NFL: Will Greed and Hypocrisy Ruin The Game?

Junior Seau

The NFL is the most popular professional sport league in the United States.  The league generates annual revenue of $9.5 billion compared to Major League Baseball, the second-highest grossing league, had an annual revenue of $7 billion in 2012 and the NFL more than doubles the National Basketball Association and their revenue of $4 billion.    After watching the PBS documentary League of Denial:  NFL’s Concussion Crisis this week it was very disturbing of the circumstances that forced the NFL to be proactive regarding the issue.  What the documentary revealed is how it took bad public relations including lawsuits and a prominent player such as Junior Seau committing suicide caused from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease, which can only be definitively diagnosed postmortem in individuals with a history of multiple concussions and other forms of head injury.

Jonathan Vilma and Drew Brees

This pattern is concerning because the NFL has become a public relations machine for the good and bad.  Current commissioner Roger Goodell has an apparent disconnect with the players' that was evident during the most recent collective bargaining negotiations in 2011 and other recent issues.    The New Orleans Saints in 2012 received unprecedented punishment for their bounty program.  As Dan LeBetard of the Miami Herald stated, "Goodell chose to reveal it and then punish it with iron-fisted overindulgence, gift-wrapping the media an easy and noisy story in America’s most popular sport. Goodell, faced with the oxymoronic task of making a violent game safe, decided to scapegoat the Saints for something that was about as old as football."

Linebacker Jonathan Vilma was suspended for the season and later had is suspension lifted by an appeals court, but the damage was done to Vilma and his team.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees stated after the decision, "If someone would just come out in the league office and admit, ‘You know what? We could have handled this situation better,’ it would go such a long way with both players and fans. People would really come around to realize what this thing was all about because right now the league office and Commissioner Goodell have very little to no credibility with us as players."

Roger Goodell works for the NFL owners and is the messenger for them to the players’ and the public.  There is one thing that many NFL owners and Goodell share, they have very little in common with the players who participate in the game they oversee.  It is expected for many owners to have that disconnect.  Hiring competent executives in their football operations can fill that void.  The Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and New England Patriots are examples of having a reputation of a culture that produces quality teams. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

The position of NFL Commissioner was Goodell’s dream job, evident in his letter to then Commissioner Peter Rozelle in 1981 after his college graduation seeking an opportunity to work in the NFL.  He is the son of the late United States Charles Ellis Goodell and competed in football, basketball, and baseball in high school.  His story is compelling and inspiring, he went from an intern to COO to Commissioner in over 24 years. 

In a USA Today Poll released in January 2013 of NFL players 61% said they disapprove of the job Goodell has done overall, with most focusing on the increased fines of players for dangerous hits on defenseless receivers and quarterbacks and the perception of the commissioner's investigation into the New Orleans Saints bounty matter.

Perception is the public’s reality.  His lack of popularity will not impact his job security.  NFL owners are pleased with the job he is doing because the league is continuing to be profitable.  My concern as a fan is when will the rule changes, punishments, and fresh ideas finally catch up with the league to impact the product on the field.  Some will argue that it already has.

Even causes are being used for profit.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  NFL players and officials are wearing pink with their uniforms.  According to the League, 100% of the proceeds from the specialty auction go to the American Cancer Society, but the total percentage of purchases of officially licensed gear that actually goes to FINDING A CURE is only 5%.   The players wearing pink are basically walking billboards.  NFL products are sold at a 100% markup and only 5% of sale proceeds go to the American Cancer Society, then the NFL is pocketing 90% of sales of Breast Cancer Awareness products. 

NFL's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Breast cancer has impacted many individuals in one form or another, but men are vulnerable to prostate cancer.   According the American Cancer Society prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men, other than skin cancer prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, behind only lung cancer. One man in six will get prostate cancer during his lifetime. And one man in 36 will die of this disease.  The NFL does not have a campaing for prostate cancer because it is not as sensitive of a topic. 

The NFL appears to be full of hypocrisy and greed.  It implements changes for player safety, but to open the 2012 football season the Baltimore Ravens played four games in 17 days.  This season Thursday night games were increased to 13 meaning more weeks of short rest for many teams.  The most recent proposal from the NFL is for expanded playoffs and shortening the preseason from four to three games.

