January 1994 - Vol 8 Num 1 by Sports Spectrum

Top I the Line

ITII WATER,

IT~ PERRIER.

With cars; Ferrari. Sunglasses? Vaurnet. Watches? Rolex. Shoes? Gucci. We're talking top of the line. The best. The ultimate. That's what the Super Bowl is in sports. It is the top event in American sporting life. You can argue that you prefer the NCAA finals in basketball or the World Series in baseball. But you can't deny that all the leading indicators point to the Super Bowl as the crown jewel of sp011s happenings in the United States. It 's the top of the line. ..,.. That explains the $900,000 cost for 30 seconds of ad time during the Super Bowl. .... That explains the fact that among the 10 most-watched TV programs in tube history the Super Bowl has nine slots, with a 1983 showing of the final episode of M*A*S*H picking up the only non-Super Bowl listing. ..,.. That explai ns why the NFL can charge $ 175 for a ticket to get into the game. Owning a ticket to the Super Bowl means you are the optimum fan- yoti've reached the US sports fan 's greatest glory. .... That explains why a city like Atlanta has gone to all the trouble to host the Super Bowl. Being involved somehow with a top-of-the-line item or event is something we all aspire to. We think we would enjoy the luxury,

the prestige, the turned heads, the whispers of admiration when we are involved with something of the highest quality. It affects us as fans. Why else would 133,400,000 people all tune in at the same time to watch a football game? There certainly weren't that many people tubeside in December when the Bengals played the Patriots. Same sport. Same league. Different vitality.

In football, and in life, there seems to be nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy top-of-the-line action. An NFL player who would go into summer training camp without the desire and · drive to reach the Super Bowl would not be earning his paycheck. And an employee who doesn't want his company to be the best can never fulfill his or her potential on the job. Since all this is true, why do so many people settle for what is not

top of the line in the most important par1 of life? When it comes to matters of eternal importance, many people are willing to be backward, uninformed, and disinterested. They don't want to hear about a relationship with the most top-of-the-line Person who ever walked on earth. They ignore any talk of an eventual existence in heaven- a place that will make the most prestigious location on earth look like a rundown tenement. At Sports Spectrum, we hope you are excited about the Super Bowl and the prospects of watching football's two best teams bang it out for the right to wear the ring, because we know that this event is the ultimate in American sports experiences . But more important, we want you to see that there is a topof-the-line life on earth and a top-of-the-line hope of life in heaven that is far greater than any sporting event. Look at what Frank Reich, Mike Singletary, Irving Fryar, Joe Gibbs, and other football stars can tell you about how to be somebody really impor1ant. No use living a secondrate existence when God has made it possible for your life to be top of the line.

Dave Branon, managing editor Sports Spectrum

Atlanta Bids lor World-Class Status First the Super Bowl and then the world as the Peach State capital goes big time by Dave Branon

"I Can Overcome Anything" That's not a boast by Bills quarterback Frank Reich , for he knows that the real power in life is not his own Sports Spectrum Interview

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: COVER: (top lelt) Rick Stewaii/AIIsport, (top right) Focus on Sports, (bottom left) Louis Deluga, (middle) Earl R <:ha1d s/AIIsport, (right) Jim Gund/AIIsport; p . 2 (top) Focus on Sports, (bottom) Tom Dipace: p. 3 (top lelt) Tom D ipace/Focus on Sports, (top right) Bill Hickey/AIIsport . (bottom leh) Lanny DeWitt, (bottom middle) Tom Dipace, (bottom right) Bob Rosato: p . 6 Focus on Sports; p. 7 Ken Levine/AIIsport; p. 8 Rick Stewaii/AIIsport; p . 9 Tom Dipace; p. tO Tom Dipace; p. 1t Rick Steward/AIIsport; p . t2 Mickey Palmer/Focus on Sports: p . t 3 (leh) Jim Commentucci!AIIsport, (right) Focus on Sports; p . 14 Tom Tomsic/Focus on Sports; p. t5 Tom Dipace/Focus on Sports; p . 16, t7 (Blount, G~een, Jones, Hostetler. Sanders) Focus on Sports, (Fryar) Allen Keelllob Rosato Sports Photography, (Singletary, Reich) Tom Dipace, (White) Jonathan Daniet/AIIsport; p. t 8 Focus on Sports; p. 19 LaMy DeWitt; p . 20 Lanny DeWitt; p. 2 t Bob Rosato; p . 22 Otto Greule/AIIsport; p. 23 Focus on Sports: p. 24 M<:haet Ponzini!Focus on Sports; p. 25 (lop) Bill Hickey/ Ansport, (bottom) Bob Rosato: p. 26 Focus on Sports; p. 27 Courtesy: Chick·I1I·A, Inc.: p . 28 Tom Dipace; p . 29 Tom Dipace: p. 30 Tom Dipace; p. 3t Bob Rosato. Correction : In the December edition, the photos on pages 9 and 15 should have been credited to Focus on Sports.

SPOA1 S SPECTR UM • .JANUARY 1 994

Man at Work

Forever Friends

Through dedication and extra effort, Cowboy Russell Maryland has pleased his parents and a lot of football fans by Jim Gibbs

Dennis Byrd's body was broken by a serious football injury, but nothing could injure his faith or take away his family by Dave Branon

Ace returns from Sports Spectrum readers SS Fan Poll

Keeping records on the Super Bowl compiled by Rob Bentz

5Clippings

23 The Swirsky Report

Open Court

Waddy's World by Watson (Waddy) Spoelstra

Leaderboard Rick Upchurch by Rob Bentz Steve Tasker by Beverly Flynn Billy Johnson by Lori Wiechman

Slats Central

by Chuck Swirsky

Airing It Out Offering You a World of Hope by Joe Gibbs

Legends

Catching up with Mike Singletary by Tom Felten

Best of limes; Worst of limes

Didn't You Used to Be Irving Fryar?

Former Bear Leslie Frazier won big and lost even more in his only Super Bowl appearance by Dwight Esau

When Dolphins wide receiver Irving Fryar gave up on the "good" times, life started getting better by Victor Lee

Volume 8, Number I SPORTS SPECTR UM MAGAZIIIE A DISCOVERY HOUSE PUBliCATION. PUBLISHER DaY8 Burnham; MANAGING EDITOR Dave Btanon; MARKETINGIPRODUCT10N MAN· AGER Tom Felten; PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Rob BenU; ART DIRECTOR Sle'" Goer; GRAPHIC DESIGNER laurie Nelson: ADMIIIISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Usa OuiSl. Bevefly Flym; ADVISORY COMMITIEE Chuck &Mrsky. Spo<1s O.reclor, WGN Radio. Chicago; Did< Mason. President, Ooscovery House Publishers; ~ Orollongef, Pr-nt. Sporls Ou•each America; Kyle Rote Jr , President. All"lelle Resource Management SPORTS SPECTRUM is produced 1211mes a year by ~ry House Publishers, which is alf1hatcd with Radio Bible Class, a nondenommallonal Chnscian organization whose pu1pose is lo lead people

~n:~;~: =~~~~::~~s:~~~~:,'::~~~ rr~~~~~~~mrw~i~~::T~N~~-:~;~~tc~rig~~~~~~~~%~ ~~.~z:::::=~~~~ ~~r~ssion

ol Zondcrvan B1ble Publishers. Freelance writers should query the managing editor by mail lor writers· ouidelines. SPORTS SPECTRUM subscriptJons are available for $18.97/twetve tssues or $23.97 out · side the USA (in US funds) by writing to SPORTS SPECTRU Msubscriptions, Bolt 3566, Grand Rapids, Ml 49501-3566, by calling IOU ffee 1-800-653-8333, or by sending a FAX 10 1-616·957-5741

S PORT S S PECTRUM • J /\ NU /\RY 1 9 94

For Subscription Services,'

CALL TOLL FREE:

1-800-853-8333 'New subscriptions, chan9e of address, or oth er correct1ons 3

Dallas Cowboy fan. Always have been ... always will be. There's nothing in the wedding vows that says Ed and I have to be for the same team. Is there? God's best blessing to the writers, photographers, layout people, subscription department, and all of you who make it work. Keep it up!!! - WANDA APPERSON Arcadia, NE

What It Really Means Positive lnftuence I am a high school teacher and coach. It is refreshing to know that our athletes can now read a sports magazine that is filled with such an important message. My only prayer is that more of our professional athletes and coaches would see how they influence all of us and will take a positive role as the ones in your magazine have. Keep up the positive, refreshing, and important work. - STEVE ADKISSON Sulton, NE

No "Bikini Babes" Each month my husband and I can't wait to get your magazine in the mail. As Christians and sports fans, each issue offers encouragement, entertainment, fantastic articles, and a wonderful testimony to the grace of our Lord. Thank you, Also, thanks for the month ly format. I know it 's more work for you, but WOW! Keep it going for all of us out here who enjoy reading a sports magazi ne without being bombarded by fu llpage-color slick ads for beer, liquor, and bikini babes. Ed, my husband, is a Green Bay Packer fa n par excellence! Imagine the prayers he sent to heaven when he heard that Reggie White was considering Green Bay. Personally, I'm a 4

Through the living testimonies of the Christian athletes in your articles, I've come to know what it really means to live for Jesus. I want to thank the man who made it possible for me to receive my subscription toSS. The inmates here have really been amazed to find out that some of their favorite athletes are Christians. I hope and pray that you will keep the pages of Sports Spectrum filled with real role models for young and old readers.

ey ranks. It would be an inspiration for people like me if these hockey people wou ld be featu red in your great publication. -DARRYL DAWSON Oshawa, ON

We have featured, among others, Ryan Walter, Mike Gartner, Laurie Boschman, and Jolm Blue in past issues. -Ed.

Featu..e-less In Seattle? Thank you for a quality sports magazine! Unlike S/ you focus on what's really important in life. I have only one problem, could you do some stories on Seattle sports? 1l1e Sonics, Seahawks, and

- PAUL MASON

An Official Change I am currently officiating games in the Ontario Hockey League, where I have perfonned as a linesman in over 60 games per season. Recently I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life and be my personal Savior. Since this amazing change in my life, I'm now able to handle problems with much more patience and confidence. Very rarely do I get angry or lose my self-control while officiating my hockey games. This has enabled me to enjoy the games more, while improving my overall performance. I pray regularly before games that God will allow us to work well together as a cohesive unit. I'm sure that there are bornagain Christians in the pro hockS PORr~

S P!c.:: C TnlJM â&#x20AC;˘ .J/\NU/\HY 1U9 4

Mariners are my favorite teams. I haven't seen many articles from you on them. Thanks again! - KRIST/ MILLER Seattle, WA

Steve Largent of the Sealwwks and Harold Reynolds (then with the Mariners) have appeared in SS. We' II watch for others from the Pacific Northwest. -Ed.

What's Up? Send us your thoughts and questions about this magazine, or the sports world in general, to this address: Sports Spectrum Lellers Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 49501-3566

~ .~~ .-~•'=-• I • • • ~ .~

Sports News Worlk a Second Lao

KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN if you're the quarterback for a legendary football coach? Say, Vince Lombardi. You might become a celebrated figure yourself. You might find your name on an elevated NFL award in this year's Super Bowl at Atlanta. Bart Starr, 59, lives that kind of a life. He became the first Super Bowl MVP in 1967 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum where Green Bay sent Kansas City packing. Let's see, 1967. Troy Aikman of the Cowboys, last year's MVP, had just celebrated his first birthday. Bart didn't stop there. He came back in 1968 for his second MVP. If Aikman gets another shot, here's his incentive. Reach across the generations and collar Bart. How did the Bart Starr Award get off the ground? Athletes in Action, which is part of Campus Crusade for Christ, did some brainstorming in the mid-80s on how to project a positive image for NFL players. Wendel Deyo heads the AlA staff of 300 that brings the Bible nationally to pro and campus sports. Deyo reflects: "Everything in the media seemed negative. We wanted to help people learn about some of the athletes we work with. Players with leadership qualities on the field, at home, and in the community."

a Thursday morning affair on January 27 at the downtown Galleria Center. There are 4,000 breakfast spots. Up to this point turnouts of around 1,000 have been sellouts in Miami, New Orleans, Tampa, Minneapolis, and Pasadena. Atlanta is taking the event into the big time. Most tickets are $50, except for a limited group of $35 seats.

