Summertime means wedding season to most people, and that is especially true for coaches who always tend to get hitched just before the craziness of the fall season begins.
A few weekends ago, Byron Center HS (MI) strong safeties / outside linebackers coach Jason Tolbert got married - and got a pretty sweet custom football ring for occasion from his bride as well.
Jason's best man at his special day was his brother Jeremy, and Jeremy gave his coach of a brother the most epic football-inspired best man speech you could imagine.
Jason and Jeremy shared the transcript of that speech with me to share with everyone who loves and appreciates football. Enjoy it.
If anyone knows my brother Jason, he loves Ashley. But not many people knows how much he LOVES Football. Jason, I'm going to explain to you the similarities of Football and Marriage.
Aside from the obvious cliches, “you guys are a team” and “working towards a common goal” here are a few concise points of comparison:
- Playbook - A book containing the team's strategies and plays for success. Playbook’s are often unique to the players on the team. What works for one team may not work for another. Often times teams learn plays by observing others, and trying new things. In a similar way, you guys will have to develop your own playbook for success.
- Offensive Strategy - Sometimes the game plan calls for a pass heavy offense and other times it's best to run the ball. This means at times the team relies on the quarterback more than the running back and vice-versa. Similarly, at times the burden may be in the husband to lead and other times the wife. Strategies often evolve as the team grows together.
- The Locker Room - This is the place where after wins and losses, honest conversations are had. Ultimately trust is further developed and kept by preserving the these honest conversations. Typically what happens or what is said in the locker room stays in the locker room. Beware of people attempting to create conflict in your Locker Room.
- This next point right here is something you hopefully don't have to worry about for a long time, but you never know…. Three words: Performance. Enhancing. Drugs.
- Lastly, but most importantly have fun. Sometimes you'll get bogged down in the complicated strategy and things start to feel routine, like a job. If it gets to the point that it feels overbearing, remember the initial joy that sparked your interest, and embrace the initial love of the game.Here's to you guys having a perfect season.
With that perfect sign off, Jeremy had the room toast his brother and his new wife with the perfect football analogy. Reading it for the first time legitimately gave me chills.
That, my friends, is one hell of a football-inspired best man's speech. So good that it's likely to be copied at more than a few upcoming weddings featuring coaches and their brides-to-be.
Keep an eye and ear peeled for it at weddings this summer.