PATIENT NOTE: Once again I find my-self in a post-surgical, pre-therapy period, and stuck in a chair (at home much sooner than expetetd this time (more on tahat later). I've done this before....surguries, bipsies, waiting, healing is never much of a schedule change, it does how ever allow the mind to wander as I try to figure out how to approach the next phase of treatment. My condition had changed, according to one doctor for the worse, according to another just to more a more challenging effort. So how do I wrap my head around this news? As I settled in to watch a college bowl game it hit me -- a game plan, what I needed was a solid game plan, full of offesnive tricks, defensive strenth and special teams performance to coaching brilliance, kind of like MOST Steelers games and on RARE Occasions a Purdue game.
When most people wath a football game - even those that have PLAYED football, they really don't have a clue about what goes on in the pre-game preparation reqired before ball kicied off thee tee...Facing another treatment battle, I begain to consider my situation. I am a few weeks away from the play-offs and here is what I am faced with as a coach. My team has made it through a rough season, starting way back in March, when my whole team got hit wit a bad case of 'disase poisonin'. This devistated my team and delayed the start of spring training by several month.s
Whe spring finally broke the team Doctors had most of the key players taking snaps and learning the new play book. For the 'chemo-patient-team' these instructions come from the chemicals that make up the 'coachingstaff' who's job is to put the team together so that when the players hit the field, they are ready for the battle.
In the biophysical world of game-prep, during the off-season the team owners (doctors) and scouts (researchers) always have their eys out for new and exciting players and coaches who can keep all the players on the field.
Now as a 'fan' (family and friends) of the 'team' (patient) what you DON'T see is all the worry... Despite the full stadium of supportive fans who send their care from all over the country, the bright shiny-objectivity in the 'game-face' of the coachiung staff, nor the fear-based sweat on the brow of the coach (patient) - which looks like the glimmer of 'confidence'...
Despite what you may hear or see from some of the 'media-outlets' that try to let the fans know the ''status" of the team, the ACTUAL state of the team is a carefully crafted statement released with juuuuuust enough information to get the point across to the people who are 'betting' on how the season is going. In the real world of football we FANS know that there is not a single coach that spills all it's teams. None of them say for 'certain' about which stats will 'start' which ones may 'play' and which ones will be on the bench.
In my world as cancer patient / coach. I constantly run this same batttle... Depeding on the closness of the 'circle' of friends, depends on which 'report' I give. While, like great coaches, I donot lie, I don't always do s full reveal of the injuyry report.
What I also don't fully reveal is the depth and scope of my play book... Will I rush more or pass more on offense (will I run in a hurry to the fastsest treatment approach, or will I take a 5 step drop and look for a longer, wide open sure handed cure). Defensively, will I BLITZ or play ZONE (will I throw catuion to the wind and try the newest most advanced treatment, or will I play it more conservative and try the more 'vanilla' or simple treatments for my illness. Finally, some one asks about Special Teams... A last resort, yet vital part of any good game plan. I take a deep breath and look around my family and friend 'press-room' and say that I HOPE that we win the game out right, and all or special teams have to do is kick extra points, but if we need the help have sweet kicker for long field goals, and a punter that can pin the opponent deep inside there territory giving us a great chance at victory....
By the way...Even through the narcotic haze I noticed that my Purdue Boilermakers beat Western Michigan!!!!!
When most people wath a football game - even those that have PLAYED football, they really don't have a clue about what goes on in the pre-game preparation reqired before ball kicied off thee tee...Facing another treatment battle, I begain to consider my situation. I am a few weeks away from the play-offs and here is what I am faced with as a coach. My team has made it through a rough season, starting way back in March, when my whole team got hit wit a bad case of 'disase poisonin'. This devistated my team and delayed the start of spring training by several month.s
Whe spring finally broke the team Doctors had most of the key players taking snaps and learning the new play book. For the 'chemo-patient-team' these instructions come from the chemicals that make up the 'coachingstaff' who's job is to put the team together so that when the players hit the field, they are ready for the battle.
In the biophysical world of game-prep, during the off-season the team owners (doctors) and scouts (researchers) always have their eys out for new and exciting players and coaches who can keep all the players on the field.
Now as a 'fan' (family and friends) of the 'team' (patient) what you DON'T see is all the worry... Despite the full stadium of supportive fans who send their care from all over the country, the bright shiny-objectivity in the 'game-face' of the coachiung staff, nor the fear-based sweat on the brow of the coach (patient) - which looks like the glimmer of 'confidence'...
Despite what you may hear or see from some of the 'media-outlets' that try to let the fans know the ''status" of the team, the ACTUAL state of the team is a carefully crafted statement released with juuuuuust enough information to get the point across to the people who are 'betting' on how the season is going. In the real world of football we FANS know that there is not a single coach that spills all it's teams. None of them say for 'certain' about which stats will 'start' which ones may 'play' and which ones will be on the bench.
In my world as cancer patient / coach. I constantly run this same batttle... Depeding on the closness of the 'circle' of friends, depends on which 'report' I give. While, like great coaches, I donot lie, I don't always do s full reveal of the injuyry report.
What I also don't fully reveal is the depth and scope of my play book... Will I rush more or pass more on offense (will I run in a hurry to the fastsest treatment approach, or will I take a 5 step drop and look for a longer, wide open sure handed cure). Defensively, will I BLITZ or play ZONE (will I throw catuion to the wind and try the newest most advanced treatment, or will I play it more conservative and try the more 'vanilla' or simple treatments for my illness. Finally, some one asks about Special Teams... A last resort, yet vital part of any good game plan. I take a deep breath and look around my family and friend 'press-room' and say that I HOPE that we win the game out right, and all or special teams have to do is kick extra points, but if we need the help have sweet kicker for long field goals, and a punter that can pin the opponent deep inside there territory giving us a great chance at victory....
By the way...Even through the narcotic haze I noticed that my Purdue Boilermakers beat Western Michigan!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment