A Second Chance?

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

Mike VickOn the TunneySide of Sports March 23, 2020 #788 Up next… A Second Chance?

After further review…NFL Network recently broadcast a quarterback marathon with all of your favorite NFL quarterbacks’ lives portrayed. Most were Pro Football Hall of Famers; some were not but admired by their T*E*A*Ms’ fans – and rightly so. One that was featured was Michael Vick who played 15 seasons as #7 in the NFL. While I was curious to watch this show, I was not a Vick admirer. His 15 seasons were interrupted by the 21 months he spent in prison.

I had known of Vick during those 15 NFL seasons and while impressed with his talent after he was the first-round draft choice by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 draft, I was disgusted with his arrest and conviction for his involvement in dogfighting. My background just couldn’t imagine those who are entertained by such cruelty. I had taught and coached in a high school that embodied housing projects, but none like Ridley Circle Homes where Vick grew up.

The “Bad Newz” projects from which the “Bad Newz Kennels” grew involved Vick through his financing and direct involvement in dogfighting. It is illegal in the state of Virginia as well as all U.S. 50 states. The projects in which Vick was raised is a suburb of Newport News, Virginia. Despite that unsavory environment, Vick has a stellar football career at Ferguson High School as well as an outstanding football career at Virginia Tech, where after two seasons he left for NFL.

Vick took some of his NFL and endorsement money (from Nike) to buy his mother a car and a house in Suffolk, Virginia. Brenda Vick Brodie and family were living in a 3-bedroom house in that project. Vick was kept off the streets at an early age by playing sports and being involved with the Boys and Girls Club saying, “It kept me off the streets and away from ‘bad guys’”.

Later through friends, Vick engaged in dogfighting and was incarcerated in 2007 for 21 months. His NFL career over! However, his remorsefulness emerged after his release and the NFL saw it fit to allow him a trial entrance back into the league. Yet, who would chance it?

Following some close mentoring by Tony Dungy, formerly head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, the  Philadelphia Eagles, whose head coach was Andy Reid (yes, that Andy Reid, now the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl LII champions) took that chance.

Vick is now out of football and operates the Michael Vick Foundation and has lobbied for HR 2492 the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act among other charitable endeavors.

Will you give a second chance to others who may at first seem unworthy?

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Jim Tunney BobbleheadTo contact Jim, go to JimTunney.com or email Jim@JimTunney.com. Jim’s books are full of inspiration and interesting stories. Please visit his online store to learn more.

Jim’s bobblehead ($30) and latest book ($20) “101 Best of TunneySide of Sports” are available at Jim Tunney Youth Foundation (501c3) P.O. Box 1440 Pebble Beach, Ca, 93953. Includes autograph and free S&H. Thank You!

Jim is available for speaking engagements on leadership and T*E*A*M Building. His books are available for $20 which includes shipping and tax. The Tunney Bobblehead is available for $30. Please visit JimTunney.com. Thank you!

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Developing a Mindset!

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports March 16, 2020 #787 Up Next… Developing a Mindset!

After further review… In the world of sports, the word mindset is often used. What do coaches mean when they encourage their athletes to create a mindset for winning? The first step in creating a positive mindset is preparation. It has been often said: “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” As kids in school, we often hated doing homework! Yet, as we grew older into our jobs, we found that preparation is so important.

As an NFL referee, it was vital that I studied the rule book and looked at film/videotape during the week in preparing for my next Sunday’s assignment. After 31 years in NFL refereeing, one would think it all becomes routine. Wrong! It became more important each and every year. The game changes. Players are different. Plays and procedures change. One must be prepared! Remember: Noah built the ark before it started to rain.

Preparation became important in my professional career as well. As a professional speaker, one might have an interesting topic and well-crafted, but if it doesn’t fit the needs and interests of the audience it probably will fall flat! Every speech, every audience is different. One must spend considerably much more time in preparation than in the length of the presentation.

Rod Dedeaux, former but now deceased baseball coach for 29 years and 11 NCAA championship appearances while coaching at the University of Southern California, would instill in his players this type of mindset before every game: “This is our field, our ball, our bat, and our game. We play to win it.” That’s creating a mindset!

Recently I was a guest on the podcast MindsetGo with host, founder, and trainer, Mark Altman where we discussed leadership development, change management, sales and networking among other topics related to mindset. Mindset is more than just in one’s mind. It also has to do with your body language. You need to show by your physical posture that you are confident in what you are doing.

Communicating with NFL coaches can be challenging. They may not only challenge your judgment, but also your personage. Officials must respect the position of an NFL coach, but also must be self-confident in their own right and not be intimidated. It’s all in one’s mindset!

Will you develop a positive mindset in all you do?

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Jim Tunney BobbleheadTo contact Jim, go to JimTunney.com or email Jim@JimTunney.com. Jim’s books are full of inspiration and interesting stories. Please visit his online store to learn more.

Jim’s bobblehead ($30) and latest book ($20) “101 Best of TunneySide of Sports” are available at Jim Tunney Youth Foundation (501c3) P.O. Box 1440 Pebble Beach, Ca, 93953. Includes autograph and free S&H. Thank You!

Jim is available for speaking engagements on leadership and T*E*A*M Building. His books are available for $20 which includes shipping and tax. The Tunney Bobblehead is available for $30. Please visit JimTunney.com. Thank you!

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Baseball comes along every spring!

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

America's pastime - baseballOn the TunneySide of Sports March 9, 2020 #786 Up next… Baseball comes along every spring!

After further review… In an earlier Tunneyside, ‘Baseball – America’s Pastime!‘ I asked if Baseball is still considered America’s pastime. In that post, I asked: “Has this sport taken an upper-deck seat to football, basketball, soccer and other sports? Has the baseball season-ticket holder become disenfranchised with today’s MLB?

In the opinion here, baseball remains the sport of a new season and one that we look forward to each spring. It signals the end of winter and an abundance of optimism. As President Clinton said on the eve of the 1995 World Series, “Baseball is part of our common heritage.”

Baseball has also been called ‘a thinking person’s game’. Meaning that the pace of the game allows us to contemplate what just happened and speculate what might happen next. It’s a mindset that will help in other areas of one’s life.

And baseball has space! Unlike football, the players are not huddled together, and each player has his own area of responsibility, all while working together as a T*E*A*M towards the end goal.

Speaking of former presidents, do you recall when Gerald Ford made the comment that he “watched a lot of baseball on the radio”? Listening to baseball on the radio can create a visual of the game in your mind which is why you see so many people tune-in during the season. As I often sat in Dodger Stadium watching Koufax or Drysdale do their magic, I listened on the radio to Vin Scully describe the game with so much more insight.

Yes, the MLB has some serious problems right now, but I feel that the sport is so deeply ingrained in our nation’s history that those issues will be resolved, and the game will always be our National Pastime.

Will you add your thoughts on America’s game?

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Jim Tunney BobbleheadTo contact Jim, go to JimTunney.com or email Jim@JimTunney.com. Jim’s books are full of inspiration and interesting stories. Please visit his online store to learn more.

Jim’s bobblehead ($30) and latest book ($20) “101 Best of TunneySide of Sports” are available at Jim Tunney Youth Foundation (501c3) P.O. Box 1440 Pebble Beach, Ca, 93953. Includes autograph and free S&H. Thank You!

Jim is available for speaking engagements on leadership and T*E*A*M Building. His books are available for $20 which includes shipping and tax. The Tunney Bobblehead is available for $30. Please visit JimTunney.com. Thank you!

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