Jack’s Blog

Without stereotyping anyone, Michael Crabtree was put on this earth to be a wide receiver in the game of football.  That’s not an insult, as in “That’s all he’s good for - or at” - it’s a compliment.  It’s saying that, of all the people in this world, there are only a handful in the class of Michael Crabtree when it comes to catching footballs.

In fact, that was the feeling of the experts - those in the NFL - who get to select players based on their ability.  Of the hundreds of players drafted in the past year’s NFL draft, Michael Crabtree was the tenth (10th) player chosen.  Yet, he’s not doing the job he is meant to do.

Why not?  Because he’s taking a stand, drawing a line in the sand, saying, that he’s not being offered what he thinks he’s worth (and how, exactly, would he know what that is, except for other people telling him)?  This is all because a guy named B.J. Raji, who happens to be a defensive tackle, was selected ninth (9th) and signed - and by all indications, was elated to do so - for five years and a total of $28.5 million, with $18M of that guaranteed.  Party time!

That’s not the feeling in the Crabtree camp.  Granted, going into the draft, Crabtree was projected to go higher, but the demand he’s making (actually, no player ever demands anything, it’s their agent or advisor or consigliore or take your pick of what you want to call the kid’s mouthpiece) is that he needs, deserves and will refuse to play unless he gets, more than Raji.  What, did they have a bet - and Crabtree’s a sore loser?  If he were drafted 9th and Raji 10th, do you think Raji would be holding out?  And if he did, do you think Crabtree would be behind him - or consider him a chump?

It was reported the San Francisco 49ers, the team who drafted the wideout (and by now, undoubtedly, is wondering how they missed this character flaw in the personal interview they had with the wideout) offered to pay him as much as one dollar less than the Packers were paying Raji.  And (someone other than) Crabtree turned them down!  I’m not sure what he’s paying agent Eugene Parker or “marketer” Mike Ornstein, but this is some really, really bad, expensive advice.  Each of those guys are representing other players.  Crabtree’s not only not getting paid, he’s not doing what he does best - and, worse yet, not doing what he loves to do!  This situation is sadder than sad.     

Mike Ornstein made the quote that Crabtree doesn’t really need to play this year because he (Ornstein) got him $750,000 in endorsements.  Wait, Crabtree is financially OK because he has 3/4 of a mil.  I’m sure Subway execs, one of his endorsements, are absolutely gloating about the coup they scored by signing a guy whose reputation is that of a selfish bastard who, in a time of 10%+ and rising national unemployment spurned an offer of upwards of $5+million per year!  Nothing like seeing a greedy SOB that makes you want to go out and buy a $5 footlong.

But, let’s also get something straight.  Ornstein says Crabtree is doing fine because $750,000 is plenty of money to live on, but $28 million isn’t enough?  My guess is Crabtree didn’t major in logic at Texas Tech - or finance - or common sense!  Ornstein also made the quote, “We are not able to do much marketing for him right now because he is not playing.”  Wow, that sage counsel is certainly worth whatever percent Crabtree is paying him.  It’s amazing that somebody who thinks like that is being paid at all - by a kid who, if he was like any other youngster in the country, grew up dreaming of making great, game winning catches playing on TV for a pro football franchise.  And now he is refusing to do it.

He has been fed the line he is being undervalued.  The guy who’s really being undervalued is the one who has a set of skills, albeit a different type, but isn’t being given the chance to display them because the economy is such that he just got laid off or, as the 21st century term that’s become so popular, downsized.

How about signing, playing, and then, proving how much you’re worth?  Take the mere pittance the Niners are offering and help them win some games!  It’s not like anybody expects you to become the greatest receiver in the team’s history.  Do that and there won’t be enough money to pay you.  As of now, all you’re doing is upsetting your coach, Mike Singletary - and, here’s some good, free and unsolicited advice.  That’s a bad idea. 

Michael Crabtree, you’re doing possible (probable) irreparable harm to your legacy (which, as of now, is non-existent).  I mean, what are you going to do - take a year off and do whatever it is you do next best to catching footballs?  Which is . . . ?

As Mark Twain once said:

“Good judgment comes from experience, which comes from, . . . bad judgment.”

