The Life of Nick Mangold—A Blessing and a Reminder

When called to offer words of condolence, my aunt always writes, “May his or her memory be a blessing.” I’ve always loved that message. It’s a beautiful wish — a hope to hold onto.

Upon hearing about the passing of Nick Mangold, I found myself wanting to rewrite that message. The 41-year-old football player, who spent his entire 11-season career as a center with the New York Jets, died on October 25, 2025 from complications of a kidney disease. As I write about him now, I hope his memory is not only a blessing but something more. Let it be a reminder.

In 2006, Mangold was diagnosed with a genetic defect that has led to chronic kidney disease. In a letter addressed to "My NY Jets community" he wrote, "I'm undergoing dialysis as we look for a kidney transplant. I always knew this day would come, but I thought I would have more time." I wish he had. I also wish he had found a match. I wish more people knew about how they too can save a life. And, I say this because that is precisely what my cousin Amy said when asked why she donated her kidney in June 2024.

The article "By donating a kidney to a stranger, WA woman forged an immediate bond" reports that Amy decided to become a non-directed kidney donor for a number of reasons. In addition to the influence of podcasts (yes, podcasts), she said, “I have a job where I can get time off. I don’t have kids. I’m healthy. I’ve always been a blood donor. And I have a family that understands the importance of helping others.”

Jim Simon's piece is nearly perfect, with one exception: it omits the simple, piercing question Amy asked herself — and, by extension, is asking of all of us. How often do I — do we — get the chance to save a life? The power of that question is not lost on the author, though. After all, he was the recipient of Amy’s kidney. She saved his life.

Amy meets Jim and his wife!

Amy is unique in many ways — and I love her deeply. But here, “unique” is also the technical term. She is what is officially called a non-directed donor, "someone who chooses to donate a kidney even though no loved one, friend, or acquaintance needs one. Non-directed donors have no say in, nor any knowledge of, who will receive their organ. There is no certainty, not even a strong likelihood, that they will ever meet the stranger whose life they save." The story of their meeting in person—months after the successful transplant, underscores Simon's article. But, it's purpose is much more.

Simon notes:

• About 100,000 people in the United States are currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.
• Kidney transplants have increased in the last decade, reaching nearly 28,000 last year.
• But the waiting list grows far faster than the number of transplants.
• An estimated 12 people die every day while waiting for a kidney.

We need both directed and non-directed donors. We need people to check the “organ donor” box at the DMV and to tell their families their wishes regarding end-of-life decisions. The math is simple: more donors mean more lives can be saved.

And here’s the truth many don’t realize: in good health, almost anyone can become an altruistic donor. We don’t actually need two kidneys; we can live with one. In short, there are enough kidneys out there to go around — enough that the wait might not be long...enough that we might not lose someone like Nick Mangold—husband, father of four, son, brother, friend and former teammate at such a young age. 

Like Amy, I'm a fan of podcasts. In fact, the one I listen to Pardon the Interruption (PTI) is how I learned of Mangold's passing. They quoted the The New York Jets website which stated. 

He was the heartbeat of our offensive line for a decade and a beloved teammate whose leadership and toughness defined an era of Jets football. Off the field, Nick's wit, warmth, and unwavering loyalty made him a cherished member of our extended Jets family.

Nick married his high school sweetheart, Jennifer

I heard the news and I stopped in my tracks. My eyes pooled with water as I realized his life's story was cut short. I wish he could have gotten a kidney. I wish more people knew about Amy's choice, her gift and perspective. In a letter to her parents (my aunt and uncle), she wrote "It’s not just me saving one life, it’s our family who is ‘saving’ another family.” 

Let's share Mangold's story and in doing so, his memory will only continue to be a blessing and... much more.

BTW: That's Amy's mom, my Aunt Wendy who writes that message ;-)
Please read the full post on Amy here.