Goodell’s disconnect with the players most likely will not improve over time.  He will not be motivated to make any changes for two reasons, the league will keep selling product and fans will keep buying it.   The NFL knows how to market its product even when dealing with bad public relations. 

What compounds a situation with leaders is when they do not relate with a group, but think that they do.  Athletes know when they are interacting with people that do not “get’ them or their culture.  Within an organization the coaching staff and front office serve as the messengers.  As Commissioner he does not have an intermediary to serve as a communicator.  As Stephen Covey says, “It takes humility to seek feedback. It takes wisdom to understand it, analyze it and appropriately act on it.” 

Goodell was given the keys to a Roll Royce and told don’t crash it.  The continued growth of the NFL has more to do with increased television coverage and great marketing of the sport, which for the last 30 years it has been great at.  Hopefully rule changes, concussion lawsuits, additional games, and damage control public relations will not damage the game loved my many.

Fit To Succeed

Professional athletes possess exceptional physical ability.  It requires talent, discipline, hard work, and dedication to become an elite athlete.  Some athletes never reach their full potential because they don’t take their nutrition and fitness seriously or work as hard on their craft as they should and consistently look for ways to improve.   Others have Hall of Fame careers, and win multiple championships in their respective sports.  With year-round training becoming a normal practice, athletes are realizing the importance of making nutrition and fitness a priority.  This should not only pertain to elite athletes. Most of society neglects their health.  Regardless of anyone’s level of achievement, it shouldn’t come at the cost of poor health.  The consequences can jeopardize quality of life and maximum efficiency.  Athletes can serve as examples of what valuing nutrition and fitness can do for a career—and illustrate how disregard will short-change a legacy.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., each carry a family tradition in boxing along with their fathers’ namesake.  The “juniors” have taken two different approaches to their careers.  While both prizefighters were introduced to the sport at a very young age, what separates them is desire. Mayweather appears to have genuinely developed a passion for the sport, while Chavez seems entitled because of his family legacy.  Mayweather is an undefeated champion (46-0). The 36-year-old boxer is as sharp as ever—dismantling the previously undefeated Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, 23, on Sept. 14. Mayweather takes pride in keeping himself in peak shape year-round. He has excellent trainers in uncle Roger Mayweather and father Floyd Mayweather, Sr.

On the other hand, Chavez gives the impression that he does not take his training seriously.  He tested positive for marijuana after his first defeat against Sergio Martinez in September 2012, and his trainer, the renowned Freddie Roach, criticized his preparation for the fight.  In his most recent Sept. 28 fight against Brian Vera, he struggled to make a contracted weight that was renegotiated twice. It appears Mayweather will go down as one of the best boxers in history. Chavez, with an impressive 47-1-1 record at age 27, has yet to fully tap into his potential.  While natural ability, environment, and training over a long period of time enables some athletes to become very good at their respective sport, their dedication to taking care of their bodies enable them to reap the full benefits of training.

Two NBA Legends—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal—illustrate this difference in approach to nutrition and fitness throughout their careers. Abdul-Jabbar played 20 productive seasons (1969-89) in the NBA, a six-time champion and league MVP.  Out of his 20 seasons, he only played less than 65 of 82 games twice in his career, and remains the league’s all-time leading scorer. Abdul-Jabbar attributed the longevity of his career to taking up yoga in 1976. "I believe that yoga is one of the reasons that I was able to play as long and as healthy as I did.  Yoga is somewhat hard to quantify in terms of benefits because you see them in all the injuries you don't get," the basketball legend explained.

Shaquille O’Neal played 19 seasons (1992-2011), a four-time champion and league MVP in 2000.  He led three different franchises to finals appearances and rose to become arguably the most dominant big man in NBA history.  Twelve of O’Neal’s 19 seasons he played 67 games or less.  His injury-plagued career was mostly attributed to lack of conditioning and recovering from surgeries.  Imagine if O’Neal took his nutrition and fitness as serious as Abdul-Jabbar: the impact he could have left on the game and how many more championships he could have won.

