Latter-day Times Newspapers: September 2009

BYU and Football's Reverb:
Top 10 Cougars Enjoying Pre-season Ride
and Why I’m an 85 Percent Prognosticator

by Dale J. Neilson

© Latter-day Times Newspapers

10 – Observations Before and After Games: BYU beat Oklahoma 31-6 the only other time (1994) the teams played. Shouldn’t the Sooners and Tulane Green Wave (split two games with BYU) finish second to the Cougars again, sooner rather than later?
I’m right: Yesss! Sooner than virtually all Sooner fans could ever imagine, while Tulane was Tu-thless in its Sept. 12 debilitating loss.

9 – B & A: In the alphabet, ‘B’ is before ‘O’ and ‘T’, so BYU and its wins come before Oklahoma and Tulane.
I’m right: Even the alphabet agrees with me!

8 – B & A: Provo is further north than Norman, Okla. (home of the Sooners) and New Orleans (Green Wave’s campus), La. The further north you are, the closer you are to the North Pole and Santa Claus. More toys. More candy. More happiness. More wins.
I’m right: Living further north is more profitable.

7 – B & A: With a BYU win over Sooner Nation in Dallas, it would set the stage for a Utah football team sweep in Cowboys Stadium. Bingham High (South Jordan, Utah) will play national power Trinity High (Euless, Tex.) there on Mon., Sept. 7.
Didn’t happen! Trinity whipped the Miners by 42-21.

6 – B & A: The first-ever college football game in the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium just as well be won by the Cougars. It’s long overdue for underdog BYU to beat an Associated Press-ranked, non-conference foe.
I’m right: BYU ended its endless drought, maybe ‘Homa’s BCS hopes, and created its own team of destiny.

5 – B & A: Since a 26-6 win over Arizona State in 1998, the Cougars have lost 12 consecutive non-conference games to AP Top 25 teams. BYU’s 13th try for a win over a ranked team is its lucky number.
I’m right: ‘Unlucky’ number 13 has its day, at least for a day.

4 – B & A: It’s Texas native and wide receiver McKay Jacobsen’s homecoming-of-sorts, because he grew up near the stadium. Shouldn’t the local boy make good?
I’m right: Jacobsen caught the winning TD pass. What can I say?

3 – B & A: Ty Detmer, my favorite BYU player of all time, is also from Texas. Maybe his spirit will carry the Cougars to victory, like it did when he was the Cougars’ quarterback.
I’m vaguely right: No doubt he was doing his best to help the Cougars.

2 – B & A: My father-in-law’s TV will undoubtedly be on its best behavior, giving BYU an increased edge to edge the renowned Sooners.
I’m right: Never has a TV served so diligently with so much humility.

1 – B & A: Because I’m a BYU fan! Well, duh!
I’m right: For 34 years and counting!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The Things of My Soul

by Dale J. Neilson

© Latter-day Times Newspapers

Welcome to Our Latter-day Newspaper Blog

Welcome to the independently-owned and operated Latter-day Times Newspapers, located in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is patterned after the old Latter-day Sentinel, which was published out of Oregon and later Arizona.

We’re literally sharing our copyright and only agenda: the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s our staff’s ideal, which is why we faithfully endorse the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its doctrine, policies and leadership.

Besides The Things of My Soul, today’s other scroll-down features are: Witness of Savior of the World, Gordon Hinckley Times Three, Football Begat Friendship, Sisters are for Loving. and Joy-riding the Memories of Life.

Our format will soon change to a more reader-friendly design. In the meantime, please bear with us.

I’ll deliver this first-ever LDT editor’s column every month. You will also receive timely news and other information. We’ll deliver, even if you disagree with us. Aren’t you the lucky one?

So tell us what you think. Hammer us, chide us, feed us dinner, whatever. Just tell us what’s on your mind and in your heart. Your story or other newspaper ideas are also welcome. Write: editor@latter-daytimes.com.

The column’s name, of course, is taken from the prophet Nephi’s testimony in 2 Nephi 4.15-16 (Book of Mormon): “And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

“Behold, my soul deligteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.”

