BB: It’s been a few years now, but some people might not know you used to be chair of the Community Leadership program here at Aquinas.

GH: That’s right. I helped in the program for about six years. I was the program’s first director, and I taught in the major.
BB: What is the state of green jobs in Grand Rapids, and where are they headed?

GH: I just got back from Rochester, New York last week, and I was on a speaking assignment comparing our two cities. Rochester, like Grand Rapids, was a major manufacturing center. They had Kodak and Xerox and both of those companies have basically closed up and left town now. Just like in our city all of our tool and dye manufacturers have left town and Steelcase, which was once our biggest employer, is not today. Almost all of the manufacturing jobs have left Michigan for the southern states, but especially for China and Mexico.

GH: We’re two cities struggling to find ourselves, but Grand Rapids is, I would say, reinventing itself as an economy based around sustainability and around life sciences. (Last week I was at) the Life Sciences Expo at GRCC field house and 15 new companies involved in manufacturing for the life sciences field – medical parts and emerging technologies—were there.

GH: The same thing is happening in sustainability. A few weeks ago we announced a Spanish company is moving to Grand Rapids and opening an office here. They work in wind energy. They are one of the two largest wind companies in Spain and this will be their first U.S. location in Grand Rapids developing wind power and that means there will be wind turbine manufacturers and there will be jobs at the level of engineers and design and at the level of manufacturing.

GH: When I compare to Rochester, New York, I think we’re five years ahead in this process of reinventing ourselves, and I feel pretty good about that. I think the potential and the new jobs that are being created in research, design and development in renewable energy and production will be really important for our future.

BB: Will stimulus money fund green projects and what types of projects will these be?

GH: It will (fund green projects) and we’re already planning for that. For example, we’ve got, in the first year, $1.9 million for the energy efficiency block grant program so the city has an extra $1.9 million to spend on energy efficiency projects and we’re trying to decide how to spend that. Do we use it for retrofitting City Hall and other municipal buildings? Or can we be more creative than that? Can we use it to stimulate new production and new jobs in the renewable energy field? Our inclination is the latter that we really think that there’s potential here to use these dollars.

GH: This is year one and we’ll continue to get that funding in succeeding years that we can use to stimulate a renewable energy economy here in Grand Rapids. Another example is we got $6.9 million for home retrofitting for low income households to retrofit them for energy efficiency. We’ll be in the process of training people for an energy audit and retrofitting these properties to make them more energy efficient.

BB: How else does Grand Rapids work with State and Federal government to fight the recession and also, whether together or separately, engage in green initiatives?

GH: Well, Grand Rapids has really set out on a path of sustainability. You know, we’re the first, and one of two, U.S. cities designated by the United Nations as a Regional Center of Expertise in Sustainability. It’s a passion of mine, and we’re beginning to rebuild an entire economy around sustainability. We’re working with the Obama administration on energy projects right now, on public transportation projects and all things I think fit into the concept of sustainability.

BB: Why was Grand Rapids able to catch onto the sustainability movement and make it part of their identity?

GH: What’s kind of intriguing is to look back at the history of LEED development in this country. The whole idea of green building started here in Zeeland with the Herman Miller company and the Hayworth company. They started doing their own work on their own buildings to make them sustainable and green. Then they said, “If it works here, why shouldn’t it work everywhere?”

GH: They started the process that launched the U.S. Green Building Council. The USGBC then developed LEED standards. This was about 15 years ago, and our area was already seen as an incubator for green initiatives.

GH: When I came to office in 2004, I brought a passion for environmental things with me, and we just started chipping away at some of these programs. We get 20 percent of our municipal energy from renewables and I’ve set a goal of 100 percent by 2020. All of the vehicles in our fleet from police cars to garbage trucks run on alternative fuel. We’ve been involved in a 15 year process of cleaning the Grand River and making sure that those waters are pristine again. It’s sort of become part of the culture of Grand Rapids, and I am delighted with that.

BB: What would be one of your dream visions for a green initiative?

