Coaches, if you’re like I was, sometimes on game day a thought hits you in the afternoon — after you’ve already answered a hundred questions and put out almost as many fires: “What is going to be my pregame speech tonight?”

This one has always been a favorite of mine. It’s simple, it’s to the point, and it gives your players a great call to action before they take the field.

There’s an old fable about a scorpion and a frog.

The scorpion asked the frog to carry him across a river. The frog hesitated: “I don’t trust you — you’ll sting me.”

The scorpion promised, “Why would I sting you? If I do, we’ll both drown.”

So the frog agreed. Halfway across the river, the scorpion stung him anyway. As they both sank, the frog asked, “Why did you do that? Now we’re both going to die.”

The scorpion replied: “I couldn’t help it. It’s in my nature.”

Now lay it out for them…

Why in the world you the frog allow the scorpion on it’s back? This would be like me picking up a hitch-hiker who was wearing a t-shirt that said, “I want to kill Coach ______” and was carrying a knife, a pistol and a rifle. “I promise I just need a ride...” I don’t think so! I’m not that stupid!

The frog should have known better as well! The frog knows the scorpion’s nature. All scorpions must do one thing - STING!

Sharks are eating machines...everyone of them
Lions are going to hunt, track and kill...all of them
Scorpions are the same way. All scorpions have this DNA to sting and kill. They can’t help it!

With a kind heart...” the fable says the frog gave the scorpion a ride. I genuinely believe the scorpion was telling the truth when he said he wouldn't sting the frog.

I firmly believe he didn't want to harm him. Nobody wants to die, but just like a defensive end left unblocked on a quarterback, he couldn't help himself. I've known players who played hard, but I've coached a few who I believe had it in their DNA. They were born for the game.

A scorpion must sting; it's in its nature! What is your nature? Are you a fierce competitor who can't help but play hard? "Is tying your shoes a trigger indicating that 'all hell is going to break loose'? Hear me out, we need to play intelligent, and disciplined. No one is worth a 15-yard penalty, but if we want to be the team everyone dreads playing against, we must have the DNA of a scorpion.

I don’t know what the team across the field thinks about us. I wonder if they think we are scorpions or just some species that won’t hurt them? It doesn’t matter because they are about to FIND OUT! When they talk about this game on the ride home, at Whataburger w/ their girlfriend or in at confessional because they can’t get it out of their head, will they talk about you? Will they say, “That #12 was a scorpion! That whole team just kept coming. Wow, I wish I could play on that team.

What are we about?

Are we only made for the good times, or do we have some scorpion DNA in us, ready to sting play after play tonight?

I can't wait to see our team's DNA on display. Let's have our best game of the season. Let's play tough, physical, relentless, smart ball. Why? Because we can't play any other way!

Go sting! We’ve trained to sting!

We’ve put in the work in the weight room, on the track, in meetings, we’ve trained our minds to have the DNA of champions. Go sting! You’ve been made into a scorpion. I’m looking at a bunch of scorpions who can’t do anything else but sting. Go sting!

Want more pregame motivationals like this? https://www.coachrandyjackson.com/the-blueprint-1-1