A few thoughts on Baylor, Sports & RGIII

If you're a Baylor football fan, 35-34 is a final score that meant a lot to you in 2004. As a new Baylor student and new Waco resident at that point, I hadn't yet been accustomed to the Big 12 rivalries, nor the rivalry with Texas A&M. After the game was won in double overtime, the student population rushed the field, tore down the goal post, walked it through Waco and dropped it off on the president's steps. (Note: this is during a 3-8 (1-7) season, not much to celebrate in general.) I vividly remember a friend saying, I've waited for this my whole life.

My thoughts following his comment were: Wow. That is a long time to wait, but to each his own. But his comment has played in my mind several times since then, especially in the last few months.

Tuition at Baylor includes tickets to every athletic event and I joined several friends in going to every game we could, supporting the Bears (of all sports) through thick and thin. As my time at Baylor progressed, I began to really enjoy Baylor sports and with that, I felt like I had to defend the athletic program to everyone who didn't attend school there when it came up in conversation. Baylor is a great sports school, but alas, football is always the standard of what makes or makes an athletic program. I remember laying out a case for Baylor sports in 2005 yet not having any weight to it in the eyes of the conversant because of the less than mediocre football team. The case included Daniel Sepulveda, 2005 NCAA Division 1 women's tennis champion ZZ, mens tennis, Olympian classmates (literally) Jeremy Wariner & Donald Williamson, baseball to College World Series. It still wasn't enough.

And then came RG3.

I guess I really don't have much more to say. At this point, you know he has won the Heisman and as the most exciting player in college football, has led a program into the national spotlight over the last few years.

Tonight, I've seen video of reactions of the Heisman winner being announced from George's (a famous restaurant in Waco) and the SUB (student union building at Baylor) and I've continued to get the same goosebumps each time I watch it. The sight of these estatic people is definitely a marvel to watch, especially having gone through the student experience at Baylor.

It's funny how sports does that on a college campus and in a college town. It brings everyone in; everybody has been invited to be proud. And I love it.

Robert Griffin III, you've made us all so proud to be Bears. Thank you.