Auburn will continue to march on

[StatTiger 3,188]

Realization of your happiness is the only moral principle of your life. It is the enjoyment obtained without self-indulgence, defining your moral integrity. In the end, it becomes the confirmation of your commitment to achieve what you hold to be true. This cannot be said about the four former Auburn players, who made allegations they received money during their recruitment to Auburn or while they were student-athletes. If what they stated is true, they lost their integrity years ago and if they are fabricating their statements today, they have lost all integrity now. In a perfect world, we’d like to challenge ourselves with a purpose of integrity, expanding our wings to soar over commonplace with no fear of failure or to face the beaten path of those who have failed along the same corridor.

Whether it was the four Auburn players appearing on the HBO segment or the four current players recently arrested, they all lost their way. Less concern of self-esteem and more focus on character would have made integrity its own reward. No man can purchase or steal his own virtue, for it is the one thing, which increases in value within the manner we live our life. The true value of our integrity is not worth so much as when we separate from our all to maintain it. Somewhere along their journey in life, these Auburn men failed to realize their integrity is measured by their conduct, not by the uniform they wore or the professions they chose. There is light at the end of the tunnel for all of them as there is no greater resiliency than youth.

Despite my anger and disappointment over both situations, I found comfort in the commitment I saw from former and current players coming to the defense of their university. For years we’ve witnessed their commitment to the football team but this was of a different variety. It transcended the commitment to press on no matter how many times they were knocked down on a football field. It was a commitment to their ideals, to their coaches, to their teammates and most importantly, to their family. They saw their family in need and like a brushfire, they were speaking out in defense of their Auburn family. These are the traits and values we hope and pray, all Auburn players will take with them, when they leave Auburn and will depend on in times of need.

Though I value the concept of family, I’m not naïve enough to believe that all who come through Auburn will buy into it. With over a hundred personalities among the team on a yearly basis, there will always be a few who never realize the value of a family concept. There will also be those that value the notion but still make mistakes along their way. I know my commitment to my three sons is that I never view them as failing me but failing themselves, when they make mistakes. I have told them countless times they will never be defined by their failures but how they overcome them. It’s been said that character gets us out of bed, commitment moves us into action and discipline enables us to follow through. For those eight former Auburn players, one or all of those three characteristics were lost and so was the opportunity to mature in a family atmosphere.

I extend prayers and hope for a better tomorrow for those eight former Auburn players and my sincere gratitude and appreciation for those committed to stand by Auburn University.

War Eagle!

[autigeremt 6,970]

[RunInRed 16,991]

Well said Stat. Very well said. War Eagle!

[OldNewby 27]

Something on the minds of all true Auburn Men and Women, Stat. Well said, sir. And War Eagle!

[creed 1,728]

Well said Stat...well said. Auburn University has something we all know as the Auburn Creed, now if we could just get everyone to read it, live it, and love it, I think all would be well.

[Tigerguy 1]

Well said Stat...well said. Auburn University has something we all know as the Auburn Creed, now if we could just get everyone to read it, live it, and love it, I think all would be well.

How true. Stat is also on the money and said a lot of things that I thought about today. I, for one, feel very sorry for these boys who could and should have become men already. I'm sorry they went to Auburn and left without integrity, courage, and a moral compass.

[Grumps 3,706]

Stat,

I have been extremely impressed by virtually all of your posts, especially when you breakdown statistics that are not normally seen and over several years, and when you breakdown certain plays with pictures highlighting the important points. However, I am never been as impressed by you as I am after reading your post. Wow! "Realization of your happiness is the only moral principle of your life. It is the enjoyment obtained without self-indulgence, defining your moral integrity."

That is impressive! Is it original? I will be studying this post, as I think it may be one of the more important things I have read in a while. Thank you for posting!