a moment from Coach Rob

In what seems like another life, i played football at McNeese State University (i wasn't exactly an all-american).  I had the wonderful opportunity to play along side a number of truly talented guys while being coached by many good men.  The wide receivers coach, Coach Henry, who kinda looks like a pharaoh/Terrell Owens hybrid, was always good for a few one-liners; most memorably, "Football is easy." Not to say that we were that much better than everyone else, but to say that with everything else in life, football was simple, a game...and playing the game is the easy part.

Who helped remind us that football was easy was our strength and conditioning coach, Coach Rob, a former Marine who walked with a slight limp, was infectiously energetic and possessed an unquenchable passion for human achievement.  Most people, in a word, described him as intense.  He loved sweat.  He loved his players.  He loved America.  His workouts pissed me off, wore me out, left my legs involuntarily shaking and helped make me a better man.  Coach Rob challenged us physically and mentally, and for that i'm incredibly grateful.

What this little story time with uncle Dayton was all about is that every Veteran's Day i think of  one specific, resounding moment during one of our summer workouts with Coach Rob.

Usually workout groups were split into 4 people each.  As per usual throughout the workout, if you weren't lifting you were either spotting or shooting the breeze with anyone who was willing to catch wind of it.  Those were good times. It made workouts bearable. But i digress.

One day, in the midst of some fun political banter, one of my teammates had a slip of the tongue in criticizing the role of our military.  I don't remember exactly what he said but it was something along the lines of our military being useless...and i can still feel the stinging silence between his words and the reply of Coach Rob. Do you remember as a child when you accidentally bumped that first vase/statue/anything-way-too-valuable-to-keep-out-when-kids-are-around off the table?  That feeling right after it crashes on the floor? That it-just-hit-the-fan, this-just-got-real moment?  That moment...

...and we waited for his response, because one doesn't simply upset Coach Rob.

and his response was quite poignant:

"Young man, I sure hope that when you lay your sweet little head on your sweet little pillow in your sweet little bed tonight that you remember why you can do it safely.  And i hope you remember all those who can't do the same because they're out there putting their lives on the line to protect your ass for your freedom. And you to take them for granted.  Because God knows these men and women sure as hell don't do it for themselves. They do it for you.  And I hope you remember that."


i'm not sure if he did, but i certainly remember that.  and it's stayed with me for all these years, reminding me of the gratitude we are to have for those who give themselves in service to you and me, Democrats, Republicans and every person in between in this lovely nation we call the United States of America...even if we're at eachother's throats most of the time.

(side note/thinking point) These servicemen and servicewomen lay their necks on the line for us to live as we do. our path to freedom has been paved in blood, battle and sacrifice. do we truly respect their sacrifice by the way we govern our freedom? 


"Give us a clear vision on where to stand and for what to stand--because unless we stand for something, we shall surely fall for anything." - Peter Marshall