Assist of the Game: Remembering Father Ted One Year Later

Given their stellar record, it's hard to get tickets to a Golden State Warriors game this season. However, if you do, there is so much—maybe too much—to take in.  On the one year anniversary of the death Father Ted Hesburgh, CSC, former president of the University of Notre Dame, I would like to call attention to something all of those lucky enough to be inside Oracle Arena might see. It reminds me of Father Ted.

Ask Warrior fans what they love about the live experience and you might hear them talk about the ardent energy from start to finish or the opportunity to see just how big and strong these athletes are "en vivo." Perhaps you love the pregame ritual. For some reason, I just can't get enough of that jig, that dance that the team performs after the starting five have been called out. (In fact, I like it so much, I continually look for it on YouTube. This is the best we can do...for now). Many enjoy calling the name of head coach "Steve Kerr!" in unison. There is much to appreciate in person that you just won't get from watching the game on television. And one tradition, that I noticed for the first time this season is worth implementing at every NBA, and NCAA basketball game: Assist of the game.

The assist is the most selfless of all statistics in basketball, An invaluable offensive maneuver, according to NBA.com, the assist 

is a pass that directly leads to a basket. This can be a pass to the low post that leads to a direct score, a long pass for a layup, a fast break pass to a teammate for a layup, and/or a pass that results in an open perimeter shot for a teammate. In basketball, an assist is awarded only if, in the judgment of the statistician, the last player's pass contributed directly to a made basket. An assist can be awarded for a basket scored after the ball has been dribbled if the player's pass led to the field goal being made. A great passer must have an understanding of his teammates' abilities, outstanding ball-handling skills, court vision and the ability to see plays develop before they occur. 

I think it's also worth noting that "the recorded of assists in a single D1 game is 22, held by Sherman Douglas of Syracuse. Avery Johnson of Souther and Tony Fairley of Charleston Southern. Duke's Bobby Hurley holds the career record with 1,076.  In the NBA, Rajon Rondo's leads the league with 12.0 assists per game.

Fans love playmakers, especially those who drain the three...who put up the mid-range jumper....who slam the dunk. But those buckets, buckets and mo' buckets are largely made possible by someone who has the vision to see the open teammate. The assist is a result of a player who looks maybe less for personal glory and more for a collective one. 

 

Draymond Green leads the Warriors in assists this season. Second to him? The guy putting up the shot, Steph Curry

Yes, the Warriors have the greatest back court in the NBA but they are also an organization who has decided to identify what they consider to be the "assist of the game." It is shown on the electronic scoreboard late in the fourth quarter. I think it's an invaluable addition; whatever we can do to recognize those who make something possible is worth doing. I love that the late Dean Smith instilled this value into his players by a simple ritual. Anytime a player made a basket, they had to point to their teammate who gave them the assist. This exercise is a simple way to remind ourselves that what we achieve is made possible with the hands of others (And hockey does a better job of this! Two players—can get a stat for the assist if there are multiple passes).

And I write about this selfless stat and this important ritual, because today, as I have many times, I point my finger in salute to the late Father Hesburgh. He made co-education at my alma mater possible. Without his efforts, I don't know that I would have been able to attend Notre Dame. The fact that women were admitted just twenty years prior to my entrance isn't something I take for granted. I don't think I should. I realize that the only ND I know, is a co-ed one, but it wasn't always that way. Father Ted believed women made Notre Dame better. I wrote about that in my tribute last year: Remembering Father Ted Hesburgh for a Lifelong Assist.

This is what Coach Smith had his players do. I would like to think the program has continued that tradition.

With that, I would like to conclude with Father Ted's own words, that were included in the Daily Gospel Reflection by Faith ND. And "thank you" for something much more than an "assist of the game," thank you for the lifelong assist. Pax et requiem. 

There's only one way to do it—that is to put yourself in the hands of the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother. You will see heartbreaks as well as days of great joy. There will be a celebration as well as days of mourning in this Church. But with the Holy Spirit behind you and the Holy Mother inspiring you, these will be great years.

***

In prayer and meditation, we can find the tranquility and the transforming power of the presence of God. Union with God is, ultimately, the only basis on which our community with others can rest.

***

Just this week one of our students asked me a very difficult question: “How do you know God, how do you perceive him, contact him, relate to him?” I told him that God, for me, was Christ incarnate, fully God, fully man, joining in his person God and man, the hopes, the desires, the hunger of man with the transcendence of God. And when Christ left us, he promised us the Holy Spirit to abide with us, to guide us, to give us what we find as the recurring theme of St. John’s Gospel: life and light—light to guide us and life to live divinely. Nothing less is needed to find our way out of the labyrinth of human problems today—with the light of divine guidance.

