0
0
We all — or most of us anyway — have people we respect and admire.
It may be a teacher we had in high school or a coach.
There are those people, and there’s a whole other category of people that we love for reasons deep and personal. These are people we think about often and how they live their lives and want to emulate their behavior because it’s so impressive and awesome.
For me one of those human beings is Joe Gibbs, who coached the Redskins to three Super Bowl championships. No one is more classy and cool and hardworking and humble than Joe. No one.
By some happenstance a few weeks ago I was sitting in Starbucks typing as I am now when I looked up. There he was: Joe Gibbs. He comes here, I’m told, for coffee often. Normally I would have gone right up to him and shook his hand but I was so moved seeing my hero that I froze in my seat.
This wasn’t like seeing some pro athlete or famous musician or top corporate executive, all intriguing in their own ways, but not next-level encounters.
This was Joe Gibbs. My childhood was happier because he coached my football team. He brought joy to me, my family, my friends, and everybody else in Washington – for years.
The coolest part of all of that was he was classy and understated the whole time giving credit always to his assistant coaches, players, and opponents.
Joe is on my Mount Rushmore of all-time heroes.
All time, ever, in my entire life.
Because of the way he competed and led and showed me that you don’t have to be a jerk to be successful.
I am thinking about that day I saw him and feeling as if that was some sort of connection to the Commanders now riding high to the NFC championship game this weekend.
Joe was in Detroit for the big victory last week and there’s no one Washingtonians would also like to see coming back to support the franchise than Joe. He made the franchise into a winner – at the highest level – three times.
Washington’s favorite son: Joe Gibbs, for all time.
Sometimes events align. I saw Joe at Starbucks and a few weeks later he’s on TV telling reporters how impressed and happy he is for the team’s unexpected success this season.
Joe’s one of those guys who always says the right words. Joe’s one of those guys who always behaves the right way. In a world full of egotistical stars who abuse fame, no one is and has been more antithetical to that than Joe.
He’s a man I respect. He’s a man everyone respects. He’s a man everyone likes. He’s a man everyone reveres.
He made our hometown team a winner, and we’re reminded by this year’s team’s wins of how fun and inspiring it was rooting for Joe’s teams.
Author Profile
-
Sammy Sportface, a sports blogger, galvanizes, inspires, and amuses The Baby Boomer Brotherhood. And you can learn about his vision and join this group's Facebook page here:
Sammy Sportface Has a Vision -- Check It Out
Sammy Sportface -- The Baby Boomer Brotherhood Blog -- Facebook Page
Latest entries
ACCMarch 24, 2025From Boyhood to Old Man, Still a Terps Fan
NBAMarch 8, 2025What Joker Did Last Night Can’t Be Understood
BonusFebruary 28, 2025It’s Official/Inevitable: AI Takes Over Baby Boomer Brotherhood Blog
BonusFebruary 25, 2025On My Living Room Mantel: Framed Photo of Caitlin Clark
