A Modern Translation of Coach Tomlin's speech

By PaVaSteeler  @PaVaSteeler on Aug 5 2012, 12:37a 2

Previously I posted a Fan Post entitled: Coach Tomlin’s Training Camp Speech. It occurred to me that I posted it without any context, nor did I take into consideration my audience's possible lack of familiarity with Elizabethen english used by Shakespeare, nor the St. Crispin's Day Speech from his play, Henry V.

Two Minute Synopsis: King Henry V of England, fighting the French at the Battle of Agincourt, on Friday, October 25, 1415 (St. Crispin's Day) during the 100 Year War, and losing (there's a switch, the French winning a battle), rallies his vastly outnumbered troops with a speech decrying the overwhelming odds, and promising any survivor of the battle eternal fame and glory.

The British, utilizing their famous longbows defeat the French (surprise there!) and the 100 year war wages on.

The speech is one of the most rousing passages Shakespeare wrote. Here's a link to Kenneth Branagh's film adaption of Henry V; as the poster of this clip states: "Blows away the Braveheart battle speech". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM

I could not help but compare the emotion the speech incites to Coach Tomlin's ability to motivate and push to greatness both the young bucks, and the old vets who make up the Steelers.

To aid in understanding the language in the original (modified to fit the Steeler theme obviously), I've (liberally) translated it using quotes and comments Tomlin has made since becoming Head Coach.

How to Read it: Each passage under the column titled "Original" has next to it under the "Modern Translation" quotes from Mike Tomlin as a "translation". I've put end notes with links to the sources from where I found Tomlin's various quotes.

Hope you enjoy it, in either format. I did this to burn off some of the pent up energy that all this training camp talk has filled me with; it was either this or spaz out waiting for the season to begin!