College Football & Heroes

Of all places, SEC country is where one is mostly likely to hear the word "hero" used in the context of the sport of football. But next time you hear the word in that context think of this image. After 9/11, the NCAA postponed all games that subsequent weekend. That meant UAB's first game post-9/11 would be against Army in Birmingham on 9/22/01.

Fans know that during the National Anthem college football teams are typically still in their locker rooms. On that September Saturday, however, the teams came out early. When UAB's band began the Anthem, Blazer players stood facing the flag with hands over hearts. Across the way, however, every Army player had lined up at attention along the sideline and all snapped to a salute - roughly 100 young men, a line reaching nearly goal line to goal line, whose futures had suddenly gained a clarity of purpose, of duty.

UAB won the football game 55-3 before a crowd of 25,000. It was the most unsatisfying victory I have ever, and likely will ever, experienced. Every 9/11 I think about the players that lined up on that sideline - what they and their loved ones have experienced, where they might be now, what they were feeling during that first game back on the field. I also stop myself if tempted to use words like hero, courage, or sacrifice in regards to sports.