Play Until the Whistle Blows

A dramatic play during the game between football rivals recently illustrated the importance of always giving our best effort until a project, activity, event or you can fill in the blank is completed.

The play began routinely with the quarterback looking to throw a swing pass toward the sideline to the All-American running back. The pass fell incomplete and the receiver stopped and began returning to the huddle for the next play.

In an instant, an alert defensive back scooped up the loose ball and rambled, unmolested into the end zone. The sellout crowd of more than 75,000, split evenly between fans from both teams, waited to see what would result from the action.

The referee maneuvered toward the end zone and looked to the line judge on the side of the field where all of the action had taken play for an indication of what he ruled on the play. After a brief moment that seemed much longer, the field judge extended his arms into the sky signaling a touchdown for the defensive back. In turn, the referee repeated the signal and the play withstood an instant replay review.

With the signal, fans from the offensive team groaned in protest while the fans from the defensive team cheered with unbounded enthusiasm. Coaches on the offensive team protested that the play should have been ruled an incomplete pass, but their efforts were in vain.

What was lost in all of the energy expended by players, coaches and fans was the major difference in effort, which extended far beyond the single play.

The offensive receiver made an assumption that the play was over and quit playing. Like in many efforts, when we make an assumption, it makes an &%# out of you and me. It wasn’t the job of the offensive player to determine the end of the play, but the referee’s. The player’s job is to play until the whistle blows, which in football signals the end of play.

The defensive back responded to his coaching by continuing the play until he heard a whistle. Interviewed later, he said that he did what his coaches instructed him to do, and that he wanted to make the referee’s determine the result of the play.

While this story relates to a football game, it illustrates decisions we can make in life and business. We all have been motivated at times to discontinue efforts because we think the play is over or the cause is lost.

Unless we have experienced a situation where the activity went on after we quit, and our decision adversely affected the outcome, we may not have realized this lesson.

Captain Bill McDonald of Texas Ranger fame said, “No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that’s in the right and keeps on a-comin.” Even though we normally don’t “go up” against outlaws, the quote is instructive. It affirms the values of persistence, tenacity and intrepidness.

This topic also reminds me of the football game between the big animals and little animals. At the half, the big animals led 55 – 0 and the little animals had to kick-off.

The rhinoceros received the ball at the goal and galloped around the right end. At the 10 yard line, a loud boom sounded, and down went the rhino. “Who made that tackle”, inquired the squirrel? No one responded.

On first down, the lion playing tailback ran off right tackle. At the line of scrimmage, he went down with a loud boom and cloud of dust. Again, the squirrel asked, “Who made that tackle?” Not a sound was heard.

On second down, the elephant playing tight end caught a screen pass and as he reached the lion of scrimmage, boom, and he fumbled the ball. The little animals recovered the fumble. In the excitement, the squirrel demanded, “Who made that tackle?”

Calmly, the centipede replied, “I did.” The squirrel asked, “Where in the heck were you in the first half?”

“I was in the locker room tying my shoelaces” stated the centipede without emotion. As you might expect, the final score of the game was Little animals 56 – Big animals 55.

Like the football game between the animals, the game of life and business is in progress for us.

It is imperative for us to show up, make a difference, and don’t quit until the final whistle blows.

© 2006 Richard V. Battle