The cynics have already been popping off about how foolish both Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow are for not turning pro after last season.  “Look,” they said, injecting their personal paradigms into the lives of two guys they don’t know from Adam’s house cat.  “They each won a Heisman, the sport’s highest individual honor, and Tebow has been part of two National Championship teams.  Now was the time for them to look out for themselves and their families.  Football is a game where they could easily get hurt - and, sure enough -they did!  Now they may wind up throwing away millions of dollars and lifetime financial security just because they decided to return to play college football.”

I’m not sure either Bradford nor Tebow knew the people making these statements, but my guess is, even if they did, they wouldn’t have been swayed by those arguments.  Do these people really believe the guys haven’t taken all that into consideration?  That they don’t have advisors - from the coaches (who’ve been through things like this many times over) to family members they trust to (certainly in Tebow’s case) clergy to others in their lives whose opinions they admire?

Sure, by not entering last year’s NFL draft, they left millions on the table - although with the not-so-forward-thinking NFL “leaders” - I’m sure there were doubts that what Tebow brought to the table just wouldn’t work in their league.  Kinda like the guys who said there was no way a sprinter like Bob Hayes could ever play professional football, that being a receiver was more than just being fast.  Or Doug Flutie could never play in the NFL at his size. 

Bottom line” the guys knew the risk of injury if they decided to return to college.  But, maybe they didn’t feel they were ready to play professional football and another year in college would help them get better prepared.  Or maybe they just liked college - and everything that went with it - and didn’t want to leave yet.  Maybe they didn’t feel comfortable leaving just yet.  No one knows unless they occupied the body of each.

Something is to be said for their loyalty - especially if it turns out they lost out on NFL riches.  In Tebow’s case, there are many other variables that have to be considered.  His faith, his world’s work (to this point) in service to others might be more important to him than megabucks (and megapressure and megatemptations).  No doubt, if they don’t make it in the League, there will be deep regrets - but mostly by others beside Tebow and Bradford.

English author Brittany Renee has a quote that captures this situation better than any other:

“I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and wondering what life had been like if  I’d just been myself.” 

Prior to the Iowa-Penn State football game last Saturday, a member of the media asked Penn State head coach Joe Paterno if his team was looking at the contest as a “revenge game” since the Hawkeyes defeating them last year effectively put an end to any chances the Nittany Lions had on winning a National Championship.

JoePa’s response was typical of an 82-year-old head football coach of a Big 10 team.  By the way, shouldn’t the conference be referred to as the Big 11 when a question is asked to someone from Penn State?  He said that he didn’t even know what a revenge game was.

Revenge, or retaliation, is way too difficult to extract over as long a period as a football game.  I mean, what do the guys do - mention it on every play?  “Hey guys, remember, we want revenge!”  If so, what do you do when the opponent does something positive on a play, which, over the course of a 60-minute game is bound to happen?  Say they rip off a 12-yard run or complete a pass for a first down against your defense or your offense gets stuffed on a rushing attempt.  Wouldn’t that be deflating after the “revenge” remark?

There are so many plays in a game that a true revenge victory would occur only when the team seeking revenge realizes success early, e.g. a kickoff return for a touchdown, or a “pick-6″ on the game’s first play from scrimmage, or an 8-play, 80-yard sustained drive for a score where the offense methodically moved downfield on every play.  Then, another score followed and then, more of the same.  After that, the snowball gets bigger and bigger.  OR, a tie game with two minutes to go and the mention of “revenge” gets the guys to find another gear and dominate the final two minutes to pull out a victory.

Otherwise, revenge is something that needs to be done immediately - like a pitcher-batter confrontation where the revenge-seeker either strikes the batter out on three pitches or the batter jacks one about 450′.  Or maybe a boxing match, in which one fighter either KO’s his opponent in the first 30 seconds or pummels him for 12 straight rounds, winning them all on every judge’s scorecard.  In other words, revenge is like a Mafia hit (so I’ve been led to believe by Mario Puzo or film writers and directors in Hollywood), a quick strike, or an agonizing beat-down.  Not a three hour football game.

The fact that Iowa beat Penn State once again made the kids who play for PS - or JP - (because don’t think for a minute that those kids selected Penn State for the luxury of living in northeastern PA alone) feel awful.  How many more times can they try for revenge for their leader who can’t go on that much longer?

