If you know why this picture is here... you get 5 cool points.

I found out that Jason was dating her when he kissed her in front of me for the first time.  At that moment I had to choose which person I cared about more.  I chose Jason and we’ve continued to be friends ever since.  The only reason I even mention Jessica is because she was not only a witness to both of the games in which I made the winning goals, but she may have been the reason I made the winning goals.

Intramural Football

No one on our team had ever played football in high school or college, but we did play our share of 2-hand touch in the grass outside of Water’s Hall.  I could throw the ball, but was never really picked to be quarterback.  I would mostly play the linebacker, wide-receiver, and safety positions – guaranteeing that I would be worn out by the end of the game.  It was usually Jason’s idea to play and it was his idea to join the intramural league.

Our team consisted of mostly the same guys who played 2-hand touch and (besides the guitar player) consisted entirely of our band, “Shog”.  Our season did not start out well and we continued to post losses.  By the end of the season we had yet to win a game.  The last game was against an upperclassman team, which also had members from one the other band on campus, “Crummies Church”.  It was literally a battle of the bands.

The game started off as other games had, but this time something was different.  We were putting points on the board and we were staying in the game.  Something else was different too.  Jessica had come to watch us that day.  As the end of the game approached, we were down, but not out. Whoever made the next touchdown would win the game.  I had never played quarterback, but at this moment, the ball was handed to me and the rest of our team ran to the end on the field. I through a Hail Mary pass above the heads of the opposing team.  Heath jumped to catch the ball – and he came down with it in the end zone. We had won the game!

Intramural Floor Hockey

Later on that year, the same team decided to play intramural floor hockey.  We thought we would have some advantages as we had been playing street hockey in rollerblades behind Ralph’s Supermarket all year.  We would lay shopping carts down as a hockey nets.

When the games began, the story that unfolded was somewhat different than what we imagined.  Because floor hockey is more like basketball than street hockey, requiring more running than skating, the basketball players who decided to join dominated the league. At least, they did until that fateful night when Jessica decided to watch our game.

Again, the game was back and forth, but then I felt it, that feeling.  It was the same feeling I had on the football feeling, the feeling when you know something is going to happen – and then it does.  I was at half-court and there were three guys between me and the net, but I cocked back and swung.  The ball went straight through all three guys, past the goalie, and into the net, winning the game.

The Muse

Jason and Jessica broke up shortly after field hockey season and all five members of Shog left KCU at the end of that year.  Jessica graduated from KCU and is now married.  Jason and I are as well, although not to each other.

The first movie we see together with another person in a new relationship tends to stick with us in our memory.  Jessica and I went to see the movie “She’s All That”.  Jason and Jessica went to see “The Muse”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I am now convinced that the current leadership of this U.S. Soccer Federation has the right leader and players in place to compete at the elite level.  I think that there could be some improvements with a few players, but it finally seems that we have a couple of true stars with Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey.  Neither of their goals were particularly spectacular, but they both showed poise and confidence when nearly all soccer fans of the world were watching today.  I truly believe that Clint Dempsey is the most talented soccer player in Team USA’s history.  I’ve never doubted his foot skills or his striking ability, but I have questioned his heart and attitude.  Today’s match and subsequent tears have changed a lot of that for me.

Sometimes people fail because they haven’t practiced enough.  Sometimes they fail because the opposition is just too strong.  And sometimes, you do everything right, and you still fail.  I believe that is what Clint felt today as he bawled his head off during the runner-up medal presentations.  After all, it was his man that scored the winning goal for Brasil, but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort on Clint’s part.  Just a lack of height.  Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap to the team with superior talent.  If you have no hat to tip, tears of surrender may have to suffice.

I don’t mean to call the Confederation’s Cup “sour grapes”, but I would rather lose this tournament and have a deep run in the World Cup next summer than to win it now and whiff at the biggest stage.  The hunger has not been satisfied.  The United States still has work to do.  Their minds saw a picture of glory.  Raising the cup and dancing along the field were 45 minutes away.  Now, the opportunity has passed, but the picture remains.  Do they have what it takes to realize the picture next summer?  Of course they do.  Will they?  I’m absolutely thrilled to watch them as we all find out.

Wow!   It seems very clear now that Susan’s dream has been a dream for quite a long time.  So she got knocked down a few times and things didn’t take off for her right away.  She kept hold of her dream and kept developing her skills.  The idea that “anything is possible” is poweful and important to cultivate in everyone, young and old.  But,  it should be remembered that large scale success can and often does take time, especially when developing specific skills are involved.

This really made me think about my own life and the personal changes that I have been going through lately.  Sometimes, things change so fast, you can look at yourself in the morning, and not even recognize who you are.  When I look in the mirror, I don’t see who I was, but I don’t quite see the man that I want to be either.  It’s a strange sort of in between place that I’m in now, wondering whether to turn back to some of my former habits or to keep growing and developing my new ones.  I believe that healthy self esteem is the essential starting point for self-directed growth and personal development.  But is there a point in that growth and development where you can lose your identity?

Surely Susan had some times in her life and sputtering career where she doubted and took some time wandering on different paths.  It’s very encouraging to me to see how she never gave up on what she was so clearly passionate about.  It’s a great gift to be able to change our mind.  It’s also great to see the potential of a long held hope come to blossom at last.  Cheers again to Susan for her to get out there with her frumpy dress and keep her dream alive.  May we all be as successful as her someday!  What perseverance!

As I watched this clip for the fourth time today, I still got goosebumps.  I even welled up a bit and may have dropped a few tears.  There is something so universally beautiful about this.  The humble confidence in her comment: “I’m gonna make that audience rock!”  The ache in my heart about her never being kissed in her 47 years.  Her regained composure after momentarily blanking out at Simon’s question.  The crescendo of approval and applause that bubbled forth from the audience.  I loved all of it.

She mentioned how she always wanted to perform in front of a large audience.  Perhaps we have heard others say this, and we have labeled them as self-centered or egotistical.  But with Susan, I feel a tremendous sense of healthy pride that she is good enough and able to do such a thing.  It is what she has rehearsed in her mind over and over again, creating an extremely vivid picture for her.  One that is full of emotion.

It’s fantastic (to use her word) to vicariously experience her triumph over a judgemental world (and audience).  Al Bandura talks about how we go through our successes to quickly and too lightly.  Here’s to hoping that she spends plenty of time reveling in the joy that she gives to others with her performance and her personality.