>> MARGO GILL: Hello. I'm Margo Gill, and I am Coach Gill's daughter. For those of you who don't know me, you're
probably wondering why the heck I'm introducing today's speaker. But for those of you who do know me, you know
that I am arguably the biggest football fan in this building right now, and today's speaker
is one of the greats, so it's my privilege to introduce him to you. Joe Theismann is a twelve-year NFL veteran. He played in 163 consecutive games from 1974
to 1985. He set the Redskin's record for passing yardage
with 25,206 completions with 2,044, and attempts with 3,602. He's a two-time Pro Bowl selection. Theismann led Washington to a 27-17 victory
over the Miami Dolphins in Superbowl XVII. Theismann was selected to the NFL's man of
the year in 1982 for his community service and dedication to the health and welfare of
children. And finally, he was the 1983 NFL MVP. Please turn your attention to the video boards. >> VIDEO: Now this is a chance to congratulate
Joe Theismann, the quarterback for the Washington Redskins. The brilliant, finesse pass by number seven,
Joe Theismann—look how quickly he throws that football. Theismann will make it the biggest offensive
play of the game. Joe Theismann is an award-winning formal professional
football player. In 1983 he was recognized as both the offensive
player of the year and the NFL most valuable player. In 1982 he led the Washington Redskins to
become Super Bowl champions. Liberty University, put your hands together
for the one and only Joe Theismann. >> JOE THEISMANN: Thank you. Thank you so very much. What a wonderful experience. In my lifetime I've had the opportunity to
play in front of 100,000 people. The excitement and the energy in this room
today surpasses that of an audience watching a professional football game or even a collegiate
football game. So, Becca, what an incredible voice! Such a small package, but so powerful in our
lives. Margo, thank you so much for the lovely introduction. I've known your dad for way too many years,
and neither one of us want to admit. But it is truly a pleasure to be with you
today. Like I said, I've had the opportunity to speak
in front of a lot of different people, but I've never ever thought about a presentation
more than I have for you today. Because to me, today really is the beginning
of the rest of our lives. The way we walk in Christ, the way we appreciate
the Lord, the way the Lord comes into our lives—there are no set plans. There is no true game plan. The Lord sees us as individuals. He treats us as individuals. He assesses us as individuals, but yet, ultimately,
we will all go home and sit in His presence. See, today is a homecoming weekend for you. I was thinking, for all of us we have a homecoming. At some point in our lives we will be given
the opportunity to be able to go home. While we're here on this earth, how wonderful
it will be this weekend it will be for Sparky the eagle to be able to soar high in the skies,
and for the Flames to burn bright. And it will only happen, only happen, if you
are present just as the Lord is present in every one of you. You know it's funny. We see our lives, and so often we see changes
that occur. I've had two very significant changes that
have really shaped who I am as a person. The first has to do with my name. Margo was kind enough to introduce me as Joe
Theismann, and I appreciate that. But I'm really not Joe 'Theismann'; I'm actually
Joe 'Thees-mann' from South River, New Jersey. It's good to know that some of you have escaped
as well. And people have heard this story about my
name, but yet they weren't sure that it actually occurred. I will tell you the true story. Back in 1970, when I was a senior at the University
of Notre Dame, our sports information director called me in the office. He said, "Joe, how do you pronounce your last
name?" I said, "It's 'Theesmann." He said, "No it's not; It's 'Theismann.'" I said, "No it's not; it's 'Theesmann.'" He said, "No it's not; it's 'Theismann.'" I said, "Give me the phone." I called my dad back home in New Jersey. Any time I had a question for my father he'd
always say fire away, son. I dialed my dad up on the phone. I said, "Pop, I've got this question for you." He said, "Fire away, Joey." I said, "Dad, tell me; how do you pronounce
our last name?" Dead silence on the phone. About 30 seconds goes by. My dad comes on. He says, "Son, you truly do have a problem. You're a senior in college. You don't know who you are! What have you been doing for the last three
years?" I said, "Dad, please just tell me; how do
you pronounce our last name? I'll explain it later." He said, "'Theesmann.'" I hung the phone up, turned to Mr. Roger Valdiserri,
our public relations director. I said, Roger, look, my last name is Theesmann. I know; I just got off the phone with my dad. He said, "Joe, I want to tell you something. There's a trophy out there called the Heisman
Trophy. It goes to the best college football player
in the country, and we think you have a chance to win that trophy. But we're not just going to count on your