***

I pray every day to the Holy Spirit, as my friend, to give me the light and strength to do the right thing. And the Holy Spirit has never failed to show me the way and to give me the strength of purpose to struggle on in the face of all kinds of adversity.

The Holy Spirit is the light and strength of my life, for which I am eternally grateful. My best daily prayer, apart from the Mass and breviary, continues to be simply, 'Come, Holy Spirit.' No better prayer, no better results: much light and much strength.

Our Prayer: Loving and merciful God, you bestowed upon Father Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, a great intellect and a compassionate heart, and he used it to strengthen the University and mend the world. As a priest and as a leader, he lifted up the lowly and proclaimed the greatness of the Lord in all things. We are grateful because our lives have been touched by his hope and faithfulness; we are thankful to have witnessed and shared his life’s work to love God and humanity. With him, we “ask again and again for wisdom and courage, the light to see and the strength to do what the times demand and the richness of our heritage promises.” May Father Ted now enjoy eternal life with you, resting in the peace of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Photo Credits
Dray-dray to Steph
Father Ted
UNC Assist

Here Lies A..... Ballplayer...Priest

Why do we re-read books? Why do we watch certain movies over and over again? By way of contrast, I can easily tell you why I return to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band any and every time they come to town or other forms of "live" entertainment. With every Springsteen concert, I'm in for a new set list. His energy changes, so do the crowd's, the latest hits and more. Every Broadway show has a new cast. Not a single baseball game is the same. But, literature, a film or even a documentary program contains something that doesn't change. So why do we revisit them? Not because they change, but because we do.

This past week, my students watched "You Don't Know Bo," about the legend of Bo Jackson; it is my very favorite in ESPN's 30 for 30 series. You might be surprised to learn how it offers me life lessons and insights in a new way. I'm not. 

At the conclusion, Jackson says: 

People always ask: would I ever go back and change anything in my past and my answer is "no."
"No."
I enjoyed what I did. I enjoyed what I did.I dance to the beat of my drums, not nobody elses.

I love that Bo says exactly what he means and he means what he says. After a silence, a reporter or maybe the director responds by saying "You wrote in your book that you want it to say on your headstone: Here lies a ballplayer."

Jackson nods and repeats, 

Here lies a ball player. That's all.
Here lies a ballplayer that gave just as much as he received. Period.
That's all it should say.
That's all it should say.

His words hit me in a sentimental way as the University of Notre Dame has mourned the death and celebrated the life of its great leader, Father Ted Hesburgh, CSC. Should you go to Notre Dame's front page, you will encounter the magnitude that this man had on the university. His image is striking. His life was long. And the one quote on this page speaks to who he was until the day he died: a wonderful priest. He said,

I never wanted to be anything but a priest, which is in itself a great and unearned grace. I hope to live and die a priest, nothing more, but nothing less either.

As much as I love the stories he tells about his adventures—he met every sitting president, he is the only civilian to have flown in the SF-71, and he's been to all seven continents! what has impressed me the most is that he remained grounded in one thing: his love for the Mass and specifically the Eucharist. In the homily at Hesburgh's funeral, the current President, Rev. John Jenkins CSC said "he prayed that on the last day of his life he would be able to celebrate Mass. At 11:00 a.m. at Holy Cross House, Father Ted joined the community and concelebrated." He died later that night.

Thinking about Father Hesburgh's tombstone, I know that it will be indistinguishable from the others. He is laid to rest under a simple cross, one that is the same as his brothers in the Congregation of the Holy Cross. But if he were to write it, I have a feeling his wouldn't be much different than Bo Jackson's. Hesburgh's would say:

Here lies a priest. One who gave as much as he received....maybe more. 

Jackson's message hasn't changed. Events in my life however have. His words offered me the opportunity to think of Father Ted in a special way and this prayer 

• Thank you, Lord for the grace that you extended to Father Hesburgh in the gift of the priesthood.
• Thank you for the gifts you have extended to Bo Jackson as we witnessed for a short but glorious time.
• And I cannot let this tribute go without adding why I show "You Don't Know Bo" in the first place. It was a shared joy between a former student of mine, Brendan Tiggs. He died too young. He too was a ballplayer. 
• Thank you, Lord for the gift of my students. Amen

Photo Credits
Bo weighs in
Screenshot of Father Ted from www.nd.edu