Oakland Raiders Recidivism Opened the Door for Taunts and Criticism

Some of us educators and counselors have worked with hardcore youth. Many of them have been in jail. When  we put our hearts into teaching and counseling, we often get concerned about the rate of falling back, the recidivism. 

It is like a revolving door for some people. The definition used in this article is "someone who lapses into previous undesirable patterns of behavior."

Today's game reminded me of those who fell back into their habits and addictions. I wondered if these things happen because of a lack of a support group or system. I wonder is it because of our doubting and disbelief.

Then I think, "Please help our unbelief." The unbelief comes into the picture when many doubt that a team can change or that a man can change.

Sometimes the battle requires more than one or two committed to excellence. Sometimes it may take as many as 300 as in the case of the historical Gideon. Were there at least 300 who believed that the Oakland Raiders could pull it off and win four consecutive games? I wonder, do you?

Nevertheless, some of us have the kind of love for the team and its mission that we continue to pull for the team. We cannot throw in the towel. The Oakland Raiders are a part of us, a symbiotic part of our own personal struggles to be winners, not losers.

During the game, there are those who taunted. One sat near me at the sports restaurant and he kept messing with the folks at our table while he was overconfident that the Houston Texans were going to defeat the New York Jets.

We took it. It hurt, but we took the belittlement. The next thing we knew, the Texans were tied, and then in the last few moments, the Jets defeated the Texans. That loud-mouthed man left the restaurant scratching his head.

Perhaps, if he had not taunted us, and if he had not gloated in our struggle, perhaps his team's conclusion would have been different.

Yes, ...

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