Fair Game

100-0

Is it fair? Is it right?

Covenant High School beat Dallas Academy one hundred to nothing. The Christian Covenant issued an apology, asked for the league to accept their forfeiture of the game, and then fired their Girls Basketball coach when he stood up for his team and stood his ground.

He had every right, he said, to run up the score to record breaking territory. They "played with heart", he said of his starters. They never gave up, never let down. Can he be blamed for the poor performance of the D.A.'s team and coach?

No. But while I was initially convinced that the reaction of Covenant High School was political correctness gone bad in the worst way, I've since gathered a little more information, and realized that, while I'm not ready to agree that he should have been fired, Covenant's Coach was wrong.

I'm a competitive guy. I believe in scoring early and scoring big. As a coach, parent and player, a healthy lead helps me relax. How healthy? Enough that, whatever the game may be, the momentum of the competition won't steal the game away from me. In football that's a minimum two-touchdown lead; in Little League Baseball with the 6 runs per inning mercy rule, I like to be up by seven or eight runs before I ease off on the heat.

There's something fundamentally unsettling about holding back. For many it smacks of point shaving and game throwing (dare I make the analogy between the Black Sox and current political headlines here?). Isn't it disrespectful to your opponent to adopt an attitude of "you're so bad, you need us to help you score"?

Well, yeah, it is. When you come to play, bring your A-game. A half-effort attitude is just as much poor sportsmanship as trash-talking and running up the score. I think it's interesting that no one is talking about firing the Dallas Academy coach who couldn't lead his girls to score one single bucket even after Covenant's starters retired to the bench. How is that possible? Has he totally failed in teaching the fundamentals of the game? Can there be any other explanation?

And yet what must it have been like to be the parent of one of the non-starters? I've been there. You hope your team gets ahead early so your child will finally see some quality game time. Up 55-0 at the half, and yet the bench was still full of cold players; when were they going to get to play?

From a coaching perspective, Covenant missed a great opportunity. How much stronger would there team be if they had a coach that would grasp opportunities to give his less experienced players more game time? Is not the improvement of the team more important than the record?

There's more to sports than humiliating your opponent; the elements of mutual respect and good sportsmanship are waining in too many arenas. Perhaps that's one of the reasons participation in Organized Youth Athletics is on the decline. Yes, there are winners and there are losers, but as this game has brought to our attention, that distinction is not based on score alone.

Should a business hold back when it starts to decimate the competition?

Well that's a complex question.

When a "big box" retailer moves into a growing community, the mom and pop stores may take a hit. If they're unable to offer something the national changes can't (superior customer service being the best choice), they're going to suffer, and maybe they should. But it's not good for either establishment to obliterate the other, one by taking advantage of price breaks and the other wielding the power of taxes and the local government. The coexistence, the competition, makes both of them better at what they do.

Or rather, it should make them both better if they can but grasp the spirit of competition. Monopolies aren't good for anyone, not even the one left standing. If my business has no competitors, what incentive will I have to be the best?

I'm not suggesting that you pull your best people when you start to win and win big, I am suggesting that you play fair. Become the best you can be by improving yourself, not by destroying everyone else.

You'll sleep better.

To quote a favorite sports movie: "Score, don't spite."

Pocket Protectors

No, not those plastic pen holders that keep the ink from ruining your new 50-50 Stafford Button Collar JC Penny dress shirt; I'm talking about those unsung heroes that make the difference between hoisting a trophy and crying in the locker room.

Yeah, we know names like:

Roethlisberger, Ward, Polamalu

and

Warner, Fitzgerald, James

Names worth noting for their excellence on Sunday, no doubt. We heard them because they touched the ball. But watch the highlight reels:


http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80e36f66

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80e3622b


All four teams had big plays in games that were a lot closer than the die-hard fans want to admit. How do big plays happen? How do long passes get made? How does McNabb hit Curtis in the third quarter? Why doesn't he connect with Jackson with only two minutes left? Who's creating and then protecting that pocket?


With respect to the Eagles and the Ravens, both of whom played excellent football, it all comes down to the Offensive Line. When you watch the clips you can see that when plays work its because the O-Line does a great job; when plays fall apart, its because the O-Line looks like Swiss cheese.

How many times do I have to say it? You can have the best Quarterback, the Best Running Backs and Receivers, but they won't make the highlight reel without a great Offensive Line.


So today let's acknowledge and give credit to names like:

Hartwig, Kemoeatu, Stapleton, Simmons, Colon, Capizzi, Essex, Hills, Parquet, Starks

Sendlein, Lutui, Wells, Brown, Gandy, Ketih, Vallejo, Pope

You wont find their names on the NFL.com Game Center site, no-one is reporting their stats, and that's a mistake. Without great performances by these guys, we'd be looking at a different match up in two weeks.