GH: Wow. Well, I’ve already set a goal for us to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2020, and we’re the only city that’s been that aggressive. I haven’t heard of anybody in the country that thinks they can get to 100 percent. People say I’m crazy, but I absolutely believe with the technologies we have today and the new technologies we’ll have between now and 2020 that it will be possible for municipal government to be free of alliance from fossil fuel power, but business will be there as well as colleges and universities. The thing I’d love to leave as a legacy as mayor, if I could speak that way, is to move from dirty coal-burning power to clean renewables using the wind and the sun and the water.

BB: Speaking of dirty coal, students around Michigan have been working to help fight the eight proposed coal-fired power plants for our state. For students who want to keep getting involved in the green movement, what would you suggest they do?

GH: Not only for students but for all of us, it starts with our own way of life and making the changes in how we live, whether it’s with the kinds of cars we drive or whether it’s public transportation, whether we buy green energy and how we choose to live in the world. Beyond that there are phenomenal opportunities for students to be involved in political advocacy at the federal, state and local levels.

GH: For example, I know there were a lot of student groups that were actively involved in getting a renewable energy portfolio for Michigan. After three years of fighting in the legislature for that, we finally got an RPS last year. It’s kind of a tepid one. It’s not very strong. It’s not as good as we wanted, but it’s a start. We take that, we go from there and continue to advocate.

GH: The Sierra Club has a lawsuit against the City of Holland to try to stop (the expansion of) their plant and there’s every reason for students and others to be supportive of Sierra Club’s efforts when they call for letters to legislators. We should be responding. They’ve had some rallies in Holland and they turned out a lot of people. I’d love to see a bus full of Aquinas students going down to Holland to protest. It’s an important issue.

BB: The Class of 2009 keeps hearing about how this will be one of the most difficult times for a student to graduate in decades. For lack of prettier terminology, why would a graduating senior want to stay here in Grand Rapids?

GH: First, I’d be less than honest if I didn’t admit that Michigan’s economy is in the toilet. It’s a terrible economy right now, but when you look around the state, Grand Rapids is the one city that is really thriving right now. Ann Arbor is doing well right now too, but Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor are the only two cities that are really thriving in Michigan today.

GH: I think that’s because we’ve made this commitment and investment in sustainability. It’s because we have philanthropists like Peter Wege who are behind it and are putting significant money into making this a sustainable community for decades to come. My word to students today who are getting ready to graduate is “don’t despair.” There are opportunities in Grand Rapids. We’ve already seen signs that this local economy is reviving and starting to heat up, especially for students in the sustainable business field. I think this is a great time to be in the area and to be graduating. It’s going to take some digging. It’s going to take some persistence. It might even take some time, but it’s a good place to be.

BB: Despite being urban, Grand Rapids is not an area devoid of green spaces and is certainly near some extremely important natural features for Michigan. Governor Granholm has indicated that rectifying the budget will include cutting some funding directed towards natural resources management and preservation. How can a recession put environmental initiatives at risk?

GH: In the budget right now, the state has to solve for a deficit of $750 million. That means, next year, 2010, they’ll be solving for deficits near $1.7 to $1.9 billion. The state is in rough shape right now and environmental programs have already suffered. Funding to cities has suffered and I’m really concerned.

GH: I hope that the legislature can get up the courage to restructure the taxes in Michigan so we can get a fair tax program that can support these emerging sustainable businesses and will support environmental improvements like wetland protection because we just don’t have the revenues today to do it. The answer is Michigan is in trouble and if we don’t find ways to raise the revenue through new taxation, we’re going to continue to struggle.

We are now nearing the end of a NCAA Tournament that was largely devoid of George Masons. Many people now mourn the loss of their brackets with the early exits of Memphis and Louisville.

However, local Spartans fans are certainly relishing the upset win they put on the Cards to reach the Final Four, and undoubtedly, their ability to overcome Louisville’s stifling defense surprised almost everyone. Outstanding guard play and balanced offense has helped get MSU on the verge of a national title berth.

Meanwhile, Villanova, the other non-number one seed to reach the Final Four, has looked nothing less than fierce with their aggressive defense and clutch play.

Nova will have a tall, tall order attempting to upset UNC, who has looked relentless with the return of Ty Lawson from turf toe. UNC has to be the national title favorite. Even if an opponent shuts down one of the Tarheels’ offensive threats, be it Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green or Ty Lawson, the other two will easily score 20 to 30 points.

