|
On the TUNNEYSIDE of SPORTS
October 14, 2013 #458 Up next...Who to Blame?
After further review...Blame,
blame, blame; it's one of our most renewable resources. But no, this is
not about the federal government-unless you want it to be. This
TUNNEYSIDE is about stepping-up to be responsible for your actions. Let
me tell you a story.
During the NFL career of
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach (1969-1979), I was privileged
to officiate many of his games. The Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles led
by, respectively, the legendary Tom Landry and Ed Khayat, had what could
be mildly described as a vicious rivalry. Late in one game at Texas
stadium, the 'Boys were leading the Eagles 38-0 when Staubach scrambled
to his left to avoid a tackler, but tripped (sometimes those yard lines
jump up at you). I trailed Staubach some five or six yards and saw that
no defensive player had caused his fall; he was free to get up and
continue. Yet it appeared that clumsy 'ol number 12 was not trying to get
up so I blew my whistle to consider him down. At precisely the
same moment I noticed the ball bouncing away from him. That's called a
"loose ball" and may be advanced by either T*E*A*M. Eagles free
safety Bill Bradley scooped it up and did just that, running forty yards
for an apparent touchdown. (Bradley was a University of Texas All-American
and playing his first NFL game in his home state).
When Khayat heard the whistle,
which stopped play, he started screaming unprintable evaluations of my
judgment. I was 15 or so yards from him and did what I was taught to do.
I walked the Eagles' sideline toward the irate coach and said, "Ed,
I kicked it! I shouldn't have blown that whistle and you should have six
points. But I can't allow it". Needless to say I was embarrassed,
yet had to fortify my nerves to continue officiating.
Years later Khayat and I were
at an NFL alumni event and he very cordially said, "Jim, you
remember that call in Dallas some years back"? I sheepishly
responded, "Ed, I sure do". The coach then said, "When you
admitted your error, you disarmed me. There was nothing else I could say
since I've made mistakes and so have my players".
Rudyard Kipling's
"IF", long a source of inspiration for me, addresses such
miscues with the lines..., "If you can trust yourself when all men
doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too... you'll be a Man,
my son!"
Will you step-up to your
responsibilities and not blame others"
|
No comments:
Post a Comment