J.C. Hise, weightlifter.
From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
“When you are born you are set forth to die. The fact that you live or don’t live between these 2 dates depends solely upon your own will, opportunities, and desires. The weight exerciser, of course, indicates that he chooses to live!”
J.C. Hise, weightlifter. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
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Super Human is a fictional adventure story featuring teenagers and young adults blessed with superhuman abilities, which they use to battle evil forces bent on world domination. Their featured nemesis is called the Fifth King: Krodin is an ancient warrior who disappeared almost 5000 years ago. He is transported to the present and unleashes his full array of destructive powers against the young heroes.
Krodin’s main source of invincibility is his stunning capability to adapt. No matter the circumstance he adjusts to the situation and he is made better. For instance, he absorbs the information and skills of those he fights and is made a better warrior. He seeks out the finest warriors and the deadliest enemies, knowing that the struggle results in his enhancement. The more his capacities are strained to their utmost, the more he is forced to adapt and the more powerful he becomes. If he is wounded, he heals. The more extensive the injury, the greater the healing. If he encounters the unknown or unexpected, his mental capacities increase in proportion to the demand. If he fatigues, his energies rise to a greater level and overwhelm the situation. If he weakens, his strength multiplies to such an extent that it crushes any barrier or limitation. No matter what, he adapts and he overcomes. Approach life the same way as Krodin. Welcome any and all challenges, confident in the belief that your skills, abilities, and capacities for greatness will overcome and emerge victorious. Have faith in your capability to absorb significant knowledge from every person and every situation. Be secure in the knowledge that everything in life makes you stronger in some way. Strain and struggle and strife yield a better you - adapt yourself and increase your power. You may not be immortal but you do possess the traits of a super human. Unleash your super powers and become great! From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com “I am not afraid … I was born to do this.”
Joan of Arc, French military leader and patron saint. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com Sprinter Shawn Crawford has been an elite performer on the track for over a decade, at all distances from 60 meters to 200 meters. He won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympic Games in the 200 meters and is one of the few men able to mount a consistent challenge to reigning world record-holder Usain Bolt. Crawford is a self-sufficient, independent man who makes his own decisions and travels his own path. At times, he has been better known for his on-track antics and off-track manufactured publicity stunts than for his sustained brilliance in sprints. He is both proud and humble; both arrogant and self-effacing; both steady and unpredictable; both a loyal teammate and a loner. He is also a ferocious competitor who takes a deeper look at what’s important about competition.
In the 2008 Olympics Crawford finished a distant 4th in the 200 meter final. The race concluded and he finished off the medal stand. In an instant, his medal status changed, however. The respective 2nd and 3rd place sprinters were disqualified because they ran out of their lane, even though they gained no apparent competitive advantage in so doing. Crawford was awarded the silver medal Many athletes would have accepted the prize and reaped the benefit, basking in the glory. Crawford didn’t even take a celebratory lap. “This medal was given to me, I don’t deserve it,” he said. “I never felt it was rightfully mine.” The medal haunted his every waking moment for several weeks afterward, until Crawford took drastic action. Crawford drove to the hotel of the sprinter who originally finished second and left the silver medal for him at the front desk, along with a short note. Crawford told no one what he did, and thought the matter concluded. “In my heart, I felt he deserved it,” said Crawford. The recipient was overcome with gratitude and publicized the incredible gesture of sportsmanship. Crawford diminished the importance of his act, stating he’d done the right thing and could now rest easy. The pursuit of greatness has nothing to do with medals. Baubles and trinkets and other external rewards pale in comparison to the internal gifts bestowed by competition. Do the right thing, regardless of the reward. The prize and the honor and the irreplaceable satisfaction supersedes the luster of any medal, no matter how shiny. Let your greatness shine for itself, like Crawford. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com When Henry Ellard was a young boy his mother forbade him to play football. It was only after concerned family members intervened that she reconsidered. His runaway, reckless energies needed an outlet and football was a perfect fit. He loved the game but he was not a star player until late in his high-school career. At first, he was so undersized that his teammates mistook him for a team equipment manager. He struggled to improve and kept at it with dogged determination. As he matured, his speed, leaping, and bounding abilities, in addition to his sure hands and well-run patterns, afforded him a college scholarship as a wide receiver.
At Fresno State University, Ellard was a late bloomer. He got comfortable with his role and blossomed as both a scintillating punt returner and a receiver with big-play capability. He set national records his senior season and enhanced his athleticism by becoming one of the greatest triple jumpers in U.S. track and field history. His nickname was “Grasshopper,” because he could could hop, skip and jump as far as anyone in the world. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams; for years, he continued his concurrent jumping career and even held the world record for a brief time. Success in the NFL came late. He first made his mark as a thrilling, shifty and elusive punt returner then established himself as one of the best deep threats as a wide-out. Years of excellence for several teams ensued, each standout season characterized by his growing precision as a route-runner and his evolving leadership skills. Ellard’s practice habits were exemplary and provided a great example for fellow receivers. Late in his career, he rehabilitated from a severe hamstring injury and topped most of his previous achievements, after many thought his career was finished. It seemed the older he got, the better he became. Acclaimed All-Pro defensive back Deion Sanders said Ellard was the best receiver he ever faced. A team trainer said his mental strength and ability to focus on an objective was exceeded only by all-time hockey great Wayne Gretzky. At retirement, Ellard was 3rd all-time in yardage and 4th all-time in receptions, and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice said that Ellard came the closest to matching his feats. Today, Ellard is a respected NFL assistant coach who teaches that patience, persistence, and dedicated practice pave the path of greatness. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com “Nowadays, curmudgeon is likely to refer to anyone who hates hypocrisy, cant, sham, dogmatic ideologies, the pretenses and evasions of euphemism, and has the nerve to point out unpleasant facts and takes the trouble to impale these sins on the skewer of humor and roast them over the fires of empiric fact., common sense, and native intelligence. In this nation of braying sheep and bleating jackasses, it then becomes an honor to be labeled curmudgeon.”
