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‘The mass of men lead lives 9/1/06 And, sports provide a vehicle for these hard working families to blow off steam and relax , but they also allow everyone an opportunity to seek and pursue the ultimate ‘victory within.’ If you would like a chance to see a real life ‘Rocky’ story, get out to the movies and catch ‘Invincible.’ It’s the true life story of Vince Papale, an out-of-work 30-year old school teacher, whose wife had just left him because she said, ‘he would never amount to anything.’ And although he’d only played one year of varsity football in HS, when newly hired Coach Dick Vermeil announced the Philadelphia Eagles would hold an open-tryout in July of 1976, Papale, along with about 300 others showed up for a shot at stardom. Vince Papale, against all odds, and in the face of jealous teammates, made the squad and was a star on special teams for 3-years. He even caught one pass, the last one ever completed by legendary quarterback Roman Gabriel. Ironically, it wasn’t stardom that Papale was seeking at all. He just wanted a chance to make an impact, to be a part of something larger than he was, and along the way, capture the ever-elusive ‘victory within.’ No amount of fanfare, getting your name in the paper, talking about what colleges are recruiting you, or bragging about your performance can do that. It has to come from within, it can’t be validated by anyone else. Today, 60-year old Vince Papale is a sought after motivational speaker, and he stresses a key point. “When you watch the movie, don’t think about me, think about yourself.” “How much are you willing to fight to overcome the odds you face to become the person you want to be?” He reminds us that participating in sports, like life, is hard work…but not necessarily hard labor. His labor of love not only tells a good story, but once again provides a blueprint, for those that take the time to study it’s design. (c) 2006 Novi
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