There but for the grace of God go I. And you. And everyone but Carleton Tinker.
Yes, this is breaking news. Tinker is the Alabama Crimson Tide football parent, that guy, the one. He is the unfortunate soul who on Saturday last touched the crystal football the Crimson Tide won for the 2011 BCS Championship before the trophy fell off its pedestal and shattered.
And all there is to say is that if one parent had to shoulder the burden of embarrassment that comes with destroying the most coveted bauble in college sports, coach Nick Saban did another good recruiting job.
Five days later, Tinker, who lives in Tennessee, can laugh about it. And once you get past the wave of nausea that hits all of us as we consider standing in his shoes, it is pretty funny.
