Randy’s Report: Final Column
I’m retired. Simply put, my spirit and love for the job are still willing and wanting to write sports and go full speed ahead, but my body is no longer able to answer the call.
When I came back in February of 2022, my goal was to work until May 29, 2026, 50 years to the day after I graduated from Gulf Breeze High.
More recently, I’ve hoped to make it to the end of the year before stepping away from the job I love. No matter how much I try to tell myself I can make it to the end of the year, my body disagrees.
I would hate to get hurt, or even worse have an athlete get hurt, because I can no longer protect myself. Its obvious God has another plan for my life at this time, and I can’t wait to see what it is.
I assure you it will have something to do with writing as that’s what God created me for. And it will be in East Tennessee.
The fact is, in the last nine years, every time I’ve built up time off and started looking for some time to rest, I’ve had to take the time for health issues. That’s not fair to my body or the people I’m working for.
I’ll forever be grateful to Sandi Kemp for giving me one last chance to live my dream of writing sports and to write in the community that has become more home to me than my hometown of Gulf Breeze. But if you think I’ll ever forsake my Dolphin roots, forget it. That doesn’t change the love I have for the Bulldogs, Gators and Hoboes.
I really thought I’d never write sports again, much less for the News Bulletin, after I was laid off by the previous ownership in 2016. The last 31 months have been the best of my career as I’ve worked for Sandi and with her team.
The two career paths I considered while growing up were some sort of Southern Baptist minister or writing sports. I thought I got the best end of the deal because I didn’t have to wear a suit to work. In traveling my career path, I’ve found you don’t have to be some sort of pastor to be a minister, and I’ve known that every follower of Jesus is called to share the Gospel along the way.
I would like it if you remembered me as a good writer, something I was never really supposed to be because of a learning disability. But I will have best served my purpose here if you saw Jesus in me and in some small way were challenged in your walk with Him or to come to faith in Him.
Years ago, I heard a paraphrase of the passage known as the Great Commission where just before Jesus went to Heaven after the Resurrection He left the Disciples with a final command. In the old version most church people know, Christ said, “Go into all the world and make disciples or teach all people.”
The paraphrase I heard in the summer of 1978, said, “Since you are going anyway (to be a plumber, teacher, doctor, car salesman or in my case sportswriter) be sure to share the Gospel every opportunity you get and add to the Kingdom.”
If you want to know more about Jesus, contact me at BigRandle@ymail.com.
In closing, I want to thank every one of you for your support through all my years writing sports in this area. I still find it amazing that a third string lineman from Gulf Breeze High School, who was blessed with a learning disability, can touch so many lives and in turned be touched by so many as well.
The motto at Crestview High School is, “Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.” I hope I can be considered always a Bulldog, Gator and Hobo.
It’s been a great ride. Thanks to everyone.