The post play of Hansbrough, as well as his aptitude for avoiding foul trouble, will cancel out any other big man in the country. The ‘Heels can survive both a scrappy, low-scoring game or an offensive shoot-out.

The Huskies of UConn, in the meantime, seem the likely choice over MSU. Of course, everyone thought that about the Spartans against Louisville. The Huskies have one thing the Cards lacked against State, however — an inside presence.

And Hasheem Thabeet is one of the most formidable post players in the nation. If he gets into a foul trouble, and he is prone to it, State will have a chance.

All four Final Four teams will play this Saturday with MSU facing UConn at 6:07 p.m. and Nova facing UNC around 8:47 p.m.

The Final Four is being held in Detroit at Ford Field.

Only 18 days until March Madness. Of course, you knew that already. Here are some important notes to consider before you make your picks:

Davidson guard Stephen Curry is as legitimate as ever, despite the ankle sprain he is nursing. However, Davidson is not. Curry does not have the help he had last season, and when anyone is getting triple-teamed, they’re not going to score much. Even if Curry goes off for 40 points, Davidson is still capable of losing.

More locally, in the Big Ten, Michigan State has been characteristically inconsistent. On Sunday, they escaped a sub-par Wisconsin at home. In fact, two of their three Big Ten losses have occurred in East Lansing. A team looking to head deep into the tournament should dominate at home. If the team can generate momentum heading into the national tournament, they will need to generate it behind forward Raymar Morgan, who is still recovering from walking pneumonia.

MSU will clash with Illinois on Sunday (March 1) in what will be a crucial statement game for both teams. Illinois has proven itself dangerous, although equally inconsistent, especially in their offensive production despite four starters averaging double-figures in scoring.

Michigan will be one of the most difficult bubble decisions for the selection committee on Selection Sunday. Their Big Ten play has proven they cannot beat the top tier conference teams like MSU, Illinois and Purdue. On the other hand, their resume holds early season wins over UCLA and Duke, and a close loss to UConn on Feb. 7. Michigan cannot afford another conference loss, and will need to beat Wisconsin in Madison on Sunday (March 1) to give the committee a little more confidence.

Outside the Big Ten, two up and down ACC teams—Duke and UNC—have those looking for big bracket upsets drooling. However, these George Mason fans should look elsewhere—or take a look at the rosters of these two teams. The Blue Devils and Tar Heels have two of the most athletic rosters in all of college basketball, and with the caliber of their coaching these teams will be geared up and prepared for the tournament.

Those looking for big early round upsets might take a second look at Jerome Dyson-less UConn, vulnerable Oklahoma and occasionally offensively inept Pitt.

Things are getting hairy in the WHAC as the race for the regular season title intensifies. Aquinas and Cornerstone currently sit in a first place tie, each with two losses, while Indiana Tech and Davenport lurk in second place with three conferences losses each.

The Saints started WHAC play with six wins but struggled in their home match-up against Cornerstone on Jan. 28. Although Aquinas never had a lead, the Saints nearly came back from a 14 point deficit with ten minutes to play before finally succumbing to a 73-69 loss. Senior center Pedja Lazic scored a game high 25 points to go with ten rebounds to record yet another double-double. However, the Golden Eagles capitalized on 16 Saints turnovers, turning it into 16 Cornerstone points.

Aquinas rebounded the following Saturday in Adrian, Mich. where they subdued Siena Heights 75-61. Junior guard John Lierman contributed 32 points and 13 rebounds for the double-double, while senior guard James Telman made four of seven three point attempts to end the game with 17 points.

However, the Saints could not maintain the momentum in a sluggish performance at Davenport that resulted in a 76-61 loss in which they scored only 19 points in the first half. Lazic recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 22 points and 15 rebounds in the loss. Lierman added 21 points.

On Saturday, the Saints got back on the winning track with a dominant 62-39 win over Concordia. Aquinas shot 50 percent from beyond the arc, with Telman scoring a game high 14 points, shooting four of six three point attempts. Senior guard Jordan Torres added 13 points. The win brought the Saints overall record to 17-9, with an 8-2 conference record.

