"Not everybody can play football.... we're the lucky ones."

"I don't know, its the battle, the going to war with the other guys, hanging together, having our own dorm, staying in hotels the night before the games, setting ourselves apart, being different than everybody else, having a chance to be somebody, to do something that people look up to you for, your strength, your courage, not everybody can play football... we're the lucky ones."

I think anyone who knows me understands that sports have always been a huge part of my life. Growing up I pretty much played every sport imaginable. My main sports though were baseball, basketball, but most importantly football. My family likes to say I was born with a football in my hand. My parents have countless pictures of me holding a football, throwing a football, jumping out of a football toy chest. Yes I had a football toy chest. It was sick. Here is a picture of me on Christmas when I got it.

I used to hide in it and jump up and yell “TOUCHDOWN” with my hands in the air. I was an awesome kid, HA. It’s one of my favorite childhood pictures. I wish I had that chest today. I would absolutely keep that in my condo.

I played the other sports because I love sport in general, but without a doubt I lived, breathed, and ate football all the time. The sport was in my blood and still is. I think anyone who played football in high school or a higher level would agree that it takes a special person to be able to play football. At least in my opinion nothing challenges your will, toughness and determination like the game of football. It’s a sport that takes you to the highest highs and the lowest lows. I'm sure everyone has something that has molded them into the person they are today. Mine just happened to be football. I know of no other sport or activity that can better prepare you for life. I hope if I have kids someday that one of them is a boy and loves the game. I think I am the person I am today because of football. By no means am I living in the past. I’m happy with my life but whenever I think about my playing days a smile comes to my face or a lump in my throat. There’s certain moments that still choke me up whenever I think about them. If they come up with friends who were involved they get the same way. Those two college conference championship rings look nice on my shelf as does the smile it brings to my face, I know my Albany teammates feel the same(White on the road, purple at home, we love ya kid. Purple Family). Ask any guy I played with in high school about the 1999 Queensbury win. It was probably the toughest and most rewarding win I’ve ever had as a player, at any level. They had beaten us twice the season before, the second time knocking us out of the playoffs. In ‘99 we beat them in one of the most physical games I’ve ever played in. I scored late to put the game away by jumping over a guy and being flipped into the end zone. I refused to come out of the game when both my calves cramped up. Every guy on that team has a story from that game. That win was so emotional. The entire team, even guys on the bench, and coaches were crying on the field after the game. It was one of the highest highs I’ve ever had. I’m getting choked up writing about it.

I was lucky enough to be able to play in college at the 1-AA level. Yes I still call it 1-AA because I refuse to call it “FCS”, they changed the name a few years ago and it sucks. It’ll always be 1-AA to me. I say I was lucky enough because I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was such a privilege to play in college. Not everyone gets to play in high school but even fewer get to play in college. It was an amazing experience. You come to college with 100 friends already built in, you get to travel and experience something that not everyone can. The quote I started this post with is from “The Program”, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. That quote is a perfect way to describe the college football experience. At about 40 seconds into the clip below, which is from "The Program", a few players describe what it’s like to play football. I think it’s 100% true. Nothing else in the world matters for those few hours out on that field. It’s amazing.

My college coach used to use a metaphor, “At some point in your life you’re going to get fired from your job, come home to your wife leaving you and your dog is dead. What are you going to do? The lessons you learn on the field about picking yourself up and moving on to the next play is going to help you do the same in life.” It’s absolutely true. Nothing has prepared me better to deal with the ups and downs of life than football.

The thrill of game day is nice and I miss that adrenaline high. But what I really miss about the game is the people. I think any player misses the time in the locker room, hanging out before/after practice, just being around guys you’ve gone to battle with. There is a special bond with guys you’ve given blood sweat and tears with and it’s nothing I can even start to describe. There is a certain level of trust you have to have with the other 10 guys on the field with you. That builds unbelievable bonds that I still have today with a lot of former teammates. But beyond all that I was a quarterback. There is nothing like 10 guys staring at you in the huddle waiting for a play to be called.

It might be weird but I can name every starter from every team I played on going back to 10th grade thru college. The images of dirt sweat and determination on the faces of those ten guys looking and listening to only me is engrained in my brain and I hope I never forget that. It’s a special feeling.

That’s the thing I miss most. Not the TD’s, crowds, adrenaline rush, or the recognition. It is the looks on those 10 guys faces that I will never forget. I don’t have any regrets from my playing days. I left every drop of me on those fields for those 10 guys. I hope they saw that. I try to bring that same mentality to the real world now. It’s not nearly the same but I think that’s what I like about my job. It’s that look I get from clients on the other side of my desk. They are looking at me to point them in the right direction with their retirement or life savings. They have to trust that I’m doing what’s best for them, just like the 10 guys on the field looking at me for a play call. Like I said it’s not exactly the same but there is a certain high that comes from that.

I really don’t have regrets in my life and I can thank football for teaching me to leave everything I have on that field or in this life.