#1basketcase Holder Teammember Series

I am pondering how can I make a difference?

I know compassion makes a difference.

I know that faithfully standing at my post of duty in love, joy, and compassion that someday I will be able to have fruit that will remain, and I will lay His fruit at His feet.

We are goal oriented and this is good. Every sport seriously played has some sort of goal, but there must be some sort of obstacle to overcome, this is part of the game!

We plan to get football over the goal line, they say I won’t let you. This causes people to pay money to see, who will --- who won’t. The best team doesn’t always win?

I always loved a man named ’’HOWARD MAYS,JR.’’

We call him Willie Mays.

His travel started at Fairfield, Ala. and lead him to New York and later to San Francisco.

Willie hit 660 homeruns. He lead the National League 4 years in runs. He was voted twice the Most Valuable Player, 1954 and 1965.

In 1973, this old man sparked the New York Mets to the pennant. Willie played with his heart he was not always the star but he was always helping.

Sure, in his 19 year career, there were many obstacles Willie had to overcome, but Willie had to learn how to overcome.

How about my son Joshua’s hero. Chicago Bear, # 34, Walter (Jerry) Payton. As a whole Walter Payton played with a loosing record.

The Bears were not very successful. Walter was told he was too little and came from a little place, Columbia, Miss. Many people told Walter what he could not do.

Walter decided he was not going to listen to the critics and the armchair fatbacks.

Payton played 13 seasons under many adverse conditions, yet he made history.

Payton set the career rushing yardage at 15,726 yards, total yardage record was 21,803, and scored 110 rushing touchdowns, he had 10 one thousand yard plus seasons.

In 1977, Payton set the single game record of 275 yards. This was not easy.

Payton played when the crowd would boo him.

He finally went to a Super Bowl before he retired. Many games were played in pain. But Payton’s greatest record was HE LOVED the game. He tried each game. Yard by yard Payton made history and set records.

This required great effort and turning a deaf ear to screaming critics that knew how to tell--- ?

It is overcoming hardness that put Payton in the record book.

How would you like to play football 15 long seasons and never make a touchdown? Would this be a trait of failure? The heroes we follow are not always in the forefront with great showmanship and polish. We know the whole purpose of football is touchdowns!

There are two focal points on the 100 yard field: GOAL POST and the FOOTBALL.

What if I told you there was a player that played 15 years on an NFL team and he never once scored a touchdown or made an extra point?

Would we call this player a failure?

WHY 15 YEARS AND NO TOUCHDOWNS? Was he a failure? YOU DECIDE?

He played 15 years, he made 1,032 tackles, he blocked 86 passes, he had 3 interceptions, 19 fumble recoveries, he played in 245 games ---

YET HE MADE NO TOUCHDOWNS?

WHY NO TOUCHDOWNS? WAS IT A LACK OF EFFORT?