In this column, I’ll write about The Things of My Soul: workings of the Spirit of the Lord in Latter-day Saints’ lives, church ecclesiastical and business operations, church history, full- and part-time missionary activities, temple work, family life, U.S. constitutional government, neighborliness and service, sports, volunteerism, humor and anything else which affects LDS.

Temple Dedication Is Joyous Time

Certainly, last weekend’s dedication of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple (South Jordan, Utah) was long-anticipated and spiritually rousing for many.

Meanwhile, busy President Thomas S. Monson happily ‘directed’ an Aug. 21 impromptu Happy Birthday chorus in the temple’s shadow to honor his 82nd birthday. As he walked away, the maestro flashed a broad smile. The prophet’s inclusionary desires towards others are exemplary.

Besides, you can never have enough dependable music conductors.

Preparation for this historic temple dedication was extensive, including church volunteers dusting furniture for long, late hours virtually every night during the open house.

To me, the solemnity felt in both the Oquirrh Mountain and Draper temples before dedication was vast. I was grateful to attend last Sunday morning’s dedicatory session and gladly anticipate doing temple work there.

This all underscores the importance of keeping temple covenants. The spiritual power in obedience to Heavenly Father’s commandments is real, comforting and everlasting.

For example, on Aug. 18, 1909, my maternal grandparents were eternally sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. On Aug., 18, 2009, my extended family celebrated the 100th anniversary of this union that has done much good. I love my grandparents. They raised their children, including my own sweet mother, “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Enos 1:1)

She and my dad did the same for my siblings and me. My blessings from the Lord are as numberless as the sands upon the seashore. These are The Things of My Soul.

So, I’m interested in how LDS use their collective influence to positively influence others. That’s why I ‘invented’ LDT.

I hope you’ll join with me. It will be fun and maybe even wild and woolly.

Witness of Savior of the World

by Dale J. Neilson

© Latter-day Times Newspapers

We Testify of Our Beloved Savior Jesus Christ

I have a testimony of Elder Dallin H. Oaks’ May 9, 2009, testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Elder Oaks privately testified of our Savior’s Atonement to the four-stake, nearly-200 cast, choir and crew of Savior of the World after its last production in the Bountiful Regional Center. He also told us we would remember our participation in this sacred event forever.

In the production, I portrayed the angel who appeared to the shepherds near Bethlehem prior to Christ’s birth.

Since Elder Oaks bore his testimony in May, I’ve continued to feel its power from our Beloved Savior through His Spirit. I look forward every day to further developing my testimony of Heavenly Father through His Beloved Son Jesus Christ.

To paraphrase the words of the song Were You There on That Christmas Night?: “Were you there were you there as our witness of the Father and Son; grew, developed and expanded into one; of the power He gave us to testify of our Savior of the World?”

When Elder Oaks testified of our Lord and Savior his voice broke with emotion, of which he quickly regained control. Rarely have I heard an apostle’s voice break, but it may have been due to the intimate setting of our relatively small number. It was such a sweet outpouring of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

When I saw the apostle conversing with chorus members Sharlon, Katie and Lukas Harding (Salt Lake Riverside Stake) and cast member Dave Kelly (died in June 2009), it reminded me of the countless times our Redeemer selflessly ministered to the House of Israel. All meeting with Elder Oaks that night were witnesses to what our Savior may have done had He been there. It was a profoundly solemn moment I hope to never forget.

It was ‘spiritually electric’ watching my comrades greet and converse with Elder Oaks. Their countenances were changed as they sought to communicate with this humble servant of our Heavenly Father. They looked him in the eye with great respect and he returned their gaze with a humble smile. He was listening to their words and their hearts.

I told Elder Oaks personally of my appreciation for his gratitude of our testimonies. He vigorously shook my hand and thanked me. How I wanted time to express to him my love of our Savior and His wonderful work! But others were waiting to greet him. I’ll get my chance.

We Cast Our Lot with the Fisher of Men

During Savior’s fishing scene, the apostles couldn’t reel in the net because there weren’t enough of them. Likewise, there aren’t enough of us doing missionary, fellowshipping and temple work. We all obviously need to do more, trite as it sounds.

