The Definition of A Screw Up

I am fully aware that our globe is in upheaval lately, politically, violently, and summarily seismic to capture all of the above. It's pretty frightening, and of course, any comic worth their salt is trying to write jokes about it without writing jokes about "it." But this is a story that I just cannot bypass as 2005 kicks off.

Yesterday the Seattle Seahawks were playing for the rights to host at least one home-field playoff game. 16 weeks of football behind them, at least 2 more to go, as of kick-off yesterday. And a very talented player was inactive for the game. Deactivated from the roster, Koren Robinson missed the team's Saturday practice, citing car trouble. Now, I've been on my way somewhere and had a car go narcoleptic on me, I understand that those things happen. But on Saturday, or New Year's Day as it were, Koren Robinson's car wouldn't start.

A 24 year-old multimillionaire with most of a college education, 3 years of professional football under his belt, on the backside of a 4-game suspension for having violated the NFL's policy on abusing controlled substances, and his car will not start. I don't believe he only has one car. I don't believe NONE of the cars would start. I don't believe he used all of his options (teammates, cabs, limos, police escort, magnificent white stallion, Segway scooter, etc.). I believe he was likely not home or just so F'ed up from the night before that he couldn't practice and would have been tested again for a controlled substance resulting in another hit to the wallet and loss of playing time.

He played 10 of 16 games this season. 6 games missed because of behavior problems. His teammates, bruised and battered and bullish to win against a much-better Atlanta squad showed up Saturday, priorities in check, helmets on, cobwebs working themselves out. To quote Steve Kelley in this morning's Seattle Times, Robinson is a "serial knucklehead" and a "lousy teammate."

So what lessons can I take from this?
First off, the guy's 24, so there are some maturity things happening here. Understood, I was a friggin' gooner nutlog when I was 23-24, more-so than now, mmkay? But I worked when I had to, for a hell of a lot less fun and compensation than Robinson's weekly haul.
Second, I've only ever had one car at a time because that's all I could barely afford, and I took care of it. Dead batteries happen in '86 Buick Skyhawk's; not in the likely H2, Escalade, or Benz driven by a former First Round draft pick. I'm positive he's got one of those, if not all.
Third, it's a little reminder that I am sometimes responsible to other people, coming through when I am expected to, and because of that, I may have to reign in something I want. This won't be every day or probably not even a weekly occurrence, but when somebody's counting on me arriving and helping a cause, the least I can do is show up as ready to work and fully-trousered as possible.

When someone screws up as much as Koren Robinson has this year, it makes me think aloud "4 game suspension, 2 games out with behavioral problems, is this guy high or drunk or both?"

In a world where I'm not on a lot of teams, at my job and in my performing, I'm still responsible for not letting myself down, at the very least. This means trying to be better at what I do, whatever "Better" entails on personal, physical, mental, creative, financial, and animal husbandry levels. I have work to do if I want to reach my next tier of goals, one of which is being paid a daily stipend as Koren Robinson's personal chauffeur. Cirrus don't fail me now!

Happy New Year, and lay off the drugs.

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My Non-Funny Blog.