Tiger Woods Continues to Add to the Legend

"I'm in serious disbelief. I don't think I've ever seen him make a putt when he had to have one. And that was the epitome of sarcasm right there. The guy is amazing. I am in awe. I don't want to say shock. I'm in awe.

"It was unbelievable drama. I tried to stay in my own world. ... It's kind of hard when you're seeing what you're seeing. Obviously Tiger, when he needs to step up, he does it. It was impressive to watch."

--Zach Johnson, PGA golfer who was in the final threesome with Tiger Woods, who Sunday won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando.

Tiger Woods came from five-shots behind on the last round. Woods is a five-time winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, yet he has never won when he was trailing going into the final round. His largest final-round comeback on the PGA Tour was five shots in the 2000 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He once overcame an eight-shot deficit in the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand.

Sean O'Hair's five-shot lead was the largest at Bay Hill since Woods led by five in 2003.

Woods came to the 18th hole tied with O'Hair after a bogey at the 17th and hit a 7-iron from 160 yards to 15 feet. O'Hair had already knocked his second shot on the green, leaving himself a 40-footer that he lagged to within 3 feet for a par that would have meant a sudden-death playoff if Woods missed.

Excerpts from ESPN.com (March 30, 2009)

The End of the "To-Do Lists"

Where has a "To-do list" ever gotten anybody?

Time management gurus stick to the notion that having a sound "to-do list" is a great tool for efficiency and productivity. Nothing new has come out of the time management field in a long time. Of course, there is some value in having a "to-do list." And, granted, it feels good to check-off or put a line through each item. You may even feel relief in knowing that you may have gotten someone off your imaginary back. But, is that real value? Will your feeling last? Who cares?

Let's think. Do you really get a sense of satisfaction out of getting those types of items done. Will you really remember accomplishing anything when you look back on the day? Do you really feel that you have achieved anything? I say not.

I talk to executives and managers all the time. I particularly find that during job interviews candidates are drawn to jobs and opportunities in which their talents will be deployed to make a difference. However, in most instances, once they are hired and as their role is developed and clarified, their performance is often measured in small ways; in ways that reflect the old "to-do list" mentality. Their talents are wasted, the company flounders, and disappointment sets in all around. It is a set up for failure and disillusionment; an opportunity thrown away.

What about a "to-make-a-difference" list? What about a well-thought out list of high-impact actions that will add long-term, lasting value? What about a list of "game-changing" moves that will be remembered well beyond today? What about actions that will be easily shared by others and quickly remembered at annual review time? What about actions that support your vision of success, for you and the organization? Think about that the next time you start jotting down your "to-do list."

Instead, make it a "to-make-a-difference" list? How different will that list be? How different will you feel putting a dent in that list? I can hear the change in your energy level and motivation already. Go ahead, try it.

Tim Tebow Pledge Is Immortalized

“To the fans, the Gator Nation, I’m sorry. Extremely sorry. But I promise you one thing: a lot of good will come from this. You will never see a player, in the entire country, play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of this season. And you will never see a team play harder than we will play the rest of the season. God bless.”

--Tim Tebow, University of Florida championship quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner.

University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer had junior quarterback Tim Tebow's speech engraved on a plaque and placed outside the front entrance to the new football facility at Florida Field.

Tebow's speech was an emotional promise he made after the University of Mississippi Rebels upset Florida 31-30 on Sept. 27, 2008. The Gators responded by winning the remainder of their games to qualify for the BCS Championship game and beating Oklahoma 24-14 to win the school's second national football title in three years.

Excerpts from ESPN.com (March 26, 2008).

Rivalry or Respect: Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal

"People forget it's not only about forehands and backhands. Both these guys display character you don't always see in big-time athletes. Look at Michael Vick and the steroid-users in baseball to see how poorly some represent their sports. Tennis is lucky to have this duo at the top."

--Chris Evert, publisher of Tennis magazine and former championship woman tennis player, discussing the significance of the mutual respect within the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Excerpt taken from Tennis.com (April 2009).

