Dear Joseph, I saw the apology you tweeted out, and immediately had it on my heart to write this letter to you.
Dear Joseph,
I saw the apology you tweeted out, and immediately had it on my heart to write this letter to you.
First of all, the Iron Bowl loss is not your fault. Don’t take that guilt on.
You win as a team, and you lose as a team.
And honestly, the missed field goal was just one of MANY things that didn’t go Bama’s way, and that’s okay. You take what you learned, apply it, and become better because of it.
Bear Bryant said it best himself. “It’s awfully important to win with humility. It’s also important to lose. I hate to lose worse than anyone, but if you never lose you won’t know how to act. If you lose with humility, then you can come back.”
It honestly breaks my heart that so called “Bama fans” have responded the way they have towards you.
I know that the true Alabama fans, like myself, would never want you to feel the way some “fans” have made you feel. NO ONE should ever be called such horrible names, nor be threatened, over a game. And I am truly sorry that you’ve had to endure such horrible things.
And like you said, you’re your biggest critic. Fans may be upset you missed, but they need to remember how YOU feel. You’re more upset than anyone else.
You’re human. Some field goals are made, and some are missed. Just like how some games are won, and some are lost. It’s part of the game, and at the end of the day, that’s exactly what it is: just a game.
I think some people forget that you’re just a young man on the field playing the game he loves. In the heat of the moment, they forget that they’ve never been in the same position that you’re in.
Random story, when I was a senior at Alabama, during the homecoming game, I was chosen to kick the Golden Flake Kick for Tuition, in front of the 100,000+ people in Bryant- Denny Stadium. I didn’t have on a uniform, nor was I trying to win a game, but boy, was I nervous. I made the FG, and when I did, I immediately thought to myself “how do kickers handle this pressure every single time they kick?”
It’s intense, and I know it has to be one of the most important parts of being a kicker is handling your emotions, ignoring the hundreds of thousands of fans, remaining calm, all while kicking the ball.
Honestly, so much attention is given to the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers, but in my opinion, it’s the kickers who often sustain the most criticism when things don’t go as planned.
I think some people forgot that you kicked and made, a 43 yard FG earlier in the Iron Bowl. And let me tell you, I was super proud.
Alabama has struggled for years with kickers, and there have been many kickers before you who have missed field goals, and guess what? We still love them.
So Joseph, please keep your head held high. The TRUE Alabama fans love you and support you, and you don’t owe anyone an apology. Take what you learned from the Iron Bowl, and become better because of it.
Don’t let that missed field goal define you. You’re more than that.
Sincerely,
Hannah Stephens
