Troy Polamalu: Person of Integrity

When I was in college I took a class that encouraged everyone to be "persons of integrity." This is something that is encouraged elsewhere too - like at church. To be a "person of integrity" means to be who you are 100 percent of the time. And I think it's important to point out and give credit to these people when I read about them.

Today I want to talk about Pittsburgh Steeler safety Troy Polamalu. He was one of my all-time favorite USC Trojan football players and he's the reason I rooted for the Steelers in the Super Bowl.

Polamalu's stats:

two-time Pro Bowler

selection to the AP's All Pro team

91 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 ints, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries

hasn't cut his hair since 2002

What makes Polamalu one of my favorite players though is the passion he brings game in and game out. But what he does on the field is made even more impressive by how he is a "person of integrity" off the field.

A devout Catholic, Polamalu prays after each play and is often seen kneeling on the sidelines in prayer.

Known as humble and quiet, Polamalu is also kind to the unsuspecting. This is from the Los Angeles Daily News:

PITTSBURGH - Somewhere from the hidden corners of restaurants, Troy Polamalu and his wife, Theodora, are watching.

They're not looking for anyone in particular - perhaps an older couple who look like they've been married a long time or a family they can see is enjoying a meal in each other's company. Just somebody who touches them.

Then, quietly, they ask their server for that table's bill and cover it.

"We like to spot a couple, just see somebody that makes us think, 'Man, they're having such a beautiful time,' " Polamalu said. " 'Let's make this even more beautiful for them and share this blessing that we've received.' "

Wow. That's what I thought when I read this. How many people who are blessed are willing to share it?

And this kindness and devotion to living a good life dates back to college. When Carson Palmer, Mike Williams and all these other USC stars were the talk of the town in 2002 going to Playboy parties, Polamalu declined. When his teammates with the Steelers go out to party, Polamalu goes home.

Polamalu says he plays football not for the fame and attention, but because he feels that it's his calling.

"Some people are attracted to acting or any big job for the prestige," said Polamalu, 24, who has been named to the Pro Bowl the last two seasons. "But some people act because they love to act and some people play football because they love to play football. I have the feeling I have a calling to play football.

But once he's off that field, Polamalu is devoted thoroughly to living his life.

"I never see myself," he said in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article. "I don't watch football. The most I've ever watched is a series or two. I've never watched the Super Bowl."

People say that he is a contradiction - a wild man while playing, but soft-spoken and calm off. But Polamalu said he is consistent. He is consistently passionate and perfectly describes what a "person of integrity" should be about.

"To me, it's the same thing and I'm the same person," Polamalu said to The Associated Press. "If you tell me somebody is going to be barbaric on the field when they blow those whistle, then a peaceful, humble gentle guy off the field, there is something non-authentic about either the way he plays or his personal life. For me, it's the same person throughout.

"I'm passionate about everything I do. I'm passionate about reading the Bible, too."

Haters

One of the things I've noticed growing up is that every few years a new slang word pops up, or becomes overused. Think of words like "radical," "bitchin'," "hip," "jive" or "the bomb." Most of the time these words are used in the proper context (except maybe "bitchin'" or "the bomb). And sometimes these words become overused and are used in any context, despite the possibility that it is being used improperly. This brings me to what I want to write about today - the word "hater."

Now, I used "hater" a lot when I was younger. I don't think it was used much in high school, but I used it a lot during my college years. I especially remember the word popping up a lot when me and my buddies would sit around arguing about who was better Magic or Michael Jordan.

"Man, Jordan wasn't the team player that Magic was," a buddy would say.

"Dude, stop being such a hater - he's the best EVER," I'd respond.

See and that's the way the word should be used. That's not just according to me either. It's according to the source for all things slang, UrbanDictionary.com. A "Hater" is "A person that simply cannot be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person."

That's what the word means and that's how it should be used and that's how we used to use it. But for some reason, this current generation of young people has turned "hater" into a label for every person who shows the slightest disagreement with that person's actions or thoughts.

Example:
Person 1: "Man, why don't you talk to Pablo anymore."
Person 2: "Cuz he's a hater."
Person 1: "What did he do?"
Person 2: "He said that I shouldn't have stole his homework and turned it in with my name on it."
Person 1: "What a hater."
Person 2: "Man, haters suck."

See, that's what I'm talking about. "Hater has become sorely misused. Even more troubling is in the way that's it's been abused. And the way it's been abused is very symbolic of the lack of responsibility that young people seem to take these days. A little confused? Let me explain.

We are in trouble of becoming a society ruled by a "dictatorship of relativism," as Pope Benedict XVI said before he was installed as the pontiff. Let me explain relativism as simply as possible (for me anyway). It is the idea that there are no absolute truths. What is good for me, might be good for you. Who am I to say that what you are doing is wrong? It might not be good for me, but for you it might be just fine... That way of thinking takes ALL responsibility away from each and every person.

Think about this a second: "No absolute truths." See how that idea messes things up. This makes it possible for a person NEVER to be wrong. The pope said that this idea of relativism "recognizes nothing definite and leaves only one's own ego and one's own desires as the final measure."

That's my suggestion. People really need to learn to check their egos and desires and to really become humble. A critical person is not a "hater." If a person is critical, they do so because they care. I have nothing poetic to say to keep this long blog going, so I'll just stop... peace