Two years ago, as NFL training camps geared up, the Eagles signed free agent QB Vince Young to backup the oft-injured Michael Vick. Earlier that offseason, the Eagles had made some big splashes. They signed top free agents CB Nnamdi Ashomugha and DE Jason Babin to expensive contracts. They shipped out Kevin Kolb for cover-corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a high draft pick. And then they added Young as a high-profile backup to their flashy starting QB.
When the Eagles introduced Young at a press conference, he was asked about the impressive roster the Eagles had assembled for the 2011 season. Without hesitation, he told them, “Dream team,” and added, “It's beautiful to see where we're trying to go.”
Young's line would be replayed over and over that year as the Eagles started the season 4-8 and never really threatened for playoff contention. Young had evaluated his team based on how famous its players were, how much money people were getting paid, and how much attention they had gotten in the media. When he uttered that infamous line, he hadn't even stepped on the field yet with this “dream team.” And when he did, he must have quickly realized that no matter how good the team looked on paper, none of that mattered when they couldn't back it up on the field.
What's a real Dream Team? Quick history lesson: the 1992 USA Men's Basketball Team. The real Dream Team. The original Dream Team. 11 of its 12 members are in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Early in their olympic preparations, during a scrimmage against a team made up of college players, Coach Chuck Daly intentionally made dumb substitutions and poor coaching decisions. Coach Daly knew the team would lose and intended for them to get frustrated and motivated. It worked. As the 1992 Olympics, they went undefeated as a team, winning on average by 45 points. The best players of that era – many of them among the greatest of all time – understood that they were part of one of the greatest teams ever and adjusted their styles to form an unstoppable team and absolutely dominate the international competition.
What stops groups from getting there? Why couldn't Kobe, Nash, Gasol, and Howard dominate last year? Why don't the Yankees win the World Series year-in and year-out? Why did the Eagles' “dream team” fizzle out?
Teams have to realize the importance of their identity. Dwight Howard didn't buy into being a part of Kobe's Laker dynasty. The Yankees' players probably get complacent once they've gotten big money contracts. The Eagles big acquisitions didn't come together as a team.
For you guys, you have to consider to yourselves – Who am I on this team?
What do I mean to my teammates on the field?... What's your position? What are your assignments for each formation? What's your responsibility for each play?
What do I mean to my teammates off the field?... Who needs my support? What players can I help by reviewing positioning and technique? What players can I go to with questions about my own game? What teammates will pick me up when I'm down? Who can I fire up?
I'm a baseball player, and I've been a baseball coach. I never played high school football, but I can tell you about high school baseball players. Most of the guys head to the field, walk to the on deck circle, or take the pitcher's mound with their stats firmly in mind.
Guys can tell you how many errors they've made, or not made. Hitters have a running tally of their RBI and a live number for their batting average. Pitchers could tell you their ERA on an inning-by-inning basis. Baseball players get obsessed with their stats, and it becomes really easy to become distracted from the team, and the most important stat – the W column. Guys become more worried about their batting average and ERA than the outcome of the game.
When I was a starting pitcher, I was the same way. When a hitter made contact, as I'd watch the play and move to cover my responsibility, I'd judge whether or not it was an error or hit and recalculate my ERA and stats as I walked back to the mound. Some games, I'd be more focused on getting outs and keeping us in the game. Other games, my mental attention to my own stat sheet only made the outcome worse for me and my team.
It was an epidemic for us. Most guys knew their own stats as well as the stats of their teammates and could readily produce arguments on why they should be pitching or in the starting lineup rather than that guy who's out there, including my teammate, Mike.
One of our players was named Dante. He was the QB from our football team. He had never really played much baseball, but he still made the baseball team without attending tryouts; coach used him as a pitcher and a right-fielder. Mike was next to me on the bench while Dante started that game, and Mike didn't like when Dante played or pitched instead of him. In the middle of the game, Dante came up with the bases loaded, after already driving in a couple runs earlier in the game. This at-bat, he got a pitch on the outer half of the plate and hit it to the opposite field, out toward the scoreboard and up into the wind blowing out to right field. The ball carried over the wall for a grand slam and kept us in the game when we were trailing big. I couldn't believe how well Dante was hitting that day. Neither could Mike. Earlier in the game he had made his case against Dante playing, and now as Dante rounded the bases, Mike quietly said to me, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.”
Rather than be happy for our team and for our teammate, Mike was obsessively fixated on his individual stuff. Even if Dante's spot on our team wasn't earned, even if he got special treatment, he was still a teammate. He was still playing hard. He was still helping our team try to win.
In two years, my baseball teams won 13 games. We lost 47. Forty-seven. We laughed under our breath when our coach yelled at us. We were slow and lazy getting ready for games. We buried a message in a bottle in the dugout sand as we blew a 10-run lead and got slaughtered by mercy rule.
We knew how to make each other laugh and have a good time, but we had no idea what it meant to be a team, to focus on a goal together. We knew our own stats, but I doubt many guys knew our record. We looked out for ourselves and knew what we produced when we got playing time, but we never worked toward becoming a team and forging an identity.
Jesus asks his disciples what people are saying about Him. People are still figuring Jesus out. They know He is wise and holy and loving, but they're not sure what His deal is. Is he a reincarnation of Elijah or Jeremiah? Is he a new prophet from God? Is he like John the Baptist?
Jesus asks Peter what he thinks personally, and Peter hits it out of the park. Peter goes out on a limb and admits that he knows that Jesus is the Son of God. Almost like a game show announcer telling a contestant what he's won, Jesus embraces Peter with support and love.
Jesus is so proud of Peter that he makes him the leader of the group. Jesus tells Peter that He'll support whatever Peter does to guide believers, and this is where we get the tradition of a pope. The pope is meant to follow this call that Jesus gives to Peter to unite and guide Christ's people all over the world. Peter's conversation with Jesus is one of things that gives our “team”, our Christian community, its identity. Peter's profound faith in Christ leads Jesus to make him our leader, someone around whom we can unite as we try to follow Christ.
In the first reading, Paul told us that even with our unique qualities, we are part of one group together. For people in Paul's time, it didn't matter if they were Jewish or Greek people. It didn't matter if they were free-men or slaves. They were one in Jesus Christ. Their belief in Him, their baptism into His life, death, and resurrection united them.
For us today, the same idea continues. We know Christ is the Son of God. Regardless of whether we live in Illinois or Indiana, regardless of whether we come from white, black, Latino or any other heritage, regardless of being freshmen or seniors, we at Bishop Noll know we are one together in Christ.
Jesus pats Peter on the back because he knew it and was not afraid to say it. Peter's faithful commitment to Christ helps solidify Peter's identity. When we recognize that God made us and loves us, that he sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit to show us His love, we too find our identity. No matter if we're male or female, black or white, rich or poor, young or old, we are all united in Christ.
So think about this team: What sets you apart? What makes you unique? What do you bring to the table that is special to just you?
For your team – How can you contribute that to an identity that's bigger than just yourself? How do you share yourself in a way that helps others and makes the group better?
It all is built on Christ. As we try to learn what makes us unique as individuals, as we try to learn how we can contribute ourselves to the team, we can start from our unity in Christ. And as Bishop Noll students, as members of the Warriors football team, we must build everything on that reality. We are all one in Christ.
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Readings
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians:
For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s descendant,
heirs according to the promise.
Gospel
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew:
[Jesus] asked his disciples,
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew:
[Jesus] asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist,
others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them,
"But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,
but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you,
you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.”
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