Halftime

As a long-suffering University of Tennessee football fan (Thanks Lane Kiffin for the evilness and salt you plowed into the sacred checkerboard turf), I’ve endured some cringe-worthy seasons.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my Vols.  I spent too much money there (and had too good of a time in college) to ever give up on them. So I watch the games loyally.  My blood does run Orange.

Last season was tough on many levels. It was the swan-song season of Derek Dooley, the orange-pant wearing son of the Georgia coaching legend.  Everything that could go wrong did.  I’m surprised that locusts didn’t swarm Neyland Stadium and carry off the Pride of the Southland Band and Smokey.  But one thing I did notice is that the Vols would have a great first half and then get their butts handed to them in the second.

Part of that, obviously, is depth of talent. You play a team like Alabama (who, to quote Dooley, doesn’t recruit, they draft), that is to be expected.  They can hit you with fresh talent all game long. But on other occasions, I noticed something else happening.  The other team adjusted at halftime. And Tennessee didn’t.

Life is about halftime adjustments.

I watched a good man’s life crumple because his airline went out of business due to a greedy owner. I saw another man slip into alcoholism because he was unjustly fired.  I saw people in the newspaper business fall apart because they were cast aside during layoffs.  All good people who had strong first halves but couldn’t make the halftime adjustment after circumstances outside of their control destroyed everything.

My wife has worried about me.  I’m in halftime and I’m having to make adjustments. She doesn’t want me to fall apart because external circumstances that have thrashed my childhood dream.  The industry I love is going through major changes. Some good. Some not-so-good.

But she doesn’t need to worry.  I’m ready for a strong second half.  I have the depth, talent and will. I have an amazing family that motivates me to get back out on the field and fight to win. I’m redoing my game plan for the second half. You’ll continue to see my cartoons. But you’ll see much, much more.

It’s the second half. It’s time to win the game.