“You Can’t Slip”
The other team has the ball, 3rd down and 5 yards to go. We’re playing our biggest crosstown rival who we haven’t beaten in years. It’s a close game and this is a big possession in the momentum of the game.
Sweep right and I’m the outside linebacker to that side. I shed my blocker, set the edge so the running back can’t get outside me. As he nears me, the rest of the defense forces him out to where I’m waiting, he makes a cut, and as I go to make the tackle, I slip on the rain soaked field. I’m only able to try and make an arm tackle, which against the best running back in the state, wasn’t enough. 6 yards, 1st down!
Myself and the rest of the defense had set up perfectly to stop this play. We just didn’t finish, I didn’t finish, I slipped.
The resulting 1st down play ended near our sideline. I got up off the ground to my coach right in my face,
“YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT TACKLE!!!”
“I slipped”
“YOU CAN’T SLIP!!!”
In that moment, my 17 year old brain’s immediate thought was, “fuck you! I slipped, that’s not my fault.” We went on to lose that game by a more than we would have liked. That play was a big momentum shift, but again, I slipped, that wasn’t my fault, or at least that’s what I thought at the time.
In my opinion, football is the ultimate team sport. Though my years of playing didn’t do my body any favors, the lesson it’s taught me were invaluable. The biggest being,
“YOU CAN’T SLIP!”
I don’t recall how long it took me to realize what my coach meant at the time or even if it’s actually what he meant, but it has gone to guide almost every aspect of my life from that moment on.
It was a critical moment.
Did I want to make the play? Yes.
Did I want to slip? No.
Was slipping my fault? No, the field was wet.
Was slipping my fault? No, the running back made an amazing cut.
Was slipping my fault? The defense did their job and force him out, the field was wet, the running back made a move, I wasn’t in the right position, I slipped.
Was slipping my fault? YES.
In the moment, I blamed factors outside of my control, but the BIGGEST factor, the one in my control, my position, was what lead to me not making the play. Had I positioned myself better, there would have been no room to make that cut, the running back would have either been funneled back to my awaiting teammates, right into my tackle, or out of bounds. By my position being off by just a small fraction, there was just enough room to make a cut, and I slipped.
What went from “FUCK YOU! It wasn’t my fault” turned into “if I’m in the right position, I make the play.”
Was slipping my fault? YES! Yes it was, I wasn’t in the correct position.
I now apply that mentality to every aspect of my life. Am I in the correct position to make the play?
Am I in the correct position for:
My Marriage.
My Children.
My Family.
My Career.
My Health.
My God.
Every aspect of my life depends on whether or not I’m putting myself in the correct position to make the play. That’s life. You can’t control outside factors, but you can control how you position yourself to handle them. If you don’t like where you’re at, change your position. You must put yourself in the positions that will make you successful.
“YOU CAN’T SLIP!”