| No Smooshing!
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| | problems and to break into the open
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| (From the book No Smooshing!)
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| | field-in other words, to avoid smooshing.
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| Gary E. Anderson
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| | That unintentionally profound statement
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| High school football is in full swing,
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| | also proved to be the kind of wisdom that
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| and it's fun to sit in the stands on a
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| | only comes about when a person doesn't
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| crisp autumn night and watch our kids
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| | know enough about a situation to know
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| play. It can also be the source of some
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| | that something is "impossible." There
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| pretty funny comments by the fans,
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| | were perfectly logical reasons for all
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| especially mothers who may be watching
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| | the smooshing going on out there on the
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| the only football games they'll ever
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| | field, but that mom didn't know about any
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| witness-or care to witness, for that
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| | of them-so she came up with a simple
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| matter.
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| | solution to the problem. I could relate,
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| For instance, during one recent game, our
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| | since I'd experienced a perfect example
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| cheerleaders were standing with their
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| | of that when my friend Digger and I were
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| backs to the field, leading a cheer of
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| | still in high school.
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| "hold 'em, hold 'em!" when one of the
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| | We had decided that we wanted to write
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| fathers in the stands yelled out, "Girls!
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| | and sell jingles for the radio
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| I think that's illegal!"
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| | commercials. Filled with youthful
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| He was right, of course, since our team
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| | enthusiasm, we threw ourselves into our
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| happened to be on offense at the time.
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| | quest and before a month had passed, we'd
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| But the real gem of that night was an
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| | already sold three. Then one night,
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| observation made by the halfback's
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| | during the recording session for our
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| mother. After watching her son trying to
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| | third jingle, an advertising executive
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| run off-tackle twice in a row, only to
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| | happened to tell us how amazing it was
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| get caught up in a tangled pile of bodies
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| | that two kids could have done the
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| at the line of scrimmage, she said, "You
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| | impossible by selling jingles-when
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| know, it seems to me they'd do a lot
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| | everyone knew it could only be done by
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| better if they wouldn't all just smoosh
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| | the most accomplished, professional
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| together like that."
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| | musicians.
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| Although her comment brought gales of
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| | That was the last jingle we ever sold.
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| laughter from everyone around her, and
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| | We'd stopped running in the open field
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| the rest of the night was punctuated by
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| | and bogged down in the tangle of bodies
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| various people yelling "no smooshing!"
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| | at the line of scrimmage-we smooshed.
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| toward the players on the field, I had to
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| | So if you have a dream, hold it up to the
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| admit-the lady was right. Our plays would
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| | light, keep your eyes on it at all times,
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| have gone better if everyone just stopped
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| | and above all-never let anyone tell you
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| smooshing.
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| | that what you're trying to do is
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| All the next week, that "no smooshing"
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| | impossible.
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| comment kept playing through my mind, and
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| | And whenever you find yourself beginning
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| the more I thought about it, the more I
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| | to lose heart-stop, take a deep breath,
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| realized that life itself is like that
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| | and repeat these words: "No smooshing!"
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| football game. The key to success often
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| | © 2004. Gary E. Anderson. All rights
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| lies in our ability to avoid getting
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| | reserved.
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| caught up in the tangle of everyday
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