Church leaders throughout the four-stake area suggested LDS invite friends and others to attend the production. I invited five neighbors (two inactives and three of other beliefs) to attend a performance. One lady of another faith said she would bring a family member and a friend, but her chronically poor health stopped it.

Savior of the World is still a great missionary tool, even with obstructions. I learned that by following the Spirit, I would know who would be receptive to an invitation, how to approach them in a friendly and conversational manner and not worry about what they might say. The Savior commands us to continuously invite others to come unto Him.

By following inspired leaders, we’ll always choose the right. The apostles cast the net on the right, or correct side of the ship as our Savior taught them. Again, He commands us to cast with Him, which will always be to our eternal benefit. He continues to lovingly remind His obedient children, “As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.” (How Firm a Foundation, Hymns, # 85)

What a precious experience it was to participate in Savior and to continue feasting off its wonderful Spirit. We should cast with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Trusting Him enables me to bear up my post-2007 kidney transplant era very well. Participation with the sweet Savior production and its cast and chorus would probably not have been possible without my transplant, because of the required thrice-weekly dialysis treatments.

Savior of the World has definitely changed my life and hopefully forever. It continues as a wonderfully amazing experience for me, because of the continually renewing power of the Atonement, which offers the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Without my oldest sister Irene Jeppsen’s (Afton Wyoming Stake) kidney, I may have never had either life-changing experience. Both persistently lead me to more light and knowledge from Heavenly Father.

Part of those revelations included learning how to sacrifice my time for four months of play practice. The last two weeks for me each required over 20 hours, while others sacrificed much more for a lot longer.

During this very busy time, I realized again that sacrificing for truth regardless of cost is what’s important. That’s why so many of us performers—including mothers with young children—were willing to endure inconvenient schedules for a few days to learn of the blessings of sacrifice.

The Sweetness of the Spirit

The Savior of the World’s personnel normally put in four or five hours weekly, so the bump in hours at the end was trying. It took a lot of time, but more than I still miss it. This was a very uplifting and once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, because of its tremendous spiritual impact on my life.

Director Colleen McKnight (Salt Lake Pioneer Stake) said the theme Come, Lord Jesus Come means we should continually ask our Savior to come into our lives. We should already be preparing and seeking for Him to come again soon, which is profound.

During rehearsals I often felt the Spirit very strong for several minutes, which allowed me to recognize and revel in it. After the edge subsided, I always looked forward to its return. Of course, the Spirit overcomes all negative feelings from the heart and fills it with charity.

There are many words of wisdom in Savior of the World, but some of the most telling are when Joseph and wife Mary (mother of our Savior) discussed their trials. Mary testifies: “All flesh is in His hands.” Joseph retorts, “But does He have to grip so tightly?”

The Alleluia chorus by the women of the cast is absolutely and profoundly beautiful. It packs spiritual power and majesty. The exhilaration from hearing it I cannot even begin to describe. It’s a reminder of music you might hear in a 1000-year old European cathedral, i.e., the Sound of Music.

But this was done in a 40-something LDS regional conference center, fully accompanied by those who actively cultivate the Gift of the Holy Ghost in their lives.

Savior’s music is very, very uplifting and a pleasure to sing. The recurrent Come, Lord Jesus, Come, theme applies to us all whether approaching spiritually or physically wounded, or whoever needs Him. There is a lot of spiritual power and lessons contained in these hymns. This experience has become a forever life-changer for me.

Gordon Hinckley Times Three

by Dale J. Neilson

© Latter-day Times Newspapers

Triple Your Fun

The name Gordon Hinckley appears on your caller ID. What do you do? What will you say?

Maybe you wonder if the 15th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who died in 2008, has already been resurrected. Looks like you’re last on the gossip grapevine again. Either that or you’re nuts.

That’s what some formerly said about two other Gordon Hinckleys, who are both LDS. Gordon K. Hinckley lives in the Taylorsville Utah Stake, while the St. Anthony Idaho Stake is home to Gordon D. Hinckley.

For years, they lived in the ever-lengthening shadow of Gordon B. Hinckley. Though the late prophet was relatively small in stature, he was a giant in making friends for his international church. He was revered as the prophet, seer and revelator of God on earth.

