Hook 'Em! Fiesta Bowl 2009

I've been saying it all day to my coworkers, especially to the lone Ohio State fan amongst us, that the Texas Longhorns let Ohio State score their last touchdown on purpose. Yep, I think the Texas defense let the OSU running back score untouched so that Colt McCoy and the offense would have enough time to go down the field and have a chance of scoring the winning touchdown.

Ohio State was driving towards a winning score with under 4 minutes to play down by two points. If I were OSU coach Jim Tressel, I would run off as much of the game clock as I could and go for the game winning kick with only seconds remaining. Well, that's what I was thinking he would do as OSU crept closer to the goal line. But then all of a sudden, there's a quick touchdown run up the left side of the offense!

I may have not been the only one to notice that the OSU running back went in for the touchdown almost untouched to make it 21-17, pending the 2 point conversion. The color commentator for Fox's broadcast said that the runner went in "easy, too easy."

Perhaps the UT coaching staff thought it would be best to let Ohio State score so as to leave ample time for McCoy and his offense to stage another 4th quarter comeback. Who knows...

Putting the X back in Christmas

I think the use of text messages has apparently brought back the use of "Xmas" in place of Christmas. I know I used it quite often when I wrote to loved ones over the holidays. I've never understood why this written form of Christmas was frowned upon, but it works for me because it does not diminish my love Christ Himself. Folks have said that using this alternative spelling literally "takes Christ out of Christmas" but that's only to voice their concern about the commercialization of Christmas. I can see that aspect of it and it's too bad that their more ignorant compatriots have hijacked this notions for their own gains.

I've seen the use of X in old Spanish documents to spell out a person's name, namely the Spanish equilvalent of Christopher, ie: Xtobal. If folks really pay attention and do their homework, they'll see that the origin of "Xmas" has Greek origins, especially with the Greek letter X, Chi, having stood for Christ for almost two milenia now.

Look it up and you'll find that "Xmas" has a fascinating story that does not come from some commercializing atheist, but from early Christians and how they honored the Son of God through symbols from an ancient language.

Feliz Día de los Reyes Magos

Today marks the official end of the Christmas season with January 6th being the day that the three wise men reached their destination of seeing the Christ child. This holiday wasn't celebrated with too much fanfare around my family except for maybe the 6th being the day when we would finally put our pino out of its misery. But it's a big deal in other countries, like Mexico and Spain.

Ten years ago I had the luck to do spend a semester abroad in Spain. I arrived just prior to the Día de los Reyes so I was able to partake in the Rosca, the traditional pastry that holds within it, a little plastic baby (Jesus). Whomever finds it is said to have an extra bit of luck the following year. My memory of el Día in Madrid is a little fuzzy as I arrived with a head cold, which if you've ever flown with a cold, is made worse by having spent several hours on a plane.

Feliz Día de los Reyes Magos a todos mis amistades que conocí Madrid, en el Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Toledo, Barcelona y también a todos mis queridos amigos que me llevaron por la bella ciudad de Granada. ¡Os hechos de menos!