Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

#RacersDeserveABid

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Look at the starters’ cheering for the walk-on teammate. Yep. THAT is why I love this team. // Photo by Tab Brockman.

I didn’t expect to love this basketball team like I do.

Sure, I’m a Racers fan. We go to nearly every home game and some away games. My second-grade girl likes that her school colors are the same navy and gold that represent Murray State University. I think she’ll forever remember Donte Poole was #11. My kids learned how to spell R-A-C-E-R-S before a lot of other words. {And, really, my kids just make cute fans. See? Here’s Ben. And Cate. And with Dunker.}

Yes, we’re just talking about sports here. But we like to go to the games together. Greg and I like to support our alma mater this way. I’ve learned a university has a different presence in a small town.

In 2011-12, my two favorite basketball teams had incredible seasons. I’ve been a University of Kentucky fan my whole life. I was born and raised to cheer for the Wildcats. But in 2011-12, I realized investing time to watching a small-town team is different than following a big-name team on TV. {Read more about that here and here and here.}

And, again this year, on the same day Kentucky finished the regular season 31-0, I was mourning the Racers first loss in 26 games. Yes, what Kentucky did was AH-MAZING. Yes, I’m cheering for the Wildcats to win the whole NCAA Tournament.

BUT I wanted my Racers to beat Belmont. I wanted my Racers to get the automatic bid to The Big Dance from our one-bid, mid-major conference. Only one time has the Ohio Valley Conference had two teams in the NCAA Tournament – and that year the conference commissioner was on the selection committee and moving on to the mightier Big Ten.

The Racers had 25 straight wins this season – the nation’s second-longest win streak behind perfect Kentucky – and an undefeated conference season. (It’s only the fifth time ever an OVC team has had a perfect conference regular season.) They were ranked #25 in the AP poll and #24 in the coaches’ poll the week before the OVC Tournament. Scouts come to watch Cam Payne, the sophomore star guard, more than once.

Of course, I’m still hoping “Murray State” shows up on CBS’ Selection Sunday bracket. I love the stories of sports – and this is a good story. There’s a #RacersDeserveABid social media campaign happening because people love this team. {Tweet that.}

We love Coach Prohm and how he leads this team. Yes, he teaches them basketball strategies, but he also teaches them about being men who lead their families and communities well. This is a team that prays together and the players talk about faith in their post-game interviews and on Twitter. {And speaking of Twitter, be sure to read Justin Seymour’s defense of why #RacersDeserveABid.} These guys smile when they play – even in close games. This is a team that cheers for each other in a way I’ve never witnessed.

We sit in the second row across the court from the Murray State bench at all the home games. And sometimes I watch the guys not playing more than the ones who are dribbling and shooting.

I remember when Payne was on the bench and someone else hit a big shot. He was the first one up on his feet cheering for his teammate. The walk-on player who doesn’t see any action until the Racers have a more-than-comfortable lead cheers when the scholarship players make shots and dunks and steals and defensive stands. And when that walk-on player hit a 3 earlier this season? The bench went nuts. {See the picture at the beginning of this post? Yeah, that moment epitomizes this team.}

So, yes, I think this team deserves a NCAA Tournament bid. Yes, I realize sometimes we don’t always get what we want out of life. Sometimes other people get lucky – you know, like banked in 3-pointers. Sometimes the story doesn’t go like we expect. But I do like stories where the good guys overcome adversity – which these guys did, if you remember that Thanksgiving tournament in Nashville – and end up winning.

Winning the game is awesome. But winning in life is even better. Let’s give these guys a chance to write more of this story.

But if Murray State doesn’t get invited to the big dance, the story isn’t over. I would take a home NIT game. We learned last year these “other” tournaments can be fun too.

And, hey, go Racers! We love you regardless of how this chapter ends.

________________

Here are some other Racer-related stories this week I’ve loved. And they’re written by actual sports writers … 


Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

Ten Things I Learned in March

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1. Being sick as a mom may mean enduring more than laying on the couch.

I woke up with a stomach bug when we were in Nashville, Tenn., the second weekend of the month. Puking in hotel and mall bathrooms is no fun. I know, the mall. I was only at the mall because that’s where Rainforest Cafe is and my son had been talking about going there for AN ENTIRE YEAR. Seriously, since last time we went. So I couldn’t back out on him … or our table of 18. Really. One table of seven kids 10 to 2 years old and another table of 10 adults and a baby.

No worries, the tables were right next to each other and other adults paid attention to my two kids while I laid my head on the table between gulps of Sprite Zero and water. My brother-in-law told me wanting to drink anything was progress. Maybe he was right because I didn’t throw up any more that day, of course, I didn’t eat anything either.

We then avoided the Lego, Disney, Build-a-Bear and Bass Pro Shop stores so I could return home to my couch, where a sick momma truly belongs. Thank God for my husband and my friend Holly who was visiting from Texas who picked up my parenting slack.

2. An entire week of snow days is welcomed, but then that next Monday morning that comes right after the time change is hard. 

On March 10, I had to wake my 4-year-old Ben up for preschool for the first time ever, I think. Of course, that was also the first day in March school had been in session, thanks to two weekends and a snow week.

Oh, and, hey, did I mention that Monday reached 65 degrees and the kids got to play outside after school? Yes. And all the mommas rejoiced.