Photo Credits
Nick Mangold
Amy and chart
Mangold family

Paying Attention As Prayer: Sunsets and The Shema

Simone Weil once wrote that “attention, taken to its highest degree, is the same thing as prayer.” This week, I saw a sky so beautiful I couldn’t help but stop and notice. It felt as if God were trying to get my attention. That moment reminded me that one of the simplest prayers we can offer requires only a pause—and the choice to pay attention.

I was at school for an evening show and stepped out onto the piazza overlooking Ocean Beach. On too many days, the view is swallowed by fog. But when the sky is clear, it is downright magical. That evening, I realized we were experiencing one of those rare late-Fall sunsets—San Francisco’s version of summer magic. I captured the moment on film, hoping to invite my students to see sunsets like this not only as moments to notice, but as an invitation to pray.

I have written about paying attention as a spiritual discipline before. It resonates with people because it's  not overly pious. It's not difficult and it requires little time and no money. Anyone can pray this prayer. I have found that being outside and gazing at nature is an ideal environment and queue for this prayer.

I first came to this realization when I was playing golf with my good friend Charlie on the Ocean Course at the Half Moon Ritz Carlton. Our 1:00 p.m. tee time meant that we were on the 17th tee box as the sun was setting. Though the majority of hotel guests were walking the grounds to take in the view—an infinite horizon against the Pacific Ocean, I easily could have kept my sights on finishing our round in a timely manner. Not Charlie. He told me that he wanted to take in what his eyes could behold. I said "Charlie, let's bring it in. I'm good." He didn't listen to me; I'm so glad. Instead, he paused, looked from north to south at the western sky and kept silent. He let the sunset speak for itself. 

Ever since that day, I have made a point of taking a prayerful pause when I golf and see a beautiful sight. Honestly, I make an effort to behold a majestic tree, a clear sky, a rising moon or a setting sun. Yes, golfers spend a good chunk of time outside so interactions with nature and opportunities to pay attention to it abound, but I invite other athletes to do the same. The requirement is no different: pay attention.

For example, I attended the WCAL III XC meet at Crystal Springs. Rain had passed through earlier, and by the time the athletes lined up for the 2.95-mile course, the sky had opened—revealing vistas so breathtaking that everyone there, runners and spectators alike, couldn’t help but look up, out, and beyond to savor the moment. I know they did—because I told more than a few of them to do just that.

The purpose of this post however, is to offer a call to action that goes beyond simply paying attention. To borrow from Eric Liddell, the Scottish gold medalist and subject of Chariots of Fire: “I want you to do more than just watch a race.” I want you to pray. How might we do that?

When beauty catches your attention, pause and say, “Thank you, God.” As Anne Lamott might put it, simply say “thanks” and “wow.” Offer those words, too. How often does the Creator get credit for what has been created? I suspect the answer is “never enough.”

Since early October, I have been teaching RS201, Christology. Sophomores are learning about the Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith. In reading the Gospel we learn that before his public ministry began, Jesus was baptized and He was tempted in the desert. Richard Rohr writes

Jesus is the master of spiritual discernment here, which is always much more subtle and particular than mere obedience to external laws. Note that Jesus quotes no moral commandments here, but only wisdom texts from Deuteronomy.

The book of Deuteronomy contains the Shema, a central declaration of faith, meant to anchor daily life in awareness of God. Jews are called to offer this prayer twice daily, in the morning and evening. I absolutely love this prayer practice. It is foundational and formative. It is easy to pray.

As a faithful Jew, we can assume Jesus offered this prayer every morning and evening. While we don't know if he prayed the Shema when he was tempted by the devil, we do know that he called on the wisdom teaching of His faith to keep him strong. Time and again in his life, he called upon the Father—God—for help. We are always invited to do the same.

Our prayers to God need not always be in supplication.We can pay attention and when we do, we can give thanks. We can praise God. We can show appreciation and send our love. 

Mary Pipher has written "attention is the purest form of love." God who is love, pays attention to us. As a way to show our love to God, let us pay attention to  beauty, creation and one another. Amen.

