December 2012 DigiMag by Sports Spectrum

UNPACKIN’ IT PODCAST HOST BRYCE JOHNSON’S BEST OF 2012

SPORTS SPECTRUM’S

MALE & FEMALE

ATHLETE of the YEAR

COACH OF THE YEAR: MARK RICHT

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jerseyeffect.org “It’s about recognizing the potential harm a jersey can cause—the self-centeredness, greed, immaturity, larger-than-life mentality, and obsession with this world—but also the potential power one’s jersey has for the good of society and, most importantly, the good of Christ’s Kingdom.” - Hunter Smith, author, musician, and former NFL punter

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CONTENTS FEATURES Best Stories: Lebron James (p7); Best Faith Stories: Bubba Watson (p9); Christian Athletes to Watch in 2013: Josh Hamilton (p11); Best Upsets: Lehigh University (p13); Top Controversies: Bountygate (p15)

FEATURE OF THE YEAR

After losing nearly all of his NFL earnings and going through personal heartache, San Francisco 49ers kicker David Akers emerged a stronger person and leader BY JENNA SAMPSON

David Welker / Getty Images

TOP TENS OF 2012:

In the midst of chaos and tragedy, a lighter, entertaining look at 2012 BY BRETT HONEYCUTT

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Three-time London gold medalist Allyson Felix was one of America’s top Olympians in 2012 BY BRETT HONEYCUTT

OLD SCHOOL: Looking forward to 2013

Examining the probable storylines in the New Year BY AARON MAY

ANOTHER ANGLE: The cry of resolutions

The fascinating thing behind New Year’s resolutions and why they make perfect sense BY STEPHEN COPELAND

Quinn Rooney / Getty Images

AIRING IT OUT: The way sports should be

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

In a year where Penn State scarred the sporting world, 2012 Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey is a beacon of hope to the broken BY STEPHEN COPELAND & AARON MAY

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

University of Georgia head coach Mark Richt has continued to thrive in college football’s toughest conference BY BRETT HONEYCUTT

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

OPINION

COACH OF THE YEAR

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

AIRING IT OUT

OPINION

BY BRETT HONEYCUTT

b h o n e y c u t t @ s p o r t s s p e c t r u m . c o m | F o l l o w @ b re t t _ h o n e y c u t t

The way sports should be

ith all of the scandals, shootings, ill-advised comments (verbally and in social media), and general negativity surrounding today’s sports world, I wondered if sports had finally lost its safe-haven reputation it once enjoyed. Would 2012 be remembered as the first year of a new era, where negativity began to rule the sports world? Had it become like the other news that we always see and read about? You know, the news that primarily highlights the negative (controversies, killings) or the bad side of stories (that actually do have positive sides), and the media people who can’t seem to come to grips with the good side of life? Or do sports still provide a fun, positive side of life? You know the kind of fun where people see kids as kids instead of opportunities to land NBA contracts or college scholarships, and where people see coaches as grown-up kids who want to have a little fun and enjoy a game? A game. After thinking about this, and not for that long, I was reminded of four stories that gave me my answer. 1. Grinnell College men’s basketball: In late November, tiny Grinnell College, an NCAA Division III school in Grinnell, Iowa, produced the most talked-about game and individual (Jack Taylor) in the sports world. Every major sports network and internet site, as well as NBA stars Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, couldn’t help but talk about it because of the mind-boggling stats. Taylor, a sophomore guard, had scored an all-divisions record 138 points to lead the Pioneers to a 179-104 victory against Faith Baptist. That Faith Baptist’s David Larson scored 70 points was lost in most of the initial reports about the game. However, the record-breaking achievements were monumental

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

for more than merely the points scored in the game. At least nine collegiate records were set, including field goals made (52) and attempted (108) by Taylor, as well as three-pointers made (27) and attempted (71) by Taylor. The fun, though, began about 20 years ago when longtime Grinnell coach David Arseneault came up with a system, based on a formula where he requires his team to take at least 94 shots per game and that 47 of those come from three-point range. To accomplish this, he uses at least 15 players per game (rotating them in groups of five every other minute), and has them shoot the ball every 5-12 seconds while focusing on offensive rebounding and the full-court press (their goal is to force 30 turnovers per game) the entire game. Through nine games (as of Dec. 28), Grinnell had not scored less than 105 and was averaging 123.2 points per game while going 7-2 (in both losses, Grinnell scored 114 and 116 points). Sounds like a video game…and a winning formula. 2. “Silent Night” at Taylor University: “Silent Night” has been going on since the late 1980s at Taylor University, a small, evangelical Christian college in Upland, Indiana, that was founded in 1846. The nearly 30-year-old event, centered around a men’s basketball game the Friday before final exams, gained national attention the past few years, and again this year when Yahoo! Sports featured it on their homepage with a story (by a Yahoo! writer who attended the game) and some video content (from Taylor). What “Silent Night” is, in a nutshell, is students having fun in clever and creative ways. When the game begins, students (dressed in various costumes) wait in complete silence until the 10th point is scored, and then the packed gym of more than 2,500 students bursts out into a deafening roar like what you would hear after a team wins the national championship. And then, near the end of the game, the students begin singing “Silent Night” in unison. Afterwards, stu-