Elite athletes can love playing their respective sport, but detest the preparation that it takes to master it. Some individuals have a passion for exercising, but struggle with proper nutrition.  Great genetics can lead to complacency.  The importance of nutrition and fitness can assist us all in our careers and quality of life.  Physical activity helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression as well as improves mood.  It helps maintain brain function in older adults.  That is why more organizations are investing in educating employees on nutrition and fitness along with providing resources such as on-site fitness facilities and workshops.

 

Most of us aren’t elite athletes, but not taking nutrition and fitness seriously can jeopardize our overall health, quality of life, and careers. Mayweather, Chavez, Abdul-Jabbar and O’Neal are accomplished in their respective careers.  Imagine how a proper nutrition and fitness regiment could enhance your quality of life and effectiveness in your career.  It can be a 9-5 desk job, technical, or blue collar.  It doesn’t matter.  Don’t cheat your level efficiency by neglecting to take care of yourself.  Regardless of how anyone defines success, we all want to be healthy to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

RG3: It's Not Just About The Knee

            Robert Griffin III and Washington have gotten off to a rough 0-3 start.  The defense has give up the most yards the first three weeks of the season than any team in NFL history.  What the media, fans, and pundits want to focus on are the struggles of RG3.  The fact that he is not playing up to the standard he established in his rookie season should not be surprising.  Coming off a major knee injury it will take time for him to physically and mentally return to that level.  If any of us in our respective professions were not able to work for several months regardless of the circumstances it would take time to get reacquainted.  His offseason was focused on rehabilitation before he could begin preparing to play football.  It is not like riding a bicycle.   RG3 did not help himself the entire offseason with the way he handled discussing his injury and rehabilitation.  He did not give himself room to go through that process with his comments and attention drawn to it.

            What Griffin needs to learn is to have a filter and say no sometimes!  From the initial time of his injury there was too much finger pointing regards to who was at fault for his injury.  He stated after the game that he was not going to pull himself out.  Having previous history with tearing an ACL in college he knew how vulnerable he was and ultimately needed to take responsibility for leaving himself in the playoff game vs. Seattle.  The coaching and medical staff should have protected him from himself especially after seeing him limp to the sideline on a scramble in the first half.  The entire offseason Adidas had an ad campaign about his recovery, “All In For Week 1.”, Sports Illustrated and GQ magazine covers. He had cameras following him for a documentary.  The entire franchise was inundated with questions about his recovery and process and not about the entire team.  Did Griffin do all these things for selfish reasons?  Probably not, he was working hard to get healthy to help his team win.  He is a charismatic figure and was voted as a team captain as a rookie.  All of this doesn’t mean that there is not something to learn from this process.

            Griffin needs to be himself, but keep in mind that is interaction with the media, use of social media, and any comments will impact himself and the team.  Santana Moss and Pierre Garcon have already made comments about how everyone around Redskins Park is used to fielding questions about Griffin.  What a NFL QB has to be is Presidential and CEOish.  Two of his 2012 draft counterparts Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck get that.  We never hear anything from them that causes a distraction to the team.  They do interviews and have commercials, but conduct their business in a way that they are not the hot button topic all the time for their franchise.  Other quarterbacks such as Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Eli and Peyton Manning, and Matt Ryan get that as well.  Former Washington CB Fred Smoot recently stated on the 106.7 FM , “Sometimes RGIII can be a brat, alright? Because I’m watching these other quarterbacks and I’m watching how they compose themselves and the things they do. With Luck and Wilson, and it’s a different vibe. Sometimes I’m starting to think that RGIII is really really buying into the attention. But I tell anybody this. The NFL will humble you. And I think he’s going through that humbling process right now as we speak.” 

            Calling him a brat is probably extreme. The observation of how he handles himself should not be lost.  Griffin has the potential to be a transcendent player in the NFL.  He is smart, hard worker, and has all the tangible skills.  Hopefully the process of handling his injury and struggles early in the season of the team will be a learning experience of the intangibles that will take him to greater levels.  As a fan, I am rooting for him.  Growing in the Washington, DC area we have not had an athlete to gain such national attention outside of Michael Jordan joining the Wizards past his prime.  Griffin broke records in jersey sales in 2012 and was the buzz of the league.  It is easy for anyone especially at his age to get caught up in the hype and expectations. 

