Lifelong Learning

lifelong learningOn the TunneySide of Sports June 1, 2020 #798 Up next… Life-Long Learning

After further review… A few years back I was making presentations to educational groups, e.g., teachers, principals, etc., as to how and why we need to change the way we were teaching kids.  I would begin my presentation by saying, “We tell kids ‘you come to school to learn’ as if learning were in here and ‘living’ were out there.” I had the feeling that some teachers felt they and they alone had the keys/secrets to learning. In several schools in which I was the principal, we opened an environment within our school called “Alternative Education” whereby we involved the students in the process of establishing the learning curriculum.

My doctoral dissertation was collaborated with Dr. Jim Jenkins titled “Creating A Positive School Climate” whereby we identified 14 themes that would turn a school environment from the negative to the positive. Are today’s schools in this pandemic working towards creating a more positive and alternative way of teaching? As difficult and saddening as today’s plight is: Can we improve our learning environment?

As the TunneySide moves from “schools” and “learning” to sports, can we operate our sports in schools or in our professional ranks with improvements? We ask the questions here!

Will the high schools and colleges open their football seasons on time? Traditionally, college football players return to campus 2 months from today to begin the season. Can they do that in 2020? Football may not be more important than other sports but in most schools, the football income provides the funding needed for all sports. What we are hearing now is that a second wave of Coronavirus is due to occur in early fall. Can schools risk vast numbers of students on campus with that possibility? Will the stands need to remain vacant?

Moving to professional football another opportunity presents itself in light of the question about change and improvement: Are there suggestions you have to help improve the pro game? Now is the time! NFL committees meet regularly to make improvements e.g., safety issues, game strategies, etc. What suggestions can you provide to help improve the professional game? As an example would allowing the quarterback the opportunity to “throw-the-ball-away” i.e., intentional grounding be an improvement in preventing QB injuries?

Will you log-in your ideas as to when we should start football in 2020 among other thoughts?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Jim Tunney Store

Need sports to read as we wait out this COVID-19 pandemic? Jim’s sports books contain stories of humor, inspiration, and insights about sports people. Choose your book titles here or mail $15 per book to:

Jim Tunney Youth Foundation
P.O. Box 1440
Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Ships free!

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

If It Happens!

im Tunney, Tunneyside: If it happens …On the TunneySide of Sports May 25, 2020 #797 Up next… If It Happens!

After further review… COVID-19 has affected all of us!  I heard a housewife say: “Yes, I did marry him for better or worse, but not for lunch!” It is not bad being a shut-in if only we had sports to watch, a friend recently said. Well, if it happens or should we say when it happens or maybe even now that it is happening – the country wants to return to normal! It is hoped we will use reasonable judgment – social distancing as an example – as we gather.

Since all 50 states are allowing some sort of return to normalcy, many are getting anxious to get going. The NBA curtailed its season in March but hopes to schedule playoffs. If social distancing is in place, how do you guard the post (AKA center) play? Must the defender stand 6 feet behind the offensive post player? Stands will be without fans or maybe a limited number? Just asking.

MLB wants to get its 2020 season going. Do they move the catcher 6 feet behind the home plate? Or do they move the batter up 6 feet making the distance from the pitcher to the batter 54’ 6”  instead of the traditional 60’ 6”? Can baseball be the same without fans present? Just asking.

Thoroughbred racing is already in operation without fans in Florida and a few other tracks. But how about the Kentucky Derby traditionally held the first week of May? That was postponed until September 6, 2020, possibly with fans at Churchill Downs. While it was always the first race in the Triple Crown of racing, the Belmont will now start the Triple Crown with the Derby to follow and The Preakness to wrap it up. Will horses continue to race counterclockwise? Just asking.

Then, of course, football fans anxiously await the 2020 season both in the college game as well as the NFL. It seems prudent that ample time be given to practices to curtail player injuries. It is almost impossible to eliminate physical contact in the game of football. Players can and will get in adequate physical shape but contact needs to occur to properly prepare them for the game of football. Just asking!

How do you get a T*E*A*M ready and practice social distancing? Do the right guard and right tackle need to be 6 feet apart? If so, that certainly changes the blocking scheme on running plays. The quarterback in shotgun formation will certainly abide by the 6 feet rule! Will hands under the center will be allowed? And, of course, no fans in the seats but you can count on them gathering outside the stadium. Cheerleaders will perform on the sidelines with social distancing but without pyramids! Just asking!

Will you log-in your thoughts about returning to normalcy “if it happens”?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Jim Tunney Store

Need sports to read as we wait out this COVID-19 pandemic? Jim’s sports books contain stories of humor, inspiration, and insights about sports people. Choose your book titles here or mail $15 per book to:

Jim Tunney Youth Foundation
P.O. Box 1440
Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Ships free!

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

The Dark Side of NIL!

O'Bannon v. NCAAOn the TunneySide of Sports May 18, 2020 #796 Up next… The Dark Side of NIL!

After further review… The accepted definition of the word “nil” is “zero”, “nothing at all.” However, today it has taken on a new meaning as an acronym… N-I-L = Name, Image, Likeness. It may never go away. Stay tuned.

In 2015 Ed O’Bannon, a former U.C.L.A and N.B.A. basketball star filed a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA claiming that studentathletes in college were entitled to receive financial compensation for the use of their name or image or likeness in commercial ads. The term student-athlete has always held that college players are students first and foremost and as such receive free tuition and in some cases room & board with a college education. Further, under the NCAA rules, the first “A” is for “amateur”. They are not entitled to financial compensation.

With the proliferation of corporations wanting to take advantage of the notoriety that college athletes are receiving in today’s sporting world — much like professional athletes demand — college athletes claim their N-I-L is been exploited. Maybe so!

The NCAA is now considering and is expected to approve, that college athletes my hire an agent to negotiate with companies for financial compensation if said company wants to use that athlete’s name, image, and or likeness in their commercials. Why would the NCAA, who has always maintained the athlete is a student first, give in to these demands? Up steps the legal courts who can – and have– overruled athletic governing bodies. Freedom? Rights?

Another reason is the demand from the public that colleges are making millions off student-athletes. Shouldn’t the athlete be entitled to some of that commercial money? Sounds reasonable. It appears that term studentathlete may be as old as Jim Thorpe. Maybe it ought to be athlete-student? Of course, not every player will be sought-after by corporations.

The star-player will be in demand not only by the corporations but also by agents who will represent the athlete. Can you recall how unscrupulous agents have disregarded the rules and regulations of agent-player responsibilities? Further, what happens to teamwork when that star player shows up in the locker room with a classy outfit or perhaps even a new flashy car? How will the rest of the T*E*A*M react since many of them receive nil?

Will you log-in your thoughts about college athletes being able to sign commercial agreements?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Jim Tunney Store

Need sports to read as we wait out this COVID-19 pandemic? Jim’s sports books contain stories of humor, inspiration, and insights about sports people. Choose your book titles here or mail $15 per book to:

Jim Tunney Youth Foundation
P.O. Box 1440
Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Ships free!

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