Crushing Complacency

There may not be a more detrimental word on this Earth than complacency. Sure, there are terms that rival it. Apathy. Lack of Discipline. Lethargy. Lazy. Short-sightedness. Careless. Irresponsible. All of those terms can be difficult to overcome & change, but usually easy to identify. What about not settling once success has been achieved on a level you have never known before? After all, you've accomplished things you've never yet experienced. It's easy to point out looming particulars that need changing in our lives, our routines, or our programs. However when those are not glaring factors in terms of being successful, how do we possess or obtain the resolve to take our challenges to the next level? How do we assess & perfect the tiny blemishes, the microscopic imperfections?

I can't say that over the years I have been one to be impressed by Nick Saban. He has always come off to me as arrogant & unable to be pleased. However after Alabama's 3rd NCAA Championship in 4 years & actually taking the time to analyze their accomplishments & the way their programs goes about business it become apparent to me what they have been trying to accomplish. Before Coach Saban arrived on campus, Alabama had been irrelevant on the national stage for well over a decade. When Alabama one their first title in 2009, the following year the coaching staff was not able to, at that time, keep their players from becoming satisfied with the accomplishments of the previous year. After all, a vast majority of their players already had a big, shiny ring. What finally turned my perspective on Coach Saban was what he had to say after winning their 3rd championship this past season, that they would enjoy their accomplishments for two days before starting their 2013 campaign. They would evaluate themselves & determine the areas that are in need of improvement. That we are never without fault. Our systems are never perfect or without flaw. What an unbelievable thought. After dominating the college football world 3 of 4 years, they would only allow themselves to celebrate for two days before getting back to work. It seems irrational. Weird. Why not enjoy what you have worked so tirelessly to achieve? What was made apparent to me, was the mindset it takes to be successful at the highest level possible year in & year out. There are no off days in your pursuit of your greatest destiny & everlasting legacy.

Tasting success, no matter how great, can only be only enjoyed for a short amount of time. A mountain takes an incredible amount of time & effort to climb. Every inch up the mountain requires great attention. However, the slide down the mountain can happen in the blink of an eye with one misguided step, one missed opportunity. Once the tumble begins, it is virtually impossible to reverse. There will undoubtedly be others trying to push you off the peak, pull you down. There is no time to relax or become complacent. That is what we call a plateau. Plateaus level off. The trail becomes easy. In the world of competition, there are no plateaus. There IS a place where the unworthy gather. The village in the valley, where life is easy. There is no room at the top of the mountain for company. It takes great courage to reach the top, but only the brave, only the resilient, only the committed, remain at the summit. Those who have conditioned themselves to the elements, prepared themselves for the pain, can weather the chill of the solitude & loneliness at the top. You will certainly reach a point that feels like you have accomplished a great deal, that you have come a long way, but what separates you from any of the countless others that started the journey & didn't possess the fortitude to keep trudging forward? There are no cabins, no residences on the road to success. You may garner accomplishments you take pride in, but how can you take pride in settling for less than what you can be? It may seem evident to yourself that you were able to make it further than most, but there are no records kept for those who "almost" make it to the top. Assess yourself. Is what you have already accomplished enough for you to never look back on with regret? It's EASY to settle. It's NORMAL to be satisfied. The greatest battle is within yourself. EMBRACE the challenges, ROMANCE the obstacles & CHAMPION the uncommon...

Keep Moving Forward

There are certain things in life that are beyond our control. Often times these events leave us feeling helpless & dejected. They're often the most frustrating events we encounter because there is nothing within our human power to stop them. This message is intended mostly for the young men on our football squad, but I feel that it applies to all people in all walks of life. Life has a tendency to try to take you off of the path you seek, derail you from your destination. The greatest measure of a man is how he handles adversity, how much he can take & keep moving forward. 

Throughout the past year, our football team has dealt with a great deal of adversity. Last August one of our players, Quinton Tyree, failed to pass his physical. He later learned of a massive tumor lodged in his back near his spine & between multiple arteries sidelining him for the entire season. It was unclear whether the tumor was malignant or benign, but the procedure itself was very dangerous.  Our young men, the student body & the community rallied around him & offered great support.  Thankfully the surgeons were able to remove the massive tumor & Quinton has been on the road to full recovery ever since. His strength has recovered quickly & he has been performing very well for the track team this spring.

The season itself in 2011 presented its own trials. Due to former players graduating & some transferring to different schools, there were new players at many new positions with a new coach & a drastically new scheme. Young men were being thrust into roles they were not ready for. However after posting a 1-8 record & being blown out in many of the losses, the team improved steadily getting better from game-to-game. New leaders emerged. Though a few were left behind or chose not to come with us, a vast majority of the team remained intact despite our struggles.  

Heading into the off-season, we all realized we were not where we needed to be physically compared to our opponents. In November, we created a new sports fitness class.  The early stages of that class were rough. Poor technique & low lift numbers, but they stuck with it. Once the expectations & foundations were set, the increases jumped off the charts. Players were literally seeing increases everyday in their performance. The class took on a life of its' own. They loved that class. More & more enrolled. The energy in the weight room was ELECTRIC. The song "Jump Around" by House of Pain developed into the class anthem & was played almost daily.  They literally "jumped around" before & during workouts & sometimes I would join them. I've never seen a team bond so heavily during the off-season. Always pushing each other, encouraging each other, even after only winning 5 games in the last 3 years. They could have easily given in & said "It's just the way it's always been", but they chose to rise above, choose a new path. Over the course of the last 7 months our team has seen gains as high as 50+ lbs in their bench press & 100+ lbs in their squat. They have won weight divisions at local Strength Meets. The class grew from 10 to over 25 kids, athletes & non-athletes. The energy has not dwindled. Their work ethic has not faltered. I've been on successful teams & I can honestly say I've never seen a group of kids work THIS hard. The change has filtered over to the other players in other classes & created friendly competition. They're always pushing each other, wanting each to be the best they can. We were on the fast track. Projected numbers for football haven't been this high in 10 years. Everything was moving along smoothly...too smoothly....

Football is a contact sport. Baseball is not. No worries right? Our baseball team was undefeated & playing at Erie in a CNC matchup. I was on my way home from track practice when I received some not so good news. Our starting Quarterback, Josh Thompson, had fractured his fibula. His foot was literally dangling off to the side. He was rushed to the ER & immediately put into surgery. Pins were put into his ankle & mangled tendons & ligaments had to put back into place. Although his outlook is positive to be ready for the season, it affected team moral. However, after a few days Josh returned to school & player outlook was back on the rise, getting back to "WORK". The team was well on its' way to meeting a challenge I placed before them to average a 15 lbs increase on their bench press & a 30 lbs increase on their squat by the end of the school year. Baseball......oh baseball, is in my doghouse right now. Last night I was watching our baseball & softball squads compete against Colgan. I was watching the softball game when I heard a sharp "PING". I turned to see Justin Galloway, our starting right tackle, fall to his knees. Our assistant baseball coach sprinted across the field & immediately yelled "TRAINER!"  Justin had been struck in the right eye with a line drive hit. He spent the night in the hospital & a CT scan revealed a orbital bone break that will require the placement of a metal plate in his right eye on Tuesday. Thankfully, Justin still has the ability to move his eye & his vision (that we know of) has not been impaired. We are not sure what this means for him next season, but we must be appreciative of the positives that could have easily been much worse.

My message to our team & to those who are reading is simple, yet challenging. No matter what hardships life throws at you, no matter how devastating, you have two options. 1. QUIT. 2. Keep moving forward.  A great speaker named Eric Thomas says "PAIN is temporary. It may last for a minute, an hour, or a day...or even a year...but eventually it WILL subside & something else will take its' place. If I quit however, it will last FOREVER." Nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can GET hit & keep moving forward, how much you can TAKE & keep moving FORWARD. We can't control the obstacles life places in front of us. We can only control how we respond to adversity. Life is 10% what happens to you & 90% how you respond to it...No matter what comes your way, stay low, keep those feet moving & KEEP MOVING FORWARD...

How Bad Do You Want It? (Success)

Success is a term that often defines the end result of a process. I choose to think that success is a mindset, a lifestyle chosen by an individual.  Eric Thomas, a motivational speaker, (video below) says that we must "desire to be successful as much as we desire to breathe". It must envelop every part of your being, surround you, drown out every negative aspect in your life. Success must become as important to your daily life as the air that supports your living being. Without success you can't function. You can't bear the thought, that at the moment you take a break, that someone is out there working harder than you, passing you by. I can guarantee you that any moment you are not pushing toward your goal there is SOMEONE in this world getting better. Every moment you spend being unproductive is a moment lost to better yourself. You must be able to sacrifice FUN in order to be successful. You may have to miss a party, a social extravaganza, or you may even have to miss a day off.  SACRIFICE is the key to SUCCESS. Pain is a certain byproduct of success, but guess what? Pain is temporary. Pain disappears. Pain is NECESSARY. Fun is also temporary, but "fun" doesn't help you in your quest to be successful. You're going to have to OWN the fact that the pain you feel is a more valuable feeling in life than fun.

