I just read this on IT from one of our poster's, Horns82, that played for DKR that is a must read:
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A Former Letterman's Thoughts
Please understand that if Coach Strong walked over to me and introduced himself at a former Letterman's function, it would be the first time for me to ever meet the man. I don't know him at all, other than what I've been reading about him. In other words, there is no pro or con bias established regarding our new coach or myself. Still, if you don't mind, let me share some thoughts.
So many of our Longhorn faithful apparently do not like this hire for a myriad of reasons. Just reading some of the posts on here clearly provides that type of feedback. Do many of them tick me off...the negative feedback? You better believe they do. However, this is a format where all can give their opinion, good or bad, and I totally respect that. So many are well written, thought provoking points of view totally divergent to what my thoughts were on the subject, and therefore causes me to look at something in a different light. That's a good thing. So many are just pure hatred and used in such a negative tone that it astonishes me.
A year or two ago I read an amazing book...The Lone Survivor...written by a fellow Texan about his journey to becoming a Navy Seal to his near death in the mountains of Afghanistan. The movie just came out last week. Go see it, it's not bad, and if you are the type to read, get the book and read it, it's unbelievable. How does this relate to my Longhorns? Marcus Luttrell talks about how the training breaks down those attempting to become a seal into three parts....the physical, the mental, & the emotional. Each stage is pure hell, and I doubt one is more difficult than the other. If, at the end of the process, you are still standing and have become a Navy Seal, you are the very best of the best. It's amazing what those guys can do & accomplish when the mind would be telling most of us to just surrender, and the body aches & pains & broken backs & being shot simply does not matter...they will continue to come at you till the last breath.
This living in the dorm till you have earned the right to move away...I have no problem with. We did it until our eligibility was up...in other words, we could move out the 2nd semester of our SENIOR year. We didn't do too bad with that rule...we won the Southwest Conference all four years I played ball there, and we won two National Championships.
This being forced to wear a suit & tie on away trips...we had to do the same thing. When you represent the Univ of Texas and it's fine football tradition, and others are looking for any reason to hate us, well it's nice to look like you care, to look like you are a team of well represented young men. They'll survive this, trust me.
Can't toss the 'horns up' sign till you've earned it? I have no problem with that. When we were freshman and only played a 5 game freshman schedule while being ineligible for the Varsity team, we had to wait till all were seated every night at dinner...not in the lobby, but outside in the hot August & September sun...till they opened up the side doors to 'allow' us in singing the Eyes of Texas & Texas Fight before we ever sat down to eat, before we were ever called over to sing our high school song, or introduce yourself to the upper classman and then recall each one personally before being allowed to finally go sit down and eat. When did we play our first game? The 2nd week of October! That's a lot of time outside and doing menial things till we won our first game. We had to EARN that right to come in like every one else. We did alright, it didn't kill us or demean us...it actually gave us a strong sense of pride. These boys under Strong will learn that things are not just given, they must be earned. I support that!
So many of the things that coach Strong is implementing are done so to break these young, entitled men down before building them back up. Everyone needs to chill and let the process weed out the weak. Trust me, those players already know who is there just to be there, and not all in...they know this already, and they will welcome the opportunity to run those off. You're only as strong as the weakest link.
Give this new staff the benefit of the doubt, I have a feeling they will be united and will make better men of these young fellows before it's all over.
You can have the best offense in the world, or the best schemes on defense than 90% of the other teams, and all that won't mean squat IF the players aren't united, aren't prepared, aren't superiorly in shape, and mentally tough enough to come through when it's the fourth quarter and you need that big drive or that big stop in order to win the game. It's all about the players buying in and supporting one another, gentleman.
We haven't had that in quite a while. We've had zero accountability. Now I have a feeling we will, and this is one former Longhorn letterman that supports the new changes. I hope you will give this new regime a chance to make men of these boys, and I feel the results will come on the field as well. In due time, maybe not this coming fall, but in due time.
