It is college football awards season and last night the sport gave out the "Disney Sports Spirit Award" which goes each year to "an inspirational player."
In the whole history of awards there has perhaps not been a more foregone conclusion.
In September 2015 James Conner of the University of Pittsburgh began his junior year as one of the great running backs in the nation. In the first game he suffered a cruel knee injury and was lost for the season. Conner's injury touched the college football world.
Came November. In November 2015, as if to offer conclusive physical proof of His non-existence, God afflicted James Conner with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. As Scotland did with Eric Liddell, as Iowa did with Neil Kinnock, all of college football was pained.
Are you fucking kidding me? James Conner wearing an anti-germs mask while rehabbing his knee while undergoing chemotherapy.
As if to offer conclusive proof of His existence as a just and merciful Father, God healed James Conner's knee and his cancer.
In the whole history of awards there has perhaps not been a more foregone conclusion.
In September 2015 James Conner of the University of Pittsburgh began his junior year as one of the great running backs in the nation. In the first game he suffered a cruel knee injury and was lost for the season. Conner's injury touched the college football world.
As if to offer conclusive proof of His existence as a just and merciful Father, God healed James Conner's knee and his cancer.
James Conner leading the Pitt team onto the field for the first game of the 2016 season. Conner became a 1,000 yard rusher again in 2016.
The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning is the most inspirational structure on any college campus anywhere in the world. James Connor is the instantiation of the Cathedral. He is the most inspirational figure in college athletics. It was altogether fitting then, and foregone, that James Connor of the University of Pittsburgh was named recipient of the 2016 Disney Sports Spirit Award last night.