athletic ability, heck, no. We're not even going to count on the reputation
of the University of Notre Dame. We think by just simply changing the pronunciation
of your last name from 'Theesmann' to 'Theismann' to rhyme with Heisman we can guarantee you
that trophy." And that's how I wound up becoming Joe Theismann. People come up to me all the time and say,
but you didn't change your name back after you lost. No I didn't. The reason why, is my grandmother was from
Germany, and I know there are 90 different nations represented here. What a wonderful worldwide collection of young
people in this world. You all hold the future for us in your hands. Do you understand the responsibility that
you have going forward in your life- to be here at Liberty, to learn, to grow, to develop
relationships, to understand different people, different religions, different nationalities? You are, truly, what the world will look like,
and it is today. My grandmother as I said is from Germany,
and so I went to my grandmother. I said, Granny, they're thinking about changing
the pronunciation of our last name to 'Theismann.' What do you think? She said, "Well, I tell you this. Actually out last name is pronounced 'Theismann,'
and that it is a bit closer, so I'm okay with it." So the matriarch of our family blessed the
changing of my last name. That was the first change that occurred to
me. The second change occurred on November, 18,
1985. And if you'd please roll the video, you will
understand what I see. >> VIDEO-SANDRA BULLOCK: There is a moment
of orderly silence before a football play begins. Players are in position. Linemen are frozen, and anything is possible. Then, like a traffic accident, stuff begins
to randomly collide. From the snap of the ball to the snap of the
first bones closer to four seconds than five. One Mississippi: the Redskin's quarterback
takes the snap and hands off to his running back. Two Mississippi: It's a trick play, a flea-flicker,
and the running back tosses the ball back to the quarterback. Three Mississippi: Up to now, the play's been
defined by what the quarterback sees. It's about to be defined by what he doesn't. Four Mississippi: Lawrence Taylor is the best
defensive player in the NFL and has been from the time he stepped onto the field as a rookie. Will also change the
game of football as we know it. >> VIDEO-ANNOUNCER: And we'll look at it with
the reverse angle one more time, and I suggest if some of you are squeamish you just don't
watch. We'll look at it with the reverse angle one
more time, and I suggest that some of you squeamish just don't watch. >> VIDEO-BULLOCK: Legendary quarterback Joe
Theismann never played another down of football. >> THEISMAN: That was November 18, 1985. The reason I chose to show you that video
is because in everyone's life, and in your young lives, and in your parents' lives there
have been moments when we have questioned the Lord. We don't understand why something has happened
to us or something has taken place in our lives. It just doesn't make sense to us. I want to take you back prior to November
18, 1985. See, the man that stands before you today,
I hope and pray, is significantly different than the man that played professional football. Because as you heard Daryl Strawberry speak
and talk about the great times we had playing the game and the great accomplishments we
had in the world of athletics. I was an MVP of the National Football League—the
best player in a league. I was a world-championship quarterback. That's what this ring stands for. And for any of you that are Cleveland Brown
fans, you may never see one of these in your lifetime. Sorry, Coach Jackson. But you see, I had received all of the accolades
you could receive. I'd received all the pat on the back. I was the fourth highest paid player in the
National Football League making a million dollars a year. And that was a time when quarterbacks were
worth a million dollars a year. As time has gone on things changed. We were in the midst of a lousy season—four
and four. I wasn't playing well. I had been consumed with the fact that I was
great, that I was the reason we were successful. The team could not be successful without me,
so I thought. And I'll never forget sitting in my locker
and staring at the wall and doing what every one of us in this room either has or will
at some point in time—having a heart to heart with myself. We'll ask ourselves sometimes, why did I choose
Liberty University? Why did I choose these courses? Why did I choose these friends? Why did I choose this relationship? We ask ourselves these questions constantly. The Lord has the answer. Sometimes He makes you work for it. It's not handed to you on a platter and say,
here's your answer. But for me, I sat, and I looked at that wall. And I said, all right, Joe. It's the Giants. It's Monday night TV. What a great—and this is my favorite word—opportunity
it is for you to be able to go out and show the world that the Joe Theismann that you