AlA approached Starr with the idea. "Sounds great," he said as he signed on. Bart was a notable If you have seats for the straight arrow in his 25 Atlanta Super Bowl or plan years as pro player and to watch on TV, stay alert coach. AlA took Bart by the when the game clock runs hand and asked the NFL for out. You might see another the go-ahead on a Thursday occurrence of Circle Prayer. presentation breakfast A football phenomena of the before Super 90s. Players Sunday. With the Long-time sportsfrom both teams NFL sanction in writer Watson kneeling on the place, Deyo and (Waddy) Spoelstra, field after the game, clasping Starr went to a scribe for the work. The public Detroit News for hands to thank has embraced the Lord specifi· 30 years and the plan with founder of Baseball cally for on-field blessings. Often breakfast sellChapel, takes an outs just about inside look at some there are a dozen players in everywhere. key people in pro Steve Largent, football. the circle. One pass-catching player voices whiz, was the first recipithe prayer for all. It could ent. He accepted the award last a minute or so. in 1989 at Miami. Largent Linebacker Corey Miller of the New York Giants has said simply: "I thank the Lord for this. He is the knelt many times. He says, foundation of my life." In "It's our chance to show subsequent years the honor that we thank God for the went to tackle Anthony ability He gives." Circle Muii.oz, linebacker Mike Prayer came on the scene in Singletary, sack champ December 1990 at a Reggie White, and cornerMonday Night game at back Gill Byrd. All are folCandlestick Park. TV camlowers of Christ. They fit eras picked up the prayer nicely into the Bible format huddle after the 49ers disposed of the Giants. Many to "shine out in the world like beacon lights" other NFL teams have (Ephesians 2: 15). adapted the concept in their Soon the 1994 recipient own style. It has filtered will step forward at the down to college and high Atlanta breakfast. His idenschool. tity is determined by vote of Dave Bratton, who represents AlA with the Giants, all NFL players, the same ballot that makes Pro Bowl tells how his high school in selections. The breakfast is remote Carmi, Illinois, does

....

S PORT S S PECTRUM • J A NUARY 1 9 94

• : :

• : ; : •

. ;

. : : ;

postgame prayer like the big boys. The kids explain, "If the pros pray on the field, so can we." Pat Richie is the AlA man with the 49ers. He and Bratton wondered aloud how they could make the prayer idea work. They knew coaches wouldn't put up with pregame kneeling with the opposition. Player leaders of the two teams were briefed: "Meet on the 40-yard line nearest the scoreboard." As the game ended, quarterback Phil Simms of the Giants and defensive back Ronnie Lott of the 49ers got into a heated argument. They stood face-mask to face-mask on the 40 near the scoreboard. It was time to improvise. The prayer huddle moved quickly to the 40 across the field. Tight end Howard Cross of the Giants voiced the prayer. Nearly 2 months later, the Giants knelt with Buffalo players after the Super Bowl in Tampa. More history in the making. The NFL responded by announcing it would enforce a rule in the books against postgame player fraternizing. This annoyed All Pro Reggie White, so-called NFL Minister of Defense. Reggie bellowed: "Can't pray on the field? That's a stupid rule." The NFL backed off. The media began to ignore the story. A sportswriter lost credibility when he called the prayer "an elaborately orchestrated religious sales pitch." NFL believers have been praying ever since. A New Jersey elementary teacher sent her views in a letter to Cross: "Your efforts are wonderful. You bring Christ to the forefront in your world and ours. That's where He belongs. " 5

AUanll Makas Bid far WarldÂˇCIBSS StilUS By Dave Branon ATL AN TA I S J UST

host the affair. This allows Atlanta to vacate an in creas ingly short li st of NFL cities that have neither played in nor

When a city hosts the Super Bowl , it usual ly presents th e game and its extraordi nary fanfa re as th e cu lmin at ion of its sports effo rt s. Th e Super Bowl, after all , is the ze nith of all Am erican sports experiences. Yet Atl ant a is diffe rent. Whe n the NFL invites 72,000 of its closest friends over fo r the Super Sund ay bash on Jan uary 30 and asks another 130 million or so Ameri cans to watch on the tube, the event will be small potatoes compared to what Atlanta is cooking up for 2112 years from now. This winter the Super Bowl is in some ways a tri al run for the Peach State's grand ex periment- the 1996 Olympics. Atlanta is not a newcomer to hosting megaspmts events, to be sure. Fulton County Stadium provided great World Series drama in 199 1 and 1992. Every New Year's Day finds some attention drawn to the Peach Bowl for another college football showdown. A couple of times a year, the roar of NASCAR's best can be heard at the Atlanta International Speedway. And major golf tournaments come and go throughout the year. .A. Spotlight Atlanta. Behind movers and But snagging the Super Bowl is different. shakers like Falcon owner Rankin Smith, When SB XXVIII kicks off in the Georgia the city that has been called by one survey the fourth most livable city in the Dome, Atlanta becomes onl y the eleventh city to world has made sports a focal point.

SPORTS SPEC TRUM â&#x20AC;˘ .JANUARY 1994

Yes , Atlan ta j oins an e lit e group when it opens its doors to the greatest game in football. But what Atlanta has captured for 1996 is the Really Big Onethe pinnacle of sports successthe absolute summit. Whereas II US cities will have ho sted the Super Bowl after Janu ary 30, only two American Chambers of Commerce can boast th at they hav e brou ght the Summe r Ol ympic Games to these shores. In 1904 St. Lou is opened its ga tes for the third Ol ymp iad. And in 1932 and 1984, Lo s Angeles was the site. After 1996, Atlanta can add its name to such romantic, exotic, and renow ned Olympic ports of call as Athens,

Paris, London, Tokyo, figure filberts jousted over how and Rome. much rent the Braves would ~ Those cities were already have to pay to play in Olympic ~ rich centers of culture and hisStadium after the Games. ~ tory 150 year s ago when Troubl es see med on th e ~ Atlanta was nothing more than way when several local co l0 the southern terminus of a railroad leges and universities, which reaching north toward Chattanooga. would be involved as Games Until 1845 , th e area was known as venu es, demanded that their Marthasville, and in 1864, the growing city campuses rece iv e some $5 1 was nearly leveled by fi re during the Civi l million in new projects that War. Now Atlanta stands ready to join the will benefit them long after great cities of th e world in hosting the the Games go away. Olympics. But these thin gs will be As the life of major world cities goes, this worked out. Construction will is all relatively new to Atlanta, especially if A Hoops and spikes to come. In 1996 the be co mpl eted . Million s of Georgia Dome will host the world for the you take into account that the original volleyball and basketball games of the XXVIth people will come, and th e Olympic Games were held in Athens, Olympiad. But for now the world's largest world will be cable-supported domed stadium is preparing Greece, as early as 2,700 years ago. watchingto showcase the NFL's best before 71,500 fans Atlanta did not even have a major league under the 8.6-acre fiberglass roof and 800 milfirst in lion people worldwide via television. sports team until 1966 when the baseball January Braves moved from Milwaukee and the football Falcons and then in the summer of 1996. joined the NFL. They added the NBA Hawks in 1968, Ho sting the Super Bowl and the when they moved over from St. Louis. By comparison, Olympics are two mind-boggling tasks Chicago has had the Bears since 1920, New York has for any city. But when the hype and been home to th~ Yankees since 1903, and Boston 's excitement and pageantry and competiCeltics have been in operation since 1946. Âˇ tion are all over, Atlanta will have ushSo now Atlanta, a new player in the field of world-class ered in a new reputation around the globe cities, is getting ready to host the 8 million fans who will as a truly world-class city. visit the Peach State in 1996 to view the Olympics. For a city that is still looking for its What does all this mean to the town that was once known first championship in the Super Bowl, as Terminus? In some cases it means trouble, as groups josthe NBA Finals, or the World Series, j tle for various bounty. Controversy swirled early in 1993 as that's not a bad consolation. D

S P O RT S S PEC TRUM â&#x20AC;˘ JAN UARY 1 9 94

SPO I~ l

S S P t::C rnuM • JANUARY 1 99 4

Sports Spectrum: With your 31-point comeback victory against Miami as a college quarterback at Maryland in 1984 and with last year's amazing 32-point come-from-behind victory against the Oilers in the playoffs, you're often referred to as "The Comeback Kid." How do you feel about that reputation? Reich: Well, I feel a little uncomfortable with it, to be quite honest. I'm one man on a team, and so to be able to accomplish a comeback such as that, everybody has to be on their game. Many times we hear about an individual player go ing into a "zone," but I think in the comebacks that I was a part of, it was more of the team going into a "zone." The other reason I feel uncomfortâ&#x20AC;˘ Seizing the moment. As the Bills' backup quarterback able is that it's not something that I behind Jim Kelly, Frank Reich's covet. It's not something that I strive opportunities have been few, but the results have been to be. My faith has always been a lot Impressive. more important than any nickname or anything like that. I think that a title or nickname takes the focus off my faith in Jesus. TOM DIPACE

SS: What is it about Frank Reich that makes you able to handle a comeback situation like that in the midst of such intense pressure? Reich: One thing that God has taught me through football is to try and phase out the circumstances around me and not let them control me. My Christian faith has made me a better athlete because I don't feel like I have to be controlled by my circumstances or the environment around me. It's in my faith in Jesus and the strength and hope that I find in Him that 1 can overcome anything, on or off the field. Sometimes that means overcoming a 32-point deficit. But sometimes that means coming back from the devastation of defeat, as we experienced in the Super Bowl only a couple games after the great comeback. Through my relationship with Jesus, I can have victory in every situation. In the long

S PORTS S P EC::::TRU M â&#x20AC;˘ JAN U ARY 1 99 4

" I

FRANK REICH QUARTERBACK BUFFALO BILLS SUPER BOWL XXV January 27, 1991 Tampa Stadium Tampa, Florida New York Giants 20 Buffalo Bills 19

SUPER BOWL XXVI January 26, 1992 Metrodome Minneapolis, Minnesota Washington Redskins 37 Buffalo Bills 24

SUPER BOWL XXVII January 31 , 1993 Rose Bowl Pasadena, California Dallas Cowboys 52 Buffalo Bills 17

li;@l:t;me:N who has walked away without a Super Bowl ring three times, discusses his feelings about last year's loss. "I was really devastated and disappointed. I mean, I was crushed. But I realized that football and losing a Super Bowl isn't avery big thing compared to some of thedevastation and disappointment that people haveto faceevery day. Afootball game is minor in comparison."