As always, Paterno put it into perspective by following up the media member’s question by saying that it was another football game and that in and of itself should be enough motivation for a player to strap on his helmet.  Although never one to be compared to Gandhi, JoePa would probably would agree with the Mahatma’s quote reagding revenge:

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Â

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has been known to go on an occasional rant.  Some people feel his attitude is what led a group of good players, but not considerably better than their competition, to a World Series Championship in 2005, sweeping the Houston Astros in four games (which, by the way, brought to an end an 88-year drought for the Pale Hose organization).  Others feel his bluntness is admirable but shouldn’t be done through the media, while still others wonder how anyone playing for him could respect someone who goes off so often.

That last type of individual is definitely not someone who ought to consider becoming a member of the White Sox.  People who can put aside the anger - and all the bleeps, should you be listening on television or radio - and listen to Guillen’s content are privy to leadership wisdom as good as you could get from a combination of John Maxwell, Warren Bennis, Stephen Covey and Jack Welch.  A sample of Ozzie’s latest pet peeve: “I don’t mind losing games; that’s part of the business.  But when you’re losing games and you don’t care, then we got problems.” 

What set the Sox’s skipper off was seeing his guys, prior to a major league game that was to take place later that day, watching college football as a means of “preparing” themselves to give their best effort and win a baseball game (what they’re paid to do).  Left unsaid, but what one can easily read between the lines (or hear between the vulgarities), is these professional baseball players, making monopoly type salaries, watching the gridiron games like an average fan would, i.e. whoopin’ and hollerin’ when their favorite team makes big plays or yelling at the men in striped shirts when a call goes against their “favorite” team.  My guess is Ozzie feels as though the White Sox ought to be their favorite team - especially on game day!

Guillen also made mention of watching college football players who “don’t (care) about you,” a less than thinly veiled attempt at telling his guys that you ought to be the guys you care about.  The way I interpretted his lecture is that, even though it was the end of  the baseball season, with eight games to go, that since the ballplayers expected to get paid - and quite handsomely at that - he expected them to put forth the effort, i.e. act like the professionals they’re supposed to be.

He spoke of having pride in what you do and the approach a player should take toward his trade.  The passion bursts through when Ozzie Guillen speaks and if the players would take their jobs as seriously as he does his, there would be no need to wait another 88 years before a banner flew high on the north side of Chicago.  Ozzie’s true feelings may parallel those of Benjamin Zucker, who said:

“To hear, you have to listen.  To listen, you have to respect.  To respect, you have to care.”

As I noted in yesterday’s blog, Buchanan, ranked #1 in Central California, hosted Bakersfield, ranked #3, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis, CA.  Football’s big around these parts - not as big as some places in the country, but an event many folks anticipate nonetheless.

The game didn’t disappoint.  Buchanan struck right away after Bakersfield fumbled on their first possession.  The Drillers came back and scored three straight TD’s, going ahead 21-7.  Then, the flood gates opened.  Buchanan scored 35 unanswered points!  When people go to games (those who actually watch it), they want to be entertained. 

Although my old football coach used to say that when you put the ball in the air, three things can happen and two of them are bad, Buchanan’s offense doesn’t let that adage bother them.  Their philosophy is to establish the passing game to set up the run.  It worked perfectly, which was not only good for their game plan, but terrific for fans.  At Buchanan, you’d better pay attention because if you take your eyes off the action, you might miss big plays - on either side.

The way the Buchanan offense is designed is a fan’s dream.  As a matter of fact, someone made a comment to me that made me realize this bunch of kids play like they’re trying to defy what Carrie Fisher said:

“Instant gratification takes too long.”  Â

Tonight is a HUGE football game in the Central Valley of California, pitting #1 Buchanan (the school where I teach) and #3 Bakersfield (a perennial power) - at Buchanan.  It’s a Division I tilt (big schools) and should be truly entertaining, given the offensive philosophies of both schools.

Our younger son, Alex, a sophomore basketball player (who would love to play football - an idea squashed by his mother and, grudgingly, but wisely, seconded by me) came home yesterday and said how he and a group of his friends, in order to get into the spirit, decided to start something that hasn’t been done at Buchanan (at least not to my knowledge).

