Eating Words

"Why can't he just say, 'You guys are a better team and you're going to win!?"

This question was asked by one of my fellow offensive linemen from my old high school football team. He was referring to our coach's speeches during practice earlier that week. Our opponent for Friday night's game had a horrible record and we were, by far, a superior team. So, why wasn't my coach willing to tell us we were going to win? Because there was no guarantee. No promise whatsoever. Instead of having to eat his words later, Coach simply said, "Yeah, their record isn't so good, but you guys can't go out there overconfident. That'll make you think you've already won the game before the first kickoff. If you get cocky and lazy, they're likely to sneak up on you. Play hard and do your job-that's it."

I hate making promises I can't keep. So I don't. I don't believe in saying you can deliver one thing...then not be able to do so.

With the Utah mine collapse earlier this week, I see a lot of word eating going on. The president of the mine, Bob Murray, keeps making promises he can't keep-and promises that make him look like a good guy(not saying he isn't a good guy, but breaking promises, intentional or not, tends to make one seem like a liar).

First, Murray was saying the 2.5" drill would reach the miners by 7 p.m. last night. Negative. It was after midnight. He's not working the drill, he's not the man pressing the buttons, he's in front of the cameras and microphones. And he's making a statement that wasn't correct.

Second, he swore up and down that the collapse was triggered by a 3.9 earthquake. Seismologists say the only activity they've seen has looked more like the mine collapsed, THEN the 3.9 was felt. CYA, Bob Murray? Either way, he's no seismologist and is feeding incorrect and unsubstantiated info to the media.

No matter if it's Murray's mine or Mother Nature, Murray should take a lesson from Coach Klein: talk too much, don't delivver the goods, and end up looking like a fool. Misleading comments, empty promises without corresponding actions do nothing but deliver false hope.