BYU is my football team but as I waited to watch the final three seconds of the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday, it was due more to morbid curiosity than a feeling that they would actually win. How could it end like this, I thought. After leading for almost the entire game, the team was going to lose because a kicker who kicked two 50-yard field goals was going to drill another from half that distance. But then the "hand of providence," otherwise known as the hand of nose tackle Eathyn Manumaleuna, swatted down a missile that surely would have pierced the hearts of cougar faithful everywhere.
For the second time this year -- and the third time in the past two years -- BYU had pulled off a miracle win late in a football game.
This happened the first game I watched live at what used to be Cougar Stadium. It was the 1996 Kickoff Classic and BYU beat Texas A&M 41-37 on a last minute touchdown in the end zone near where I was sitting. There was also the Miracle Bowl in 1980 and a national championship in 1984.
A month ago, Austin Collie, MVP of the bowl game, made comments after a miraculous win against Utah that riled some members of the Utah media and provided fodder for talk show hosts in the Mountain West region. I have included his comments in this post. I ask before you read them to imagine that they were uttered by Manumaleuna after his game-saving block of the field goal.
Collie's words:
"I wouldn't say it was lucky. We executed the play well...Obviously, if you do what's right on and off the field, I think the Lord steps in and plays a part in it. Magic happens."
"It's true. You can see that around the world, God cares about his children and that he's going to bless them whether it's on the football field or any other areas of their lives. I think if you're doing the things you should do on and off the field, things are going to come together for you."
Thanks Austin and Eathyn. I think you two have helped show why a lot of people feel such a strong connection to BYU football.
Winning is always fun, but when it is magical, you just can't stop thinking or talking about it.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Do You Believe in Magic?
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2 comments:
Unbelievable! is all I can say. I thought for sure we had lost. My brothers and I went completely nuts when we saw the refs signaling no good. Yes, my brothers are just as animated as I am during BYU football games.
I was telling my co-workers and patients about the win all week long. About the Utah media reaction to Austin Collie's comments, Michele and I were so riled up that it was made into such a big deal.
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