Mocking the Tide...

This is kinda crude, but it's classic to see these Bama' fans get ticked off at this guy. In case you don't know, I hate Bama' so anytime i see them pout is funny.

Also, in college football the mess just keeps getting messier. Prepare for a lot of whining and crying in December when several legit 1-loss teams get left out by some computers. Seriously, right now who do we think should be in that title game??? It's just a mess, some teams have an easy road --others nearly impossible. Also, With the "political correctness" enforcing some schools to change names, what should the NCAA do about when Oregon State and USC play (sounds like a porno gig---sorry).


things are changing in the NFL as well, more on this later if anyone cares....

Sorry about the Rebs everyone, i was cheering hard for ya...hopefully laughter at the expense of Bama' will cheer you up

Man of the Week

Without a shadow of a doubt, we have our man of the week. Sweet Emotion is constantly trying to affirm and define manliness in order to encourage you in your pursuit. If one person’s testosterone increases due to this blog, then we have achieved our goal. One aspect of manliness yet to be addressed is the beauty of nicknames

To be given a cool nickname is manly in and of itself. For example, to name a few:
The Big Hurt (Frank Thomas), Big Poppie (David Ortiz, His Airness (Michael Jordan), The Human Highlight Film (Dominique Wilkens), The Round Mound Of Rebound, or Sir Charles (Charles Barkley), The Bus (Jerome Bettis…I regretfully use this analysis being that he went to Notre Dame), The Natrone Bomb (Natrone Means), LT (Lawrence Taylor), Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, “Prime Time” (Deion Sanders), The Italian Stallion (Rocky Balboa), The Mayor (Samuel Husband). We could go on and on.

Admit it, even reading those names grew some hair on your chest. It even works for teams. Who can forget Phi Slamma Jamma in Houston, or The Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons.

But you reach a new level of manliness when you become so delusional about yourself, so ego centric and so convinced of your own greatness, that you grant YOURSELF a nickname.

Chad Johnson has done it. Chad Johnson (#85 of the Cincinnati Bengals) is so convinced of his own invincibility that he has issued a decree. Yesterday, he instructed reporters to no longer refer to him as Chad Johnson, but as “Ocho Cinco.” After being asked what he thought he could do to take Atlanta Falcons CB Deangelo Hall out of the game.

I can do anything. Whatever I want to. Whether he has help, they double me or triple me like everyone else is doing, this week, Chad is back. Matter of fact, my name is not Chad anymore. We are celebrating Hispanic heritage month in the NFL, my name in ocho-cinco. Don't call me Chad, my name is ocho-cinco. Tell DeAngelo Hall when I am done with him, trick-or-treat.

The beauty of it makes me both laugh and cry. Not only is the name ridiculously creative. It’s not even the correct way to say eighty five in Spanish. That would be ochenta cinco. However, “Ocho, Cinco” is so much cooler.

“Ocho Cinco” is right up there with the manliness of naming your moves. Don’t forget the Ickey Shuffle. But Who can forget Shaquile O’Neal’s words in an interview. Dikembe Mutombo was not going to be able to play in an upcoming game against Shaq. And when Shaq-Diesel was asked about it, He resonded with “It’s too bad that Dikembe will not be their, I would have had to give him “The Business.” In conclusion, Sweet Emotion will respect his wishes, and if anyone refers to “Ocho Cinco” by a different name then we will delete your comment. I hope this blog has cleared the fog a little bit more in your definition of manliness. One day I hope to be given a cool nickname, and I hope one day you achieve that status as well. Here’s to Ocho-Cinco, I hope he plays awesome Sunday.

Feel free to share your favorite nicknames, or maybe even an time where you gave yourself a nickname.