love so much is back. I got up from my locker, and I started out
of that locker room—and that locker room. And as you leave this hall, you see the exit
signs. Picture the Redskin logo beneath those exit
signs. Not some cute shiny little star that some
people wear. I feel obliged to ask this question at this
point. How many of you are Cowboys fans? Okay, understand it's only a courtesy question. I really don't care. But, we used to have that Redskin logo right
below that exit sign, and for 12 years as the quarterback of the Washington Redskins
I would run out of that locker room, hit that logo, and never say a word. But on this night, this particular night,
I got up from my locker. I started out of the locker room. I hit that logo and I said these words: tonight
your life is going to change, Joe. Little did I realize I was into prophecy. My world was about to change like I could
never imagine. I went out on that field seven for ten in
the first quarter. Threw a touchdown pass. I figured, look out world. Joey's back. The Joe Theismann that I love so much is back. We turned to start the second quarter. Coach Gibbs calls a flea-flicker. Some of you may or may not understand the
vernacular of football. I got up under center, took the snap, turned
around, handed the ball to John Riggins—our hall of fame fullback. Just as John got to the line, he froze. We should freeze the Giants thinking it's
a run. They should all be up here trying to tackle
John. He turns around, pitches the ball back to
me. I look down the field for what should be a
wide open Art Monk; he was covered. I looked to my right for my safety valve,
Donnie Warren; he was covered. Then I felt some pressure coming from the
left side. It was Lawrence Taylor. I slid a little bit more to the right. He grabbed my left shoulder. I swung around. He wouldn't let go, and as LT came around,
his right leg caught my right leg between the knee and the ankle. And right off to the left where that piano
chord sits I heard a pow pow! It sounded like two muzzled gunshots. What I had was an open compound fracture of
my lower right leg. I laid there on the field—just seemed like
it was an eternity. And as I opened my eyes standing above me
Bill Parcells, the then coach of the Giants, was looking down going, “Joe, Joe, I'm sorry!” I'm going, “Bill, Bill, so am I!” Coach Gibbs comes running out and kneels down,
looks in my eyes. He says, “Joe, for six years we've been
together. Joe, you have meant so much to this football
team. Joe, this is a heck of a mess you've left
me in.” I said, “I'm sorry!” Within five minutes of breaking my leg I'd
seen two people and apologized to both of them! And then they started to wheel me out of that
stadium, and 55,000 people said thank you to a man who thought he needed absolutely
no one. 55,000 people said thank you to a man who
thought he could be alone and do it all by himself. And I tell you this: you cannot, will not,
nor ever hope to be a true success in life if you think you do it by yourself, because
the Lord is present in our lives. See, I went through that “woe is me” period. Why me? Why now-the first year of a $5 million contract? See, I was hung up in a material world. It was all about what I could possess. It was all about what I could get for me. It had nothing to do with what I could do
for someone else. So for a couple years I walked around, and
I moped, and I worried, and I did other things, and then I started thinking—we are all instruments
of the Lord. Every one of us is an instrument. We're here to serve a purpose. We're here to be able to serve the Lord. We're here to be able to work together for
his greater good. See, what the Lord did for me is He gave me
athletic skills. He gave me the ability to throw a football. He moved me to the highest perch I could be
at. He moved me to the top of the mountain, the
best in the game, the most recognized in the game, but you see, when I was there the only
thing that mattered to me was what I could get for me. What I truly understand now is as I go out
and have a chance to talk to different people around the world, I understand that I am the
vehicle. What he did is He blessed me with skills,
but then He also noticed that I used those skills and was abusing those skills, and it
was time for me to not do that anymore, but to talk about the great graciousness of our
loving Lord and the opportunities that He presents every day. Here at Liberty it's a foundation for you
who are. It was founded on Christianity. It was founded on the belief in the Lord. See, you cannot, will not survive in the world
if you don't have a foundation and a belief. You can build the greatest monuments; they
will all crumble at the foot of the Lord, because He is almighty. And you know the other thing that's just as
interesting to me? So often people, you know, we get in a jam. Sometimes we get in a real jam. And what's the first thing you do when you
get in a jam? Oh Lord, please help me out of this. I promise I'll do all good things from now