            This season has the potential to be a long one for Washington.  Outside of the Raiders in the coming week the remaining 12 games are against teams at this point have very realistic playoff expectations.  Several have legitimate Super Bowl expectations such as the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons.  With a potential single digit win season ahead and coach that will be in the final year of his contract in 2014 in Mike Shanahan, Griffin being the face of the franchise needs to be prepared for what is to come and handle his business in a way to be the steady force with many questions looming about the franchise’s future and his performance.

Healthy Lifestyle: Do It For Yourself While Influencing Others

           An observation I have made the last several years with clients is the challenge of changing their eating and exercising habits when the rest of their household, family, friends, and/or co-workers are not doing the same.  Many fall off the wagon due to their family and friends eating habits and discouragement.  It can become a logistical and financial headache of purchasing and preparing different foods in the same household or not wanting to partake in certain foods at a corporate lunch.  Time at the gym can take away from time that others are used to you having available.  We are all creatures of habits and get entrenched in our routines.  So you have to remind yourself that you are doing this for yourself and that it will serve as an inspiration to others.  Don’t allow your approach in communicating it take way from your progress.

            First and foremost the most critical aspect is nutrition.   You can exercise until you pass out, without proper nutrition you will not reap the full benefits of the process.  Many studies have quantified that nutrition is 70-80% of weight management.  Exercise builds strength and endurance.  Other benefits of exercise are alertness, energy, and productivity. The simplest task of picking up groceries, walking up and down stairs requires strength and endurance.  Exercise is required to increase strength and endurance and the proper foods to fuel workouts.  If they are not willing to change set the example as you continue on your journey for a healthy lifestyle.

            If you are having difficulty convincing others to adopt a healthy lifestyle here are a few suggestions to assist with your approach:

JUST DO IT!

            Don’t make an announcement about your changes.   Just start doing it!  Long discussions or brow beating those around you about what they should be doing since you are making changes will not be beneficial.  Set the example by being consistent in your nutrition and exercise.  They will see the changes and be inspired to do the same.  If they ask questions, answer them so they can be informed.   What comes from being the person to breakthrough that barrier is it forces your friends and family to think for themselves about the food they are so offended you wouldn't eat.   When you begin to turn away foods you once indulged in questions will come about why you are making different food choices now.  Casual conversations can lead to a powerful transformation to others.

INTRODUCE HEALTHY MEALS

            Without them realizing it prepare a meal for them including foods you know they already enjoy.  If your family likes chicken and vegetables prepare them without the additional ingredients that take away from their nutrients such as salt, oil, and sauces.  Grill or bake the fish and season appropriately.  Be careful of the marinades used to season your meats.  Christina Dimacali, personal chef, cooking guru and owner of the NoLibs-based cooking school Clean Your Plate, says you shouldn’t marinate chicken for more than 24 hours, especially if your marinade contains an acid (lemon or lime juice, or vinegar). “Just like with seafood, the acid can actually cook the chicken, so you have to be careful about that.”  Many recipes to season and prepare meats are low in calories and sodium.

            Research recipes of healthy meals and snacks and even low calorie and sugar desserts.  Eating healthy can taste good!  It just has to be introduced.

 BE PATIENT WITH THEM           

            From my experiences there is an emotional and psychological aspect to choosing or not choosing a healthy lifestyle.  Eating and exercising generates various emotions.  For example, when people are happy they indulge in their favorite food or beverage to celebrate or will not eat because of stress.  People are hooked on their habits and do not want to let go of the comfort zone their current lifestyle has.  The light bulb goes off for people at different times.  There is not a way to predict what will serve as inspiration.  It can be a doctor's report, television or movies, the mirror, or YOU.  Whenever it does happen be a support system for them and realize that most go through up and downs during the process just you may be doing through now.  Once you make the decision to change your life for the better, the people around you will want a piece of it, especially when they see it working for you.  That is how the cycle works!

