John Wooden: On True Success | on TED.com

My choice for an inspirational speaker was a no-brainer. Coach John Wooden, who is arguably the most iconic and respected coaches of all time within any sport. Coach John Wooden passed away on June 4, 2010 but his reputation as a powerful speaker, coach, and human being will forever be remembered. His speech on success has touched me in more than on way. His passion for his craft, both as a coach and as a mentor to the people he worked with and for was and will, in my opinion, be unmatched. Coach Wooden is able to inspire his audiences by using true-life events along with poetry to touch the hearts of those listening. It is nearly impossible to ignore what Coach Wooden is saying because his passion speaks through his very words and knowledge. 

Being that I am in the sports industry, this speech resonated on four levels; self-development, people development, success vs. balance, and lastly capitalizing on my passion for the betterment of others. Coach Wooden talks a lot about self-development and how if developed correctly, it will lead to the development of those around you. This is true, not only from his word, but also from the prior literature I have read while at Full Sail University. This specifically inspired me to watch how I carry my actions so that others can learn and grow from the things I do and not do for the overall purpose of developing as individuals and as a team. Coach Wooden uses a comparison, "reputation versus character" to illustrate the difference of how we are perceived and how we are inside. This was extremely beneficial because Coach Wooden expresses the importance that the two shouldn't be too far apart when comparing.

The other two key levels that I found insightful were success vs. balance, and capitalizing on my passion for the betterment of others. Coach Wooden spoke on the importance of balancing our lives in order to keep a clear picture of what success really is. He also emphasizes on how our passions, if used correctly, can and should in some way shape or form lead to an overall betterment of a team, family, and/or business. This entire speech was simply amazing! And although I have never met Coach Wooden, his words, passion, and humility brings everyone in as a life long friend and loved one. He was a great speaker, person, and coach, not just for basketball players, but also for people who may have forgotten about the things that really matter in this life. Thanks Coach! 

TED, (2009). John Wooden on True Success [Theater]. Available from http://www.ted.com/talks/john_wooden_on_the_difference_between_winning_and_success.html 

Lockout, or no lockout...that is the real question

So with every fan awaiting the next work in regards to the National Football Leagues (NFL) lockout, there are more questions than answers. Is it really lasting this long? What is it really about? Should I not order NFL Sunday ticket then? All of which are great and very valid questions that can not be answered because the information seems to be at a standstill. Fans everywhere are feeling less and less important to the overall picture of America's favorite sport. Collectively spending millions each year to support the teams that bring them happiness, disgust, or even tears, only to have them shunned out on the decisions being made that will have an effect on every fans life.

After this week, the NFL owners came to a vote to the new collective bargaining which would reinstate football once the players agree to it as well. Sounds like a simple formula for finally bring back the game we have all been waiting for but think again. Now that one side is good to go, that brings for the next question, what is going to happen with the players and why haven't they voted yet? Is the lockout over? Is it almost over? Do you even care about the opinions and questions of the fans? The simple fact that the only information given is useless information due to the missing information...confusing huh? But that is how it has been and will continue to be. But like American's, we will forgive once the whistles are blown again and the games are played. 

It appears that the big picture was never about the fans. And with all the marketing and advertising the NFL spends each year to try and emphasis the importance of the fan, it now seems like wasted money and a pool full of lies. It will be interesting to see how much they plan to spend in the next few years to bring back that trust and if they were smart, they would of allocated a few millions in the new agreement to help rebuild the image they so thoroughly destroyed. Love and money never mixed before, so there is no surprises here. And since they are ultimately fighting over money that isn't made or earned yet, the fans should have more information, especially since its our money. I mean, we can't expect them to let us come to games for free or give free beer every 2nd quarter to make up for this rude awakening, but a little trust and a few signs of gratitude would be a great start.