With such a famous and honored name among LDS worldwide, there were bound to be hundreds of inquiring minds who mistakenly attempted to contact the ‘lesser-known’ Gordon Hinckleys. Despite many calls, Gordon K. said he averaged one call for each semi-annual LDS General Conference during President Hinckley’s tenure (1995-2008).

Most callers sought information, while others panicked, were probably caught off-guard and flustered.

Their confusion turned to skepticism and maybe agitation. Then the name-calling started. They called him Mickey Mouse, said Gordon K., 61. “I just tell them who I really am,” which disappointed some.

Gordon D., too, knows of panic attacks when his name appears on caller ID. But callers shouldn’t fear him, he said. “Sometimes I wished I would have gone by (his middle name) Dale.”

Since President Hinckley’s death, communication about him for the other Gordon Hinckleys has virtually stopped. But it’s not dead and buried, so to speak.
When he was introduced after the prophet’s demise, Gordon K. said surprised people “looked at me funny (and said): ‘I thought you died.’”

Gordon K. says business colleagues formerly called him president in reference to Gordon B. Hinckley, but stopped apparently out of respect for the late prophet. When he’s introduced, there’s awe about his name, meeting him and shaking his hand.

Gordon D., 42, said cousins needled him about the namesake prophet “giving me a raise. They were teasing me about a name to live up to.” He said his wife’s grandfather enjoyed introducing him “to get a chuckle at my name” before the church president died.

While the phone calls and mail have stopped for Gordon K., Gordon D. says few ask him about his famous name. But they each still answer questions about their long-distance blood relation.

Gordon K., who met the prophet twice, said the second time “I could see the ‘wheels turning’” in President Hinckley’s head about how they’re related. He asked Gordon K. to find out and write back, but President Hinckley actually solved the puzzle.

Neither of them knows Gordon D. They’re all related through the first Ira Nathaniel Hinckley, who is grandfather of the late prophet, great-great grandfather of Gordon K. and great-great uncle of Gordon D.

While three Gordon Hinckleys may be amazing, Gordon D. said he learned from then-apostle Gordon B. Hinckley three decades ago that Ira Nathaniel Hinckley has six descendent-namesakes.

A Name to Live Up To—and Demand

Even the moniker ‘President Hinckley’ is shared. Gordon K. served as elders quorum president, while Gordon D. was president of his teachers quorum. Apparently, it’s hard having the same name as someone well-known. People tend not to believe you. After all, namesakes are rare. In this case, lightning struck twice in the same church.

“It’s coincidental my parents named me Gordon, because they weren’t active in the church,” said Gordon K. “I don’t know that they ever realized the impact it’s had on my life.”

Gordon K. has been pleased since he was a teen to learn his renowned namesake, then an apostle, was featured on a church manual cover. “But I’m my own person and different. He was a good role model.”

Gordon D., who was named for his mother’s friend, accepts references to the 15th prophet as a compliment. One friend formerly listed him on his cell phone directory as “’the prophet’, which didn’t bother him.

Sometimes others do. In 1985, while attending Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) Gordon D. introduced himself to his dorm mother. Her answer surprised him, as she retorted, “’If your name is Gordon Hinckley, my name is Camilla Kimball.’ I had to show her my driver’s license” to prove it, he said.

When people learn who Gordon K. is, he said they remember his name. “Friends say, ‘You’ll never guess who I had lunch with today.’ I have some good times with it.” Those friends probably don’t say the man they lunched with is 6-4, compared to the man they didn’t, whom Gordon K. says was 5-8.

The surviving Gordon Hinckleys don’t have all the fun. Richard L. Hinckley of the Salt Lake Riverside Stake said his name was once mistaken for now-First Quorum of the Seventy member Richard G. Hinckley, after the latter’s mother died.

When a woman called a surprised Richard L. to offer condolences about his mother, he said, “I just talked to her!” Ira Nathaniel Hinckley is his great-great-great uncle.

In the bad old days when Gordon K. was inundated with phone calls for the prophet, many were senseless, soliciting, or underhanded. One woman left three phone messages and added to her story each time, he said. She claimed the church wronged her in some way, owing her $1 million—and later upped the ante to $1 billion.

