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The night they played the Titans – A Coach Yoast Theory #atozchallenge
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 9:30PM ;)
All hope seemed lost for a high school football team whose important game of the season was not going in their favor in the biographical sports drama “Remember the Titans” starring Denzel Washington and Will Patton.
Not only were they down in points, one of their own players even walked off of the field, abandoning them at a crucial moment. Officials showed these teenagers no mercy either, calling penalties left and right, yet, overlooking fouls from the opposing team. Coach Bill Yoast (played by Patton) had another plan in store – one that would change the morale among his team as well as the direction of this game. Here is how he led them out of the hole they found themselves in…
“Now, I don’t want them to gain another yard. You blitz all night! If they cross the line of scrimmage, I’m gonna take every last one of you out. You make sure that they remember FOREVER, the night they played the Titans!”
For those of you who have seen the movie, you know this is the moment where Coach Yoast is not screwing around; he means business and is willing to go the distance in making sure that his team has a fair shot at winning the game. His new plays are set up to survive in the environment that they found themselves in, possibly beating the opposing team at their own brutal and seemingly fixed game. At this point, it isn’t just about winning; it’s about respect, taking back their freedom of not having to play by someone else’s narrow-minded rules and most importantly – it’s about standing tall against all odds until the time clock reaches zero.
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Coach Yoast’s way of thinking when he said those above lines is exactly how we need to approach some of the offenses that we meet out on the field of life.
You’ll always get tackled and trampled over if you don’t beef up your defense and give the opposing situation all you’ve got – no matter how bigger, smarter, more powerful or more resourceful, etc. that condition or person or place is, in comparison.
It’s not about accepting defeat, it’s about doing your best at making it difficult for an opponent to bring you down and wipe you out. Maybe you’ll win, maybe you’ll lose, but one thing is for sure if the latter applies – your challenger shouldn’t have an easy ride to victory.
That’s how legends – no scratch that – TITANS are made. The people we remember and those who inspire us are the ones who do the unthinkable, achieve the impossible, go above and beyond their abilities or potential at times when they are far from the lead. They are the individuals, groups, partners and teams taking the kind of risks that naysayers unexpected or even refuse to acknowledge because they’re too busy gossiping or being miserable or contributing to the problems of the world, rather than the solutions of the world.
How memorable are you? What have you contributed to your existence on this earth so far? What can you do from here on out to make sure that the people you come in contact with – and possibly even those who you may never come in contact with -- will not forget you?
Who are the Titans that you will remember forever and what makes them a champion?
What do you want to be remembered for when this game is all over?
Reader Comments (7)
This is an inspiring post!
This paragraph really hit me:
It’s not about accepting defeat, it’s about doing your best at making it difficult for an opponent to bring you down and wipe you out. Maybe you’ll win, maybe you’ll lose, but one thing is for sure if the latter applies – your challenger shouldn’t have an easy ride to victory.
Ok, noted! :)
Deecoded
In today's world of celebrity sensationalism or sensationalism "fronting" as journalism, I've turned my eye to a less "all out there" stage when it comes to the TITANS I see. I suppose that's why I favor unsung heroes who put their lives on the line everyday and continue each day, never truly recognized for the great things they do. Many face the obstacles of bad PR, uncooperative citizens (many understandably agitated from wrongs against them by people in positions of power) and the ho hum of every day. But when duty calls, they take on the impossible and do their best, whatever the cost to themselves. On a more public stage, I have an appreciation for the author J.K. Rowling. True, I enjoyed her books, but I also applaud her struggle against the odds she faced in the beginning.
It's how you play the game, not whether or not you win or lose - and that applies to so many situations. Spot on with this post, Nicole!
Since I am over 70 there have certainly been a few trials, but like the Titan team I knew I had chosen to put myself in that position - and win or lose - this is what I had chosen and I've played the game as well as I could. Sometimes I had a cheerleader, but not always. Great post. I'll have to get the movie.
Wow. Fantastic post! Reading this, shades of Rudy and Brian's Song ran though my head. I think I'll have to add Remember The Titans to my "must buy" list!
Dee,
Thanks for visiting; I'm glad that you found a takeaway from my post that empowers you!
Angela,
Point well take about the information placed in front of us as so-called news by the media while there are people doing extraordinary things that don't get the attention that are given to celebrities 24/7; you have a great point. I'd like to think that although our unsung heroes may not be on Good Morning American anytime soon, they still get the attention that matters -- being heroes to those few who do recognize the good that they do and the huge impact that they have on the world. At least, that is my hope. I'm not very familiar with J.K. Rowling's path to success. Maybe you can let me know the Cliff Notes version of it because I might not get to her books anytime this year (I'm so backed up on my reading material).
M.J. Joachim,
I agree you're right in that it can pertain to different circumstances that we come across in life. Thanks for visiting to read this post :)
Commonweeder,
At 70+ I bet you can teach the rest of us a thing or two about how to create winning plays in this game of life. From the sound of your willingness to be all in no matter the outcome, you're a real trooper! You can get Remember the Titans on DVD almost anywhere nowadays and it might also be available at your local library.
Herman,
Oh thank you very much. Your response to this post makes me feel like I'm onto something good here :) Thanks to you, I'll also now be looking to add Rudy and Brian's Song to my Netflix queue or get it from Blockbuster since I never even heard of those movies before you mentioned it. I did look them up briefly after reading your comment and Rudy looks especially interesting. Your grabbing of Remember the Titans will make it a TOUCHDOWN in weekend movie-watching activities for both of us, I suppose ;)
I love this movie! It's always been in my top 20 and it's what I watch when I need a bit of a motivation boost. Great post!