Yes, the opposing team scored 80 points. And, no, this wasn’t 8-man football. It was 11-man, traditional football. The only thing not traditional was the score. And, oh, by the way, it was a semifinal playoff game to decide which team would play for the state title. “I don’t know what to say,” Davidson Day coach Chad Grier told The Charlotte Observer. “It was crazy. I don’t think I’ll ever live to see something like that happen again. It was just nuts.” More nuts than the score were the stats: Junior quarterback Will Grier, who just committed to Florida and is the coach’s son, threw for 837 yards and 10 touchdowns (the yards broke a 12-year-old national record and the TDs tied a national record). Also, Davidson Day’s Jordan Brown had 13 catches for 302 yards, and Harrells Christian running back Russell Washington rushed 46 times for 429 yards and eight touchdowns (the rushing touchdowns tied a state record). And the point total of 184 points broke a state record set in 1930. On top of that, Davidson Day scored on every possession except one, and Harrells Christian only punted once and had two turnovers. Another Madden-like game. If Pulaski Academy and Davidson Day could get together next year, that would be something worth putting on TV. So, yes, despite the craziness and negativity, sports have remained that last safe-haven for us to enjoy sports for what they were meant to be—a game. Were there any negative stories or comments about any of those four stories? Of course, there will always be cynical and crazed people looking to turn a positive into a negative or who always see the glass of water as half empty instead of half full (or even completely empty). But, in these four instances, the positive truly outweighed the negative, and it helped me see that sports can truly be fun—even in today’s world. It also reminded me of something Paul said in Philippians 4:89, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Why does it remind me of Paul’s writing? Because he wrote this and all of Philippians (the “Book of Joy” some call it), while in prison. He saw the positive deBrett Honeycutt is the spite the negative. managing editor of Sports And we can, too. EspecialSpectrum magazine. His column ly when we have fun remindaddresses controversial topics ers like these. AARON MAY / SPORTS SPECTRUM

dents go to a campus-wide event called Habecker’s Hollapalooza, which has live Christmas music and is a place for students to make and eat Christmas cookies and make gingerbread houses. I love the last part. Taylor’s video, which runs for 2 minutes and 35 seconds and aptly shows all of this (except for Habecker’s Hollapalooza), went viral and gained nearly 1.6 million hits in less than 20 days. It reminds me of college, because I went to a Christian school and we had to create our own fun. We didn’t party or get drunk, much like today’s secular college culture does to experience what they would consider fun. We had to be clever and/or creative to make our own fun. I’m thinking Taylor should invite Grinnell for the next “Silent Night” event. Now that would be fun. 3. High school football coach Kevin Kelly: The name won’t sound familiar, but Kevin Kelly has been featured in Sports Illustrated several times and is revered by both the coaching and sports analytics community for his innovative style and unique way of playing football. Kelly, the coach at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., always, always goes for it on fourth down, so his team never punts. Yes, never. The Bruins also always have onside kicks. Always. They even have 12 different onside kick plays, which show their seriousness and commitment. And when it comes time to receive a punt, they never return it for fear of fumbling or getting an unnecessary penalty. Once, in 2011, Pulaski scored the first 29 points of a game against Cabot High without Cabot running one play. The sequence was something like this: Score, onside kick, recover, score, onside kick, recover, score, and so on. All of those points came in the first 3 minutes, 25 seconds of the game, which Pulaski won 64-34. In addition, Pulaski almost always passes the ball and also runs numerous trick plays throughout the game. Not just one here or one there, but the trickery is commonplace each quarter. At first glance, it appears to be all a gimmick, a fun way of running an offense or keeping the kids engaged or the fans wondering or opposing coaches guessing. But this madness is actually rooted in statistics, which have proven true over the last 10-plus years when Kelly has compiled a 114-22 record and won three state titles, including the last in 2011. This past season, Pulaski finished 10-3 and was one victory away from playing in the state championship game. It’s like Madden NFL the video game – except it’s real. 4. Davidson Day’s crazy football game: When one team scores 70, 80, 90, or 104 points in this case, in a football game, eyes usually roll, critics usually start thinking about poor sportsmanship, and sympathizers usually start thinking about the poor team that had 104 points scored on it. But this time, scoring 104 points was born out of necessity. Yes, necessity. The final score: Davidson Day 104, Harrells Christian 80.

from a biblical perspective.

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

OPINION

OLD SCHOOL B Y A A R O N M AY

a a ro n @ s p o r t s s p e c t r u m . c o m | F o l l o w @ p p l c a l l m e b l u e

Looking forward to 2013

ith 2012 completed, let’s look forward to 2013. There are many topics to think about and many questions to be answered, so let’s get to it.

Heat Repeat — The story this summer will be if LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will be able to make it a repeat.

BCS National Title — On Jan. 7, Notre Dame will play Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. Notre Dame has the No. 1 rated defense in college football, giving up just 10.3 points per game, but Alabama’s defense is No. 2, giving up 10.7 points per game. I expect a low-scoring game. If Alabama wins, it will be its third national title in the past four years, and the seventh consecutive title by a SEC team. Can Notre Dame stop the SEC’s run on the BCS?

Wild West — The NBA’s Western Conference could be a free-for-all this summer. The Lakers were everyone’s preseason favorite, but have been a mess in the first two months. The Thunder traded away James Harden in training camp and you have to wonder if they will regret it. We assume the Spurs are too old, the Warriors are too young, and the Grizzlies are the Hawks of the West (great in regular season, awful in postseason). Maybe it will be the “other” team from L.A., the Clippers, who can completely shed the whole “laughing stock of the league” label they’ve always had with a Finals appearance. As long as Will Smith doesn’t write another song about the Wild West, it should be a fun postseason.

Super Bowl — The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots look to be headed toward a showdown in the AFC Championship game, and the NFC looks up for grabs. Atlanta has a record that suggests that it is the cream of the crop, but they haven’t dominated. San Francisco switched quarterbacks mid-season and Green Bay has trouble keeping teams from scoring. And then there was the muddled NFC East, which included the Cowboys, Redskins, and Giants battling it out to see which one represented the division.