A feistier Saints defense allowed less than 40 points and forced the Cardinals to 23 turnovers. Aquinas outscored Concordia 34-14 after going into halftime with a mere three point lead. Telman could not understate the importance of the victory.

“This win was huge, because it allowed us to see the type of effort we needed to put on the court each night,” said Telman. “It also showed the type of defense we need to play.”

The Saints’ defense ranks in the top 25 nationally in four categories—including fifth in the nation in points allowed per game, a stingy 62 average.

Aquinas will continue a critical three game home stand tonight versus Madonna at 8 p.m. They’ll play their final regular season home game this Saturday at 1 p.m. when they face UM-Dearborn.

The final two game stretch of the regular season will put the Saints on the road at two of the league’s toughest home courts—Indiana Tech on Feb. 18 and at nearby Cornerstone on Feb. 21.

By January, I am inevitably ready for baseball season to start again — the thaw this past weekend only exacerbated the problem. Fortunately, on Saturday, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Spring Training.

The Tigers staff could use the extra time. Pitching was a major weakness for the underperforming Detroit Tigers last season. Still, when the pitchers and catchers head to Lakeland, Fla. on Valentine’s Day, both will still be in quite a bit of doubt from the starting rotation down to the bullpen. Pitching could remain a major issue for the Tigers throughout the 2009 season. Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman are definite starters while Armando Gallaraga, Dontrelle Willis and Zach Miner will probably all see some starting time. Meanwhile, newcomer from the Tampa Bay Rays Edwin Jackson might find himself in the fourth starting position as well.

As for the bullpen, there will be some familiar faces with Fernando Rodney, Joel Zumaya, Bobby Seay and Freddy Dolsi. Cringing yet? Freddy Dolsi has some legitimate firepower, but it’s entirely possible the Joel Zumaya of 2006 is gone forever. Meanwhile, we can rejoice in the absence of ulcer-inducing Todd Jones from the closer position. Still, the bullpen is disturbingly incomplete — after all, bullpens win championships.

The rest of the team will arrive for Spring Training by the following Saturday to get ready for Opening Day on April 6 at the Toronto Blue Jays — hopefully a snow free affair, as the Rogers Centre dome roof will likely be closed. Meanwhile, the Tigers will spend Spring Training in “Tiger Town” for the 73rd year where it is forecasted to be 78 degrees and sunny when catchers and pitchers report (in contrast to 27 degrees and cloudy here in Grand Rapids).

The optimism for the Tigers might remain on the cold side as the season begins after the Tigers’ last place finish in the American League Central in 2008 which started with zero wins in their first seven games.

Today, the outfield remains the smallest of the Tigers’ daunting question marks. Curtis Granderson and Magglio Ordonez will remain in their usual spots, while Carlos Guillen is projected to roam left field. I find this a bit strange given that his knees were too old to play shortstop, but he is an important contributor at the plate.

Recent acquisition from the Texas Rangers Gerald Laird will likely be the Opening Day catcher, but the Tigers seemed to miss “Pudge” Rodriguez’s leadership and heart in 2008 more so than his catching skills after he was traded to the New York Yankees mid-season.

Miguel Carbrera, a bright spot of the Tigers’ inconsistent offense last season, will remain at first base and continue to be a huge factor at the plate. Brandon Inge will return to third base where Tigers’ fans can continue to hope he’ll learn, at age 31, to contribute to the offense consistently. I maintain that if Inge could hit, he would be a Gold Glove winner at the hot corner.

Inge should have some help on the left side with the addition of shortstop Adam Everett, formerly of the Houston Astros, who signed with Detroit in December. On the MLB’s most underrated and consistent players, Placido Polanco will remain at second base to round out the infield. Marcus Thames and Ryan Raburn will most likely be crucial utility players since manager Jim Leyland compulsively rests starters.

Detroit has a legitimate chance to win the AL-Central but will need to be able to hit against quality pitching, unlike last season, and likewise, be able to stymie good hitting with starters going deep into games. Detroit will have to contend with the likes of the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins as frontrunners to win the division.

