It's all about trust...

I've been a jock just about as long as I can remember....at least I was until I got too old to perform anything even remotely close to athletic activity.  Since then, I've become more adept at appreciating the feats of the superb athletes on the tube.

There was a time, however, when I was in the fourth grade and a teacher called me aside during recess and said "Jack, you know you're really fast." and suggested that I run in the all city track meet. I did, and won a bright blue ribbon. How cool is this I thought to myself, and a new passion was born.  From that time forward I was proud to be known as a "jock".

What started as simply running fast turned into playing football, basketball, track and baseball.....looking back I have to think, how crazy was that?  Crazy yes, but great fun.

Last week, I was visiting with an old friend with whom I had shared high school exploits on the football field, and who I have known since the fourth grade.  In fact, my dad was our football coach when we first started to play.  Larry and I ended up playing on the same football teams from the fourth grade until our freshman year of college. 

We were, and still are very close....I was a running back and he was the fullback who cleared the way for my runs.  That forges a very special relationship, one of absolute trust and appreciation on my part, and for the fullback, the pride of knowing that without his key block, the touchdown never happens.  We had played together so long that he knew exactly when I was going to cut, and I knew exactly when he was going to throw the block.  I used to lay my hand on his back, knowing that he would sense it and take care of that inside linebacker who wanted nothing more than to take my head off.  He rarely missed the block.

For all of you out there who can't understand why "old jocks" seem to never tire of reliving old games, and never tire of seeing their old teammates, try to think of it in terms of a relationship that has endured the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Once you've given someone your absolute trust, and they have accepted the responsibility, the bond is hard to break.

Being a "jock" teaches a lot about responsibility, trust, teamwork, winning, losing, sportsmanship....and life. Some people look down on the "jocks" of the world, but some of the finest people I know wear that label, and one of them is my old fullback.  Many thanks Larry.