of the year because it gave the team that push that they needed. Who knows, maybe he isn't even retiring after all? I doubt that but his team has responded well to his leadership. Could this story get any better? How about how the Harbaugh brothers are facing off against each other in the Super Bowl. This NFL season and playoffs have reminded me of the movie Warrior. In the movie, two brothers compete in a March Madness-style tournament for the Ultimate Fighting Championship of the world. These two brothers are two of the biggest underdogs and face end up facing each other in the championship. And now we have two brothers squaring off on the biggest stage in the world of sports in real life? This is a movie waiting to be written. The Ravens aren't the best team in the league. They've had a lot of luck, but have also battled through a ton of adversity to get to where they are today.There's no better way to end this story for the Ravens than getting a Super Bowl win, and based on what we have seen this season, I have no reason to believe that they won't.

What I learned from 2012: An Examination of My Heart

Last night, when I was at a Young Life leadership meeting, someone asked me what Jesus taught me in the year of 2012. I had to think about it for a second. I had to be patient to think of the answer. And then I realized that was exactly it: the Lord had taught me patience. Let me do a recap of the past year.

When 2012 started, I was eagerly waiting to find out where I would be going to college. I had my heart set on attending Moody Bible Institute and becoming a youth pastor. I simply could not wait to get my early decision letter back, to find out if I had gotten in or not. I was praying about it every day, that the Lord would make his plans clear to me and give me direction.

It was this week last year, the night before my last final ever at New Trier High School, that I received a letter informing me that I had been deferred from Moody. I don't know if I had ever been more stressed in my life. I really wanted to just know if I would get in or not. I didn't want to have to wait three and a half months to find out. I was so frustrated.

Over that time I applied to another school, Taylor University. A good friend of mine goes to Taylor and had always recommended it to me so I went to visit and I really enjoyed my time there with him. I applied to Taylor, and a few days before I heard from them, I got a letter from Moody. Each day leading up to hearing back, I had been praying and trusting God with my future. I saw the letter from Moody, took a deep breath, and said one last prayer. I opened it up and was shocked to find out that I had been accepted. I had been told that the Moody acceptance rate to the Chicago campus was about 20%. I was so happy and my family was so proud of me. A few days later I got a letter saying I had been accepted to Taylor. Now I had a decision to make.

I spent countless hours praying, writing out pros and cons lists for each school, and just trying to figure out what God had planned for me. With about three days left or so before I had to make a decision, I was helping with the parking team at my church, the newly opened Harvest Bible Chapel North Shore campus. While I was helping, I was praying about what I should do. All the sudden I felt like the Lord was telling me to NOT go to Moody. I didn't feel that he was calling me to full-time church ministry, maybe not yet at least. I didn't know what to feel, and I immediately was flooded with doubts in my mind. I decided to take a personal breakfast and go to McDonald's to just pray and try to make a final decision. As I entered my car with all those doubts, I turned on the radio. Right as I turned it on and started the car, Casting Crowns' Voice of Truth was just starting. It literally started at the exact time I started the car. I knew this was a God occurrence. The song is one of my favorite Christian songs and the lyrics to the course read "The voice of truth tells me a different story, the voice of truth says do not be afraid, and the voice of truth says this is for my glory, out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth." This song just spoke to me and I knew that it wasn't God's plan for me to attend Moody, at least not yet. Maybe God will lead me to Moody later, but not right now. So since Moody was out, what was I to do?

I figured that since God didn't want me to go to Moody that his plan for me was to attend Taylor. It was one of the hardest things for me to do to write to Moody and tell them I was turning down the incredible opportunity of a lifetime they had given to me. I had planned for what would happen if I didn't get in to anywhere and that was to do community college and stick around here. That idea secretly appealed to me but I didn't want people to look down on me for going to community college. I signed up for Taylor and finished off my senior year of high school, the best year of my entire life.

As high school reached its end, I felt very sad. I didn't want to leave New Trier. My senior year had been incredible and I had made so many friends. It was hard for me to walk up and grab my diploma on graduation day because I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay at New Trier. I didn't want to leave what I knew and start something I wasn't familiar with. I had a fun summer, but felt stressed over most of it. I looked to Jesus to find my peace of mind. I went to freshman orientation in the middle of the summer and something didn't feel right. I didn't want to go back there but I forced myself because I thought that that was what everyone was supposed to do, go away to college and grow up.