162 = 1 — Major League Baseball seems intent on staying with the one-game, wild card playoff structure; instead of moving to a three-game series like many players would like to see. Baseball plays a regular season of 162 games, and then tells wild card teams they have one game to prove their worth. Doesn’t really seem fair does it? Business-wise though, the one-game playoffs were huge for TV ratings, outdrawing the division series. Despite record attendance figures, declining TV ratings have been a problem for baseball in the past few years, so anything that helps them trend up will be a good thing in Commissioner Bud Selig’s eyes. After the infield fly debacle in Atlanta in 2012, baseball needs these games devoid of controversy in 2013 or people will see it as a sham, tune out and go back to watching Duck Dynasty.

Giantism — Giants won two of the sporting world’s biggest prizes in 2012: the World Series (San Francisco) and the Super Bowl (New York). (And WWE’s 7-foot, 500-pound “Big Show,” once named “The Giant,” also became World Heavyweight Champion, for what it’s worth). Can Giants repeat in 2013? Spring Training — Spring training gives hope to sad people known as Cubs, Astros and Royals fans. Theoretically, because everyone starts with a 0-0 record, any team has a chance to put together a magical World Series winning season, even the hapless (or hopeless) Cubbies. Angels in the Outfield — With the Los Angeles Angels signing slugger Josh Hamilton, the Angels have people thinking of the greatest 3-4 hitters of all-time. Duos like Maris-Mantle, Ruth-Gehrig, Mays-McCovey, etc. The Angels lineup will include Hamilton and Albert Pujols, hitting 3 and 4, with Rookie of the Year/MVP runner-up Mike Trout leading off. The Angels will score a lot of runs, but the question seems to be, how many records can their offense break? March Madness — Duke and Indiana have been early favorites to reach the Final Four, but you never know what can happen in March. We saw a preview of this when Butler beat No. 1 Indiana in overtime a few weeks ago. It will be fun, as always, to see which team will become the next Cinderella and which team will get its “one shining moment.” Wrestlemania 29 — Who will face the Undertaker at Wrestlemania? (Sorry, that one’s probably just for me.) 4

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

#FreeTebow — Where will Tim Tebow wind up? And will he actually play? Or will we continue to have the most popular backup quarterback since Doug Flutie roaming the sidelines? This is the most important story of all for 2013! Okay, maybe not, but Skip Bayless sure makes it seem that way. 2013 Football — It seems kind of odd to start looking ahead to next year’s football season when this one’s not over yet, but this column is about 2013. It’s impossible to predict which team will make next year’s Cotton Bowl, but there are a few questions to ponder for next season: Can Cam Newton break his sophomore slump? Can RGIII, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson avoid one? Will the Saints rebound from their scandal-filled 2012? How much longer will Peyton Manning and Tom Brady play? Will “Johnny Football” lead Texas A&M to championship heights? Will the SEC continue to dominate NCAA football? Will this crazy conference expansion continue? Will the NCAA become one giant conference of 130 teams? Will Roger Goodell end football by deeming the sport too dangerous to play? Will “Girl Meets World” be as good as “Boy Meets World”? And Aaron May is a staff writer will we finally find out and videographer for Sports how many licks it takes Spectrum. to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop? So many questions!

Proverbs 2:6 says, “ For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” That is the heart of this book, which ties together scripture and sports to minister to sports fans, who are looking to grow deeper in ther faith with God.

Wisdom & Sports explores all 31 chapters of Proverbs and 31 spiritually inspiring stories on well-known Christian athletes like baseball stars Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Mariano Rivera, pro football players Tim Tebow, Drew Brees and Derrick Brooks, international soccer star Kaka, surfer Bethany Hamilton, golfer Aaron Baddeley, coaching legends John Wooden and Tony Dungy as well as 20 more features on athletes and coaches in various sports.

www.sportsspectrum.com

Only available at www.sportsspectrum.com, and available on the Kindle at Amazon.com.

What ARE YOU SEEKING?

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

TOP 10 STORIES 1. Miami Heat–LeBron James finally won his first ring and gained respect from his critics. The “Big Three” lived up to the hype, but must win more to fulfill expectations.

2. Lance Armstrong–Lance was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles because of a doping scandal.

3. Tragedies–The NFL saw three tragedies involving the

Kansas City Chiefs, the Dallas Cowboys and Junior Seau. All three situations brought negative light on the NFL, but each one provided conversations for change.

4. Replacement Refs–The NFL’s real refs were in a labor dispute to start the season, but after a controversial call on Monday Night Football between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, the two sides were able to come to a new agreement.

5. Michael Phelps–Following London, he now has the most Olympic medals (22). 6. New York Giants–The Giants won their second Super Bowl in five years by beating the same team they beat the first time.

7. Johnny Manziel–Texas A&M’s quarterback “Johnny Football” became the first freshman to win the Heisman.

8. San Francisco Giants–San Francisco won their second title in three years after sweeping Detroit.

9. Peyton Manning–He joined the Denver Broncos after Indianapolis decided to part ways with their legendary star. He then led the Broncos to the playoffs.

10. Conference Realignment–It’s

been another year involving Universities announcing their intentions to switch their conference affiliations. And it’s getting old. -BRYCE JOHNSON

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

Nathaniel S. Butler / Getty Images

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

Streeter Lecka / Getty Images

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

TOP 10 CHRISTIAN STORIES 1. Bubba Watson Wins the Masters–Watson’s popularity took off after winning golf’s most prestigious tournament on Easter weekend.

