Football Culture

Some would say that "football culture" is an oxymoron, my father for one. I grew up in the northeast in a household much impressed with the printed word and less impressed with achievement on the athletic fields. And speaking of fields, I went to the University of Texas home opener last night, agains Louisiana-Monroe, and have to say I miss the actual field, you know the one made out of grass! They replaced the grass with today's version of Astro-turf so the field would look pristine for the TV cameras at all times during all kinds of weather. A big mistake I feel. I like to see the grass stains and dirt stains on the uniforms-- truly a symbol that the game is actually being played and that human beings are bumping into each other at ferocious speeds. I remember coming across the end of a high school football practice as a little kid. The players looked beaten up, sweaty, cut-up and bruised and my youthful perspective was this looked like a troop just back from battle and very much the worse for wear. I'm always reminded how different that sight was than the relatively clean and relaxed attitude of the football heroes being interviewed by the sportscasters at the end of the game.

The stadium was full with 101,000 fans-- truly a small city of people. The fans watched the game, more like a scrimmage, for signs of what the future season would look like. UT dominated but would there be any signs of weakness. Winning is everything in football, I've noticed that since I started attending games consistently. I began going in about 1995-- the Ricky Williams era. There were no apparent signs of weakness to the untrained eye and my eyes is pretty untrained. I never played organized football which makes me little different than the average co-ed more concerned with her outfit perhaps than the action on the field. Some co-eds may be very interested in the action on the field. I'm not trying to be politically incorrect-- just sociologically accurate. I like to listen to the football aficionados around me. I've learned much from watching the fans.

The fans love to win-- winning is everything. I guess that kind of commitment makes me nervous. If you don't win every game during a UT football season-- it's a losing season! Last year they were damn near perfect. Colt McCoy even brought them back against Texas Tech, the single game they lost in 2008-- and that was in the waning seconds. UT brings fabulous athletes to the competition and you can always count on a few amazing athletic feats. Last night there were two lightning strikes-- a speedy kick return from a new guy named Monroe and the amazing connection of a Colt McCoy pass to speedy Jordan Shipley in full stride. Those are the "big plays" that football fans embrace. I have learned the excitement caused by a big play and I think that is one of football's great spectator strengths. The game has a rhythm that goes between grind it out and sudden strike. The big yardage plays electrify the crowd-- as super athletes somehow separate themselves from a field crowded with 22 participants.

Speech-Making

Made a speech last night at Laughing Matters Toastmasters, 3 days into retirement. My theme, Tempus Fugit, means "time flies" but I altered the Latin term to "Tempus Fug- It!" Actually my title turned out better than may speech. I didn't bring the relaxed, but alert, mental attitude you need to make a good speech. I may have been caught up a bit, wrestling too much with the concept of retirement itself to be entertaining for the audience. Kap, my evaluator, pointed out that my presentation lacked passion. The Laughing Matters club had fun after the meeting-- Post Toasties as we call it-- in the outdoor front tables area of Bagpipes Restaurant.

Just spoke with Bill, a fellow Toastmaster, and he did a great job on his speech. He forced himself to think the speech through carefully and never wrote it down. I noticed he achieved complete comfort with the material-- and made a great connection to his audience. Maybe that's a good approach. Know your speech so well and so thoroughly that you can deliver it with confidence. The best way to rehearse is to make your mind go through the speech, learning the speech logic as you do so.

The challenge of making the speech was helpful. Retirement is still very new. I didn't completely have my footing at the Toastmasters meeting. Only by attempting the speech did I realize I am still working to establish a new equilibrium.