When I got to Taylor, I had a pretty bad experience there and found myself up all night praying. I felt that God didn't want me there. I didn't know what to think anymore. I had driven 215 miles to find out that God wanted to keep me where I already was. Once again, I didn't know what was going on and I still had no idea where God was leading me. Once again things had changed and I didn't know where God was with this. Why did God put me through all that?

I came home and started at Oakton Community College, working part-time for my friend's dad doing deliveries with furniture. While I was somewhat making myself useful, I felt kind of lonely being here with all of my friends off at college. For quite a while it was like that for me. I kept praying and praying and didn't have any results for a while. But then I got a text from someone inviting me to come to Young Life leadership meetings on Friday nights. I went that week and was so encouraged by everyone. I continued to go and I realized that God had really blessed me with a family of believers and friends. Those leadership meetings are honestly the best two hours of my week and I am so grateful for the new friends I have made and for the friendships I already had, that have grown stronger over this year. I spent all that time praying and God delivered. I really learned that I needed to have patience with God. We all want to know where our life is going and what's in store for us in the future, and I still have no idea what God has planned for me. But I know I don't have to fear because I know that God controls my future.

One last way God has taught me patience this year is through my church youth group, which I have been helping out with as a leader. We started a Bible study in the summer and we had a good amount of kids going. But then when we started it as a youth group, we had weeks and weeks and weeks where there were only two kids there. It was rather discouraging. We all kept praying though that God would bless our group, and over time our group has slowly gotten bigger. This past Sunday we had ten kids! Even when it seems like God isn't working, he is. God is just so incredibly awesome, I just don't know what else to say. The Lord really taught me patience this past year, and to just trust him with everything.

Right now, I'm still at community college, and I still don't know where I will be next year, what I'll be doing, and what God has in store for me, but I know I don't need to worry about it. Patience. God always has a plan.

Manti Te'o and the Integrity of Athletes

Wow. I guess I'm back to blogging. It's been nearly three years since my last blog post and that was on a different website. Some people have been suggesting that I write a blog and I was thinking of posting a Facebook status or a series of tweets on this pressing issue, but I thought it might be a better idea to write a blog post about it.

Whether you love or hate Notre Dame (I'm a hater), we can all say that we were all sad for ND linebacker Manti Te'o when we heard of the passing of his Grandmother and his girlfriend in the same week. Our hearts went out to him and we wished him the best. The way he played through adversity and led his team to an undefeated regular season and a National Championship berth was a compelling story that inspired many. The only problem? This story, we all want to believe isn't entirely true.

Te'o's girlfriend didn't exist. Te'o has claimed that he got romantically involved with a woman on the internet named Lennay Kekua that he never met in person. He says that he is embarrassed and that he got duped. If you haven't read the whole story, read it hear on ESPN.com http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8851033/story-manti-teo-girlfriend-death-apparently-hoax.

I have a lot of skepticism. I'm not denying that catfishing is real and it's happened to people, but I have a lot of questions. Manti Te'o, you're the big man on campus and can practically date any woman you want and you choose a woman over the internet? Over those three years, where you were talking to your girlfriend, you never met her in person? You never Skyped her? And when you thought she got in a car accident, you never visited her in the hospital? When she was diagnosed with leukemia you still never visited her? You didn't go to her funeral? This smells funky. There are a lot of things that don't look right to me and while Te'o has a reputation of being one of the most honest and honerable players in all of sports, I just can't believe him.

How can he say that he was in love with someone when didn't talk to her in person after she was in a car accident?  We want to believe him. Just like we wanted to believe that Tiger Woods wasn't cheating on his wife, Joe Paterno didn't know about Sandusky, and Lance Armstrong wasn't doping. A few years ago we thought all those guys were heroes, just like we thought Manti Te'o is a hero. People say we should trust him because of his reputation, but may I remind you of a quote? "Achievements on the golf course are not what matters, decency and honesty are what matter", -Tiger Woods.

Being a Cubs fan all my life, when I was eight years-old, like most other kids in Chicago, I loved Sammy Sosa. I loved watching him hit monster home runs and bunny-hopping his way to first base. And then all of the sudden, in a game against the Devil Rays, Sosa's bat cracked and we discovered that he was using a corked bat. I wanted to believe it was a mistake, but I knew it wasn't. I was crushed, but I learned something from that. I learned that sports stars and celebrities aren't people to look up to. We can respect them and admire what they have accomplished, but at the same time, they are just regular humans like you and me. Because we're all human, we all have sin in our lives. We all have sinned and will continue to do so. So what I learned on that day when I was eight years-old was not to strive to be like or expect a certain behavior from athletes. Why make our role models people that are exactly like us- mortal and imperfect?