TUNNEY-SIDE-OF-THE-STREET

#116 March 19 2007
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.

After further review -

NASA recently terminated astronaut Lisa Nowak, a US Navy Captain. Although never employed by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), she was on loan from the Navy. Why is that news worthy? People are fired every day - ask Donald Trump.

NASA said it has "No good alternates to keep her on board with the pending CRIMINAL charges against her". Nowak, called "the diaper lady", drove nonstop from Houston to Miami in Depends to stalk and attempt to kidnap the girl friend of a former lover. Capt. Nowak is charged with attempted kidnapping, burglary and battery. She pleads "not guilty". Of course!

While this "love triangle" is in Dr. Phil's ballpark - not mine - it does have an issue that relates to "my ballpark" - the world of sports. And that is: If NASA can "fire" her (terminated is the proper term) when she wasn't an employee and is only charged (not convicted), could/should that happen to professional athletes? It appears that NASA is very interested in and concerned with the integrity of its program involving "conduct unbecoming" and feels its integrity has been compromised. I agree.

Would this firing be effective in the world of professional sports? It could; however, some will scream "discrimination", "profiling" and "presumption of innocence". NASA is saying this type of alleged crime WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

Let's look at this scenario: What if, when a professional player is charged with a felony, he/she is immediately suspended. If the sport is "in season" he/she could not play until the case was adjudicated. The point is to protect not only the image of professional sports, but also its integrity! It is the hope and intent here that the league and the players' association work more closely together to ensure that the integrity of the game is first and foremost.

Will you keep integrity first and foremost in every thing you do?

Look for my book
It's the Will, Not the Skill
Principles and philosophies of success
For more information about Jim Tunney, go to www.jimtunney.com
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ARTICLE TAGLINE FOR JIM TUNNEY, Ed.D., CSP, CPAE

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