Lynchpin

"Here we go. They're going to kick the field goal. It will be Jason Gingell. Good snap, good hold and the kick is blocked! Appalachian State has stunned the college football world...one of the great upsets in sports history! Blocked by Corey Lynch!" -Thom Brennaman, Big Ten Network, September 1, 2007.

It's my goal in life not to make sports a big part of this blog, and I wasn't going to do this particular blog second, but the weekend's events required it. The above is the Final Call from the Greatest College Football Upset of All Time, as many have called it, the day Appalachian State went to Michigan and pulled a big time shocker.

The author of that block is Corey Lynch. In I-AA football, there aren't enough people to have specific players on special teams. So, their starting defensive back was in on every play that wasn't offense for that entire game, and still had enough in the tank to block that field goal and almost run it all the way back.

While he became world famous for that play, it's not necessarily his biggest one. Lynch is known for picking the right pass off at the right time to end a game. It happened against Youngstown State in the semifinals last year, and against Furman on Saturday. The man is close to big plays all the time, which is absolutely impressive.

You would think someone like him would have a super huge ego. He's done more good things on the football field than some of the people you always hear making the news. Lynch was even live on ESPN the morning after the Michigan game talking about that big play, and he's got his own featured segment on FSN's Under the Lights special. Would you have a big ego if you'd done things like that in your sport or group in college?

If I do something big at work, I'll jump around and toot my own horn for a little while, but that's more for fun and exaggeration than anything else. More often, though, after I've forgotten something or done something silly, I'm always walking around the studios telling people that "the Production Coordinator of this organization is a complete and total idiot!" Both of those situations happened today, as a matter of fact.

I know stuff from Appalachian State isn't exactly all over ESPN anymore, but if you get a chance to hear someone interview Corey Lynch, pay special attention to his response to the first question. Those who do get to hear him a lot know exactly what I'm talking about before I even say it. The first words that come out of his mouth, no matter what question is asked:

"First of all, I want to thank Jesus Christ for the opportunity."

Refreshing, ain't it? He goes on to answer the question, but at the same time, Corey Lynch puts first things first. I really like that about him, it shows that whether he's on the Appalachian ISP Sports Network talking to Randy Jackson, or talking to Chris McKendry on SportsCenter, he doesn't change what he's always done. Same words, every single time.

On Saturdays I'm always in football mode. I'm always wearing my black Appalachian t-shirt with the same white hat, and I have all these traditions that I follow on Saturdays before a game. It's refreshing at the end of a game, or even during the pre-game show on occasion, to hear Corey Lynch's first remark.

It's also a challenge. Do I speak of the Lord the first time I answer a question? When something happens, good or bad, do I praise Him first?

Thank you, Corey, for that awesome testimony. You're a blessing and a challenge to Christians everywhere.

[Edit: I'm adding some links here to a couple newspaper stories about Corey that will be blessings.]

http://www.goasu.com/article/11328/

http://www.charlotte.com/sports/story/375947.html