What We All Can Learn From Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow was recently released from the New England Patriots.  In his short career this is the third NFL team that made a decision that is services are no longer needed.  Tebow is one of the most polarizing athletes in recent memory.  It can be traced to his very successful college career, which included two National Championships and a Heisman Trophy and his unapologetic proclamation of his faith.  In his second season with Denver Broncos there were memorable moments after filling in for a struggling Kyle Orton that even included a playoff overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on an 80 yard touchdown pass.  After being traded to the New York Jets for the 2012 season they had very little use for him and released him after the season.  When the New England Patriots signed Tebow owner Bob Kraft was interviewed by ESPN regarding the signing, he stated, “If you want to win in this league, you need quality depth management, in the age of the salary cap. Whenever you can get a competitive, first-grade person to join your team, you never know what happens. But for me personally, having Tim Tebow on this team, he’s someone who believes in spirituality, he’s very competitive and works hard, and has a great attitude, and he’s a winner. So having him as part of our franchise is great, but he has to compete just like anyone else. We’re blessed to have a lot of people like that, but the fact that spirituality is very important to him is very appealing to me.” 

The intangibles of his character, faith, and confidence make him intriguing.  What made him expendable was his lack of competence to effectively play his position at the professional level.  Sports are not different from any other position being filled in an organization, attitude, confidence, and intangibles cannot substitute for competence.  Former NBA Head Coach and current ESPN TV analyst was recently quoted in reference to recently retired player Tracy McGrady stating, "Either your best player has to cover up the non-strengths of the others or the others have to cover up the non-strengths of the stars," and ideally, you'd want both things happening at once.  Tebow’s non-strengths on the football field became a detriment to the strengths of his teammates.  Their strengths could not overcome what he lacked physically. In college at the University of Florida Tebow was surrounded by superior talent and his intangibles of maturity and leadership were able to make a major contribution to the team.  In the cut throat business of professional sports potential and upside have an expiration date.  And for Tebow this may be the end of the line for him.

Some Tebow supporters view the criticism of his ability as a personal attack.  Detractors are frustrated with the constant media attention to someone who has struggled with delivery, reading defenses, accuracy.   Tebow’s recent release will force him to make a decision regarding how he wants to pursue his future.  It is a question many of us face.  If there is a particular career and/or skill set we desire, is our level competence high enough to be successful at it?  Life is about seizing opportunities when presented.  Very talented people never are presented with right set of circumstances.  For Tebow he wanted to do something that only 75 people or less get to do and that is  an NFL quarterback.  Only 32 get to start, and if he is fortunate at some point in his mid to late 30’s his career would be over and the next phase of his life would begin.  That is the struggle for a professional athlete.  The window of opportunity is small and new prospects are entering the league every year.  Dreams and passions should be pursued.  What we all must face is do we have potential mastery of our passions.  Once that is determined it has be nurtured properly with instruction, practice, coaching/mentoring, and discipline.  It is the natural ability/genetics vs. nurturing debate.  

With hours of practice and instruction that Tim Tebow has received over the years his ceiling was lower at NFL quarterback than many of his counterparts.  What has been surprising is that his physical mechanics were not corrected in his high school or college career.  The infatuation former Denver Broncos Head Coach and current New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator had with him did not help the public perception of Tebow.  McDaniels felt he could “coach” him up and the other 31 teams did not view him as a starting quarterback.   His brief success was probably the worse thing to happen to him.   The most likely scenario is that the phone does not ring again from an NFL team and he can be Tim Tebow full time, speaking engagements, autograph sessions, television, etc.  He appears to be intelligent and will have options to do something else.  Just happened a lot sooner than he expected.

The Mirror Can Lie

             A common mistake that can be made during workout sessions is focusing on just the “mirror muscles."  These include the chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders and quadriceps and neglecting muscles that cannot be seen in the mirror such as lats, rear deltoids, hamstrings, and lower back.  Making this mistake causes muscle imbalances and postural problems that make the simplest every day tasks more difficult.

Correct posture, full range of motion, and functional strength can only be maintained when muscles are in balance. When your strength training puts the emphasis on the muscles on the front side of your torso, those muscles will tend to get tighter and shorter over time, while the neglected opposing muscles in your back will get longer and weaker. Your shoulders will start rounding towards the front, your neck and head will start leaning forwards, and you may develop chronic neck and upper back pain.  This postural problem can even lead to serious issues with pinched or entrapped nerves in your shoulders, or a propensity to injure your shoulder muscles, especially the rotator cuff which can lead to slouching.