Photo Credits
Shema
Eric Liddell

Post World Series Petty Party: Baseball Fans are Invited

I'm hosting a party. Giants and Blue Jays fans are welcome. Phillies fans? please join us. What's the occasion? Is there are theme? At what time will it end? And what should I wear?! If you're a Dodger fan you're not invited. Here's why.

When Blue Jay's catcher, Alejandro Kirk. hit into a double play for the final two outs of the 2025 World Series, I got up in disgust and walked out of my parents' family room. The Dodgers came from behind to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings. In that moment I was debating who I hate more: Dodgers or USC Trojans. Regardless, my disdain doesn't change the outcome. The text messages started pouring in. Why? I was hosting a petty party. 

In one conversation I stated "I'm so mad at the Blue Jays right now. They couldn't get it done, and now we live with the outcome." My friend responded "I can't." No further words were necessary. 

To another I said "Thank God I didn't bet on the Jays, I would be losing my mind right now." to which my friend said "it's impossible to bet against the Dodgers. They're animals." I asked him to leave the party. 

I found a way to swallow my bitterness and I congratulated my friend Scott, the biggest Dodger fan I know—and yes, we are real friends. Ever gracious, he did not gloat. He did however quote Fox Sports announcer, Alex Rodriguez who said, "you can make the argument that Toronto played better in every way. But the Dodgers found a way to win." This prompted me to respond. "I never believe what A-Rod has to say." At this point, my petty party was raging.

Before Game 7, the theme was "Beat LA" And a t-shirt with that logo was fitting attire. Now, it's nothing with Dodger Blue. We won't play Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." either. The petty party will carry into next season, as the Giants battle it out for the NL West. And as petty as this petty party sounds (and is) there's one problem with it: for baseball and sports fans, this October classic featured great baseball. And for that, I must thank not only the Toronto Blue Jays but yes. the Los Angeles Dodgers (there, I said it).

I realized this early in the series. On Monday, October 27, I went to bed after 13 innings of baseball. I woke up exhausted from too little sleep. After my alarm went off, I rolled over and hit refresh on Safari. The score changed from 5‑5, Blue Jays vs. Dodgers, to 5‑6: Dodgers win. I zoomed in to see the box score. Eighteen innings?! I have no dog in this fight, and yet that was the first thing I wanted to know.

I have not become a Canadian baseball fan; I do root against the most things LA. I can't say what Governor Newsom said in his friendly bet with the Premiere of Ontario. Ever. So what gives? Why watch a game that I have little to no investment in? Fortunately local sports talk radio host, Brian Murphy gave me an answer. He said "we hate the Dodgers here on KNBR, but we love great baseball." That's what we saw. Yahoo Sports offered this summary:

The Dodgers outlasted the Blue Jays, 6-5, in an 18-inning marathon that was tied for the longest game in World Series history (by innings). When the dust finally settled, 609 pitches had been thrown by 19 different pitchers, 37 runners had been left on base, 25 position players had been used, and nearly seven hours had passed (6:39).

The hero: Reigning World Series MVP Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off solo blast to make him the first player in history with multiple World Series walk-off home runs. And he did it in back-to-back years.

Multiple friends texted me about what we were all witnessing during that game (and others). Even my students took notice. One senior stopped by my office to ask if I’d watched the game; another admitted he hadn’t done his homework because he couldn’t stop watching. I took an informal poll in class: “Raise your hand if you watched last night’s game.” Half the class did. Then I asked, “Who stayed up until the end?” I wasn’t prepared to see a critical mass of hands in the air. 

From 2010 to 2015, it was very easy to speak baseball in Sports and Spirituality class. In recent years, that conversation hasn't gotten much traction. However, last nights Sports Equinox contest weighed in and had me believing what I read is true. David Long of Yahoo Sports writes

Baseball is booming: MLB's total attendance this season (71.4 million fans) increased for the third consecutive year, which hadn't happened since 2005-07. That growing popularity could be seen over the airwaves and other digital channels, too. 

