College football recruiting seems to go on all
the time, as evidenced by articles in the Bleacher Reports as to where a 3, 4
or 5 star high school player might attend in the 2016 or 2017 season. And yes,
we have national rankings of stars in either a 3 or 4 or even a rating of 5 of
a high school football player. These rankings are supposed to assess football
ability. However, there are no rankings of character as of yet. What seems to
matter is the physical attributes as opposed to the personality development of today’s
athletes.
Back in the late 60s, when coach Bump Elliott was recruiting, there
were no star rankings. There were only local and state rankings and an
All-American ranking. Once again, player football ability was the most
important and only variable measured. Of course it was subjective back then,
and these rankings did not have a sophisticated computer logarithm component
built in to it. Then, it was up to the coach and his recruiting staff to evaluate
potential high school prospects.
Of the eight players interviewed, in Bo’s Warriors, one central
character theme dissects each regardless of player position, racial origin,
socioeconomic status, or rural versus urban playing environment . Underneath
the extraordinary athletic ability [These athletes excelled in many numerous
sports], there was an element of insecurity, and doubt about their ability to
play on the big stage. These terrific athletes did not have inflated narcissistic
egos nor did they believe they were the King of the castle. Did Bump sense this
in his recruiting process and thereby recruited only athletes that had an
underlying insecurity? I do not know if my sample of eight is representative of
his entire career. However, I do know about these wonderful eight U of M super
stars.
I will give two examples of some of the things these players told to
me during their interviews with me. I’ll begin with Tom Curtis. Tom was a
superstar quarterback from Aurora, Ohio, a small rural community near Cleveland,
Ohio. Tom didn’t understand and was irritated that Coach Bo Schembechler, then
the head coach at Miami of Ohio, didn’t recruit him out of high school. Tom and
his father made sure that Bo got his newspaper clippings. The fact that Tom was
somewhat unknown [Based on level of competition] contributed to his insecurity.
In fact, Brian Healy, the quarterback from Sandusky, Ohio was the Ohio player
of the year and he enrolled at Michigan, also. That didn’t help, Tom’s sense of
competence, but only doubted his ability to play quarterback at that
prestigious level. Also, In Tom’s sophomore season, his position coach asked
him to start at a different cornerback position. It was different from the side
he was practicing – he was uncomfortable, afraid and insecure, and made sure he
didn’t dare admit that to his coach. Even the town crier spread it around the community
that Tom, would not even make the traveling squad at the University of
Michigan. Tom never challenged or confronted the man.
Mike Keller was a superstar athlete from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
According to Mike, his level of football competition ranked about third in the
state behind the Detroit public schools and Lansing area schools. Keller in
Grand Rapids was the big fish in a little pond. However, at Michigan, he was
the little fish in a big pond. He didn’t place football as a first priority, in
his thinking, and wondered why Coach Elliott offered him a football
scholarship. In fact, Notre Dame’s Ara Parseghian did not offer him a
scholarship but told him he probably would receive one at a later date. Mike
Keller saw himself as a student first and was hoping to get his degree, which would
set the stage for things to come in his future by becoming an attorney. He said
that he was hoping to at least make the traveling squad. Mike played even
though he was not a full physical strength because he knew there was somebody
behind him ready to take his place and he was afraid of that happening. He did
not miss any playing time.
With doubt and insecurity comes anxiety. Anxiety is not pleasant and
something to get rid of or reduce if possible. When the anxiety level gets too
high or too much, that can result in psychological paralysis. In sports, it is referred
to when a player “chokes” during an important play or event during a
significant part of the game. When it comes to taking a school exam, and the
student does miserably, it’s called test anxiety. On the other hand, another
option is to increase the activity level of something physical. It could be by
playing the game of solitaire quickly and over and over. It’s not uncommon
today to see individuals with some electronic device in their hands,
compulsively being a captive. When it comes to sports, physical activity can
reduce anxiety, perfectly. This means compulsive weightlifting, running, and
bike riding, being on a rowing machine, etc. works well.
For Mike Keller and Tom Curtis, It was playing all sports at all
hours in the night and in the day. There was unlikely a day when either was not
practicing, playing or improving their skill. Both played basketball and loved
to shoot and compete [Both played in the evening-Mike even played in the dark].
So for these two individuals, they reduced their anxiety through the physical
activity of sport. They would come home tired because they extended themselves
when they played. They played to win [Competition served a good purpose for
them because it reduced their anxiety].
Another way to deal with insecurity and anxiety was their submission
to the authoritarian dictator like football coach Bo Schembechler. Bo was a
tyrant on the field and disrespected the players verbally and physically. He
frequently put them down verbally through the use of his colorful street-gutter
language. And, initially they disliked, and some even hated the man. They were
angry and resentful. In order to deal with their anger, resentment, they had to
unconsciously repress those feelings. And by repressing those feelings, they submitted
to Bo and became part of the team. That was their way of dealing with their
anger and resentment. They had to become the team, the team, the team. It was
Bo’s team, and make no mistake about it. And once that happened [It was the
fifth game of the season with Minnesota when it happened-team came together], played as a unit on offense and defense and
began to function as a single dynamism with Bo Schembechler as their leader.
The anger and resentment toward Bo got displaced and they took it out on each
other during practice and especially game time. In fact, in their next 25
regular-season games, they won 24 of them.
Tom Curtis holds the Michigan record for most interceptions; was
All-American; and has two Super Bowl rings. Mike Keller holds the Michigan
record for outstanding gameplay for three seasons; played in the college
All-Star game against the Dallas Cowboys [The team that drafted him] and
has been connected to football ever since. These men conquered
their anxiety, and are simply good guys. Hopefully, Jim Harbaugh can recruit
players that have a similar personality structure as both Curtis and Keller.
Don’t forget Jim, that’s a mighty important variable to consider. Then, you
won’t have to worry about suspensions, dismissals or other breaking of the
rules.
Go Blue!
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