Terrell Owens: Peak Performance Case Study

Should any NFL team take a chance on Terrell Owens, the recently released wide-receiver of the NFL Dallas Cowboys? Should the Cowboys have released him? Should the Cowboys have ever signed him as a free-agent in the first place?

The Peak Performance System provides us with a useful model to assess Terrell Owens professional equity and value as a performer; past, present and future. Let's take a look.

First of all, the definition of peak performance is the ability of a individual, team or organization to attain a consistent and sustainable high-level of performance over a long period of time. The seven components of what specific behaviors make a peak performer are described below:

1. VISION(ing)-- the over-arching process by which individuals, teams and organizations determine their desired upper-level big-picture, high-impact final result.

What is Terrell Owens' vision? What does he find most important?

T.O. has proven that he clearly values glowing individual statistics, opportunities to showcase his talents, displaying his superior trash talking and opportunities to taunt opponents with post-touchdown rituals and dances. He focuses on personal attention-getting behaviors regardless of their negative impact on the Cowboys. It is all about him rather than his team. Football is a team sport and success is measured by winning and by championships, not individual statistics. T.O. does not have a vision that corresponds to the team or organizational goals of many if any NFL team in the league. He has short-term, individual goals in mind. GRADE: F

2. FAST-FORWARDING-- the ability of individuals, teams, and organizations to identify likely significant barriers to achieving their vision.

Terrell Owens not only lacks skill in his ability to see what barriers are likely to be encountered in achieving team goals; he also seems to have a short-range view of the attainment of his individual goals. He places a much higher priority on his individual goals, but rarely understands the barriers that may hinder him or the team from achieving their long range goals of winning championships. He has yet to take responsibility for his role in the failures of his teams to win the Super Bowl. GRADE: F

3. MENTAL MINDSET-- the ability to consistently remain positive, productive, proactive and focused on team and organizational goals as well as the ability to control his emotions for the good of the whole group.

Terrell Owens has been described as a cancer in the locker room of each team for whom he has played. He has lost the support of every front office, head coach and quarterback for whom he has competed. He has lost his temper and composure while undermining the team at every juncture of his career. Additionally, his reported suicide attempt through drug overdose can hardly be seen as a sign of mental/emotional stability. None of his teams have reached nor won the Super Bowl, the dream of every NFL team.

4. GAME PLAN-- the end product of brainstorming sessions, strategic and tactical discussion that focus on the building of successful behavioral steps required to attain the vision. Game plans require massive amounts of honesty, openness, constructive feedback, communication and cooperation.

Although, Terrell Owens is consistently able to prepare himself physically, he has only periodically been able to follow or support the team game plan. He expends excessive energy questioning the game plan before and during games. He insists instead on having the offense revolve around him in order to maximize the number of catches and touchdowns for whom he is given credit. GRADE: D

5. PREPARATION/REHEARSAL--This refers to the ability to get ready to perform through structured and deliberate behavioral practice and repetition.

On the surface it appears that this is T.O.'s strength. By and large, he demonstrates an ability to prepare and perform at an individual level that is quite high. However, the media circus and series of distractions that surround him can often be more of a distraction than it is worth to the rest of the team. GRADE: C

6. EXECUTION-- This refers to the ability of a team to perform the game plan as designed and to the best of their ability.

Once again, on the surface, T.O.'s star quality, exciting plays and touchdowns can mask his toxic need to be the center of attention. His primary interest is to get the ball in his hands and to prove that he is a great receiver. He prefers to excel individually and to prove that he is the focal point of the team. He is willing to sacrifice team performance for individual star value. GRADE: D

7. REVIEW-- This refers to a winning, competitive mentality that values continuous improvement and learning through the evaluation and re-evaluation of performance for the purpose of eliminating errors and mistakes.

Terrell Owens has demonstrated an inability to learn from his mistakes. His tenure with each NFL team has been amazingly similar with initial periods of good behavior followed by disruptions, temper tantrums, emotional outbursts, and, finally, the inevitable erosion of team chemistry and harmony. GRADE: F


Should Terrell Owens have been signed by the Dallas Cowboys? The signs are clear that the Cowboys have regretably damaged their championship window of opportunity and will have to rebuild their team due to taking a gamble on a troubled, yet supremely talented wide receiver.

