I’m used to it by now, but I wonder strange things sometimes. Like when I see players gather mid-field after a game, and they drop to one knee and hold hands in prayer – who leads them in prayer? Who gets to speak? Is it decided ahead of time? Is there some standard rule of etiquette that dictates that the home team player leads the prayer? Or is the honor of leading the group prayer also a competitive thing – does a member of the winning team get the job? Do they alternate – does each team get to have a player rep who offers up a prayer? If so, who goes first? And which God do they pray to? Surely with the diversified personnel that makes up the NFL these days they can’t all be of the same religious persuasion. Does each religion get a chance for representation, with a player offering prayer to their particular God? I see a lot of those Samoan guys out there these days, do they get to say a post game prayer to Kon-Tiki-Bon-Bon? (I made that last God up, pretty good, eh?)

The only question I am reasonably sure I have the answer to is - what are they praying for?

They are praying in gratitude, for God having allowed them to leave the game as they entered – intact, uninjured. Which brings to mind the biggest question of all, the only one relevant – does prayer work? It certainly doesn’t appear to be so, after Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett was taken off the field on a stretcher, after a helmet to helmet collision that left him unable to move. Doctors initial diagnosis said he was paralyzed, and would most likely never walk again.

So much for the power of prayer.

But wait, not so fast my agnostic friends. Word out of Buffalo this morning is we may be seeing a minor miracle – Kevin is voluntarily moving his arms and legs. In a season that began with dog-killing dominating the news, and looks to be heading towards coaches cheating scandals, this is a story that fans can embrace with open arms. And this Sunday, when players join hands after the game, there will be no question about it - I’ll join them, in silent prayer, for the full recovery of Kevin Everett, regardless of whichever God we pray to.

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Last week we got a winner in this column (1-1 now), as the Ducks won SU over the Wolverines as dogs of 8 points. REMEMBER that for future use, like the O’s game I compared it to (when they gave up 30 runs) – when teams get beat that badly it is almost impossible to come back focused and ready to win in their next game.

This week, I’m going to the Thursday game and looking for a TCU blowout. Playing on Thursday nights has not gone well for Air Force as they are 2-8 in this spot. Could this be because life in the service academies is a rigid, organized, tight-scheduled affair, and when the normalcy of the routine is disrupted things do not go well? Could it be that their already packed full schedule - with both classes AND military training - leaves little time for practice and prep for contests held on a short week? No matter, they should feel pretty good about themselves after a road win at Utah last week puts them at 2-0 for the season, but the Utes were hurting and missing key players. Wins over a weak South Carolina State and a depleted Utah squad does not leave the Flyboys well prepared to take on a team like TCU. Frog Coach Patterson has handled the academies well, posting an 8-0 SU record over the last 5 year, 7 of the wins coming by double digits. He knows how to handle the option and will do it again here.

Buy the hook off the 7’ and take the road fav Frogs. 1 unit