After Hurricane Katrina, a caller wanted to know if the prophet realized help was needed immediately. “They called like (President Hinckley) wouldn’t have thought of this,” said Gordon K.

A celebrity once called Gordon K., whom he refused to identify. “A well-known radio personality” said President Hinckley was on the cover of Time magazine. The caller asked him to sign the magazine, which would be sold and the proceeds donated to charity.

Gordon K. said even though his signature is unlike the late prophet’s, the solicitor was still “dishonest, but I wouldn’t want to disgrace who it was.” He sadly observed that the forged signature of Gordon B. Hinckley could have been sold on eBay.

Football Begat Friendship
Coach Urban Meyer Remembers
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

by LDT Religion of Sports Staff

© Latter-day Times Newspapers

Urban Meyer, current University of Florida football coach formerly at the University of Utah, wrote these feelings in 2009 after the death last year of his friend, apostle Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

My discussions with Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin were many and covered lessons learned playing football that carried over to life. The simplicity and meaning of what he said made it so remarkably easy to learn and to remember. I found his ability to communicate was extraordinary.

A story that I remember was when he was tackled just short of a touchdown. Under a pile of players, Elder Wirthlin could have easily moved the ball and been a hero for scoring a touchdown. Instead he remembered the words of his mother. Doing the right thing was far more important than being a hero. Do what is right and deal with the consequences.

Elder Wirthlin also conveyed that he played a number of different positions on the football field. He believed that contributing to the team was far more important than his personal preferences. That carried over into his work life and in his commitment to serve the Lord. There was nothing that he would not do.

His commitment to Sister Wirthlin and his family was without end. Their devotion to each other and their children was simple, humble and beautiful. It serves as a great example of family to all of us.

Courtesy of: Steve McClain, University of Florida Athletic Association Communications Department Associate Athletic Director

Elder Wirthlin, who died in December at 91, was the “quintessential Ute football aficionado”. This writer declared such last spring in The Forever Fan, published by the University of Utah alumni magazine Continuum. The apostle was not only was a star Ute halfback (1936-38), but followed the Utes up to his death.

When Meyer and Elder Wirthlin met, they seemed to develop an instant friendship. The coach liked the idea that a high-ranking church leader played football for the Utes. Because of Meyer’s respect for him and the church, the apostle was invited into the Utah football family’s ‘inner sanctum’.

Elder Wirthlin spoke to the team about his love not only for UofU football, but honesty, work ethic and teamwork. He offered prayers at team dinners and personally encouraged players at practices. His friendship with Meyer grew to include LDS and then-assistant (now head) coach Kyle Whittingham, and a unique position as something of a spiritual leader.

At Elder Wirthlin’s Dec. 5, 2008 funeral, church President Thomas S. Monson said of his long-time friend, “In recent years he was something of a self-appointed chaplain to the U team” wrote Continuum.” He was respected by coaches, players and fans alike.”

Meyer and the church leader liked to quiz each other about religion and football, respectively. They exchanged ideas about what each cared about most, said the apostle’s son, Joseph Wirthlin, Jr.

According to UofU Crimson Club chair Blake Strong (Salt Lake Bonneville Stake), the last five to seven years of Elder Wirthlin’s life brought him to a previously-uncharted depth and excitement of Ute football, its fans, past history and possible future.

Sisters are for Loving

by Dale J. Neilson

© Latter-day Times Newspapers

Sisters are for lots of things. They feed you, love you, invite you to do stuff and can be your best friends. When they suffer greatly for your health, it’s obvious they like you.

Ya’ think?

I have three older sisters—three of the greatest women I have ever known. Not only have they been good examples, but they have agonized for and suffered with and me.

July 10, 2009, was the second anniversary of my miracle kidney transplant. My oldest sister Irene Jeppsen’s (Afton Wyoming Stake) left kidney became my right kidney. She literally sacrificed her health for me, for which I’ll be eternally grateful. Her recovery was rough, similar to many organ donors.