Should Terrell Owens be signed by another team? Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. So, I think the answer is clear. No team should take chance on T.O. without accepting the risks and expecting a short period of performance followed by a quick decline of the entire team.

Brad Lidge: Understanding Performance and Perfection

“The biggest thing for me is to not get caught up in stats in terms of perfection and non-perfection. You start with the goal that you want to throw well in every game and maintain that. The reality is, I have to be able to help our team win and have a good year as a closer.

"I’m not trying to top 2008. We won the World Series. In terms of what a closer is supposed to do, I can’t do better in save percentage. But I can actually go out and blow a couple of saves and still pitch better than I did last year.”

--Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher, who recorded 48 saves in 48 chances, including the clinching game of the World Series.

Excerpts from the New York Times, February 26, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/sports/baseball/26lidge.html?th&emc=th

Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis Colts: Peak Performance Case Study

"I've always treasured the time I've had with him because I respected him so much as a person. He worked so hard at his craft, he was always so prepared and he did every little thing he could to win. And he did it with quiet dignity, superb professionalism and with a sense of contribution to the team, that really is second to none."

--Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts' team president., discussing his relationship with Marvin Harrison.

To date, Marvin Harrison has caught 1,102 passes (#2 in NFL history) for 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns, all for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He is the Colts' leading single-season and career receiving leader in catches, yardage and touchdowns , surpassing former Colt and Hall-of-Famer Raymond Berry. He teamed with Peyton Manning to form the most potent passing combination in National Football League history. Harrison was the Colts' first-round draft pick in 1996, out of Syracuse. The Colts won the Super Bowl in 2007.

Marvin Harrison was released today at his request by the Indianapolis Colts after a contract could not be agreed upon.




Excerpts from ESPN.com, February 25, 2009.

Rewind to Beijing 2008--Mike Krzyzewski: Leading USA Basketball to Olympic Gold Through Planning and Preparation

"The amount of time we had to put into this was substantial. For more than three years, we were in constant touch, constant planning, meeting, dealing with players, training camps, travel, the world championships, the Olympic qualifying and then the whole Olympic experience. And Mike was amazing, in terms of preparation, everything you ever heard about him.

Jerry Colangelo, Managing Director, USA Basketball, who chose Coach Krzyzewski to be the head coach and restore the United States to its place as the world's premier basketball power.

Excerpts from the New York Times, February 19, 2009.

Mike Tomlin: Glimpses of a Championship Head Coach

"It's like chess to me. I like to control my emotions because I want to see things with clarity. I think that's what my team needs me to do in those instances. I think that's what my team needs me to do in those instances. Not that I don't enjoy it, I do, but I'm always trying to stay a step ahead.

"You wear many hats in this business, and I embrace that as much as I do the X's and O's. I probably get more enjoyment out of watching people grow than I do preparing winning football games. It's a beautiful thing. I believe that's what we're all called to do."

--Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach, discussing his sideline demeanor and various leadership and mentoring roles on the team.

Excerpts from the New York Times, February 3, 2009.

Watch the game-winning drive on YouTube below.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Model for an NFL Franchise

"They've run a model franchise. I think everyone in Pittsburgh recognizes how proud they are of the Steelers. We in the NFL recognize how fortunate we've been to have Dan Rooney's leadership and now Art's leadership."

--Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner, discussing the Rooney family and their ownership.

"They do a great job of letting their personnel do their jobs. They take care of things on their end and let the people they've hired for their positions do their job. That's what's special."

--Brett Keisel, Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive end.

The Steelers have now won 6 Super Bowls (an NFL record) and have been a model of stability in the NFL. They have only had 3 coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll won 4 Super Bowls. Bill Cowher had eight teams that won 10 or more games from 1992 to 2006, including records of 13-3, 15-1, 11-5 and 10-5-1, three American Conference championship games, and one Super Bowl in his last five seasons.

Mike Tomlin is the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl.

Excerpts from the New York Times, January 25, 2009.