2. Tebowmania–Tim Tebow started the year by leading the Bron-

cos to a playoff victory against the Steelers. You know the rest. But it was fun while it lasted.

3. Linsanity–Jeremy Lin burst on the scene while playing for the

New York Knicks and surprised everybody with his ability to score and hit meaningful shots. He then signed with Houston in the offseason.

4. Lakers Trade for Dwight Howard–After a back and forth saga in Orlando between the Magic

and Howard, the team decided to make a blockbuster trade with L.A.

5. RG III, Rookie Sensation–In his first season Robert Griffin III led the Redskins back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

6. Gabby Douglas Wins Gold–At age 15, she became the first American female gymnast to win gold in the individual and team all-around competitions during the same Olympics.

7. Webb Simpson Wins the U.S. Open–After having a

strong 2011, Simpson took his game to the next level by winning his first major.

8. R.A. Dickey Wins Cy Young–After winning 20 games

with the Mets, they capitalized on his success by trading him to the Blue Jays.

9. Collin Klein–The senior quarterback led Kansas

State to an 11-1 record and to the Fiesta Bowl. He was a Heisman finalist after a season that included 15 passing and 22 rushing touchdowns.

10. Drew Brees–In light of “Bountygate,” Brees

still threw for more than 5,000 yards and 43 touchdowns to become the first player to throw at least 40 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. -BRYCE JOHNSON

Victor Decolongon / Getty Images

TOP 10 CHRISTIAN ATHLETES TO WATCH IN 2013 1. Josh Hamilton–He has to prove he is worth the mon-

ster contract the Los Angeles Angels gave him as he teams up with Albert Pujols to pursue a World Series run. He will continue to have the spotlight on him as he must always fight against his past addictions and stay clean.

2. Kevin Durant–Will he be able to win the scoring title with the Thunder and take his team back to the NBA Finals and even win it?

3. Mariano Rivera–He will return to the New York Yan-

kees after suffering an ACL injury last year, but will he be the same dominant reliever we are used to seeing on the mound?

4. Cody Zeller–How far can he take Indiana during the NCAA tournament, and will it lead to him entering the NBA early?

5. Matt Barkley–After a disappointing senior season at Southern Cal, Barkley hopes to be drafted and put in a good situation in the NFL to prove he is still worth a top pick.

6. Zach Johnson–He won two tournaments last year, but it’s been more than five seasons since he won the Masters. Will he be able to win another major?

7. Barrett Jones–He is one of the best linemen in the country and has a chance to win another national championship with Alabama and play in the NFL.

8. Trevor Bayne–At the age of 20 he won the Daytona 500, but he hasn’t won a race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since. Will this be the year?

9. Colt McCoy–He’s struggled to have success in the NFL as a starting quarterback, but you have to wonder if a new team might be the answer.

10. Sam Bradford–With new head coach Jeff Fisher, Bradford and the Rams made progress in 2012. The bar will be raised for 2013.

-BRYCE JOHNSON

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

TOP 10 CONTROVERSIES 1. New Orleans Saints Bounty Scandal–

This controversy has had more twists and turns than a weekly soap opera or pro wrestling show. The Saints coaching staff were accused of paying players to injure opponents, and in turn the team was fined $500,000, head coach Sean Payton was suspended for the season, New Orleans General Manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight games, assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended for six games and former defensive coordinator Greg Williams, who was charged with running the scheme, was suspended indefinitely. After a lengthy appeals process that eventually led to former commissioner Paul Tagliabue making the final decision, all of the players suspensions were reversed because Tagliabue ruled that the players should have been fined, not suspended.

2. Replacement Refs–Only the NFL could survive two major controversies and

see little to no effect on the perception of the league. The NFL went five weeks with replacement referees, as the regulars were in labor dispute. It all came to a head with a blown call in a Monday Night Football game on national television. More public outcry ensued, and the NFL quickly reached an agreement with the regular refs in time for the weekly Thursday night game.

3. NHL Lockout–The NHL and its players have not been able to reach a labor

agreement, and it’s very possible that an entire NHL season will be cancelled for the second time in the last decade. If there are no games and no money to be shared among players and owners, what is there left to negotiate?

4. Lance Armstrong–Lance Armstrong was stripped of all of his cycling accomplishments because of the doping investigation led by the United States AntiDoping Agency, banning him from cycling forever.

5. Infield Fly Rule–In the first ever National League wild card playoff game, an

umpire’s ruling led to a 19-minute delay while fans at Turner Field littered the field with beer cans, water bottles, and foam tomahawks. The Braves lost the game, and because of the nature of a one-game playoff, many fans will blame the umpire for ruining Chipper Jones’ last postseason. -AARON MAY

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TOP 10 UPSETS 1. Lehigh Knocks Out Duke (NCAA basketball)–Duke, a perennial powerhouse

lost in the first round to a school not considered a threat. Led by C.J. McCollum’s 30 points, No. 15 seed Lehigh (No. 87 RPI) won 75-70 against No. 2 seed Duke (7 RPI) in one of the most stunning upsets of the 2012 NCAA tournament.

1. Texas A&M beats No. 1 Alabama (NCAA football)–Texas A&M stunned

Alabama, 29-24, on Nov. 10. In the previous week, Alabama made a miraculous comeback at LSU, but they came home to a tougher challenge: Johnny Manziel. He passed for 253 yards, rushed for 92 and scored two touchdowns to end a 13game Alabama winning streak. The upset propelled Manziel to win the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first freshman to do so.

