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 [Fear of failure] to
consider. Then, you probably won’t have to worry about suspensions, dismissals
or other breaking of the rules.
Meet Mike, Tom and others from that 1969 team at Sesi Motors in Ann Arbor from 6 to 8 PM on September 17, for a Bo's Warriors book signing. Join us.
Go Blue!
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