Steelers's Super Bowl Win: Overcoming Adversity

“We’re a team that doesn’t blink in the face of adversity. It’s never going to be pretty, or perfect, if you will, but they have a great deal of belief in one another.”

--Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach, discussing the Steelers' comeback in the final minutes of the Super Bowl.

Tomlin, became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl. The Steelers have won more Super Bowls than an other NFL franchise, six.

Kurt Warner: Designs on a Legacy

"I want people to respect me as a guy who works his butt off, that tries to be great every time he does anything, and he wants the players around him to be great and he'll do whatever he can to bring them to the point of greatness. That's definitely what I want my legacy to be."

--Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals' quarterback, talking about his three Super Bowl appearances with two franchises.

Warner has two NFL Most Valuable Player awards and is trying to win a second Super Bowl ring.

Excerpts from the New York Times, February 1, 2009.

Respecting Institutions: The Right Way to Compete

“I was in awe every time I walked onto the field. That’s respect. I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponents or your teammates or your organization or your manager and never, ever your uniform. You make a great play, act like you’ve done it before; get a big hit, look for the third base coach and get ready to run the bases.”

“These guys sitting up here [previous Hall of Fame inductees] did not pave the way for the rest of us so that players could swing for the fences every time up and forget how to move a runner over to third. It’s disrespectful to them, to you and to the game of baseball that we all played growing up.

“Respect. A lot of people say this honor validates my career, but I didn’t work hard for validation. I didn’t play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that’s what you’re supposed to do, play it right and with respect ... . If this validates anything, it’s that guys who taught me the game ... did what they were supposed to do, and I did what I was supposed to do.”

--Ryne Sandberg, retired, Hall of Fame second baseman for the Chicago Cubs (2005).

Excerpts from New York Times op-ed column, What Life Asks of Us by David Brooks, January 27, 2009. For the entire article, click on: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/opinion/27brooks.html?th&emc=th

Checklist Reduces Deaths in Surgery

A checklist for surgical teams can significantly lower the number of deaths and complications, researchers are reporting.

A year after surgical teams at eight hospitals adopted a 19-item checklist, the average patient death rate fell by more than 40 percent and the rate of complications fell by about a third, the researchers reported last week in the online edition of The New England Journal of Medicine.

The senior author of the study, Dr. Atul Gawande of the Harvard School of Public Health, said it was hard to identify which items were the most important. But even a small change, like having surgical team members take a moment to say who they are and what they do before scalpel touches skin, can have important consequences should one of them develop a concern during the operation.

The study was conducted over a year at hospitals in Canada, England, India, Jordan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Tanzania and the United States.

To see the New York Times article, click on:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/health/20surgery.html


New York Jets' New Coach Reveals Mindset

"I'm not afraid of the expectations being high. They should be high -- we are a team that won nine games last year. I'll meet them head on. My goal is to win a Super Bowl. That's what I am here for, to win Super Bowls. I look at it as an opportunity, an opportunity that we can win immediately. There's no reason we shouldn't win immediately. You've got the right guy. I plan on proving that each week."

--Rex Ryan, new New York Jets' head coach, speaking after being introduced and implying that he predicts a Super Bowl win for the New York Jets in two years.

"I learned so much from my dad. I learned about the game of football, the way he would build his team on passionate, physical, aggressive people."

Ryan was most recently the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. Ryan is the son of former Chicago Bears' head coach and winner of the 1985 Super Bowl, Buddy Ryan. The elder Ryan is considered to be one of the greatest defensive coaches in NFL history.

"I want to be a better head coach than my father. That sounds crazy, but it's the truth, and I don't mind saying it."

"I understand the pressures that go with the New York media and the expectations coming with this team," Ryan said. "I look at that as an opportunity that we can win immediately."

"I can't tell you how excited I am to lead this organization," he said. "It's a dream come true. I plan on being here a long time, there's no doubt."

Excerpts from the Star- Ledger (www.nj.com), 1/21/2009 and the New York Times, 1/22/2009.

Cardinal Accountability: Getting to the Super Bowl

"It feels good. It's my job. I want to make sure I'm accountable. If not, I get that death stare from Kurt."

--Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals' wide-receiver, talking about his record-setting performance in the NFL playoffs.

Fitzgerald has 419 receiving yards in the 2008-2009 postseason breaking the great Jerry Rice's record. Fitzgerald has become the favorite target of veteran quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Kurt Warner as the Arizona Cardinals have advanced to the Super Bowl despite 50-1 odds.

"Larry's not a flashy guy. he's not going to showboat, not going to taunt you. He gets into the end zone, and he acts like he expected to get there."

--Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals' rookie running back.

Fitzgerald caught three touchdown passes in the Cardinals' 32-25 win in the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cardinals will now play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl.

"He always said he was going to be the best receiver in the game, and he is. He doesn't play football for the fame. He doesn't play football to have cameras shoved in his face. He plays football to be the best receiver who ever lived and win championships. That's not a show, that's Larry."

--Tyler Palko, former University of Pittsburgh quarterback, who played with Fitzgerald in college.



Excerpts from the New York Times, 1/19/2009 and 1/25/2009.

Philadelphia Eagles: Catching Fire at the Right Time

"We're playing with heart and everybody knows we have one goal in mind, and that's just to make it to the end."

--Trent Cole, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end, following their upset win over the New York Giants in the NFC divisional playoff.

"We have a collective heartbeat and a collective heartbeat is a very powerful thing."

--Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia Eagles safety.

Winning Notes from the NFC Divisional Playoffs

“You can lean on him all the time. He has great experience playing deep into the playoffs, two Super Bowls and he’s played phenomenal for us. You can’t say enough about Kurt and his leadership. Very vocal and he tells you exactly what its going to take for us to get there and we’re all just following his lead.”

--Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals' wide-receiver, talking about Cardinals' quarterback Kurt Warner.

Fitzgerald had eight catches for 166 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Carolina Panthers in another upset in the NFC divisional playoffs.

Warner, who threw for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Panthers, has been here before. His breakout year came in 1999, when he won the first of two M.V.P. awards and led St. Louis to a Super Bowl victory against Tennessee. Warner did it again in 2001, when he was the M.V.P. and the Rams reached the Super Bowl once more, falling to New England.

Warner was rewarded with a Pro Bowl season in 2008, throwing for 4,583 yards and 30 touchdowns with 14 interceptions as the Cardinals won the N.F.C. West. It was his fourth Pro Bowl selection, but his first since the 2001 season.

Excerpts from New York Times, January 12, 2009.

Florida Gators: BCS National Champions

"There's no feeling like being a champion. I love it. There's nothing like it."

--Percy Harvin, University of Florida wide receiver, who missed the SEC championship game against Alabama, because of an ankle injury.

In his return, Harvin had 171 total yards and a touchdown to help top-ranked Florida beat No. 2 Oklahoma 24-14 in the national championship game Thursday night. He ran nine times for 122 yards and a touchdown, caught five passes for 49 yards.

"Unbelievable performance. The brighter the lights, the bigger he plays. He's a big-time game performer."

--Urban Meyer, University of Florida head coach.

However, the turning point of the season and the key to the Gators' championship may have occurred following the Gators' upset loss to Mississippi, 31-30, Sept. 27. This is what their leader and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Tim Tebow said:

“To the fans, the Gator Nation, I’m sorry. Extremely sorry. But I promise you one thing: a lot of good will come from this. You will never see a player, in the entire country, play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of this season. And you will never see a team play harder than we will play the rest of the season. God bless.”

Florida did not lose again.

Excerpts from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 9, 2009.

Striving for a National Championship in BCS Game

"I picture things in my mind before I try to go accomplish it."

--Chris Brown, Oklahoma Sooner running back.

Brown, who has started only one game this season, will be starting in Thursday night's championship game against the University of Florida. The starting running back, DeMarco Murray has a hamstring injury.

Despite his backup status, Brown leads Oklahoma in rushing yards (1,110) and touchdowns (20). Brown was an honorable mention selection on the 2008 All-Big 12 team.

Watch a Chris Brown touchdown run on YouTube below.

Excerpts from the New York Times, 1/7/2008.