A Place in History

"Great moments are born with great opportunity, that’s what we have here…that’s what we’ve earned here...one game…if we played them 10 times they might win 9 but not this game…not tonight, tonight we run with them…tonight we stay with them and we shut them down…because we can!"

Coach Herb Brooks/1980 US Olympic Hockey Team

My son posted this quote a couple of weeks ago just prior to one of his final games at Colonial Forge High School...it was meant as a motivational piece back in 1980 and was used as such for his game...I saw it work...the past coming back to motivate the present...great quotes have the ability to motivate...and this is one that does that!

I received an email yesterday from a good friend in New York…Rosemary Reeves. She sent a link to a New York Times article about West Point and its lacrosse team and how they shut down a national powerhouse to advance within the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament. The link is posted below for those that want to read it.

What you will take from the article is not how one team beat another…that happens everyday…what you will gain is insight into what it takes to win at life…perseverance, dedication and determination…for those attributes will help overcome adversity…whether it be on the lacrosse field or the battlefield…or anywhere in between. It’s a poignant article and one that calls for reflection and pause given everything that is going on in the world today.

Now for those of you who have not followed lacrosse closely let me set the stage for you…a major milestone happened last weekend at the NCAA Playoff’s…West Point beat the defending National Champions Syracuse. To put this in layman’s perspective…since the NCAA tournament began in 1971, Syracuse has been the champion 10 times, more than any other school and West Point has never reached the finals. Add to the aforementioned that Syracuse has won 14 of the teams’ last 15 meetings and you can see why West Point’s victory has been lauded by many as the biggest upset in college lacrosse history.

This Saturday on the hallowed ground that is West Point seven seniors out of a graduating class of over 1000 will soon take another step in there life and ascend to the rank of Second Lieutenant…those same fine men will later “suit up” to play the next game in the tournament…but win loose or draw they have already achieved what many thought could not be done…a place in history.

I have written before that Hollywood is often times considered a microcosm of what is actually happening in life around us. This victory last week draws many similarities from some of the great sports movies presented in the past…but three for me stand out:

1. On Any Given Sunday where Al Pacino, as an aging coach, delivers what many consider to be the most iconic and motivational speech ever in a locker-room environment just prior to taking on the division champions;
2. Miracle where coach herb Brooks takes the 1980 US Olympic Ice Hockey past the USSR…considered to be the worlds best at the time…all the way to the gold medal
3. The Replacements with Gene Hackman and a fictitious Washington DC football team who during a strike period use a comical amalgamation of players to capture the division title against what could only be characterized as insurmountable odds

Now the core difference in what happened last weekend at West Point versus the Hollywood scenarios presented above…many of these cadets who play lacrosse…and the faithful legions of others that watch…will not go on to make movies or simply wait for the next opportunity…they will find themselves fighting in far off lands so that future generations can enjoy the same freedoms and dreams that took place last weekend on a lacrosse field as part of a national tournament…and to me…that means a whole lot more then the Hollywood version.

I spoke briefly about perseverance, dedication and determination earlier in this posting…for those that have never experienced the “cadet life” …it can be a tough road …yet a very rewarding one... and while college contemporaries are attending parties and sleeping in, the men and women of West Point are learning one more valuable quality that separates them from all the others…discipline.

What the West Point team did last week was not only show courage…but they also showed discipline. As a sports official I have seen underdogs come back and win; conversely I have seen powerhouse teams loose it in the last period of a championship game. In either case it comes down to discipline…and that is something that is taught at West Point. For all the hours of walking the “Quad” … for all the hours learning the “Code” … for all the hours learning your role and responsibility as a citizen, as a cadet and as an Officer in the United States Army…it takes discipline…and that is what those fine men showed last weekend in knocking of the perennial favorite and national powerhouse Syracuse…they showed discipline.

Space would limit the accolades one could bestow upon these players…but they would never want it…for those that choose the life of the military don’t do it because they want or need notoriety…they do it for other reasons; love of country; service to a nation; a calling. The win last week will forever be etched into their minds and will become the catalyst for how these fine men will lead future engagements overseas…with a drive and vision towards perseverance, dedication and determination and yes …discipline.

Well done gentlemen…well done!

Brian Hayes
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/nyregion/20towns.html?emc=eta1

Take a Step Back...

Priorities…

It was a fantastic weekend in Virginia…no matter the score of the game, the weather or a bad dinner on Sunday evening! We had an opportunity to hang out, catch up and just relax. Seems these moments are becoming fewer and fewer as we get older.

The great college basketball coach Dean Smith once wrote

“If you treat every situation as a life or death matter, you’re going to die a lot of times”

Now for me the past couple of months have foreshadowed something inevitable and I continue to not only wrestle with that but also try to understand it in the grand scheme of things. In the context of Coach Smith’s comment I could just stay locked up in the house 24/7 watching Oprah (I don’t) and re-runs of Sponge Bob (sometimes...)just waiting for my time…but I don’t...not because I can't but because I choose not to!

This weekend was an absolute blessing…and as you may be aware school is winding down and the boys are anxious to get out and start summer activities. In the interim we have to finish Lacrosse season as well. Friday was the start of playoffs for Jake’s Varsity Team at Colonial Forge. Now suffice to say they played a good game that was unfortunately ended early by weather…the scoreboard read 5-2 in favor of the opposition…and that score remained as they called the game 45 minutes later due to lightening. Sitting in the audience, I watched as Jake scored the first goal of the game for his team…but was even more thrilling was hearing Ian’s say…”watch this Dad…he’s going to score”…and he did. Ian’s narration was spot on…probably because of the amount of time they spend together playing this sport…and the fact that as brothers they are very close.