You can't put a limit on success because every accomplishment you achieve can be outdone. No record, feat, or accomplishment is unbreakable. Once we limit our expectations of ourselves & limit the effort put forth into a task, we LIMIT the bounds of our success. Furthermore, if the reason you want to be successful is anything other than the gratification of accomplishment, then you are doing it for the wrong reason. You can't pursue success for the gratification of money or fame. Those are not guaranteed rewards of success anyhow. There's nothing in the definition of success that says we will become rich or glorified by others.  Success is in your heart. Success is INTERNAL, not a stat in a record book or a salary figure. Only YOU get the gratification of your success, so don't let outsiders determine the value of what you have accomplished.  Know it in your heart that you've made every effort to succeed. Accept that pain is positive & necessary. Most importantly, breathe success, live success because a successful mindset & a successful lifestyle will lead to a successful destination...

(Eric Thomas is amazing. He provides the narration in this video. You will thoroughly enjoy his story & his delivery of his message.)

Show'em You Care

The world we live in today is such a cynical, fire breathing hell from the outside looking in. Standards for leaders are judged strictly based upon performance. Often we see successful coaches or players ridiculed & tossed along the wayside for not meeting expectations in the recent past.  The body of work, even one of great achievement, is not given a great deal of consideration when evaluating performance.  Wins/ losses & statistics, not influence, set the bar of which they will be judged. But what makes a great leader? Is it how he is viewed by the outside world? Wins & losses? Great leaders will win, but how they achieve those results, the values they teach, and the love of those they lead will create a longer lasting impact upon a team & society than a victorious number on a scoreboard. All coaches love to win, but those who put out the effort to show that a players' life is more important than the game are the real champions.

I love to share personal experiences, and I've often spoke of those who have influenced myself to become a coach. It is also probably a good thing I'm not vocally telling this story due to the lump in my throat & the tears that it brings to my eyes. I would like to share my story of a man named Bryan Burdette, my high school football coach.

In my younger years, good decision making & great performance were not always present, but this man stood behind me every step of the way. Coach Burdette took over as head coach my sophomore year, the same year he selected me to be the starting quarterback.  We had just finished a dismal 2-7 season that ended with a playoff berth (because of a coach who would not lose faith) & a promising future. That spring, I had shoulder surgery to repair ligaments in my throwing arm.  Entering the summer, I had started to experiment in some questionable decision making. One night in June, I was pushing my curfew. My parents were VERY strict with my curfew. Not wanting to get into trouble, I decided to take the backroads at about 90 mph to avoid the cops. Blasting through a stop sign & ramping a railroad track left me stranded in the middle of nowhere, my car smashed into a tree. Very fortunate not to be in heaven (or hell) I came away with a broken ankle & a smashed up mouth. Not being able to drive, Coach Burdette offered to let me ride with him to weights each morning. Throughout the groggy, summer-morning drives, we developed a great player-coach relationship. I had learned, that even though he was a man of God, his past was not always spotless either, and he had changed what his future likely would have been.

My Junior season had high team expectations throughout the community.  After two dismal performances marred with interceptions, poor passes, and a second half benching, I was lost, crushed, & a mental disaster.  The Saturday after the second game, I was sitting at home sulking when I heard a vehicle pulling up the Rider Hill. It was coach in his red F-150. I was fearful of what his visit meant. We talked about the season thus far & the early shortcomings. I hated disappointing him. I knew how much he wanted to win & the effort he had put into our team. I broke down, tearfully apologizing to him for letting him down. He quickly dismissed my apology. Instead he did what I least expected, he told me bluntly: "The coaches mentioned that maybe we needed a change...but you're our quarterback." He had made the drive out to my house to personally tell me that, and to make sure I wasn't beating myself up.  How many coaches will visit a player's home to give them a vote of confidence, to lift them up? At that point, nothing in the world could have meant more for my clouded mind. He showed me he cared, and I would have done anything for him from that point forward. Not because he knew the game better than other coaches, but because he showed me that it was more than just about winning to him. Although my personal performance that season was a disappointment, we captured a district title & the first playoff victory in school history & he never gave up on me.