Who's watching what??

honestly, every once in a while i worry about some of the shows i watch--are they going to make it through the season with their ratings?? And over the past few years, I've gotten frustrated with quality shows being cut due to the ratings. So, then i go check the ratings and then am thunderstruck about what is on top. let me ask this......Who in the HELL is still watching "survivor"!!! isn't that in it's like 17th season??? Is it really exciting to see the same crap re-dramatized on some 'new' tropical location, which means that they just re-arrange the trees and grass on the set. And i really can't ever find a single person who watches 'CSI', much less to neccessitate the need for a CSI in 8 different american cities. What makes it more exciting to have a dead person in New York rather than Miami, is he more dead down south?? ya know, if they really want my attention-make a CSI "Mobile, Alabama" or "Delta-Mississippi" where the concept of 'redneck' must be delt with from week to week, no technology-just shotguns and racial theories. The fact that "Dancing with the Stars" catches more viewers than shows like "lost" astounds me--does that mean only women count as viewers?? Again, who is watching these TV shows! Seriously, I want a phone call from someone who says "ya know, I 've had a hard day at work-and I just really can't wait to get home and watch some has-been actors do the tango." WHO IS THAT PERSON?? One theory I have is that Old people don't know that you can change the channel beyond CBS. The only saving grace to that network is their Saturday broadcast of SEC football. How is "Two and Half men" the highest rated comedy? please, someone tell me?? It is a tragedy in the history of TV that 'Arrested Development' couldn't make it, but no no--Charlie Sheen is halarious...come on. I worry about "The Office" and this new show "30 Rock". This is kind of a 'new' type of humor that i think old people don't get. I keep hearing that NBC just keeps getting killed in the ratings, they have several shows (particularly comedies)that are MUST watchers. NBC though needs to axe 'ER', I heard someone say "the first 9 seasons of ER were amazing." The first '9 seasons'? um, that's like 2x the life of most shows. ER is the "Magic Johnson" of TV, the complete antithesis of knowing 'when to fold em'. ABC probably has the best shows, but again who is watching "ugly betty" and not 'The Office' in the thursday 8pm timeslot--if you fall into that category you should be utterly ashamed of yourself and consider a monastic lifestyle until you come to your senses.

CBS has 37 crime shows and old people watch every one of them, i even think that when 20 or so of them are crowded around the TV at the retirement communities-they all get counted. ABC has several of the best shows, but also several of the worst. Fox has a few bright spots, when they bright they are bright. NBC has no idea about when to cut and when to keep.

but seriously here is the point: Old people are killing our TV shows and the source of keeping crap going. Now we do all have that "closet" TV show we are sadly addicted to and refuse to admit to (see "Saved by the bell Factor"), But sweet emotion must address the absurdity of what is popular and what should be. So, if your looking for something good to watch-don't look at the ratings....ask a YOUNG friend.

Romans 8:28-29

I will now steal something from a professor at RTS: It's always humbling to go to the Bible and get a taste of the love of God for His people. But sometimes it becomes especially clear and sobering. For example, take Romans 8:29-30. for those He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren; (30) and these whom He predestined, he also called, and these whom He called, He also justified, and these whom He justified; He also glorified.

If we work our way backwards through the verses the conclusion is astounding. The conclusion of verse 30 is that God's people will be glorified. One day all Christians will be made perfect in holiness! Why am I glorified, because I am justified. Our glorification is guaranteed because Christ's atoning work on the cross has made us right (justified) with God. Why am I justified? Because I've been called. When God calls a person into a relationship with him, the person receives Christ's righteousness and is justified. Why am I called? He who is called is predestined. God chose to call me before the beginning of time. And because of God's sovereign plan, his predestination brings about his purpose of conforming His people to the image of His Son (vs. 28). Why am I predestined? I am predestined because God foreknew. God in his eternal plan set his love upon me way, way before i was even a thought in my mother's eye. Why did God foreknow me? The chain of events stops!