going forward-I really will. And then all of the sudden it turns out okay,
but then something great happens in your life. No one is willing to sit down and say, dear
Lord, you blessed me so much with this opportunity to grow, things I've wanted in my life. Some I have; some you've you've given me;
some you've granted my way. Thank you, Lord! Thank you so much, Lord, for giving me a chance
to have the most beautiful voice, to use that voice to sing, to be able to teach young men,
to be able to minister at university. We're all given skills. But understand they're temporarily gifts,
and he gauges us as we do them. You see, I think about it influenced and changed
my life. See, because for me I wasn't a nice person—figured
that out. Didn't really understand the world of business. I was a football player. Things I talk about, the way I lived my life
are all based out of a world of athletics, and so when I tried to start my new life I
thought where do I go? Where do I turn? Education, I got. I want to share something from you—for you. And this is out of Proverbs, first chapter,
verse seven: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” If you're not willing to learn, you've got
no chance. That's why you're here. As Proverbs says, fear the Lord. Learn, use the wisdom we have. I acquired wisdom in the world of athletics,
and so I went back to that world. I said, how can I start here and build myself
a new life? And I started with goals. See, in sports, in every locker room we write
down goals. Every day I go to work, when I walked in that
locker room, there were my goals written down-offensive goals, defensive goals, special team goals,
three areas football teams are broken down into. In business, we'll all write down goals. It's called our annual meetings, and this
is what we need to achieve. But yet in our own lives we don't take the
time to make a contract with ourselves. I was reading an article one day on an airplane
in a magazine. It said that 98% of people in this world today
refuse to take a pen in hand and write down a goal. And I started wondering, in business we write
down goals because that's what we want to accomplish. In sports, coaches write down goals for us,
because that's what we want to accomplish. But yet, in our own lives we will not make
a commitment. We'd rather be a rudderless ship flowing from
current to current and dealing with situations as opposed to defining where I want to go. I will ask you to do this: over the next two
weeks of your life. Take a pen in hand. What do you want? Professionally? Personally? Financially? And Spiritually? What are you looking for in life? Write 'em down. You'll be amazed how your life starts to go
in that direction because it has direction. We were given commandments to follow, written
down. Yes, it was in stone, but you could still
read it. That's the thing I'm talking about. It has to be there in front. You have to see it, bring it into this universe. And what price are we willing to pay to be
special in our lives? I think of Ronnie Lott – the great safety
of the San Francisco 49ers. End of the '85 season he breaks the little
finger on his hand. Doctor says, Ronnie, we operate on that you'll
miss the rest of the playoffs. He's already had three world championship
rings. He's already been a nine-time pro bowler. He's already the best safety in the history
of football. Doctor says, “If we operate, you’ll miss
it.” He says, “What's my option?” He says, “We can amputate the upper part
of your finger and you'll be able to play.” Yeah, well you hear those stories, and I happened
to run into him at a golf tournament. I said, Ronnie, let me see your left hand. Yep—nine and two thirds fingers-top of the
pinky gone. I asked him my second favorite word” “Why? Why would you do this?” And I told him, “You're the greatest ever
played. You're a nine-time pro bowler, three-time
world champ, eminent Hall of Famer—why?” Do you know what he said to me? “They wanted me to miss a day of work.” He gave up a piece of himself to go to work. Your classes, right now are your work. Commit to them; be passionate about them,
and as we've been talking all morning. Life is about people and relationships. It's the opportunity to be able to have a
relationship. I mentioned to you that I got a little full
of myself at one point in time. And we find different ways that the Lord sends
people to humble us. I was in Toronto, Canada a number of years
ago. My Canadians—loved it up in Toronto. Two of my three children were born in Toronto. And I'm seated at this dais, 3,000 people
in the audience. I'm the speaker feeling mighty important in
my black tie. They bring out my entre—baked potatoes,
six rolls, and they gave me one pat of butter. I'm decent at management. I'm not that good. Took the butter, threw it on the potato, turned
to the young man behind me. I said, “Excuse me, son, I'd like another
pat of butter.” He said, “No.” I said, “Whoa. Time out. I am Joe Theismann. See all these people that have come to hear
