The beginning of a new semester is upon us, and the doors are quickly closing on the old. Many of the seasons are ending and when they do begin again, a lot of things will be different.

Obviously after this week we are going to have to get used to “different”.

A challenge that is put out before us is what we as students and student-athletes choose to make of this difference. This was a great season for many of our sports teams. This was also a pretty rough season for a few. There is always a positive side to every negative, we just have to look really hard for it. If you can’t find it now, just think WINTER BREAK!!!

UTM is an OVC University that went from not so well known to all out feared by many of our opposing competitors.

This season we were pin-pointed by many competitors as a threat (SEMO), and you know what, I kind of enjoy that.

We may not have taken them down this time, but we now have a little something we didn’t have before.

We now have the fear of other OVC schools. We have the talent to go further than we as an athletic department have really ever gone before. We have a strong defense, so be ready. Be ready to get out and yell, and make an awful din, cause we’re about to start a new season.

The loss of McCorkle was a tough and quite surprising deal. I personally can’t see how so many can place blame on one man, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles (what a cliché).

People get dealt bad hands in life, but they can still come out winning the game. It doesn’t matter how bad the hand is, what matters is how much one can bluff. I am not saying, “Go on and fake it out”. Life isn’t a game, though many of us go about it like it is.

I like the way Nike puts it, “Life is tough, play hard.” I agree, play your heart out. Go out on that field, track, or whatever and kick as much tail as possible. There is one thing that upset me the most about athletes it would have to be an athlete not putting their whole heart into their sport. You are not an asset to your team if you are not putting forth your best efforts to accomplish a mutual goal, that goal being a win.

Be man and woman enough to step up to the plate and take a swing. Hey if you strike out, it’s okay. There is always another day and another game.

I know my column is always full of sappy life-sports advice. I also know that I am not the Pig Skin Prognosticator. Schmo knows his games, but I know the heart of the game. And I know what it takes to win.

Intimidation is one of the strongest tools an athlete and team can possess. UT Martin is now a school that intimidates, lets keep it that way.