The following was written for the El Cap Alumni page but I thought I would share it here with the young Vaqueros. Final Game Commentary… First things first. Champions are gracious in defeat and to that end, I’m confident our Vaqueros would congratulate the Campolinda Cougars for their victory and successful bid in the CIF State Football Championship. After falling behind 28-7 to an El Capitan team known for its explosive offense, most opponents would not have had the confidence and courage to claw their way back into the game. This team did. Admittedly, they should not have won this game but did they deserve to win? Yes. After losing a muffed punt that was recovered for a touchdown and having a field goal blocked and returned for another touchdown, the Cougars had the collective wind knocked out of them. Most teams would have counted down the remaining agonizing minutes of the contest and accepted their fate. This Cougar team deserved to win because good football players never give up and compete with determination and heart. Successful teams fight back until they are within miracle range to win. At a moment when all the odds were completely stacked against them, the Cougars successfully executed the single play that would allow them victory. Congratulations to an excellent team. As for the Vaqueros, I hope that the sting of a single loss is quickly defused by focusing on the bigger picture. Two of the most valuable material commodities produced in the world are oil and gold. Both are difficult to find and more often than not, prospectors come up with a lot more dry wells and empty pans than large bank accounts. The recovery of both elements takes a lot of time, hard work and determination. The discovery of gold is immediately gratifying and pleasing to the eye. Oil is messy, and takes more time to process and refine. The undefeated Vaquero football season and the victories leading up to the state final are the gold. They represent the years of hard work, training, learning and team building that resulted in a sectional CIF Championship. The final game is the oil. Oil doesn’t sparkle and you can’t wear it around your neck but it is no less valuable. Gold is pretty but oil is sustaining. Things that sparkle go on fingers and in trophy cases -- black gold, or oil, fuels our passions, drives our ambition and is our wise teacher. Gold tends to gather dust while oil tends to burn. Oil adds layers of character and enriches the depth of who we are as individuals. Oil is that lesson learned from a costly error, it is the misjudgment or the mistake we made that proves our humanity. Over time we learn that it is oil that builds our confidence in overcoming adversity. The greatest among us are those who learn to benefit and build from the veneer of oil that surrounds each of us and uses it to achieve future success. El Capitan’s school colors are black and gold. From my perspective, it aptly reminds each Vaquero of the treasure these colors represent. Our football team was comprised of champions going into this final match and they are champions afterward as well. We have learned that this team possesses not only athletic ability but depth of character and integrity. Congratulations on a successful football season Vaqueros! Build on this experience and go out and change the world. edwardkeebler
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 23:54:40 +0000
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