Thanks, Coach Johnson…
By Dan Murdock, OBA General Counsel

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a sports-related function where Merv Johnson, director of Football Operations at the University of Oklahoma and long-time assistant coach, was the guest speaker. Naturally I thought I would hear “war stories” about college football. What I heard was “war stories” about real life issues and decided that those comments, made in that setting, could provide assistance to us, lawyers, in our daily work as well.

These comments were football related because that is the background of Coach Johnson. While at Notre Dame, he coached Rudy, about whom a movie was made concerning his efforts to be on the football team at Notre Dame. Rudy was small and slow with much less ability than his peers. But he impressed everyone with his work ethic and attitude, and as Coach Johnson said, “He was not good enough for the team, but he was good for the team.”

How often do we as lawyers think that money, fame and future are so important that we forget that it is what is inside each of us that counts. We sometimes forget about teamwork, sacrifice, opportunity, getting better and the mentality of earning respect from those around us. We must remember that each of us must earn that respect and qualify ourselves for the job we are given by our clients, who rely so heavily on us to resolve the problems they face.

Coach Johnson had great suggestions for how we live our lives. He stressed that we don’t impair our judgment with drugs or alcohol. No argument there. He also stressed the importance of being able to laugh at ourselves and to be able to apologize without making excuses. Coach Johnson also spoke about our relationships with our faith, our family and our friends — and the need to have positive relationships to be content and happy in our lives.

You may wonder what all this has to do with ethics and the legal profession. Lawyers have to have the basics, a foundation on which to build and practice law each day. How can that be accomplished if we forget the things we need to do first? We don’t get far down the road with one giant step. We get there by taking many smaller ones, one after the other. That road is the road to contentment, happiness and mental well being. The way in which you travel that road determines the respect which you have earned and that respect is not just the respect that others have for you, but more importantly, the respect you have for yourself.

Maybe we need role models. Notre Dame had Rudy, who do you have?

Special Acknowledgment to Coach Merv Johnson for his thoughts and comments on which this article is written and special thanks, not only for his dedication to OU football, but more importantly for his guidance to the young people withwhom he interacts and on whose lives he has such a positive impact.