The Fray

When it comes to Christian bands that try to reach the mass public I am sometimes skeptical. After reading Relevant Magazine's interview with The Fray I am pleasantly suprised. They are Christians that are trying to reach the un-churched. Here's a snippet from that interview:

"We’re all Christians, and we all come from Christian backgrounds. We grew up playing worship music in church. I learned to play drums in church. So we all come from a background of being raised in Christian families.

We got to a point where, as far as making our art, we realized that to make Christian music, as far as the music industry, if we’re going to enter the music industry, we can either … In some ways it’s sad that it’s like this, but it’s just the way that it is, but there’s a pretty sharp distinction between Christian music and secular music. Some of the lines are getting blurred now with some bands lately, but there’s still definitely that distinction. There are Christian radio stations, and there’s a lot of labeling going on.

Knowing that, we wanted to steer clear of those labels and a lot of that baggage and make art in way that can relate to Christians and non-Christians. Whether that’s a ministry opportunity or not, that’s great and that’s an extra bonus, but as musicians, we didn’t want to limit ourselves to just making Christian music.

We all grew up listening to Christian music, and once we got old enough, we discovered that there was this whole world of music outside of music that our moms bought for us.

As Christians, we set out to make really honest art that is relatable and that’s understandable for people, regardless of their religious orientation or faith background. Isaac grew up writing Christian songs in a Christian language about Christian themes and Bible verses, and then he started making friend who weren’t Christians. They couldn’t understand what he was singing about and they didn’t know … they couldn’t relate to it, and they didn’t understand it. There are some really great Christian bands out there that we really respect and are really good at making Christian music for Christians, and that’s a really good thing for some people. But for us, we’re called to make music for more than just the Church, to make music for the unchurched people and hopefully speak a bit of life into them."

Check them out. You've heard their two big hits - Over My Head and How To Save a Life all over the place. The rest of the album is worth buying. I hope they are here to stay. We need more folks like this around.

Remembering 9/11

Are there words?

Erin and I watched a documentary on our local public station last night entitled An American Experience - The Center of the World. What a wonderful film! I had forgotten how powerful the images were that we saw 5 years ago. It was like it just happened. The sorrow. The despair. The hopelesness. Then there was hope. People began to seek help. People began to find God again. He didn't go anywhere, we just forgot about Him.

I went online this morning and found a good piece that went along to an Enya song and then in our chapel program our chaplain played a Diamond Rio song entitled "In God We Still Trust". But the best song that I can think of is Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)". Here are the lyrics:

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

The greatest is love
The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Total Defeat

PSU was utterly defeated on Saturday versus a very good Irish team. The Lions played well their first week against Akron but didn't show up for the big game. My prediction is that PSU will go 9-3 (respectable). The Irish just took advantage of all of the Lions mistakes. They played much better than their first week against GT. Kudos to Quinn, Walker and Weis. What a great game (for them, I was totally depressed).

Pittsburgh v. Cincinnati

The dual of the River Cities was last night. In game one, the one we don't care much about these days the Reds beat the Pirates 9-1. The Pirates have been hopeless since around '92. Game two, much more fun to watch, saw the Pitt Panthers beat the Bearcats 33-15. Go Pitt. They have a good team. I hope they can make some plays against Michigan State next weekend. Their two biggest games are back to back with Louisville and West Virginia. Go Pitt!

Steeler Photos from Game 1

Here are some great photos from the first game of the Steeler's 2006 season.
Steelers 28 - Dolphins 17

Steelers prevail for a city in mourning

Steelers prevail for a city in mourning
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Archive

PITTSBURGH -- On a day when this city experienced the confluence of grieving and glory, burying a popular mayor in the morning and then having to turn out to support its beloved Super Bowl champions just a few hours later, it was left to a Pittsburgh Guy to turn tears into cheers.

OK, so Steelers backup Charlie Batch isn't really from Pittsburgh. But Homestead, Pa., just a short drive across his city's locally well-known High Level Bridge, a span that once carried thousands of steel workers to their sooty jobs in the blast furnaces and to a livelihood in a diminished industry from which the Steelers derived their name, is plenty close enough for Batch to know the history of the franchise.



