Posts Tagged ‘Basketball’

KEVIN DURANT & HIS BIBLE

Posted: April 22, 2011 in Culture, Faith, Inspirational, Life, People, Spirituality, Sports, The Bible
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Kevin Durant walked into his postgame news conference following the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Game 1 victory over Denver and climbed to his seat atop a podium with three things in hand.

His cellphone, a pair of headphones and a Bible.

The first two, Durant has always carried. The third item was included only recently.

For the past 44 days, Durant, the Thunder’s two-time All-Star and reigning two-time scoring champ, has become a Bible-toting ballplayer. Since March 8, Durant has read passages each day from the black leather Bible he carries with his name engraved on the front cover.

Durant has been spotted digesting passages at his locker before games, which is not uncommon inside NBA locker rooms. Teammate Serge Ibaka has done the same since he entered the league. The sight of Durant thumbing through the Good Book, though, represents just another reason why many observers have labeled Durant a special kind of superstar.

“I just want to grow spiritually with the Lord,” Durant said. “It’s something I always talked about, but I never really got into it.”

Durant finally decided to commit himself to a covenant of daily worship on March 7. The Thunder was in Memphis for a game against the Grizzlies. During a trip to pregame chapel, which more than half of the Thunder’s roster attends regularly before each game, Durant found his final source of inspiration.

The team chaplain for the Grizzlies, like Durant a Maryland native, stressed what a difference daily reading can make. The minister told the young man that even a scripture a day can change his life.

The next day, Durant began his devotion.

“I’m keeping strong at it, just trying to make my walk with faith a little better,” Durant said. “That’s making me a better person, opening my eyes to things and I’m also maturing as a person. I’m just trying to grow.”

(From NewsOK - http://www.newsok.com/article/3560862)

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER?

Posted: January 6, 2011 in Family, Life, People, Sports
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What’s my favorite all-time Christmas present?

That’s a tough question to answer/process. Does the first Apple Macbook that I ever got in 2007 rank at the top of that list? Maybe it’s the Super Nintendo I found under the tree in 1991? Or is it the Rocky Balboa/Clubber Lang two-sided Rocky 3 punching bag of 1983?

When it comes to Christmas presents, Heather raised the bar this year. And no, I am not talking about the recent “we’re having a baby” news.

When I was asked what I wanted for Christmas this year, I couldn’t think of anything. I honestly have everything I need and most of the stuff I want. I have most of the toys a boy could want. So I asked for experiences this year.

My amazing wife responded by buying me season tickets to the rest of the Oklahoma City Thunder (my favorite NBA team) home games. They are way up in the section called “Loud City” (aka…the nose-bleed section). But I am beyond exciting to be seeing the next 25+ games (including playoffs) in section 307, row F, seat 15 in the OKC Arena.

Including this game on January 30…

Here’s the view from my seat…

Great job, Heather! I love my Christmas present. Thunder Up! It could be my favorite all-time Christmas present.

On second thought…that Rocky 3 punching bag was pretty stinkin’ cool.

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What did you get this year from Christmas?

What’s your favorite all-time Christmas present?

My Ears Hurt!!!

Posted: April 26, 2010 in Life, Music, People, Spirituality, Sports
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Last week I experienced two of the loudest moments of my life on back-to-back days.

Thursday, I was blessed to go to the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers Game 3 NBA playoff game. This was the first ever home playoff game for the 2 year old franchise. I’m very thankful to have been able to have this experience (thank you, Gary). The atmosphere in that building was electric. From the time we entered the building 90 minutes before tipoff, there seemed to be this loud, anticipatory buzz. Throughout the game, the excitement swelled. “Beat L.A.” chants would sporadically break out. Sitting was optional and very rare. Once the Thunder starting taking control of the game, I could barely hear myself think. It sounded like the roof was going to explode. The Thunder won 101-96.

Great night. Great experience.

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Friday, I had the opportunity to go to the Hillsong United concert. Hillsong United is a modern praise and worship band from Sydney, Australia. And I call this a concert, but it wasn’t a concert. It was an all-out, 2-hour, chase-after-God-with-all-you’ve-got worship service. I was in the middle of the Lloyd Noble Center on the University of Oklahoma surrounded by thousands of people all pouring their heart out to God in worship. At one point, the music and others around me were so loud that I could not hear myself singing at the top of my lungs.

Great night. Great experience.

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What’s the loudest environment you’ve ever been in?

Let the Madness Begin

Posted: March 17, 2010 in Culture, Life, Sports
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LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!!!

As a huge sports fan, today is one of my favorite days of the year. Today signals the start of the NCAA tournament, where for the next four days there will be nothing but wall-to-wall college basketball as 64 teams will be dwindled down to the Sweet 16. This tournament will undoubtedly provide upsets, buzzer beaters, and plenty of drama. I’m excited!

I will be going home early and “working from home” today so that I can watch all the action from the start. I have been able to do this for the past eight years.

One thing I love about this tournament so much is the fact that the first round (the Thursday and Friday games) are the best part of the entire tournament.

You tell me another sporting event where the first round of something is better than the championship rounds. For example, is the NFL wild card playoff round better than the super bowl? Is the first round of the NBA playoffs better than the NBA finals? Is the Daytona 500 poll time trials better than the actual Daytona 500? The next two days of this tournament are better than the championship game. How cool is that?!?

