“THE” Rivalry

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports September 2, 2019, #759 “THE” Rivalry 

After further review… The 100th National Football League season begins on September 5th, 2019 with the Green Bay Packers visiting the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field Chicago, Illinois. I wish I could be there. No, I wish I could be on that field as the referee. Stay tuned.

The first meeting of these two was November 27, 1921, However, the Bears were then the “Staleys” located in Decatur, IL. formed by A.E. Staley, a food starch company, and were coached by player-coach George Halas. They were called the Chicago Staleys. Their rivals were the Green Bay Packers (same city as today) and coached by player-coach Curly Lambeau. The Chicago Staleys became the Chicago Bears in 1922. Aren’t you glad you asked?

That Packers-Bears rivalry was going strong when yours truly came on the scene in 1960, my first NFL year. I worked many Packers games in Lambeau Field as well as Bears games both in Wrigley Field and Soldier Field in the 1960s. However, the December 15, 1968 Packers-Bears game played at Wrigley Field will stand-out in my history. It was their 100th game.

There are many plays in games that I remember, but the one that stands out in that 100th game is a hand-off from Bears quarterback Rudy Bukich to running back Gail Sayers. Sayers started around right end when a Packers linebacker closed that route. Sayers planted his right foot and, in a nano-second made a dramatic 90 degree left turn only to face another Packers linebacker in that hole. Sayers, ala Carl Lewis, hurdled over that Packer. I marveled at Sayers athleticism, but suddenly realized I should be watching QB Bukich. No time to be a spectator.

Wrigley Field had other memorable games for me. In my first few NFL years I was a field judge positioned some 20-25 yards downfield from the line of scrimmage, except in Wrigley Field. When the offensive team had the ball inside the opponents 10-yard line, I had to position myself on the end line which was three feet from the Ivy-covered left field wall. Any official’s call against the Bears produced objects thrown e.g., snowballs, etc. or beer poured on me or any official positioned on that end line.

It goes without saying, but I will anyway, that the December 31, 1988 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and “Da Bears” will rival any game in Chicago for me. It is known as “The Fog Bowl.” We best discuss that game in detail another time.

Will you comment on any Bears game in Wrigley Field that you may have seen?

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Jim Tunney Book SigningBOOK SIGNING “Yet Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports” is available at River House Books at 208 Crossroads Blvd, Carmel. Dr. Tunney will be there on Sunday, September 8th from 2-4 PM to meet and greet and book signing.

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Jim’s thirteenth book and the third in a series ‘Yet Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ was published July 1st. To order a personally autographed copy with free shipping, please send a check for $20 to Jim Tunney Youth Foundation P.O. Box 1440 Pebble Beach, CA. 93953 or use PayPal.

This offer is available to the continental United States only.

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Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports

To 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. Be sure to get Jim’s book ‘Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ by clicking this link or using the email above to contact Jim directly. These TunneySides take issues from real-life situations and relate them as inspiration for the betterment of others. 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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Friday Night Lights Dimming

Posted on August 26, 2019 by Jim Tunney Ed.D
Friday Night Lights Dimming - TunneySide of Sports

On the TunneySide of Sports August 26, 2019, #758 Friday Night Lights Dimming

After further review… An article, actually more of a “want ad,” appeared in our local newspaper (The Monterey County Herald): “Officials Needed.” The article went on to say that our local high schools on the California Central Coast were planning to move some of their usual Friday night games to Thursdays due to lack of game officials. Although the pay is minimal, there are other reasons that some folks are avoiding this responsibility. The 2019 football season has started!

Men and women who once officiated high school sports (and youth leagues) are not stepping  forward to perform those duties, and the high school leagues are suffering. There may be several reasons for this dearth of officials, but mainly we hear that it’s verbal, and, in some cases, physical abuse of officials. It is out of control! Officials have stated they are fearful for their lives. Other reasons may be a poor pay scale, too many other duties, family needs, etc.

It certainly was different in my beginnings of officiating. I had the privilege of accompanying my dad to high school and college games he officiated (in the 1930s and 1940s). The pay was not much then. In fact, when the profession of officiating first started, coaches from one high school would officiate another’s high schools games for free and then those coaches would reciprocate. The profession soon began to pay, although with minimal amounts since schools had to budget for it. It’s still that way today.