3. New York Giants beat Green Bay Packers (NFL)–Green Bay looked un-

stoppable last season, losing just one game in the regular season while outscoring opponents by 201 points. But Eli Manning and the New York Giants came to Lambeau Field and did what the Packers do to other teams as Manning passed for 330 yards and three touchdowns, winning 37-20 in one of the more unexpected blowouts you will ever see.

4. Norfolk State beats Missouri (NCAA basketball)–Missouri can thank Duke for this upset not being remembered that well. Like Duke, Missouri was a No. 2 seed (No. 12 RPI), which lost to a No. 15 seed, Norfolk State (117 RPI). Norfolk State, led by Kyle O’Quinn’s 26 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocked shots, edged Mizzou, 86-84. Unfortunately, this upset was overshadowed by Lehigh beating Duke, as they played later that day in prime time.

5. Baylor beats No. 1 Kansas State (NCAA football)–When Alabama lost its

No. 1 ranking after falling to Texas A&M, Kansas State was left in the driver’s seat to make the BCS national title game. All that was left was to beat unranked Baylor and unranked Texas. But Kansas State was blown out at Baylor, 52-24, ending its championship hopes and Colin Klein’s Heisman campaign. -AARON MAY

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SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

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SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

FEATURE OF THE YEAR

THROUGH THE FIRE, THE DAVID AKERS STORY By Jenna Sampson

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

COACH

OF THE YEAR UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA HEAD COACH MARK RICHT HAS CONTINUED TO THRIVE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S TOUGHEST CONFERENCE By Brett Honeycutt

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

SPORTS SPECTRUM COACH OF THE YEAR 201 SPORTS SPECTRUM COACH OF THE YEAR 2013 SPORTS SPECTRUM COACH SPORTS SPECTRUM COACH OF THE YEAR 2013

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

ark Richt told Sports Spectrum that he knew he first wanted to be a coach “when I couldn’t play anymore.” That simple, yet practical, revelation, led Richt on a journey that would eventually lead him to the University of Georgia, where he has carved out a pretty nice career at one of the SEC’s elite football programs. Since taking the Georgia head coaching posi-

tion in 2001, he has compiled a 117-40 overall record and a 67-29 mark in the SEC, the nation’s toughest college football conference, while also winning six SEC Eastern Division titles and 2 SEC Championships. This season, he led the Bulldogs to an 11-1 regular season record and a 7-1 mark in the SEC Eastern Division, which they won in a tiebreaker over Florida to set up the SEC Championship game against Alabama. And even though the Bulldogs narrowly lost (32-28), it didn’t put a damper on one of Richt’s best seasons at Georgia and is why Richt

13 SPORTS SPECTRUM COACH OF THE YEAR 2013 SPORTS SPECTRUM COACH OF THE YE H OF THE YEAR 2013 SPORTS SPECTRUM COACH OF THE YEAR 2013 SPORTS SPECTRU is Sport Spectrum’s Coach of the Year. It wasn’t only the accomplishments that set Richt apart this season, but it’s his view of his responsibility to the football players at Georgia that make him worthy of the award. “I’ve learned that the relationships with these young players that you’re involved with are as important, and even more important, at times than the wins and losses,” Richt told Sports Spectrum’s “Conversations” podcast. Richt also said that his faith is so intertwined in his everyday life that it’s impossible to divide the two when leading men and helping

shape their lives. “I think everybody has a belief system,” he said. “Everybody believes in something, and so whatever you believe in, whatever you have faith in, shapes you, period. What kind of a husband you are, what kind of father, what kind of a coach, whatever it is you do, I think it shapes how you live your life. I can’t say I can separate my vocational life from my spiritual life. I don’t think that’s possible for me.” One reason it’s impossible for Richt to separate that, is the Scripture that has guided and helped him balance his personal life and coaching career. “Colossians 3:23 says: ‘Whatever you do, do your work heartily unto the Lord, rather than men.’ So I think that’s what you do. Whatever you do, you do your work heartily and you do the best you can and unto the Lord, rather than just doing it for your boss or for man. I think that this kind of carries over not only at work but home as well.” Which is why Richt continues to strive for excellence on and off the field.

“I can’t say I can separate my vocational life from my spiritual life. I don’t think that’s possible for me.”

COACH RICHT’S FAVORITES Favorite Bible Verse? “Colossians 3:23 that I mentioned a little bit ago is one that’s kinda meant to me a lot of the years, there’s no doubt about that. Jeremiah 17, verses 7 and 8, are pretty powerful for me as well: ‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.’” Favorite Bible character (other than Jesus)? “Moses was a pretty interesting guy. I could relate in some way when Moses was asked by God to free his people from Egypt and Moses was like, ‘Well, who am I to do this?’ And God said, ‘I will certainly be with you.’ I was able to relate to that a little bit when I first took this head (coaching) job at Georgia or even when I first became the offensive coordinator at East Carolina. I mean, there are jobs that are just bigger than you are able to handle. ‘God, why me? I’m just not really capable.’ And He’s like, you know, ‘I will be with you.’ That gives you comfort.” Favorite QB growing up? “Joe Namath. Without a doubt.” Do you have a favorite in the NFL now? “Well I’d have to say Matt Stafford. He’s our guy, he’s a Georgia boy. Absolutely.” Any hobbies outside of football? “Bowling. That’s my game. Used to be racquetball but I can’t move around much anymore. Bowling is the last competitive thing that I could do physically and have the shot at still being pretty good.” To listen to Sports Spectrum’s complete Conversations podcast with Mark Richt, go to: www.sportsspectrum.com/articles/tag/georgia-football/program. Brett Honeycutt is the managing editor at Sports Spectrum magazine. SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR THREE-TIME LONDON GOLD MEDALIST ALLYSON FELIX WAS ONE OF AMERICA’S TOP OLYMPIANS IN 2012 By Brett Honeycutt

