[Griffins78]

Needle earlier posted the Oregon Live article from John Canzano, the journalist that Shaw talks about at the end of the HWDI piece about praying to God and thanking Him for bringing Jordan Williamson through everything. It is incredibly revealing and very well written. I'm so glad that Canzano was there, saw Shaw praying, asked him about it, and that he wrote such a great article about it.

I think it is the best article I have read about the game. It says so much about the kind of man David Shaw is and why the players will fight so hard for Shaw and why any parent would love their kid to play for him.

I asked Shaw on the field, "Were you praying, coach?"

"Yeah, I was," he said, "but not for what you might think. I wasn't praying that he would make the kick and we would win. I was praying about something else."
...

"I wasn't praying Jordan would make the kick, I was praying about everything Jordan's been through," Shaw said. "He's such a sweet kid, and everything that happened at the Fiesta Bowl, and all that. I prayed to God, thanking Him for bringing Jordan through all the turmoil the way the kid came through it."

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregoni..._trut.html

Then after watching the HWDI video, when Shaw awards Jordan with the game ball... there is this article describing that moment by SJMN writer, Tim Kawakami: "Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson gains redemption".

This is why I love this team. I think part of why 2 and 3 star recruits can become giant killers is because they have a special bond - they believe in each other, they trust each other, and they play for each other. Not just in words but in deeds and blood and sweat. THE most important role of the Head Coach is to create that bond, that culture, the TEAM which empowers them to achieve more than a collection of individuals. Harbaugh does it. Shaw does it. Its pretty special.

[Griffins78]

Needle earlier posted the Oregon Live article from John Canzano, the journalist that Shaw talks about at the end of the HWDI piece about praying to God and thanking Him for bringing Jordan Williamson through everything. It is incredibly revealing and very well written. I'm so glad that Canzano was there, saw Shaw praying, asked him about it, and that he wrote such a great article about it.

I think it is the best article I have read about the game. It says so much about the kind of man David Shaw is and why the players will fight so hard for Shaw and why any parent would love their kid to play for him.

I asked Shaw on the field, "Were you praying, coach?"

"Yeah, I was," he said, "but not for what you might think. I wasn't praying that he would make the kick and we would win. I was praying about something else."
...

"I wasn't praying Jordan would make the kick, I was praying about everything Jordan's been through," Shaw said. "He's such a sweet kid, and everything that happened at the Fiesta Bowl, and all that. I prayed to God, thanking Him for bringing Jordan through all the turmoil the way the kid came through it."

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregoni..._trut.html

Then after watching the HWDI video, when Shaw awards Jordan with the game ball... there is this article describing that moment by SJMN writer, Tim Kawakami: "Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson gains redemption".

This is why I love this team. I think part of why 2 and 3 star recruits can become giant killers is because they have a special bond - they believe in each other, they trust each other, and they play for each other. Not just in words but in deeds and blood and sweat. THE most important role of the Head Coach is to create that bond, that culture, the TEAM which empowers them to achieve more than a collection of individuals. Harbaugh does it. Shaw does it. Its pretty special.