Edward Abbey, author. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com “Genius is present in every age but the men carrying it within them remain benumbed unless extraordinary events occur to heat up and melt the mass so that it flows forth,” said philosopher Denis Diderot.
Each man is born with a purpose; the reason for his genius. Most men live a life of quiet desperation and overlook the true meaning of their existence. Time and the intrusions of daily life combine to push their capacity for genius into the dank, dark recesses within. In time, most men forget their purpose and fail to ignite their genius. Find the spark you forgot. Cradle it, nurture it, fan it, build it into a raging bonfire that lights the flame of your greatness. When a coach says, “get fired up,” this is what he means. Light yourself on fire with the white-hot flame of a single-minded purpose. Choose to pursue the great deed, feat, skill, act, or accomplishment that is your destiny. Fulfill that destiny and unleash your unique brand of genius. Decide that the dawn of every day is the extraordinary event that prompts the flowing forth of your genius. Every man is special and every day is special. Awaken and remember your greatness! From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com In 1969, Richard “Night Train” Lane was named the best cornerback in the first 50 years of professional football. Several years later, he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Nice achievements for anyone, and unfathomable for someone who was bundled in newspaper by his mother then abandoned and left for dead in a trash dumpster at the age of 3 months. His discovery was a miracle and it was even more miraculous that the woman who rescued Lane adopted him and raised him as one of her own. Lane was a wild, reckless youth who loved sports and his adopted mother had a challenging time channeling his aggressiveness in a proper manner.
She objected to the sport of football, because he was undersized. She thought it safer if he concentrated on his schoolwork. Lane tried to be a good son but he felt he was born to play the game. He continued to play through high school and 1 year at a small junior college. Lane was a good player but he saw no realistic future in either academics or football so he joined the U.S. Army. He served with distinction during peacetime and during the Korean War before returning to civilian life. He worked as a faceless drone in an airplane factory and longed to play the sport he still loved. On a whim, he walked in, uninvited and unwanted, to the nearby offices of the Los Angeles Rams. He showed them his scrapbook of clippings and honors from high school and junior college and somehow talked the Rams into allowing him a try-out as an offensive end. The coaches were skeptical and dismissive, until they saw him play. His raw speed and energetic aggressiveness were impressive, but the Rams had no need for his services because they already had several Hall-of-Famers in waiting at that position. Lane talked the coach into letting him try defensive back, a position he’d never played. He had no idea about technique or form or coverage schemes. He just played hard and chased the ball. In spite of his inexperience, and the initial reluctance of the Rams, Lane set an interception record in his rookie year that still stands, unapproached. He was a gambler who went for broke and took plenty of chances on interceptions. Somehow, most of his dangerous plays succeeded. In addition, he gained a quick and lasting impression as one of the hardest hitters to ever play in the secondary. In particular, he excelled at open-field tackles and in run support. His aggressiveness prompted him to become the first cornerback to blitz, and the ploy became one of his signatures, along with his brutal tackling. Lane was fast, agile, and tough. He had a fierce determination to succeed because he never wanted to return to the assembly-line life of an automaton factory worker. He was a loyal and supportive teammate who never forgot his modest beginnings. A teammate said, “Whatever he did, he did it for the team.” He grew from a small kid who had a big heart into a big man with a bigger heart. His success is proof that miracles happen, and that every great man is born with a specific destiny. Night Train sped down his track of greatness. Follow yours, and become great, too. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com Rampaging defensive end Doug Betters was the most acclaimed member of the famed Miami Dolphin’s “Killer B’s” stifling defense. Betters gained All-Pro honors and the distinction of “NFL Defensive Player of the Year” for his relentless pass rush and his sure tackling. The towering, intimidating game-changer entered the NFL with little fanfare after a modest collegiate career at Montana and Nevada-Reno. Once he became a Dolphin, however, Betters became a dominant and ever-present force on several outstanding teams.
At the height of his pro career, Betters began a charity designed to help needy residents of rural Montana, his native and resident state. In particular, his charity was implemented to assist with pediatric medical costs that are not covered by insurance. To date, the charity has raised and distributed in excess of $2 million dollars to thousands of youngsters and their families. As a result, Betters is a well-known and well-respected member of the tight-knit Montana community. Several years after retirement, Betters broke his back in a skiing accident. He suffered severe spinal cord damage and is paralyzed from the waist down with minimal use of one hand. Betters battled back from this devastating injury with the same determination that made him an elite athlete. Today, in spite of his physical limitations, Betters is a pro fishing guide, a licensed pilot, and continues his plentiful charitable work. His attitude in life is the same as it was in football: “… you just play every play like it’s your last play and you have nothing to lose.” Play like this; live like this; and you’ll always be a winner. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com |
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