CA N

OVE R COME

A NYTHIN G"

run that makes me a better footReich: In college we were ball player and a better person. pl ay in g th e Uni versit y of SS: After the Houston victoMiami. I didn't play in the first ry, you recited to the postgame hal f. I had been injured for 4 media some lyrics from the song weeks with a separated shoulder. I was healthy and ready to "In Chri st Al one" by Michael Engli sh. Could you describe play, but they didn 't start me. what the l yrics of th at song We were losi ng 31-0 at halftime meant to you? and coach Bobby Ross, who is Reich: To put it in perspecnow th e head co ach of th e tive, we were coming off a week Chargers, said, "You'll be startwhere we had j ust gotten beat ing the second half." very badl y by th e Houston Th e defense shut th e Oilers. As we were coming into Hurrican es down, the offense that playoff game, there was a sco red si x strai ght touchdowns, and we won 42-40. It l ot of pressure, not onl y on myself, but on my team . was all a blur. Through the 8 years that 1 had For the Houston game it was been in the league, I knew what di fferent because I started the first half. So I was also partl y had given me peace before. So I reall y turned to th e Bible, responsible for our getting behind by 32 points. Once we searching for that peace. 10M DIPACE My sister had called me about .A A friend Indeed. Frank Reich's college start ed coming back, I had thi s song, " In Christ A lone," roommate and fellow NFL quarterback many of th e same feelings. I and as I listened to it that week Boomer Esiason has faced d ifficulties remember doing the same thing that have allowed Reich the opportunity it reall y spoke to me that my to be a friend in need. on the sideline that l did for the source of strength and my college game, just pacing back source of hope was in Christ and forth. alone. And that it didn't matter what the circumstances We were losing 35-3 and we just said, " Hey, let's or the environment was, we can find victory through a just take it one play at a time and one touchdown at a relationship with Him. time." So we went down the field and scored. Then My favorite line in the whole song is in the second we recovered an onside ki ck and went down and verse, where it says, " I seek no greater honor than just to scored again to make it 35- 17. We scored another know Him more." I had a lot of people say to me after touchdown pretty quickly after that and made it 35-24. the game, "That was really neat huw God used you." At that point, I reall y fe lt like we had a legitimate You hear a lot of people say, "God honors those who chance to win the game. A nd then we scored one more honor Him," and I believe that. But I don't believe that touchdown in the third quarter to make it 35-31. It God honors those who honor Him with earthly or materwas pretty amazing. ial things, which a victory in a football game would be. Going into the fourth quarter we had to go into the He did honor me in that game, but only that I came wind, which was a little bit of a factor. We had a staleto know Him in a more personal, intimate way through mate for a couple of series, and then we scored another that week and after that game. And that's really what I touchdown, which gave us a 38-35 lead. With about 3 seek in my everyday walk with Him. My heart can't minutes to go, Houston went down and kicked a field speak more truly about why 1 play football. goal and tied it at 38. 1 feel uncomfortable talking about the Houston game In overt ime they won the toss and elected to take the without also including the Super Bowl. Because to me ball. Nate Odomes intercepted a pass, so we had the it hits both spectrums, it hits the ultimate high and the ball in good field position. We ran a couple plays and ultimate low in the course of one month. That's imporSteve Christi e came in and kicked the winning field tant because most people aren't experiencing the ultigoal and we won 41 -38. mate high of the greatest comeback in the NFL history SS: While you were at Maryland you roomed with and then a 52 to 17 loss in a Super Bowl. another well-known NFL quar1erback, Boomer Esiason. When I first heard the song, "In Christ A lone," after You' ve said that he's " like a brother." How have you the Houston game, I felt like th at song was for th at given him support with the challenge that he now faces, comeback victory, and for that one purpose. But after as his son Gunnar is stricken with cystic fibrosis? the Super Bowl I realized that that song applied more to Reich: It's pretty hard. When Boomer called me to tell the Super Bowl than it did to the Houston game because me that Gunner had cystic fibrosis I didn't know what to I had to overcome a different kind of obstacle- the devsay. So the only thing I could think to do was just to Oy astation and disappointment of losing and losing badly, to Cincinnati and spend some time with him and j ust try and not understanding how something like that could to be a friend. I think sometimes our actions speak louder happen after everything that had happened earlier. than words. I didn't know what to say other than to let SS: Could you describe the comeback against the him know that we were praying for him and Gunnar. It Oilers and also the amazing comeback that you were a wasn't easy, because I was totally devastated as well. part of with Maryland? You just don't expect it to hit that close to home. S PORTS S PECTR UM â&#x20AC;˘ .J A NU AR Y 1 994

''I

CA N

OVERCO M E

ANYTHIN G"

Our friendship still remains close and we still get happen, and I'm going to be miserable." I really didn 't together, although not as much as we used to. Boomer know what to do, so I grabbed my headset and put on has taught me a lot and really is like a brother to me. "In Christ Alone." It 's at that time, when I listened to 55: Whether it's a situation li ke Boomer's or maybe that song again, that those words took on a whole new someone who's going through a divorce or the loss of a meaning in my life. When it says, "In every victory let it loved one, what would you recommend for a person be said of me that my source of strength and my source who is going through a difficult time? of hope is Christ alone," I began to see the victory that Reich: Well, I'm gonna be very honest with you. I God was really talking about. And that was a victory don't feel like that is one of my gifts. I' ve never felt over the devastation and the disappointment and the like I'm an extremely compassionate person- at least constant questioning of "why" for the rest of my life. in words. It 's something that I'm working on, but I As I listened to that song and as I prayed, I felt like God did give me victory at that point in my life over struggle with that. You 've got to be sensitive with a person where that Super Bowl loss. I really haven't looked back they're at. The Bible tells us that sometimes God allows since. I haven't questioned why. I realize what God was certain things to happen in our lives so we can share trying to teach me. them with other people and hel p them when they're But the message of that song and the message of our going through the same thing. relationship with Jesus is that whether it's a football It's hard to know the answers, but I always th ink of game or it 's losing your job or losing a loved one, it's Isaiah 55:8-9, where God tells us that our ways are not in Christ alone that we find our strength and our hope. His ways, and our thoughts 55: What do you say to are not His thoughts. And someone who is a fanatic? He says, "My ways are Someone whose life seems hi gher than yo urs." So to revolve around the there's just some things that Buffalo Bi lls or around the we aren' t going to know Super Bowl , but has no and we aren' t goi ng to idea where he or she will understand. But that doesn' t spend eternity? Reich: When I come to mean that we shouldn ' t seek to find the truths in our someone who is a fanatic life that God wants to teach about anything, I don 'tlook down at that person. I don't us about. Wheth er it 's through thin k any less of that perprayer, whether it's trying son. I look at that person as a person who was made in to get them into a church, or gett ing them into the Word, God's image. I pray for the boldness to share with that the ultimate answer is to trust God. person. But I never feel like 55: You mentioned some I'm going to change someof the disappointment you body' s mind , because I had coming off the big vicknow I can't. You can't say anyt hing to people who tory over the Oilers and then losi ng in the Super don ' t know Jes us that's Bowl. How did you deal going to change their mind with your disappointment? or change their perspective. .A The stuff of memories. In the Great Comeback Reich: My fi rst thought of '93, Frank Reich fired four touchdown passes Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that it ' s by grace we are was probably like everyone in the second half (38 yards to Don Beebe, 26 yards to Andre Reed, 18 yards to Reed, and 17 e lse who watched the yards saved through faith in Jesus to Reed) to bring the Bills back in that Christ, and even this is not Houston game and had been memorable game against Houston. Reich comfollowing the story, !hat this pleted 21 of 34 passes for 389 yards to g ive the of ourselves, it is a gift from is going to be a storybook Bills a crack at their third straight Super Bowl God. Unless God is going to fi nish, and I' m going to appearance. work through me or through have an opportun ity to come in and play and we're you to touch someone, you can't change anybody's mind. going to win. And I'm going to give the glory to God, I can't convince anyone to accept Christ as Savior. God's because that's where it belongs. When we lost- losing going to do that through His own divine intervention. the way we did and just being embarrassed- ! didn' t It's only by the grace of God that I'm saved. I realize understand how something like that could happen. that everyday, and I thank Him. There isn't anything Riding home on the plane from Pasadena, l was con- that I've ever done that's deserving of that grace. I need Jesus in my life just as much as that person templating a lot of these things. It just didn'I make sense to me. It's about a 5-hour flight home, and for the first does. The only thing that has eve r set me [as a couple of hours I was going through these things over Christian) and a non-Christian apart is that I've recogand over. Finally I just said, "I could be asking myself nized and admitted the sin in my life and repented of it. these same questions for the rest of my li fe. And if I I have realized the need for a Savior like Jesus, who don 't find some peace, that' s exactly what's going to died for our sins. SPORTS S P E<,:: TRUM • JANUARY 1994

LOSIN&THE II& ONE Wl:W•Iili@l:to!IJ!U:IJosing the big one to something the Buffalo Bills have done in the last three Super Bowls or the Atlanta Braves did in 1991 and 1992. Whilewe can't help but feel bad for the players and fans in those situations, we need to put those losses on the playing field in perspective. Losing the big one goes far beyond that. Thelosses that hurt the most are those tragic times in our lives when death or other circumstances take away someone important. Here are four stages of grief that we must go through to comeout on theother side of our loss. ~''U tfi:WR Accept the reality of the loss.

Begin by fully acknowledging the reality of who or what has been lost. Denial is the opposite of accepting the loss. Take comfort that some things can't be lost: God's understanding, God's love, and God's presence. l'jr•tfi#.B L e t yourself f eel the loss.

Some people have theidea that grieving over loss shows a lack of faith in God. That isn't true. One of the Bible writers suggested that people with faith in Jesus Christ will sorrow, but not as "others who have no hope." Jesus Himself knew grief. He was even called "a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). f'jr·ttJ+a L ea rn to live with the loss.

Separation through death, divorce, children leaving home, or job change means we must accept the new situation, par· tlcipate in life again, and maintain our relationships. l'jf.!1tH!GR Reinves t In love.

The return of thedesire to love again is the best indicator that thestages of grief have been completed well. When that comes, you can share your comfort with others and enjoy living again.

• For a free booklet on dealing with loss, check thebox labeled "Loss" on the card located between pages 24 and 25 and drop it in themail. 11

• Athletes Who are Leading by Exan~ple

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

• Rick Upchurch XII

On Role Models Grandma and Grandpa, a friend named Roddy, the challenge of being one, and showing others how to do the same. Question: What does the term role model mean to former Denver Bronco wide receiver Rick Upchurch? Growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Rick Upchurch was raised by his grandparents. His mother was young when she gave birth to Rick, and Grandma and Grandpa Lindsey recognized that they could better handle the responsi-

A NSWER:

years in their home, he didn't want to leave. He decided to take care of himself. "I had to cook for myself, I had to get up and go to school, I had studies to deal with, and I had to work to keep some money in my pocket. It was tough living on my own," explains Upchurch. "There was this old potbellied stove that I had to stoke up before I went to school. By the time that l got home from practice the fire had start that

Jl'l

bilities of raising a child. So they took him in and raised him, along with Rick's older sister. It was in the Lindsey home that Rick first learned about God. "My grandmother loved God so very much," says Upchurch, describing his early spiritual foundation. "She just dedicated everything to Him." At the age of 15, Upchurch found himself on his own. His grandmother and grandfather had both passed away, and after 15 12

thing up again and make sure it was going when I got home.from work. I was tired, but I never lost faith that the Lord knew what He was doing with me." As he struggled just to make it at home, Rick was beginning to excel in athletics. He had been named to the all-state football team, as well as winning the state title in the long jump. But financial struggles brought a major temptation into the path of young Rick Upchurch. " It came to a point where some friends said,

' Rick, I know a way you can : • Ste ve Tasker make some money. I've got some : XXV, XXVI, XXVII drugs and you can sell some to Co:nununications kids,' l was tempted, but there Specialist was always a friend arou nd. BUFFALO B ILLS WIDE RECEIVER Whenever something like that Steve Tasker is working to was going on, there was Roddy." decrease the number of widows Roddy Boldon was a friend in the Buffalo area. No, he hasn't who guided Upchurch and helped started a dating service. He is one him make the right decisions. He of the instructors in a college was the friend that would bring course for "football widows." him food or money when UpA "football widow," as many church didn't have any. He was women know all too well, is a the kind of friend that provided a wife who stays at home while her much-needed role model at a very husband goes to the stadium to pivotal time in Upchurch's life. watch the game. Believing that Rick's athletic success eventuthe reason some women don't ally got him out of Toledo and on accompany their husbands is that a journey that included stops at they don't understand football, Indian Hills Junior College in Tasker agreed to help teach a Centerville, Iowa, and the class entitled Women UnderUniversity of Minnesota before standing Football. "We thought he finally arrived in the NFL's we'd help some of our hardcore Mile High City. men fans with their domestic Upchurch delighted fans in tranquility if we could teach their Denver from 1975 to 1983 as he wives about the game they love established himself as one of the so much. And perhaps their wives best punt returners of all-time. would grow to love it and enjoy After an NFL career that it," Tasker explains. "It's a great included four Pro Bowls and an way for women to understand appearance in Super Bowl XII why men get so wrapped up in in which Upchurch ran back an the sport." Efren Herrera kick 67 yards to Meeting for I0 or 12 weeks, set up Denver's only touchthe class covers every aspect of down, the former Bronco is now professional football: offense, in his third year at Tabor defense, special teams, strateCollege in Hillsboro, Kansas. gies, ticket sales, equipment, As the associate head coach of public relations, souvenirs, the Blue Jays' football team, the concessions, and press relations. head track coach, and the direcTasker's job is to instruct a 11/2tor of the sports ministry team, hour session on special teams. Upchurch is shari ng the influThe course is offered twice a ence that Grandma, Grandpa, year, and each class averages and Roddy had on him."! try to an enrollment of 300 women. help the kids realize that they've Women Understanding Football got to be role models, because has been such a success that the Lord has something planned there is a waiting list. A more for them," explains Upchurch. advanced secondary class is . " He works through us in all also offered for graduates. kinds of ways. And I want to let But teaching a football class is not the only thing Steve Tasker them know that God is real, and He definitely won't fail you if has on his off-the-field schedule. you ask. " D The Bills' special teams player -Rob Bentz has a degree in communications from Northwestern, and he's

