While taking in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge this week, I was reminded many times by ESPN that this is Jimmy V week.  Jimmy V of course is the late basketball coach Jim Valvano, who led North Carolina State to a most improbable NCAA Championship in 1983.  He also gave one of the all-time great speeches ten years later at the 1993 ESPY Awards show when he told the audience "don't give up, don't ever give up."  Valvano had terminal cancer when he made that statement and he succumbed to the disease a month later.

How ironic that it's Jimmy V week.  I was watching the MAC Championship between Ball State and Buffalo and before you roll your eyes at my love of MAC football, I will remind you that the MAC produced Ben Roethlisberger and Michael Turner, so it's perfectly normal for an NFL Draft junkie like myself to watch the mid-majors from time to time.  Ball State dominated the MAC this year.  Ranked 12th in the country, the Cardinals were 12-0 and the MAC Championship was supposed to be a victory lap against the less-than-stellar 7-5 Bulls.

How ironic that Ball State led 17-14 with five minutes left in the third quarter.  The Cardinals had it second-and-goal inside Buffalo's one yard line and a sure touchdown would allow Ball State to start savoring an undefeated season.  But on third-and-goal Ball State quarterback Nate Davis tried to dive for the end zone John Elway-style.  He fumbled and the Bulls returned it for a touchdown.  On the next possession Ball State motored inside Buffalo's 20, seemingly unfazed by the turnover.  Then it happened again.  Another fumble, another touchdown return for Buffalo.  Final score, 42-24 Buffalo.  The Bulls literally had their backs to the wall in a game that was rapidly fading away.  It would've been easy for the Bulls to concede, but football players are reminded to keep batting, keep digging, keep fighting and eventually you'll catch a break.  Taking a cue from Coach Valvano, the Bulls never gave up.

How ironic that the MAC Championship was held in Detroit, a city hit as hard as any by the recent economic downturn.  Everyone's feeling the pinch.  Worse yet, winter is officially here and wow is it cold outside.  It's gonna be cold for awhile.  But while you're dreading the impending winter and barrage of bad economic news, it's always a good idea to remind yourself what Valvano told us 15 years ago.  Don't give up, whether you're the 7-5 Bulls, the 5-7 Packers, or even in your own household.  Just like Buffalo, you've got to keep fighting.  Just like Buffalo, you'll eventually catch a break.  And you've got to keep watching MAC football.  Heck, along the way you might even spot the next Ben Roethlisberger.