TUNNEY-SIDE-OF-THE-STREET

#140 September 3 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 -

Is Michael Vick a role model? Or perhaps the verb needs to be "was" - as in - Was Michael Vick a role model? Vick, as you are aware, pleaded guilty to several charges associated with "dog fighting" and as a result, has been suspended from the NFL. The reference to his "role model", obviously, is in reference to his accomplishments as football star (#7) with the Atlanta Falcons. Lets look at a definition of role model.

The word "model" is defined as "something worthy of copying". Is Vick's prowess as the Falcons' QB worthy of copying? How do you "copy" that kind of athleticism? Vick's ability to scramble out of the pocket (1000 yards in 2006) was something to be admired, of course, but unable to "copy". You can't "copy" talent. There are athletic moves that are hard to learn and hard to do. There are athletic moves that are hard to learn, and easy to do. Then there are athletic moves that are easy to learn, but if you can't remember how or when you learned them - that's called talent.

Vick was a talented football player. There is some difficulty here calling Vick an athlete. In addition to God given talent an athlete incorporates the qualities of trustworthiness, respect, caring, fairness, responsibility and citizenship. Those traits embody the word: CHARACTER. In evaluating Vick's "character", we must ask: Did he practice those traits? Were they evident to others?

As Vick's case is adjudicated it is with sincere hope and faith that he is judged on his behavior and NOT on his race, his environment, parental, teachers/coaches influence (or lack thereof), or on the influence of his "friends". Let's place Vick's behavior on HIS choices. If we admired the choices he made on the field as a Quarterback, then we must place his off field choices squarely on him - no one else.

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.

When Vick appeared on national television to make a public statement in response to his guilty plea, he said, "First of all, I want to apologize for all the things I have done". "...I have done"? As in "yes, I did commit all those crimes"? I wish he also had said, "I'd like to apologize for all the things I have NOT done". Things like: "Doing the right thing", "Obeying the law", "Not allowing myself to associate with others of questionable character", and "Not living up to the responsibilities I have to my family, the Falcons, my fans, and my teammates". That's the new Michael Vick we hope will emerge. Will you accept full responsibility for your behavior? Look for my book

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

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

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