In my senior season, my quarterback play saw drastic improvements & we produced the furthest team-run in school history into the playoffs & a Regional crown. When we lost to Rossville by one point in the State Quarterfinals, largely because of my mistakes late in the game, he took the blame for a costly interception I threw, saying that it was a bad play call on his part. We knelt & prayed on the field after that final game, and I've never cried so hard in my entire life. Partly because I knew I would never have the chance to play for him again. I loved that man for everything he had done for me, not just because we won games or taught me how to play the game. He sacrificed countless times to take the time to show me he cared.

Immediately after my graduation ceremony that next May, he asked me to come with him over to his office. I had no inclination what for. We had gotten new football jerseys my freshmen year. I wore #12 all four years.  When we arrived in his office, he grabbed a sack & pulled out two uniforms. They were my #12's. As he handed them to me, (with a tear in his eye whether he will admit it or not) he said: "I can't let anyone else wear these jerseys. I want you to have them."

That is what makes a great leader. Show them you care because everything else is icing on the cake. Those events I described made more of a lasting impact upon my life than the wins & the trophies. I'll take a less talented leader that cares about those he impacts, over a genius with a track record of success with no heart, any day of the year. I want to invest in my players like he invested in me, to have a bond, a relationship. At the end of the day, that is what it's all about, not just winning & losing on the scoreboard. As the old saying goes...They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care....

Goal Setting- An Accurate Science to Achievement

Boredom is defined as "feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity." Everyone is bound to have felt this at some point in their life, if even for a few minutes when the motivation machine just isn't churning. But what about in your daily life or your occupation? Do you ever find yourself seemingly spinning your wheels? One day seemingly an identical spawn of another? I wonder how many thousands, if not millions of people feel this way on a day-to-day basis. I'm certain you have witnessed it. I'm also certain when you read the previous sentence a particular person popped into your head.  They are probably someone who drones through everyday as if their biggest battle in life is to push the time-clock forward to quitting time & always puts in just enough effort to avoid scrutinization from their superiors.  Typical analysis would label these persons lazy or slothful. But what causes those who may have extraordinary capabilities to become so inept?

Consider this statement Lou Holtz took from a book given to him by his wife at a most dismal point in his life: "If you're bored with life - you don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things - you don't have enough goals."

At the time Lou Holtz read this, he was unemployed, newly married, and about to have their first child. The writer instructed that "To be accurate in goal setting you need to take a pencil & paper & write down all the goals you wish to achieve." Lou got out a pencil & paper, and started writing down all the things he wished to do. He wanted to go the White House for dinner. He wanted to be on the "Tonight Show". He wanted to see the pope & go to the various continents. He wanted to win the National Championship, be the Head Coach at Notre Dame, and be Coach of the Year. He wanted to hit a hole-in-one, jump out of an airplane, land on an aircraft carrier, go on a submarine. The more he wrote, the more excited he got. When he finally finished, he had compiled a list of 108 goals he wished to achieve in life. Throughout his life he has accomplished almost all of the goals listed above. He went on to coach at Notre Dame, win a National Title, be Coach of the Year, visit the White House, appear on the "Tonight Show." Setting goals always allows us to have something to work toward. The absence of goals gives way for boredom & a sedentary lifestyle to set in.

Goals for each individual are always going to have differences. For some, it may to be to raise a productive & upstanding children, get a job promotion, or scale a treacherous mountain. It is almost certain we won't accomplish every goal we set out to accomplish. However, if those goals remain unattained we will always have something that drives us & gives us something to work toward. They also provide a framework for how to approach our daily lives, with vigor, with intensity, with FIRE. I encourage everyone to take a little time to write our a list of goals that you wish to achieve. One day you will be able to look back & admire not what you have NOT done, but all that you HAVE accomplished...

Here is my crack at setting my life-long goals. I reserve the right to add more goals!!!!