The Tigers will not play their home opener until April 10 after a four game road trip in Toronto. The opener will begin a three game weekend series against the Texas Rangers. The Tigers, provided they can beat inferior teams the likes of Texas and Toronto, will have an important early season test against the New York Yankees which could gauge their ability to compete for playoff contention in the perennially merciless American League.

On Jan. 24, two of the WHAC’s top teams met in the field house under circumstances they wouldn’t have expected in November. Indiana Tech was favored to win the WHAC in the pre-season, but two early season conference losses have thrown the Warriors dangerously to the edge of contention.

Meanwhile, Aquinas’ team, picked second in the pre-season, started the season 0-5. Since then, the Saints have gone 15-2, won 11 in a row and are first in the conference at 6-0.

Despite Indiana Tech’s two surprising losses, head coach Dave Hammer knew the Warriors would pose a challenge to the Saints.

“We knew Tech couldn’t afford to fall three games behind and would have a great opportunity to get within one game of us,” said Hammer. “They’re very athletic and took advantage of mismatches with us.”

The Saints prevailed in the defensive battle winning 68-61. Four starters scored in double figures with senior guard Jordan Torres making big contributions defensively while adding 13 points, six assists and no turnovers.

Seniors James Telman and Pedja Lazic added 16 points each, while junior guard John Lierman led the Saints with a double-double, 18 points and ten rebounds.

While freshman forward Jake Shockey scored zero points in the win, he, Lazic and Torres are the only players to have started all 22 games for Aquinas, and Hammer asserts that Shockey’s contributions cannot be understated.

“He does all of the things that will never show up in the stat book — hustle, mismatches, wearing people down because defenders have to chase him down,” said Hammer. “He’s a good passer and does everything with energy.”

Among the other freshman players, guard Damacious White has made important contributions coming from the bench as sixth man, averaging seven points per game.

Hammer also described the team’s senior leadership as crucial to the Saints’ win over Indiana Tech. Of the senior players, Lazic’s play and senior leadership has been integral to the Saints’ success. He leads the WHAC in rebounding averaging almost nine rebounds per game in addition to scoring nearly 11 points per game. Lazic has also picked up six double-doubles this season and has been named WHAC Player-of-the-Week twice. 

With the win, Aquinas remains one game ahead of Davenport, an unexpected forerunner in the conference race with a 5-1 record. Hammer says the WHAC will remain in question until the last games of the season.

“There’s five teams that can still win this,” said Hammer. “Obviously we’re in the lead right now, but we’ve got Indiana Tech, Cornerstone, Davenport and Siena Heights.”

Aquinas will have to face each of the four other teams on their home courts in the second round of WHAC play which will begin when they travel to Siena Heights on Saturday.

They will follow that up on Feb. 4 with an important match-up against second place Davenport before returning to the field house for a three game home stand in February.

The Saints undefeated conference record will face a stiff test versus rival Cornerstone tonight in the field house at 8 p.m. The Golden Eagles are 5-2 in the WHAC and 15-8 overall.

Lazic will renew his battle in the post with Cornerstone center Matt Kingshott, who leads the Golden Eagles in scoring, averaging over 18 points per game. 

The Saints will also get another look at guard Caleb Simons in his sophomore campaign. Simons is averaging nearly 14 points per game. A pair of sophomores, guard Dominic Allen and forward Kelvin DeVries, round out Cornerstone’s balanced attack, each averaging ten points per game.

The Golden Eagles’ offensive attack is good for tenth best in the nation, scoring over 85 points per game and shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Their explosive offense will need to overcome the Saints’ stifling defense which has allowed a stingy 62 points per game, the tenth best scoring defense in the country.

Torres says “the cross town rivalry is one of the most anticipated games of the year.” Hammer adds that he expects the game to be a “dog fight.”

“Cornerstone has a team that can wear you down, because they bring in 11 players,” said Hammer. “They run the ball, press the ball and I think it’s going to be a great Cornerstone-Aquinas game like we’ve come to expect the last two or three years.”

Here, I could print a litany of clichés about how crucial and defining music can be to our life experience, but the fact goes without being said. Without tons of pomp and circumstance or any attempt to be original or obscure, here are my five favorite albums of all time.