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s Allyson Felix neared the finish of the 200 meters at the London Olympics this past summer, spectators could see that her goal would finally be reached. When she crossed the line, she won her first Olympic gold medal in the 200 meters and erased the memories of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics when she earned silver each time. “My biggest defeats have come at the Olympic Games,” Felix told the Associated Press. “After Beijing I was devastated, I had worked as hard as possible, but I came up short. But I decided to rededicate myself even harder and it was a blessing in disguise. I was able to work harder than ever before and finally it all came together.” “I was in tears in Beijing, and gosh, complete opposite tonight,” Felix said after winning gold in London. “For it all to come together is just extremely special, I’m overjoyed. I was just thinking, ‘Be aggressive. It’s the Olympics, anything can happen.’ I knew if I went out and ran my race it would come together. It felt good. I said ‘Thank you, Lord.’ It was relief, joy, just a flood of emotions.” It took more than winning what some considered an elusive gold medal, though, to be named Sports Spectrum’s Female Athlete of the Year. That gold medal was just one in a string of accomplishments by Felix in 2012, when she became the U.S. 200-meter champion, three-time Olympic gold medalist and the International Associa-

“For it all to come together is just extremely special. I’m overjoyed. I was just thinking, ‘Be aggressive. It’s the Olympics, anything can happen.’ I knew if I went out and ran my race it would come together. It felt good. I said, ‘Thank you, Lord.’ It was relief, joy, just a flood of emotions.”

tion of Athletics Federations Female World Athlete of the Year. But it wasn’t only the hardware that she obtained; it was the manner in which she obtained it. * Her 21.69 seconds in the 200 meters at the U.S. Championships made her the fourth fastest woman in history at that distance. * The three gold medals were the most of any female track and field athlete in the Olympics since 1988, when Florence GriffithJoyner accomplished the feat. * The gold-medal winning 4x100-meter relay time of 40.82 seconds that she helped produce, along with Tianna Madison, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter, broke a 27-year-old world record of 41.37 set by the vaunted East Germans. * The whopping 0.55-second improvement to the world record in the 4x100-meter relay was the biggest improvement in that event in history and took down the third oldest women’s record in history. * The time in the 4x400-meter relay, which featured DeeDee Trotter, Francena McCorory and Sanya Richards-Ross, of 3 minutes, 16.87 seconds, was the fifth fastest time in history and beat silver medalist Russia by 3.36 seconds, the largest margin of victory in the Olympics since 1976 when the East Germans beat the United States by 3.58 seconds. * Felix’s relay split, a stunning 47.8 seconds, helped her become only the fifth woman in track and field history with a split faster than 48 seconds and the first non-Eastern Bloc woman to run under 48 seconds (the last time someone ran that fast was in 1988). * Along with the IAAF Female Athlete of the Year, she also won the IAAF’s Female Performance of the Year along with Madison, Knight and Jeter for their world record in the 4x100-meter relay. “It was pretty close to being a perfect race!” Felix said in Barcelona, Spain, on Nov. 24 when the quartet received the award. “We trusted each other in getting the stick around and we just had fun. We’re still letting it all sink in and we still can’t believe the performance. I think that we belong together now, and with the World Championships coming up I hope we’ll compete together again. There’s a possibility that it might not be the same four, but what we did in London, we’ll never forget that.” On receiving the IAAF’s Female World Athlete of the Year award: “It’s so special,” said Felix. “I’ve always looked at the award for being the person who is at the top of their sport. To receive that recognition is just amazing to top off my year, I couldn’t ask for anything more.” After standing for photos alongside Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, who won the IAAF’s Male World Athlete of the Year, Felix was asked how that felt. “Very special,” she said. “I talked (to him) about when we came Eugene Gologursky / Getty Images

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“For me, my faith is the reason I run. I definitely feel I have this amazing gift that God has blessed me with, and it’s all about using it to the best of my ability.” Nike / Getty Images

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SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

2013 SPORTS SPECTRUM WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2013 SPORTS SPECTRUM WOMAN OF TH MAN OF THE YEAR 2013 SPORTS SPECTRUM WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2013 SPORTS SPECT here before and we were both receiving “Rising Star” awards (in 2003), and so who would’ve thought that so many years later we would both be male and female athlete of the year, which is pretty cool.” Felix’s success on the world scene began at an early age when she was still in high school.

In 2001, as a sophomore at Los Angeles Baptist High School, she won the 100 meters at the World Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. She followed that with success at the World Junior Championships and Pan American Games before winning four gold, and two silver medals in the three Olympics, along with eight gold, one silver and one bronze in four World Outdoor Track and Field Championship, one gold in the 2010 World Indoor Track and Field Championship, and three gold, one silver and one bronze in four World Athletics Finals. Despite her continued success over a long stretch of time, some feel that Felix should be just as well known in the United States as Usain Bolt is known throughout the world. Running Times Magazine Senior Writer Parker Morse said he “doesn’t know why she’s not the most famous female athlete in the country. She has a great attitude, great ethic and great performances. I’ve never met anyone with anything bad to say about her.” Despite forgoing college after graduating from high school, Felix still earned a college degree in elementary education from Southern Cal in 2008 (following in the footsteps of her mom, Marlean, who is an elementary school teacher). Felix’s dad, Paul, has also helped instill that great attitude and ethics that Morse mentioned. “I’m excited she’s getting recognition,” Paul, a New Testament professor at Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, Calif. and an ordained minister told Sports Spectrum this past summer. “But my wife and I have always said that our greatest joy is to hear that our children, Wes and Allison, are walking in the truth. Go after winning a gold medal in your relationship with Him. In my mind, that’s far more important.” Allyson Felix acknowledged that guidance and upbringing just before the Olympics. “Growing up as a preacher’s kid has really grounded me,” Felix said in a USA Today story. “I’ve grown up with these amazing parents who are hard workers, and they truly live out their faith. They’ve been amazing role models for me. I feel like I really picked up on what they taught me and kept that with me all along in my running and in my career. “For me, my faith is the reason I run. I definitely feel I have this amazing gift that God has blessed me with, and it’s all about using it to the best of my ability.” Brett Honeycutt is the managing editor of Sports Spectrum magazine.

