Taking a Leap of Faith

     I am back from my break!  I enjoyed my time off from football and blogging while touring Texas to see my family for one last time before the craziness begins.  In the span of two weeks I visited the in-laws at their home, visited my brother, vacationed with my wife's family in San Antonio, visited my parents at their home, and finally celebrated the 4th of July at my uncles with extended family.  If that wasn't enough, there are a lot of kids and babies in the family right now so I was extra worn out from uncle and cousin duties.  I managed to work out at various local high schools to stay in shape.  I loved getting to spend time with my family, but all this traveling and not having a set home is stressful.  Since late December 2012 from the bowl game on to my training, all star game, pro day, regional combines, wedding, honeymoon, draft, rookie camp, and OTAs I have been on the move and living out of a suitcase.  I am chasing my dream and wouldn't have it any other way, but with my wife living back in Lubbock a decision had to be made.  Either we stay apart while I try the NFL or we go for it and see what happens.

     The leap of faith it is!  After a long and hard decision making process we decided to go ahead and move to St Louis.  Having the most unpredictable job possible, I knew this would be a very risky decision and at the end of the day we could be here one day, the rest of our life, or something in between.  We wanted to be together, I felt good about my chances of making the team, and when Ashley's company posted a job opening in St Louis for July we jumped on it.  Ashley was transferred and after the two week break we headed to Lubbock to pack up.  As you can see above we loaded a big moving truck and towed our car all of the grueling 15 hours to St Louis, Missouri.  My foot was about cramped solid from driving that long without a cruise control, but I'm now happy to have a home base and my wife with a solid job.  Hopefully she won't have to be the provider this year, but whatever happens we have a backup plan.  After a long couple of days moving in and painting (I told y'all she would use my painting skills now!) we were able to spend a week together before I move into the hotel for training camp on Sunday.  I have a long and hard road ahead and I will focus on what I can control, try my hardest to do my best, and have faith in God's plan.

-Student of the Game

#CrunchTime

My painting skills need some fine tuning.  Note to self: don't buy the off brand painter's tape.

From Lubbock to St Louis

Lubbock, Texas compared to St Louis, Missouri

     Y'all are fixin' to see how us Texans fit in way up here in the Midwest! Alright I don't exactly talk like that, but I have now been in St Louis for three weeks now and there have been some differences (as expected) compared to life in west Texas.  As you can see above, size and geography are quite a bit different.  That makes for more things to do and more events in this highly populated area.  The first thing I had a few comments on when I arrived is how I talk.  I don't think I have a southern accent, but i guess I do use "y'all" and "fixin' to" quite a bit.  The players have vast diversity so differences aren't noticed as much, but the locals have caught on to where I was from just by how I talked.  The first thing I noticed pretty fast is the food.  The food has been good so far... but where is the spice?! I have always heard that the food gets more bland and less spicy the more north you go, and that seems to be accurate.  I am used to an overall spiciness of foods and sauces being from Texas and having the Mexican influence from our neighbors to the south.  From the salsa to BBQ sauce, it seems like the "HOT" here in St Louis would be the "regular" down in Lubbock.  Speaking of barbecue, we had the chance to try out a variety at the Bluesweek Festival.  It was good overall and I love some pulled pork but I can't help but miss the brisket.  I have found some around so I will have to stick to those places.  Another food item I got to try is the St Louis style pizza and the toasted ravioli.  It was a pleasant surprise as I loved the cheesy thin pizza and the tasty ravioli.  Any other STL food staples I need to try?

