Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
“They” said he was too slow, too short and too “untalented” to play there. But a fella named Woody thought differently and offered him the chance.
That fella placed him on the 5th string, the practice squad. That was the place for most freshmen. They were relegated to daily taking a beating by the number one defense as they ran the other team’s playbook on the scout team.
He kept working hard though. He never gave up. Practice after practice.
Then came opening day.
The game against Iowa was “well in hand” and that same fella Woody called his number. He got into the huddle and quarterback called a play “18 sweep”. That was a play for him to run.
The ball was hiked.
The hole opened perfectly.
But he forgot one thing. He forgot to secure the pitch. So concerned about the hole and the opportunity to run in front of 86+ thousand, he forget the most important thing...
The ball.
He fumbled.
One thing about that fella Woody, you just didn’t fumble.
He was removed from the game and in his mind removed from future consideration. This too short, too slow 5th string freshman had blown it. He was sure he was destined for obscurity because you just don’t fumble.
But he kept working hard. He kept the faith. He banked the encouragement of his family and friends and MOST IMPORTANTLY he remembered what he had read in that BIBLE that he and his 7 siblings had read so often in his home. He remembered:
James 1:2-3
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Instead of sulking, he KEPT working. Instead of a pity party he kept taking the pounding of the "number ones" hoping for another shot to run the ball.
The next week against North Carolina, that opportunity came.
Down in the game and much to his surprise, he heard his name called again. This time his FOCUS was clear. No fumbles. Run hard. Learn from the failure of the past.
Endure.
What happened next is part of the lore of that is “Number 45”. This 5th string “fumbler” went on to set a then record by rushing for 230+ yards and kick-started what was to become one of the most legendary careers in the history of Ohio State football.
It was a career that saw 4 Rose Bowls, 4 wins over that “team up north” and two Heisman trophies. He is STILL the only person to EVER do that!
Yes.
Archie Griffin was that too slow, too short tailback from a poor part of West Virginia and yesterday as he addressed the 2015 graduating class at THE Ohio State of which both his son Adam and my daughter Hillary (I am SO PROUD OF YOU) were a part, the messaging was clear!
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