My Life-long Goals:

1. I want to make a positive impact on every life I touch.
2. I want to win a State Championship.
3. I want to coach a Player of the Year. (Check. Ryan Schadler - 2013 4A Prep2Prep POY)
4. I want to coach at the college level.
5. I want to get married. (Check. July 20th, 2013.)
6. I want to be invited to a player's wedding.
7. I want to visit the White House.
8. I want to be a head football coach at a high school within 5 years of my college graduation. (Check. I set that goal when I was 18. Happened at 23.)
9. I want to be an Athletic Director. (Check. I set that goal when I was 21. Happened at 23.)
10. I want to lead a life pleasing to my Lord & Savior. (In progress. Needs work)
11. I want to visit Boston.
12. I want to go to a warm beach. (Check. Honeymoon to Jamaica, 2013)
13. I want to write a book.
14. I want to be a school administrator.
15. I want to coach a Division 1 football player.
16. I want to go on an Alaskan Cruise.
17. I want run at least a half-marathon.
18. I want to win Coach of the Year.
19. I want to have children.
20. I want to live in a state other than Kansas at some point in my lifetime.
21. I want to coach at my old high school. (Check. 2008-2012)
22. I want to win a district championship within the next 2 years.
23. I want to win a playoff game within the next 3 years.
24. I want to receive a teaching award.
25. I want to be on ESPN.
26. I want to run my own business.
27. I want to meet the President. (whoever it may be at that time)
28. I want to go the a Super Bowl game.
29. I want to go to a National Championship football game.
30. I want to be in a tv commercial.
31. I want to speak at a coaches clinic.
32. I want to go to Europe.
33. I want to fly on a plane. (Check. Honeymoon to Jamaica, 2013)
34. I want to ride on a train.
35. I want to train a state power lifter.
36. I want to make a music video.
37. I want to learn to play the guitar.
38. I want to go to a NCAA basketball tournament game.
39. I want to shoot a round of golf under par.
40. I want to coach an undefeated regular season. (Close this year! 8-1)
41. I want to coach a (school, state, conference, national) record setting player. (Check. 3 of them so far.)
42. I want to donate $1,000 to a scholarship fund.
43. I want to win a League Championship. (Check. 2013 Undefeated CKL-South Champions)
44. I want to save an animal from a pet shelter.
45. I want to go to an OU-Texas football game.
46. I want to coach an Academic-All State, Conference, or American Player.
47. I want to visit the Walk of Fame.
48. I want to visit the Grand Ole Opry.
49. I want to coach at Oklahoma.
50. I want to be a Secret Santa to a needy child.
51. I want to coach with my brother!

52. I want to ride a Sea-doo (Spelling?)

53. I want to own a brand new truck.

54. I want to ride in a car going over 150 mph.

The Dreamer vs. The Visionary: Part 2 of 2

THE VISIONARY

Light floods his blurred vision. As the scene clears, he's making his way down a smoky tunnel. The constant chatter of "click-clack" accompanies his footsteps. He adjusts the Under Armour armband tattooed with his favorite Biblical verse. The lights, only dimmed by the tinted visor shielding him like a Gladiator before taking to the arena. The fans. The roars of the hoards chanting his name. He's on the big stage, and the stage is set.

This is the moment he's been waiting for, his shot at endless fame, at GLORY. He took the unbeaten path to get here. The narrow road so few have the courage to tread. He's in the moment...HIS moment. His name bellows over the loud-speaker, as he trots onto the field.  He finds himself immersed in everything he's ever wanted. Flashes of agony, defeat, and tears flood his memory. Things haven't always been this glorious. There have been countless failures & shortcomings, preparing him for this moment. "I'm here now. That's all that matters."

He came to put on a show, and he hasn't disappointed. The crowd springs to their feet with every dazzling play he makes. He's putting on a clinic picking this defense apart. Tight windows pierced with impeccable timing from hours of after practice routes with his receivers. Crazy blitzes, line stunts...He can't be phased. No matter what the opposing team throws at him, he answers without indecision. He's seen it all in the lonesome 6 a.m. film sessions. He hurls passes as if from a cannon, forged in that musty, dungeon of a weight room.  After every throw, defenders launch themselves into his body, but he takes body shots better than Rocky. Abs of steel cut under a single, mid-night light after all others have exited the building. Like a cat chased by a turtle, he can't be caught. He blows by defenders leaving a flash. A dip & a dash, the scouts always said he just wasn't that fast. Those pro-agilities & sprint drill have paid off at last. 