Who are the unsung heroes where you work? The down-in-the-mud, grind-it-out-every-day front line workers without whom you'd never be able to make the big plays?

You better acknowledge them, and acknowledge how much you need them, or next year they may be playing for someone else, racking up championship rings while you cry in the locker room.

Defense

What's the value of Defense?


Is it true that "Defense Wins Championships"?

Statistically it's not defense that wins championships. Teams that go into the big game with offensive momentum, that can score at will, typically come away the victor

At least that's how the arm-chair annalysts see it. As I've said many times, without a solid Offensive Line, the best Quarterback is worthless. Likewise, without a hard working defense limiting the opponent's offensive time, games won't be won.

Did you see the San Diego - Pittsburgh game?

At 10:25 in the 1st Quarter San Diego's Jammer showed perfect tacking - low, at the waist, hit-wrap-drive, forcing Rothlesburger's pass to Ward to be incomplete. Kids, if you play Defense, go back and watch that hit over and over again: that's how hitting is supposed to look.

In the third quarter Sproles amazing 63 yard return was negated on the next play, not because Rivers threw a bad pass, the pressure wasn't high, but the Steeler's defense had the presence of mind to tip the ball and snag the interception out of the air.

Shouldn't any professional football team be able to score on fourth and goal, only one yard out? Theoretically, but the Chargers defense prevented that score at the beginning of the fourth quarter, keeping their team's hopes alive.

We talk a lot during these economic times about having a good offense, going out, finding new clients, and making sales happen, that's good advice. But how about building a strong defense?

Do an internal audit; are your costs in line? Where can you save money? Are you carrying debt that you shouldn't?

When sales are slow, good defense can win championships.

The Will to Win

Michael Jordan had it.

As a Utah Jazz fan in the 1990's I had to endure that sinking pit of the stomach feeling when a playoff win would be stolen from me by MJ. The score would be tight, and my hopes high - could the Jazz win this one?

Then a timeout.

The camera would focus in on the Chicago Bulls' huddle, and then pan to the his face, and he'd have that look . . .

It was like something would click on in his head: Super Michael had decided he was going to win this game for the Bulls by himself.

At that point there was nothing the Jazz could do. Jordon would score at will. It was like he'd been playing with his shoes tied up to that point, but they were untied now and he was going to start playing like he meant it.

A few short minutes later, my playoff hopes dashed, and I'd be watching the game's greatest player smiling for the post-game interview, my gut filled with equal amounts of admiration, hate and envy.

Where does that gift come from, that will to win? That ability to re-focus, put the whole team on your shoulders, and carry them to victory?

Good-guy players will never confess that they do it all by themselves; they give credit to the team. - they should; we want our heroes to to be humble as well as awesome - but we know better. We know that not everyone has that magic, that gift.

Tim Tebow has it.

After the Gators' only loss this season he promised in the post-game press conference that he would be the hardest working player in college football this season, he was, and in tonight's win over the Sooners, it paid off.

But more than hard work, Tebow has determination; the Will to Win. Its a rare gift, one that will undoubtedly take him to the pro ranks should he choose that path.

How do we gain the Will to Win in our every day lives?

Like Tebow, it starts with an unfailing work ethic. No matter how bad the situation is, we don't quit. When things are going well, we keep working hard. When things are going bad, we work even harder.

The economy is not going well, your budget is tight, things aren't good with the kids or your spouse . . . now is not the time to quit; now is the time to work harder. Don't slide or run out of bounds; tuck the ball, put your head down and drive for every extra yard you can get.

Will yourself to victory.

The Next Level

You'll hear that buzz-phrase throughout the college bowl games: "the Next Level".



For a standout collegate athlete the question of lengthening their athletic career inevitably comes up. While the NCAA will be running commercials this bowl season pointing to the academic achievements of student athletes (as well they should), the commentators and fans will be talking about which stars are ready to go pro.

How and when a young athlete decides to make the jump is a lesson in "Supply and Demand Economics"; if no one is shopping for candidates in your position, better to stay in school; but for the guy who's in demand, it is a much better financial decission to enter the draft and finish school later.

I do admire those that are dedicated to finishing their scholastic careers, but with the possibility of injuries (particularly in football) and today's economic uncertainty, I say strike while the gridiron's hot!

San Francisco 49'er Steve Young finished his Law Degree in-between NFL seasons. While I'm sure that wasn't easy, the point is that it can be done. Don't enter college expecting to go pro, but don't pass up professional football money expecting to do well as a high school coach. Some opportunities don't knock twice, a pro career is one of those, a college education is not.

Those of us who will be safely left out of the draft this year can still think about going to "the next level". Whatever our chosen profession, regardless of our age or current qualifications, we can always improve our stature and standing by continuing our education long after we've graduated.

Get a new certification, learn that new system, read books written by experts in your field. The best way to keep your job secure is to become the Most Valuable Player on the team.