Viewership: Postseason games drew an average of 4.33 million viewers through the Division Series, a 30% increase over last year and the highest in 15 years. Similar high-water marks were seen during the regular season, where TBS (highest viewership since 2011), ESPN (2013) and Fox (2022) all drew big numbers, too.

Streaming: A record 19.39 billion minutes were watched on MLB.TV, which saw seven of its 10 most-watched games ever take place this year.

Digital: MLB's social media pages garnered a record 17.8 billion views this year and the MLB app had its most-trafficked season ever.

Concerned that betting is a primary factor for increased interest, he speaks to what's driving this: 

A variety of factors are at play, but the discussion has to begin with the implementation of the pitch clock, which may go down as one of the best decisions in MLB history.

Games, which used to routinely last well over three hours, averaged just 2:38 this season — the third year in a row under 2:40 since the pitch clock arrived in 2023. Just three 9-inning games this season lasted longer than 3:30. In 2021, there were 391 such games.

The impact of this cannot be overstated. Fans at home can watch games without it taking over their entire evening, and fans going to the ballpark can reasonably expect to be home before 10pm most nights — a pipe dream in the not-so distant past.

Other new rules like larger bases, limiting pickoffs and banning the shift have also led to more steals, more balls in play and a generally more exciting game. It's not rocket science: A better product with a smaller time commitment has yielded a surge in popularity.

Then there's the star power: The sport's two best players — one of whom is an international superstar — playing in the league's two biggest markets is a boon of epic proportions. And Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani aren't just MLB's current best players; they've spent the last few years carving out their places as all-time greats.

The big picture: Baseball's boom seems to be having a trickle-down effect, with youth participation up to a record 8.49 million. Plus, the last three College World Series were the most-watched since 2011.

It may sound odd, but I read this information and I felt joy. I love baseball and I want the game to grow. I love the feeling of watching a great game and sharing that excitement with others. To me, rivalry is revelry. I enjoy the struggle and the strife, facing the enemy and rooting against him. I love it when my team succeeds—it's as if all of San Francisco lights up. Each season spawns a new narrative—never easy, never predictable, exciting and heartbreaking. Some end in a parade others in a pity party.

In the end, my petty party isn’t really about the Dodgers—it’s about devotion. To care this much is to risk disappointment; it’s also to be fully alive in the company of others who care too. That’s the strange grace of fandom. The rivalry fuels our passion, but the game itself restores our faith—in competition, in community, in the beauty of the long season. Baseball gives us something to root for, to rally against, and to remember. And if that means I’m still mad at the Dodgers come spring training, so be it. Hope—and maybe even humility—will show up again on Opening Day. And if I'm at Oracle for that game, I'll be in my Beat L.A. t-shirt. Go Giants!

Photo Credits
Beat LA
Hug
Roberts
Freeman
Max

Shohei Ohtani and the Art of Not Ruining Baseball

After the Los Angeles Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the 2025 National League Championship Series (NLCS), Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts addressed the crowd and media. He remarked:

Before this season started, they said the Dodgers are ruining baseball. Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball!

Roberts’ comment wasn’t just trash talk after a win. It was a strategic public statement: He acknowledged critics blaming the Dodgers for “ruining baseball" and this Giants fan could not agree more. They have the second highest payroll in MLB. They have won the NL West eleven of the last twelve years. I used to believe what the orange and black meme reported: the West can't be bought, it must be won. I guess we were wrong, but so are the critics. How? Why? 

While I believe there are strong argument for spending, competitive fairness, and what teams who flex a strong financial muscle do to the equation there's an individual—a highly paid, strongly coveted one—who is doing anything but ruining the game. He's illuminating it and it's magic. His name is Shohei Ohtani.

For those of you who have only heard his name until now, as I like to say—no, he's not Irish. Ohtani, Shohei as he is known when he goes to bat in Japan (surname is always first) was born on July 5, 1994 in Mizusawa (now part of Ōshū), a city in Iwate Prefecture, located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. If I were to offer a comparison to a city in the U.S., Bangor, Maine might suffice.

