Subject: The Football Game {Insp}
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Sat Jul 01 2000 - 03:02:50 EDT
"The Football Game"
There was a skinny young boy who loved football
with all his heart. Practice after practice, he
eagerly gave everything he had. But being half
the size of the boys, he got absolutely nowhere.
At all the games this hopeful athlete sat on the
bench and hardly ever played. This teenager lived
alone with his father, and the two of them had a
very special relationship. Even though the son was
always on the bench, his father was always in the
stands cheering. He never missed a game. This
young man was still the smallest of the class when
he entered high school. But his father continued to
encourage him but also made it very clear that he
did not have to play football if he didn't want to. But
the young man loved football and decided to hang in there.
He was determined to try his best at every practice,
and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior.
All through high school he never missed a practice nor
a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years.
His faithful father was always in the stands, always
with words of encouragement for him.
When the young man went to college, he decided to try
out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was
sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach
admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always
puts his heart and soul into every practice, and at the
same time, provided the other members with the spirit and
hustle they badly needed. The news that he had survived
the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest
phone and called his father. His father shared his
excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college
games.
This persistent young athlete never missed practice during
his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.
It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted
onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game,
the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read
the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard,
he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it
all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm
gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the
week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the
game on Saturday."
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the
third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent
young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and
put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the
coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful
teammate back so soon.
"Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today," said
the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There
was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff
game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry
for the kid, the coach gave in.
"All right," he said."You can go in." Before long, the coach,
the players and everyone in the stands could not believe
their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before
was doing everything right. The opposing team could not
stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a
star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied.
In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a
pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The
fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their
shoulders. Such cheering you never heard.
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had
showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that
this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone.
The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it.
You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did
you do it? He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes,
and said, "Well, you knew my Dad died. But, did you know
that my Dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard
and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today
was the first time he could see me play....and I wanted to
show him I could do it!"
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