http://gobluetan.org/article/hail-team-135
Hail Team 135
"For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes-not that you won or lost- But how you played the game." -Grantland Rice
Thank you coaches, players and staff of Team 135. Your effort began eleven months ago. While we only see you a few of those days, we know that each day you spent training and preparing.
The finally tally of wins and losses was not what you had hoped. This in no way diminishes the efforts expended or the lessons learned working together for group goals. Instead, the results reflect what you will find at all times in life. Sometimes things don’t work out. When results are not what you hope, it provides you an opportunity to try again. Life time success often finds its foundation on how you handle adversity.
For the seniors, it is time to look forward, not back. College sports and education are both preparatory for the future. You will have fond memories of your college experiences. They will fade as you grow older and new successes replace those memories. There will be sadness in leaving your current teammates. It won’t last because you are forever part of a much larger team – those who played for Michigan. The larger team will count on you to use your Michigan experience to continue the legacy of community contribution by alumni athletes.
In the world of visibility where anyone with a computer can share their thoughts no matter how ridiculous, I also want you to read the following. It was written over one hundred years ago by President Theodore Roosevelt:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Ignore the idiots. Instead, be thankful that you played with two of the greatest embodiments of The Team concept in the history of Michigan football. Both Denard and Devin were willing to do what few elite players would even consider – move to a different position when it helped the team.
I will close with a comment to the true Michigan faithful. Michigan will always be among the greatest programs of all time. We are going through a rough stretch. It is not the first time nor will it be the last. All great programs go through them. Today’s GREATEST EVER – Alabama was considered to be a “has been” program that would never again achieve. From 1954-1957, Alabama was 8-29-4 including a 0-10 season. However, that is not the time period I reference. The “has been” pundits and media crush referred to was in 2006. From 2003-2006 Bama was 26-24 on the field and 10-40 if you look at NCAA records because two seasons were vacated. Michigan will be back on top. The men who have played the last several years will have been integral to keeping the values of the program on track.
Go Blue
Mike Keliher
For those of you who engage in social media, it would be great if you could send some direct thanks to Devin Gardner. A recent article described how haters have singled him out. Devin Gardner is as outstanding a person off the field as he is as a player. He is the epitome of Leader and Best. Twitter Devin Gardner @DevG98
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'eggo denoted me a First ballot Hall of Famer!
- sandyeggo_blue wrote:
- that's some first ballot hall of fame stalking on your part. How in the world did you find that guy. I guess the better question is why?
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Mon Dec 01, 2014 4:27 am
