The excuse that bugs me currently is: “That is a mistake I can learn from.” I am not so sure that is the case. Instead, it seems to me that if you have been playing this game all your life and have failed to learn that lesson so far, you more likely are solidifying your poor performance.
Compare Kyle Boller’s strange response to why he started off the first preseason game with a forced interception:
“I didn’t get the play in my helmet,” Boller said of the communication glitch that lasted the first two plays. “I had to call a quick play and I tried to force the ball into Derrick. But that is what the preseason is for, to correct mistakes like that.”
Billick was quick to point out the disconnect between the technical issues and the error in judgment and execution. But still there was a very forgiving spirit and an agreement that Boller was learning from each poor play.
Why can’t we just admit that we knew better… we have made the mistake umpteen times in the past . . . and given the nature of competition we probably will make the same mistake in the future… but hopefully to a lesser extent. Sometimes an athlete just needs to state the obvious: “It was a bonehead play… what can I say?”