Everything I Need to Know I Learned in the Football Field

Adaptation from Robert Fulghum’s Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarden

All I really need to know I learned in the football field. All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in the football field. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there within the sea of verdant grass and white lines in between identical goals. These are the things I learned:

Be on time. More things can be accomplished if training starts on time.

Warm-up. Unnecessary injuries happen when you move too fast before you’re ready to do so.

Drink water.

Learn to kick with your weaker foot. The ball is round and will not always fall to your better foot.

Practice constantly. There is no substitute for disciplined hard work.

Learn to score in different situations – one vs. one, one vs. two, crosses, free kicks, penalties and so on. You never know what fate will throw your way during the game. And fate always favors those who are prepared.

Don’t cut corners during interval runs. It will make the difference late in the game.

Don’t kick people who have fallen down.

Dry your feet before wearing socks.

Pass the ball. The objective of the game is to put the ball through your opponent’s goal. Passing the ball to your open teammates is the most efficient way to go about this. Do not lose the plot: remember there are no points for fancy dribbling.

Play within the team system. Everyone has a job to do. Success is the end result of everyone doing their jobs well.

Don’t scream at your teammates to get the ball. Get it yourself.

Play hard, but fair. Commit to your tackles, but don’t intend to hurt others.

Get up when you fall.

When you miss a shot on goal, continue shooting. You miss a 100% of all the shots you don’t take.

The best team does not always win. The worst team does not always lose. This is the harsh beauty of
Football: nothing is certain, everything is possible.

One day, you will not be able to play anymore, for one reason or another so make the most of every second of your playing time.

Pick up your trash after the game.

Each time you step into the field, you don’t just play for yourself, you play for others: teammates, coaches, family and supporters. They are all counting on you.

Whether you win or lose, shake everyone’s hand on the pitch. At the end of every game, there is always time to have a couple of beers with your teammates.


Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Integrity and Honor and Truth and sane living. Take any of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if all - the whole world – did not kick people who have fallen down and everyone shook hands with each other no matter the outcome of the game. Or if all governments had a basic policy to always pick up their trash.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are - when you go out into the world, it is best to pass the ball to others than dribble all by yourself.

If You Could Ask God Anything For Yourself, What Would It Be?

If you could ask God anything for yourself, what would it be?

I'd ask God if I could stay with Him for a bit, and have a conversation. Maybe over some coffee. Or better yet, over a tall, cold glass of beer.

First thing I'd ask Him - after our first toast, of course - is what is it like being God. What is it like creating anything and everything that exists? What is it like being the beginning and the end of all things? What is it like being the source of all life? Does He, or She, for that matter, feel sad when he/she has to take a life back?

I wonder how God would explain all these to me within my limited realm of understanding as a human being. I bet He/She would use an ordinary example, and turn it into something infinitely profound. Or would He/She just give me a smile as if to say, " Please. You know better than to ask me these things."

Next thing I'd do is slap God a crisp high five for the parents He/She gave me. And for the brothers, too. I lucked out. Pretty solid.

I'd also thank God for inventing football. Best move ever. I have no doubt that He/She is a decent footballer, and an avid supporter. I just don't know of which team. I guess it's safe to assume He/She is for the team that prays more, wouldn't it? 

Lastly, I'd thank God for my life. It has been good. It has been bad. It has always been interesting.

What else we talk about afterwards, I'd leave it up to Him/Her. I mean a conversation is two-way, after all.

  

The ME Manifesto

1. I shall not blame anyone else for any misfortune that befalls me.
2. I shall not claim recognition rightfully due others, and I shall never fail to give recognition to others when due.
3. I shall listen, more than I talk.
4. I shall be thankful for every second I'm alive today because tomorrow holds no guarantees.
5. I shall start with myself if there is something I want to change in others.
6. I shall always open doors for women.
7. I shall always try to see the good in someone even if I can't see it at first glance.
8. I shall not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes for more than 3 days straight.
9. I shall always appreciate small gestures I am lucky enough to receive.
10. I shall always remember that I am better off than some people, and worse off than some people.
11. I shall try to earn the right to look at myself in the mirror everyday.
12. I shall not run away from my responsibilities.
13. I shall not refuse an invitation unless it is against my beliefs.
14. I shall win, or lose as a man.
15. I shall always get up unless I am dead.
16. I shall master myself, lest I be mastered by other people or things.
17. I shall receive love humbly.
18. I shall give love freely.   

A Word Please

If you needed to know 5 things about me, read below:

1. Male
2. Late Twenties
3. Single
4. Employed
5. Roman-Catholic

Truth of the matter is, I'm not much different from you (except if you're a girl). I could be any of the millions of guys out there like me. Except maybe for that tiny, little fact that I'm not. I'm just...me. And that's all I can be, really, if I want to figure out this simple thing called life, and what in the world I should be doing with it. Know what I mean, sport? Yeah, you do. (wink)

I suppose I should tell you from the get-go what you're getting yourself into if you spend time perusing (Been waiting for a turn to drop this word casually, sounds so dignified and haughty. Not that I am. But I digress.) my ramblings. Seems about fair, don't you say?

I could give you a ton of answers, when I think about it. All plausible, really. I'm sincere like that and all. But if you were holding a gun to my head, I would have to come out straight clean, and tell you that I'll be writing about how to be good.

Of course, I'm not talking about how you can be good. Hell, I don't even know you. It would be presumptuous of me to even consider knowing what's good for you or not. I'm not a phony like that and all. At least I try my damned hardest not to be.

It'll be about how I can be good. It'll be about my struggles, difficulties and tribulations in my quest to be good. You'll hear about my triumphs, both monumental and trivial. You'll hear about my defeats, as agonizing as they may be. I'm not going to withhold these from you. These are the best damned parts after all. Nothing like seeing someone fail magnificently, yeah? I'm not going to deny you the opportunity to maybe learn from my experiences, though I do not see how at this point. That'll be up to you. And if you're a sick bastard who delights in the pain that befalls others, there's something in it for you, too. Not a few laughs on my tab at the least. I'll do my utmost to make it worth your while.

So there you have it. If you plan to stick around to see what's up, by all means, you are most welcome to do so. If not, then no hard feelings. Maybe in another lifetime, yeah?

Cheers!