Todd Golper
We covered Todd Golper when he played his high school football at Arcadia. He graduated in 2009 and then went on to play at UCLA. He was a linebacker that always played with pride and determination and was one of the hardest working players on the field. He had a love for the game that is rarely seen and he displayed it on each and every play. Injuries cut his career short but did nothing to ruin his passion for the game. He posted this on his Facebook page on Saturday morning. With his permission we decided to post it here. Very interesting stuff.
By Todd Golper
WARNING – THIS IS A RANT
Partially torn MCL, Dislocated right kneecap, dislocated ring finger, Concussion, broken right wrist, Broken right foot, Concussion, Torn MCL, Torn PCL, Torn Meniscus, ACL strain, Dislocated SC joint, Herniated L4-L5, Bulged L5-S1, Stress Fracture on Vertebrae, Dislocated ring finger, Torn Meniscus (Removed), Torn Ligament through Knuckle on Right Hand, Re-herniated disc, Partially Torn MCL. Accelerated degenerative disc disease.
Those are the collective injuries I sustained in my football career from 8th grade to my senior season at UCLA.
The reason why I list these is because I recently (this morning) had an argument with a gentlemen who made a statement saying that football is going to be gone in 15 years due to concussions and injuries sustained while playing.
I disagree wholeheartedly. Everyone who signs up for football knows inherently it is a violent game. It is SUPPOSED to be violent. It is supposed to be GRUESOME. It is the gladiator sport of our era. When you step out onto that field you are accepting the consequences of your actions and sacrificing yourself for the glory of the game.
The game is glorious. It is a game about sacrifice. About doing your job. About a collective attempt of achieving greatness together. It is about teamwork. It is the ultimate team sport because you can’t just have one dominant player. Other sports have these attributes as well but teamwork…that is the key word. I learned more about responsibility, work ethic, handling adversity, balancing relationships than in any aspect of my life.
Football will never die. It is the greatest of all games. It is violent, tough, physical, tenacious, emotional, and glorious. It’s about the guys you bleed for, you sacrifice for, and the collective effort. There is nothing like it in life besides in war. Maybe it’s why soldiers who come home have that feeling in the back of their necks. They miss it, they crave it, they need it. There is something to sacrificing your blood, body and mind for a greater good.
In honor of today’s college football Saturday, here’s to the Bruins, all teams, and for the living legacy of football in America.
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