Why has God saved sinful, rebellious me and brought me into a loving relationship with Him? I don't know? At this point we drop the knee, thank God for his loving mercy and give him the worship due his name. Why did God call the pagan Abram out of from Ur of the Chaldeans? Why did God call Paul, a persecutor of his people, into his Kingdom? Because in His sovereign plan for His world. He is redeeming wretched sinners to bring Himself glory and join in His task of redeeming the world. Our response is to stare in amazement and simply worship the living God for "While we were YET sinners, Christ died for us."

Feel free to get back to the Cutcliffe debate! It is always a dandy.

manly sighting

Jedi Knight

At the recommendation of "belly of the beast" i watched this show...halarious. Tracy Morgan makes it worth turning on the TV. This is manly b/c it ivolves lightsabers and underwear --- a fantasy combo

Krispy Kreme: Your New Spokesman

Hey Coach Weiss, race you to the store

If Krispy Kreme does not jump on this opportunity, they have no one to blame but themselves. I mean what a great picture, not only is he sporting the hat, but also straddling a KK bike. Look how happy Phil is, just thinking about the warm glazed doughnuts brings a smile to his face we haven't seen since the Tee Martin days. As a solid Ole Miss Marketing Major, I'm telling Krispy Kreme to jump on this opportunity. Maybe they are holding out for a Charlie Weiss promo, that's the only rational explanation for not using this picture. Heck, name a d0-nut after him. I'll take a dozen glazed and throw in two fullmer's as well.

Secondly, I would like to nominate Arizona Cardinals punter Scott Player as our man of the week. Watching the Monday Night football debacle caught my attention for a different reason. Scott Player still wears the Single-Bar facemask! I thought with the single bar facemask left the NFL scene when Gary Anderson did. But Alas, I was wrong...and thankfully so. Scott Player is the sole active NFL player still sporting the gear. In a day where the more gear you have the cooler you are (think NBA Leggings???), I would like to say there is not a manlier move in football than to sport the single bar facemask. Unfortunately, He missed a game saving tackle in the last quarter, but who can blame the guy....he doesn't even really have a facemask. Scott Player, you are our award winner. I think Ray Lewis should start sporting one as well just to up the intimidation factor.

Thirdly, I was flipping through Sportcenter last night and noticed a Cleveland Cavaliers highlight. Is anyone else aware of the NBA preseason already in play? Good grief, the NBA finals ended like 3 weeks ago.

Fourthly, University of Miami president Donna Shalala had some comments regarding the brawl. When asked if she watched the film, she responded by saying she did not watch the film because she was at the game. To watch the film would have only made her madder. Are you serious? What a ridiculous statement. I will not review something because it will only make me madder. Is she an adult or a 12 year old. It's ok to get mad at ridiculous behavior and take proper action, but apparently she can't handle that gruesome task. I would tell her to man up, watch the film, and execute the proper punishments....but you see the problem. No further analysis needed.

Lastly, I saw where the Miami Dolphins signed Marcus Vick yesterday. The dolphins are so gracious, always giving people 4th and 5th chances. What a respectable organization. Here's to the organization that drafted Lawrence Philips, quickly grabbed David Boston after his arrest, loved Ricky Williams, drafted Quinten Williams who was charged with a DUI and drag racing (but then surprisingly released him) etc. I bet the Dolphins front office is reviewing the University of Miami brawl film to scout out some good prospects for next year.

Ole Miss has the 11:30 JP errr Lincoln Financial game on Saturday versus the Hogs. Nothing like rolling out of bed and eating your breakfast while watching the pre-game. I cautiously predict an Ole Miss upset this weekend. Anything can happen at 11:30 in the morning (9:30 pacific time). I can't wait to hear Dave Rowe talk about Rory Johnson (LB, Ole Miss) flying around. Rowe's Rewind will say 1) Ole Miss has to stop the run this week against Arkansas.... DUH! Good to see Cutcliffe getting everyone fired up again.

