Part One: Unavoidable Meetings
Chapter One: Meeting Stan Yeger
I’ve met a ton of people in my life. That might not make me any different than most people, but I’m guessing the reason why does. Having been a quarterback for a pro team that had the talent and money to win Super Bowls put my life in the spotlight and made people think they knew me.
Some of my teammates and colleagues complained about it, resenting it when their dinner was interrupted by a fan wanting an autograph or they were delayed from catching a late flight by someone wanting a selfie. That’s where we were different.
I loved meeting new people and instantly being connected to them in some way. Sure, sometimes they approached me when I was busy or would rather be left alone and I had to rush through a conversation or autograph because I needed to be somewhere. But I always tried to stop and give people a moment. When I did, two things usually happened.
Sometimes people wanted to share their knowledge about football and my career; reminding me of my completed pass percentage, a throw during a key game, offering me pointers on how to toss or grip the ball, or telling stories about watching a game. Like how they sat in the stands during the coldest one I ever played in, forever connecting us through our shared experience of freezing our butts off.
But sometimes the stories were more personal ones, where they shared how watching me play football impacted their lives. It sounds crazy when you think about it; me throwing balls down the field having an influence on people. . .but somehow it did.
Those were the conversations that stuck with me more than others. They were the ones that taught me that it was worth taking the time to stop and listen to people; to get to know them. They were the ones that constantly reminded me that your life could change forever with just one meeting.