His idea?  Organize a tailgate.  Not exactly on the cutting edge of innovative thoughts, especially since hometown Fresno State is well-known for its tradition of tailgating parties prior to each Bulldog home game.  Still, it’s something that has caused quite a stir among the students of Bear Nation.  Tailgating on the high school level is not new if you live in Texas, but for Central Cali, where the game is more of a social event for the students (trust me, I’ve had many a football duty where I had to tell several kids it was time to go home because the game was over - a fact they not only weren’t aware of, but didn’t seem to understand why it meant the end of the evening).

When Alex told me how exciting a game it was going to be, how the atmosphere was going to be electric and how he couldn’t wait to watch his classmates on the football team (many of whom double up as basketball players), I waxed nostalgic for a minute or so.

My high school football teams lost a total of two games in my three years on the varsity, which was nothing remarkable since, at Highland Park (NJ) HS, that was pretty much the standard.  HPHS had set the bar quite high (although we were a small high school, we played everybody, big and small, from Central Jersey).  Back then, it was unheard of for prep football teams from neighboring states to compete, much less fly cross country for a televised gridiron matchup.  Thinking back, that would have been a blast!

Game days were time for total focus.  One difference was that our game day was Saturday, while in today’s high school football world, Friday night is sacred - so, all day in school, the guys are wearing their jerseys (this goes for freshmen and JV teams as well) and, while going to class might make it more difficult to think only football, it definitely gets guys juiced up.  Teachers and staff are wishing them good luck, girls (or even some players’ best male friends) are wearing their road jerseys to school (for home games & vica versa for road games) and the fight song’s being played over the P.A.  It tends to bring out the best in a real competitor.

An explanation is probably in order for why Alex, a kid with good size (6′2 1/2″, 190) and decent athletic ability is not playing football - especially when his father is a vocal advocate of high schoolers playing multiple sports.  Here’s the story: from my wife’s standpoint, there’s no debate.  Her dad (from Texas, no less) was a good football player, but an even better coach, having won championships at the high school level in Nashville, TN.  During the last several years of his life, he’d developed such bad arthritis, is was painful to watch him attempt to get up from our sofa.  That sight never left her mind.

Then she thinks of the clown she married - who played high school ball and even a little college football - and how we were sitting in a surgeon’s office two weeks after we got married, listening to him explain how it was necessary to remove the disk at C/5-6 to avoid potential paralysis.  The doctor’s first question to me was, “Were you ever in a car accident?”  After I said no, his next one had to do with playing football.  This was the first of eight, count ‘em, 8, back surgeries that she attributed, fairly or not, to the sport people are now calling America’s favorite.

She is, by no means, anti-football.  Not as a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a loyal Vol fan for over 40 years.  But then, things hit close to home - like our first son, Andy, who couldn’t wait to go out for football when it was allowed in fifth grade.  Jane shared her concerns with our family doctor (who happens to be one of the team doctors for Fresno State - and, once upon a time, was a sterling quarterback for the Bulldogs during his intercollegiate years).  His advice was to let Andy play - until high school - when the mandatory weight limit was dropped.  Jane relented (I have to admit, I was pressuring her as well since I knew how much it meant to our son - and most any kid at that age) and Andy’s career began. 

They were big winners in fifth and sixth grades and then it was on to junior high, where the seven feeder elementary schools came together and being a member of the football squad rose in stature.  Until one day, during a shoulder-to-shoulder blocking drill, Andy said his shoulder started to hurt.  Being a trooper - and hearing all the stories of “true football players scoff at minor injuries” - he continued the drill and finished practice.  Result: separated shoulder, operation the next week, end of football career for Andy - and Alex (who did play in fifth grade, but not sixth because the weight limit was 121 pounds in pads and Alex just missed it, tipping the scales at 143).

For my part, I think kids should play all sports (I played football, basketball and baseball in high school), but I also feel that if a kid has a chance to be a college player in a sport, the way of today’s world is that he probably should devote all twelve months to his specialty - to give himself a chance.  This doesn’t mean that Alex doesn’t still get into the football spirit.  He’s told me more than once how much he would like to play football (as well as ther sports).  So far, I think my plan is working out, but only time will tell.  Maybe he’ll wind up with regrets, maybe with a full scholarship.  Who knows, maybe both.

