OT: Accountability

Submitted by GoBlue65 on
I am one of the senior captains for my football team, and tomorrow we are having our preseason team meeting. Me and two others have been chosen to talk to the team about the upcoming season, and we have to share a quote about accountability. The reason i bring it up here is because i am considering using part of Bo's "The Team" speech. I was just wondering if you guys have any better suggestions that i could use to get the team ready. Its kind of short notice for me, so any help is appreciated
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Ike

September 1st, 2009 at 10:56 PM ^

Might need to give a little history lesson on Yost if you want to use these, but I've always liked them. To me, no coach in America asks a man to make any sacrifice. He requests the opposite. Live clean, come clean, think clean. Stop doing all the things that destroy you mentally, physically, and morally, and begin doing those things that make you keener, finer, more competent. -Fielding H. Yost "True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise - the other, loyalty." — Fielding H. Yost

Joined: 02/08/2009

MGoPoints: 107

MCalibur

September 2nd, 2009 at 1:48 AM ^

The second quote is great quote but probably needs updating for HS kids. Now, editing a Yost quote is asking for a negbanging, but he was born almost 140 years ago! Ethos is critically important in this type of speech and you must convince the audience that you believe what you're saying and putting a great quote into your own words, preferably your teammate's words, will do that. Really only a handful of words/phrases need to be tweaked- Suggestions: substitute 'chump' for 'street urchin', 'love' for 'loyalty', and 'stand up' for 'stand fast'. I'd also omit 'is that quality of service that', and, in the team context, I'd also go with 'pop their jersey' or something like that instead of 'shout applause'. Frankly I'd probably drop the last sentence too. IF you do this, then you can't quote Yost directly, but you can invoke him, which provides the same effect. Modified version:
Fielding H. Yost, who led MICHIGAN to four straight undefeated seasons and four straight national titles, once said something like, "True love grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any chump can pop their jersey in victory, but it takes character to stand up in defeat."
Then talk about why you love your team/school and in light of recent events, your coach and/or teammates. Specific, personal, and effective stories about your buddies and coaches will get those fools ready to FUCK. SHIT. UP. Then the Wolf-Pack quote: "The strength of the pack is the wolf, the strength of the wolf is the pack." Talk about how you need to rely on each other and depend on each other. Executing your assignments, holding your ground. Work your coach's motto for the season in somewhere if it makes sense and if you beleive in it. Preferably at the very end. But remember , the closing line is the one that sticks with them so...make it good. Again, this audience (MGoBlog) might negbang me into oblivion for remixing Yost's words, but your teammates should gobble that shit up.

Joined: 07/16/2009

MGoPoints: 2361

TomVH

September 1st, 2009 at 11:32 PM ^

- No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave. - In our lives we will encounter many challenges, and tomorrow we face one together. How we accept the challenge and attack the challenge head on is only about us--no one can touch that. If we win or lose this weekend, it will not make a difference in our lives. But why we play and how we play will make a difference in our lives forever. - I'm a high school player. I'm a team player. I play with my friends and with some of my enemies, but I respect everyone when it comes to my sport. I know I'm not going to get a multi-million dollar contract to play professionally. I know I may not even get my name in the paper. I play for love of the game. For the pride and honor, for the blood, sweat and tears it takes to make the team, to earn the spot, to win the game. I play because I can, I play because I know that my life would be empty without the sport I play. I would have a lack of everything my sport gives me... integrity, courage, talent, fearlessness, pride, strength, stamina, will, and the heart of a champion. If I didn't play, I would lose a part of me. I'm an athlete. I'm a champion, not because my team always wins, but because when we don't, we learn from our mistakes. We try to fix them, and most of all because we have fun. I have built lifelong friendships and memories because of my being an athlete. I leave everything on the field or court and continue to push myself. I am never happy with second place, but I have learned to accept it. I have learned to get over and through my anger and be the athlete and player I have always dreamed of being. I don't play for my parents, for my family, for my friends; I don't play for my coach or my teachers or my school. I play for myself but when I'm playing I represent them. It isn't about winning or losing, but I hate to lose. I won't settle for a tie, and I am not satisfied with 100%. To play, you have to sacrifice everything, your body, your time, your sweat, blood, and tears, everything... for your team. I am a player, and athlete and a champion, not because I know what it is like to win, but because I know what it is like to lose. I know what it is like to feel the anger and pain that comes along with "second best." I have been that girl with tears in her eyes, walking out to recieve the second place trophy and clapping as the other team, my opponents, receive the first place one. I know what it is like to lose, to win, to want to quit, to want to cry, to not want to get up. I know what it is like to hear the cheers and yells for you. I know what it is like to feel the pressure of everyone on your shoulders, and I know what it is like to choke under that pressure. I know what it means to be an athlete, a true player, and that is why I play. I AM AN ATHLETE, A CHAMPION, A TRUE PLAYER -An Athlete's Pride

Joined: 10/21/2008

MGoPoints: 16654

OSUckSteverMSUcks

September 1st, 2009 at 11:37 PM ^

Try to be best ‘Cause you’re only a man And a man’s gotta learn to take it Try to believe Though the going gets rough That you gotta hang tough to make it History repeats itself Try and you’ll succeed Never doubt that you’re the one And you can have your dreams! You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ow-own Fight ‘til the end Cause your life will depend On the strength that you have inside you Ah you gotta be proud starin’ out in the cloud When the odds in the game defy you Try your best to win them all and one day time will tell when you’re the one that’s standing there you’ll reach the final bell! You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ho-how-ho-own INSPIRING GUITAR SOLO You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ow-own Fight ‘til you drop never stop can’t give up Til you reach the top (FIGHT!) you’re the best in town (FIGHT!) Listen to that sound A little bit of all you got Can never bring you down You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around!

Joined: 04/27/2009

MGoPoints: 51

ThWard

September 1st, 2009 at 11:56 PM ^

Worth repeating. I dig. "True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise - the other, loyalty." — Fielding H. Yost

Joined: 07/10/2008

MGoPoints: 5173

tomhagan

September 2nd, 2009 at 12:39 AM ^

The Little Engine that Could A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill "I can't; that is too much a pull for me," said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. "I think I can," puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

Joined: 08/30/2008

MGoPoints: 105

The King of Belch

September 2nd, 2009 at 7:36 AM ^

"So please, just go out...and win one for The Gipper" But first kill one of your teammates so there actually is a Gipper to win one for.

Joined: 07/21/2009

MGoPoints: 8