Remember this Titan (17 page)

Not long ago I was asked to speak at a graduation. The students were about to shed
their security blankets for body armor. I knew they were looking for flowery words
and energizing repartee. Heck, I’m a country boy. I didn’t have any. I do carry around
an action plan that is suitable for any adventure.

Get Prepared.
Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Life is a four-ring circus and you
never know what the ringmaster has in store for you. Skill and capability give you
options. When you are prepared you control your destiny. I’ve never met anyone that
didn’t want to be in charge of what happens to them. Many aren’t because they believe
opportunity lies at some distant juncture. There is plenty of time to prepare. They
don’t understand opportunity lives in the moment. Here and now is all that matters.
When the invitation to play is extended, it is expected you take it. If you are not
properly prepared you’ll have to pass. One pass turns into two, two becomes four,
four becomes many. Before you know it you’ve passed on life.

Embrace Risk.
There is no adventure in the status quo. If you want a thrilling life, take a walk
on the wild side. Risk and reward are inextricably linked. The smart guys understand
it. They also know that with failure there is pain and there is hurt. Failure will
remove your smile. But failure is seldom fatal, so don’t be afraid. Failure is a right
of passage. You cannot win if you have not failed and you will not fail if you have
not tried.

Dare to Be Different.
If the urge arises go against the flow.

Stay Nimble.
Flexibility is crucial in avoiding the potholes that come with any journey. The game
plan you’ve created will have to be changed. Count on it and go with it. Staying nimble
involves nothing more than recognizing that in all things alternatives exist. More
often than not, you’ll find the new deal is the deal you really wanted. The
Titanic
was glorious. The
Titanic
was fast. The
Titanic
wasn’t nimble.

Play By the Rules.
Rules exist for a reason. They protect us against chaos. They might need to be stretched,
modified, or bent but they should never be broken. When you break a rule you have
established a relationship with dishonor and it’s only a matter of time before that
association takes you down.

Confront Injustice.
Injustice is wicked. Injustice is a slimy, nasty thing. It is an insidious cancer
that kills the human spirit. Injustice is a coward that preys on the weak. It is a
menacing beast that has never elevated anything and never will. When injustice exists,
everything is worse. I hate injustice. It took Raymond Tefteller for me to understand
how much. If you want to be on a team that flourishes, be on the lookout for injustice.
It will slink into the environment when you least expect it. It may masquerade as
a friend. Injustice is friend to no one. Injustice has no right to exist. If you see
it, get your gun.

Be Kind.
The world is filled with nastiness. Jerks live. There is no need to be one. Some
people associate being kind with
being soft. I can tell you some of the toughest, most disciplined people that walk
this earth are also kind, considerate, and thoughtful. You’ll find when you treat
people like you would want to be treated, they will treat you like they want to be
treated. You help me, I’ll help you and together we will get something done.

I’ve learned some other things in navigating life:

♦ The natural order does not adhere to your time schedule.

♦ When the stakes are high, patience can be a liability.

♦ The best friends are found under the worst circumstances.

♦ Focusing on everything achieves less.

♦ There is no greater gift than kindness.

♦ People are often the inverse of their façade.

♦ No touchdown has ever been scored on the sidelines.

♦ Opportunity seldom arrives on schedule.

♦ People who are unwilling to compromise are on a road to conflict.

♦ Courage is discounted when the stakes are low.

♦ Deceit is the frontrunner to disaster.

♦ Preparation is the first step in turning wishing into winning.

♦ On the ladder of life, failure is one rung below success and one rung above it.

♦ Character is not a product of circumstance.

♦ Overcoming adversity never made anyone weaker.

♦ When respect is given carte blanche it loses its value.

♦ Direction without goals is a trip to nowhere.

♦ Ignorance and temptation are inextricably linked.

♦ Action is the catalyst for everything.

♦ Apathy is a curse.

♦ You will burn up more calories in a two-hour workout than a lifetime of being nice.

♦ Greed is the catalyst for gloom.

♦ Everything is temporary.

On occasion I’ve been asked how I feel about other stuff.

Appearance.
Anyone who does not believe that looking and feeling good are linked probably looks
like it.

Ego.
A knife that cuts both ways.

Recognition.
I’ve never met anyone that didn’t want it. Giving recognition says you are paying
attention. Paying attention says you care.

Momentum.
An invisible force.

Excuses.
Prescription for mediocrity.

Help.
When you do something for someone that he or she could do for themself, you’ve helped
no one.

Adversity.
Fertilizer for character.

Honor.
Guardian of your self-esteem.

Deceit.
Contemptible behavior.

Impulsiveness.
Accelerator for bad choices.

Mediocrity.
I never knew anyone that wanted to call it home, but many have.

The Inevitable.
When dealing with the inevitable now is always better than later.

Loyalty.
When it is earned it should be given.

I had very little while growing up but I did have a horse. At least I think he was
horse. He had floppy ears, sway back, and knock knees. He didn’t go very fast if he
went at all. His claim was that he was the only horse ever rejected by the glue factory.
He was given to me because no one else would take him. I guess my granddad’s friend
saw “sucker” in my eyes. I called him “Q Ball.” As horses go, he ranked a 1 on a scale
of 3 to 6. But I didn’t care. Q and I got to be pretty good friends. One day I showed
up and he was dead. I thought about what I should do. Q had been good to me for the
brief time I knew him and as a result he had earned my loyalty. On more than one occasion
loyalty has followed people to the grave. I thought he deserved better than having
his bones picked clean by a vulture. I went home and got a shovel. I shoveled for
two days to get a hole big enough. I pushed him in it and spent another day covering
it with chicken wire and dirt. I was crying the whole time. When I finished it was
dark so I decided I would sleep next to Q’s grave. Every once in a while I think about
that lame old horse and the effort I spent on his behalf. And you know what? I’m glad
I did
.

