Russell Wilson So what has football got to do with musical theatre? Plenty, when the subject is Russell Wilson. Harrison Wilson used to asked his son this question: “Russ, why not you?” You see, Russell Wilson dreamed of playing quarterback on his high school football team and maybe even in college. But at 5 feet, 11 inches tall, the experts said he was too small to excel at the top level of the sport.
But Russell didn’t listen to the experts. He listened to his dad. “Why not you?”
He was only a two-star recruit out of high school, and that’s not very good. He committed to North Carolina State University, and, with apologies to fans of the Wolfpack, that’s not very good either. He finished up at the University of Wisconsin and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks drafted him the third round. You guessed it, not very good. He was the sixth quarterback chosen that year. Again, not good.
He was too small. He was a game manager not a field general. He should have played baseball instead.
At least that’s what everyone said. But Russ, who lost his dad in 2010, listened instead to his father’s words: “Why not you?”
By the way, Russell Wilson led his team to a crushing victory in the Super Bowl this year where by every measure available he put on a stunning performance.
So what does football have to do with musical theatre? Have you ever felt under appreciated as a writer, composer, director, performer? Have the “experts” said you don’t have what it takes? Have they named you a two-star recruit? Did you go low in the draft?
You know you have talent, but everyone keeps telling you—in ways spoken and unspoken—you won’t be the one to grab whatever brass ring you want.
Let me offer this encouragement: When those voices rattle around in your head (and they rattle around in every creative head) ask yourself this question: Why not you?
OK. That’s it, and that’s enough.
But Russell didn’t listen to the experts. He listened to his dad. “Why not you?”
He was only a two-star recruit out of high school, and that’s not very good. He committed to North Carolina State University, and, with apologies to fans of the Wolfpack, that’s not very good either. He finished up at the University of Wisconsin and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks drafted him the third round. You guessed it, not very good. He was the sixth quarterback chosen that year. Again, not good.
He was too small. He was a game manager not a field general. He should have played baseball instead.
At least that’s what everyone said. But Russ, who lost his dad in 2010, listened instead to his father’s words: “Why not you?”
By the way, Russell Wilson led his team to a crushing victory in the Super Bowl this year where by every measure available he put on a stunning performance.
So what does football have to do with musical theatre? Have you ever felt under appreciated as a writer, composer, director, performer? Have the “experts” said you don’t have what it takes? Have they named you a two-star recruit? Did you go low in the draft?
You know you have talent, but everyone keeps telling you—in ways spoken and unspoken—you won’t be the one to grab whatever brass ring you want.
Let me offer this encouragement: When those voices rattle around in your head (and they rattle around in every creative head) ask yourself this question: Why not you?
OK. That’s it, and that’s enough.
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