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MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR IN A YEAR WHERE PENN STATE SCARRED THE SPORTING WORLD, 2012 CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER R.A. DICKEY IS A BEACON OF HOPE TO THE BROKEN By Stephen Copeland and Aaron May

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

t’s only fitting R.A. Dickey’s memoir “Wherever I Wind Up” was released this past March, because where Dickey wound up in 2012, not many could have fathomed. Dickey, the only knuckleballer in Major League Baseball, had 20 wins for the New York Mets, threw two consecutive one-hitters, led the National League in strikeouts (230), was second in ERA (2.73), and received the most prestigious pitching award in baseball, the National League Cy Young Award, at the age of 38, becoming the third-oldest first-time award winner in MLB history. On the field, it has certainly been a long road for Dickey. Fourteen years ago, Dickey was drafted first overall by the Texas Rangers, but his lifelong dream was ripped away when an x-ray revealed that Dickey was missing his ulna collateral ligament in his right elbow. Five years ago, he gave up a record six home runs in three innings, and Dickey realized that his baseball career had drastically stalled. “I understood that what I had to offer wasn’t going to allow me to be a consistent major league pitcher,” Dickey told Sports Spectrum a year ago. At the time, Dickey was using a knuckler as one of his secondary pitches, but his pitching coach at the time, Orel Hershiser, pushed him to use it full-time. So he did. But it wasn’t easy. “I had to unlearn things that I had learned in my previous 20 years of throwing a baseball,” he said. “I had to unlearn in an effort to relearn the proper mechanics of throwing a knuckleball. That was a really trying time; God was helping me to endure and persevere. I had a lot of self-doubt, I made a lot of bad decisions as far as what I put my time into.” For four years, Dickey went up and down between Class AAA and major league clubs Texas, Milwaukee, Seattle and Minnesota, trying to master the knuckleball with varied success. But in 2010, after being called up from AAA Buffalo in May, Dickey got an opportunity with the New York Mets, and this time pitched at career-high levels, going 11-9 with a 2.84 ERA (seventh in the National League). After the season, the Mets signed him to a two-year major league deal, solidifying a spot on a major league ball club. At age 36, R.A. Dickey, who was born in Nashville, Tenn., and played for the University of Tennessee, had finally gotten his baseball career on track. And in 2011, he spent his first full season without a trip to the minors, posting a

Marc Serota / Getty Images)

staff-best 3.28 ERA and logging a team high 208.2 innings for the Mets. In 2012, after a tumultuous 14 years in the league and dabbling in the minors, he won the National League Cy Young award. “It’s been a real journey for me and it’s coincided with my journey as a knuckleballer starting in 2005,” he said. “…over the last four years, as an adult, from ages 32-36, I feel like I’ve really matured. God’s really grown me up in a lot of ways. He’s really impressed a lot of time and energy in helping me to feel loved and worthy and that’s been a big

difference maker for me as far as my professional career has gone.” And although what Dickey did factors into Sports Spectrum’s decision to name him Male Athlete of the Year, it’s more about what came from what he did, what came from his best year on the mound, what off-the-field impact he had because of his on-field stardom, that makes him one of the year’s most influential male athletes. Dickey’s openness in “Wherever I Wind Up” about his troubled childhood—where he was sexually abused one sum-

“I hope to communicate in the book that God is not a God of second chances. He is a God of third, fourth, fifth and sixth chances.”

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

Marc Serota / Getty Images)

mer by a 13-year-old girl who was babysitting him and later abused by a teenage boy—thrust him onto the national scale, giving him a voice at a time when many needed to hear it, a year where the horrific sexual abuse scandal at Penn State shocked the sporting world and parents across nation. “I just keep my terrible secret,” Dickey wrote in his memoir, “keep it all inside, the details of what went on, and the hurt of a little boy who is scared and ashamed and believes he has done something terribly wrong, but doesn’t know what that is.” Dickey is more than a baseball player. He’s a beacon of hope to the hurting, speaking openly about his darkest childhood memories to national media such as ESPN and Sports Illustrated. To the victimized and voiceless, like the poor souls at Penn State, Dickey is an inspiration and an encouragement. You can talk without shame, you can live a normal life, and you can even live a successful life, like winning the Cy Young. Dickey also addressed his infidelity, thoughts of suicide, and his anguish of spending 14 years in the minors, overall providing a raw account of the struggles of a superstar, and all-in-all, life. “Wherever I Wind Up” is far from an image-proofed, public relations project for financial gain. And perhaps that’s the other reason why Dickey is Sports Spectrum’s Male Athlete of the Year. Dickey is as real as they come. In a culture where Christians can be mistakenly viewed as perfect and legalistic, Dickey transparently talks about his sin and how Jesus Christ has changed him. He’s human. He’s a sinner. And he’s changed. “I hope to communicate in the book that God is not a God of second chances,” Dickey told beliefnet.com. “He is a God of third, fourth, fifth and sixth chances. Consequently, I heard the voice, a myriad of times. (There’s) a place in the book where I talk about when (former Texas Ranger GM) Doug Melvin took away my signing bonus—not just my signing bonus—it was the hope of possibly never playing in the big leagues. You know I really wanted to erupt. Whether it was curse words or having a bad temper, I really felt God say, ‘I got you. Don’t do that. I got you. Everything is going to be OK.’ So I got up and walked out trying to be obedient to that voice. That was one instance. “Another instance was when I tried to swim across the Missouri River and almost died. I was on the banks of the Missouri and happy to be alive. I felt God saying to me that my life was going to be different. I didn’t really know what that meant. But everything seemed to have more flavor to it and I was able to live in the moment like never before with my wife, with my children—with my career. That He had showed me a different way to live.” Whether it’s his reflective memoir, his inspiring heroism in overcoming sexual abuse, his faith, or his off-season climb of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds to stop human trafficking in Mumbai, Dickey can be summed up in one word: impactful. In 2012, Dickey inspired others to wind up in a better place.

