College football Week 6 wrap-up: Big 12 and Pac-12 are in trouble again. And did Alabama show a crack in the armor?

October 9, 2018 By Jim Muir Leave a Comment

We’re down to 11 undefeated FBS teams, and if you saw Cincinnati, Colorado and N.C. State being among that group at midseason, take a well-deserved bow.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

Filed Under: Sports

SIU Coach Nick Hill’s weekly press conference

October 9, 2018 By Jim Muir Leave a Comment

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WATCH NICK HILL PRESS CONFERENCE

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Here are excerpts from Saluki football head coach Nick Hill‘s weekly press conference held Monday afternoon at Saluki Stadium. Southern Illinois plays at Illinois State on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT in a game that will be televised on the MVFC Network and ESPN3.

On Saturday’s opponent, Illinois State.
Illinois State is 4-1 and has a big win over an FBS school. We’re looking forward to another opportunity to finish a game with a win. We’ll keep looking through the details of what’s going to get us over that hump. It’s another tough opponent that creates new problems and new things we have to prepare for. Nothing about the process will change, you have to stay committed. Some new players have to step, obviously we’re a little banged up in different areas, Jeremy (Chinn) will be out the first half with his targeting call and we’ll see where we’re at on some of the other injuries.

The key to the game is (James Robinson). He might be the best back in our league and we have a lot of good ones in this league. He’s a heckuva back. There’s been a lot of games where they put the ball on his shoulders and that’s who they want to be. Brady (Davis) has a really strong arm, can make all the throws. They just play good, old-fashioned winning football. They’re going to be in a lot of personnels, similar to us, want to run the football, and they always do a good job on defense.

On the targeting penalty against Jeremy Chinn.
I talked to Bill Carollo, the head of officiating for the Big Ten and our conference. It’s just a tough rule. Jeremy does everything that he possibly could be taught to do. In my opinion, it’s a bad rule to punish a kid to have to sit out a half. The rule says, any forcible contact to the head or neck area. They threw the flags, they reviewed it, they upheld the targeting call. We have to move on from it. It’s Monday, it happened, and Jeremy will be ready to go in the second half.

On the quarterback position.
(Sam) Straub was out there yesterday and has been cleared to be full-go. He lifted and ran and will be out there full-go tomorrow at practice. We’ll have to see how practice goes. Both guys will have roles in the gameplan for sure.

We’re not the only team that’s had to play a backup quarterback and some teams find a way to win and get better. You have to coach your whole roster, all 100 guys. You always have to be coaching your depth and developing people. Quarterback is an important piece, obviously. When you’re playing really well at that position, good things are usually happening.

On the extensive number of injuries.
Our strength staff does as good a job as any, as far as training them for soft-tissue injuries. We definitely have a lot of injuries. Some teams will go through seasons and have a lot of injuries, but I don’t think it’s anything that we could prevent as far as the weight room.

On the play of the defense at Youngstown State
They played well. They pressured the quarterback into some bad decisions, got turnovers, took points off the board there at the end of the half. They stayed on the attack and didn’t give up the real big play in the end zone. We talked about the last play (penalty against Joe Patterson), we have to move on from that. That could’ve been three turnovers.

Our depth is being tested at linebacker. Bryce (Notree) and (Luke) Giegling played every single rep — 91 reps. Bryce Notree was on the field for 101 snaps — he took 10 special teams reps, 91 snaps on defense. Giegling didn’t come off the field, Madre Harper didn’t come off the field and played 12 snaps on special teams. A lot of guys are giving tremendous effort and playing hard.

On the play of the linebacking corps.
Giegling is a heckuva player and has a bright future. He’s physical and really smart. He had a couple out of those 91 plays, maybe two that he’d like to have back — one pass coverage thing he got kind of mixed up. Notree just plays with a lot of emotion and energy and is physical and does a good job of getting everybody lined up. Airan (Reed) had the best game of his career, just playing with the athleticism and speed that he has. He’s an athletic kid who can cover, a safety-hybrid type guy. He had an interception, had a sack, had a big goal line stand where he had a solo tackle.

On Joe Patterson, who filled in for Chinn at safety.
I thought he did a good job, came in and made some plays and made that play there at the end. Joe’s a guy who walked on to the team and played wide receiver early in his career. We moved him over (to defense) and he’s found a good spot there at safety.

On Straub’s fourth quarter injury versus South Dakota.
He didn’t have any symptoms or say anything until the next day. You could probably see when it happened, the play he fumbled on. Our doctors are right there and he didn’t have the symptoms of a concussion. The next day he came in for injury check and had some (symptoms) and got into the concussion protocol.

On the team’s 1-4 start.
I do know we have a group of coaches that are good men, who come in here and prepare their butts off and give everything to those kids, and are doing everything in their power to do the best job. We have a group of players that not once has there been a lack of effort or a lack of discipline. They come in and are giving us their best. It starts and ends with me. I take that responsibility. 1-4 is not where we want to be. We have to finish the season strong and show improvement. We’ve had the lead in every single game at halftime and have to find a way to finish. It’s easy to get up there and say that, but we have to really look into the details. Nobody wants to keep hearing that we’re close. We are close, we have a good football team. Anybody who would watch us, or coaches that prepare (against us), understand we have good players and do good things. Close isn’t good enough and nobody needs a pat on the back. There’s definitely no moral victories.