In the meantime, he’s organizing a giant tailgate before the Bears-Drillers contest that may become a tradition at BHS.  If playing’s not an option, partying is not a bad back up.  As far as whether Alex’s idea regarding tailgating will fly, it’s like Benjamin Disraeli’s said:

“Every production of genius must be the production of enthusiasm.” 

It looks like there’s going to be a work stoppage by NBA referees at the beginning of this season, and how long it lasts is anyone’s guess right now.  The NBA (and the rest of professional sports) are just now finding out what the rest of us knew a long time ago - from a financial standpoint, times are worse then we’ve ever known them (unless, perhaps, you’re old enough to remember the Great Depression). 

A couple major points of contention are that the NBA wants to reduce pension benefits and travel costs are to be cut back.  The pension ordeal is a scary proposition for anyone who has is counting on a pension (and the closer a person is to retirement, the more frightening any reductions are - take it from someone who hopes to retire in three years) while the travel costs issue is upsetting to the men in black & white, quite possibly because the NBA just raised the per idem from $104 to $113.  That one would be tough to handle for most anyone, as the message the league is sending is that the players (and even its coaches and other travel personnel, the overwhelming majority of whom are pulling down between six-seven figures/year - yeah, seven figures, as in millions of dollars per year) can’t get by on only $104 a day for meals!  Even if Michael Phelps ate every one of his (countless daily) meals at a restaurant, he wouldn’t spend that much in a day.

The referees have thankless jobs.  The highest compliment they can receive is if, at the end of the game, no one knew who the refs were.  Every close call upsets one team or the other - sometimes both, as whiny as some coaches are.  A letter written by Julie Davis, wife of NBA official Marc Davis, explained how much more time away from home referees spend than even the players do, noting that referees don’t have what would amount to “home” games, as the players do for half the contests in which they perform.

The referees main problem is the perception the general public has of them - compared to their own problems.  They get to travel (although commercial), get per diem (many working people are unaware of that concept) and, admittedly, get to do a job they love.  Bottom line: people perceive the officials’ problems as significantly less strenuous or severe than those they’re dealing with on an everyday basis.  Not getting treated fairly by your employer?  Hey, get in line. 

I think the general feeling of the public is - you have a job and are getting paid reasonably well.  Maybe not nearly as well as those you officiate, but better than many who watch you work.  And, besides, when we go to the arena or turn on the television set to watch a game, it’s those guys we’re interested in, not you.  Actually, the less we see of you, the better.

Honestly, I can empathize with them - and I think there are many fans (and maybe even non-fans out there) out there who do as well.  What’s holding back the general public from jumping on their bandwagon and strongly supporting their cause?

“The key to life is . . . timing.”

Today’s entry is one that explains how to be an effective in one of the most difficult leadership jobs in the country - that of an NFL quarterback.  After listening to the likes of Jay Cutler, we get a lesson in how to make football’s hardest position in which to excel, infinitely harder.  Complaining about anything distances a player from his teammates - especially the ones he needs to be closest to and command the respect of - the offensive lineman.

There are stories of a quarterbacks taking their offensive linemen to dinner at swanky restaurants and picking up the tab.  Sure, the QB makes boatloads of cash but have you ever seen what those “hogs” can eat?  Buying each one of their “O” linemen a Rolex (and not one of those knock-offs, either) can be expensive but, in case you haven’t heard, health insurance is quite costly these days - and a motivated offensive line can do wonders to increase the life expectancy, not to mention the job performance, of a quarterback.

All the tangible gifts aside, what must be at the forefront of every signal caller’s mind is a rule that was adopted about ten or so years ago that negatively affected his “boys up front.”  Apparently, the NFL decided it was time to hold all their players who weren’t playing by the rules accountable.   No, it had nothing to do with steroids or HGH.  This rule requires referees to, not only announce penalties, but to single out to the viewing audience, both at the game, and to the millions of fans watching at home or in sports bars, exactly which player committed the infraction.  This gave the offensive linemen, or as the legendary Keith Jackson refers to them, “The Big Uglies” (I’m sure, endearing Keith to the hearts of their moms) some publicity - and if there’s one thing that “O” linemen don’t want, it’s publiciity.

As if it’s not a thankless enough job, offensive linemen now have another goal to strive for, i.e. going through an entire game without getting their name mentioned.  So, to hear a quarterback complain about anything, especially lack of time to throw,  is not exactly going to strengthen the QB/O-line bond.