I hesitate to include a greatest hits album on this list, but if you’re a fan of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, you know how difficult it is to pick their best album – although I imagine true aficionados have strong opinions one way or another.

That said, “The Essential Simon and Garfunkel” is my favorite album of all time. Simon is a song writer without precedent – see, “A Poem on the Underground Wall” or “The Boxer.” Garfunkel is one of the most underrated vocalists of the era – see, “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her” or “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The album, 33 tracks total, is a true experience. Simon and Garfunkel’s work is truly art, something to savor and immerse yourself into. My favorite track of all time? “America.”

The next four are all tied for second place. “By the Way” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, released in the summer of 2002, after my freshman year of high school. The album blew my mind. The album embodies rock and high level melodic, classical-type music.

Lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis’ vocals are both edgy and deep. His voice is totally original, certainly a key to the Chili Peppers’ success and longevity. The lyrics have the Chili Peppers signature catchiness, as well as their characteristic x-rated content. “By the Way” is one of my all time favorite’s, because of the variety of songs throughout the album. The album is flawless from the first track (By the Way) to the last (Venice Queen).

Muse is one of the greatest bands of all time – again, true artists. Matthew Bellamy’s haunting and powerful vocals are some of the best of our era. His piano playing is equally mesmerizing. A strong argument can be made for each of their four major albums, but “Absolution” was the one I heard first when it was released in early 2004. “Absolution” is a journey, sometimes frenzied, other times, slow and methodical.

“Sing for Absolution,” “Hysteria” and “Thoughts of a Dying Atheist” are tracks that define this album for me. Muse can easily be likened to Radiohead, but at the same time, to call the band a copy would be a huge mistake.

“Bang Bang” by Dispatch is a major deviation from the rock sound of Muse and the Chili Peppers, but the band embodies my love for acoustic, occasionally folk, sound and for indie-style bands in general. Their music was always satisfyingly simple and spoke easily to the heart.

Meanwhile, their vocals, often with two and three part harmonies, were thoughtful and effective. “The General,” from the album “Bang Bang,” is probably Dispatch’s most famous song, insofar as they were famous. “Bats in the Belfry” is a ridiculously fun, upbeat song, while the final track “Out Loud” is one of my favorite, most poignant love songs. I was devastated when the band finally split up.

Finally, “Wincing the Night Away” by The Shins has been a recent addition to my top five – it was released in January 2007. The album is utterly absorbing with flowing instrumentation and James Mercer’s strong, yet somehow light-hearted, vocals. The Shins make complex instrumentation sound incredibly uncluttered and simple.

This album is especially good because it is an experience as a whole, not just a collection of disparate tracks. An intangible theme is captured throughout. Although, it’s difficult for me to break the tracks up I especially like Australia and Sea Legs.

Not far from my top five are 30 Seconds of Mars’ “A Beautiful Lie” with Jared Leto’s awesome vocals, the Fray’s “How to Save a Life,” Outkast’s “Stankonia,” Rage Against the Machine’s “Renegades” and VAST’s “Music for People.” 

If you have not heard about Tiger Woods’ performance in the US Open this past spring, then you are in the dark about one of the greatest individual performances in modern sports history. Playing on a torn ACL and essentially a broken leg, Tiger won the Open despite playing 19 extra holes before capturing the victory.

I have recently joined the club of the sympathetic in terms of knee injuries, and the very idea of golfing with the torque required on a torn ACL is enough to make me a little queasy. Golfing on a torn ACL is like eating carrots with a shattered jaw.

Yes, appreciating how hardcore Tiger was during the US Open is not lost on many people, but now that I find myself crutching around like a fish out of water, months away from tossing a Frisbee or shooting hoops, I have come to appreciate another thing from Tiger – his patience. As the dominant player in his sport, you would think he would have a sense of urgency about returning to the green. Nope. He is going to do the best thing for him and wait it out, and he will prolong his career as a reward.

Take the Chargers linebacker Shawn Merriman as an example of what not to do. Ignoring doctors’ advice (Yes, more than one.), Merriman insisted on playing this season, despite serious knee injuries. In fact, doctors reportedly warned that playing on the injured knee could cause career-ending injuries. While that remains unknown, Merriman’s season ended after week one.

