Working as a Team
The most explosive running back I have ever seen in person was Berniece Mundean, my high school team mate. Under different circumstances, I believe that Mundean would have been an outstanding college running back and would have certainly ended up in the National Football League. He was just that good. During practice, one warm fall evening in Wichita Falls, the team was going through our punt return coverage where the punt returners were at one end of the field while the punter and two line men were at the other end.
The punt returner, and we had a good one (Willie Joe Adair), would do his thing. The back-up returner was the slippery Mundean who would take over only if Willie Joe got hurt.
The drills were going fine until Mundean stepped in to return the punts. When he walked on the field he removed his helmet and said," Neither of you guys can touch me so I don't need a helmet." Let me say again, this Mundean fellow was "lightning" in a bottle and could change directions faster than the batting of an eye. Sure enough, like a whirling and twirling Alvin Ailey dancer, he glided, twisted, and turned; he made the big linemen with tortoise-like speed look foolish. Coach Robert Garnett was neither amused nor impressed with his star running back.
The coach called every one "up and on one knee." He called for the first team defensive line man and the first team backfield. "I don't need the first team offensive lineman because Berneice doesn't need blockers." Coach Garnett told the quarterback to just hand off to Mundean.
Mundean, with the moves of Barry Sanders and the speed of Jamal Charles, was essentially dismembered by the same slow linemen he had dismissed earlier. After about four or five plays the coach moved us to other drills. There was no need to say a word, every player got the message, especially the now hurting but humbled Mundean.
Just like a good football team, a good Congress succeeds when its Members work together to play the game. Some may be swift, some may be strong, some may be strategic, but many different talents are needed to achieve success in any one play, in any one game, and in any one season. If we prize only our personal proficiencies, we will perish as a Congress and as a nation. Our nation can't afford to look back at history hurting and humbled.