Jack’s Blog

Win. 

It’s that simple.  Let’s look a few cases. 

Barack Obama has been in office for less than a month and already there are people criticizing his every move and strategy, mainly sore losers and partisans who are more interested in their own agenda than what’s good for the country.  I don’t claim to know much about politics. As a matter of fact, I admit to knowing next to nothing about it - except that it is derived from the Latin words, poli, meaning “many” and tics, meaning “blood sucking creatures.”  But I do strongly believe I know many times more than the average resident of this country does about what it takes to make a powerful, successful, winning team - and it’s not because I’ve always been associated with powerful, successful, winning teams, but because I’ve been part of some of those as well as some average, run-of-the-mill clubs and, more importantly, some big-time losing outfits. 

I’ve always considered myself a deeply focused observer of people and that trait, coupled with my diverse experiences, has enlightened me as to what it takes to assemble a winner.  And, if the president can improve the economic condition of this country, even a little, he’ll be hailed as one of the greatest presidents ever - especially if he helps enough people get back on their feet.  Throw in some type of closure regarding the Iraq War, he’ll be on the receiving end of yet more praise.  Give the country a greener future and we’ll have to find room on Mount Rushmore for a fifth honoree.

Jack Welch was a rotten SOB to many at, or no longer at General Electric, but he’s generally regarded as a winner for all he accomplished there.  There are still some who claim he received too much credit for GE, that it was the managers of individual segments of the company, in particular GE Capital and NBC, that was the reason for the turnaround of the parent company.  But the company, whether good or bad when he took control of it, flourished like never before after he assumed command.

In the field of sports leadership, some people doubted whether or not Mike Tomlin was a good coach.  The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the classiest organizations in all of professional sports, he was joining a club that was on cruise control, all he had to do was let “the team run itself.”  Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and, of course, the Rooney family had everything running in perfect order and all they needed was a caretaker.  Most “football people” thought, while the Steelers were a model organization, the job of coaching any professional football franchise took a special man to be successful.  After the Super Bowl, there was no longer a doubt of Mike Tomlin’s coaching ability.

One of the prominent defensive players on the club, linebacker James Farrior ( a veteran of 12 years in the NFL) made the statement, “We all understand that when you’re coming in as a new coach, you have to do it your way.  We didn’t like it sometimes, and it was tough sometimes, but it was something we had to deal with.”  Tomlin doesn’t deny for a minute imposing his will on the Steelers.

If there are people out there who think this type of leadership is a some kind of revelation, read the quote from Aeschylus, supposedly made around 478 B.C.:

“Every ruler is harsh whose rule is new.” Â

With the conclusion of, arguably, the most historic day in the 200+ years of the United States, it’s now time to get down to business - the business of repairing the psyche of the country.  The economy is at an all-time low (as far as the living are concerned), so abysmal that, although I haven’t conducted a formal poll, there’s no one I know nor have spoken with, who hasn’t taken a severe (up to 40%, for some even more of their net worth) hit.  That’s not to say everyone I know is suffering financially, in fact, some are even flourishing, but more people than not - a whole lot more people than not - are hurtin’  - and hurtin’ real bad. 

Next (and I say “next” only because everything pales in comparison to the economy) we have the situations (wars) in Irag and Afghanistan.  Should we stay, leave, or intensify our efforts?  On this topic, few people are ambivalent.  Some feel war is an inhuman act and should be avoided at all costs; others have a more practical understanding of history, i.e. that occasionally war is a necssary evil and in the cases of these two wars, our presence is not only vital, but we’re accomplishing what we set out to do.

September 11 will never be erased from anyone’s mind who lived through it and what the administration is doing to protect us here at home is also of paramount importance to this new regime, so add that time worthy topic to the discussion.

Since my career has been in the field of education, I would hope, rather than the lip service education’s been receiving for(ever) so many years, that now would be a time, although, naturally, money is scarce, to give actual assistance to the world of education.  I’ve heard, mainly from my friends in business that “The Business of America is Business.”  Well, considering the mess we’re in now, due, granted to a small minority of sleazebag businessmen (led by Bernie “A Billion Isn’t Enough, I Need Fifty” Madoff), that slogan can be amended to “The Downfall of America is Business.”