Merriman’s rush is an extreme example of the harm rushing an injury can cause – a problem that continues to be pervasive in all of sports, but, most disconcertingly, at the high school and college levels.

The warrior in us tends to glorify playing injured. Have you ever seen clips of Steeler’s back-up quarterback Byron Leftwich while at Marshall? Get on YouTube, and you’ll see clips of Leftwich versus Akron. After sustaining a shin injury in the first half that required him to go to the hospital during halftime, Leftwich returned in the third quarter and was carried several times to the line of scrimmage by his linemen.

America loves it when the so-called pretty boys of football, the quarterbacks, put their bodies on the line – John Elway’s scramble in the Super Bowl, Drew Brees tearing up his shoulder during the playoffs. The list goes on.

Kirk Gibson’s World Series homerun for the Dodgers on two bad knees is defined as one of the greatest moments in all of sports. Gymnast Kerri Strug provided one of the most poignant moments in Olympic history for Team USA in 1996 when she clinched the gold medal for the team after vaulting on a badly injured ankle. Of course, there is also Curt Schilling’s dubious bloody sock.

Then, there’s Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler who was diagnosed over the summer with Type 1 diabetes after suffering months of ill-health and extreme fatigue. Despite the seriousness of this form of diabetes, Cutler has managed the recent diagnosis in his second year as the full-time starting quarterback for the Broncos.

Lance Armstrong could be one of the most famous athletes to overcome a disease, but many also forget that he also crashed badly in 2003 in route to one of his seven consecutive Tour de France wins after getting clipped by a fan’s bag.

Yes, some of the most memorable, gutsy moments in sports have revolved around playing through injury. The Natural, noted as one of the all-time best sports movies, capitalizes on the value we place on this sort of determination as the hero plays with bullets in his abdomen. A shout-out to Rocky Balboa seems necessary right now.

I imagine that our fascination and admiration of those who display such toughness is not dissimilar to the awe with which regard those wounded in combat. After sustaining a serious injury, few of us can even imagine continuing. To see a person persevere through pain is one of the true, universal testaments to the human spirit.

No, there wasn’t as much mayhem in college football this weekend, but the relative predictability of the results gave us a picture of the teams in the hunt for the national championship – and it is clear no conference has more championship caliber teams than the Big 12.

The Oklahoma Sooners, ranked first in the nation for the second week, have yet to play legitimate competition. They scored more than 50 points in each of their first three games and after a 49-17 trouncing of Baylor on Saturday, the nation’s top team is 5-0. Normally, reading anything into wins over five weak teams would mean very little, but in an era of Appalachian States and Oregon States, performing to expectations and not falling asleep can say a lot. Sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford is mature and has two good targets in senior receivers Manuel Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias. Thus far, the defense has been stifling.

The Sooners will face their first true test against the feisty Texas Longhorns, fifth in the nation, this coming weekend. This will be a crucial barometer test for both teams who will look to establish themselves as the BCS contender out of the Big 12 and the probably winner of the Big 12 South. Texas has begun to reap the rewards of third year junior starting quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy wills the offense to score. If he can’t throw the ball, he will run with some surprising quickness. In addition to his 16 touchdown passes this season and he also leads the team in total rush yards, yards per carry (7.0). Texas’ youthful but stingy defense has also been key to the Longhorn’s success.

After traveling to Oklahoma, the Longhorns will host the third BCS contender out of the Big 12 – Missouri, ranked third in the country. Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri could easily fill the top three rankings in the nation. Missouri boasts the best offense in the nation averaging more than 53 points per game. The Tigers defense made a strong stand at Nebraska to ensure the easy 52-17 victory over the Cornhuskers last Saturday – their first victory there in 30 years. Mizzou is lead by Heisman candidate Chase Daniel who has thrown 15 touchdowns and only one pick back on Aug. 30 against Illinois. Sophomore tailback Derrick Washington completes the Tiger’s offensive juggernaut. Washington has run for two touchdowns in each of Missouri’s first five games and has also caught two. He ran for 139 yards against Nebraska averaging 9.9 yards per carry. The Tigers will go to Texas on Oct. 18 to play for what could be a chance at a first place national ranking.

