Win Would Have Been About Football. Loss Is About So Much More.

(transferred from Trolls article comments)

Sullen, I sat thinking after the game "what would I feel like if the ’Horns had won?" Then I saw Colt’s post-game interview with ESPN. It hit me about 30 minutes later…

If it had gone "as it should"…Colt stayed healthy, and UT beat Bama…we’d be celebrating how great the team is and how great Colt is and we’d be talking about what Round Colt would go in and which Quarterback challenged NFL team would want him, etc. Colt’s "I’m standing on the rock" comment tied to a win would probably have seemed hollow to many…a PR soundbyte.

This wil sound like a desperate grasp at a silver lining, but I think it’s more…

In losing, we learned so much about the heart of the men who were able to remain on the field…Gilbert, the entire Offensive and Defensive lines…everyone. We also re-learned in a much more meaningful way what Colt had been trying to tell us in every interview: He loves football. He loves Texas. His heart is poured into both. But he is squarely, solidly, unshakenly playing a much more important game…living a life worthy of the gift of life. Honoring his Creator and never 2nd guessing Him.

Colt has every right to feel screwed…like he did not deserve this. Neither did Job.

Since last night, all I have been able to think about is: how can I be a better person. How can I have the strength of character, the integrity, the lack of self-pity that Colt demonstrated last night…in my own small little playing field of life.

I have a friend in Canada who good-naturedly pokes fun at me for my Texas pride. Watching Colt and the Boys last night lose made me so much prouder to be a Texan. Their integrity, heart and character is what Texas stands for.

A win would never have elicited those kinds of thoughts or feelings. And I hope I’m not the only one with that takeaway. That’s the biggest win I could hope for.

Hook’em Horns and thanks for bearing the pain so others of us can remember what’s important. Still love watching you guys play football.

(NOTE:  "As It Should" was a bit of a joke...self deprecating humor about how much pressure we put on our team and selves by expecting the Horns to win every game.)