Funniest Leadership Speech ever!
Summary
TLDRThe speaker humorously recounts his upbringing in the rural 'boonies' of Texas, where he was introduced to football and experienced a tough, almost military-like childhood under his father's strict guidance. Despite his initial reluctance, he played football for two years before exploring other interests like marching bands and honor societies. His journey of self-discovery led him to embrace education and ambition, ultimately defining his identity as 'redneck light'—a blend of his rural roots and a drive for success.
Takeaways
- 🏡 The speaker grew up in rural areas of the Southern United States, often referred to as 'the boonies', which shaped their early life experiences.
- 🎖️ The speaker's father had a military background and was a strong influence, creating a disciplined upbringing similar to military service.
- 🏈 The speaker was introduced to football during their youth, participating in the intense 'two-a-days' practice regimen, which they initially disliked.
- 🤺 Despite being assigned to the position of a lineman due to their size, the speaker discovered ways to avoid physical contact during the game, highlighting their resourcefulness.
- 🏆 After two years, the speaker decided to quit football, but was persuaded to continue by their father, demonstrating the importance of family expectations.
- 🎶 The speaker explored various activities to find their identity, including joining a marching band and honor societies, which were safer from physical harm.
- 👗 There was a phase where the speaker experimented with different styles, including an interest in Madonna's fashion, showing their willingness to try new things.
- 🐄 The speaker's journey of self-discovery also involved participation in activities like the 4-H Stock Show and the rodeo, which were part of their rural upbringing.
- 👞 The speaker humorously recounts an incident where they attended a rodeo dressed in preppy attire, which clashed with the event's atmosphere and upset their father.
- 🎓 The speaker identifies as 'redneck light', indicating they have retained their roots while also being educated and ambitious, embracing both their origins and aspirations.
- 👏 The speech concludes with the message that success is multifaceted and can be achieved while staying true to oneself, as the speaker has done with their unique background.
Q & A
What is the speaker's definition of 'boonies' according to Webster's dictionary?
-The speaker defines 'boonies' as a location so far outside of city limits that even animals question your presence.
Where did the speaker's family live and why were they considered 'nomadic Southern Baptists'?
-The speaker's family lived in various states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. They were considered 'nomadic Southern Baptists' because they moved frequently, always finding themselves in remote areas, or 'boonies'.
What was the speaker's father's background and how did it influence the speaker's childhood?
-The speaker's father was a band member, a football player in high school, a paratrooper in the army, and was often 'high all the time.' This military-like discipline and the father's strictness influenced the speaker's childhood, which he refers to as his 'military service.'
What was the significance of the town of Bogota, Texas, in the speaker's narrative?
-Bogota, Texas, with a population of 491, was significant because it represented the closest semblance of a city or 'town' to the speaker's remote home. It was the place where the speaker was introduced to football and two-a-days.
What is 'two-a-days' and why did the speaker find it to be a 'vicious heinous practice'?
-'Two-a-days' refers to twice-a-day football practice, a practice the speaker found particularly harsh and grueling, hence describing it as 'vicious heinous.'
Why did the speaker initially get involved in football?
-The speaker was encouraged to play football by his father, who implied that participation was not optional. The speaker complied out of obedience and the understanding that following his father's orders would ensure his survival.
What position did the speaker play in football and why was he assigned to that role?
-The speaker was assigned to be a lineman, tasked with protecting the quarterback. He was given this role because of his size, as the coaches believed that 'girth substitutes for talent in junior high football.'
What was the speaker's strategy to avoid physical contact during football practice?
-The speaker tried to avoid physical contact by participating in special teams kickoff return and punt return, where he could run without necessarily touching anyone, thus minimizing the risk of getting hurt.
Why did the speaker decide to quit playing football?
-The speaker decided to quit playing football after two years because he felt he had had enough of the physical demands and the pressure from his father.
What activities did the speaker try after quitting football to find himself?
-After quitting football, the speaker tried various activities such as joining a marching band, honor societies, exploring new music, and even experimenting with different clothing styles, including a phase where he wanted to be a Madonna backup dancer.
How does the speaker describe his current identity and what does he attribute his success to?
-The speaker describes himself as 'redneck light,' meaning he is still connected to his roots but has become educated and ambitious. He attributes his success to remaining true to himself and understanding that success can come in many forms, including being part of an organization like LVA and having coordinated socks.
Outlines
🏰 Life in the Boonies and Childhood
The speaker begins by humorously contrasting the setting of a rodeo with the unexpected nature of leadership and life lessons. He paints a vivid picture of his upbringing in the rural outskirts, or 'boonies,' of several Southern states, highlighting the nomadic lifestyle of his Southern Baptist parents. The narrative focuses on his father's military background and the strict discipline that characterized his childhood, which he likens to military service. The speaker also recounts a specific memory of a hot Texas day that led to his introduction to football, a sport he initially found grueling but later embraced as part of his identity.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Boonies
💡Leadership
💡Life Lessons
💡Rodeo
💡Marching Bands
💡Honor Societies
💡4-H Stock Show
💡Football
💡Lineman
💡Special Teams
💡Ambition
Highlights
The speaker grew up in the 'boonies', a remote location far from city limits.
