TUPATALK: Value can't be stored in a vault

I especially appreciate one of the statements offered by former NFL great Gale Sayers, who passed away a few years ago.

First, I want to note Sayers probably was the smoothest-running ball carrier -- whether on special teams or offense -- in NFL history. Due to injury, he played only 68 games, but he left in indelible impact on the game.

If one wants an example of his magical skill, go on line to look up one of his highlight films.

"I have no idea what I did," Sayers once said about his elusive wizardy. "I heard people talk about dead leg, shake, change of pace and all that, but I did things without thinking about them."

After a shattering knee injury in 1968, Sayers gritted his teeth to recover and slogged for more than 1,000 rushing yards in 1969, even though a lot of his finely-tuned grace in his running had disappeared. He earned the NFL Comeback Player of the Year for his efforts that year, I believe.

The Wichita (Kan.) native stepped away just two years later, at the age of 28. He averaged five yards per rush and racked up eight special teams touchdowns.

Of course many know Sayers as one of the two main protagonists of the true-life story "Brian's Song," for which he shared the journey with a cancer-stricken friend to his death.

From the experiences with his friend and his own hardships, Sayers indeed earned a PhD of bravery from the School of Hard Knocks.

That makes one of his quotes especially meaningful. Sayers said: "Athletes as role models and heroes is a hoax, a sick hoax. The men and women who are fighting in Iraq, they are the true heroes."

I thought about this after I recently learned a friend had passed away.

For more than 26 years, Kent wore the uniform of the U.S. Marines, served multiple tours in Vietnam, advanced to the highest enlisted rank and retired with honors.

During that time and beyond, he and his lovely wife also raised a loving family that I'm sure are a credit to their parents.

I became acquainted with Kent in church while I served in the Marines. I enjoyed the privilege and trust of dating one of their daughters a handful of times -- with Kent's blessing even though I was 11 years older. She remains one of the kindest and well-rounded young ladies I've escorted.

Following his days in the military, Kent and his family moved home, where he and his wife provided tremendous service for more than 30 years to their community and individuals.

I visited them a couple of times during their early years following the Marines and have often thought about them.

I've remembered with great nostalgia those days of companionship with Kent and his family during several months in Hawaii. I've thought of his commitment to remain on the front lines as he dedicated his life to military service.

I've thought about the young men and women I served with and often wondered about how their lives turned out. My recollections have drifted back to those mercurial and crazy days of boot camp when we were all thrown together from different parts of the nation, different religious views, different races, different cultures, different politics, different motives, different levels of emotional or physical strength, and so on, and relied on each other to get through.

Many of those I knew in the Marines would be in their late 50’s or early 60’s; the days of their greatest energy or their ability to reshape the world around them to a better place are fading — but far from done.

They answered the call to be counted.

I appreciate the observation of NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown: “When you think of the sacrifices our firefighters make, think about the service of soldiers in foreign lands and listen to their lives, you have to be careful that whatever you do, don't cast a shadow on what these great people do.”

Incidentally, I believe there’s never been a power running back in pro football history greater than Brown. I would list him first-string on any all-time team.

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SAD PASSING

I wanted to offer my condolences for the passing of the father of a former Bartlesville High basketball player.

I got to know Kent Morris at church and grew to know him as an extremely kind, humble and compassionate man. He struggled mightily for the past few years with illness but continued to think of others.

His daughter Natalie played varsity basketball and I recall seeing Kent and Pam Morris at the games supporting her.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: TUPATALK: Anatomy of what might matter most