Flag down on the play

Back on Jan. 1, Ian Johnson seemed to be starring in a Disney movie: score touchdown on trick play to help small college beat perennial power in bowl game by one point to complete unbeaten season AND keep running through end zone over to girlfriend/cheerleader, get down on one knee, produce ring and propose on national television. If Chrissy Popadics had said no, it would have been quite a letdown, but she did say yes, and the couple is scheduled to get married on Saturday.

Here is where the plot moves from family feel-good story to reality in America today: Because Johnson is black and Popadics is white the groom has received death threats, forcing them to hire security for their wedding.

No fool, Johnson is aware of the irony here: "It's really sad because a lot of people that are probably [making threats] are the same people who were cheering me on."