We've posted this essay before, but I thought now was the right time to roll it out again, in case you hadn't seen it before or needed a refresher.
This week it became painfully apparent that it's on every American to change the way the Black community is treated in this country, and dozens upon dozens of coaches released statements acknowledging this fact and pledging to do their part to be the change they wish to see in the world.
After a weekend in deep thought, I thought of this beautiful essay from the great Bill Curry, "The Huddle."
“The football huddle is a metaphor of our culture; imperfect like all metaphors," he says. "In that huddle are a bunch of folks that are black, brown, white, red, yellow, liberal, conservative, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist and Hindu. We are slim, fat, short, tall, fast and slow. We are analytical people, and we are impulsive people. We have some of the finest men on Earth, and heaven knows, we’ve got a few rounders.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGuFy2TBIag&feature=emb_logo
In this video, Curry expands on the thought.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s81iG3tCNfA&feature=youtu.be
Notice, in that second video, how Curry says the huddle is emblematic of what America could be, not what it is. Clearly, America has not lived up to its ideals. But football is in a unique position in our society to make sure that it does, as long as we all do our part.