"Don't come in to our House !!": Lessons from the Canes

Miami Hurricanes vs. FlU fight

Surely you've seen this video, but if your like me, you've only seen the ESPN narrative. The whole thing brings about a new definition to "THUG". I mean we saw the Clemson/South Carolina shuving match, what a joke compared to this. Miami has now given us a text-book definition of "How To be a Thug":

lesson #1 - When a fight starts, get in it as soon as possible, never sit and watch (note how the announcer claims he's about to get in on it and is). and don't stop until you feel steel cuffs slapped on your wrist

lesson #2- Use anything at your disposal to attack, the heavier the better -- handicapped and inujured are of great assistance here, any form of equipment wil work, hint: seek metal objects. (here i'm just amazed at the guy violently swinging his helmet literally trying to kill someone, also noted is the guy who uses his crutches as a weapon!)

lesson #3 - anything goes, like the guy who his stomping on the back of someone's leg -- there were also reports of choking and eye-poking

lesson #4 - make sure to let them know what 'gang' you come from (notice how during the brawl, some miami player is running through waving the "U" flag as to 'represent')

lesson #5 - be sure to celebrate afterwards, winning the game isn't everything!! (maybe the most amazing part, is the gathering of the miami players afterwards and began to chant together)

halariously noted is that during the fight the "Flag" icon appeared on the TV...as if we needed that.

...on other notes, congrats to Auburn on a big win. They beat Florida the only way you can (not with offense, some luck and special teams). I was glad to see Chris leak choke. Tommy Tubberville is getting rediculous though --after the game when asked about the Horrendous fumble call, he said "we finally got a call that went our way".....yeah....um, LSU game???

Also, the BCS came out---disaster awaits. USC will lose before season is over and we are going to have a mess with all these one-loss teams. What a joke Notre Dame ranked ahead of Texas---and someone explain how Cal is ranked ahead of Tennessee....

David Cutcliffe the Head Coach

He just looks healthier at UT than he did back in his UM head coaching days

To clarify my stance on David Cutcliffe I submit the following article from the Mobile Newspaper. My friend and elite blogger of Belly of the Beast, Gray Hardison, alerted me to this article. So thank you Gray. It perfectly curtails to our Cutcliffe discussion via comments. From the Mobile Paper
___________________________________________________
However, the infatuation with Cutcliffe as a head-coaching candidate
is borderline comical. He failed as a recruiter at Ole Miss and lost
games on the Rebels' sideline that should provide pause for any school
thinking of putting its program in his hands.

Oxford, Miss., native Jeffrey Dukes would be at Ole Miss today if
Cutcliffe had offered a scholarship or showed any sign of interest. He
didn't, so Dukes starts in Alabama's secondary today. Had Dukes signed
with Ole Miss, there's a decent chance Justin Woodall would be in Ole
Miss red and blue and not Alabama crimson and houndstooth Saturday at
Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Cutcliffe never bothered to recruit Jimmy Johns, badly misevaluated
Jerious Norwood, lost Xavier Mitchell and Parys Haralson to Tennessee,
Will Arnold to Tennessee and Quintin Culberson to Mississippi State.

He failed to replace quality assistants with competent replacements
and was overly loyal to obviously incompetent staffers. He lost the
support of key Ole Miss boosters when he flirted with other job
possibilities and then openly pursued an opening at Kentucky.

Most importantly, perhaps, Cutcliffe failed to acquire anything
resembling a competent successor to Eli Manning when Archie's youngest
left for the NFL's New York Giants.

So, yes, Cutcliffe is inarguably one of the best offensive
coordinators in the country. Perhaps he has learned from his mistakes
at Ole Miss and will one day make a great head coach. However, some in
the media are getting it wrong when they play the role of revisionist
historians.
_____________________________________________________
May I make a few comments. Cutcliffe is a good offensive coordinator, it is obvious he is doing well for Tennessee right now. As a matter of fact, if somehow Tennessee does play Notre Dame in a bowl game, I hope they kick the stew out of the Irish. However, in hindsight he was a terrible head coach. Don't forget he took over a Tommy Tuberville program loaded with talent. If I had the time I would go back and count up the number of future professional players he had on his first team. I've done it before and I think the number was 11-14 (future NFL players). And with all that talent he went to the Independence Bowl with a 7-4 record.

