My wife and I lived in Kentucky for four years while we were attending Seminary. While there I overheard a story several times. I think the story is more legend than reality, but it gets at the heart of something we all deal with.
After the 1950 Football season the University of Kentucky, who had gone undefeated in the regular season, beat the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the Sugar Bowl. Kentucky claims the National Championship; the NCAA says they were Co-Champs. At the end of the 1950-51 Men’s Basketball season the University of Kentucky celebrated their third basketball championship.
At the end of the year the Athletic department held its annual Athletics Banquet. At the Banquet the Head Football Coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant was given a watch to honor him in leading his football team to an undefeated season and (at least a share of) a National Title. At the same Banquet the Men’s Head Basketball Coach, Adolf Rupp was given a Cadillac to honor him in leading his basketball team to a 32 -2 record and a National Title.
The story goes Bryant knew at that point he could never make Kentucky a “Football School.” A few seasons later Bryant bolted for Texas A&M (in 1954), while Rupp coached the Wildcats until 1972.
Now there are those in the Bluegrass State who refute this story, and like I said I am not sure it isn’t more than legend, but it tells us something about ourselves.
Both coaches were hired to equip their players and lead their teams to having more wins than loses. It was hoped that these coaches would lead their teams and players to Conference Championships and possibly even to National Championships. However, what they said they wanted and how they acted tell different stories. Unfortunately, many of us do the same. Kentucky said they wanted Championships, their actions tell us they really wanted basketball championships and they would accept football championships.
In our lives do we say we want a strong healthy community, or tighter family relationships, or to live a healthier life, etc. But do our actions tell the same story? If we want a community that is strong and healthy we have to participate in community events, be involved in things happening within our community. If we want tighter family relationships we have to spend time with our family engaged in conversation, engaged in activities together, engaged in each other’s lives. If we want to live a healthier life we have to actually make the decisions to live healthier.
We may wish for these things, but they won’t just happen. We have to consciously and actively make decisions so our actions match the story we tell.