By helping education, it would be wise to have people pass laws only after hearing from those who have actually spent time teaching in a classroom.  This would eliminate the Pollyanna-ish, and completely unrealistic, No Child Left Behind Act.  As a dedicated, lifelong teacher I know said, “We don’t leave anyone behind.  Some just choose to stay.”  Spoken like a person who’s been in the “battlefield.”  While I’m on the subject of absolute absurdities, let me touch on the latest plan destined to fail - that of forcing every student to complete Algebra I in the eighth grade.  I’ve taught Algebra I in the ninth grade for nine years (two of them from 1970-72 and the remaining seven from 2002-2009).  There were ninth graders who couldn’t handle the subject matter then and there are ninth graders who can’t handle it now.  Whoever came up with this idea must be in administration because it has administrator written all over it.  If once these coffee drinking, non-teaching bureaucrats would spend one hour trying to teach a freshman Algebra I class, this proposal would be scrapped as quickly as requiring restaurants to reverse their no smoking policy.  Unless and until Ron Clark and Jaime Escalante are ready to teach every eighth grade Algebra I class in the nation, throw this plan in the garbage and talk about more important educational necessities - like anything.  

Something the U.S. is not lacking is a plethora of brilliant minds - in all of the problem areas mentioned above.  It does seem as though President Obama has surrounded himself with an impressive mastermind group of people with wisdom, and while their intelligence is unquestioned, let’s hope their imagination is in as abundant supply because as Albert Einstein once said:

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Memory is past.  It is finite.  Vision is future.  It is infinite.”

Now that it’s over, think of what the people in this country expect from Barack Obama.

In no particular order - the families with children in the military, as well as all those who oppose the war in Iraq (or any war), will be wondering when this conflict will finally end and their loved ones return.  President-elect Obama has to balance his campaign promise of ending the war swiftly with not being known as a president who lost a war (although in today’s world, it’s difficult if not impossible to quantify who won and who lost - unless you’re a spin master - because the white flags and unconditional surrenders have gone the way of the buffalo).

People without jobs and those who’ve lost their homes are looking for their lives to improve and not by a 90% mark nation-wide.  They’re looking for a 100% mark in their own situation, independent of any city, state or national stats.

How about the economy?  How’s the new prez going to influence that which depressed - financially and emotionally - the majority of our society?  How much power can one man exert?  The less than $250,000, er, $175,000, or was it $150,000/year club is looking forward the tax break.  Take it from one of them.  Wait, say the “rich folks,” until he gets into office and finds out who really runs this country.  He’s dealt with lobbyists?  Get ready to deal a whole lot more of them - up close and personal.

When the future president spoke to farmers, they came away supporters.  Ditto for (most of) the unions.  It’s just the nature of political campaigning.  On many occasions, the message isn’t what is discussed as much as what the “crowd-of-the-moment” wants to hear.

Have I mentioned the African-American community yet?  All those tears of joy.  You think it was just because a black man finally got elected as President of the United States of America?  Or do you think that part of the country expects to see some change - drastic and long overdue - and they’re not about to wait until his second term in office (more like his second day).

Bill Cosby once said, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everybody.”  Coz is a funny man - and a wise one.

How about we all give the man a chance and realize he can’t be all things to all people, that he’s human and as one, will err along the way.  After all, over half the country voted for him.  So why not come together - unite, that’s as good a description as any - and lift the country and each other to where the U.S. used to - and ought to - be.  Is it possible?  From someone who spent a good part of his career as a member of some kind of team, we’ll need to put aside personal agendas and understand there will be some bumps in the road, or as William Magee put it:

“The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.” Â

A couple days ago, I stated in a blog that I’d withhold judgment on a case out of lack of complete knowledge of the situation.  Without a doubt, I believe that’s the best policy to take, especially after listening to talk radio and laughing at how people have no problem “speaking out of ignorance.”

The one thing that I can’t seem to come to grips with is the War in Iraq.  Possibly it’s because I have two teenage sons, possibly it’s because the school in which I work, Buchanan (Clovis, CA) High School has had three of its former students pay the ultimate price for this war, possibly it’s because my generation fought in the Vietnam War (present company excluded), but I have a difficult time with 1) the absolute lack of progress made (as an athlete, coach and competitor, is it winnable, i.e. are we sending good men and women over there for a specific reason or just to mainatin our presence?), 2) the exhorbitant cost (at a time there appear to be other, better uses for all that money) and 3) what it’s done to our country (I can vividly remember the “hawks” and “doves” from the ’70s and have a distinct feeling the split’s worse now).

With the admittedly little knowledge I have of this war, what got me to thinking (even more) about it was a quote I read from a former hero of mine (and this is coming from a registered independent), Harry S Truman, who said:

“There is nothing more foolish than to think that war can be stopped by war.  You don’t ‘prevent’ anything by war except peace.”