41-Football and Talent

When I was in high school I played football for Granger High School. What I lacked in talent I made up for in courage and determination. By my senior year I was starting as the strong side linebacker for the defense. One of the schools we played was Granite High School. They had playing for them their star running back, Golden Richards. He could get the ball on the far side of the backfield and run across the field and around my end before I could take three steps and cut him off. He was fast. He made me look like a fool. In track he would not even take off his bottom sweats to run the 100-yard dash, he was so cocky. I remember once as the race began, our sprinter, a small Mexican kid named Bill Mammales, began to catch him. I remember seeing Golden Richards turn and see Mammales catching him and he began running for all he was worth. He still won but it was hilarious to see Golden Richards looking down and suddenly regretting not taking off his bottom sweats. In high school he set meet records in the 180-yard low hurdles (18.9) and 100-yard dash (9.7). He went on to play for Brigham Young University but left after his freshman year. I n 1971 he broke the NCAA record for punt-return yardage in a single game. Some say he was kicked out for stealing from lockers. He played one year for the University of Hawaii and then was a second round pick as wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys in 1973. Richards was a starter for the Cowboys in Super Bowl X against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the Cowboys' Super Bowl XII win over the Denver Broncos, he caught a touchdown pass from running back Robert Newhouse. I remember during a Monday Night Football halftime they showed three video clips of what was described as the 3 greatest plays in NFL history. The viewers were asked to call in and vote as which they thought was the best. The clip that won was this spectacular catch by Golden Richards in Super Bowl XII. Golden's best season in Dallas was his 2nd (1974) when he grabbed 26 passes for 467 yards and 5 touchdowns. Golden was traded to the Chicago Bears after just 1 game into the 1978 seasons. He had a career high 27 catches with the Bears in 1978. Golden retired after just 5 games with the Bears in 1979. Golden played 8 seasons in the NFL and caught 122 passes for 2,136 yards and 17 touchdowns. Golden Richards had the talent to be one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. However, he lacked character and desire. "Golden Richards," Bob Avellini, the former Chicago quarterback, once said, "is the worst wide receiver I have ever seen." Indeed, Richards couldn't run, and his routes were sloppy, and his hands were merely OK. The former Cowboys wide receiver Golden Richards was arrested in Salt Lake City for trying to buy pills with checks he stole from his dad. He has no money, no job, and has been in and out of rehab several times. Apparently he became addicted to pain killers.

Bill Baird was a scrawny young man going to Lindsay High School just north of Porterville. He is depicted on the front row below as number 2. He was so small that the football coach would not let him play because he did not meet the weight requirement. He put rocks in his pockets in order to weigh enough to play. He had both character and desire. He went on to play for San Francisco State University. A member of the 1959 undefeated Gators; Baird was inducted into the SF State Athletics Hall of Fame as shown to the right. "I have great memories of my time here," Baird said. "I am grateful for my diploma that says San Francisco State University." Bill was a seven-year defensive starter for the New York Jets and contributed to the legendary upset over the Baltimore Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl, billed by some as the greatest Super Bowl ever. When he retired after 7 seasons, Baird held several team career records including most interceptions and longest punt return at 93 yards. In 2003, when Jets fans chose their dream team of Jets greats, Baird was selected for the Four Decade Team. Baird shares or holds six New York club records: His club mark for a punt return of 93 yards is the second longest in American Football League history, he is tied for first in career interceptions and holds the mark for most interception yards returned, and he has the high mark for punts returned in both a season and a career and for most yards returning punts in a career. "It's amazing," he said. "We go back to New York and sign footballs, cards and helmets, especially as the Super Bowl approaches. I get letters asking for signed autographs, even 40 years later." Baird taught or coached in high schools and colleges including Fresno State and University of the Pacific. He currently resides in Fresno. Not bad for a guy too scrawny to be on the Lindsay High Football team without rocks in his pockets. What he lacked in natural talent he made up for in character and desire.

In education, as with all things, natural talent is less important. It is courage, determination and desire that determine if you will succeed or not. Following the learning skills is more important than how smart you are or how many problems or challenges you may face in the course of this class. Don’t let your challenges stop you. Be like Bill Baird and become a record setter anyway.