A Football Parable

Once upon a time, there was a football team. They were pretty good ... had a good team ... moved the ball well. But they just didn't score too many touchdowns. So, they tried some new plays and that seemed to work ... but pretty soon, the new plays became standard plays and they were back to just making it to mid-field and not much farther.

So, they decided to draft a couple of new players. They were full of energy and passion for the game, nearly to the discouragement to some of the players that had been on the field for a long time. All of a sudden, the quarterback had a really good receiver to go along with some of the seasoned veterans and he had a running back that could not only move the ball, but could block for the other backs when necessary. The quarterback began to notice that the team was playing at a level they had never played at before.

But then, one day, some of the veteran guards and backs and receivers started talking amongst themselves in the lockerroom. They didn't like the new receiver and running back too much. One of them didn't wear their uniform the same way everybody else did and the other one seemed to get the ball too much, they thought. Disgruntled, even though their team was winning, they decided, one by one, to simply stand on the field. They wouldn't move from their position. So, one game, the quarterback received the snap, went back to pass the ball and because he couldn't see over the line very well, he threw the ball to where the receiver was supposed to be, but he hadn't moved. The opponents intercepted and ran unimpeded to the end zone.

The next series of downs didn't go much better. The running back was handed the ball, but he just stood there. He didn't even try to move. The quarterback wondered what was going on, but recieved the next snap and by now, a couple of the guards had decided to simply do nothing as well and the quarterback, left ungaurded, was pummeled by the opposing team. After a couple more plays like that, he was simply carried off the field ... defeated.

The moral of the parable ... everybody has a place on the team and when one or two players purposefully decide not to play ... it leaves the team vulnerable and helpless.