He is a hitting slugger and a slugging hitter. He bats left and throws right—quite often in the same game. His swing is violent but elegant and at times he makes hitting the curve look laughably easy. Although the term "unicorn" is often overused, in this instance it's fitting. He's not a myth, he's a man and will be a legend. He's worth watching in the 2025 World Series, despite the fact he wears Dodger Blue. 

I've written about him before (ISO Creativity...Thank you Shohei Ohtani and The Virtues of Video Games by way of Shohei Ohtani), but he's worth highlighting here and now because this postseason offers a chance to see history and beauty, wonder and awe in action. It's not too late.  

For those who are unaware, on Friday, October 17, 2025, Ohtani pitched six-plus scoreless innings and struck out 10. He also had the 13th three-homer game in postseason history — the first, it goes without saying, that included walking off the pitcher’s mound to a standing ovation. Chelsea James of the Washington Post writes, 

Certainly, by the time he hit his third homer in the seventh inning and sent many of his teammates’ heads into their hands in disbelief, everyone in the ballpark knew they were watching the greatest game any player had ever played.

This is Beethoven at a piano. This is Shakespeare with a quill. This is Michael Jordan in the Finals. This is Tiger Woods in Sunday red.

Yes, nights such as Friday’s are Ohtani’s job. But perhaps more than for any other player in recent years, it is clear they are also his calling. Ohtani is what happens when someone awarded a unique dose of genius follows its lead and ends up where they both belong. He is that rare baseball talent so gifted that no slump ever feels more than a few swings away from ending. His confidence is so durable, it is as if he believes success is fated by now.

Unlike Bob Dylan, Ohtani was not "A Complete Unknown." As featured in the "60 Minutes" interview from 2017, "Shotime" was widely considered a once-in-a-generation talent." During the 13-minute feature, Jon Wertheim reveals that at the age of 18, Ohtani held a press conference to announce his Major League intentions. He went so far as to tell Japanese teams not to draft him. The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters drafted him anyway (first round, 2012), and successfully convinced him to stay in Japan by promising he could be both a pitcher and a hitter. This decision made headlines across Japan as no other professional team made that offer. To say in "a star was born" is short-sighted. Rather, a star shone in the East before it went West.

What might be the most interesting part of this profile is the way that Shohei was coached as a Fighter. The manager Hideki Kuriyama was short on praise. Shohei said "last year when we won the championship, that was the first time he gave me a compliment. He said, 'that was great pitching'." Incredulous, Wertheim repeats, "Never complimented you before that?" Ohtani pauses, shakes his head and retorts, "not once. He always says, you've got to get better." While this style of managing may not ruin baseball or a baseball player—it is certainly interesting and worth further consideration. It worked.

Kuriyama explained his rationale. He said "I truly believed he's a lot better than where he's at right now." Dodger fans—heck any baseball can thank him. Kuriyama was right.

Under no certain terms, would I ever purchase or wear a Dodger jersey. However, if I were to consider that plight, I wouldn't think long or hard. I would purchase #17 in honor of Shoehei Ohtani. He has not ruined baseball, he's only made it more interesting, exciting, and beautiful.  

Photo Credits
Pitching
Hitting
Microphone

From the Field to Faith: Three Ways to Inspire, Teach and Reach Students

Good teachers are forever seeking to make connections to everyday life, to what helps students learn and remember and what takes ahold of their hearts and minds. They know their students and their interests, so I'm never surprised when I get asked from teachers, administrators, and catechists how to incorporate sports and spirituality into the curriculum. There's no secret sauce, but here are three simple and practical ways. Let's go!

1. Humor
What parishioner doesn’t enjoy a homily that begins with a good joke? It immediately puts the congregation at ease and prepares us to receive the message. Humor is an important pedagogical tool for it helps us to open our ears and ideally our hearts. 

I'm not sure we use humor enough in the classroom. One of my colleagues made it her PEERS teaching goal to laugh more with her students. We wondered if this were a lofty goal. It's certainly a worthy one. 