Keith Srakocic/AP Photo
Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor, who died last week, was honored before the Steelers season opener Thursday.
And to understand that, in tough times like the ones that confronted 'Burghers this week, hearty Steelers fans count on the home team to deliver them from some real-life downers.

Which is precisely what Batch, substituting for injured starter Ben Roethlisberger, did here Thursday night.

"To give the city some relief from the mourning and the grieving, and to be able to provide an escape from the things that have happened, yeah, it definitely meant a lot," said Batch, whose three touchdown passes lifted the Steelers to a 28-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the NFL regular-season opener, and lifted the city, perhaps out of the doldrums. "And to be from around here, and know what the people were going through all week, with the mayor dying and then [Roethlisberger] having the appendectomy ... sure, it was huge for me personally to help win this game."

Certainly, it was a game that tested the Steelers and one in which Pittsburgh again demonstrated the kind of resilience that marked the team's extraordinary run to the Super Bowl XL title.

In the aftermath of the victory, winning a game without its starting quarterback and on a night when his club was not at its best and authored some uncharacteristic pratfalls, Steelers coach Bill Cowher lauded the club's mental toughness and uncanny ability to deal with adversity. Those qualities have become hallmarks of Cowher-coached teams.

"We overcame a lot, and that's the thing I'm most proud of with this team," Cowher said.

That was a sentiment echoed in virtually every corner of the happy but still somewhat subdued Steelers locker room. The other most notable emotion was relief, at having gotten off to a winning start against an opponent many feel will challenge for the AFC berth in Super Bowl XLI, and at having moved the city beyond one of its most gut-wrenching weeks in recent memory.

The late Mayor Bob O'Connor, who for 12 years pursued his lifelong dream to lead this city, finally won election, then died last Friday after a two-month battle against brain cancer and only 241 days in office, was a Pittsburgh Guy who loved the Steelers. At his funeral service Thursday morning, O'Connor's oldest son, a priest, delivered a touching eulogy. His youngest son led the congregation through the first chords of "The Steeler Polka" and then attended the game to lead the crowd in waving The Terrible Towel.

After the three touchdown passes by Batch and a brilliant performance by weakside linebacker Joey Porter turned a taut game into the equivalent of an rollicking Irish Wake in the fading minutes -- what else would you expect in memory of a mayor named O'Connor and franchise owned by the sainted Rooney family -- it's a good bet Steelers fans were hoisting an Iron City beer or two and screaming "The Steeler Polka" well into Friday morning.

The city needed such an excuse to exhale. And the Steelers, who aren't given much chance to repeat their Super Bowl victory by most pundits, needed it, too.

"This was a big game for us," said owner Dan Rooney, who attended O'Connor's funeral before turning his attention to football in the evening. "And it was a big win for the city. This city kind of relies on this team to pull it through. The people here, they lean on us in hard times. And that's all right. I guess we don't mind being leaned on."

An eight-year veteran starting just his third regular-season game since 2001, Batch apparently doesn't mind being leaned on a little, either.

Despite uneven moments, especially an early fourth-quarter fumble at the Miami 1-yard line that squelched a scoring opportunity when the Steelers trailed 17-14, Batch performed admirably. He didn't look nearly as rattled as his counterpart, Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper, did at times. And he finished with 15 completions in 25 attempts for 209 yards, and touchdown hookups with wide receivers Nate Washington (27 yards) and Hines Ward (seven yards) and tight end Heath Miller (87 yards).

It marked Batch's first 200-yard performance since the 2001 season opener, when he was the starter in Detroit, and his first multiple touchdown pass outing since Oct. 14 of that year.

The 87-yarder to Miller, the longest pass play in Heinz Field history, was certainly the signature play of the game. It came on Pittsburgh's first play after the fumbled snap, following a Miami punt to the Steelers' 13-yard line and, as usual, offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, soon to be a head coach at the NFL level, dialed up a superb play-call.