SPORTS S P EC TRUM· JANUARY 1994

••••••••••••••••••••

making good use of it. He hosts his own TV show on WKBW in Buffalo, during which he discusses football and gives viewers a glimpse of what his life is like off the field. "We do something called 'Tasker's World' where I take a fi lm crew and do something on what my family life is like, what I do in my free time. We do skits. All of it is meant to be lighthearted-to let people know what kind of guy I really am away from football." In addition to his own television program, Steve appears weekly on another TV show and takes part in two radio call-in programs. He also squeezes in time to be a spokesperson for groups or communities. During the football season, as he puts it, "I'm kind of busy." In the off-season, Tasker kicks off his calendar with a round of speaking engagements. He speaks at sports banquets, schools, camps, kids clubs, and churches. This includes a camp that is under the leadership of former Bills wide receiver Jerry Butler. " It's a way for me to tell kids how Christ affects my life on

of the Game in 1976 (he returned a punt 90 yards for a TO to spark an NFC comeback). Havi ng spent 6 years with the Falcons, Johnson fou nd a home in Atlanta, where he teaches Bible and coaches track and field at Mt. Vernon Christi an Academy. In addition, the former NFL wide receiver lends his expertise at Morehouse College as assistant coach for receiving. Johnson says he uses his coaching opportunities to share how important it was for him to have Christian teammates and to put God first as a pro football player. It was wi th the Falcons that Johnson developed his closest friendships. He cheri shes the relationships formed among him the field and in my profession." and defensive back Mike Spivey, If there's one topic that Steve offensive tackle Dave Scott, Tasker feels a real obligation to Bible study leader Charles communicate about, it's his perCollins, and chaplain Art Vanderven. "Those people didn 't sonal relationship with Jesus Christ. "I make sure that a good try to live pretentiously. They number of places I speak in the approached sharing their fai th in a nice, easy manner. off-season want to hear my testi mony. I feel that's something I "We had one of the best Bible need to do in return for all that studies. It made us come alive God has given me." • and made a difference in my life. -Beverly Flynn : Because of the strong unit of Christians, some people

came to the Lord, and that 's what it's all about." The feeling among these men must have been mutual, for Collins describes Johnson as a friend he could always depend on. "If there was a critical situation, he was there," recalls Collins. "But he was also there for the little things. Sometimes pro athletes get caught up in all the things they have to do, but he was dependable." Collins, who has been Johnson's friend since 1983, adds that the record-holding former Falcon still "takes advantage of the platform God gives him." That's where his coaching and teaching come in. Johnson looks at his position as a former athlete as a chance to give back the joy and peace he has found in Jesus as he helps athletes. "It 's being able to go back and insert the Word in people's li ves," he says, describing the advantage he has in working with young people. "I want people to know that when they are up against insurmountable tasks, they can put God in their life. And I want to be used to glori fy His name."

-Lori Wiech111an

• Billy Johnson True Tea.u.uates WHEN BILLy " WHITE SHOES"

Johnson thinks back over his 16-year career with the Houston Oilers, Atlanta Falcons, and Washington Redskins, one of his greatest memories is his NFL record 282 punt returns for 3,3 17 yards. Yet there is something else from the NFL that he cherishes even more. "With me," Johnson says, "the main thing is that it was good to be around brothers who believe in Jesus. Those were the best times." "White Shoes," who retired from the NFL in 1988, was a three-time All-Pro punt relllrner who was named Pro Bowl Player S P OR T S S P ECTRUM • .J/\NU/\RY 1 994

•••••••••••••••••

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Russell Maryland proves the value of a legacy of hard work By John Weber and Jim Gibbs

USSELL MARYLAND, the acknowledged Horatio Alger of the Dallas Cowboys, had not gotten a lot of playing time against Green Bay on this cloudy, overcast October day in Big D. Dallas had won the game hand ily, largely on the strength of a five-field goal performance from kicker Eddie MutTay. It was still early in the season, and the win enabled the World Champion Cowboys to improve their record to 2-2. Maryland, who hadn 't started at defensive tackle because of a nagging foot injury he had sustained during the Cowboys' Super Bowl season, was not happy to be on the sidelines. He disdains anything that keeps him from going to work. In fact, he would probably play on both sides of the line if head coach Jimmy Johnson would let him. ~ Not just Emmitt. " I just enj oy working Another factor in the hard," Maryland said, smil - Cowboys' early-season ing despite his frustration. "I turnaround was the play of Maryland, who don't like to miss a down." helped plug up the During th e fall of 1992, opponent's running while play ing with a dislocat- game, which had hurt Dallas before ed second toe on hi s left Maryland's foot injury foot- an injury that required healed.

SPO RTS S P ECTRUM · .JANUARY 1 9B4

post-season surgery-Maryland was a major cog in the es. "I was 17 years old and I ,500 miles away from defensive wheel that helped Dallas roll to the NFL's home. I was so busy, though, that l really didn't have top defensive rating. In their championshi p season, the much time to be homesick." Cowboys allowed just under 78 yards rushing per game Shortly after arriving in Miami, Maryland got a job on their way to a Super Bowl blowout of the Buffalo at a local produce stand. Bills. Maryland was a big part of that Super Bowl win, " I got a job down there selli ng produce because I and it was largely because of Maryland that the "D" needed some money," he recalls, before correcting himwas suddenly back in Dallas. self. "Actually, I wasn't selling produce. I was washing "A lot of people think that success just happens it and doing some janitorial-type stuff. Ki ds have a overnight," Maryland says. "But it doesn't happen that tough time believing me when I say that, but I didn't way. Or at least it didn 't for me. I had to work hard to mind. It was good, honest work." It was also hot work. Between that job and all the get here, and I know I have to work harder if I want to stay here. I've had some problems with my feet this sprints that Maryland ran at Camp JJ, he lost 30 pounds past summer and into the early season, and that's been during his first summer in Miami . By the time the year a bit frustrating. I've never had the best feet in the NFL. was over, he had dropped a total of 50 pounds from his "Through it all, I've kept my faith in God. He has original 6- 1, 317-pound frame. never left me, and even though life in the NFL can be "Can you see me out there running those I00-yard extremely difficult, Jesus Christ constantly gives me dashes?" Maryland says, laughing. "TI1ere I was running just as hard as I could, all 317 strength to make it th rough another game or another day of pounds of me. I never fi nished two-a-days." first, but I never quit either." After the grueling workouts, In high school, it was young most of the team went back to Russe ll Mary land 's parents who constantly kept him motitheir respective dorm rooms to watch TV or take a nap. vated. Not so much by what Maryland, however, could usualthey said, but by what they did and how they did it. ly be found in the library after football practice. "I grew up on the south side "In college, there are so many of Chicago," Maryland ex plains. "School was never distractions," Maryland explains. really easy for me, but I always "And the problem is, there's nobody looking over your shoultried to work as hard as I could der telling you that you have to and I usually made A's. One of the reasons that I studied so study. As a result, you have to hard was because of my parents. motivate yourself. There were a lot of times when I was tired and They were always working so wanted to watch TV or sleep or hard. My father would leave for wo rk before I got up in the whatever and j ust forge t about moming and wouldn't get home going to the library. But I think the thing that kept me going was until after I had gone to bed at the fact that I didn't want to fai l. night. He 's a district manager for Chrysler Corporati on in .A. The 100-p ercent s olution. Spurred on I didn' t want to disappoint my parents, and I didn't want to go Chicago. My mother also by a good example at home, Russell back to Chicago a failure." worked hard at her job. She Maryland has parlayed his work ethic into a successful career. Yet not everyone has works for the city as an accoun- the opportunity to be employed in such All the hard work paid off. Not onl y did Maryland receive a tant for the police department. an enviable profession as the NFL If you are struggling with the idea of wo rk degree in psychology from Miami They had worked so hard to try to build a good life for me that I and your role in it, check the box labeled but he was also the NFL's number "Jobs " on the card between pages 24 and one draft pick in 199 1. "There knew I had to give something 25 and drop it in the mail for a free booklet. were a lot of people who said I'd back to them. I wanted them to be proud of me, so I always worked as hard as I could at never even play in the NFL, much less be the number one everything I did-whether it was academics or football or pick in the country," Maryland says. "But I wanted to whatever." prove them wrong and also prove somethi ng to myself. After his academic achievements at prestigious All of the things that I've accomplished in football and in Whitney Young High School in Chicago, Maryland could academics couldn't have been accomplished if it weren't have easily gone to Yale or Harvard or any of the other for my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. But I Ivy League schools. Instead, he decided to trade the cold know that I have to do my part." D winds of Chicago for tropical Miami, where he joined the Joh n Weber is th e chap lain for both the Dallas Hurricanes and then-head coach Jimmy Johnson. " It was reall y quite a shock to go down to Miami Cowboys and the Texas Rangers. Jim Gibbs is a freeafter being in Chicago all that time," Maryland confess- lance writer who lives in Arlington, Texas.

S PORTS S P EC T:RUM â&#x20AC;˘ JANUARY 1 99 4

RUSSELL MARYlAND DEFENSIVE TACKLE DALlAS COWBOYS SUPER BOWL XXVII January 31, 1993 Rose Bowl Pasadena, California Dallas Cowboys 52 Buffalo Bills 17

mnlliJ Russell Maryland's best memories from Super Bowl XXVII didn't happen on the field or inthe lockerroom. "Sure, it was great that we won theSuper Bowl last year," says Maryland. "But my greatest Super Bowl memory was the chapel service at the hotel just prior to the game. We all got in a circle and held hands and prayed. Some of the players thanked God for the opportunity to play in such a big game, and others thanked God for their parents. The feeling I got from that few moments of prayer was just incredible. "The verses that the chaplain spoke on that day were Ephesians 3:20,21, which say, 'Now to Him who is ableto do immeasurably morethan all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.' "When I thought about where the Cowboys were just 4 years ago and realized that on that day wewere going to be playing for a world championship, it really made me realize how powerful God is and how much more He can do in my life if I'll only let Him."