She even had a bout with food poisoning during recovery, but recovered after several days. She has great resolve and continues to be in good health. Even her spectacularly good kidney function appears to be as good as ever.

Knock on wood, folks.

Once she committed to be my donor, there was no second-guessing for her. She appeared to never waver, but like virtually all humans in great trial, there must have been some trepidation. Surely, she was strengthened by that same God who reinvigorated His Beloved Son Jesus Christ in completing the wondrous Atonement.

I’m grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who answers prayers.

Because of my sister’s bravery, my kidney function continues to be the best it’s been since the late 1990s. I’m down to 13 daily kidney rejection pills from where I started almost two years ago at 30.

I love to wear the Recycle Life T-shirt given me by LDS Hospital transplant office personnel, because it reminds me of my miracle—a caring sister following the prompting of her Gift of the Holy Ghost to give me the highest quality of life possible.

My ‘recycled’ life is very good to me.

Each of my sisters—my heroes—committed to donate a kidney to me. This continues to be very comforting, because organ donation can be extremely difficult, physically and spiritually. Donors can take up to six weeks to recover and kidney failure is obviously greater for those with only one kidney.

My great sister’s kidney has given me back my life. When I thanked her, she gave a timeless reply: “Glad I could do it.” She exemplifies the satisfaction that opportunities to show kindness should be more than enough compensation for helping someone.

While kidney recipients usually feel better after surgery, donors tend to have a physical letdown. My sister was up-and-down after her operation with bouts of nausea and dizziness. She wasn’t able to leave the hospital when anticipated, which frustrated her.

Even with these trials, she still visited me several times in my hospital room. It appeared she definitely cared more about my health than hers. Her inner strength in the face of discomfort and pain is inspiring.

I want to show her the zeal of gratitude she deserves in the days and years to come.

My sister’s concern for me in the face of her tribulations shows the type of character she has. Like our Beloved Savior Jesus Christ, she was forgetting herself again in the service of others. What a great lesson this is to me.

Joy-riding the Memories of Life

by LDT That’s Life! Staff

© Latter-day Times Newspapers

Loving the Joy-Riding Life

Keith Romney (Salt Lake Bonneville Stake) knows joy-riding should be fun.
Since 1979, Romney, 80, of Salt Lake says he’s given about 1,500 ‘grandpa rides’ for meals and entertainment to his children, grandchildren and youth football players also calling him grandpa.

Joy-riding through his 30th anniversary year, the wheelchair-bound Romney’s muscular dystrophy causing progressive muscle groups to short-circuit, prevents any use of his legs.

But he has no regrets. Cruising and coaching football sweeten his many fond memories of teaching youth about neighborliness and work ethic. He loves it.

Cruising “is more meaningful than even football” he says fondly, adding documentation continues of ongoing joy-riding activities.

His wife, Janet, commends him for being “an amazing individual (who) can handle anything,” maybe because “He never, ever forgot his family.” Perhaps it’s helped him relate well to all children.

Romney said he averaged a record 17 children in his suburban per 1990 weekly grandpa ride. He laughs about spurring competition between sexes by offering cash to whoever first gained attention of streetwalkers.

As a Little League football coach, Romney’s coaching ability was no joke. He had successful and unusual stints spanning 1970-74 and 1996-97 enabling him to coach his son and grandsons.

His incredible 153-12 record featured the 96-97 back-to-back national champions, while four Ute Conference league titles were won in his first tenure. Romney so indelibly loved his second-generation players that he moved up with them each year to the next age level. He was like their surrogate grandfather.

He claimed to be the league’s oldest coach when he began his second career at 67. Ultimately his influence extends far beyond the goalposts and locker rooms, to attending players’ high school games and graduation.

Recognition for the first national championship came to Romney from then-Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt and since-retired BYU coaching legend LaVell Edwards. They praised the team for its example and off-field potential.

Romney’s last coaching tenure included weathering muscular dystrophy‘s drop-toe effect, which inhibits the use of extremity muscles. No wonder he says, “I looked kind of strange walking.” If he hit his toe for any reason, he’d fall.

He fell 239 times, according to his entries in his little black book. He remembers falling flat on his face and within an inch of hitting his head. Romney said another fall could have broken his neck.

