Gridiron grace amazing by James Merritt

By DR. JAMES MERRITT - 08/28/05 - For the Journal-Constitution

My first taste of college football was when I was about 12 years old. My dad's cousin owned some chicken houses, and I used to go over and help his son gather eggs. Then we would go into a little room off to the side and grade the eggs for market. I remember standing there many Saturday afternoons listening to Larry Munson call Georgia football games. It was actually Larry Munson that turned me on to Georgia football.

Since then, I unashamedly say that college football — and Georgia football in particular — has become a passion for me. I have been able to see many memorable games in person, but the one I guess I'll never forget is the 2002 game against Auburn when it was 4th-and-19 and David Greene threw the miracle pass to Michael Johnson that clinched [a berth in] the SEC championship [game]. I distinctly remember sitting around a bunch of unbelievably obnoxious Auburn fans, suffering the whole game until that play. I remember with great delight watching those Tigers literally slink away with a bitter defeat.

I have season tickets to the Georgia games, and the atmosphere is second to none. Going to Georgia on Saturdays is literally like taking a one-day vacation. For one day, I can forget all of my troubles, concerns and problems and just enjoy the beautiful game of college football.

As a pastor, my first and greatest passion is God Himself. I must admit one of the sweetest sounds in my life is after a great win, hearing Georgia fans looking at each other and going "How 'bout them Dawgs!"

— Dr. James Merritt is the Pastor of Cross Pointe — The Church at Gwinnett Center in Duluth and host of the television broadcast ministry Touching Lives. Dr. Merritt is the former president of the Southern Baptist Convention.