AS THE PUNT SOARED OOWNFIELD,

Leslie Frazier couldn't wait to get the reverse from his teammate and head for the end zone. After all, he thought, everything else we've tried today has worked. Why can't I, a defensive back, score a touchdown in the Super Bowl? It was January 26, 1986, during the second quarter of Super Bowl XX in the New Orleans Superdome. Frazier's team, the Chicago Bears, was up by 20 points already, and its magnificent defense was smothering almost every New England Patriot play. The National Football League's oldest franchi se was already beginning to celebrate its high water mark, capping a near-perfect, dominant season with a Super Bowl triumph. "We had climbed the mountain and reached the summit," Frazier remembers thinking. "The joy of ultimate success in pro football was enveloping us." Frazier had been an important part of one of the greatest defenses ever to perfonn in the National Football League. It had dominated so thoroughly that it was the first team to shut out opponents in two conference playoff

After reaching the pinnacle and the nadi r of his career in the same day, Leslie Frazier has foU:nd peace in a new profession By Dwight Esau

SPORTS SPECTR U M â&#x20AC;˘ J A NU ARY 1 99 4

\ /

games. Leslie had led the team wi th six interceptions and had been elected to several All -Star teams by his peers around the league. His defensi ve dominance had gained the noti ce of sports observers everywhere. His acrobatic interception to take away a touchdown pa ss f rom Green Bay recei ver John Jef ferson during the 1984 season had been called " the greatest defensive play I ever saw" by CBS television analyst John Madden. Things were going so well that Frazier was even thanking God for answering his prayers. A long-time follower of Jesus Christ, Frazier says he " felt especially good because I was doubly blessed just to be playing in this game." Frazier got the ball and headed for the sideline. He planted his foot to turn up field. "I felt something snap and then the pain enveloped my entire body," he remembers. " I was going one way, but my foot stayed stuck in the AstroTurf." For Frazier, this was not a new nightmare, but a return to an old one. " As I lay there, all I could think was, 'Oh no, not again. '" His memory fl ashed back 6 years to a time j ust before his senior year in college. A hamstring injury at the start of hi s final season kept him out of acti on much of that year. It eliminated him from the NFL draft and almost des troyed his dreams of an NFL career. But the injury healed. After graduating, he was able to try out with the Chicago Bears as a free agent. He made th e team and became a start er hal fway through his rookie season. Only a handful of players have achieved so much so quickly. And Leslie Frazier gives God the credit for all of those achievements. " I remember how joyful and amazed I felt for His working in my life back then," Frazier explains as he recalls how he had arrived in the NFL only to have his career put in jeopardy so suddenly. " And now I was confused and a bi t scared about what kind of new challenge He was putting me through." After he was helped off the field, his leg was placed in a walking cast and he was told he was through for the day. " I was disappointed in not playing anymore in the game, but I was so happy we won that I kind of for.A Two views of the game. As a defensive back with the Chicago Bears from got about the inj ury. I joined the postgame part ies and 1981 to 1986, Leslie Frazier snared 20 Interceptions and one Super Bowl ring. the parade back in Chicago. It was partly wishful think- Now he views the game from the sidelines as the head coach of an NAJA school with its own visions of possible championships ahead. ing, but I assumed it was only a bad sprain." But the nex t few weeks turned into a nightmare. First, he found out he needed surgery. Then came the " My first thought was that He wanted me to be a better, more crusher. He had suffered multiple ligament and cartilage injuries and his entire knee had to be rebuilt. It would be very difficult for him to disciplined football player, and that He had gi ven me this major rehab challenge to accomplish th at goal. So I dedicated myself to play football again, doctors said. getting back in shape for training camp the next summer. It took 18 " I was not only shocked but amazed. How could merely planting my foot in AstroTurf cause this much damage? All the stories that I months of hard, boring, and painful work, but the leg felt pretty had not paid too much attention to about turf injuries now flashed good by July 1987. I reported to training camp and got another shocker. The doctors said I fai led the physical, and I was released. before my eyes. It seemed so incredible. " I was torn apart with doubts and questions. If God had gone to so " I desperately fought to retain my football career. I went to the Philadelphia Eagles' camp. After a few hours of drills, however, I much trouble to get me into football, it didn't seem possible that He realized it was no use. I could still play, but not at the demanding now was taking me out of it prematurely.

SPORTS SPECTR UM 路JANU ARY H)94

T HE

B ES T

T IM ES ;

TH E

LES FRAZIER CORNERBACK CHICAGO BEARS SUPER BOWL XX January 26, 1986 Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana Chicago Bears 46 New England Patriots 10 !ITif!I!@IQI!ill@l8 75 million people watching you play, that makes it the ultimate of all games. When you come to training camp every year, your goal is to get to the Super Bowl, and not only to get there, but to win it. Wegot down to New Orleans, and we had a great day against the Patriots. But for me, I have mixed emotions. It turned out not only to be avery big game for the team, but it also turned out to bethe end of my career. When I injured the knee, I believed it was a minor injury and that I would be back in the game soon. After the surgery, when thedoctors talked to me about the extent of the damage, I was in disbelief. The onething that helped meto deal with that circumstancewas the faith I had in Christ. Also my wife was very supportiveduring that time, as were guys like Mike Singletary. They really encouraged me to realize that even though thecircumstances didn't look very good, Christ was still in control."

"- A vital task. It's not the Superdome in New Orleans and the opponent is not the New England Patriots; it's Holland Municipal Stadium in Holland, Michigan, and the opponent is Hope College. But for Leslie Frazier, the mission is still the same.

physical level required of an NFL defensive back. I felt immense disappointment, but also a peace. I now began to realize what the Lord's message was. "He was giving me a way to deal with this injury, and He was demonstrating to me for the umpteenth time that He wanted me to rely on Him for everything in life, especially when it meant changing careers unexpectedly. He was reminding me once again that adversity is not the Lord abandoning you, but bringing you closer to Him." In the next few weeks and months, Frazier explored some of the many business opportunities open to him. "Many appeared attractive to me, but none really got me excited," he recalls. "It didn't seem as if the Lord was endorsing them strongly. I felt uncertain and frustrated. "Then I got a call from a friend at Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois, a Christian liberal arts college where 1 had made some appearances during my playing days. The president, Kenneth Meyer, wanted me to come and sta11 a football program. I resisted at first, since l had never planned to coach. But I finally agreed to talk to him. "He told me of his interest in starting a Christianitybased program at Trinity, to build up the college's enrollment, and to provide expanded and enriched recreational and spiritual opportunities for young men. ' We want a coach like you, with a strong Christian sports witness, to head this up,' he told me. I was impressed but skeptical. I didn 't see at first how it affected me personally. "I didn' t fully appreciate it then, but the Lord was worki ng on me. My thou ghts kept coming back to Trinity. Slowly I realized this was the place God was calling me to. I began to understand that maybe this was the place my own words had qualified me for years earlier. As a Bears player, I had frequently said, ' My sole

W ORS T

T IM E S

responsibility as a pro athlete is to be an effective witness for the Lord in the lockerroom.' That was difficult in the NFL, with all its distractions. Now I was being offered a chance to do it without limits or reservations. "It took many weeks that fall of 1987 and wi nter of earl y 1988, but finally I accepted God's lesson that He wanted me in an athletic setting where I could share my faith in a powerful way. 1 came to understand the true meaning of Romans 8:28, ' We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.' "Now I couldn't be happier. This is our third year of a new football program. We participate in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NATA) Division II. We look forward to winning a championship someday. I can now do what was difficult in pro tANNY DEwm ball-share n1 y life and faith , and influence the lives of young people in His cause." It looks li ke the best of times have returned for Leslie Frazier. D

Dwight Esa11 is a freelance writer who lives in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.

,. -------------*

~e~1! m7Je W@~T

1 YEs, vou. If you 're like everyone el se, you worry. 1 Les Frazier had plenty to worry about when he 1 was carted off the Superdome field on J anuary 1 26, 1986, after he blew his knee out in Super 1 Bowl XX. Yet instead of worrying, Fraz ier went 1 to work to put his life back together. 1 Worriers focus their ey es on the conse1 quences of events that have not yet happened. 1 They feel vulnerable and ex pect the worst. They 1 take responsibility for thi ngs that are out of 1 their control. But if they will turn to God, they I will find in His character the answer to their vul1 n erability. I The Bible teaches that nothing happens in this I world that is b eyond the knowledge and control I of God. He is the sovereign Lord of all. " The I Lord has established His throne in heaven, and I His kingdom rules over all" (Psalm 103:19). Worriers feel that things are out of controlthat something terrible is about to happen and they can't stop it. When the questions rai sed by those feelings create anxiety, worriers n eed to remember three important truths about God: God is everywhere, God knows ev erything , and God is all-powerful. The cares of life that w eigh on us so heavily can be placed on the s houlders of God. " Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him" (Psalm 37:5). For a free booklet on worrying, check the box labeled " Worry" on the card located between pages 24 a nd 25 and drop it in the mail.

SPOR TS S P ECT RU M â&#x20AC;˘ JANUARY 1994

atehi g

V\lithama

By Tom F e lten God and receiving His grace in talks ... people listen. my life." Not because he's going to offer Singletary, with the same consome sage financial advice trolled intensity he possessed at either- although, as bright as he middle linebacker for the Bears, is, it's probable he could. No, it's believes that the Bible is the Word simply because he shares words of God. It's in the Bestseller-ofwo11h hearing. One important all-time that he found truth to claim what he perceives as the topic he will discuss is the value of saving sex for marriage. best way to live. There was a time before he It's easy to like Mike. But to was married when he cheated be like Mike means that you can recite Bible verses such as I Corinon his wi fe-to-be, Kim. Several years later, after truly committing thians 12:2, which says, " Do not his life to Christ, he felt the need conform any longer to the pattern to tell her what he had done. It of thi s world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." was an extremely painful but necessary revelation for both of Singletary says, "That statethem- it hurt and humiliated ment cuts against the grain of Kim-but the Singletarys were what's happening today. When able to turn to their single source ' you look at Hollywood and what of comfort and strength for restorthey're trying to sell you, it's a lie. ation and healing: Jesus Christ. Look at the magazines and the Mike reflects on his years of newspapers, they're saying that being a star on the field at Baylor, 'this is the 90s, you got to loosen while playing the field in this perup. Do your own thing. It's all sonal life: " I thought I knew right. "' But Singletary wishes everything. I wish there would someone had told him the truth and "saved me a lot of trouble." have been someone in my life, someone who cared about me and Cutting to the core of the issue, would have pulled me aside and Samurai Mike presents the followtalked to me. Rather than saying, ing guidelines about finding and 'Mike you're great, Mike you're maintaining the right view of sex: doing good at this.' But no one • Wait 11/tti/ you're married. gave me any of the real good stuff "God meant for sex to be within that I needed for life. What it took marriage. He meant for there to be was me, with a repentant heart, one special night. Satan has taken asking the forgiveness of a holy sex and made it something cheap." HEN MI KE SINGLETARY

• Instead of safe sex, save sex.

Stats Glance • • • •

" Even if someone says they love

Collegiate numbers: 662 tackles, 351 solos, 6 fumble recoveries Played 12 NFL seasons with the Chicago Bears Made 1,488 tackles in 191 games Had 20 tackles in one game (Denver Broncos, November 18, 1990)

Awards/Honors: • Two-time All-American at Baylor University • Southwest Conference Player of the Year twice • 1990 NFL Man of the Year • NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985, 1988 • Named to 10 Pro Bowl teams

you, even if you think they mean it- hold on to what you have. Hold on to your virginity and honor God with it!"

•If you're being pressured ro hal'e sex-resist. " Sex is special. If someone says, 'Hey, if you don't do it I'm leaving,' let him go.lfhe loves you, he will come back."

• Choose carefully the people you spend time with. "First Corinthians 15:33 says, ' Bad company corrupts good character. ' Choose your friends very carefully. Friends that will not lower their standards or compromise the Word of God."

he strived to mirror the opposing player's every move gracefully-without laying a hand on him. If he blitzed when he was supposed to be covering, it could mean a loss for his team. Singletary knows what it means to stay within the game plan. He showed restraint by knowing what his linebacker position demanded and doing only what would best help the team. He also knows that the same type of restraint is needed in our lives to make the right decisions about sex. Singletary tells his listeners that if they fai l to wait, if they don't make'the correct choice, they have taken something God considers beautiful and ruined it by settling for a cheap substitute. Mike says, "Sex outside of marriage is going to lead you down the wrong path." Listen. Those are words worth hearing and heeding.

• Study the Bible to learn the rruth abolll sex. "In John 8:32 it

Safe Sex?

says, ' You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' Understand that your body is the temple of Jesus Christ. Understand that you are loved. Understand the price that has been paid-Christ's blood that has been shed for you." These tough yet tender words come from one of the greatest defenders ever to play the game. When Number 50 played, he knew the appropriate time to blitz the quarterback. But when Mike needed to cover a receiver,

Mike Singletary doesn't mince words when he talks to kids about sex. He knows that God has a definite plan, and that if you don't follow His plan, trouble is ahead. You may be facing some serious choices right now. Maybe you're facing strong temptations. Perhaps you don't know what is right, or you wonder why God has given certain guidelines for sex. We would like to offer a free booklet to help you know what to do. Just check the box labeled "Sex" on the card located between pages 24 and 25 and drop it in the mail.

