Mr. Irrelevant #262

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports May 9, 2022 #899 Up next… Mr. Irrelevant #262

After further review… If you spent 3 days of last week watching the 2022 NFL draft of 262 college football players, you probably were bored, unless you had a “dog-in-that-fight” meaning you had a player or team in whom you were interested. There were lots of player/team draft parties held throughout the country. I spent some of last week waiting to see who would get picked as the “last draft choice.” That in itself sounds like it could have been a waste of time — but not for me.

It was in 1975  when Paul Salaita showed up at my Newport Beach home to ask if I would help with a project he was planning? I said “Of course! What do you have in mind?” Paul said, “I want to do something for someone for no good reason. “And that’s it, I countered?” “I want to honor the NFL’s last draft choice,” he said. And he did! Paul, always a philanthropist, continually thought about helping others and had no hesitation using his own money to do so.

Thus, he founded Mr. Irrelevant honoring the NFL’s last draft choice. “I mean, he continued, what could be more irrelevant than the last choice.”  Not more than 100 players of those drafted each year manage to maintain an NFL career. The first draft choice, in 1976 proved his point.  Kelvin Kirk, the first Mr. Irrelevant out of University of Dayton, missed his flight from Dayton to LAX. Salaita immediately recruited a Hispanic friend to take the place of Kirk, who is Black, in the parade. I mean it’s irrelevant!

It worked! Kirk arrived the next day. When he did, the inaugural parade had already taken place, so now with Kirk on board, we all went to Disneyland – our next irrelevant adventure. Mr. Irrelevant is treated to a week in Newport Beach, CA with a boat parade in the Newport/Balboa Harbor and many other pleasant surprises. At the concluding evening banquet, he is “roasted” by a cadre of sports celebrities who, while making fun of the irrelevant tag, honor him with gifts and a fun evening, which is capped off with the presentation of the Lowman Trophy (as opposed to the Heisman Trophy) and presented by Paul Salaita.

Sadly, Paul died October 16, 2021, one day before his 95th birthday. The irony of this year’s Mr. Irrelevant is that pick #262 Brock Purdy is a San Francisco 49er pick – a team that Salaita had played for after graduating from the University of Southern California.

Will you enjoy watching the newest members selected in this year’s NFL draft?

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Jim’s Bobblehead and books examining the philosophy and value of sports can be found in the many books he has written.

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

Posted in NFL, Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | 2 Comments

Bullying

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

 On the TunneySide of Sports May 2, 2022 #898 Up next… Bullying

After further review… Russian President Vladimir Putin has been called a bully by members of the press for his actions against Ukraine. He is much worse than that. His destruction of land and buildings and more importantly the deaths of thousands of lives go way beyond that of bullying. Makes one wonder what Putin’s behavior was like as a youth. Was he a bully as a kid or perhaps was he a victim of bullying?

Now don’t get ahead of me. I have not changed the TunneySide from a sports column to one of a political nature. I never appreciated bullies in school and furthermore did all I could as a teacher or coach or principal to correct young people who displayed that type of behavior. What brings this to mind is that now that the pandemic has lessened, and kids are returning to classrooms and playgrounds, more interaction among students will be taking place.

As a kid, I faced bullying on the playground. Here’s one episode (of several) that helped me stand up to bullying. You might remember that my father was a playground director (one of several jobs he held) and supplied me with sports equipment as a youth. When we chose up sides on the playground, I always was chosen. “Aw, we gotta let Tunney play, it’s his ball.”

One day when I was about 9, skinny and rather shy, I returned home for dinner after an afternoon on the playground but – without my basketball. My dad asked where my basketball was, and I said the group I was playing with wouldn’t give it back to me. Dad said where are they? I said down our street about  4 houses. Dad said let’s go. We walked to where several were standing. When we got there, dad said to me, “Which one do you want to fight?” Fight? I didn’t want to fight anyone. But I pointed to Jack Bates, who was holding my basketball. We traded about 4-5 punches. Then dad said that’s enough. I took my basketball and we walked back home.

Dad had grown up without a father and had to fight his way through his youth. He taught me a valuable lesson that I’ve never forgotten: Have the courage to stand up and face what confronts you! It has served me well in my role as a student, teacher, principal, and sports official.

Will you use your courage to overcome challenges you or others might face?

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Jim’s Bobblehead and books examining the philosophy and value of sports can be found in the many books he has written.

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

Posted in Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | Tagged | Leave a comment

Life Balance

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports April 18, 2022 #897 Up next… Life Balance

After further review… The 2022 National Football League Draft begins this week on April 28 and continues through April 30 when Mr. Irrelevant will be selected.  The ambition of many young athletes is to play in what is euphemistically called the “big show” meaning at the professional level. This brings to mind Jacob Hickman, a 6’4 290 lbs. offensive lineman from the University of Nebraska some 10 years ago. Those Cornhuskers are famous for developing offensive linemen.

Hickman said, “Playing in the NFL was never a dream for me. I kind of thought if that happened, it’s something I would do. Now, I’ve kind of gone in  a different direction.” Hickman, considered by the NFL in the top 10 in his position, did not pursue an NFL career saying, “The passion is gone.” What an insight for a player who could have been a high draft pick, commanding a six-figure salary plus bonus. But instead, assessing his future as a husband and future father “playing with my kids at 40 without a limp”.

Yet, that dream of millions of young people on America’s sandlots prevails with little thought given to risk vs. reward. The word “sandlot” brings to mind: are we organizing our kids too young and demanding of their time and commitment too early in life? For me, as a kid on the sandlot, my commitment was to my friends who would show up and play. No coaches, no uniforms, no mothers in the stands cheering us on, no after-the-game snacks and no trophies at the end of the season. Season? The only season we knew was when the ball changed size from football to basketball to baseball.

Do today’s parents and coaches expect (demand?) too much from their kids? As an example, I know of coaches at the high school level who insist that their athletes play only one sport – theirs!  I can cite examples – more than I care to – of coaches conducting organized and unorganized practices every month of the year. Kids under that kind of dictum have no choice of participating in other sports or activities. Excessive pressure put on young athletes is not necessary. Encouragement is always important.

Encouragement and the teaching of skills to play any sport to the best of each player’s ability are always welcomed. Too much demand on a young player’s time and involvement may lead to burnout.

Will you give young athletes a chance to grow and learn at their own pace?

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Jim’s Bobblehead and books examining the philosophy and value of sports can be found in the many books he has written.

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

Posted in Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | Leave a comment