August 11th, 2003

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Hockeynut

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5 years ago today, Herb Brooks was killed in a car accident just 7 miles south of my home. I drove by that accident not knowing who it was, and found out when I got home. Herb was on a short list of people I always wanted to meet. For those of you asking,"Who the hell is he talking about?" Herb was the hockey coach of the 1980 gold medal team.
Herb was most famous for his inspirational speeches and the following is an excerpt from a speech he made to a group of student athletes.



"In an effort to solve the problems of yourself, your community, and your nation-by your very presence here tonight,you possess the greatest of all admirable character traits-courage.What is courage?Let me tell you what I think it is. An indefinable quality that makes a man put out that extra something when it seems there is nothing else to give. Ladies and Gentlemen, I dare you to be better than you are. I dare you to be a thoroughbred.I might best describe this by telling you a story about the courage of a man taken from the bible:the story of Eleazer.
Let me refer to a story in the Old Testament, a story a lot of you have never heard.It is not about Goliath. It is about a young Captain in King Davids army. His name was Eleazer. One day King David called his captains together and said,"We have lost most every day to the Philistinesand unless we win tomorrow, you come to the point of no return. Unless we win tomorrow as a nation, we are sunk." He said, "Is there anyone that can lead us to victory?"
 
And one man spoke up and said,"There is a young captain named Eleazer. He hasn't much experience, but he seems to have what it takes." "Send for him." He was called in and King David told him the situation, how they were at the end of their ropeand how he was chosen to lead the forces tomorrow. He said, "Well, I want 10,000 men, and equip them as best we can."They then went out that next morning to do battle against the Philistines.
But the Philistines were giant-like, awesome people, and when they came face to face with them, some of Eleazers men dropped their swords and retreated ungloriously. But the bible says in the 23rd chapter of second Samuel that Eleazer and a few of his men fought so valiantly for the Lord God Jehovah, that they won a great victory that day.


The story endswith this sentence:"His hand clave unto the sword." Because after the battle was over,if you read between the lines, he threw himself down on the groundalmost totally exhausted. His lieutenants came up and tried to get the sword loos from his hand, but he had gripped it so tightly that they couldn't get the fingers off, and they had to go down to the brook and get water. They bathed the back of his hand, loosened the muscles and pulled the fingers off one by one. Then they found that he had gripped the sword so tightly that the hilt of the sword had eaten into his hand. It was a bloody mess, and the story ends, "His hand clave unto the sword."
 
Remember, Eleazer won his great victory for two main reasons. First of all, because he took the sword with a tight grip. Nothing half hearted, but with vigor and dedication of purpose. Lord, deliver me from the namby pamby kind of people who do things half way. Second , because he lost himself in something bigger than he was, he didn't know the sword was biting into his hand.

He was too busy doing batlle. He was too busy fighting for the team. You know, all of us are walking 24 hours a day, 365 days a year toward a little plot of ground. I'm walking toward it, nothing is stopping me.And I don't want a fancy marker,but do you know what I'd really like to be worthy of?A small stone with the words upon it,"His hand clave unto the sword."


HerbBrooks1.jpg
 
I enjoyed that. Thanks. Some people, and it looks like Herb was one, have the gift of oration and can inspire others through it.

Cheers,
Bill.
 
It doesn't seem like it's been 5 years. :(

Didn't his SUV flip over on top of him at the intersection?
 
It doesn't seem like it's been 5 years. :(

Didn't his SUV flip over on top of him at the intersection?

Yep, and he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. He probably would have survived if he had.:(
 
awesome, although such a long time, but...
 
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