Regarding the papers first paragraph, he was absolutely correct saying games were lost on the Rebel sidelines that should make anyone think twice about putting a program in his hands. Who can forget the Eli Manning senior year where we went tooth and nail with LSU, eventually losing to the national champions. But wait, we also lost two other games that year...to MEMPHIS AND TEXAS TECH. Let's not even talk about the number of losses to Vanderbilt.

Regarding the papers paragraphs about recruiting talent: David Cutcliffe somehow thought Joe Gunn and Deuce McAllister were equally talented. Why else was he so intent on getting Joe Gunn his carries during the 4th quarter of the Auburn game. Patrick Willis sat on the bench for his first two years of college, only to have Coach Orgeron come in and say Willis would have started for USC. We could go on and on.
Need anymore examples of Cutcliffe's recruiting. Look at the talent of Ole Miss right now. We are playing freshman and sophomores and still don't have our full amount of scholarship players because Cut never signed enough.
On evaluating talent, who can forget when David Cutcliffe signed Ethan Flatt. Before signing Flatt, Cut announced he wasn't going to sign a quarterback this year unless he found one of the same caliber of Eli Manning. Along comes Ethan Flatt. For those of you who have never heard of Ethan Flatt you get my point.
Assistant coaches - good grief he had like 9 defensive coordinators and legendary Kurt Roper as QB coach.

I am tired from rambling. All that to say, David Cutcliffe is not a head coach (Even though the media incessently disagrees). He is going to have much, much success with the Vols as an offensive coordinator. He is great with X's and O's, just don't put him in charge of a program.

Midseason review

I have no clue what I'm doing


Like every year, there are some big suprises midway through the season and then some things have played out as predicted. A month ago the LSU/Auburn game was being hyped up with enormous BCS implications--not so much anymore. Florida had preseason hype, and has lived up to every bit of it -- Ohio State likewise. Michigan has emerged, finally, as a good team. Much to the media's dissapointment, Notre Dame is beatable and the "Classic Monday Night Showdown" between Miami/Fla. State is in retrospect a joke. Some bizzare thoughts: Arkansas is in the driver seat of the SEC west, West Virginia/Louisville may be one of the most meaningful games of the year, the Big 12 Championship game could actually be watchable, and USC may not win the Pac-10 this year.


Things we Know:
- Mississippi State belongs in 1-AA football
- Lou Holtz has a speech impediment and needs clinical help
- The SEC East is the best conference in America....the SEC West is a close second
- Somehow Brady Quinn will end of in NY for the Heisman Trophy presentation
- The chick who announces the noon ESPN2 game is definitenly a dyke
- Miami is the worst coached team in America, LSU is a close second. Both need to stop playing PS2 in order to develop game plans
- Colorado is the best 0-5 team in the past 4 years
- Notre Dame will get spanked by USC and still get a BCS bowl bid

Things we don't know:
- Who will play for national championship
- Who Will win the SEC West
- How the producers at ESPN manage to keep Lou Holtz on the Air and out of a psychiatric facility
- Who will get fired at end of season
- How many dozen doughnuts does Charlie Weis eat every day
- How good will some of these true freshman QB's be in the SEC

What each SEC team needs to do keep winning:
Alabama - get a place kicker and get a softer schedule, can't keep having these scares from Duke and Hawaii!
Auburn - realize that Brandon Cox is not Jason Campbell
Arkansas - run the ball 99% of your plays
Florida - keep the weed out of the lockeroom for 3 more months, and keep paying that lawyer
Georgia - find a QB...NOW
Kentucky - play some defense
LSU - star letting Jamarcus Russel coach the team...it can't hurt
Ole Miss - run the ball, run the ball, and when Brent Shaeffer thinks he should throw--tell him to run the ball
Mississipi State - ???????????
South Carolina - you could start by not bitchining out your coaches in front of the media
Tennessee - let Erik Ainge do his thang
Vanderbilt - Get new uniforms?? they do that about 2x a year anyway