Never mind the broken bones, but no such luck with the unknown damaged pairs of glasses and the bruise and bloodied face. He seems to deal well with the inconvenience.

At least one person who witnessed his frequently hard falls wondered what happened.
He draws strength from his father Vernon Romney, who contracted polio at two and used crutches his remaining 77 years. “He was one of the greatest men I’ve ever known” with his drive to succeed.

When age and advancing MD forced Keith Romney to retire from football, several players wanted to quit for flimsy reasons. But they didn’t, thanks to the example their mentor learned from his father.

Making Possible Probable

Interestingly, the 1997 team included two girls among four races. Twenty of 22 players were Tongans, for the most of one race in Romney’s coaching history, he said.

While Romney endured falls, legally blind assistant Ron Miya was partially paralyzed by a stroke and both used canes. “It was like a play or movie,” Romney said, laughing. “We weren’t going to intimidate anybody. We were the walking wounded.”

When he fell at the 1997 national championship, players helped him up as they always did. “The opposing team couldn’t believe their eyes. It was funny.” But that’s not all.

As Miya, assistant head coach Paulina Afu, Romney and the female players led the seemingly uninspiring team onto the field, “People said it was the most bizarre thing they’d ever seen,” he said.

It seemed to Romney that onlookers hardly even noticed the team’s 20 male players.
Meanwhile, players’ parents “took in stride such a bizarre-looking coach and a woman assistant,” Romney explained. Still, people winced when the team took the field.

But Romney’s Goats won the national championship 12-7. After its 45-12 semi-finals rout, the opposing coach said “Our team had the best sportsmanship of any team on any level he’d ever seen,” claimed Romney.

He once the Goats’ “religion” of good conduct meant more to him and his players than their record.

Romney team nickname of Goats—G for Good and S for Sports—is because he wanted players who were good sports. Miya wrote a cheer which the East Side football team repeated at practice: “We are East and we have pride, our fame is known from far and wide, hard and fair is how we play, good sports aren’t just words we say.”

Two of the coach’s favorite practice drills made for tough, physical and motivated teams who respected their opponents.

Consequently, player toughness resulted in the development of current Cincinnati Bengals blocking back hopeful and former BYU standout fullback Taufui Vakapuna. “We named a tackle, the Taufui Hit, after him,” the coach said. “He hit so hard, you could hear it all over the stadium.”
Some players wore several extra pads to prepare, Romney remembers, but still hurt for a week. ”Fui liked to hit people. He was so fast and shifty and had good moves.”

Give Romney an assist for Vakapuna’s recently-signed four-year contract with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. The player was unavailable for comment.

Former player Paea Afu remembers Romney as a “hard guy at first” who became “an awesome coach, one of the best I ever had. He treated us as grown-up boys” because he respected them.

Romney gratefully remembers Vakapuna praised him as his best coach ever.

Miya said Romney’s charitable treatment of players made him “generous to a fault,” but charity paid off both in football and church. As the former bishop of the LDS Garden Park 2nd Ward, Romney says seven of 14 teenage priests were on marijuana in 1972, but 12 ultimately served church missions.

“Being bishop and a youth football coach (simultaneously) tied it all together” with counseling and friendship, said Miya. Romney “loves dealing with young people. He doesn’t know about the x’s and o’s of football, but does about young people and how to motivate them.”

The bishop-coach says his talents and abilities were used interchangeably. He admits once skipping Sunday School to attend a classic car competition and allowing an afore-mentioned priest-turning-missionary to drive. Romney said his faith and trust in the boy influenced him to serve.

Some may wonder why a bishop would assist youth in disregarding Sunday School. “It’s easier to repent than ask permission,” he quips in rephrasing a similarly humorous quote on forgiveness.

Now Romney’s grateful years later to observe the former youth and “the influence we had on their lives.”

Two are brothers—his grandsons—and were on Romney’s same football team.
When the younger brother was “clobbered" during a game, according to Romney, his sibling “picked him up tenderly. It was heartwarming for me and the rest of the team.”

Latter-day Times Newspapers

Friday, September 25, 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Followers

Blog Archive

About Me