CONSEQUENCES


 * CONSEQUENCES**

Throughout the movie, it was evident that many of the actions would have strong consequences. Mostly, these consequences come from the mindset of the prejudice that was present in the 1960s and 1970s. Desegregation is the focus point of the movie and when decisions were made, they affected not only the team but the entire community. The consequences went far beyond the realm of the high school football team. When Boone was appointed to the position of football coach at T.C. Williams, it was obvious that HE would be the person who would bring the team to victory. He quickly became the ticket for success the team was looking for. From the moment he arrived, Boone had a vision for the team: to win the championship game. He always kept an objective view of how he should proceed. Coach Boone was a true leader, because he kept his team focused on the overall goal, while uniting them in the process. Boone constantly faced situations in the movie that challenged him, but whatever the stumbling block, he kept his focus on winning the championship.

Since there was so much racial prejudice in the town and around him, Boone needed to present a tough interior. He needed to prove that he was in charge despite what was going on around him. He could not control the racism, but he could control his team. He made incorrect judgments about Coach Yoast. Boone's vision to see that this team had potential and that Yoast was going to be an integral part of this, enabled him through time, to allow Yoast to be the best he could be. He gained the respect of Yoast throughout the movie and the bond that was created went beyond the boundaries of prejudice. This is another area where Boone showed he was a leader, because he didn't allow his "prejudice" to overshadow the focus of winning the championship. Boone's leadership was an example to be followed in all walks of society.

Boone's appointment caused a lot of uproar among the other coaches, His tyrannic style of breaking his team down seemed less than civil. There was tension between the two coaches that could have been racial, but there was more to that. Yoast lost his position to Boone and he became secondary. Over time even the coaches became a unit. Once that happened all prejudice was on the sideline. Because Yoast and Boone were model leaders they gained the respect of the team. The team was solid. Each man knew what was expected of them and the coaches too, were able to bring out the best in them.

The negative consequence seen in Boone's militaristic style, is the disdain from the team and the town people. People were talking and this could have turned into the dismissal of Boone. Boone didn't let the talk of the town affect what he did on the field. Instead of disrespect, he gained respect because the unification of the team brought them winning status. There were some that would sacrifice the success for the team to get rid of Coach Boone. The school board plotted against him and even had Yoast convinced that what Boone was doing was not acceptable. Yoast, who agreed to let the referees decide the game, finally came to his senses. Because of his ethical and moral values, Yoast gave up the trophy of being in the Hall of Fame. That decision solidified the team even more so and they went on to win the title.

A leader will always be subject to feedback. However, how he/she handles a situation will open the door for negative or positive consequences. The decisions a leader makes can make him or break him. The qualities of conviction of Boone demonstrated the power he had in the bigger picture of desegregation. This change was demonstrated in the movie in small scale, but in reality the whole town and the entire United States were in transition. A leader faces decisions all of the time and those decisions affect change. People will react to those changes negatively or positively. The consequences of those decisions will affect the leader's success. Remember the Titans showed how there could be great consequences for anyone who is working towards change. The positive consequences are long term when the goal is met. A leader's role is never easy, but when the ultimate goal is accomplished, there will be satisfaction, no matter what the sacrifices were.