"Team sports are team sports," he said. "It's not about a person or persons. It's about a group of guys playing as a singular unit. That's how you're judged. It's unfortunate in our society today that we have more people playing team sports for individual recognition.
"You pick up an oar and you row the boat."
The oar Szabo rowed in 2003 was attached to the New England Patriots' SuperBowl championship ship. As a volunteer who assisted coaching the defensive line and formulating defensive game plans, Szabo became a fan of with Bill Belichek, who's turned the concept of team football into an art form.
"Bill has the best pulse at this level bar none," said Szabo. "What he's telling them is the sum is always greater than all of the parts you're never bigger than the program. The fact is he knows how to deal with players. The players have bought into it because he's shown them if you do it my way, you will win."
If Szabo had his way, all high school coaches would be up front with their players and wouldn't dodge issues that can divide a team.
"I would say this to a high school coach -- Don't be afraid to take care of your problems,'" he said." If you can't straighten him out, get him out of the program because he's going to hurt you if you don't. It's hard to stand in front of a team and talk about team if you treat a sophomore one way and Joe Blow,' a prima donna, another way.
"I think all coaches are tempted by that. They're tempted to talk with a teacher if a kid has bad grades. That's wrong. Make him be accountable. It would be a good thing for high school coaches to be guys with the courage to discipline (players), and not be afraid if they can't play."
Tom's right. I and a few of my freshman classmates snuck into the stadium by climbing around a wrought-iron fence on the east side. We huddled under blankets and there were a lot of empty seats. I lived in Calumet H.S.'s district and all my friends were needling me about how Calumet would trounce Mendel. Luckily, we pulled it out with a desperation pass with 2 sec. left. We had a lot of free Mondays that year due to winning big games including St. George by blocking punts, the last one by tackle Mike Wolfe.
I was at that championship game in '57. It was a frigid day, and Mendel won on a hail mary pass to Gallagher on the last play of the game. But there was no where near 100,000 people there that day. The truth is probably close to 25000. Soldier Field then at capacity could hold a 100.000 with seats placed on the field. The old field had a good bit of seats that extended behind the end of the football field at one end. No one sat in those seat for football games.
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