TUNNEY-SIDE-OF-THE-STREET

#102 December 11 2006
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 -

It's that time of the year again. I call it "Fast Food Generation Mentality". The sudden firing of coaches; the quick - often too quick - berating/lambasting of NFL Quarterbacks. The critics are ever on the alert to lash out with their "expert" advice. Funny, I haven't noticed a Hall of Fame for critics. No statutes erected in their honor, either.

The firing of the Head Coach at The University of Alabama after two years; "Didn't beat Auburn in four years" the critics said. Unless you are from the South, you may not understand the power of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry; yet Coach Mike Shula was there only two years - you do the math.

The bashing of NFL QB's is not new. "What's wrong with Manning (Eli-NY Giants QB), Rothlesberger (Steelers Super Bowl XL Champs QB)" is heard daily on Sports programs. Both are struggling. However, we need to be reminded, this isn't college football; this is the NFL - a different level entirely.

Where was Joe Montana in his first three years with the 49ers? On the bench. HOF (2000) QB Montana sat on the bench until mid-way in his 3rd season. Trivia question: Who could possibly be better than Joe Montana? Well, Steve Deberg (not in the HOF) was the Niners starting QB. Steve Young, Niners QB for 13 seasons sat on the bench his first 3-4 seasons with the 49ers, before getting the starting job. John Elway, NFL's No. 1 draft choice out of Stanford struggled with the critics saying he "couldn't win the big one"; but he did. Where was Bret Farve in his early NFL career?

My point is we give up on people too soon. Tom Landry, legendary HOF Dallas Cowboys Coach didn't make the playoffs until his 6th season as Head Coach. He finished his career with two Super Bowl victories.

What we learn from sports is not to give up, "There's no quit in my dictionary", says Head Coach Herman Edwards of the Kansas City Chiefs in my book It's theWill, Not the Skill. While the players and coaches mentioned herein maybe struggling, they don't give up, yet the publicity hounds keep pounding away at their failures. That form of verbal "blasting" distracts players and coaches from their real focus - winning.

Will you give others a chance and not give up on them too soon?

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
Visit my blog for the entire collection of my Tunney Sides:
http://tunney-side-of-the-street.blogspot.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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