Midseason predictions and hopes:

- If Ohio State and Michigan are undefeated when they play, the media will build it up as "THE GREATEST FOOTBALL GAME OF ALL TIME", they already love this rivalry anyway. Winner will play for national title
- Florida still has a tough road, but their defense is just brutal and tough--though this Leak/Teabow thing may backfire on Meyer
- Cal or Oregon to beat USC ending their regular season domination
- Texas looked gloomy after Ohio State, but they have rebounded as the best one-loss team. They repeat as Big 12 champs
- WVU/Louisville winner may end of undefeated and rightfully left out of BCS championship
- Clemson may win the ACC, but they do not - let me emphasize this - THEY DO NOT have any shot at playing for the BCS title (many clemson fans think they should be considered in the mix)
- on a personal note, I wish for Tennessee to run the table (going to be VERY tough, not sure they can) and get Notre Dame in a BCS bowl game. We could hang 70 on them!!

...to all of you out there, I wish the Rebs, Dawgs, Horns, and other teams solid finishes and a decent bowl, may the sweetness of your sweet-emotion not become soured.

The moment I jumped up and down like a cheerleader

Please notice the fans chanting RE-GGIE

I am not even embarrassed...not the least bit. When Reggie Bush returned a punt on Sunday for a game winning touchdown, I might as well have been doing toe touches. And I am not ashamed. These kinds of things don't happen to the Saints. Let me say it again, These kinds of things don't happen to the Saints. True Saints fans are few and far between for that simple reason. Most Saints fans have either given up and thus callous towards the world, or are incapacitated due to some sort of stress related illness. Let me help with an example. Being a Saints fan in 2003 meant watching our playoff hopes stay alive in Cal-esque fashion as Deuce and others pitched and lateralled the ball with no time left on the clock for an improbable touchdown. Playoff hopes are alive right...WRONG! John Carney proceeded to MISS the extra point.
With that being said, I was not at all surprised to see the ole yellow flag on the field following Bush's return. But, Lo and Behold, it was against the Bucs. Dare I say I am enjoying being a Saints fan this year.

On a second note. Somebody needs to check Brent Shaeffer's birth certificate. Are we 100% certain he is not the brother of Aaron Brooks? Their style of play is eerily similar. If I see Brent Brooks do one of these, there will be no further doubt.



Wow, I think I just felt my stress level go up.

Tubs speaks out

I'm gonna have to agree with Tommy Tuberville on this one. It is time to go to a stinkin playoff system. I'm sure many will disagree, but let's end the arguments and make sure USC/Ohio State/Auburn actually face off against each other. I don't really think there should be more than a 4 team playoff system, 8 at the most. It's just ridiculous that you can do everything in your power and still not have a shot at the NCAA title. What other sport does that? Any thoughts from our 5 regular readers? Oh, and we can still have bowl games for teams that don't make the playoffs. By all means, keep the Independence Bowl, it is the only chance Ole Miss has at a postseason most years.


The guy has done his research

Who is the elite NCAA football Conference?

Back to football. Looking at the Rankings today and here is what they show.
Top Fifteen Teams
1) SEC - 5 (That is correct, 1/3 of the top 15 teams are from the SEC). This week LSU/Florida matchup and so do Georgia/Tennesee, so things will probably change...but that is how they stack up this week. I do think Georgia is overrated (Ole Miss gave evidence to that). I'll take LSU and Tennessee in those two showdowns

2) Big 10 - 2 Teams. Ohio State and Michigan. I did find it humorous that all of a sudden ESPN jumped on the Michigan bandwagon. Remember when the week of the Michigan/Notre Dame game. ESPN was saying Michigan didn't have a prayer...they just aren't that good. But stop the press, Michigan beats Notre Dame and therefore they must be at least #2 in the country.

