Moving On!

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports February 11, 2019 #731 Up next...Moving On!

On The TunneySide of Sports February 11, 2019 #731 Up Next… Moving On!

After further review… With the conclusion of yesterday’s successful AT&T Pro-Am Golf tournament at the iconic Pebble Beach golf courses (with a bit of Crosby weather thrown-in), the Monterey Peninsula Foundation will annually contribute money in double millions of dollars to local charities. It has done so for many years. This tournament includes well-known celebs in its pro-am field as well as leading pros on the PGA circuit thereby drawing massive crowds.

A few years back, professional golfer, Jeff Sluman was one of those who regularly played in this tournament. His friend and mine local banker Clay Larson, tells this story about how one moves-on after a difficult time. Larson calls it “Cure for Disappointment.” Larson’s teenage son, Derek, asked Sluman if he would help improve his (Derek’s) game. Sluman agreed.

As the tournament week flew by, it seemed that there was not going to be a time for those two to get together. Jeff said, “Derek, let’s get together on Sunday after the final day of the tournament.” However, in that final round on Sunday Sluman made a 22-foot putt to tie Mark O’Meara for the lead. The two went into sudden death starting on the 16th tee at Pebble Beach.

Both Sluman and O’Meara reached the 16th fringe in two. O’Meara chipped his ball in for a birdie. Sluman’s 40-foot putt died short. O’Meara won that AT&T on the first playoff hole. Watching on TV, Clay and Derek groaned. Being concerned that since it’s been a long week with a tough loss, there was no chance for Jeff to meet up with Derek. So, they headed off to their favorite golf course to play a few holes.

As they were putting out on the 15th par-three, down the path walked Sluman and said, “Hi guys, I knew I’d find you here.” Both Clay and Derek were stunned to see Jeff appear with apparent ease and a smile on his face. “Come on, Derek,” Jeff said, “grab your clubs. Let’s play 16, 17, and 18, I want to see your golf swing.” They did play those three holes with Jeff assessing and critiquing every shot, every minor improvement in Derek’s swing mechanics.

Sluman had just finished nineteen holes of professional golf, lost the AT&T by one shot in sudden death, yet he was willing to spend time with a teenager to help him with his golf swing.

Will you be willing to help others after you have suffered a disappointment?

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 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!

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Is the Pro Bowl Extinct?

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

pro bowl 1

On The TunneySide of Sports February 4, 2019 #730 Up Next… Is the Pro Bowl Extinct?

After further review… The emails poured-in (pun intended) after the NFL’s Pro Bowl was played in a downpour in St. Petersburg, Florida on Sunday, January 27, 2019. Most were of a negative nature. My history of the Pro Bowl is positive and dates back to 1961 played following the 1960 NFL season which was my first year as an NFL official. The game was played in the Los Angeles Coliseum as a Los Angeles Times charity, which supported the Los Angeles Times Boys Club, on which, coincidentally, I served as a member. This, of course, was before the AFL and NFL merged in the late 1960s.

 I was fortunate to be assigned to 6 Pro Bowls – all held in that Coliseum. It was an honor for anyone – player or official – to be so selected. Each official was paid $100! Since it was a charity, we were happy to accept that; and living in Southern California, it was a short drive for me. The game was played and officiated with NFL intensity, but fun for all was paramount.

As officials, we got to know the players pretty well. Maxie Baughan, a Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams linebacker played in 9 Pro Bowls. During one of those games, an offensive receiver appeared to “push-off” Baughan as the ball was approaching – “offensive pass interference.” As the field judge (downfield 20-25 yards) that was my call. I didn’t feel that the push-off warranted a “flag,” so I didn’t “throw,” i.e., call a foul. Maxie, who I knew personally off the field, screamed at me for not calling it. I said, “Maxie, come-on, relax. It’s only the Pro Bowl!” Maxie, yelled back, “Yeah, but it’s $300 difference between winning ($800) and losing ($500) and that’s important to me.”

Indeed, today’s Pro Bowls are vastly different. While some players still appreciate the honor of being selected, most play only because they feel an obligation. The money is vastly different as are the players’ salaries of today. In the 2019 Pro Bowl, each player on the winning AFC team received $70,000 and each player on the NFC losing team received $35,000. While that money is not “chump change’” players appear to avoid the game today. The rules have changed to make the game less physical. It’s now like “two-handed-touch” as we used to call it on the playground – it doesn’t have the intensity of a real NFL game.

Will you log-in your opinion about the Pro Bowl of today?

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 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!

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Inattentional Blindness

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

downloadOn The TunneySide of Sports January 28, 2019 #729 Up Next… Inattentional Blindness

After further review… Inattentional Blindness? Huh? What’s that and what’s it got to do with sports? This theory is an old as Houdini himself. We’ve all closely watched magicians perform their craft and when finished asked “How’d they do that?” Some call it Inattentional Blindness and it causes us to miss something even if our eyes never look away. During a magic trick your eyes may never look away, but you still didn’t see what happened!

While some may refer to the magicians’ tricks as “misdirection,” inattentional blindness is not the same. Misdirection causes you to look at a new subject. Inattentional blindness is a phenomenon that explains how people can fail to see what is directly in front of them. So, what’s the sports connection?

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you saw or since have seen the NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints played in the Superdome on Sunday, January 20, 2019, which was won in overtime by the Rams. In the fourth quarter with 1:50 minutes left on the clock, the Saints threw a pass to their receiver running at full speed at about the Rams 10-yard line. As the ball approached that Saints receiver, a Rams defensive back made helmet-to-helmet contact with him before the ball arrived. By NFL rules that contact was not only defensive pass interference, but a personal foul for the helmet contact. The game officials were in the correct position to “call” (throw-the-flag) pass interference and helmet-to-helmet fouls but didn’t. Why not? Inattentional blindness!

Many studies over several years have shown that happens to all of us. Here’s an example by which you can test your I.B.: http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/videos.html. Did you see the gorilla the first time while you were counting the ball-passing? In the NFC championship game did you see the pass interference and the illegal helmet contact in real time, i.e., when it happened? Real-time for the officials to make that call was three (3) seconds. We all saw it when it was replayed in slow motion. But that’s not the way the game is played.

If you were to ask those officials why they didn’t see the P.I, and P.F., they probably couldn’t tell you. What they would tell you is that they were looking right at the play. It can happen to us all. That’s why talking or texting on your cell phone while driving (or even walking) is dangerous.

Will you take care not to let Inattentional Blindness affect what you see?

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 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