Are you a mucker and grinder?

A reprint of my June 11 column published in the Woodford Sun.

We call them muckers and grinders.

They play on the third and fourth lines. They can step up when a star player goes down. They have specific assignments: make a big hit, kill a penalty, or play a puck possession game while the top lines rest up.

They don’t attract the attention or have the name recognition of the superstars, but they play no less an important role on their teams. Nobody expects them to put up big numbers, but they can change the tone of a game with a physical shift, or a timely goal.

The coach just needs them to step up when they’re needed.

The muckers and grinders may not grab the headlines week after week, but without them, no team will succeed. They often play the role of difference maker, but the casual fan might not even notice.

In other sports, we call them role players – the backup linebacker that plays special teams, the defensive forward coming off the bench on the basketball team, the pinch hitter on the baseball squad.

Sometimes these athletes step up when a star goes down and become superstars themselves. The name Tom Brady comes to mind. But more often they labor in relative obscurity their entire careers.

You probably wouldn’t recognize most of their names.

Thanks in part to the muckers and grinders, the Detroit Red Wings have a shot at hoisting the Stanley Cup. They just need to win one of the next two games.

Of course, every time that storied trophy passes from hand to hand in celebration, more than a few of those raised arms belong to the role players.

Wings’ stars like Kris Draper, Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom have all missed games in the playoffs due to injury, but in their absence, players like 22-year-old Darren Helm slid in and made their presence known. Helm leads the playoffs with 110 hits. Valtteri Filppula stepped up when Detroit’s leading scorer Datsyuk went down, scoring three goals and notching 13 assists. Justin Abdelkader scored two playoff goals. The first was his first NHL goal – ever.

"It's not about the number of minutes anyone plays. It's not about who gets the goals or assists. It's all about winning,” Helm said.

These guys may not ever reach superstar status. But they play an integral role on their team.

And they will reap the same reward as their headline grabbing teammates if they win the championship - their names will also be forever etched in the Stanley Cup.

I’m proud to say that I’m a mucker and a grinder. I was never higher than number three on the goalie depth chart at the University of South Florida, but I was there. I played my role and I played it to the best of my ability. I’m not writing for the New York Times, but I write to the best of my ability, filling my role here at The Sun and seeking excellence in all I do.

The truth is, most of us fall into the mucker and grinder category. We do our jobs and live our lives in relative obscurity. But the Detroit Red Wings – the team – should remind us that obscurity does not mean that we lack importance. It does not diminish our value. And it certainly doesn’t mean the world doesn’t need us.

We have a role and ladies and gentlemen, that role is important. What you do matters. You have significance. So do what you do the best that you can. Do it will passion and seek excellence.

Be who you were created to be.

Quick Shots

As I’ve watched the Stanley Cup playoffs, I’ve found myself wondering who will fill the mucker and grinder roles for the University of Kentucky basketball team this fall. John Calipari’s recruiting class is amazing. Lots of superstar talent. Lost of big names. But can they all play together and fill all of the roles that a team must fill in order to win? Or will they slide into the chaos of clashing egos? That remains to be seen.

Franklin County won the 11th Region Softball Championship and marched to the quarterfinals of the KHSAA State Softball Tournament before falling to Allen County-Scottsville. I couldn’t help but think, “what if?” as I followed the Yellow Jackets’ rivals’ progress through the tourney. Woodford County beat the Flyers three times this season. Franklin County’s success says a lot for the strength of the 41st District where most pundits considered Western Hills the top-dog.

The wrong bird won the Belmont and I think there was a lesson there for jockey Calvin Borel. Probably better to save the running of the mouth for after the race.

Quote of the Week

“I just wish you all would just quit ticking him off…so he has to come back and keep proving stuff. I think he answered a lot of questions today.”
– Jim Furyk after Tiger Woods came back to win the Memorial on June 7. Skeptics have questioned whether Woods was ready to defend his U.S. Open Championship in a couple of weeks.

Puck to the Head

This week’s puck flies at the head of Joe Bologna for comping UK basketball player meals. I just don’t think we should be increasing these kids’ sense of entitlement.