By Ronald N. Guy Jr.
Ah, there’s nothing like a road
trip with a couple of old friends: good tunes, the open road, relentless
ribbing, reflections on good times and an unspoken certainty of new memories about
to be created (I’ll touch more on this later).
This week’s “view” headed west to the bleachers of Fawcett Stadium in
Canton, Ohio to celebrate the induction of Washington Redskins greats Darrell
Green and Art Monk into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF). Sharing the honors were fellow 2008 HOF
inductees Andre Tippett, Fred Dean, Gary Zimmerman and former Kansas City
Chiefs defensive back and Redskins coach Emmitt Thomas. The reported attendance was just shy of
17,000 and from my perch in the stadium about 16,000 were Redskins fans. To be sure, there were a few large
contingents from “The County” in attendance, a couple of which we ran in to
before and after the enshrinement ceremony.
To a man, the 2008 HOF inductees
possessed uncommon talent and unquestioned character. They were throwbacks to a previous generation of team-first
individuals who played the game with love, passion, and a deep respect for fans
and their opponents. They were class
acts that represented themselves, their team and their profession well. Their resumes lack selfish acts, brushes
with the law and shameless self-promotion so common with today’s players. These six men are now HOF players, but after
listening intently to their speeches, their stories, I was struck by their HOF
credentials as people. None of the
speeches contained significant content about football. Instead, each man reflected on their
personal journey, thanked friends and family for support and various coaches
for opportunities. Despite their talent
and success, these men recognized they stood on foundations laid by
others.
These were men grounded in
family. They spoke of the support of
their parents and grandparents, the love of their spouses and their commitment
to their children. In fact, it was in
reflecting on these relationships, not when recalling their football careers,
that they were moved to tears. Three of
the more poignant and emotional moments of the ceremony were when the son’s of
Thomas, Green and Monk presented their fathers for induction. The relationship between these three fathers
and their sons was both inspiring and challenging (at least for this son and
dad).
They all shared stories of
personal struggles and loss. Thomas
lost his mother at age 8. Green lost
two childhood friends early in life and both of his parents are deceased. And Monk shared that he lost his biggest
fan, his father, just a couple of years ago.
Through their stories these great, powerful and graceful men of the
gridiron seemed very real. It added a
human element to their extraordinary lives that was unexpected yet welcomed and
very moving. I was also struck by the
fragility of their football careers.
Each had particular moments when his HOF career, if not his football
career, hung in the balance. Fred Dean
shared that he was an undersized kid with a penchant for trouble and for
scrapping and fighting schoolyard bullies.
A teacher suggested he channel his aggressions through the game of
football. Darrell Green played football
on and off in high school, wasn’t offered a college scholarship but got into
tiny Texas A&I on a grant after some assistance from a coach. He got homesick, quit for a while but
returned a year later. Gary Zimmerman
went to the University of Oregon intent on playing middle linebacker. He thought it a bit odd when he was issued
#75 (a common number for lineman) before his first practice. He was informed he was better equipped to
play offensive line. Instead of pouting
and complaining, he proved his coach’s instincts correct by becoming one of the
best offensive linemen in NFL history.
Like the thousands in attendance
at the enshrinement, I thought I was going to Canton simply to celebrate the
accomplishments of a select group of football players. Boy do I feel naïve and a bit foolish
now. After all, I started this column
with a belief that sports often reflect on our daily lives. So you think I might have had a clue what a
HOF induction had to offer. Not even
close. What I, and the others in
attendance, stumbled on was something much more significant than a football
party. Collectively these gentlemen
painted a portrait of success in the game of life. These were men that overcame their share of adversity, got a
little lucky and took advantage of the opportunities life, and specifically
football, presented to them. They are
proof that adversity is no match for perseverance and the human spirit. They are reminders that opportunity often
arrives in disguise, is recognized only with an open mind and is seized by
tireless effort and dedication. Even at
the apex of their professional lives, they all remain grounded in and devoted
to their families. Not one of them
forgot the origin of their journeys and the people that steered them with good
advice at each fork in the road. Nor
should we let the wisdom of our elders go unheard. Rather we must heed their advice, harness our own experiences and
offer our knowledge on the next generation.
Lastly, the 2008 HOF class reminds us to believe in our abilities and
stay focused on our dreams. Emmitt
Thomas summed it up best when he said, “through faith, hard work and
determination…(we) have a chance to rise from the most modest of circumstances
and become a Hall of Famer…just like this old, un-drafted free agent country
boy from Angleton, Texas.” That could
have just as easily ended with, “from St. Mary’s County, MD.” You just never know.
Extra Innings:
As my friends and I have aged, dispersed, multiplied and acquired
greater responsibilities, it has become challenging to get together and indulge
in the shared interests and hobbies that bound us as children or young
adults. We often find ourselves swimming
constantly upstream, barely keeping pace with the frenetic pace of life. This past weekend was a reminder of the
importance of making time for good friends and family. To be sure, Redskins fans traveled to Canton,
Ohio this past weekend to celebrate the accomplishments of Art Monk and Darrell
Green; immortals in Redskins lure. But
I observed friends and family using this opportunity to celebrate two men, a
game and a franchise that has provided countless binding experiences over their
lives. Thousands of football fans took
the time to travel to the HOF to decompress, rewind, party and re-connect. I recommend the same. So take time to do what you enjoy
doing. Call up a good friend and plan a
trip or some quality time away. What
are you waiting for? Do it.
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