Letter From the Publisher

On a Sunday afternoon this past spring as I watched a game from NFL Europe, my five-year old daughter Lillie jumped into my lap, looked at the TV and disgustedly said, "Daddy, do you have to work for football?"

As I tried to convince her that football was how I made a living, provided our family with a house, clothes and more, she jumped off of my lap. Before she left in search of a more entertaining playmate, Lillie turned and gave me the look that stirs feelings only a small daughter can create in a father and said, "Daddy, I wish you worked for Toys-R-Us instead." And, off she went.

I laughed at the time. Yet, when I think about Lillie's heartfelt words, I realize why the old saying about how truth comes out of the mouths of babes is so very accurate. I, also, realized I do work at Toys-R-Us.

To my daughter, nothing could be better than having her Dad working at a store filled with toys, games and Barbies. To me, nothing could top the ability to get up each day and work in the game, sport and business of football. I literally love my job.

I wonder if each of you realizes how lucky we are to be able to make a living in football. How fortunate we are to go to work every day almost making a mockery of the very word work. The definition of work is "exertion or a task or undertaking..." I hardly look at what I do as a task or exertion, and I doubt a single one of the thousands of coaches reading this magazine does either.

My good friend Ron Schipper, the retired Central College (Iowa) legend, once told me that in 30-plus years of coaching football, he never once got up in the morning and dreaded going to work. Can you imagine anyone making that statement? I cannot envision any job other than coaching where a person would say they are 100% enthralled with their work, workplace and fellow employees. Do you think my neighbor the engineer would say that? What about a cousin who is a CPA? Your friend the dentist, does he look forward to a day in other people's mouths?

I truly hope I am aware of how lucky I am and, therefore, enjoy each day. I hope you can do this too. Be cognizant of the fact you are doing what untold millions of men would love to do; you have the chance to touch and affect young people at a time in their lives when they need it the most; and you are staying young at heart by working in and around football. Sure the financial rewards have exponentially increased, but I seriously doubt many coaches went into the business with money in mind. I think most, if not all, of you went into the game for one reason and one reason only - to coach. So, enjoy it and thank God every day for your blessings... and stop by Toys-R-Us on the way home.

Sincerely,

Barry Terranova