Filed Under: Sports

Roger Lipe: Weekly Devotion

October 9, 2018 By Jim Muir Leave a Comment

P L A N S

http://devotions4competitors.blogspot.com/2012/10/p-l-n-n-i-n-g-proverbs-163-what-are.html

Proverbs 16:3

What are your plans for this season? Do you have goals for your team or for yourself? What are the keys to seeing your goals achieved?

In Proverbs chapter 16 and verse 3 we find an important principle, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

How does one commit to the Lord everything that he does? Simply said, that would be to approach all of life’s activities and pursuits with prayer and attention to doing things God’s way. Commit all of your life to pursuing God’s will and His ways in school, in practice, in competition, in family life, in friendships and dating relationships. Commit it all to Him.

The promise is that when we do this, He works in us to see that our plans succeed. That assumes that you have some plans. Make a plan that will honor God, then commit everything about yourself to Him. The Lord is faithful and His promise is that He’ll work to see our plans succeed.

As you pray, make those first commitments to the Lord. Commit this day’s competition to Him and watch for Him to make your plans successful

Filed Under: Columns

Your Daily Prayer: A Prayer for Eternal Eyes

October 9, 2018 By Jim Muir Leave a Comment

A Prayer for Eternal Eyes – Your Daily Prayer – October 9, 2018

A Prayer for Eternal Eyes
From Daily Disciples

“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’”– Acts 1:9-12

The apostles had the awesome privilege of watching the Lord ascend into heaven. They gazed up to the heavens as He departed on the clouds! No wonder they all stood in awe and amazement. I am sure they dealt with thoughts such as “Where are you going? Are you coming back? Can I go too? When will we see you again?” And even, “I can’t believe I am seeing this.” But the angels had an answer to all these questions. They said, “….come back….” As a result, the apostles fully and completely believed that the Lord would be coming back in their life time. Time was short, the message needed to get out. They lived every day for the Lord. Think about it…would you live differently if you thought the Lord was coming back today?

I asked the Lord to impress upon me the immanence of His return. I want every day to count for Jesus. I want to be looking for Him, listening to Him and ready for Him. Often, when I look into the clouds, I pray to see Him. To live every day as if today was the day of His return has changed my priorities, my desires and my focus.

Pray for eternal eyes. Pray in excitement for His return. Pray to live as if He is coming back today. And ask the Lord to remind you of His promise to return every time you gaze into the clouds.

Dear Lord, let us live each day in preparation for your return. Help us to glorify your name and serve as lights on the hilltop of your kingdom. Heavenly Father, it is so easy for us to get caught up in our limited time on Earth. Don’t let us lose perspective on our eternal destination. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Filed Under: Columns

Pastor Rick Warren: Four Characteristics of Biblical Forgiveness

October 9, 2018 By Jim Muir Leave a Comment

By Rick Warren

”Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).

Biblical forgiveness is not a cheap term you just throw around that instantly makes everybody feel better. That’s not real forgiveness.The Bible says there are four characteristics to biblical forgiveness:

Forgiveness is remembering how much you’ve been forgiven.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV). This is the starting point for genuine forgiveness. If you don’t feel forgiven, you won’t want to forgive anybody else. If you’re hard on yourself, you’re going to be hard on others. But the more grace you receive from God, the more gracious you’re going to be with others. The more forgiven you feel by God, the more forgiving you’ll be toward others.

Forgiveness is relinquishing your right to get even.

Romans 12:19 says, “Never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it” (TLB). Life is not fair, but one day God’s going to settle the score. He’s going to right the wrongs. So, who can get better justice—you or God?

Forgiveness is responding to evil with good.

The Bible says in Luke 6:27-28, “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (NIV). How can you tell when you’ve really forgiven somebody? When you can look at that person’s hurt and not just your own, and pray for God to bless him or her.

You ask, “How could I ever do that for the person who’s hurt me?” You can’t unless you allow the love of God to penetrate your life. Only the love of God can help you do something like that.

Forgiveness is repeating the process as long as necessary.

“Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!’” (Matthew 18:21-22 NLT). Jewish law said you had to forgive a person three times, so Peter doubled it and threw one in for good measure. But Jesus said to go even further with your forgiveness!

How long do you have to keep forgiving someone? As long as it takes. You have to keep forgiving that person until the pain stops and the desire to get revenge goes away.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick

Talk It Over

What difference has God’s grace made in your life? How can you extend that grace to others?
For whom do you need to pray God’s blessing today? How can that prayer be part of the process of letting go of your hurt?
What good can you do for someone in your life who dislikes you or who has wronged you?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

Filed Under: Columns

Post-Kavanaugh, Democrats have no Plan B — they thought the Culture War would work

October 9, 2018 By Jim Muir Leave a Comment

As the Senate elevated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Saturday, the sorrowful faces of Democratic Senators on the chamber floor showed publicly what Democratic insiders are now whispering privately.

Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.

Filed Under: Columns

Gov. Bruce Rauner, J.B. Pritzker set to rumble twice in week after accusing each other of crimes

October 9, 2018 By Jim Muir Leave a Comment

CHICAGO — After accusing each other of criminal activity in a debate and dueling news conferences last week, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker are going to be seeing more of each other this week.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Filed Under: Featured