Untitled - Fast and Furious Football

PHILOSOPHY, MOTIVATION. AND MANAGEMENT 175
Then, wh€n it came time for me to be of age to
want to play the game, two men came to Snyder:
Speedy Mofat and Mule Kizer. Both had played
at Texas Tech.
When they came in, I immediately began to
idol r7e them. because they talkedabout winning
and the importance of winning. I knew how to
work, but they knew what was important, and
that was to win, not only on the field, but off the
freld.I mg-tagged around as a student, butwhen
they came there,I rag-tagged no more.
The last day I played hooky, Mulewhipped my
rcar from one end of the dressing room to the
other Pieces of paddle were flying everywhere.
He wore me out and taught me a lesson about
the importance ofeducation.As long as I was going
to be a part of that team, I was going to be a
disciplined member of that team, on or otr the
fieid.
Mule said, "Be disciplined, Grant, be disciplined
in everythins you do." Be disciplined in
your study ofth€ game, in your approach to the
game, and in th€ tundamentah ofthe game. Be
disciplined, be tough.
He also said, "Grant, Speedy and I believe one
ofthe most important parh ofwinningis effort. I
know you are slow, and I know you are little, but
ifyou give u3 effort eve4. down on eve4. day, in
every way, we're gonna find a place for you to
play."
Artd they did, and I n€ver left th€ field fiom
that day. I played both ways and was captain of
€very team I waF ever on, because they taught
me the fundamentals of success discipline,
toughness, and effort. Then they began to teach
more. They began to tak€ me, as a child, to mold
me in a way that would change my lif€ forcver.
Not only did they say discipline, not only did
they say effort, they said toushness-mental and
physical toughness combined with carins. Care
enough to be loyal to your teammates, care
enough to b€ loyal to family and to yourseu, but
be tough. Be toush mentally, be tough physicalbr
You don't hav€ to tak€ a back s€at to anybody;be
tough.
And then one day Mule Kizer pulled me aside
and said, "Ifyorreally wanttobe successful, you
got to be error free." I Baid, "W})at do you mean,
erlor fr€e" He Baid, "You can't make mistakes.
Other guys with more talentwill make mistakes,
and if you don't make mistakes you can win."
Yeah, enor free, no mistakes on the football field,
no mistak€s otrthe footbatl field, seize your opportunity,
take advantage of the time that you
have. Sit in that class and listen instead of day
dreaming +rror Iiee.
What a fantastic piece of advice. H€ said one
day, 'You arc tough, Gmnt, you ar€ real tough,
but you need to be aggressive, otrthefield as well
as on the field." I said, "What do you mean" and
he said,'Well,just apprcach everything with the
same aggression that you have on the freld. You
will stick your nose and face on ant'thing that
mov€s. You are not afraid of an]'thing out there.
Dont be afraid of anlthing offthe field. Approach
it like yor are going to rob a banl: plan, discuss,
drcam, plan, discuss, dream, visualize, and com-
I b€gan to use film like probably no other guy
from Snyder Texas ever used it. The film wasn't
v€ry good, but as they would g€l a film or two in
on our opponent, I would sit for hours and study
the way my opponent moved, how he lined up,
and what he was going to do on the snap of the
footbell. It allowed me to understand the game of
football.
Finally, one day, I got into a fight on the foot,
ball field. Mule didnl m,nd 'rwe
had fish( in us.
but he pulled me asid€ again and he said, "Look,
it's okay to be willing to fight; there is nothing
wrong with that, but you lose if you are not in
contml."Be in control ofyour rni nd and your body
That was pretty hard to ask ofa guy tobein
control ofhis body when he had a had time running-but
it was a point well made. He said,furthermore,
to be in control ofeverything. Don't let
somebody hit you in the back out on the lootbali
freld, pmvoke you into a fight, and destmy what
you have already gajned. The second guy always
gets the penalty.
It's a simple thought and a simple prccess,but
be in contrcl. Be in contlol as a fathea be in control
as a husband, be in contml ofyour physical
body, be in control of your natural instincts-be
in control ofyour mind.
If you don't want to end up with an alcohol
problem,bein control and don't drink.Ifyou don't
wantto die ollungcancer, dontsmoke. B€ in con-
It was a revelation that changed my life- It
came liorn a high school football coach. B€ in control
I am the one in contlol. I conlml mJ owI
destiny.IfI am going to control my destiny,I need
lo set goals. T nepd ro know wh.fe I am going.
How amI going to get there jfl don't know where
I am soing
Conhol ofyour own destiny it's mine, it's not
anybody €he's. I can be wbat I want to be;I can