me speak? I want another pat of butter.” He says, “Sir, I know who you are. You're a great football player.” I said, “Thank you very much.” He said, “You were MVP of the National Football
League.” I said, “Thank you very much.” He said, “You were a Super Bowl champion.” I said, “Thank you very much.” He said, “Sir, do you know who I am?” I said, ‘No, I don't.” He said, “I'm the kid in charge of the butter. You get one pat of butter.” I want to share something with you today that
I've shared with very few people in my life. The Lord tests us in so many ways. I have three children: Joey who is 45, Patrick
is 37, and Amy who would've been 43-years-old. I lost my daughter six months ago. And as I look out around the sea of young
faces, I see her smile. I see her spirit. I see her love for live. I see the bad decisions that led to the life
she wound up in. And I can tell you as a parent, you ask yourself,
what can I do? What did I do? What can I do? What could I have done? And every day of my life in the last six months
my life is different, because Amy is gone to the Lord. She's gone home, but yet I find visions of
her. You see, we're not the only beings on this
earth, whether they be eagles, or butterflies, or some other type of creature, they're all
the Lord's creatures, and our spirit lives on, and our soul is a part of us. I think about every aspect of life. I think about the word “never.” Never never—it never had any meaning to
me before. Now the word “never” has significant meaning. I will never get to hold her. I will never get to kiss her. I will never get to love her. She will never get the chance to watch her
children grow. She will never get to yell at me again. By golly, we yell at our parents. I want to say this to every one of you out
there, you young men and young women. Your parents love you. They love you unconditionally, just as the
Lord unconditionally loves all of us. Be gracious to them. Treat them with respect. Love them. Cherish them, because all they want is for
you to do well. You are first and foremost after the Lord
in their lives. The pain is almost too much to bear. And you know, I asked myself, “Lord, why? Why? Why did you take her? Why couldn't you give me a chance to save
her? Why couldn't you give me an opportunity to
be able to make a difference in her life? Why?” The Lord challenges us in many different ways. It will challenge our faith and his grace,
but yet today I live on with the smile of my Amy implanted in my mind, because it was
her joy. When Amy was right—nobody like her. When she was wrong only the Lord could help
both of us. So you're here today, every one of you, to
be able to honor, to love, to care about one another, and don't ever forget that the most
important person, the most important element of your life starts with the Lord, because
he sees everything, He knows everything, and before you do it, He already knows what the
outcome is going to be. I have never in my life been moved—in over
1,500 presentations, over 37 years—I've never been more honored, felt more privileged
to have the opportunity share with you my pain, my joy, my sorrow, just as I will someday
to the Lord upstairs. May God bless you and keep you safe in His
arms. Thank you so much. >> DAVID NASSER: Joe, if you would come back
up for just a second brother. We—I think we collectively want to say that
we are so sorry for your loss. It is powerful to sit there and watch you
be so passionate, be so wise, but honestly to also be vulnerable, and this is a safe
place for you to do that. We want to honor Amy's memory if we could
collectively, and I think you said the word “never.” That you feel like in this side of eternity,
you can't say to your daughter anymore, “I love you.” And we want to do this. We want in memory and in honor of her, let's
get out our phones for a second. Everybody quietly just get out your phones,
and I want you to think of someone that you've taken way too long of a time say to them—
You're not guaranteed that you'll have the next day. I love you, and I appreciate you. I think in her honor it would be amazing if
thousands of us told a father, a mother, a sister, a friend, maybe a teacher, someone
who's poured into our lives—you know what? On this side of never I want to say I appreciate
you, and I'm grateful that you're in my life. Let's just send that to someone in honor of
Amy. People ask sometimes why we give out jerseys
to some of our guests, and it's actually, I think symbolic for “We want you to be
on our team.” We want you to feel at home, and so this is
for you. We spelled it Theismann, all right? Can we just call this your second home, brother? Welcome home. You don't even need the shoulder pads! Coach, I've got one year of eligibility. We've already dressed you out for the game. Hey, God bless you. Can we just one more time thank our brother
in Christ, Joe Theismann? Incredible job, sir! We love you! Welcome home! Hey, God bless you guys. You're dismissed. We'll see you on Monday. Bethel will be with us on Monday, everybody!
