Be a coach. Step in.

I really loved seeing this tonight on Johnnie Moore's blog. As Johnnie mentioned all the way from London, it's so nice to see someone helping on YouTube, not someone laughing at or ridiculing another's misfortune. Simple acts of kindness. I so resonated with a comment left by Jack Yan on Johnnie's site about the video, too: "You can see why that gentleman is a coach: he stepped in when there was trouble, he guided someone through the difficult stages, and he did so with dignity."

I just really, really love that this man stepped in to help. It wasn't that he was standing right next to this young girl--he had to journey from his comfortable place in the stands to get there. It wasn't that he's a great singer. It's that he's a great coach, a caring soul, someone who lifts people up when they need it. Be a coach. Step in.  Save face for someone else.

(Thanks to Marilyn for identifying Maurice Cheeks as the coach who stepped in. Turns out, it's not the only time he's made a difference.)

Comments

[JP]

Yep.
That's pretty much what everyone would naturally *want* to do, but wouldn't necessarily think of actually doing.
Coach did it.
Spot on.

[Julie]

Oh, that made me cry!

[Marilyn]

Patti, I haven't seen that clip since it originally happened a few years ago. That's Maurice Cheeks ("Mo" to fans) who at the time was the coach of the Portland Trailblazers in our old town. Although we watched that game from a distance (in the tropics) we knew that Mo was loved in Portland. Sadly, he couldn't 'save' the team he was brought in to rescue (which by that time was known as the "Jailblazers") and he was fired from the job after a few years. When he helped Natalie out, he exhibited just the kind of classy behavior he was known for. Behavior we would all do well to model.

[blue girl]

Wonderful!

[aurora fox]

Yes! yes! yes! I wish all the media would publish (or air, or show) positive news and positive actions---every day! instead of disaster and "bad" news--accentuate the positive...
I saw a great t-shirt yesterday--it said:
"whoever smiles first wins"

I'm smilin' ;-)

[Becky]

It made me cry, too!

[Joy]

Beautiful! It's stories like these that help us to believe in the human race once again . . .

[ren.kat]

Wow. Yeah, yeah, the girl, but more important maybe were all the people in the bleachers. He taught them how to deal with the situation.

[Chris]

Mo Cheeks is a great man and a darn good basketball coach. There are dozens of stories out there about how he has put himself out for folks. I sure hope that he eventually gets the personal recogntion he deserves as a great humanitarian.