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Cameron Turner: What Dae Dae and David Reminded Us

Published on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 | 6:17 am
 

A great man who was recently laid to rest on the southern tip of humanity’s birth continent once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” The truth of that simple-yet-profound statement is not limited to towering, larger-than-life leaders like Nelson Mandela. Here in Pasadena, a couple of high school student athletes proved that the seemingly impossible was possible. And their feats on the gridiron are great fodder for confidence as we embark upon a brand new year.

“The Pass.” I witnessed it with my own eyes but still find it hard to believe. I’ve seen the video (which was featured on ESPN and Yahoo.com) multiple times and I’m still amazed.

The media booth above the bleachers at Muir High School’s Walton Field provided the perfect vantage point to watch quarterback Dejon Williams work his magic in Muir’s semifinal playoff match up with Norwalk. With the clock counting down the final moments of the first half, Dae Dae (I hope I spelled that right) found himself surrounded by Norwalk defensive players who were determined to crush him on all sides. But Williams refused to be taken down. Back and forth he dashed and pivoted, his eyes continuously scanning downfield for an open receiver. The Norwalk players reached and lunged repeatedly, but none could get hold of the fleet-footed Mustang QB. For an unbelievable 18 seconds (an eternity in football time) Dae Dae dodged his attackers. Then he released the ball. It soared 38 yards through the air and descended across the goal line into the waiting grasp of Marceles Clash. I stood there clutching, dumbstruck, clutching the announcer’s mic in my hand as the crowd went berserk. Did you see, did you see, did you see that?!

It was an astounding moment. But to hear Dae Dae tell it, The Pass was all in a day’s work. When Logan Patterson of Muir’s venerable student newspaper, The Blazer, asked about him about it, Williams said, “I was just trying to get the ball in the endzone. To be honest, I didn’t know it was 18 seconds. I was just trying not to get caught.”

That matter-of-fact observation underscores what made The Pass so breathtaking. It wasn’t merely what Williams did, but the way he did it. The cool-headed, methodical manner in which he evaded the Norwalk defenders and confidently delivered that high, perfect pass to Clash was not only awe-inspiring, it was inspirational. Dae Dae demonstrated the fact that even under the most difficult and seemingly hopeless circumstances — when we are up against the odds and it appears that there is no to win — we can focus on the task at hand, reach deep into the reservoir of our talent, training, experience and faith and perform acts of greatness that surpass even our own expectations.

But even before Dejon Williams wowed the world with that now-legendary pass, Muir’s reserve QB provided us with another electrifying life lesson. David Madrid was pressed into service in the second round of the playoffs after Williams was sidelined due to a pair of disputed taunting penalties in Muir’s first-round win over La Mirada. With Madrid at the helm, the ‘Stangs triumphed over Los Altos 27-2 in round two. But that victory was by no means certain at first. Fumbled snaps and other setbacks put Muir in jeopardy early in the game. But Madrid shook off those errors, regrouped and quickly got into the zone. Hurling touchdown passes to Devin Leagons and Taeon Mason, Madrid proved his mettle in champion style.

After the game, Madrid told Aram Tolegian of the Pasadena Star News, “People did underestimate me, but my team believed in me and my family believed in me, and that’s all I needed.”

Belief. It’s an incredibly powerful force. It empowered a talented backup quarterback to overcome skepticism and on-field missteps to lead his team to victory. Belief empowered a starting quarterback to remain calm under tremendous pressure and throw a touchdown pass that defied all logic. And belief will empower you and I to score metaphorical touchdowns on which ever of life’s fields we are called to play upon.

So, as we forge ahead into 2014 – with all of the triumph, tragedy, hope and heartache that most certainly await us I this new year — I urge everyone to tap into the power of belief. Some of us call it faith. And it will empower each of us to achieve goals that we may have considered beyond our grasp. It will empower us to do what may have seemed the impossible. I’m grateful to Dae Dae and David for reminding us of that.

Happy New Year and thanks for listening. I’m Cameron Turner and that’s my two cents.

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