My phone rang at 9:12am this past Tuesday morning and I saw it was the son of a good friend calling. The initial joy I experienced upon seeing his name soon turned to curiosity. Did my friend’s son have an issue his dad suggested he run by me, or perhaps [...]
Let me start by saying I place a high value on a person’s character. However, unlike like many coaches and executives I have worked with, I also understand that it is not as determinative as it is often portrayed to be in the media or as much as most people [...]
Far too often, in all areas of life, I see people making the mistake of confusing the two as the same thing. Some may ask, what is the difference between character and reputation? I believe the great coach John Wooden differentiated between them best, when he said: “Be more concerned [...]
Following this past weekend’s NFC championship football game Seattle’s outstanding cornerback, Richard Sherman, let his emotions get the best of him in a post game interview. In short, he went off on a rant aimed at an opposing player. He was loud and forceful, but his rant was devoid of [...]
Let’s start with the similarities: both coach top national football programs. Both are known for their offensive mind. Both refuse to talk about player injuries. Both work for athletic directors that did not hire them. Both have big egos. Both have last names that start with the letter K followed [...]
I often talk about the importance of culture and character in building a team, whether it is in sports or in business. Despite overwhelming evidence that point to the importance of both of these factors in sustained success, very few teams and businesses pay little more than lip service to [...]
It has been said multiple times, by many different people, that it takes one set of skills to rise to the top of your field, but an entirely different set of skills to stay on top. As female soccer great Mia Hamm said, “It is more difficult to stay on [...]
Brad Stevens of Butler, Shaka Smart of Virginia Commonwealth and Chip Kelly of Oregon are arguably the three hottest coaches in major collegiate sports right now. Stevens lead Butler to the 2010 Championship final in basketball and Kelly led Oregon to the BCS Title game this year, where both teams [...]
With Barry Bonds’ perjury trial relating to his use of steroids at the front and center of this week’s news, I figured it would be a good time to wade into this problem. Successes that are earned through your own personal effort nourish your soul forever. While successes that are achieved [...]
I think it’s great that Cam Newton is planning on going through all the drills at the combine. I also think he has little to lose and a lot to gain in doing so. Make no mistake, Cam Newton is a physical beast and will likely shine this week at [...]