3. A friend who gives my daughter the gift of words blesses me. 

 Speaking of Holly visiting from Texas, she brought my girl some books from her childhood. Those were in addition to the ones she mailed the week before she came. And then she taught her how to play Words with Friends. What sweet gifts of encouraging a love of words, which Holly and I share and are happy to pass along to Cate.

4. I really like to read non-fiction, but fiction is a good way to let my mind relax.

I recently finished “Love Idol” by Jennifer Dukes Lee. It’s a book that allowed me to see some truths God has been trying to teach me in recent years in a new way. It’s truly been a life-changing journey and that book has been a valuable resource. I finished the book several days ago and I’m still thinking about it. Meanwhile, I started reading Harlan Coben’s new book, “Missing You.” Nothing like a little suspense to balance all the internal processing.

I also recommend another book I read this month: “Surprised by Motherhood” by Lisa-Jo Baker. It officially releases on April 1. You can read my review here.

5. Dads have good parenting stories too.

In a momma-dominated blogging world, it was refreshing to have dads guest post on my blog earlier this month. In an continuing effort to embrace imperfection, I’ve loved digesting “No More Perfect Kids” by Jill Savage and Dr. Kathy Koch. In conjunction with their book release week, I had some dads come share their own stories of realizing their kids aren’t perfect and never will be. {Oh, yes, consider that another book recommendation for you!}

6. Those postseason college basketball tournaments that aren’t the NCAA Tournament can be fun if my favorite team is playing. 

Murray State is in the semi-final round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Yeah, the CIT. I’ve made fun of all these acronymed tournaments that aren’t the NCAA too. But, hey, my Racers are still playing. And the games have been the kind that make the arena loud. That’s March Madness … at least on some level.

7. “House of Cards” is a good show. 

Who knew Netflix original productions would hook me like that? Kevin Spacey is so good as Frank Underwood. I like the behind-the-scenes drama of journalism and politics colliding and I enjoy the suspense of the story unfolding. Speaking of drama, “The Good Wife” has been rocking this season and “Scandal” is nuts in a way that keeps me watching.

8. Winning a local trivia night fund-raiser is fun.

Along with our two best other couple friends, we came in first out of 14 teams. The TV Theme Songs category really helped us. We brought home enormous Hershey’s bars, trophies and gift certificates. {See picture at the top of the post!}

9. My kids have never been into a movie like they are Frozen.

The music. The characters. The story. They love it all. Yes, they, my 4-year-old boy is into almost as much as his 6-year-old sister. We had March 18 on the countdown app on my phone and they literally waited by the door for the UPS man to deliver the package from Amazon. He showed up about 4:30 p.m. that afternoon and they started watching it at 4:31 with much rejoicing. They watched it three other times that week and haven’t stopped talking or singing about it.

I don’t usually care about animated movies, but I like “Frozen” as much as any animated movie I’ve ever seen. That’s not hyperbole; that’s the truth. It’s right up there with “The Lion King” for me.

10. When I find songs I like, I listen to them over and over. 

My most played songs this month are Ellie Holcomb’s new album “As Sure As the Sun,” NeedtoBreathe’s “The Heart,” and MercyMe’s “You Are I Am.”

 Tell me about your March. What have you seen and heard and read and experienced?

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I’m loving documenting life with these monthly along with Emily Freeman. Here are previous month’s recaps from 2013: June. July. August. September. October. November. And 2014: January. February.

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The Madness of March

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Usually basketball for us Murray State fans is over by now. Even if the Racers make the NCAA Tournament, they’ve never made it out of the first weekend. That’s part of cheering for a mid-major team that only can make The Tournament by winning the conference tournament.

This year’s Racers were a fun surprise. We went into the season thinking we’d be watching a rebuilding year. And we were, but then mid-way through the season something changed. The Racers were winning and having fun doing it. They played as a team. They smiled often. They don’t seem cocky and self-absorbed.

I’m not sure another basketball season will ever top our Racers of 2011-12, but this team will go down as a favorite of mine. And all but one of them will be back next year. So we were bummed when the Racers lost in the semi-finals of the conference tournament earlier this month in Nashville. {I subsequently woke up the next morning with a stomach bug, so I’m not sure I could have survived watching a second game in my sickly state, but that didn’t matter.}

Then Murray State accepted an invitation to play in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. I know, I know. Until this season I’ve made fun of every postseason tournament that isn’t the NCAA Tournament. To me, the CIT has been one of many tournaments for the teams that couldn’t make The Tournament.

And then this favorite team of mine won its first game in the CIT on the road and hosted its second game. Yes, we were there, decked out in navy and gold, cheering for our Racers, who won. Game Three is tonight in Murray, and we’ll be there again.

Yes, it’s still a tournament for teams that didn’t make The Tournament. But one of those teams is my team. And they’re fun to watch. It’s technically a rebuilding year, so it’s a good chance for these younger guys to get in some real-game experience. Plus us fans to get keep watching basketball.

Go Racers!

NCAA Tournament side note :: I was born and raised a Kentucky fan, so I still cheer for the Wildcats. They’re still playing in The Tournament too. In fact, the Wildcats are going to play their biggest rival in what’s sure to be a dramatic game on Friday night. Admittedly, the Racers have become my first basketball love, but Kentucky isn’t far behind.

Who do you cheer for in all this March Madness?

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