Hook 'Em!!
********************************************
A Former Letterman's Thoughts
Please understand that if Coach Strong walked over to me and introduced himself at a former Letterman's function, it would be the first time for me to ever meet the man. I don't know him at all, other than what I've been reading about him. In other words, there is no pro or con bias established regarding our new coach or myself. Still, if you don't mind, let me share some thoughts.
So many of our Longhorn faithful apparently do not like this hire for a myriad of reasons. Just reading some of the posts on here clearly provides that type of feedback. Do many of them tick me off...the negative feedback? You better believe they do. However, this is a format where all can give their opinion, good or bad, and I totally respect that. So many are well written, thought provoking points of view totally divergent to what my thoughts were on the subject, and therefore causes me to look at something in a different light. That's a good thing. So many are just pure hatred and used in such a negative tone that it astonishes me.
A year or two ago I read an amazing book...The Lone Survivor...written by a fellow Texan about his journey to becoming a Navy Seal to his near death in the mountains of Afghanistan. The movie just came out last week. Go see it, it's not bad, and if you are the type to read, get the book and read it, it's unbelievable. How does this relate to my Longhorns? Marcus Luttrell talks about how the training breaks down those attempting to become a seal into three parts....the physical, the mental, & the emotional. Each stage is pure hell, and I doubt one is more difficult than the other. If, at the end of the process, you are still standing and have become a Navy Seal, you are the very best of the best. It's amazing what those guys can do & accomplish when the mind would be telling most of us to just surrender, and the body aches & pains & broken backs & being shot simply does not matter...they will continue to come at you till the last breath.
This living in the dorm till you have earned the right to move away...I have no problem with. We did it until our eligibility was up...in other words, we could move out the 2nd semester of our SENIOR year. We didn't do too bad with that rule...we won the Southwest Conference all four years I played ball there, and we won two National Championships.
This being forced to wear a suit & tie on away trips...we had to do the same thing. When you represent the Univ of Texas and it's fine football tradition, and others are looking for any reason to hate us, well it's nice to look like you care, to look like you are a team of well represented young men. They'll survive this, trust me.
Can't toss the 'horns up' sign till you've earned it? I have no problem with that. When we were freshman and only played a 5 game freshman schedule while being ineligible for the Varsity team, we had to wait till all were seated every night at dinner...not in the lobby, but outside in the hot August & September sun...till they opened up the side doors to 'allow' us in singing the Eyes of Texas & Texas Fight before we ever sat down to eat, before we were ever called over to sing our high school song, or introduce yourself to the upper classman and then recall each one personally before being allowed to finally go sit down and eat. When did we play our first game? The 2nd week of October! That's a lot of time outside and doing menial things till we won our first game. We had to EARN that right to come in like every one else. We did alright, it didn't kill us or demean us...it actually gave us a strong sense of pride. These boys under Strong will learn that things are not just given, they must be earned. I support that!
So many of the things that coach Strong is implementing are done so to break these young, entitled men down before building them back up. Everyone needs to chill and let the process weed out the weak. Trust me, those players already know who is there just to be there, and not all in...they know this already, and they will welcome the opportunity to run those off. You're only as strong as the weakest link.
Give this new staff the benefit of the doubt, I have a feeling they will be united and will make better men of these young fellows before it's all over.
You can have the best offense in the world, or the best schemes on defense than 90% of the other teams, and all that won't mean squat IF the players aren't united, aren't prepared, aren't superiorly in shape, and mentally tough enough to come through when it's the fourth quarter and you need that big drive or that big stop in order to win the game. It's all about the players buying in and supporting one another, gentleman.
We haven't had that in quite a while. We've had zero accountability. Now I have a feeling we will, and this is one former Longhorn letterman that supports the new changes. I hope you will give this new regime a chance to make men of these boys, and I feel the results will come on the field as well. In due time, maybe not this coming fall, but in due time.
Hook 'Em!!
