Stewart Report from 11-24-2009
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The Stewart Report
Your
Weekly Report from Jerry Stewart
"Get Back Out There - The Game Is Not Over Yet"
By Jerry Stewart
This is our Thanksgiving week here in
America, and for millions upon millions of
Americans, Thanksgiving is at least in part
about the big game. And if you're a big
football fan, no matter how many games
you've watched, it’s safe to say that the
story you're about to read is truly unlike
any you've heard before. Not just because of
the oddity of one play in the game, but,
more importantly, what happened after.
The year was 1929, it was New Year's Day and
the big game at the Rose Bowl that year was
the University of California Bears against
the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. And that
day starting at center for the California
Bears was junior Roy Riegels.
Well, midway during the second quarter,
Georgia Tech fumbled the ball and Riegels
picked it up and, unbelievably, he began to
run the wrong way toward his own goal - the
crowd was stunned. Riegels ran for 65 yards
the wrong direction, and as he ran for what
he thought would be a great score, his
quarterback, Benny Lom, ran behind him
trying to catch him, screaming for him to
stop. But the crowd was so loud, Riegels
could not hear him. Finally, just at the
last moment before Riegels crossed his own
goal line, Lom finally stopped him on the 3
yard line. And, in those next few moments,
when Roy Riegels discovered just what he had
done, he was ashamed and embarrassed.
Later Riegels explained that when he had
recovered the fumble he had been hit and,
somehow, turned around. And that, somehow,
in all of the excitement he never knew he
was running the wrong way. To make matters
even worse for Riegels, on the next play,
his team tried to kick out of the end zone.
But the kick was blocked and Georgia Tech
scored a safety, giving them a two point
lead.
At halftime, Roy Riegels told his coach he
could not go back on the field. But coach
Nibs Price tried to encourage Riegels,
assuring him that everything was all right,
it was an accident that could happen to
anyone.
But Riegels kept saying, “Coach, I can't do
it. I've ruined you, I've ruined myself,
I've ruined the University of California, I
can't face the crowd again to save my life".
His coach kept telling him, “Roy, get back
out there, the game is only half over.” And,
finally, he convinced Riegels to go back out
for the second half. And when Roy went back
on the field for that second half the crowd
laughed and called him “Wrong Way Riegels”.
But during that second half of play, they
saw a young man possessed with
determination. Riegels was all over the
field, running, tackling, he even blocked a
punt. Despite all his efforts, sadly,
Georgia Tech won the game by just one point.
Riegels’ two-point safety had cost them the
game - the season was over, and Roy Riegels
was the national laughingstock in all of
football.
So what happened to Roy Riegels? Did he go
into hiding? Did he quit football forever?
No! Here's where the most amazing part of
this story can be told. That next year Roy
Riegels did return to play football for the
University of California. In fact, he was
voted to be captain of his team because of
his hard work and great determination. And,
get this, he was voted that year as the best
center in all of college football and he
earned All-American honors.
You see, Riegels refused to let one blunder
ruin his life.
So what happened to Roy “Wrong Way” Riegels?
Well, despite the national mockery, he went
on to live a normal life. He served in the
US Army Air Corp in World War II, and
afterwards he started his own successful
chemical company. He went on to coach both
high school and college football, and in
1991 Roy Riegels was inducted into the Rose
Bowl Hall of Fame. What a powerful story of
courage and determination.
In year 2003, a panel from the College Bowl
Hall of Fame chose Riegels’ wrong way run as
one of the six most memorable moments in our
century.
Now, I don't know about you, but the part of
that story that strikes the deepest chord in
me is the words of his coach at halftime.
All Riegels wanting to do was to hide, to
die, anything, just not go back on that
field. And what did his coach say? “Roy, get
up and go back out there – the game is only
half over”.
What about you today? Where are you in the
game of life? Do you feel like a failure,
that you can't go on? It may not be easy to
get back out there, but remember - the game
is not over yet.
May God Bless America
Jerry Stewart
P.S. email me with your own thoughts and ideas
regarding our America at
stewartreport@onemomentinamerica.com
JS
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Thanks".
Here is how Jerry Stewart
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Today's Thanksgiving Day Program,
"Giving Thanks",
plus the written manuscript of the program.
A second full length Christmas program, "The
Sacrifice" A special pendant U.S. Flag
shaped like the United States, with a yellow banner draped
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Complete
Thanksgiving Day Address from George Washington:
Whereas it is the duty of all nations
to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His
will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore
His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of
Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to
"recommend to the people of the United States a day of
public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by
acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal
favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an
opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for
their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the
26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of
these States to the service of that great and glorious Being
who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that
is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering
unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and
protection of the people of this country previous to their
becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and
the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course
and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of
tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;
for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been
enable to establish constitutions of government for our
safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now
lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with
which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and
diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the
great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer
upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering
our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of
Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other
transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or
private stations, to perform our several and relative duties
properly and punctually; to render our National Government a
blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government
of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and
faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all
sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown
kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments,
peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of
true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among
them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a
degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day
of October, A.D. 1789.
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Quote of the Week
"Whereas it is the duty
of all nations to
acknowledge the
providence of Almighty
God, to obey His will,
to be grateful for His
benefits, and humbly to
implore His protection
and favor; and Whereas
both Houses of Congress
have, by their joint
committee, requested me
to 'recommend to the
people of the United
States a day of public
thanksgiving and prayer,
to be observed by
acknowledging with
grateful hearts the many
and signal favors of
Almighty God, especially
by affording them an
opportunity peaceably to
establish a form of
government for their
safety and happiness' ."
(Read More)
-George Washington-
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Audio Clip
for the Week
"The
First American
Thanksgiving Was Where?"
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Short Story
“The Pilgrims”
Why is it, today, after almost 400 years, we still remember the Pilgrims? It's because in all these years, so many things have changed, but really nothing has changed at all. We're all still mere humans, looking for our way in life.
Oh, maybe we don't have Indian attacks,or lack of food, but we still must face the many great obstacles of life. And, we want to believe that, just like the Pilgrims, God is with us when we meet these obstacles.
And these Pilgrims are our example.
Take time today and thank God for his wonderful blessings. And while you're at it, pray that America will turn back to God.
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