     The last and most obvious is the weather.  The eye test of looking out the window doesn't work here as there is a lot more humidity compared to Lubbock.  I caught myself a couple of times in a jacket because it looked overcast outside just to find out it was still warm.  Rain?!  I think it has rained as much in my first three weeks here as it would all year in Lubbock!  The storms hit quick and hard but blow by fast making the weather hard to predict.  Lubbock's weather is also fast changing and sometimes involves dust storms, snow, and hot days all in one week.  But I have never been as close to a tornado as I was this past week.  Friday night I was eating at a restaurant with some of the guys when we started to hear about the tornado warnings and sirens.  I looked at my phone weather radar and saw a big line of pink of which I have never seen before headed straight for us.  As soon as the music stopped and management told us to go into the underground parking garage, I knew it was serious.  After a few nervous moments it blew over, but not all areas were as lucky.  There was tornado damage not but a few miles away near our football facility in Earth City and even worse damage around the St Charles area.  We were supposed to have an OTA today, but the power was out around the area.  Prayers go out to those affected and hopefully all the damage can be restored quickly.  Overall, I have enjoyed everything so far and can't wait to move my wife up here and see what else St Louis has to offer.  But for now the power is back on in Earth City and we are back to work tomorrow with OTA #4!

-Student of the Game

#Texas

The Final Push

     It's that time of year again... where us students have to cram in last minute projects and try and remember everything we learned this semester to prepare for finals! I have been really busy with school, and haven't been able to blog much.  This final push comes around every semester and always takes a lot of energy out of me.  I always push hard in the classroom and rarely miss class.  However, student syndrome inevitably takes hold of me.  This is where you put off projects and homework till the last possible moment.  I try to stay ahead of the game, but as the semester gets close to the end the due dates begin to pile up.  Thankfully, the NCAA makes it where we can't have mandatory workout during the last days and into our finals so that we can focus and study.  Although I still workout on my own, this frees up my schedule to give academics priority.

     It is also hard to give this final push, because we are in school 24/7.  As a student-athlete, we are expected to stay over the summer and take both summer sessions.  And the summer sessions are even harder than the normal semesters because they are so crammed and you have to go to the same class everyday.  Except for a week or two between semesters we are always in the classroom.  This has been the case for even before I walked the stage for my high school graduation.  Football wants you on campus as soon as possible following your high school career.  For me, the first summer session started the week before I graduated.  I moved to Lubbock and went through a week of college classes before I had to go back to Stephenville to graduate and walk the stage for my high school diploma!  I have been in college classes ever since that June 2008.  This vigorous school schedule gets us through school fast, but wears on you.  However, I am thankful to now have my undergrad degree and working on my getting most of my masters while still on scholarship.  I know my time left here is short, so I will continue to push hard in the classroom and be a STUDENT of the game...

Role Models

     This past week I had an opportunity to go visit with kids at Cooper West Elementary School.  Seth Doege, DJ Johnson, and I went to wish the kids good luck on their STARR tests and sign autographs.  When we arrived there was an excitement about the staff and the kids that was very noticeable.  We were signed into the front office and then sent to their auditorium/cafeteria.  The kids, coming in the auditorium, were wide eyed and excited to see us.  One kid was even wearing Seth's jersey.  When all the kids were there, I was given a microphone with no instruction on what to say... maybe I should have thought of this before.  Well I struggled through a welcome speech with a little raider power chant and encouragement to do well in school.  Then I handed the microphone to the more experienced social speaker Seth.  Seth and DJ both took their turn thanking them for having us and giving them encouragement, then it was on to the autographs!  After we got to take pictures with the classes of students and teachers, and also have a question and answer with the students.  They asked us things like: what job do you want, what was your best game, and what made you choose Texas Tech?  It was very impressive to see how much they knew about us and how great of fans they were.  It was a fun experience that we get a lot of chances to do in the community, and I love it every time.

