To The Noles.....

I don't know what to say really. The biggest battle of our collegiate lives all comes down to today. Either we heal as a team....or we are going to crumble. Inch by Inch. Play by Play 'till we're finished. We are in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And, we can stay here and get the shit kicked out of us, or, we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell. One inch.....at a time.

You know, when you get old in life things get taken from you. That's.....that's part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losing stuff. You find out that life is just a game of inches. So is football. Because in either game- life or football- the margin for error is so small. I mean...one half step too late or too early, you don't quite make it. One half second too slow or too fast, and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in every break of the game- every minute, every second.

On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our finger nails for that inch! 'Cause we know when we add up all those inches.....that's going to make the fucking difference between winning and losing. BETWEEN LIVING AND DYING.

I'll tell you this. In any fight it is the guy who is willing to die who is going to win that inch. And I know that if I am going to have any life anymore it is because I am still willing to fight, and to die for that inch- because that is what living is- the six inches in front of your face.

Now, I can't make you do it. You got to look at the guy next to you. Look into his eyes. Now, I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. You are going to see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team- because he knows when it comes down to it, you are going to do the same thing for him.

THAT'S A TEAM, GENTLEMEN.

AND EITHER WE HEAL NOW.......AS A TEAM......OR WE DIE AS INDIVIDUALS.

THAT'S FOOTBALL GUYS.

THAT'S ALL IT IS.

NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?


ADAPTED FROM ANY GIVEN SUNDAY FOR THE NOLES.