“I just keep my terrible secret, keep it all inside, the details of what went on, and the hurt of a little boy who is scared and ashamed and believes he has done something terribly wrong, but doesn’t know what that is.”

Stephen Copeland and Aaron May are staff writers at Sports Spectrum magazine. SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012

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ANOTHER ANGLE

OPINION

BY STEPHEN COPELAND

stephen.copeland@sportsspectrum.com | Follow @steve_copeland

The cry of resolutions

ew Year’s resolutions fascinate me. Not so much the resolutions themselves, but more so the means to their existence. It hit me one January when I made the mistake of going to the gym. Because of all the fitnessrelated New Year’s resolutions, the gym was packed and many people didn’t have a clue what they were doing. I was hoping to run on the treadmill, but the wait was like the line to a women’s bathroom. I tried lifting weights, but the dumbbells were out of order like they’d been organized by a chimpanzee. Plus, the big-boned guy on the elliptical sounded like a chain-smoker running the Boston Marathon, and my fallen nature was telling me to go all Cain and Abel on him. So I decided against the treadmill and dumbbells and shot hoops instead. I listened to the “Hoosiers” soundtrack on my iPod, acted like I was Jimmy Chitwood, and imagined Gene Hackman walking through the gymnasium doors and begging me to play—like I was the best basketball player ever, like I hadn’t had two serious knee surgeries and wasn’t a thumb shooter or a golfer. While I chased my airballs, I also occasionally glanced into the see-through walls of the weight room and thought about how weird people were. The weight room was bustling like a Wal-Mart on Black Friday, and a month before it had been as quiet as a library. I then thought about my own resolution that year: to read the Bible more. A month before, I could have scribbled my name with my finger in the dust on the cover; but that morning, I had a pen, highlighter, and concordance handy when I read like I was Martin Luther. Why? I wondered. Why does New Years give people the hope of a fresh start? Why does New Years trigger a desire to change? Why does New Years make people want to be better? It’s not the resolutions that fascinate me—work out every day, lose weight, quit smoking, stay sober, read the Bible, whatever— it’s the means to their existence. Why do we want a fresh start, for example, if nothing we do is wrong? Why would we have a desire to change if there was nothing to change from? Why would we want to be better if every decision we made was right? Behind most genuine New Years resolutions, I see a burning desire wound into the fabric of our human nature to be made new and change. But why? If you want to be made new, what’s wrong with the past? If you want to change, what are you changing from? If there is a right way and a wrong way to live, then Who is the author of morality? The unfortunate thing is that we think it’s the New Year that gives us a fresh start and the ability to be made new. We think it’s the New Year that will help us turn over a new leaf and change. But it’s not. I can only do so much. Ultimately, something else must change me and make me new. And that’s what I love about the God of Christianity.

When I welcomed Jesus into my life, He changed me…and He continues to change me…and He will forever continue to change me…and I’ll forever be new. I’m not a big “resolutions” guy. I like goals, but resolutions seem legalistic, and I always end up failing and feeling like I’m worthless. Not that resolutions are bad (I’ve done them before), but they just aren’t for me. This year, though, I want to change; and I want God to change me. I don’t know if that’s a resolution. I don’t know if that’s a goal. I just know it’s a central component to the Christian lifestyle that, frankly, many Christians, including myself, leave out. If you aren’t constantly changing or constantly being changed, is it possible that you’re not even a follower of Jesus? You may call yourself a Christian, but that’s just a generic title people slap on their Facebook pages. A follower of Jesus is changed by Jesus and continually changed by Jesus. One of my favorite interviews in 2012 was with PGA Tour player Aaron Baddeley. Whatever Aaron had, I wanted it. He gets up early—no matter what, according to his wife, Richelle—and he reads the Bible, not because it’s on a checklist, but because it changes him. Aaron’s relationship with God was what a relationship should be: intimate. And it makes him a better person. It makes him happier. He is constantly being changed, conformed to the image of Jesus, which is the purpose to your life here on earth, and that makes him happy. If God truly has a design, then wouldn’t folStephen Copeland is a staff lowing that design be writer and columnist at fulfilling? Sports Spectrum magazine. Behind most New Year’s His column tackles sports resolutions, I see that deand faith from another sign, and it reminds me angle, whether it’s to be a part of it. humorous, personal or controversial.

“The unfortunate thing is that we think it’s the New Year that gives us a fresh start and the ability to be made new. We think it’s the New Year that will help us turn over a new leaf and change. But it’s not. I can only do so much. Ultimately, something else must change me and make me new.”

SPORTS SPECTRUM ~ DIGIMAG 2012