Failure Starts with a Thought.
It’s just as easy to think about winning.

Enthusiasm Is Contagious.
I’ve never been in a room where there was only one enthusiastic person.

Risk.
The first step toward reward.

The Unknown Zone.
The land of milk and honey.

Results.
The aftermath of effort.

Drugs.
The beginning of the end.

Criticism.
A reality check.

I’ve always been a spiritual guy. For me that meant whatever happened was supposed
to happen. In some ways I’ve viewed life like a see-saw. It goes up and down but always
seeks balance.

The year was 2000 and my daughter Susan Gail was traveling to a concert with her mom.
The last time I saw her was 1945. She had never seen me. She didn’t know I existed.
They arrived at the concert only to find it had been canceled. As they turned around
to go home Susan Gail spied a billboard on a movie theater.
Remember the Titans
was playing. She’d heard something about it and persuaded her mom to go. As the two
sat there, she felt odd. She couldn’t put her finger on it. Her mom said nothing but
something in her manner told her there was a connection. Questions followed and answers
were returned—“Bill Yoast is your dad.” I guess God had a plan. He’d taken one daughter
from me but returned another.

If you live long enough your dance card will need a few extra pages. I’m asked regularly
about what has happened to players I’ve coached and people who have enriched my life.
Here is the short list.

Barry Etris.
Running back on the 1958 Roswell team. Went on to become an accomplished musician
and artist. His song “Ruben James” sold 28 million copies. His creations have been
recorded by artists worldwide, including Kenny Rogers. His artwork hangs in collections
across North America.

Jimmy Locher.
Hammond HS guard. He went to West Point and then on to the Harvard Business School.
Worked in the White House, the Pentagon, and the Senate. Jimmy served as an Assistant
Secretary of Defense in the first Bush administration. Currently works as a consultant
and lecturer on Defense. Married his sweetheart and resides in the Washington, D.C.,
area.

Julius Campbell.
1971 Titan defensive end. Julius attended Ferrum Junior College where a bad ankle
injury, which did not heal properly, ended his football career. Julius returned to
Alexandria and began his career as an Animal Control Officer, first in Alexandria
and then in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Julius still lives in Prince Georges
County.

Ron Bass.
1971 Titan quarterback. Ron went on to attend the University of South Carolina on
a football scholarship. He lettered all four years and started his junior and senior
seasons as quarterback. He was picked as
Sports Illustrated
’s Player of the Week during his sophomore season after gaining
211 yards rushing against the University of North Carolina. He is married with kids
and lives in Columbia, South Carolina.

Ralph Davis.
1966 Hammond defensive tackle. Ralph went to Old Dominion College. After graduation
he returned to Alexandria and built a thriving restaurant business. He now owns four
of the finest restaurants in the Washington metropolitan area—The Warehouse, RT’s,
The Wharf, and The Polo Grill. Ralph lives in Alexandria with his wife, Chris, and
their two children.

Kirk Barker.
A star on the 1971 Titans, he was also a national rowing champion. He went to the
Naval Academy and played football. He received a commission and served in the Navy
for five years. He is now CEO of Xtreme Energy. He resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.

John O’Connor.
Quarterback of the 1969 Hammond championship team. John was also an accomplished
baseball player. He received all ACC honors as a catcher at Georgia. He turned down
a professional baseball offer to enter the business world. He is a State Farm agent
in Alexandria, Virginia.

Bob Stumpf.
Receiver on the 1969 Hammond championship team. Went to the Naval Academy and then
on to a distinguished Naval career. At one point he was the commander of the Navy’s
Blue Angels. He is retired and living in Florida.

Jerry Wilcoxen.
Quarterback of the 1958 championship Roswell team. Jerry graduated from Georgia State
and became
a pilot with Southern Air. He had a distinguished career as a builder in the Atlanta
area. He now lives in St. Simons Island, Georgia.

David Sullivan.
Football and track at Roswell. Went to Georgia State. Had two successful careers—concrete
and communications. He is a community leader in Cuthbert, Georgia.

John Leber.
Fullback at Hammond. Went on to Westchester State. Ranked sixth in the country as
an AAU wrestler. Majored in crime. Served as a security guard for Amy Carter during
the Carter administration. He now coaches swimming and is a Baptist minister.

Lee Califf.
Played on the 1969 Hammond championship team. Took a football scholarship to UNC.
Majored in political science. Was an aid to Senator John Warner for eight years. Today
is director of government affairs with ALCOA.

Keith Burns.
Played on the 1987 T.C. Williams championship team. Went to Oklahoma State. Drafted
by the Denver Broncos. He has two Super Bowl rings.

Henry Castro.
Played fullback on the 1971 Titans. Went to Virginia Tech where he received a degree
in architecture. He returned to his native country, Venezuela, and died in a tragic
accidental death.

Tom Lewis.
1971 Titan. Tom went into the service and then to the University of Florida where
he received a degree in electrical engineering. He is now an engineering manager living
in Largo, Florida.

Chris Kusseling.
Linebacker on the 1971 Titans. Attended the University of Delaware where he played
defensive back. Received his degree in social science and is an analyst with the Department
of Commerce.

Steve Guild.
Played end on the Hammond and T.C. Williams championship teams. Attended Princeton
University and received a degree in art and archaeology. Became an accomplished painter.
Passed away in 2003 from cancer.

Steve Borich.
Lineman at Hammond. Attended Frederick College on a football scholarship. Received
his masters in education from Xavier. Spent thirty-two years in educational administration.
Retired and living in Cincinnati.