SPORTS S P ECTRU M • JANUARY i 994

• Keeping Score ofPbscinating POets and 'Ierrific Compiled by Rob Bentz

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • Will the st..eak Hit 10? The NFC has a 9-game Super Bowl winning streak, capturing every Vince Lombardi trophy since 1985. This includes three wins by the San Francisco 49ers,

• supe .. Standings Let's look at the teams that have made it to the Super Bowl and see how they've played on Super Sunday. Team

San Francisco 49ers ...4.....0....139......63 PittsbUrgh Steelers.....4.....0.... 103......73 Green Bay Packers .....2.....0......68 ..... 24 New York Giants .........2.....0..... 59......39 Chicago Bears .............1.....0......48......10

two by the Washington Redskins, two by the New York Giants, and one each by the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys. The last AFC team to win on Super Sunday was the Los Angeles Raiders in 1984.

New York Jets ............1.....0......16........7 Oakland/LA Ralders ......3.....1....111 ......66 Washington Redsklns ..3.....2.... 122....103 Dallas Cowboys ...........3.....3....184....102

ums to host a Super Bowl include the Silverdome in Pontiac (XVI), and the Metrodome in Minneapolis (XXVI).

• Supe .. Bo-..vl o., Supe., Blo-..vout? The Super Bowl is hyped as the best game of the year, but more often than not, it's more of a Super Blowout than a Super Bowl. The average winning score is 30, while the average losing score is 13. That's right, 3013. Not exactly the game of the year. Contributing to the lopsided look of the average are the top three Sunday Night Massacres: San Francisco 55, Denver 10; Chicago 46, New England 10; and Dallas 52, Buffalo 17.

Kansas City Chlels .......1.....1......33......42

• Supe~ Sun day Reco.,d s What record,~ will be broken in Super Bowl XXVlfl? Here's a look at some current single-game record holders.

Maml Dolphins ............2.....3......74 ....103

T MOST YARDS PASR

BalUmore Colts ............1.....1......23......29

los Angeles Rams........o.....1......19......31

Joe Montana--------- - 49ers ---- - ,.,--357 ,.,,.,,.,,.,,.,1989

T MOST YARDS RUSIM

Philadelphia Eagles ......0.....1......10......27

Timmy Smith --------- Redskins - ----204 --- --1988

New England Patriots ..0.....1......10......46

T MOST YARIISIIECBVWG: Jerry Rice ------ - ----,.,49ers ------ - -215 ----- 1989

Cinclmau Bengals .......0.....2......37......46 BuHalo Bills .................0.....3......80 ....109 Denver Broncos ..........0.....4.......50....183 Minnesota VIkings .......0.....4......34......95

XIII XIV XV

• We_.e You One ofThean? More than 133 million Americans watched Super Bowl XXVII, making it not only the most watched Super Bowl ever but also the most watched television show of all time. 22

• Inside o_. Outside? This year's Super Bowl in the Georgia Dome will be the seventh played under a dome. The Superdome in New Orleans has played host to the Super Bowl four times, most recently in 1990 for Super Bowl XXIV.

T MOST POMS SCORED: Roger Craig - ---------49ers --------- 18 ----- 1985 Jerry Rice ------------49ers --------- 18 ----- 1990 T LMST fll.D GOAL: Jan Stenerud ----- ----Chiefs - - ------48 -----1970 Rich Karlis ----------- Broncos - ------48 ____ ,., 1987 T LONGESTPlfll: Lee Johnson ----- --- - Bengals ------- 63 ----- 1989 • Getting It Right the Fi ..st Tiane Only two rookie head coaches have led their teams to Super Bowl victories. Don McCafferty of the Colts and George Seifert of the 49ers didn't waste any time establishing themselves among their NFL coaching peers. McCafferty led the Colts to a 1613 victory in Super Bowl V, while Seifert paved the way for the 49ers' 55- 10 victory in Super Bowl XXLV. ~ Cardinal connection. Seifert, who took over for Bill Walsh when he left the Niners to return to Stanford, had first hooked up with Walsh in 1977 as a member of his staff at Stanford.

S P O RT S SPEC TRUM • JANU AR Y 1 9 94

OTIO GREut.EfALl SPORT

Trivia (rom- the Super Bowl

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • Yello'W' Ribbon Bo'W'I Super Bowl XV in New Orleans could have been titled The Yellow Ribbon Bowl. The Louisiana Superdome was wrapped with a big yellow ribbon on the day of the game, January 25, 198 1. Why? The Super Bowl was held just 5 days after the release of American hostages who had been held against their will for more than a year in Iran, and the yellow ribbon had come to symbolize the hopes of citizens across the country who were prayi ng for their release.

•

«> Is there an off-thefield Super Bowl story that sticks out in your mind? Chuck: Back in 1986, when the Chicago Bears played the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX, one very distinct memory stands out. I was doing the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows on the Bears' radio network, and in our broadcast booth was Hall-of-Farner Dick Butkus, who was doing the color commentary for the game. As I watched Butkus at work, I thought about all of the players like him who play in the NFL for 9 or l 0 years and never get a taste of the Super Bowl. Here he was broadcasting from high above the field, but I was thinking about 15 years earlier, when he should have been down on the field.

•c

Who were the starting quarterbacks in the first Super Bowl? Chuck: Len Dawson led the American Football League champion Kansas City Chiefs into the big game against Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers. Starr completed 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and he garnered MVP honors as the Packers beat Dawson and the Chiefs 35-10. FOCUS ON SPORTS

• Right, Lilce 6 Months " I've been in the league too long to let this chance slip away. You guys better produce." -Raiders rookie linebacker Mall Millen to his teammates before Super Bowl XI'.

•

• Did the NFL's all-time leading rusher Walter Payton score a touchdown in Super Bowl action? Chuck: Although Payton did play in Super Bowl XX for Chicago and rushed for 61 yards on 22 carries, he did not score a touchdown. The Bears' touchdowns were scored on two running plays

by QB Jim McMahon, one each by fullback Matt Suhey and defensive tackle-tur nedrunning back William "The Refrigerator" Perry, and a 28-yard interception return by cornerback Reggie Phillips. The Bears put the hurt on the Patriots 46-10, but the legendary Walter Payton didn't put the ball in the end zone.

•• Who scored the first points in Super Bowl history? Chuck: Green Bay wide receiver Max McGee scored the first points in Super Bowl history. McGee crossed the goal line on a brilliant onehanded grab that covered 37 yards. Packer quarterback Bart Starr hit McGee on a pass across the middle that put the Pack on the board in that first game back on J anuary 15, 1967, in the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

•• Who was the first player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in Super Bowl history? Chuck: It wasn't until Super Bowl XVII that this happened. Fulton Walker of the Miami Dolphins ran one back against the Washington Redskins. Walker took the ball at the 2 yard line, went left, and scampered 98 yards to make the score 16-10 in favor of the Dolphins. After the PAT, Miami scored no more and lost 27-17.

••

Has anyone ever won a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach? Chuck: Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka has both played for and coached a Super Bowl winner. "Iron

CHUCK SWIRSKY, host of ~ Spectrum radio, is sports director of WGN Radio in Chicago.

Mike" was the Dallas Cowboys' starting tight end in Super Bowl VI as they crushed the Miami Dolphins 24-3. Ditka scored the game's final touchdown on a 7-yard pass from Roger Staubach. As the head coach of the Chicago Bears, Ditka was also victorious in a big way. His Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10, making him the only man in Super Bowl history to win as a player and as a head coach. Not Just Football Chuck will answer any sports question you've been wondering about-not just football. Send your query to The Swirsky Report Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 4950 l Listen to Chuck on Radio! Each Saturday you can hear Chuck Swirsky on the 55minute, national sports talk radio program ~ Spectrum at noon eastern time. Call l-800-653-8333 to find out where to tune in. 23

S PORT S SPE:CTRUM- JANUARY 1994

- - - - - - - -- - - --

FOREVER FRIENDS Dennis Byrd faced paralysis and a shattered career, but found his wife Angela ready to help him put the pieces back together By Dave Branon

HE HIT was one of those bonejarring football scenes that makes you turn away from the TV replay. Like the shot of Joe Theismann 's broken leg a few years ago. Or Mike Utley's unusual head-overheels fall in 1991. Football is a game of cru shing collisions, but you never grow accustomed to seeing a player take a hit that you know could do permanent damage. As another physical tragedy unfolds before yo ur eyes, a somber pall is cast over the game. What had been so absolutely esse ntial seconds before-the score, the down , the strategy-all becomes incidental.

â&#x20AC;˘ High school sweethearts. Dennis Byrd and Angela Hales started dating during his senior year In Mustang, Oklahoma- where he was a big football star and she didn't even know he was on the team. Now, for the first time, they face the future without football.

Suddenly you are reminded that players have lives off the field , and that what just happened could change one life forever. Instantly, concerns for family, friends, and feelings replace our strong interest in fans, football, and fame. So it was with the hit Denni s Byrd took on November 29, 1992. When Kansas City Chief quarterback Dave Krieg sidestepped Byrd, the Jets' defensive end barrelled headfirst into teammate Scott Mersereau, who was coming after Krieg from the other side. Despite a lifetime of training in the proper way to take a hit, Byrd

SPOR T S S PECTR U M Âˇ J ANUAR Y 1994

had no time to prepare himself for this collision. He instinctivel y ducked his head ju st before he slammed into Mersereau. Stunned by the violent hit, Mersereau fell to the turf- the wind knocked out of him. Within seconds, though, he was back on his feet. Not so with Byrd. He knew almost immediately how seriously he had been hurt. "I started to get up and the only thing that moved was my neck," he recalls. "My head came off the ground and I felt something crack or crunch, so I put my neck back clown. Then the next thing l tried to do was pick my feet up." But he couldn't. As he lay in fro nt of the stunned stadium crowd and as team personnel scurried to attend to him, Byrd realized what was wrong. "Kyle

Still strong. A lifetime of preparation had turned Dennis Byrd into a powerful force on the line for the Jets, but when his career was taken away In a split路 second, he was still triumphant, because he had also spent a life路 time preparing spiritually. That, In combination with superb medical care, made it possible for him to come back to Giants Stadium less than a year after the Injury.

Clifton stood over me," Byrd relates, "and he asked me if I was okay and said, 'Get up.' I told him I had broken my neck and was paralyzed." Clifton, a 6'4" linebacker, knelt down beside his teammate, took Byrd's hand, and cried. 1:3yrd recalls, "That's a picture that sticks in my mind, how he was just crushed." And so was the rest of the team as their fellow warrior was gingerly eased onto a cart with team trainer Pepper Burruss' hands clasped firmly around Byrd's helmeted head to immobilize it. He maintained that position from that moment on the field until Byrd was in the hospital. Nothing has been the same for Denn is Byrd since that collision. Instantly, he was transformed from a finely-tuned, hard-bodied professional football player who weighed 266 pounds yet could run the 40 in 4.78 seconds into a helpless hospital patient who had to have everything done for him. He could no longer hug his wife Angela or pick up his daughter Ashton. He was paralyzed. The week leading up to th is fatefu l game at Giants Stadium had been full of the kinds of quiet joys that were characteristic of the Byrd household-events that now seem more significant than Denni s and Angela could have ever expected. On Monday, Dennis bought his daughter a toy doctor's kit. On Wednesday, the Byrds discovered that Angie was pregnant with their second child. Also on Wednesday, the Byrds met for a Bible