Here are my official 2010 NCAA picks:

FINAL FOUR

  • Kansas
  • Syracuse
  • Kentucky
  • Villanova

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

  • Kansas vs Kentucky

2010 NCAA CHAMPION

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

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Do you love the NCAA tournament? Are you feeling a little March Madness today? Why do you love the tournament? Who are your Final Four, Championship game, and 2010 NCAA Champion picks?

We’re Adopting…At Least I Am.

Posted: January 10, 2010 in Family, Life, People, Sports
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Sorry for the misleading title. This does not have anything to do with kids.

You see, my favorite sports teams have been set in stone for many years now. I know where my allegiances lie and those will not be changing anytime soon. New York Yankees in major league baseball, Tennessee Titans in the NFL, and University of Tennessee Volunteers in college sports.

However, the wild card has always been the NBA. I have never had a favorite NBA team. I have gone through cycles of really liking several players (Michael Jordan, Penny Hardaway, etc), thus liking those players teams during those times. I even went through a phase were my favorite NBA team was whoever the Lakers were playing.

Well, all that is changing. I am officially adopting a NBA team. Ladies and Gentleman, the Yankees, Titans, Vols, and I proudly welcome the Oklahoma City Thunder into the Cromer family of favorite sports teams.

Here’s why I am adopting the Oklahoma City Thunder as my favorite team…

  1. I live in Oklahoma City. It’s time to settle in and embrace OKC.
  2. They are a young, developing team that is fun to watch.
  3. They are not great right now, so when they are in the future, I look like a “true” fan that stuck through the hard times to get to the good times.
  4. Awesome name (Thunder). My favorite fantasy sports team name that I use is “Sons of Thunder” – Biblical and awesome sounding.

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What do you think of my recent adoption? Good move? Bad move?

Have you adopted any new sports teams recently?

Lesson Learned

Posted: August 4, 2009 in Life, People, Sports
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IMG_0079

Don’t play basketball in Birkenstock clogs. Lesson learned.

Let the Madness Begin

Posted: March 19, 2009 in Culture, Life, Sports
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LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!!!

As a sports fan, today is one of my favorite days of the year. Today signals the start of the NCAA tournament, where for the next four days there will be nothing but wall-to-wall college basketball as 64 teams will be dwindled down to the Sweet 16. This tournament will undoubtedly provide upsets, buzzer beaters, and plenty of drama. I’m excited!

I will be going home early and “working from home” today so that I can watch all the action from the start. I have been able to do this for the past seven years. 

One thing I love about this tournament so much is the fact that the first round (the Thursday and Friday games) are the best part of the entire tournament. You tell me another sporting event where the first round of something is better than the championship rounds. For example, is the NFL wild card playoff round better than the super bowl? Is the first round of the NBA playoffs better than the NBA finals? Is the Daytona 500 poll time trials better than the actual Daytona 500? The next two days of this tournament are better than the championship game. How cool is that?!?

09mens_bracket

Here are my official 2009 NCAA picks:

FINAL FOUR

  • Louisville
  • Memphis
  • Pittsburgh
  • North Carolina

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

  • Memphis vs North Carolina

2009 NCAA CHAMPION

memphis-tigers 

Memphis Tigers

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Do you love the NCAA tournament? Are you feeling a little March Madness today? Why do you love the tournament? Who are your Final Four, Championship game, and 2009 NCAA Champion picks?

I’m a Leader?

Posted: March 17, 2009 in Faith, Friends, Inspirational, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Sports, The Bible
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basketball-one-on-one21

Have you ever had someone push you to something greater? Have you ever had somebody see something in you that you never would have seen in yourself? Maybe it was a parent, minister, coach, friend, teacher, or mentor…

The Bible shows an awesome example of this in Exodus 3-4 when God calls Moses to something greater. God tells Moses that he is going to use him to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses does not see in himself what God sees because he starts to give every excuse in the book why he is not the man for this God-sized job. Nevertheless, God calls Moses to something greater that he would have never done on his own.

Yesterday I shared a story of a former college professor that pushed me to write.

Today I want to share another story.

Dave Morgan is a man that has made a significant impact on my life. He has pushed me and shaped me. He was my youth minister while I was in high school.

One day before the start of my junior year of high school, Dave invited me to play one-on-one basketball at the church one afternoon. I jumped at the chance for two reasons: (1) I got to play basketball and (2) I got the chance to beat down my youth minister, which was often the case when we played against each other (Dave, if you read this, please don’t bring up the time you and Jason beat Josh and I when he sprinted to the church that afternoon. It was a cheap win and you know it.)

Dave tricked me. Playing basketball was not the number one priority that day. In between taking jump shots, we had a heart-to-heart conversation that has forever changed the coarse of my life. 

Dave began to speak truth into my life that day. He told me that I was a leader. He said that he had noticed that people followed my lead and that I possessed a lot of leadership potential. He told me that leadership was not a choice one made. However, that the only choice I had is HOW I was going to lead, not IF I was going to lead. He challenged me to step up as a leader in our youth group. Finally, he told me that he saw gifts in me that could lead to a successful future career in ministry.

That conversation was the first seed that was planted in my heart to pursue a career in ministry. Without that conversation, I truly believe that I would not be sitting in the very chair I am sitting in while I type this post (my chair in my church office).

Dave, I want to thank you for seeing something in me that I would have never seen in myself. I was a quiet kid that cared about sports, girls, and sports, but you gave me purpose. Thanks for pushing me and making me think. You may not even remember that conversation, but God used you to forever change my life that day. Over the past five years, I have had that very same conversation with students in my ministry when I see leadership potential. I cherish our relationship. You will always be my youth minister.