Game Face

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"

-- Jack Lambert --

A Sense of Urgency

It happened a hundred and eight years ago, and only a few miles from where I am sitting here writing this...

It was on a fall day in 1901 when the great football coach Fielding H. Yost arrived in Ann Arbor. The train had no sooner come to a stop when Yost grabbed his bags and began running up State Street toward campus. "Whats the hurry?" asked a bewildered onlooker.

"I've got to get to work" said Yost at full gallop.

"Work" he did -- From 1901 to 1904, Michigan won four straight National Championships without losing a game.

And, as you might expect, Yost undoubtedly earned his nickname "Hurry Up!" because of the admonishments which he continually barked at his "sluggish" players.

A few of them:

"Hurry up and be the first man to line up."

"Hurry all the time; football is not a slow or lazy
mans game."

"Hurry up if you are behind in any play. Then is the time you need most to hurry."

"Hurry up and stop every play of the opponents before it gets started. Tear through and get the runner behind the opponents line, never wait for him."

"Hurry up even if you are tired; do not slow down. If you cannot stand the pace , get yourself in better condition. Football is a strenuous game."

"Hurry up! ... If you can't hurry, make way for someone who can!"

Now, the reason I bring this us is that I cannot help but notice that one of the things that is sorely lacking in todays world is a sense of urgency. There are a lot of people talking about a lot of things... talk, talk, talk, talk, talk...

...but few people rolling up their sleeves and doing something about it.

The bottom line is this... You say you want something things to change? Then how quickly are you going to start doing something about it?

Whether you want to change the world or just change yourself, it should be quite clear that its not going to happen by waiting, hesitating, or otherwise dragging your feet.

What are you going to do TODAY to get the wheels in motion?

Now, a lot of people are going to read this and smile, and nod their head and think "maybe tomorrow" ... but I know there will at least be a few hearty souls who read those words and think "dammit hes right" ... and what happens next...well, that is really whats at stake, and the rest is up to you.

A century ago Yost didn't want to waste so much as a single minute... you shouldn't either.

Hurry Up!

Train hard,
John Wood

P.S. If you need a "Kick in the Pants" so far as your training is concerned, let me strongly recommend a copy of Dinosaur Training

P.P.S. Hurry Up!!