S POR r S S Pl:. C. I HUM .. JANU/\HY 1994

路 - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - --路

F OR E V E R

study during which the topic of discussion was a paralytic man who was healed when Peter told him to get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ. On Thu rsday, whi ch was Thanksgiving, the Byrds and some friends watched the Detroit Lions play the Dallas Cowboys, a game that was preceded by a special feature on Mike Utley, the Lions' paralyzed teammate. On Sunday, Dennis Byrd found himself in Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, thinking a million thoughts about how utterly and drastically everything had changed. Later he would equate what had happened to him to something that happened to a man whose life story is retold for us in the Bible. "Job was a man of fait h," Byrd explains. "And a lot of things came against Job. His faith was tried, and he was tried to be broken, but he wouldn't turn his face on God. I feel much the same way. I mean, how would through clearly in the Dennis Byrd story, it is the shared love yo u try to take the faith away fro m between Dennis and Angela. somebody who was an athlete, th at Through the tough times, they loved what he did? You'd paralyze him stuck together in love. and take away everything that he loved All couples say they marry so much, and attack his physical life and for love, but can they actually his family life." use their love to improve their relationship? Here's an examAn inju ry li ke this can destroy famiple of how it can happen. lies. It can tum a uni fied group of people Suppose there's a stale· who love each other and who together mate in a marriage. Say the share the day-to-day joys and struggles woman is a ·neat freak" and the man is kind of sloppy. of life into estranged individuals who The differences begin to drive hardly know each other. them apart. She nags inces· Denni s Byrd was afra id that might santly; he gets a severe case happen to him. of 'selective deafness." Both Two weeks after the injury, Byrd ' s withdraw. What would love do? It neck had been stabilized by surgery, and would take action. Facing the he was ready to begin rehabi litation. problem and overcoming fear, I Still paralyzed, he knew he was facing a love would initiate the kind of communication that would 1 long, grueling ordeal as he fought to get lead to resolution, calling con· 1 back on his feet. And his caretakers stantly on the help of our allknew he needed to be moved to a hospisufficient God. tal that specializes in rehab. But how do we do this? One Mount Sinai Medical Center in the way is to make a determined Upper East Side of Manhattan was choeffort to look at the issue through the other's eyes. See it sen as his next home. After his first day from that person's perspective. of tedious therapy in th is new location, In this case, he needs to the exhausted former football player lay remember her home life and on his back, contemplating his situation. understand how insecure she feels when things are out of " I was be ing stri pped do wn to my place. She needs to admit that essence," he recalls about this day in his it's not a major crime nor a sin book Rise and Walk, "w ith no such to leave a shirt hanging on the thing as privacy, no such thing as ·pride back of a chair. Then they both in the sense I'd felt it before. I was just need to change their behavior. True, it will be hard. In a body. I was still Dennis Byrd, but this deeper marital issues, such as body that contained me was something rage or emotional abuse, it will different now." seem impossible. But the prin-t It was on this night that he came faceciples of love are backed by a God who is love (1 John 4:7· I to-face with the kinds of questions that 8), and by a Savior who fills I must confront everyone who has been us with His power. touched by a li fe -changing illness or I injury. Questions like: "How do the sigFor a free booklet on I nificant people in my life perceive me marriage, check the box labeled 'Marriage"on the card 1 now? Do I still have value to them even located between pages 24 and" though I am not whole? Am I too big a 25 and drop it in the mail. I burden for them to carry?"

F R I E N D S

IY Lovaln Your Marriage

.&. Back in the game. Although Byrd will no longer face the likes of

John Elway from across the line of scrimmage, he still has to deal with him and the rest of the NFL as a commentator on CBS television coverage of the league.

"I could handle feeli ng pathetic," Byrd recalls as he thinks about that ni ght. "I was tru ly prepared to handle anything, with the help of Jesus Christ. But Angela, why shou ld she have to deal with th is , maybe for the rest of her life? I was determined to walk again. 1 had no doubt I would. But what if I was wrong? What if the Lord had other plans fo r me? What if I'd never rise out of a wheelchair? I knew I could li ve with that, but could Angela?" When Angela came to visit that night, Byrd told her what he was thinking. "It's not fai r for you to have to be with me like this forever," he told her. "It's not fair for you to have to take care of me like this. I'd understand if you wanted to leave me." Angela Byrd was astonished at what she was hearing. Tears came to her eyes as she bent over her husband. "Dennis, I can't believe you'd say that. I can' t believe you'd even think of that." She reached across that hospital bed and hugged her helpless man. Together they cried as she held him, and he knew that he would never again have to fear losing his companion. One night some time later, as the two were lying in bed together, Angela noticed that she could hear Dennis' heart beating. "Dennis, that sounds so good." "What?" he asked. "Just hearing your heart beat." During an interview with Diane Sawyer of the ABC-TV newsmagazine Prime Time Live, Angela said, " It didn't matter what kind of shape he left [the hospital], as long as he was alive." More than a year has passed since that moment of truth. Dennis Byrd has thrilled a watching world by regaining his ability to walk, and he has even confessed to jogging a few yards at the family home in Oklahoma. Byrd has been separated from one of his loves in life: football. " It hurts a whole lot," he says in describing what he has lost in not being able to suit up for the Jets anymore. "You can't replace it. I just keep hanging on to the memories." But there are other loves that his injury cannot take away. Like his love for Jesus Christ. As he began the long road to recovery, he faced the ki nd of crisis that would make some people doubt God's presence.

S PORTS S P EC T RU M • J/\ N UARY 1994

FOREVER

Yet Byrd says, " I was in a halo brace with tubes coming out of my body. I couldn 't move. Jesus Christ was with me more than ever. He gave me strength. It was an oppportunity to turn my back or to use the things I've learned all my life." He used his knowledge of God then, and continues to do so today. And his love for his family rem ains a continual source of help. " My wife loves me for who I am, not what I am," he has discovered. The results of that brutal hit that no one cares to see again have brought to Dennis Byrd a fame that he could never achieve by simply being a talented defensive end. " I certainly don 't remember being this good a football player to have this much attention," he said while still on the mend in New York City.

FRI E ND S

Yet the continuing interest in his recovery has had countless posi tive results. For instance, it has helped him and Angela begi n the Dennis Byrd Foundation, which will be the basis of a camp for chil dren in 1vheelchairs. Byrd's own sense of purpose has been solidi fied by what has transpired. " I know why it was me," he says. "The strength I have inside, I know I can get through this. I'm glad it was me and not someone else. I'd hate to have it happen to one of my teammates. I'm at peace with what I've got to do." And he kJJOws that no matter what he has to do as he continues to travel the long road to recovery, he will always have Jesus Christ in his heart and Angela, Ashton, and new baby Haley in his life.

A Helping Hand Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy has cooked up so1ne positive youth progra~ns TLANTA-BASED CHICKFIL-A, INC., the country's third largest chicken restaurant chain, is proud to be a sponsor of Quest At lanta '96, an outreach organization that is bringing together churches, ministries, and organizations to reach out to the community during the 1994 Super Bowl and the 1996 Olympics. Quest Atlanta's goal is to make a positive impact on youth, bu siness and government leaders, visitors, and practicall y every household in the city of Atlanta. In fact the magazine you are reading may be one of the several hundred thou sand copies that Quest Atlanta '96 arranged to distribute in the greater Atlanta area. Chick-fil-A , Inc. is in the business of serving customers great-tasting food and serving America's young people through enrichment programs. Truett Cathy, founder and CEO of Chick-fil -A, Inc., hl1s devel oped several programs geared toward the growth and education of young people, because he believes that " it is much easi er to build boys and girls than to mend men and women, especially if they are given the proper guidance, direction, and example- an example that demonstrates a caring and loving spirit." Here is a partial listing of the programs Chick-fil-A sponsors.

Cathy on the campus of Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Each year this foundation provides $16,000 scholarships to eligible Berry College students. ~

Caznp WinShape.

A summer camp program for boys and girls sponsored by the WinShape Centre Foundation. The philosophy here is to challenge campers to put forth their best effort in all of their endeavors. ~ WinShape Foster Care Prograzn. The

For the children. TrueH Cathy enjoys spending his time and his resources from Chick-fil-A to make life better for as many children and young people as possible.

.&.

~ $1,000 College Scholal'ship. Offered to

Chick-fil-A restaurant employees who have worked in the restaurant a minimum of 20 hours per week for 2 consecutive years and

are recommended by thei r Chickfil-A operator.

program's goal is to provide a loving, nurturing family environment for children who desperately need a caring home environment. Presently, there are seven foster homes: four in Georgia, and one each in Alabama, Tennessee, and Brazil. It is Chick-fil-A 's desire to continue to lend a helping hand to today's youth and to special groups like Quest Atlanta '96.

t:l ~

WinShape Centl'e Foundation, Inc. Established in 1984 by Truett

S PORTS S PECTRUM â&#x20AC;˘ J A NU ARY 1994

If you think you know about Irving Fryar because ofthe trouble he used to get into, it's time to meet the new, improved version By Victor L ee

RVING FRYAR IS TALKI NG FAST, AN IMATED-I-liS EXCITEMENT OVER- . FLOWING. TH E MIAMI D OLPHINS' WIDE RECEIVER WILL TELL ANY BODY WHO WILL LISTEN ABOUT HOW HE WAS SAVED FROM A LIFE TH AT LOOKED LI KE NOTHING BUT A ONE-WAY TICKET TO HELL.

Suddenly the talk slows, the voice drops. The eyes lock yours. "I sit down and think about some of the things I used to do and I cry," he says. "That's the way the deviltries to get us clown, by playing back that old stuff. " And playing it, and playing it, and playing it. 28

S PORTS S P EC TR U M â&#x20AC;˘ J A NUARY 1 994

There's always an unforgiving fan to and bled all night, then I got stitches the And people began to say, ' Maybe he got a bad rap,' But I hated people. I wouldn't go remind Fryar of the drugs, the drin king, next morning." the carousing, and that infamous night The case against Fryar was thrown out out. I'd go to work and go home, wouldn't something happened with a knife and his of court because he had come to the res- take my wife out, wouldn't go out in pubwife in the kitchen. It happened in the era cue of someone in danger. But never mind lic. I wasn't happy at all. of Fryar's life when, as he puts it, "the whether he was right or wrong in the "I was saved, but I really didn't know devil was having his way with me." court 's opinion. The effect remained. what I was doing." Even casual fans seem to recall that "1 realized as I was sitling in jail that He proved that on the night when he Fryar's finger was cut with a kitchen knife God was goi ng to chase me and chase me decided to go somewhere he shouldn 't. during a fight at home in January, 1986. "I and chase me until I got it right," he says "First time in 3 years I go anywhere, and went to Buffalo for a game and somebody now in retrospect. that happens," Fryar says. "And that wasn't yelled, 'Hey, Fryar, did your wife buy you The nightclub incident happened 3 even my fault. [Dykes] got into the argument and was gelling whipped a new set of kitchen knives?' " . . - - - - - - ---.,..--"""' Fryar recalls. by six guys, and I went to help And it's not j ust on the road him and wound up going to jail. that it happens. "My wife was in "So I realized, all I can do the stands here in Miami, our new different is not be there in the city where people are supposed to first place. All l can do is live lov e us, when a guy fo und out for the Lord. And that excludes who she was. He said, ' Don't hurl going to clubs. It was, ' Lord, I him no more, we need him. Don't understand now. Now I can go do nothing to him.' And it's been forward. ' That's when I accepted my calling." 7 years." Frustrating? A bit. But the mature What difference has it Irving Fryar understands the value made? "Now there is peace, there is of revealing the hurting, immature man he was several years ago: II direction, there is a plan, there only sharpens the contrast of his life is understanding," he responds. "I know what my purpose is in before and after he gave his life to Jesus Christ. life. I know I'm here to share "In 1984, when l was drafted, l Christ. I kno w if l seek the was on top of the world," Fryar Kingdom of God first, and all says. "I took my eye off Christ, His ri ghteousness, I' ll kno w and He let me stumble in my own what decisions to make." sins. Ever since 1've returned to Fryar doesn't want people to Him, He's taken me from the botwait until they' re at the point tom to the top in my personal life he was to seek God. and professional life." "When I turned my life over But was that botlom ever a deep to Christ, my back was against pit! Fryar was the first player chothe wall ," he says. "The only '""'Dl••c• direction I could go was to sen in the '84 NFL draft. He A Nice move. When Irving Fryar was traded from mixed fame, fortune, and his deci- New England, with whom he had played since 1984, to Christ. That's a bad place to sion to run from God. It was a Miami before the 1993 season began, he went from a team be, but in another way it's not so bad a place." near deadly blend that throughout that was 2-14 to a club that was In the running for a the first part of his career left him conference title. It wasn't the only time Fryar made a Frya r says the big differchange for the better. in situations like this: ence came when he started sharing his fai th- right after "One night I decided to go out to a club with [Patriots wide receiver] the nightcl ub incident. Hart Lee Dykes. He got into a fight, and I yea rs ago. Fryar, 3 1, now says he has Teammates were understandably skepcame to his rescue. I ended up gelling kno wn since 17 that he was ca lled to tical. arrested for having a gun. I wasn't carrying preach. He not only ignored the call, but "Guys said, ' Yeah, give him a week or it. l had gone back to my truck to get it altogether ignored Christ. Mired in off- so, he' ll be right back out there,' " Fryar because they were killing him . I came field difficulties that left on-field success recalls. "A year later, those same guys back, and l didn't point it at anybody. I less satisfyi ng, Fryar accepted Jesus as his were apologizing for cursing around me. just had it on me and I told them l had it on Savior 5 years ago, but even then not Not because of anything l said to them, but just because of what they saw. The me, and they left him alone. When the everything was made right. cops came, I told them I had a gun and "When I first confessed my faith, a peri- peace they could see. I came in smiling, they arrested me." od of 3 years went by and nothing hap- singing a Christian song. And it wasn' t For all his trouble, Fryar recalls, " I got pened," he explains. "I didn't tell anybody. for them, it was for me. It wasn't me sayhit wi th a baseball bat, got put in jail , I had been good, so to speak, for years. ing, ' Look what I'm doing, look at me