That’s why it was so impressive to hear Ben Roethlisberger, when questioned about how many times he’s been sacked, say it was his fault for holding the ball too long, waiting for the play to develop.  The word “sack” has a negative connotation for an offense and fans, since they’re not particularly educated (but think they are), immediately pin the blame on the guys who are supposed to allow the quarterback as much time as he needs to make the play. 

Big Ben spoke of his days in college days at Miami (not the “U” but the one that has an (O) after it) and how he was told he needed to get rid of the ball sooner, even if it meant “just throwing it away.”  He said he tried that strategy (although, admittedly not too long), but it just wasn’t in his nature.  If it meant he was going to take more hits, so be it.  He had the size (6′5″, 240) to absorb a hit if by taking it, a seemingly lost play could turn into a big gainer.

Most impressively of all was Roethlisberger publicly apologized to his linemen for making them look bad because he knew the average fan, once hearing the sack figures, would be critical of the “O” line - and “It wasn’t their fault; it was mine!”  Forget Rolexes and dinners - that statement alone created such loyalty toward their leader that Pittsburgh’s offensive line takes ownership for their leader’s safety and well-being.  Besides, a ring beats a watch anyday as the preferred choice of jewelry for an NFL player - especially for those whose only goal is anonymity.

Lenny Wilkens won a lot of basketball games - as a player and a coach.  After hearing the Steelers’ QB apology, he might have put him on one of his NBA teams, since Lenny is the one who once said:

“The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability.  You’ve got to be accountable for who you are.  It’s too easy to blame things on someone else.”

Lane Kiffin’s remarks about singing “Rocky Top,” (Tennessee’s unofficial fight song), “all night long after we beat Florida next year” were so blatantly calculated it would take a complete fool (or a diehard fan of either side) not to see through them.  Then, there’s the Vols coach’s comment about Urban Meyer having to resort to cheating to land prized wideout Nu’Keese Richardson (who wound up reneging on a previous commitment to the Gators, spurning UF to play for the Volunteers).  The “cheating” charge turned out to be untrue and Kiffin apologized for the attack - but he did get Richardson.

But do you think, for one Big Orange second, Lane Kiffin was sincere in apologizing about anything?  Well, you might ask, why would Kiffin make such outlandish statements?  Having lived in Knoxville and worked at UT for seven years (1980-87), I can tell you exactly why.  It’s been said football is a religion in Knoxville, TN.  I’m going on record right now as telling you that’s absolute rubbish.  Football at the Univerity of Tennessee is waaaaaay more important than religion there.  Heck, in Knoxville, heathens don’t give a flip about religion, but don’t let them catch you making a negative comment about Tennessee football!

Lane Kiffin was brought in to revive UT football.  It hadn’t been pronounced dead, but it might as well have been.  Since they won the 1998 National Championship, the Vols had not only fallen on hard times, its program had suffered a fate much worse - they were no longer a player in the national scene.  No longer was UT football mentioned when the media and talking heads discussed National Championship contenders.  They had simply become the Nebraska of the South.  A change in coaches was deemed necessary - by the administration and the fans - but more than that, a defibrillator was needed to shock life back into the Big Orange program.  Things were that bleak.  

Enter Lane Kiffin and his brash ways.  That’s brash - with a capital B, . . . and a capital R, A, S, H.  His comments were certainly part of his overall plan.  To pull that off, first of all, a coach needs the personality of Lane Kiffin: ultra-confident, heavy on the cocky side, a “not-only-do-I-not-care-if-you-like-me-I-don’t-even-care-if-you-respect-me” attitude - because either he’s going to win BIG, at which time, he still won’t care whether or not you like nor respect him, or he’s not going to win big enough - in which case, like and respect are way down the list of things he’ll have to worry about.

A guy like Lane Kiffin, not only has to be able to stand up to inflammatory statements like those he made (knowing there’s a good chance he could have to eat his words), but has to know that the bad times are going to be short-lived.  And the reason he knows that in twofold: he knows he and his staff will outrecruit their opponents (because, when the rubber hits the road the cleats hit the turf - or grass - or whatever hybrid mix they’re using today, winning and losing is about players) and he’s confident he has assembled a staff that will maximize its talent better than opposing staffs will be able to do.

