Above and Beyond: Real Champions

BYU's Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery hold up the Mountain West Championship trophy after Saturday's win against Wyoming.

For all of those Brigham Young University fans out there, aren't we "livin' the dream"?  With their 102 to 78 win over Wyoming on Saturday, the Cougars clinched the top seed for the Mountain West Conference tournament next week. http://www.ksl.com/?sid=14618181&nid=272

Today's "Above and Beyond" recognition doesn't go to this team for their performance in Saturday's game, specifically, although it was a great win  brought about by each player stepping up to reach their fullest potential.  This story goes so much deeper and really illustrates this team's heart. 

The Cougar's actions and attitude toward their teammate, Brandon Davies, has to be one of the best shows of forgiveness and love that I've ever seen publicly demonstrated by a sports team.  Saturday night, Davies was sitting on the end of the bench with his team.  Their comments concerning Davies' suspension showed only support and understanding for the mistake he made that challenged the whole team's spot in the MWC tournament. 

BYU's decision to risk the goal of a championship by sticking to their values and upholding the honor code maintains my respect for a school that should be living above worldly morals and, when tested, succeeded.  There are so many rationalizations and political slides that could have been claimed by this great school, but their honesty and ethics prevailed.  Way to go!

To the Cougar basketball team for your outstanding performance on and off the court, may I say you went "above and beyond" the expectations of your fans and non-supporters alike.  Thank you for showing the nation what real champions are.  It doesn't take a title, (although that would be GREAT!!) to show what you are made of.