Whisenhunt and Batch noticed that the Dolphins had been double- and triple-teaming Ward for much of the game. And so, with Ward aligned as the "Z" receiver and Miller as the "Y," both to the right side of the formation, Batch made a subtle play-fake to tailback Willie Parker (29 carries for 115 yards), simulating a strong-side run the Steelers had used earlier. The fake drew middle linebacker Zach Thomas toward the line of scrimmage and a cornerback and safety both converged on Ward, leaving Miller running free behind the secondary. The second-year tight end gathered in Batch's pass at about the 30-yard line and then chugged the rest of the way for the score.

"A great call and great recognition by [Batch] on the play," Ward said. "I mean, here I was, a guy who didn't even practice in camp or play in the preseason and I'm thinking all night, 'Man, why are you guys doubling me? I haven't even done anything yet.' But I'm glad they did. And I'm glad that Heath made it all the way ... because, let's be honest, there was some doubt."

Indeed, it appeared several times during Miller's long, rambling run that he might be hauled down from behind by cornerback Will Allen, who had cheated up on Ward on the play. Miller had just enough left to get to the corner of the end zone and, in truth, replays showed he might have been knock out of bounds before breaking the plane of the goal line. Dolphins coach Nick Saban waited too long, however, to challenge the play and officials never saw him throw the red replay flag onto the field.

Said Cowher: "Whatever the replays showed, well, it doesn't matter. It is what it is."

Three minutes after Miller's score, Porter sealed the victory and put an exclamation point on a huge night by stepping in front of Dolphins' wide receiver Wes Welker, who had a big game of his own, with 220 all-purpose yards, intercepting Culpepper, and returning the theft 42 yards for a touchdown.

Culpepper completed 18 of 37 passes for 262 yards, was sacked three times and had two interceptions. There were occasions on which he bought time with his feet and kept plays alive, like on a 52-yard pass to wide receiver Marty Booker, but there were times he also looked skittish. And Porter made him pay.

"Hey, great players make great plays at great moments," Porter said. "You figure out how that all adds up for me, OK?"

For the game, the ever-loquacious Porter had three tackles, two sacks, two pressures, the interception and a pass defensed. And he had considerable help from a Steelers defense that limited Miami tailback Ronnie Brown to a paltry 30 yards on 15 rushes. Strong safety Troy Polamalu registered a team-high 10 tackles, had an interception and a pass deflection and forced a fumble. Inside linebacker James Farrior finished with seven tackles, a sack and two hurries. And, as usual, the Pittsburgh secondary, despite surrendering some big plays, was a unit filled with human wrecking balls.

"It's what we do," Polamalu said. "This is the way we play and it's why the people here love us so much. Football just means so much to the people here. It's a tough city that went through a tough time this week. A lot of us who sat around today watching the mayor's funeral, with all day to think about it, knew just what this game meant to the city. By 6 o'clock or so, we were all about football, but it would be naïve to think some of the other stuff wasn't in the back of our minds.

"But we came through because we're a team that rises [to the occasion] when people count on us and when we count on each other. And, once again, you saw the results of our resiliency."

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. To check out Len's chat archive, click here .

Penn State v. Notre Dame

Man. What a challenge. Brady Quinn and the Irish host Penn State and little known Anthony Morelli. He played well against a smaller Akron team. Notre Dame already had a big game and played sub par but came out on top over GT. I sure hope our defense with Paul Posluszny and his linebacking crew and contain Quinn and local boy Darius Walker. Go Lions!

Labor Day Weekend 2006

Man, did I ever not labor on Labor Day. What a wonderful holiday! No work whatsoever. That's my kind of national holiday. I think I gained about 83 pounds this weekend watching Penn State and an amazing amount of football games eating chips and dip, sourdough pretzels, ice cream, Diet Coke, and lots of food!

I also got to spend some good time with my family. They are wonderful. I hope you get to meet them someday. They are just wonderful. I am a very blessed man.