During more or less the last decade (beginning in 2010, and ending in early 2019), I was employed by a South Florida Healthcare/Technology firm. Occasionally, I worked from home, but most weeks, I took a redeye on Sunday evenings through JFK, and onto either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, returning to SLC on Friday evening.
As a regular during the decade in South Florida, I spent a little time, in an area known as Hallandale. More importantly, as a technology executive, overseeing the company’s software development team, I had many employees who lived in the Hallandale area, and who had kids that played soccer, basketball and football in the area.
Not sure what month or year, but one evening I found myself at Fiddler’s Elbow, watching an RSL game at the bar, next to Dennis Erickson. I recognized him and bought a few drinks. My travels to South Florida came up and he mentioned that he was hoping to land a couple of “REALLY EXCEPTIONAL” athletes from that area, that he had been recruiting.
Some years later, I’m no longer traveling (Thank God), and am trying to recover personally from the way our most recent football season ended. As I logon here, I see a note from a young man, from Hallandale Florida, thanking Utah for giving him a life shaping opportunity. My reaction follows:
1. Nothing that any/most of us (Ute Fans) have ever done, will compare to the GIFT, that Moss (and his two colleagues) have given us as a community; It would be a challenging goal to positively affect so many!
2. While the goals that Moss (and teammates) had on the field were obviously, and painfully missed, those goals were something that we as Utefans, have rarely come to expect, and we should all remember that our sense of failure, is only possible as a result of the achievements of this group of athletes. Had they not been so capable, we would have never dreamed for so much.
3. The growth achieved my Moss and (teammates), will serve them extraordinarily well. Failure, provides the opening of a new door, if you choose to make it so.
I I am convinced that the well-spoken, thoughtful, young man, that sent that message, will take what was provided him by Erickson and the UofU, and turn it into the beginnings of a special NFL career and an extremely successful life.
Go Moss!
Go Hallandale Trio!
Go Utes!
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