Forget OTAs – Rex’s Unique and Moving Team Building Field Trip
- Veronica R. Chiesi Brown
- Jun 2, 2015
- 2 min read
You know where I wanted to be today? I wanted to be outside on a golf course in Western New York. Granted, it was cold and rainy for June 1st but it was the place to be Monday. Current and former Buffalo Bills players came out to Jim Kelly’s Celebrity Classic golf tournament at Terry Hills Golf Course in Batavia as well as a host of celebrities (including “Mr. Belding”!!!).
What made this year so special wasn’t just who was there but why they were there. The current Buffalo Bills team went to the tournament because Rex Ryan gave them the day off from Organized Team Activity (OTA) to attend. This would have been the Bills 4th of 10 scheduled OTAs but instead of heading out on the field, the team headed out on the green for a good cause and team building. Players are following Rex not because they have to, but because they want to. He is leading by example and getting connected with his team on and off the field. It makes for a successful relationship and even more fuel to the fire for this season.
Rex Ryan’s decision to do this speaks to his commitment to not only this team but also the community of Buffalo and Western New York. It was an unprecedented move and one that will earn the respect or solidify the respect former players, current players and the community. From the Buffalo Bills painted truck, to the change of tattoo to the request for a home in the snowiest part of Buffalo to this tournament, Rex has proven something we haven’t seen since Marv Levy. He has proven he is here for the long haul, isn’t going to cut and run and understands that to be a part of this team you have to be a part of the community as a whole.
I have said this before. I wasn’t a Rex Ryan fan at the beginning. I was skeptical. He has managed to change my mind by all that he has already done before the season has started because he has become more about just football. Rex has become a “family man” to this community. Families stick together and stand by each other. I stand by you Rex as does this community. You are single handedly putting the fire back into our football hearts.
Veronica R. Chiesi Brown @VRCB32
Link to: Bills Fanatics FB Group
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