3) Pac 10- 2 Teams. USC and Oregon

4) Big East - 2 Teams. West Virginia and Louisville

5) Big 12 - 2 Teams. Texas and Oklahoma (OU should fall back out this week after Texas takes them to the woodshed).

6) ACC - 1 team - Clemson

7) Independent - Notre Dame

There you have it folks. The SEC is at it again.

Manly photo of the week:



Coach Norman Dale is by far one of the biggest heroes of Sweet Emotion. "When it comes to this team, what I say is the law."

Drinking, Smoking, and Dating Girls that do.

May I highly recommend this book!

J.C. Ryle, who I will be quoting frequently from his book Holiness in this post, states "Wrong views about holiness are generally traceable to wrong views about human corruption." He continues "the plain truth is that a right knowledge of sin lies at the root of all saving Christianity." What a wonderful statement. Too often we like to think of Christianity as a religion of people who have it all together. Ryle quickly quells this notion by directly connecting realization of sin to holiness.

At risk of messing up the message of a genius 19th century Theologian, I will attempt to expound. And from now on, I will simply italicize Ryle quotes instead of being grammatically correct. How are sin and holiness connected? Very simply, the more we grow in Christ as a Christian, the more sinful we realize we are. For example, when I was a Chistian as a teenager, my view of sin entailed drinking, smoking, dating girls that do, talking back to my parents, and cheering for Miss. State. So what kind of person was 14 year old Brian Sorgenfrei? An arrogant Christian who looked down on those who committed the sins on his checklist and wondered why they couldn't get it together. I mean if I can abstain, why can't you? (yea not much has changed in my pride...I know).

Then senior high and college came around. Thankfully as God worked through His Word in the avenues of RUF, church, and friends, I had a sober realization about myself. I am a whole lot more messed up than I ever thought. My pride, my looking down on others, my idolatry of others approval, etc. were exposed. I slowly began to realize shockingly enough that I didn't have it all together. My sin was simply more socially acceptable and less noticeable than other sins. However, by revealing more of my sin, God showed me I desperately needed the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe Ryle was unraveling this truth in a much more eloquent and deep way. For my part I am persuaded the more light we have, the more we see our own sinfulness: the nearer we get to heaven, the more we are clothed with humility. Our love of Christ directly relates to our realization of our own sinfulness. When we see just how gross and vast our sin is, we get a glimpse of just how high and deep is the love of Christ (Eph. 3:18). Terribly black must that guilt be for which nothing but the blood of the Son of God could make satisfaction. Heavy must that weight of human sin be which made Jesus groan and sweat drops of blood in agony at Gethsemane, and cry at Golgotha, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

Dare I say that we should all be praying that God would show us our sin? A tough prayer indeed, because it means we begin to see just how vile and rebellious we are. But, only then do we see Christ's love magnified. I am so bad that the Son of God had to die for me. But I am so loved that the Son of God died for me and therefore nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God (Rom 9:39). This is what sends Christians into the world clothed in humility, yet with unwavering boldness.

It's a sad truth that most non-Christians think Christianity is simply a religion of "get your life in order and Jesus will like you." But maybe that is simply because that is what much of modern day Christianity has told people. As Ryle states "Dim or indistinct views of sin ar eth origin of most of the errors, heresies, and false doctrines of the present day. If a man does not realize the dangerous nature of his sould's disease, you cannot wonder if he is content with false or imperfect remedies." When we've forgotten the depth and seriousness of sin, then a 3 step process of clean yourself up is good enough. All of us need to remind one another that Christians are messed up people that only come to the throne of God through Christ's righteousness for While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:8). By the way, I don't consider cheering for Miss. State a sin anymore, however I wouldn't be surprised if it led to many sinful thoughts this past Saturday.