Good morning! The Huddle has a new look. More on the reasons why below. Let us know what you think.
It was one of those “where were you?” moments in my life. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the middle of August and it was hot. Football practice was just beginning. One of our coaches was late arriving and he had a look of concern. I knew something was wrong, even as a 12-year old. Once we finished our stretching, Coach Stover (he was one of those guys that didn’t have a kid playing, just wanted to give back to our little community as a youth coach. We need more of his type.) called us all together. “Boys, I’ve got some real tough news for you. Elvis Presley died today.”
I don’t remember any of us boys being all that upset. We thought the Bee Gees and KC & the Sunshine Band were the real legends. But looking back, it’s remarkable what an impact Elvis had on his generation. He was a good singer, for sure. But he completely went against the grain. He refused to conform. He, as he famously sang, truly did it his way.
As we enter a new year, I think about the lessons we can learn from guys like Elvis Presley. What is that we would attempt if we were guaranteed not to fail? Why don’t we just go for it? In many instances, we are worried about what others will think of us.
On this day, Elvis’ birthday, let’s vow to step out of our boxes and be willing to put ourselves out there a little bit more, regardless of the opinions of the crowds.