Playing Like A Jet

This year HBO Hard Knocks featured the New York Jets. They show the ups and downs in preparing for the 2010 football season. During one preseason game a veteran line man (never caught his name) made a profound statement to his team mates. He said the way to the Super Bowl is not one game at a time but one play at a time. It’s important that each player stay focus on what’s going on every moment of every play. The end goal is winning the Super Bowl but the main goal is winning every game.

The New York Jets are 2-1 not bad for a start; however when the news hit last week that super star wide receiver Braylon Edwards had a little too much hooch in his blood stream the future for him and his team look more unbearable than bright. This big upset over shadowed the perfect passes he caught and touchdowns he made in games one and two. It was as if the media said, let’s forget his success and just focus on his failures… what a great way to bring the team moral down (tragic just tragic). The media and a few fans were ready to hang Edwards on a cross and crucify him. I know the beard was a bit much and if you tilt your head to the right and squint your left eye he may resemble a black Jesus (I happen to think Jesus may have been rather sexy back in his day). Not to say I condone drinking under the influence of alcohol but let’s be honest more than likely all who consume alcohol have had a night of one too many drinks and if stopped by the police you to would have tragically failed the breathalyzer test. Many of us have made the same mistake, we’ve just been lucky enough not to get caught and have legalize tent on our car windows. It’s like the fatal pregnancy of the single woman that is talked harshly about in christen churches. Of course she’s heard of safe painting, but any woman whose colored will admit that sometimes the painter’s brush strokes can be a bit distracting and may cause both partners to live with their art work for 18 years (lol), but I digress. Braylon Edwards is a human being that made a huge mistake. The endless name calling and ruthless gestures for punishment I’m sure put a lot a pressure on the starting wide receiver. Yet in spite of the grueling media attacks Edwards manage to take a good look in the mirror and shave off his drunken mistake and start fresh. He sat out the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins. He didn’t let the bad press get to him and later caught a few passes, scored a touchdown, and did the dougie (lol) in game three. He kept his end goal in mind and mange to complete his main goal. I guess there must be something to playing like a Jet.

There is so much that can be learned from the headlines of the New York Jets. Many of us have personal Super Bowl goals, wither it is graduating graduate school, starting a successful business, or completing a creative idea. For me I’m a simple singer wanting my big break. My play book to complete my Super Bowl dream doesn’t consist of x’s and o’s but songs from my heart. My defense isn’t 11 huge men with helmets ready to sack me at the line a scrimmage (although depending on whose the nose guard is that may not be a bad idea…lol) but it’s more like huge mistakes that I’ve made that few people can forget or can’t forgive. Never the less I have to keep my end goal in mind and focus on each day one play at a time.

To my friend that is being beaten up by people that are reminding you of the mistakes that you’ve made I encourage you to have the attitude of the Jets. Follow the example of Braylon Edwards, you may not have a drunken beard to shave but an ingrown toe nail to cut or a dreadful weave to demolish. All and all take a good look in the mirror make the changes that need to be made and prepare to catch whatever comes your way. At the end of the day you’ll feel like you’ve scored a touchdown.

Til Next Time
Lola