I began officiating about age 19, while still in college doing intramural games  – for free, just for experience. Then moved onto what was called “industrial leagues,” guys who were playing after work just for the exercise. My pay at that time was .90 cents per game. It was that same pay (90 cents) for summer league school games. Graduating from college in 1951, I joined our local football and basketball officials association and was assigned high school games with the pay at $12.50 per game. Many weeks I would work three games – Thursday night, Friday afternoon and another Friday night. That $37.50 per week sure helped.  I loved it!

Moving onto college level the pay got better. Then, in 1960 I was recruited to officiate in the National Football League with, of course, an increase in game fees. I was honored to be included. My first year’s salary was $1800 for the season with travel and per diem paid.

However, it was my love of the game that retained me. Did I have to endure fans and coaches verbal abuse? Of course! One simply has to ignore that and enjoy the opportunity to work with young athletes. It’s the love of the game and a strong self-confidence that matters.

Will you log-in your concerns about the lack – and need – of school game officials today?

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BOOK SIGNING
“Yet Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports” is available at River House Books at 208 Crossroads Blvd, Carmel. Dr. Tunney will be there on Sunday, September 8th from 2-4 PM to meet and greet and book signing.

Jim’s thirteenth book and the third in a series ‘Yet Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ was published July 1st. To order a personally autographed copy with free shipping, please send a check for $20 to Jim Tunney Youth Foundation P.O. Box 1440 Pebble Beach, CA. 93953 or use PayPal.

This offer is available to the continental United States only.

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Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports

 To 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. Be sure to get Jim’s book ‘Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ by clicking this link or using the email above to contact Jim directly. These TunneySides take issues from real-life situations and relate them as inspiration for the betterment of others. 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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Will play by my rules!

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports August 19, 2019 #757 Up next...”Will play by my rules!”On the TunneySide of Sports August 19, 2019, #757 “Will play by my rules!”

After further review… If the NFL preseason hasn’t stimulated your interest perhaps the antics of wide-receiver Antonio Brown #84, now employed by the Oakland Raiders for $30 million will. Fans want their favorites to do well and emerge as the season progresses. Of course, the standard approach is for players to immerse themselves in training camp and pre-season workouts. Some star players are held out of the pre-season games to avoid injury and thus be in their best shape in November and December when games are important. Then there’s “AB.”

AB is what his teammates call him when he’s there. Problem is that AB didn’t show-up for Raiders’ workouts or practices, until last week. You may recall that Brown was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a third and fifth-round selection in the 2019 draft. The Steelers had signed Brown in 2010 with a signing bonus of $73 million, but he became a disciplinary problem that culminated in an argument with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. After the Raiders signed him, Brown had burnt his feet by not wearing the proper footwear when he entered cryotherapy. His feet became frostbitten. Kinda like the last time you climbed Mount Everest in flip-flops, Hey, it could happen to any of us!

Then, Brown refused to wear the league-approved helmet. He wanted to wear his helmet, called a Schutt Air Advantage, which he had been wearing the last few years. Trouble is, the NFL is adamant about player safety, especially head injuries and thus revised the rule this year that helmets must be approved by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOSCAE). Brown refused to comply by saying “I don’t even have to play football. If they want me to play, they’re going to play by my rules. Ooops!

Brown filed suit against the NFL. However, as of this writing, the helmet issue has been resolved. That decision said players cannot practice or play with equipment that’s not NFL approved. Brown responded with, “While I disagree with the arbitrator’s decision, I’m working on getting back to full health and rejoining my teammates on the field.” Stay tuned.

Football, as well as the real-world, doesn’t work very well if the employees will only play/work under their rules. While NFL teams are not required to operate under the “Shared Governance” model, most T*E*A*M’s management work in a cooperative environment with players when establishing rules, regulations, and policies. Some are league-imposed and thus are mandatory.

Will you comment on whether AB and the Raiders can survive together?

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Jim’s thirteenth book and the third in a series ‘Yet Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ was published July 1st. To order a personally autographed copy with free shipping, please send a check for $20 to Jim Tunney Youth Foundation P.O. Box 1440 Pebble Beach, CA. 93953 or use PayPal.

This offer is available to the continental United States only.

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

 To 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. Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports Be sure to get Jim’s book ‘Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ by clicking this link or using the email above to contact Jim directly. These TunneySides take issues from real-life situations and relate them as inspiration for the betterment of others. 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 NFL, Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | Leave a comment