Farragut High School Football Coach Eddie Courtney has a form of cancer in his chest. Coach Courtney stated that his future is clear because he knows that it is in God’s hands. He will find out the specfics and the treatment at 11:15am tomorrow 4/28/05.

There are only a few men in todays world that I would feel comfortable giving my sons to daily for several months for football conditioning, coaching and leading. Coach Courtney is one of the few that I would never question, he is a man of integrity on and off the field.

An administrator once said to me and I have adopted this three prong test of a successful program is:

1) Do the athletes operate like a team – on and off the field?
2) Do the athletes actions on the field demonstrate that they have the knowledge of what they are doing, the X’s and O’s (plays)?
3) Is the Coach physically or verbally abusive to his athletes?

If the answer to 1 and 2 is Yes and to 3 No. Then it is a successful program.

I feel like being a high school football coach or an elected official are similar, in that you need to own a dog, because after a friday night game and on Saturday morning that dog riding in your truck will love you when everyone else in town wants you fired because the 15 – 18 year old kids didn’t win because “you didn’t coach them right.” As a politician that dog will love you, when everyone else thinks that you are an idiot and anybody could do the job better. I don’t own a dog, there are times that I wish I did.

Coach Courtney needs our prayers, as he said God is in control. Come friday night in September, October and November 2005. I will be supporting my team The Farragut High School Admirals and my coach Eddie Courtney.

Coach, You are the Best. We are with You and your family.