One of the joys of sports is the way it invites and invokes humor. Rivalries, the culture of professional, collegiate and local teams, the personalities of athletes let alone their names offer a treasure trove of creative ideas, possible pundits, jokes and more. Because sports are dynamic—showcasing humanity at its best and its worst—it’s not surprise that is serves as a stage where the absurd and the inspiring coexist. We laugh at the blunders as much as we marvel at brilliance. We have to.

I woke up this morning jacked from the 34-24 Notre Dame win over our rival, USC. I read this post by my friend Jim and I laughed out loud. 

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.   

Love is patient, love is kind. Love ran for 228 yards against the Trojans.

The word of the Lord.

☘️ Credit to SoCaliDomer @ndnation.com 

Christians are quite familiar with this passage from St.Paul. And ND fans are very familiar with the success of Irish running back Jeremiyah Love. 

Thanks for posting that quote, JC. I always enjoy what you write!

In class, we are studying the Church's historical engagement with sport. The text states, "Jesus offers no explicit commentary on sport in the four canonical Gospels. However, Saint Paul on multiple occasions invokes the motif of running as a metaphor of discipleship, most commonly in his repeated injunction to not running in vain. (p 15)" Having fun with scripture keeps it lively...and Paul was right to write...

2. The Analog
In the St. Vincent de Paul parish newsletter, my pastor, Father Arturo, shared a message that beautifully connects athletics with the spiritual life. He draws an analogy between what athletes require to succeed and what faith calls forth in us. He writes:

Many athletes can tell us how important stamina is to their success. In the closing minutes of a game, it can often come down to who still has the energy to do their best. Persistence in their will power and athletic talent can often determine the winner. Saint Paul said: "I have competed well. I have finished the race; I have kept the faith."

Often, our faith requires stamina as well. Beaten down by tragedies, failures and disappointments, is our faith strong enough to enable us to persist living God and loving our neighbor? Is our faith strong enough to pursue justice and peace? Is our faith strong enough to persevere in prayer even though our prayers can seem unanswered? Remember: "Sometimes, God shuts the door to us but He opens the window."

As we celebrate the Jubilee Year, may hope sustain our stamina to the end of our days.

With a Prayer, 
Father Arturo Albano, Pastor

Theology is faith seeking understanding. Metaphors like the one Father Arturo and Saint Paul offer are more than helpful tools. They invite and enable the faithful to reflect upon their own experiences to understand God in a new and personal way.

Catholic spirituality is characterized as a both/and proposition. It is not dialectical; it does not embrace an either/or way of seeing the world. God is both in Church and in sport. This point of view underscores how and why a "theology of sport" is valuable and worthy of further study.

3. God Speaks to Every Element...|
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a French Jesuit priest, philosopher, and paleontologist wrote, “God speaks to every element in the language it can understand” Amen.

God is always seeking to connect with us, reach us and find us. God speaks our language—we need not speak God's. For me, that language is sports. I grew up in a home that embraced sport. We watch sports, participate in them, have coached and refereed sports. But not everyone speaks sports. And, among those of us who do, we may speak a common language but there are dialects and accents. 

However, many of us speak several languages. I would love to teach Spirituality and Rock n Roll. I think my mom could teach a class called Spirituality and Gardening. To me, the analog is so obvious and invitational. And, that's my point. As a teacher, you might not find metaphors between Sports and Spirituality easy to create but you might have a few one goods for Spirituality and Cooking or Spirituality and Art. In short, don't let sports get in the way of spirituality—find what resonates with you and run with it (pun intended).

In Conclusion
I love talking Sports and Spirituality. I am always looking for new ideas, lesson plans and ways to connect with my seniors. No semester is the same because sports is always changing—and so are the spiritual lives of the young people in my class and mine, too.

Teaching is demanding and rewarding. It is challenging but fun. Keeping laughter, creativity and connection in the classroom make it that much better. I'm grateful to teach this language and way of connecting to God. 

Photo Credits
J-Love
Sports Theology
The Fit