"First I would like to Thank God!"

"Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou! Um, normally I'm pretty cool in pressure situations, but my heart is pounding so fast right now. First off I want everybody that's able to be here with us today to understand how much I'm thankful and I have to thank God first because without him none of this is possible. I sit in front of all you great people today and without God we wouldn't have the blessing that we have before all of us."-Troy Smith

These are the opening words spoken by this years Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith of The Ohio State University. I want to say first how proud I am that an Ohio State Buckeye won this most prestigious award. I am always honored to be a Buckeye fan but it is moments like these that make it truly special. And it could not have happened to a better person. Granted, I do not personally know Troy Smith, so I may not be qualified to make a statement like this, so Troy, don't pull something like that guy that use of play with you, I think his number was 13, and end up in Jail in a couple of years. I do not want to hold Troy Smith on a pedestal. He is a great athlete and sounds like he is a great person that has over come a very difficult childhood. He has made some mistakes in his past that I'm sure he is not proud of, but he has over
come all that to make for himself what could be a great future. But my question comes not about his athletic ability, there is no doubt there, but in his faith. Do the words he spoke at the beginning of his speech really mean something, or is he just one of those people that thanks God when things are going good and points to the sky when he throws a touchdown? You see that a lot in sports. Someone makes a great catch, a perfect throw, hits a home run, or crosses the finish line in record time and the first thing they do is point to the sky. Are they thanking God in the
moment for being with them, for giving them the ability to play this sport that they love? Are they remembering a loved one that has pasted away as if to say "This one's for you pops"?
When you watch the Grammy's or Emmy's or any of the seemingly hundreds of other awards shows and you hear an actor or musician first thank God for their success do you really take them seriously? Do they take it seriously? I know it's pretty much impossible to tell. Half the time it's someone that has been married 3 or 4 times, has been to AA meetings for the last six months, and is probably a Michigan Wolverine fan. (okay that was low, I'll admit that, but it was funny) I'm sure that some people really mean it. They believe in God, or a god, and believe He is responsible for giving them the talents and opportunities to be where they are today. Or you have people that are just saying it cause everyone else gets up there and says it and they figure it's the 'cool thing' to say. I'd like to believe that it's
the first reason. While they may not live a life that says, "Thanks God for everything", that might be inside them, it's just the pressures of the life they live in weight heavier then a life following God. That of course doesn't make it right, but I'd like to think that anyways.
As for Troy Smith, I have heard him talk before in interviews. I have heard people talking about him (on tv) and you hear nothing but good things about him. It's one thing to hear what people say, but to also hear how they say it. Their tone of voice, their body language, their facial expressions, the way they carry themselves and their attitude can say so much more then what actually comes out of their mouths. I'd like to think he really meant what he said at the beginning of his acceptance speech. It wasn't just going through the motions. I think he really feels blessed to be where he is today and that he has receive those blessing from God. And he wanted the people that were in the Nokia Theater in New York City and all the people watching on ESPN to know that God has given us those blessings. While I can speculate and give you the reasons why I believe him, God is truly the only one that knows what is really in his heart. Maybe I'm just a Christian that is a big Ohio State fan and wants the Quarterback, and Hiesman Trophy winner, of my favorite team
to be a Christian also. That could be it. I guess one day when I'm in Heaven I'll have to look up Troy Smith and see if he is there also. Maybe I'll look up Mel Gibson also!