The crowd to a grows to a frenzy. Time falls into slow motion, the climax is near.  His heart thunders with every beat. His breath collects into a crystallized plume in the chilled air, as he buckles his chin strap. It has all come down to this. There is no panic. Leaders aren't born, their trust from teammates is earned by their unwavering work ethic. This moment feels eerily familiar, but this story has a fairy-tale ending. He takes his drop, the pocket collapses. Arms aimlessly grasping & fingers tugging, but he escapes. Blow after blow, he fights forward with an Herculean type power, dragging opponents along the way. I guess dragging that weighted sled in 100 degree summer heat has paid its dues. Nothing can hold him back this time.  Only one defender stands between him & everlasting glory. He leaps. Extending the football toward the pylon, stretching for every inch....The last second slips from the clock, the buzzer sounds.....(WHACK).....

 BEEP....BEEP....BEEP....BEEP....Light floods his penthouse suite. He can still feel the pain from that last shot he took. Mother Winter waits outside this morning. The roars from the crowd still resound in his head. He pulls back the covers as he stretches to turn off his alarm. He admires the front page of the daily sports section at the foot of his bed. A portrait of him hoisting the championship trophy tells the story of victory. It was him this time. He had envisioned that moment since he was old enough to walk. Things finally went his way. He exorcised his demons. Bad luck?...there is no luck. He earned every bit of his triumph. His vision had become a reality, no longer to be hid in the shadows. As he folds his legs over the side of the bed, he slides his feet into his sneakers. There will be no off day today. As he makes his way to the training facility, the Dreamer exclaims: "Man...let's go get us another one..."


You see, DREAMERS skip to the good part, and fail to possess the fortitude & commitment to make those dreams into a reality. VISIONARIES have a plan in place that shows them how to get where they want to be, and sacrifice whatever is necessary to get there. A dream is like a trip without a road map. Never dream what is possible. Envision the road to your destination BEYOND your wildest dreams...

The Dreamer vs. The Visionary: Part 1

THE DREAMER

Light floods his blurred vision. As the scene clears, he's making his way down a smoky tunnel. The constant chatter of "click-clack" accompanies his footsteps. He adjusts the Under Armour armband tattooed with his favorite Biblical verse. The lights, only dimmed by the tinted visor shielding him like a Gladiator before taking to the arena. The fans. The roars of the hoards chanting his name. He's on the big stage, and the stage is set.

This is the moment he's been waiting for, his shot at endless fame, at GLORY. How he got here doesn't matter. He's in the moment...HIS moment. His name bellows over the loud-speaker, as he trots onto the field.  He finds himself immersed in everything he's ever wanted. He can't exactly remember how he got here, but he's not troubled. "I'm here now. That's all that matters. I've been here countless times."

He came to put on a show, and he hasn't disappointed. The crowd springs to their feet with every dazzling play he makes. He's putting on a clinic picking this defense apart. Tight windows, crazy blitzes, line stunts...He can't be phased. No matter what the opposing team throws at him, he answers without indecision & hurls passes as if from a cannon. After every throw, defenders launch themselves into his body, but he takes body shots better than Rocky. Like a cat chased by a turtle, he can't be caught. He blows by defenders leaving a flash. A dip & a dash, big play after big play, the crowd to a grows to a frenzy.

Time falls into slow motion, the climax is near.  His heart thunders with every beat. His breath collects into a crystallized plume in the chilled air, as he buckles his chin strap. It has all come down to this. There is no panic. He was born for this. This moment feels eerily familiar. He takes his drop, the pocket collapses. Arms aimlessly grasping & fingers tugging, but he escapes. Blow after blow, he fights forward with an Herculean type power, dragging opponents along the way. Only one defender stands between him & everlasting glory. He leaps. Extending the football toward the pylon, stretching for every inch....The last second slips from the clock, the buzzer sounds.....(WHACK).....

 BEEP....BEEP....BEEP....BEEP....Light floods his dingy, one-room apartment. He can still see his breath. Mother Winter must have gotten the best of his space heater. The only roar resounds from his replica helmet alarm clock. He pulls back the covers as he stretches for the snooze button. He admires the poster of his favorite athlete hoisting the championship trophy. It could have been him. He had dreamed of that moment since he was old enough to walk. Things just never went his way. He always caught the bad break. Bad luck followed him step for step. If only he had been as fortunate as his idol, it would have been different. His dream would have become a reality, not a frequently visited vacation when darkness fell. As he folds his legs over the side of the bed, he slides his feet into his tattered slippers. There will be no click-clack this morning. As he wanders to the coffee pot the Dreamer mutters: "Man...I always wake up just before the best part..."

TO BE CONTINUED....