WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE, YOU GO YOURSELF

As the regular season of football is coming quickly to an end with two LA teams still in it to win it, I felt it the appropriate time to share a poem I wrote. Yeah, it’s not like me to share about football, but this is my first Christmas since my dad died and football reminds me of him. He always taught me that winners want the ball when the game is on the line. That inspired this poem about Christmas. It doesn’t rhyme, but I think you’ll get it. Enjoy!

You Go Yourself

Who would have thought the snake 

would get the upper hand 

so early in the game?

Trick plays and cheap shots 

took out some of our best men.

But the coach had a plan.

Yes they could win the half

Yes they could bruise the heel,

But our man would crush the head.

As the score climbed in an uneven 

unwanted and unfair imbalance

It was easy to lose hope.  But no!

We know the coach.  We trust the coach.

He doesn’t make idle threats,

and he doesn’t give false hope.

He is a man of his word.

And he has a plan.

Silence in the locker room at the half,

the coach was no where to be found;

speculation, resignation, confusion . . .

Then hope dawned and up came joy!

Out the tunnel 

onto the field

leading the team, 

suited for battle,

ready to play,

was the coach himself.

We had never seen him play but we knew.

When the game is on the line

a winner wants the ball and

when its a matter of life and death

you don’t send someone else.

You go yourself to get the job done.

And get the job done he did!

Leading us down the field,

taking ground from the enemy

crushing heads and scoring points,

the game was turning around.

The desperate defense scrambled 

to take him out of the game 

with a cheap shot to

end our comeback drive.

Nailed,  speared,  bruised,

and crushed –

a pile of brutality,

coach lay motionless.

Dead.

But the game must go on;

two plays he was out,

but on third down, he rose

not limping, not even hurt!

He came back stronger than ever

and carried the ball himself

across the goal line for the win!

Because everyone knows

When the game is on the line

a winner wants the ball, and

when its a matter of life and death

you don’t send someone else.

You go yourself to get the job done.

And he did.