(courtesy CBS Sports)

This is the the picture they speak of when they say it's worth a thousand words. The day began with two teams in desperate need of a win. For Gamecock fans, the win came with a great loss. If you were watching, as I was, you saw it happen and if you're like me, you don't need to see it again.

Sometime around 1:30 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, a young man who had endured so much to return from a knee injury last year, was injured yet again. But this time, it was the other knee. As I write this, I'm reading that all four tendons in that knee are torn and he has a broken femur as well. These injuries have not yet been confirmed by the University of South Carolina, however, we saw what happened. It looks that bad.

This is the age of the "Me First" athlete which makes Marcus Lattimore that much more of a treasure to college sports. By all accounts from those who knew him growing up and those who play by his side at Carolina, he's a quiet and humble man who always let his amazing skills do his talking. Perhaps if last year's injury hadn't happened, Marcus would be playing his game on Sunday.

But he had to come back. He had to prove to the NFL and to himself that the knee was strong and his will wasn't broken.

Now this.

If details of this injuries are indeed true, then Marcus Lattimore faces the greatest challenge of his young life. Seeing players and coaches from both sides of the field gather around him was, to me, one of the most emotional scenes that I've ever witnessed in sport. Fate plays a role in all of our lives. We pray for the best and pray harder when the worst occurs.

On this Sunday, pray for Marcus and his family.

Bill Ellis