TUNNEY-SIDE-OF-THE-STREET

#39 September 26, 2005

Welcome to this week's message from the Tunney-Side-Of-The-Street. You are encouraged to share this with fellow workers, family and friends.

I love hot dogs! Mustard, relish, onions, in the stand at a ball game - doesn't get better than that! However "hot dogs" belong in the stands - not on the field. Dan LeBatard who has Terrell Owens (Philadelphia Eagles WR) on his Friday Sports Talk 790 Radio show each week says, "I'm happy to be a fan of his and a supporter of his "hot dog" style of play."

Well, sorry, Mr. LeBatard but you've got the wrong venue! This is not MTV or RAP or "Snoopy Dog". This is a football game played by athletes, not video game personalities. While this may sound like "the good 'ol days" speech, how would Owens do in a NFL game if it were not on TV? NFL players in past eras did not stand for "hot dogging". Space doesn't allow me to list all the NFL greats; but do the names, Rice, Smith, Martin, Payton, Brown, Elway, Young and Montana bring to mind the word "hot dog"? Never.

Football is a T*E*A*M sport meaning Together Everyone Accomplishes More. How many times does T.O. come back to the huddle after a catch and say to the QB "great throw - thanks!" Or to a teammate who cleared his path to the goal line, "Nice block". I'm sorry but I wish I saw more of T*E*A*M in T.O. than I do "I" or "Me." Players need to play for the logo on the helmet not for the name on the back of the jersey. Thanks to my good friend and colleague Art Holst for the following:
"Sometime when you're feeling important
Sometime when you're ego's in bloom
Sometime when you take it for granted
You're the best qualified in the room,
Sometime when you feel you're going
Would leave an unfillable hole
Follow this simple example
And see how it humbles your soul:
Take a bucket, fill it with water
Stick your hand in it, up to the wrist
Pull it out and the hole that's remaining
Is a measure of how you'll be missed
You can splash all you please when you enter
Stir up the water galore
Stop! And you'll find in a minute
That it looks quite the same as before.
The moral to this quaint example:
Just do the best you can,
Be proud or yourself, but remember
There's no indispensable man (or woman)

Will you put your T*E*A*M ahead of selfish interests?

Look for my new book
It's the Will, Not the Skill
Principles and philosophies of success

For more information about Jim Tunney, go to www.jimtunney.com

ARTICLE TAGLINE FOR JIM TUNNEY, Ed.D., CSP, CPAE

Copyright © 2003 Jim Tunney. All rights reserved.
You can visit Jim's website at http://www.jimtunney.com

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