S P O RT S S P ECT RUM · J A NU A RY 1 99 4

IRVING FRYAR WIDE RECEIVER ENGlAND PATRIOTS SUPER BOWL XX January 26, 1986 Superdome, New Orleans Chicago Bears 46 New England Patriots 10

ll;l!J!I!iUtl:!;l was already miserable, and now his team was getting beat 44-3. In the Super Bowl, no less. The now infamous kitchen knife incident had left him with acut an.d bandaged hand, and New England Patriots coach Raymond Berry had left him on ttte bench. Was it discipline fo[ the incident, or fear that Fryar couldn't catch with the bandage? Jt didn't matter, as Fryar sat on the bench disgusted. "I'm sitting on the bench and Coach Berry runs up to me and says, 'Irving, we need six touchdowns to win this game. Get in there,' " Fryar recalls. "I wanted to laugh, but I went on in there and got one. That's my fondest Super Bowl memory." Not that Fryar had much to choose from-it was the Patriots' only touchdown in a 46-10 loss in Super. Bowl XX. "I was in the slot. It was a blitz, and I cut up underneath and [Steve) Grogan threw me the ball," Fryar recalls. "It was just an Byard play. I recognized blitz, cut across the middle, and hehit me. I think the safety vacated, so it was just me and thecorner." There was hardly any celebration. But of course, when your team is down so far in front of so many people, nothing is much fun. 30

reading the Bible. ' It was ju st the Lord in me, and they saw that." Fryar hurts for the people who can't see the advantage of knowing Christ and who are trapped by the devil ' s scheme- especiall y those who struggle and don't get embarrassed or caught, as he did. "They see people who call themselves Christians doing things wrong, and they call us hypocrites," he says. "But they don 't understand that when you become a Christian and confess your faith , that's when the dev il starts mess in g with you more, to take those weaknesses and use them even more to try to get you back. "Those people out having a ball-he doesn' t have to mess wit h them because he 's already got th em. People who are not Christians don 't understand that , and they don't have pati ence with Christians, then they close their mind to Christian ity. When th ey do that, that's just the devil winning; that's another soul the devil's got. He's got them off-balance, confused about Jesus Christ and what He can do in our life, how He can put peace and love in your heart and make you a new person." Fryar radiates peace and love, but his struggles did not end when he turned his life over to Jesus Christ. The batt les just became a different kind. Daughter Adrianne was born with a heart problem that has required three operations in her 3 years of life. "That situation has helped me focus more on Christ," Irving says. "I've been drawn closer. I've had some strength. I've had the will." How would the old Fryar have dealt with Adrianne's problems? "I would have just been there physically, not spiritually. I probably wouldn 't have had' the right words to say to my wife or to my daughter. Even though she's young, she knows my voice and whether it's soothing. "I would have been lacking in peace about the situation, not knowing if she would be all right or not, and not being strong for my wife. Who knows, maybe I wouldn 't have even been there." But he has been there, and Adri anne has recovered more quickly than expected. "They were expecting her to have another surgery when she's a teenager, but this last one corrected the problem," he explains. "She will lead a normal life. I know it and can believe that. It 's been prayed about and done."

Flying fish. The Dolphins' speedy receiver has already outraced his opponents for more than 6,000 yards and over 40 touchdowns in a career that Includes both Pro Bowl and Super Bowl appearances.

<1111

Aclrianne's is just another story of triumph in a life that could have been tragic. " I' ve had my up s and clowns, but I got a problemsolver," Fryar says. "I know how to get on my knees and pray to God every day. "People know about me all across the country. This happens almost every time somebody meets me and doesn't know me: After about 10 minutes they say, ' You're nothin g like the papers say you are.' I just sit there and laugh. "It 's ev idence of God' s power. When people meet me and they can see the peace that's in me and the direction I've taken- it' s powerful , man." r=l TOM OIPACE

Victor Lee is a sportswriter for The Palm Beach Post in West Palm Beach, Florida.

~----------------

NEVER LOSE HOPE

WHAT IRVING FRYAR WENT THROUGH earlier in his life is not unusual, nor is it nearly as dramatic and tragic as what many people must endure. In this day of increasing violence, dysfunction, and despair, perhaps you or someone you know has suffered through a life full of what can only be described as sin. Can someone who has grown up knowing only the worst view of the underside ollife still be forgiven by God? This analogy may help. A child who keeps stealing from his mother's purse, in spite of the reminders of his conscience, will eventually do this without any emotional struggle. When this happens, he may not be able to quit stealing_And probably he will no longer want to quit. One who continues to resist the promptings of the Holy Spirit will become so insensitive that the Spirit no longer speaks. When this happens, he can't believe. But it's not a matter of his wanting God and linding that God doesn't want him. Rather, it's a case of no longer caring. Through his persistent unbeliel he has effectively stilled the voice of the Spirit. If you desire God's forgiveness, you are never without hope. The very fact that you care is evidence that the Spirit is still working in your life. God will forgive and accept you if you repent and believe on Jesus Christ. He never turns away a repentant sinner. Remember, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13).

For a free booklet on forgiveness, check the box labeled "ForgivenessÂˇ on the card located between pages 24 and 25 and drop it in the mail.

s r o n T S SPECT RUM â&#x20AC;˘ .JANU A R Y 1994

OUT

the Hopeless

Three-ti~ne Super Bowl winner Joe Gibbs of the Washington Redskins ga~ne plan for solutions to life in this troubled society

reveals a

• By Joe Gibbs how much time goes by since I last paced the sidelines as an NFL head coach, I' II always have vivid memories of the two distinctly different feelings I would get walking off the field after a game. If it was a win, I was fi lled with fantastic satisfaction and a real sense of achievement. On the other hand, it's tough to forget the sickening feeling I had after a loss. Regardless of what may have gone well in the game, alii could think of was, "What was missing from our game plan?'' or "What am I doing wrong?" It was a feeling of complete hopelessness. Unfortunately, many people in today's world live their entire lives with a much deeper sense of hopelessness- a gnawing emptiness that won't go away. It's a hopelessness that comes from li ving apart from Jesus Christ. This void and emptiness is at the hear1 of society's problems today. How else can you explain that the divorce rate keeps spiraling higher and higher, that America has become the world's murder capital, that elementary children carry guns to school, and that illegal drugs are destroying our citizens? During the 27 years I was in coaching, I had the opportunity to be around some of the wealthiest, most talented, and most famous athletes in the world. You would think these men would have been the happiest bunch of guys you would ever meet. This was not usually the case. I've discovered that no matter how many cars you own, how much money you make, or how many Super Bowls you win, there will always be an empty place in

regardless of how "successful" I am gives me confidence in everything I do, and it fills me with a true sense of hope. For the next few minutes, pretend that you're one of my players, and that I'm your coach. As your coach, I want to give you the best game plan possible- a game plan that will give you hope. For the plan to work, you have to believe in it and give it all your heart. It's as simple as ABC. Jesus desires that you have a personal relationship with Him. To begin, follow these simple guidelines.

0 MATTER

"lldmit" that you have sinned.

008 ROSATO

.A. A proven winner. Whether

guiding an NFL team or running things for the Joe Gibbs Racing team on the NASCAR c irc uit, Gibbs knows how to win- at s ports and in life.

your hear1 that can only be fi lled by having a relationship with the One who created you- Jesus Christ. He's the only One who will always love you and always be there for you. Unconditionally. The world loves you as long as you're on top, but as soon as you · mess up, or you're out of the limelight, you become a "has-been." I've gone from being labeled a "genius" to being dubbed a "buffoon" in a single day. Jesus Christ has always been there for me through good times and bad. He has been my source of hope and strength- not only after the three Super Bowl wins, but after the losses, the tough times, and the personal struggles. Knowing that He loves me

Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Sin is what separates us from God. All of us, at some point, have tumed our backs on God and chosen to do our own will rather than His. A person can do all the good deeds in the world, but they mean nothing if they are done apart from a relationship with Christ. This step is simply acknowledging to God that we understand our separation from Him, and that we want Him to rectify the situa-

"Believe" that Christ died for your sins.

Acts 16:3 1 tells us "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." This means understandi ng that Jesus took your sins on Himself by dying on a cross. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death." In other words, God's penalty for our separation from Him is death. God loves us clearly and doesn't want to see us hurt, yet He is also a just God who must uphold His law. Therefore,

SPORT S SPECTRUM • JANUARY 1 994

He performed the ultimate sacrifice by giving His Son Jesus as a substitute for each of us-to suffer a penalty we deserved to pay. The only requirement is that you sincerely believe that Christ paid your debt by dying on the cross. "Commit" yourself to Him.

Romans I0: I0 proclaims, "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Committing your heart to Jesus simply means putting your faith in Christ to save you. It means asking God to begin a relationship with you right where you are! Start ing a relationship with God is really that simple! It begins with a prayer of faith to God, in which you admit your sin, believe in Jesus' gift of salvation, and commit your life to Him. I challenge you to take an honest look at this game plan. It comes from my heart, and since it has eternal consequences, I think it deserves serious consideration. I believe it is the most important decision you will ever make. It breaks my heart to see people trying to fi nd hope in possessions and winding up with nothing but emptiness. Without Christ, my life would be an exercise in futility. Jes us Christ has given me hope in seemingly hopeless situations. I pray that you will consider how He can give your life hope too. D If you would like more information about having your sins forgiven, let us know. For a free booklet on tile subject, check the box marked "Salvation" on the response card located beMeen pages 24 and 25 and send it to us. Sending the card puts you under no obligation. 31

LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL So what happens to you on the day after? Do you wake up on January 31 with an empty feeling in the pit of your stomach? The Georgia Dome is quiet now, and the NFL season is over. Since training camps started last summer, you've studied the stats, watched the games, and spent the rest of your week talking about quarterbacks, coaches, and touchdowns. But now it's over. The next game isn't until August. And you're wondering what will fill the void. We'd like to help.

Sports Spectrum magazine goes beyond the bowl. We don't stop with football as the year sweeps past. Each month we keep you informed about people in basketball, baseball, auto racing, soccer, and lots of other sports. We've been demonstrating that there is life after football for a long time as we've featured athletes like Michael Chang, Joe Carter, Betsy King, John Smeltz, Mark Price, David Robinson, and many others. So why not try Sports Spectrum for a year, and let us help you get out of your post Super Bowl doldrums. Yes, there is life after football. And we have the athletes to prove it- athletes who will also tell you how to discover something even better- life after death. Eternal life.

Sports Spectrum. Because life goes an after the Super Bawl. Discovery House Publishers Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 49501 -3566

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID RADIO BIBLE CLASS

FORWARD & ADDRESS CORRECTION

â&#x20AC;˘ Don't miss a single issue. To subscribe, simply return the card inside, or call toll tree: 1-800-653-8333