Like last year, the likelihood of two undefeated teams playing for the BCS championship is slim. Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma (all 5-0 right now) could all each hand a losses to each other, especially if Missouri meets Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game. You can bet on one of these three teams making it to the national championship game on New Year’s.

Dizzy yet? If you watched college football this week, you are. When the dust settled, eight teams nationally ranked in the Associated Press top 25 at the time lost. Among the eight were the first, third, and fourth-ranked teams – USC, Georgia and Florida. Among the top ten other victims was ninth-ranked Wisconsin. The survivors in the top ten included Oklahoma, LSU, Missouri (had a bye) and Texas Tech (had a bye) – ranked second, fifth, sixth and tenth respectively.

USC unfurled the chaos on Thursday with a loss to Oregon State 27-21 in which the Trojans were behind 21-0 at halftime. Meanwhile, Georgia’s loss Saturday night to Alabama was perhaps the most legitimate out of the top ten. The Bulldogs never held a lead in the game, and the youthful Crimson Tide swept them away 41-30. The Florida Gators fell to Ole Miss 31-30 after having an extra point blocked with 40 seconds left in the game. Last year’s Heisman winner Tim Tebow passed for 319 yards but only one touchdown in the loss.

No preseason analyst could have predicted this week’s AP rankings with the Oklahoma Sooners ahead of the Crimson Tide. Oklahoma has yet to face a respectable opponent, but on Oct. 11, they will host the constantly maturing Colt McCoy and the feisty Texas Longhorns.

Ranked second this week is Alabama who has one of the toughest schedules in the NCAA. How good are the Tide? Knowing mastermind head coach Nick Saban, the sky is the limit for this team’s return to glory. Quarterback John Parker Wilson will lead his team into the bayou, where Saban won a national title, to face LSU, currently the third best team in the country, on Nov. 8.

The SEC is the most dangerous conference in college football. On a given day, anyone can fall. Ask Florida who third-ranked LSU will face the Gators in the swamp on Oct. 11. Many people will not recognize the Tigers, but they are as feisty and athletic as ever. LSU already faced a stiff test when they won at 13-ranked Auburn 26-21. However, the Tigers will depend on the continuing development of their 19-year-old quarterback Jarrett Lee.

The next two teams in the top five are out of the Big 12 who could be the best league in the NCAA this season. Fourth-ranked Missouri, behind Heisman finalist and hopeful Chase Daniel, boasts one of the best offenses in the country. Daniel loves passing to the dangerous sophomore wide-out Derrick Washington. This Saturday neither of the two will be taking their trip to Nebraska lightly even if the Cornhuskers are not the program they used to be.

Who will rise to the top in the Big 12? The eyes of Texas hope it’s the Longhorns whose dreams lie in the extremely talented and versatile McCoy at quarterback. Texas’ road is no party and even traveling to Colorado this Saturday cannot be taken lightly. After that, the Longhorns face four opponents currently ranked in the AP – Oklahoma, fourth-ranked Missouri, 21-ranked Oklahoma State and seven-ranked Texas Tech.

Only one Big Ten team found themselves in the top ten this week, but the Penn State Nittany Lions deserve the sixth spot. This team is a juggernaut offensively. JoePa’s crew will roll into the ‘Shoe on Oct. 25 and may well be the favorite in the game. If Penn State does not lapse, they will run away with the Big Ten championship.

Other teams of intrigue include the eighth-ranked BYU Cougars out of the feisty, spoiler-mined Mountain West Conference which also includes 15-ranked Utah. The BCS will probably not be kind enough to the Cougars to put them in the national title game if they go undefeated given the number of talented teams in the Big 12 and SEC, but they might find themselves in a big bowl game if they can go to Utah and win on Nov. 22.

While it looks like the cream will rise to the top in the BCS, college football is only going into week six of play. It’s entirely possible that no team will go undefeated – then the riot will begin. Perhaps the days of undefeated teams are behind us. In the meantime, my national title pick? Penn State over Missouri 38-35 on a game-winning field goal and Paterno finally decides to retire.