The “NFL” Draft: Why is it so Important?
Forward by Captain Obvious
When it comes to sports in these here United States football is king. No not the kind where parents bring orange slices and water or juice boxes and stand looking at each other while a hive of kids chase a black and white ball around for 45 minutes on Saturday morning. We are talking about “American” Football where 300 pound freaks of nature put on various pieces of plastic and then charge at one another in a brutal attempt to place an oblong ball across a thick chalk line.
Oh… does it sound like I’m not giving this sport respect? Oh that is so not true… and here’s why.
You see today is draft day and later today and then in the next couple days our favorite gridiron groups will be selecting new eligible players in an effort to win more games or remain the champs. So is the draft so important because it might mean winning? No no NO you see the draft is important because it is all about believing in hope. It is a group of people pointing to some youth and saying…”we think you can help us do something better” It is about a team saying we need some new tools—we need somebody who isn’t quite like the people already here”- we will invest in you up front and we will expect you to be your best and to keep learning.
Isn’t it important to have hope? Isn’t it important to believe in the youth who will enter the “professional” workplace? Isn’t it important that entire communities can care enough to say “here…wear a shirt that we are all proud of?”
On draft day we often see stories about how different players got to the point where they might be chosen. We see happy families because these families have sacrificed time and energy and their lives will now change forever (in some cases). Now… let’s stop and breathe… and imagine..
What if we treated the local schools like our football teams? What if we had a “kindergarten draft?” How many parents would have sacrificed and cheered their kids on in getting ready to enter school? Can you hear the announcer? “ In the second round st. John’s Elementary selects Maria Thomas Math Teacher prospect. Maria can count to 7 4, add and subtract all numbers between 1 and 6, and can identify 5 different regular polygons in 9 seconds.”
No on the clock is Houston Texas Public School 119 rumor has it they are debating between Jacob Finley and Marcus Watson. Finley reads Dr. Seuss with almost no assistance while Watson asks questions rapidly and politely and then listens to the answers. This choice is made more difficult as both children have demonstrated the ability to create and modify numerous LEGO structures and help their little brothers find clean socks in the morning….
You see… the draft represents something pretty cool and instead of decrying the attention paid to a few people who will now be rich for playing a game… maybe we could expand some of the concepts like hope, community support, and belief in the youth and the future? Just as these athletes have used resources to be ready for the selections to come… maybe we can value the process of preparing all people for a chance to take on an important role in life….. Just a thought….
We are on the clock.
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