How can we help?

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports September 6, 2021 #864 Up next…How can we help?

After further review… Today is Labor Day,  which I have always interpreted to mean we take time to celebrate those who labor i.e., “physical or mental effort.”

I would hope that includes all of us. We should all possess either or both of those traits. As Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Then, how is it that we find some who seemingly have lost their way?

My goal in life as a coach/teacher/principal/superintendent has been to help, educationally and emotionally, those whose paths crossed mine and may need my help in finding a way to improve their lives.

For 31 years it was my privilege to work for the National Football League. While my role was to officiate NFL games keeping the play on the field honest and fair, I have watched many players fall by the wayside either during their life on the field or after they retired. I have been disheartened with those who seem to have lost their way and I have been frustrated not being able to help.

It seems peculiar that when a batter has trouble hitting or a basketball player has trouble with free throws or, well, you get the point, the coach often steps up to provide extra or special attention or seeks outside help to correct that player’s problem. But when it comes to personal problems, they either don’t know or maybe feel it’s too “personal” to help. Many do step up to help.

I don’t understand nor agree with athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs (PED) attempting to improve their God-given abilities. It is shameful to watch talented athletes use these and other drugs, e.g., alcohol, heroin, cocaine, thinking there will be no harm.

Please don’t try to tell me that “until you walk in their shoes, you don’t understand the pressures I’m under to perform at this level.” I’m reminded of the words of an athlete who said: “Pressure? You don’t know pressure until you find you are unable to put food on the table to feed your family!”

At the end of this week is 9/11. While tragic, with all the lives lost we – as a country – pulled together to help each other as we continued to move forward. Do we still have that ability?

Will you log-in your thoughts on the subject of helping others?

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Jim’s books include many messages about rules and regulations (remember he was a referee). His bobblehead on your desk or shelf will be a treasure in your office or home. A special July 4th offer (I know it’s over) Bobblehead for $30. (tax and shipping included) and one book of your choice.

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

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Wanna Bet?

Posted on August 29, 2021 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports August 30, 2021 #863 Up next… Wanna Bet?

After further review… Gambling in sports always has been and always will be. Surely, it was 8-5 that Adam would take a bite out of that apple in the Garden of Eden! The “fall” was predictable and so is gambling. The recent issue of Sports Illustrated (Vol. 132 No. 9) led with the title “Wanna Bet?” with subtitles “Legal. Mobile. Mainstream. The Sports Wagering Boom is Here.”

In 2021 wagering on sports is booming. Wagering in sports has been – and according to S.I. will be here forever. There’s no record of it being (facetiously) started in the Garden of Eden, but one must consider it did not long after.

Wagering on anything is said to be of a competitive nature, As the old song says, “Anything you can do, I can do better” A song by Irving Berlin from “Annie Get Your Gun.” Even Annie Oakley had a competitive nature. We all want to do better and when challenged, we tend to respond. Gambling is a challenge.

Gambling is not necessarily inherent, but once we get addicted to it, is hard to discard. Surely, each of us has bought a lottery ticket or bet on a horse – haven’t you? So many sports fans bet on their favorite team. Even players bet on their team or others – it’s our competitive soul. Or maybe it’s just fun to see if you can win. Perhaps those were the intentions of Paul Hornung (Green Bay Packers) and Alex Karras (Detroit Lions) who were suspended in 1963 by (then) NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle. Both said their bets were with friends. Their suspensions issued were indefinite without pay, yet the commissioner reinstated them after one year. Both are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

At one time NFL game officials were not allowed, during the NFL season, to even be in Las Vegas. Now the NFL – as well as the NHL – have teams in “Sin City” – so now officials are required to be there.

The climate today is more serious than some six decades ago. While players then received mail and phone calls to offer bribes, today’s social media puts them under constant pressure with money offers. Another difference is that some 60 years ago, salaries were minimal compared to today’s multi-million-dollar contracts. However, the offers come. Game officials are under the same scrutiny. Please allow me to offer: as a former on-field NFL game official for 31-years note that we have never had any – not one – NFL  game official convicted, nor even accused, of bribery!  It’s an issue of integrity!

Will you use personal caution in betting on sports games?

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Jim’s books include many messages about rules and regulations (remember he was a referee). His bobblehead on your desk or shelf will be a treasure in your office or home. A special July 4th offer (I know it’s over) Bobblehead for $30. (tax and shipping included) and one book of your choice.

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

“Is This Heaven?”

Posted on August 22, 2021 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

Field of Dreams Game 2021On the TunneySide of Sports August 23, 2021 #862 Up next… “Is This Heaven?”

After further review… ”Is this Heaven,”  asks a former Chicago White Sox baseball player of Ray Kinsella (played by actor Kevin Costner) in the movie “Field of Dreams.”

“No,” says Kinsella, “it’s Iowa!” But it sure appeared to be a heaven-like ballpark created by Major League Baseball in cooperation with Fox Sports and their corporate sponsors.

The field constructed in Dyersville, Iowa for this game surely gave one the feeling you were part of a heavenly place. It certainly did me!

Although this movie is now 23 years old, I have seen it many times. Following this real-life game played on Aug. 12 between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox in Dyersville, many have taken to Twitter and other forms of media saying how it related to them in real life. It certainly did me. I have always loved sports movies that relate to life experiences. ‘42: The Jackie Robinson Story‘ is like that.

As a kid growing up in the little town of San Gabriel, my “dream” was to play professional baseball for the Yankees. If you saw the game described here, it is obvious why I watched every pitch. As Ray Kinsella said, “Imaginations are infinite” and mine was. The Yankees lost that game 9-8 but took it to the bottom of the ninth when Chicago’s Tim Anderson’s 2-run homer into the cornfields outdid the Yankees three homers. My baseball playing was confined to school days.

As a youth in our front yard, I would practice pitching, throwing to my dad 60 feet away. Dad had played one year of professional baseball, so I knew I had a good mentor. I wasn’t surprised when he could catch my fastball from 60 feet barehanded. I also learned at age 12-13, if he could handle my best pitch barehanded, the Yankees would not be knocking on my door with a huge contract. When I heard Kinsella say, “If you build it, he will come,” he was hoping that his father, John, would show up on that diamond he built in his cornfield, and John did. My dad came to mind immediately.

In the movie when John agreed to “have a catch” with Ray you might have imagined the tear that was streaming down my face. Many similar stories can be found in that message.

Will you create and maintain the positive dream that Ray Kinsella had?

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Jim’s books include many messages about rules and regulations (remember he was a referee). His bobblehead on your desk or shelf will be a treasure in your office or home. A special July 4th offer (I know it’s over) Bobblehead for $30. (tax and shipping included) and one book of your choice.

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

Posted in Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | Tagged , | 1 Comment