Offensive Linemen Need More Love
I recently heard a story from a couple hundred years ago that really got me thinking. Although the story has nothing to do with football, I couldn't help but think of offensive linemen as I heard it. See if you do as well:
During the 1800s, there was a famous organist that traveled from town to town across America giving concerts. It was in the days of the old pump organs, so in each town he hired a boy to work the pump behind the organ during the concert. After a performance in one town, he couldn't shake the young boy he'd hired.
As the organist walked towards his hotel in the evening after the concert, the boy beamed up at him. "We sure had a great concert tonight, didn't we?"
"You mean I had a great concert tonight," replied the maestro. "You only pumped the organ. Now, go home!"
The next night, the organist gave another concert in the same town, and once again the boy worked the bellows behind the scenes. The opening piece of the concert was a beautiful fugue by Bach. But as the performer masterfully attacked the notes of the second piece, the music suddenly stopped, his rapid fingers brining nothing more than a faint clicking sound from the keyboard. That's when the little boy stuck his head around the corner of the organ, smiled, and said to the maestro, "We aren't havin' a very good concert tonight, are we?"
Now, although it's funny to picture a group of five offensive linemen peaking their heads around the organ to look at the maestro, that's exactly the parallel I had in my head when I heard the story.
A successful and respectable team recognizes the importance of every player. We all know this, but do we really?
Without offensive linemen, a star quarterback isn't much of a star. Without offensive linemen, the battering ram running back isn't much of a battering ram. Without offensive linemen, it doesn't matter how quick and elusive that wide receiver is.
Not every player gets their name in the paper or as many tags on social media, but let us not forget that this is exactly what makes football the greatest team sport ever.
Next time you score a touchdown or peel off a huge run, remember the boys behind the organ who are allowing you to be the athlete you are. It takes all of us!