Deion Sanders played 14 seasons in the NFL and was recently selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His career began with the Atlanta Falcons. He had a flamboyant style of play that came off arrogant and cocky to most.
He burst onto the scene after a career at Florida State and made an immediate impact in Atlanta as both a cornerback and a returner. As a Falcon, he score eight touchdowns and made 24 interceptions in five years.
Deion was aptly named "Primetime" and made the biggest name for himself as a member of the talented teams of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s - though his only Super Bowl team with Dallas was 1995.
He retired following the 2005 season with 53 career interceptions and 22 career touchdowns which came a variety of ways - interceptions, fumbles, receiving, punt returns and kickoff returns. The best shutdown cornerback of his era, Deion is unquestionably a Hall of Famer.
But Deion wasn't well liked. Many sports fans didn't appreicate his flash, which seemed to lack respect for the game and his opponent. When he made a play, he would typically high step in Deion fashion, almost taunting the other team. By his actions, it didn't seem humility was in his vocabulary.
But in an interview after recieving word that he had been selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Deion Sanders said something that resonates with me, a lesson that we can all learn. Deion Sanders, amongst all the criticism, said he didn't care what anyone else thought of him.
Too many times, whether in athletics, academia or life, we get caught up in what people will think of us. What will they think of me if I make an out or miss a tackle or lose? What will be said if I don't pass this test or get into a certain school? What will they think if I don't stay out late because I want to go to church in the morning?
It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. You have to be comfortable in your own skin and with your own decisions. What you think is the only thing that truly matters. Focus on what you can control - how hard you work, how long you study or how much you read. You can't worry about what the cute girl or your best friend or the stranger will think.
I know it is easier to say than do. But you have to start eventually.
Only you can control you. And only you should influence you.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
the Green Bay Packers
I know this is a few days late, but congratulations to the Green Bay Packers for their victory in Super Bowl XLV, a hard fought win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There is a simple lesson that can be learned from the Pack - believe in yourself, even if nobody else does, regardless of the adversity.
Though the Packers were several analysts' preseason Super Bowl pick, the team faced a variety of injuries to key players during the season. Starting running back Ryan Grant was lost in the first game. Later in the season, defensive captain and middle linebacker Nick Barnett was injured and put on injured reserve (meaning a player can't come back for the rest of the season), as were starting tight end Jermichael Finley, outside linebacker Brady Poppinga and offensive tackle Mark Tauscher.
In all, 15 Packers finished the year on injured reserve.
To make matters worse, 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson injured his collarbone in the second quarter of Super Bowl XLV and didn't return.
In order to even make it into the playoffs, the Packers needed to win their last two regular season games. They did.
After getting in as the sixth seed (only six from each conference make the playoffs), they faced the reality of having to win three games on the road even to make it to the Super Bowl. They did. And did so by beating the three best teams in the NFC - the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears.
Injuries alone gave the Packers a built in excuse to not succeed if they wanted to take it. But they didn't. They just fought a little harder. If not the injuries, they could have said that playing on the road was the reason they didn't make it. They didn't.
The desire to win is willing to overcome anything. We just saw that with the Green Bay Packers.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
There is a simple lesson that can be learned from the Pack - believe in yourself, even if nobody else does, regardless of the adversity.
Though the Packers were several analysts' preseason Super Bowl pick, the team faced a variety of injuries to key players during the season. Starting running back Ryan Grant was lost in the first game. Later in the season, defensive captain and middle linebacker Nick Barnett was injured and put on injured reserve (meaning a player can't come back for the rest of the season), as were starting tight end Jermichael Finley, outside linebacker Brady Poppinga and offensive tackle Mark Tauscher.
In all, 15 Packers finished the year on injured reserve.
To make matters worse, 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson injured his collarbone in the second quarter of Super Bowl XLV and didn't return.
In order to even make it into the playoffs, the Packers needed to win their last two regular season games. They did.
After getting in as the sixth seed (only six from each conference make the playoffs), they faced the reality of having to win three games on the road even to make it to the Super Bowl. They did. And did so by beating the three best teams in the NFC - the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears.
Injuries alone gave the Packers a built in excuse to not succeed if they wanted to take it. But they didn't. They just fought a little harder. If not the injuries, they could have said that playing on the road was the reason they didn't make it. They didn't.
The desire to win is willing to overcome anything. We just saw that with the Green Bay Packers.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tom Walter
Most of the people that coach any type of sport do it because they love the game, love being around the game and mentoring players. Tom Walter is no different.
Tom Walter is the head baseball coach at Wake Forest University. Tom Walter is a kidney donor.
Kevin Jordan is an outfielder on the Wake Forest baseball team. A freshman from Columbus, Georgia, Kevin became sick about a year ago with what most thought was the flu. He was eventually diagnosed with ANCA vasculitis, a condition which your white blood cells begin to destroy your own tissue. His kidneys began to fail and he had to have dialysis treatments three times per week.
Kevin Jordan was one of Tom Walter's kids. If you have ever coached, especially at the college level, it is easy to take on the role of a parent or big brother when a player is several hours away from home. Your only role is not to help them become better at their athletic skill, but also teach them about life (although the stereotype of many 18-22 year olds is they know all they need, many of those I deal with aren't as naive and are worried about job prospects, student loan debt and life after baseball).
Tom Walter was eventually tested to see if he was a match to possibly give a kidney to Kevin. He was. Coach Walter decided that he was going to give Kevin one of his kidneys. Way more valuable than a scholarship or advice, Kevin was going to receive a new outlook on life.
This past Monday was the day. Coach Walter and Kevin Jordan both went into surgery. Monday afternoon, lead surgeon Dr. Kenneth Newell proclaimed the surgery a success. Both are still resting in an Atlanta hospital.
One group, NKF, estimates the five year survival rate for a living kidney transplant at 90 percent. Let's hope this story plays out the right way. While it is unknown if Kevin will ever be able to play again, the fact that he now has been given hope of seeing his twenties and beyond makes him a winner.
But it makes Tom Walter Coach of the Year.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Tom Walter is the head baseball coach at Wake Forest University. Tom Walter is a kidney donor.
Kevin Jordan is an outfielder on the Wake Forest baseball team. A freshman from Columbus, Georgia, Kevin became sick about a year ago with what most thought was the flu. He was eventually diagnosed with ANCA vasculitis, a condition which your white blood cells begin to destroy your own tissue. His kidneys began to fail and he had to have dialysis treatments three times per week.
Kevin Jordan was one of Tom Walter's kids. If you have ever coached, especially at the college level, it is easy to take on the role of a parent or big brother when a player is several hours away from home. Your only role is not to help them become better at their athletic skill, but also teach them about life (although the stereotype of many 18-22 year olds is they know all they need, many of those I deal with aren't as naive and are worried about job prospects, student loan debt and life after baseball).
Tom Walter was eventually tested to see if he was a match to possibly give a kidney to Kevin. He was. Coach Walter decided that he was going to give Kevin one of his kidneys. Way more valuable than a scholarship or advice, Kevin was going to receive a new outlook on life.
This past Monday was the day. Coach Walter and Kevin Jordan both went into surgery. Monday afternoon, lead surgeon Dr. Kenneth Newell proclaimed the surgery a success. Both are still resting in an Atlanta hospital.
One group, NKF, estimates the five year survival rate for a living kidney transplant at 90 percent. Let's hope this story plays out the right way. While it is unknown if Kevin will ever be able to play again, the fact that he now has been given hope of seeing his twenties and beyond makes him a winner.
But it makes Tom Walter Coach of the Year.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
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