Semi-Pro Football Love

I ran across this article posted by someone on twitter. Please take the time to read it entirely. It is worth the read. Please share.

Official Joliet Buccaneers Minor League Football Ran across this article on another teams website this morning please share. SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL LOVE In all of my 33 years being involved with Semi-Pro Football, I have never encountered a year like this with an organization that I have been a part of; let’s just say these young men think that world owes them something, when in reality, it doesn't. In all of my 13 years of playing, I have never found such disrespect and such disdain for the game that I love. I mean such blatant disregard for themselves, owners, coaches, and teammates. It makes me wonder, do these young men have any respect at all, and the answer to that question is, NO they don’t. It is funny how these young men go from team to team trying to play football, and I notice that they all have one common faction amongst them all, and that is they have NO LOYALTY, no loyalty to themselves and others. They all think that by going to another team, instead of riding out the problems and helping with solutions that going to another team will be the best for them. Like my grandfather use to tell me many years ago, “THE GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER, THAN THE GRASS YOU HAVE RIGHT HERE”. I never knew what that meant when I was younger, but I grew to understand the meaning later in life. Loyalty is the fabric that has glued a number of Championship Teams together over the years that I remember, and it was the common bond that kept teams together, because you wanted so badly to beat the guy across from you every year that you played. In this era of sport, where every-one wants be the next LeBron James and take their talents to South Beach, or think that they are better than the man in front of them, but by all certainty they are not and it shows in their play on and off the field. Here’s a funny story that I would like to share about a player that I encountered with a team (I will give no names). The player says to me I’m a running back and I know that I am running back, because I know that I have speed and I can hit the hole or get to the outside faster than the back we have. With all certainty I said YES, you can do all those things, but can I ask you a question? The player looked at me with this look of bewilderment, and I said do you know how to block, and read coverage’s coming out of the backfield? The player’s face went from bewilderment, to confuse and his response was something that I will always and never forget, “I don’t block coach”! I also find funny how these players can complain about the cost of team fees, and how expensive it is to play organized football. Some of these players walk around thinking that this game is FREE! Let me remind you gentlemen of something, which was told to me repeatedly by my grandmother, who passed many years ago. “NOTHING IN LIFE IS FOR FREE”! I volunteer for my nephews youth football organization for the last 5 years, and their fees ($400) are way more expensive than the $200-$275 team fees that are asked by semi-pro teams in the area; but here is the funny thing, none of these players have a clue about the cost of funding a season. They think the football Gods just magically have fields for teams to play on, and with the almighty power of Vince Lombardi and George Halas (some of these players won't even know these gentlemens names) that referees appear and don’t get compensated for their time. Here is a clue geniuses below is annual breakdown on a season. Cost for facilities Average price $500-$1000 (Field Turf Fields) Grass Fields $800-$1200 Now Times that by 5 to 6 Home games a year? Referees: Average cost between $450-$600 a game, times that by 5-6 games a year? Let’s also take into consideration the League Fees; standard league fees can run a team average $700-$1500 a year and that is a one-time deal. Team keeping up to standard within its own State: (Sec of State IL. Average cost $75-$150 a year) Team Post Office Box: if an organization wants to be legitimate; USPS P.O. Box $70 a year Additional expense Uniforms, Equipment (Footballs, cones, whistles, etc...), game day operations (Ice and etc…) $500-$800 yearly. This is calculating that you have a roster of 40 plus players on your team, any more players would be a blessing, but any less than 40 will be a long season…. So the next time you Rocket Scientist and Chemical Engineers think that you can reinvent the wheel by making life difficult , and thinking that the by going to another team, or not paying your team fees with one team is the solution to all your problems. Think twice about what you’re doing and how what you do impacts someone else. To my fellow brothers (players) that play this game because you LOVE IT and you do what’s right of you each and every year, I salute you and ask that you keep it going. To my fellow coaches who get out there because you love it and your wife’s tell you to give it up. Keep doing what you are doing, you’re the last link to the old school football players that played this game with reckless abandon, keep teaching the game like it’s supposed to be taught, the FUN and RIGHT way. God Bless you all!

#arfticle