As a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago, I was asked to present the “Thought of the Day” for Tuesday’s luncheon. Some, when asked to do their turn choose to say grace. Others share a famous quote, and some go the more spiritual route by reading some sort of interfaith prayer.
But of course, I had to bring sports into it. Go figure…
About 35 years ago, a man named Bill Shankly uttered these important words:
“Some people think that football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious that that.”
After all, Shankly was in many ways, a combination of both the Vince Lombardi and Phil Jackson of English Football. He won three league championships and a couple of FA Cup titles in his time coaching the team known as the Liverpool Football Club.
But I don’t think Shankly’s point was that football (or any sport) is the most important thing in life. Or that the games we play are more important than our work, faith or family.
He was getting at something entirely different. He was talking about means by which we entertain, inspire and excite ourselves through every minute of every day of this thing we call "Life".
When not on the sidelines, Shankly spent many of his evenings during England’s recession-plagued 1970s in front of a type writer. A couple times a week, he personally responded to fans who had written in; many of whom were just been looking for some inspiration from their Saturday football team. Others knew him as the man who would buy tickets for some fans who loved the sport but who truly could not afford them.
A good win for Liverpool was glorious. A loss made him feel like he had let the fans down, whether of not this was actually the case. Years later, he remarked that the idea of retiring was like facing the electric chair.
All in all, Shankly’s success in sport and --more importantly—in connecting with people made for a rollercoaster at times, but would underscore something very important.
That is, whatever you do, or what ever your favorite past time is…
Love people, love life, and have a passion for it all.
So, as Spring arrives to Chicago, the sun breaks and baseball season looms, let’s agree to let these beautiful things that entertain, inspire and excite us NOT be seen as mere distraction from time at an office.
Rather, take them as the necessary elements in what helps us enjoy and continually build our passion for life.
And, Go Cubs.
Frye writes at least weekly about sports and life. Updates can be found here at MySports/Complex and on his Facebook page of the same name.
Sometimes, rarely, when speaking, sports isn't even mentioned.
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