The definition of 'boonies' is a place so far outside the city limits that even animals question your presence.
The speaker's parents were nomadic Southern Baptists who always found the boonies in every state they lived in.
The speaker's father was a band member, football player, paratrooper, and was always higher all the time.
The speaker refers to their childhood as their 'military service' due to the strict discipline from their father.
The speaker was introduced to football during a hot Texas summer day.
The speaker describes 'two-a-days' as a vicious and heinous practice of twice a day football practice.
The speaker was assigned to be a lineman to protect the quarterback because of their girth.
The speaker discovered they could play football without physical contact by joining special teams for kickoff and punt returns.
The speaker quit football after two years but was forced to continue by their father.
The speaker tried new activities like marching bands and honor societies to find themselves.
The speaker experimented with different styles, including wanting to be a Madonna backup dancer.
The speaker participated in activities like the 4-H Stock Show and the rodeo during their preppy phase.
The speaker's appearance at the rodeo in preppy attire irritated their father and angered Merle Haggard.
The speaker identifies as 'redneck light', being from the boonies but educated and ambitious.
The speaker emphasizes that success comes in many shapes and sizes, and sometimes includes color-coordinated socks.
Transcripts
at the rodeo
[Applause]
that's not usually a problem when you
think of leadership and life lessons you
know thoughts don't normally go to where
I'm from
but I think you'd be surprised
where I'm from is the boonies
Webster defines the boonies as a
location so far outside of the city
limits even animals question your
presence
and I've lived there most of my life
Louisiana Mississippi Oklahoma Texas
Arkansas it did not matter
my parents nomadic Southern Baptists
that they were always seemed to find the
Boonies in every state
but for the purposes of this
presentation the boonies were in Texas
to give you a little insight into me you
first have to understand my father
he's the man's band he played football
in high school he was a paratrooper's
army he was always kind of higher all
the time I refer to my childhood as my
military service
in the summer before the seventh grade
it was a bleak hot Texas day as every
day in Texas is
and my father said get in the truck boy
we're going to town town we never got to
go to town town was Bogota Texas
population
491 and we live seven miles Northeast
but town was where the things were
that's where the stuff was you could get
a root beer float in town you could get
tater tots in town
I said sign me up I got in the truck
but we didn't stop in town we kept going
through town out to the high school and
that's where I was introduced to
football and two a days
which is a vicious heinous practice
twice a day football practice what kind
of crazed fool came up with that in
Texas but I participated in it
you can imagine how joyful I was my
father said go on out there boy
I said I ain't going out there
no well actually I said that in my head
what I really said was yes sir
because
if you do as you're told you'll survive
my father didn't actually threaten to
shoot me in the face but it was implied
I walked up to the crowd and the coaches
were dividing us in the group they said
you go over there I said wow they said
you're a lineman what's a lineman you're
going to protect the quarterback well
who's this quarterback why do I want to
protect him they said just get over
there I said why me they said because
you're fat
because girth substitutes for talent in
junior high football
however I discovered it is possible to
actually play football without any
physical contact whatsoever
there was a whole lot of down set oh get
him
because I wasn't about to get hurt
I live for special teams kickoff return
punt return because you can run on here
you can run there and not touch a soul
and get told good hustle Thompson
looking good and I'm thinking you don't
know from hustle I'm trying to survive
out here
I played for two years and I decided I'd
had enough so I told my daddy I'm not
playing football no more he said yeah
y'all I said no he said yeah you're
playing
so I did with any red blood American man
would do I went crying to my mom and
Mama please let me quit football she
said didn't leave him alone let him be
and I overheard my daddy say what's
wrong with that boy mama
and she said just leave him alone he's
trying to find himself
and he said well he better hurry up
because he's about to piss me off
so I tried new activities because there
are very few injuries reported in
marching bands and honor societies
I tried new music I even tried new
clothes I went through an unfortunate
period where I wanted to be a Madonna
backup dancer with black clothes and
hair down to here and five watches if
you remember the 80s you remember me
but I was still where I was from so I
had to go to activities such as the 4-H
Stock Show and the rodeo unfortunately
was during my preppy phase because
finding yourself sometimes but it
sometimes does but never should in with
somebody wearing paint loafers to the
rodeo all it did was irritate my daddy
and piss off Merle Haggard
so I stand before you as what I call
redneck light I'm still from where I'm
from but I'm educated and I'm
embarrassingly ambitious I'm in lva
my relatives call me uppity but I have
remained true to myself because success
comes in many shapes and sizes and
sometimes it comes with color
coordinated socks
and that's what I've learned from where
I'm from
[Applause]
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