This was my dad during his sophomore year when he became the starting center for the Maryland Terrapins in 1950. That year they won the Gator Bowl and went on to win the Orange Bowl and the Sugar Bowl for the 1953 National Championship! My dad also long snapped and played a "little" linebacker. He didn't talk much about himself so I've had to fill in a few blanks. My mom told me he had an interception  against Michigan to win the game and send them to the Gator Bowl, but I have uncovered an old photo showing him intercept another one against BU. Two interceptions, maybe more, during the season that started their run to glory was not bad for a center playing a "little" linebacker! My dad was 6' 3" 200 lbs. pretty big for his day but not huge. When he first got to Maryland the coaches thought he was too skinny to make the team. One coach confided it was true, but none of them were brave enough to tell him that to his face. He was a Marine from the war and he had this way about him. He was fearless and willing to take on anyone foolish enough to underestimate him.

His defensive philosophy was to hit them harder than they hit him. He said it to me a hundred times, "Hit them harder than they hit you!" or my favorite, "Get in front of the play and good things will happen!" I think this a good lesson for life. Be brave enough to get in front of what's comming and good things will happen, but you might get run over. This reminds me of something he would always say, "It's OK to fail, just don't be a failure!" I think I get it now. How my dad drags down this ball I haven't a clue. It looks like he's too far up and the ball will get past to that sprinting receiver who will be home free. But my dad does drag it down. Not bad for a starting center, long snapper, playing a "little linebacker!"

So what's my point in posting this in selling strong...I just read a great book, The Seventeen Lies That Are Holding You Back and the Truth That Will Set You Free, by Steve Chandler. One of the lies is that, "There is something is wrong with me!"  This has struck a nerve with me because there is a lot of things wrong with me, oops, there I go again. I was posting the above story on dumbdumbdaddyo.blogspot.com when I was struck by how skinny or little my dad looked for being the starting center for a national championship football team. That's what was wrong with him, but his strengths were so strong that it made his weaknes (his size) irrelevant. So there's my point, selling strong is about what is special about you not what's wrong with you. My dad was tough. Marine tough. What are you?