It just wasn’t AJ McCarron’s night.
The Alabama starting quarterback, playing in Thursday’s Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma, completed 19 of 30 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns. But he also threw two interceptions and many other throw-away balls under pressure from the Sooners’ defense. The Tide’s last, albeit slim, chance ended quickly when he was hit from behind and fumbled the ball to an Oklahoma defender who lunged into the end zone for a touchdown. Alabama didn’t have a prayer.
It was a different story on the other side of the ball. Oklahoma’s redshirt freshman QB, Trevor Knight, completed 32 of 44 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the two-time national champions. His Sooner team never allowed Alabama to have control of the game.
Knight made a heck of a statement on the playing field, so the ESPN team assigned to get player comment at the end of the game clearly had to interview this young man just two seasons removed from Reagan High School in San Antonio.
The reporter wanted to know how he looked so comfortable playing in the biggest game of his young college career.
“You know, just playing with confidence. Knowing that I trust in my Lord up above to give me the confidence to play. I just know he has my back in every situation, you know. I battled a lot of adversity throughout the year, but just to come out and get a win like this, to let these seniors go out on a good note is unbelievable.”
Let the Tim Tebow reactions begin.
Tebow, you might remember, was a standout University of Florida quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy. He also earned notoriety and criticism for what became known as Tebowing - kneeling after a game or big plays with head bowed in brief prayer. He also wore eye black - those black strips some football players on their upper cheeks to reduce glare - with Bible verses before the NCAA banned such messages, probably because the organization couldn’t figure out how to make money off them.
Knight is the latest athlete to spark derision for expression of faith. Many commenters in the social media world interpreted Knight’s response as suggesting that God was on the side of the Sooners during Thursday’s game.
Columnist John Brummett tweeted after Thursday’s game: “So that was it. The Lord had OU qb’s back.
Doesn’t like Alabama, either, I guess.”
But how could that be?
McCarron made the gossip columns over the last couple of years not just because he’s got a dropdead gorgeous girlfriend, but also when fan photos of him on a beach showed a tattoo covering almost his entire chest. In the center is an inked image of a weeping Jesus. To the viewer’s right is a message of how God is “in control.”
Are we to take from this that the Lord has turned His back on McCarron and delivered unto the Sooner State this day a football savior?
People also criticized several presidential hopefuls in the last national election who declared they ran for the office because of God’s guidance. Does the fact they lost prove them all wrong? Not in the least.
God led Moses into the wilderness with the Israelites and let them wander for 40 years and prevented him from going into the Promised Land with his people at the end of the journey. Does that mean Moses’ effort to follow God’s will was in vain?
The critics just don’t get it, and don’t want to. People make fun because they don’t understand and, yes, sometimes very young men don’t adequately explain their whole theological take in a 15-second clip being shown on ESPN. Could you?
These young players are doing their best to express their faith on the stage from which they have the opportunity to speak. Not a one of them believes God took control of the game and delivered victory simply because they prayed for it. Critics try to put those words into their mouths because it’s then easy to dismiss with their clear, simple message: Shut up.
Hey, I get it. Sports fans don’t tune into the big game or Sportscenter for a discussion of faith just as most Christians wouldn’t be thrilled if their pastor spent 20 minutes Sunday morning analyzing whether Auburn or Florida State has the talent to win the national championship.
But people of faith know God cares about every human engaged in every human endeavor, and Christians are called to be faithful witnesses to the love demonstrated by Jesus.
Acknowledging that won’t make the plays of the week, but it does reflect the realistic attitude that when the game clock ticks down to zero, there are more important matters that go on.
GREG HARTON IS OPINION PAGE EDITOR FOR NWA MEDIA.
Opinion, Pages 5 on 01/06/2014