So, while he downplayed the remarks in the days leading up to the game, he did wind up with the last laugh (yeah, even though he didn’t win) because a) he was right - all the pressure was taken off the players and put on him, freeing the players to just play - and play better than expected, b) everybody and their cousin (twice removed) was saying the Gators were going to name the score on the visitors, yet the game was a lot closer than anybody thought and c) Gators coach Urban Meyer claimed the Vols were trying to keep the game close (as opposed to trying to win it) and that several of his guys were playing with the flu, seemingly apologizing to Gator Nation for not delievring to the fans what they so desperately longed for.

Naturally, Kiffin couldn’t resist, after hearing those explanations, another jab: “I guess I’ll wait and after we’re not excited about a performance, we’ll tell you we’re sick.”  Why would he keep on - after a loss?  Because Florida’s the number one team in the nation and, even after the game is over, Tennessee is still getting national publicity and finding itself in the conversation with the team everyone thinks will win it all.  The Vols are a national player again.  Mission accomplished.

Don’t get me wrong.  I still think Kiffin’s an ass.  People who act like that have never run in my circles.  More a comfort factor than anything else.  The thing I wonder is, “Why would his father allow him to act like that?”  Would you let your kids behave in such a boorish manner.  His dad is recognized as a defensive genius and, after the game plan they threw at Tim Tebow, keeping him from throwing a TD pass for the first time in 30 games and keeping the score close, genius might be as good a description as any.  Even if the Vols did have a conservative game plan on offense, when the Gators had the ball, the UT “D” still had to meet the challenge of stopping the Florida “O” - and they did an admirable job.  Eric Berry’s a start in building an outstanding defense - and Monte Kiffin is a pretty vital cog as well.  Maybe that’s why he lets Lane act that way.

Maybe they both know something the rest of us are going to find out - if not this year, than next.  Chances are Monte is using the Harry S Truman philosophy:

“I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.”   Â

So many inventions in the area of technology have been made over the past quarter of a century that both Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison would be bursting at the seems with pride.  It’s just that, with each move we make “modernizing” our communication methods, a little is lost when it comes to actual human interaction.

It’s wonderful that a father who’s on a company trip far away from home, cannot only speak to his young daughter but, through the creation of video conferencing, can see her too.  So far though, nothing has been invented to replace the hug at the end of the conversation.  Maybe that’s next.  It just shows us we’ve not totally conquered the world of faceless-to-faceless communication.  Speaking for I hope, not only myself, my wish is that time never comes.

Working with today’s youth, I see a more and more uncomfortable feeling they have when a conversation is on the most personal of levels: one-to-one, look-someone-in-the-eye sharing of ideas, asking questions, giving or listening to directions.  Progress can’t be stopped; nor should it.  Somehow, though, our young people need to be able to talk to another adult - not email, text, twitter, IM or whatever else takes place of human-to-human exchanging of information, knowledge or values.  Sooner than they realize, they are going to be in a world made up of adults - and one of those adults is going to be none other than themselves.

Tonight is Back-to-School-Night at our high school, an event I particularly enjoy because I get to actually speak directly to, in a “no other agenda” environment (meaning the reason for the conversation is not due to a transgression of the rules or a poor showing on tests).  I’ll explain about the class their child is in, what the expectations are and, time permitting (sessions were cut to ten minutes this year), ask for questions.

My opening remarks will direct the parents to my blog on 9/9/09 about the key to learning.  If you haven’t read it yet, it is definitely worth your time, especially if you are in a position where you are required to get information across to someone else.  Then, I’ll mention that my website (this one, not the one where they can purchase the unique, personalized baby gifts - also worth your time, as long as you’re in the market for a gift for a baby or child up to the age of about five) is called Mr. Quote.  

The reason for that is, quite some time ago, I noticed that many powerful ideas can be summarized in one quotation and that many of these become an effective form of getting across a point without belaboring it.  I’ll tell the parents of the hundreds of quotes on the wall and to not only look at them themselves, but to encourage their kids to do so too - that, in fact, there is an entire education on my walls, possibly even more valuable than the algebra we go over each class period.

At the end of each session tonight, my goal is identical to Warren Buffett’s:

“You should end the day smarter than when you started it.”   Â