     As we were driving home, we started talking about how those kids used to be us.  It's crazy to think that back in the day we were in their shoes and looked up to football players.  I remember when I was growing up always mimicking my favorite football players and keeping up with them any way I could.  Football players were my role models and I dreamed of being a Stephenville Yellow Jacket one day.  Whether we like it or not, us football players are role models for kids and even our peers.  They look at everything we do and everything we say, and with internet today that is easier than ever.  All you have to do is get on Facebook or Twitter and see inside what we are doing and saying.  What we put out on the internet and what we do when others are around effects our image and also effects the kids who see it.  If we do it, then it must be right and the cool thing to do.  Therefore, we have an obligation to set a good example and do right because the whole world is watching!  Some players don't understand this and the stuff they put on the internet is terrible.  This not only gives us a bad image and a bad example, but also possibly jeopardizing future employment.  With the internet, once it's out there...it's out there.  Any bad stuff you do will end up on your future employers desk.  This is why I strive to not only be a good person, but also to be a good role model.  I invest in my future, and try and leave my mark by the things that I do and accomplish.  There is only one way to do this, "Don't talk about it, BE about it."  I believe when you strive to be great in everything that you do... the goals and dreams will take care of themselves.

-Student of the Game

Matthew 5:14-16 

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Tornado Relief Effort

     I didn't know what to expect when we set out to provide tornado relief in Lancaster, TX... All i knew is that I wanted to help.  Texas Tech athletics and the Lubbock community came together with an effort to provide supplies and volunteers to aid in the recovery.  Lubbock provided two eighteen wheelers full of food, water, dog food, cleaning supplies, etc.  This added up to 70,000 pounds of supplies that needed to be taken to the families in need.  That is where we came in!

     My teammates and I started our Saturday waking up at 5:30am.  I packed my bag and got on the bus to head out.  We had around 30 athletes on the bus as well as some coaches and media personnel.  We set off along with the two supply trucks at 6am headed to Lancaster.  We made a quick pit stop by the Slaton Bakery where we received our own care package of delicious donuts!  After a lot of uncomfortable bus sleeping and snoring battles, we had made it to Lancaster. We threw down some pizza on the bus real fast for lunch and headed to Lancaster High School where they have been receiving supplies.  When we got there they had enough immediate supplies at that current location, but quickly directed us to a nearby warehouse where they would store and later distribute the supplies.

     The trucks pulled up to the warehouse, the bus was unloaded, and the work began! The mountain of supplies in the trucks were slowly picked away by us and supply lines were quickly formed. Big heavy packages of water, food, and other supplies were being tossed along the lines... and it quickly turned into a competition like it always does between us players.  We had two different lines feeding supplies out of the truck and each was trying to be the fastest. This became a workout as the supplies seemed to be endless and the packages being thrown and unloaded faster and faster.  Everyone made a big deal if someone dropped something, and a couple of waters and a broken bag of dog food inevitably ended up on the floor. After being tired and drenched with sweat, we had finally completed one truck! As we took a break, the mayor of Lancaster thanked us for our effort and supplies. We aren't here for the thank yous, but it does feel good to know that what you are doing is helping someone in need.  Next, we tackled the second truck and unloaded all the supplies into the warehouse.  It was a very good experience to see all the volunteers, firemen, red cross, players, coaches, and other Tech members all working together to get this accomplished. Moving 70,000 pounds of supplies from Lubbock to Lancaster is no easy task...but we did it!

     We then went to help clean up at the worst hit part of town.  We helped for the rest of our time there moving debris from around the house of a resident to the front of the yard to be picked up on Monday.  Seeing the damage to the area made it real, but seeing the people and families who were affected by this tornado up close made it even more personal and touching.  One resident was just sitting in his damaged car in front of what used to be his home just staring at it.  Another family was sitting under their porch which was the only part that remained standing of their whole house.  I couldn't even begin to imagine how their lives have been torn apart and now they are just left with scattered memories of the remains of their house that they have to try and put back together.  This experience has definitely made me thankful for everything I have and I thank God for all of my blessings.  I'm proud of Lubbock and Texas Tech for stepping up and taking action.  Thanks for all of the supplies and support that have gone out to Lancaster, and keep the affected families in your prayers!

-Student of the Game

Pictures I took...Slideshow: (click here for full-screen)

Videos from YouTube:

To God be the Glory

     I have been a Christian all of my life... I grew up in a family that went to church almost every Sunday and both of my grandparents were church goers. We attended First Christian Church in Stephenville and had chosen this location because of close family friends that also went there.  We were the average American family. We went to church because it was the right thing to do...but even as a kid i knew that was not enough. I would fight going to church sometimes because I knew we were not doing it for the right reasons. I believed in God and Jesus, but other than that I had very little knowledge. I knew the main concepts, but had read little of the bible and understood even less. When I was still young, me and two friends decided to get baptised. I remember thinking i would come out of the water and be magically feel like a new person with a different outlook on life! I failed to recognize the symbolic nature of baptism, but i knew i believed in Jesus and had a lot to learn.   I knew i was missing something, and not giving it my all. This type of passive religion was very frustrating, but yet I never did anything to change it... until now.

     Steve Grant is our team chaplain and he gave us a message one night before a game and a quote that has really stuck with me. "To God be the Glory!" he said, and as simple a message as it was it really inspired me to start truly living for God. Steve Grant and Bobby Dagnel, the team pastor, have really helped myself and the whole team along this journey. Having them around the team helping, praying, and giving devotionals has given us players a sense of direction and a resource for those who wants to partake. With this support, I have started to consistently attend Bobby's church at First Baptist in Lubbock. Ashley, my fiancee, and I are also going to a engaged/newlywed bible study. This church support has given me help with a better understanding of the bible and my expectations as an active Christian. I also have set a goal to read the New Testament by the end of the year as shown in my post "New Years Resolutions." I am inspired to do everything I can to be a better Christian in all aspects of my life including football. In this way I hope to be a good role model for future athletes and to show that you can do the right thing and still be successful. I am on the right path of Faith and can't wait to see what God has in store for me next! My testimony is not extreme and i am not perfect... I still have a lot to learn, questions to face, and tribulations to overcome... I'm just a student of this game they call life!

-"To God be the Glory!"

2012... The Year of Change

     2012...The year of change. Since the very beginning my life there has always been a plan and a schedule. When you are a kid up until you leave for college you live according to your parents.  My parents raised me in a fairly strict household and set a lot of expectations for me. I was to achieve highly in school and sports, do what is right, and go to college and get a degree. These expectations led me to where i am today and i thank my parents for setting this path for me.  I couldn't have done it without them!

     However, now its 2012 and I am about to get into the real world! I just recently got engaged to my beautiful fiancee Ashley Reeves! She is going to graduate in May and look for a job. Maybe move away from me! We plan on getting married April 2013. I also recently graduated with my bachelors and started grad school. I am coming up on my last year of football. Ahead of me is a time where i go from strict schedule to truly on my own. I am coming to the end of my planned path and about to have to carve my own way. By the end of this year I will be done with college football, finishing up grad school, and finding a job. This is both scary and exciting! Scared of the unknown and thought of failure, but excited for the opportunity to excel and make a name for myself. I have been extremely blessed to have been taught by my parents, brother, coaches, and friends how to succeed. I will put this same hard work and dedication into the upcoming year and know i will be successful at whatever i end up doing. I don't know what will happen next...

I'm just a Student of the Game.

New Years Resolutions

    

     The new year is here and I like to set resolutions or goals for myself! If you do not write out your goals and aspirations then it is very likely you will not focus on them or forget them all together.  Brian Tracy says "goals in writing are dreams with deadlines."  Like most people it is sometimes hard not to put off something till the last minute.  Therefore, having your goals written before you gives you motivation to complete them and feel accomplished.  Here are my goals for 2012:

1. Read the New Testament of the Bible
2. Earn my spot as a starter
3. Be All Big 12
4. Become an MIS Professional and begin job search
5. 3.5 GPA average
6. Start and continue to Blog and use Social Media
7. Learn a Drum Song

Now let's see if I can accomplish at least all of these goals this year!

-Student of the Game