Jake also assisted (a great pass) on the second and final goal of the Colonial Forge HS season

You could see the disappointment in Jake’s eyes as they were getting ready to board the bus…but again…as Coach Smith stated and I have always imparted upon the boys…this is not a life or death situation…sometimes the better team wins and this was one of those times.

Within 30 minutes of getting back to school Jake was informed that he had been selected as a Conference All Star…the only one from his school to attain that honor. I wanted to tell Jake that it’s a good thing we did not treat the game loss as a life or death matter or quite frankly…he would not be around to reap the rewards of being selected as an All Star…but…I bit my tongue…I figured he would get that!

I too had a “life or death” situation on Friday…I loaned Jake the use of my convertible for a couple of hours while I took Ian over to the DMV to register his car and make it officially Ian’s…..he was not really “stoked” sitting at DMV for over an hour (neither was I!) but it was an eye opener for him on what is required to have a vehicle on the road. As soon as we were walking out we got a call from Jake…the clutch in my car has gone out while he was driving it…and they were pushing it to a parking space!

Now some may consider this to be life or death…at previous stages in my life…maybe I would have…but in reality it was not…the bill to fix it almost killed me but it was not life or death! With Ian’s help I was able to get the car situated and we were able to find a mechanic (from Iraq)…after talking about his hometown (Al Hilla) and the fact that I had been there I was able to get a “good” price to repair Ian’s car. Again...nowhere near a life or death situation.

Now we had a great weekend…and again…some “bad” things happened but nothing that can’t be rectified with a deep breath and a step back. And therein lies the lesson for Jake and Ian…as well as everyone else…Coach Smith’s comments could be taken literally or revamped to say something like… if it does not involve your health or the health and welfare of a loved one then in reality its not a life or death situation! Whether it’s the car; the loss of a game; a bad meal or just DC traffic…we all know what it is…and more importantly…what it is not…and we all know to take a step back and look at it in the greater scheme of things.

Oh...I forgot…Jake was also in the hospital on Saturday for a large portion of the day…he is fine and I will fill you in on Tuesday…along with an update on a new medicine that they want to put me on.

Thanks

Brian

For When This Night is Over

From May 2010 in Washington DC...a Poem...titled "For When This Night is Over" from the upcoming book of poetry by Brian Hayes

For When This Night is Over...

I am tired…weak and lonely
This path that I must walk
In order to go home one day
My love…for just to talk

She brings the light through the darkness
And makes each day shine
Her love is unconditional
My life…would be…just fine

If I awaken from the darkness
And a light…I can not see
Keep me close and in your heart
For the man…I know I’ll be

For you…my heart grows stronger
With… each passing day
For I know a love is waiting
If only…I could say…

Night has come and the daylight gone
My mission… I must go
You are forever…in my heart
I promise...you’ll always know

I’ll love you always…till my end…
In oh so many ways
Let our lives be lived as only one
Forever…through these days

Brian Hayes

Wait....Something More Important

February 2, 2009

I had originally intended on writing about the Center for a New American Security( http://www.cnas.org/) today as I recently discussed this unique organization with several current and former military strategists however my usual ramblings took a different path as I was cut short by a co-worker asking if I had heard about the new Kevin Bacon film by HBO titled Taking Chance.

I mentioned that I had indeed heard about the film and then I fell silent for just a moment.

Now for those of you who have not seen or heard about this cinematic work let me be the first to warn you that it is and will be a major "tear jerker" no matter how hardened your heart is.

Mr. Bacon (expertly) plays Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, an officer in the United States Marine Corp who voluntarily accompanies the body of fallen Marine Private Chance Phelps as he is returned home for a military burial in Wyoming in 2004. Private Phelps was killed during intense ground combat by insurgents in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

What this movie does is chronicles one of the silent, virtually unseen journeys that takes place every day across our great country, bearing witness to the fallen and all those who, literally and figuratively, carry them home.

Witnessing the spontaneous outpouring of support and respect for the fallen Marine - from the groundskeepers he passed along the road to the cargo handlers at the airport - Lt.Col. Strobl was moved to capture the experience in his personal journal. His first-person account, which began as an official trip report (every military event concludes with such) gives an insight into the policy of providing a uniformed escort for all casualties.

The story became an Internet phenomenon when it was widely circulated throughout the military community and eventually reached the mainstream media winning accolades and awards at the Sundance Film Festival.

In reading a recent quote regarding the movie, several words expressed by Lt.Col. Strobl resonated deeply with me:

“Perhaps it might be good if we saw or thought more about them than just a line in the newspaper and went on with our day...hopefully, this movie will make people realize"

As I have repeatedly watched the trailer, I think back to my time in both Iraq and Afghanistan where I witnessed remains leaving for the United States and the subsequent impact that single vision had on me. In the end it was nothing compared to the loss that a family suffers when their Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine comes home for final resting.

Taking Chance will undoubtedly pay tribute to all of the men and women who have given their lives in military service as well as their families who have suffered this loss. I can only hope that perhaps one of the major networks picks up this film and airs it in its entirety if only for the fact that it is a work that we as a Nation should all watch to fully understand and comprehend the cost of being free.

If you are not busy February 21st at 8PM and have access to cable TV and HBO I would suggest watching this movie...as I said...as a Nation it is a must see.

Well done Kevin Bacon and HBO Films...and Thank You.

Brian Hayes

The trailer can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtmiLdzzgGE