We all need to consider........

I've been a head coach for 27 years and I have seen many teenagers and parents who try to destroy anything GOOD because of a variety of things. Nothing anymore surprises me. Now, today, once I read yet another comments towards Ben and the Steelers from Mendenhall .

Years ago my mother and grandmother taught me this story below. There are many versions online, but this one I copied is my favorite. I hope we as Steeler Nation recognize who is causing our strong and good franchise to be discouraged over and over and over. The reason it's continuing is because it's working and we all need to know who's behind it. Let's all stay together as a family and we will continue to survive and be temped. At timeouts, halftime, etc, my team understands that we get discouraged from time to time. It does disappear when we as a group recognize the culprit and also realize he will be back for more, but we will recognize discouragement quicker each time it occurs. It passes quicker and quicker each time. We need to recognize it. Here is the story................


The Devil announced a "Going Out of Business" sale - which of course we know doesn't really mean he was going out of business.

He laid out all the tools of his trade with pricetags for anyone to purchase. There was hatred, jealousy, envy, greed, and more - a darnright nasty bunch of devices, all for a price.

Some of the tools were pretty complicated items with buttons, spinners, ratchets, and gears. But, one was surprisingly simple. It was just a simple wedge that looked a lot like this doorstop. It was very worn, scratched, and scuffed - and it was far more expensive than any of the other high-tech tools.

Someone asked, "What's this one?"

"That's discouragement," the Devil replied.

"Why's it so expensive?"

"Because," said the Devil, "it is more useful to me than any of the others. Most people can see the other tools coming and stop me. But, with discouragement, I sneak up on them, a little at a time, slowly pry them open, and get inside where I can use my other tools."

"When someone gets discouraged, they make excuses - and I get 'em. Or, they cheat - and I get 'em. Or, they get jealous of others success - and I get 'em. Or, they just completely quit - and I get 'em."

"That's why it is so worn, you see. I use it with
nearly everybody, because few people know that it belongs to me."

 

That's good stuff!

 

Who?

 

That is a good one coach!...the devil actually only has a few plays, but they work and he uses them over and over and over. Discouragement is his bread and butter play.

 

This is also a good time to spread the word with Holy Week upon us, as today is Palm Sunday.

Everyone have a good week.