Pull-ups

  These same principles apply to the lower body. The tendency of people who build mirror muscles only is to concentrate on squats to strengthen the quads and glutes and neglect their hamstrings. In fact, the majority of hamstring injuries result from imbalances caused by favoring quad exercises over hamstring stretches and exercises.  The posterior chain, which includes the hamstrings, glutes, and back are critical. If your posterior chain is weak, you’ll never fully develop the “mirror muscles”.  Exercises such as leg curls, deadlifts, and reverse lunges are excellent for the hamstrings. 

If you are focusing just on your mirror muscles make a change today!  When developing your routines make sure that the same amount of time is spent on the non-mirror muscles.  Consult a fitness professional for assistance if needed.  Working those muscles will do wonder for your aesthetic development, posture, and strength.

As The Talent Develops Don't Forget The Person

With the recent developments of Johnny Manziel and NCAA Conference Commissioners’ calling for changes in how the NCAA does business, intercollegiate athletics are under fire again.  In the age of 24 hours news and social media student-athletes from youth sports to college are under more scrutiny than ever.    Manziel was the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012 and since winning the award he has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.  Excessive drinking, lashing out on Twitter, being sent home from the Manning’s Passing Camp, kicked out of a fraternity party at Univ. of Texas, and most recently being investigated for selling his autograph in January, which would be a NCAA violation.  He has become the most recent case study of how imperative personal development is while pursuing and achieving athletic success.

2012 Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel.   

Wright Thompson of ESPN Magazine recent article “The trouble with Johnny” illustrates more of how his family enabled him more than teach him valuable lessons growing up.  Manziel is an example of how personal development is critical for all of us, not excluding raising a child that is gifted athletically.  This is not an indictment on his character or his parents, but shows how easily personal development can come at the cost of pursuing athletic achievement and the success that comes with it.  Parents, youth coaches, and administrators need to find as many teachable moments through athletics.  This does not have to come at the cost of developing their athletic skills and being competitive.  What tends to happen is that parents and coaches get caught up in the hype of athletic achievement.   As Thompson put it referring to Johnny Manziel, “People on the outside see only the final collapse: the drunken photo, the fight outside a bar, the angry tweet. They never see the slow decay, because that happens in private.”

St. Francis Academy Baltimore, MD.

Young athletes should have coaches and administrators who are as concerned about the impact they leave on young people’s lives.  How many athletes can look back and say that playing for a coach made them a better person, some can and some can’t.   The influential figures in a young athletes life see the signs, yet in many instances enable the behavior instead of addressing it head on.  Unfortunately some coaches take up the profession for the wrong reasons.  They see it as an opportunity to profit or live their dreams vicariously through young boys and girls or self-gratification.  Others have a passion for the respective sport and view coaching as an opportunity to give back and teach valuable lessons.  I recently visited St. Francis Academy in inner city Baltimore, MD during an Under Armour commercial shoot.  I was able to hear stories of how the coaches, chaplain, and staff have used football the change young men’s lives.  One player on the team is getting a scholarship to an Ivy League school.  The support system at St. Francis is determined to use football to change lives.  Regardless of the social economic conditions this should be the goal for all coaches dealing with our youth.

Sports can breed many positive character traits such as teamwork, discipline, interacting with authority, leadership, success, dealing with setbacks, interpersonal skills and many more.  Also, it can breed entitlement, selfishness, laziness, and disrespect.  Whichever side of the pendulum an individual is on it is rooted in the foundation laid by parents and coaches at a very young age.  In Jim Loehr’s book  The Only Way To Win, a prominent Division I college coach is quoted saying, “Parents teach values, church teach values, I’m paid to coach and win.  Don’t expect me to cover that ground as well.”  Another coach was quoted, “My greatest stress is having to coach players I don’t respect, whose character are seriously broken and flawed.  I can’t boot them from the team because I can’t win without them.  I end up helping them become superstars. I hate myself for leading people I don’t respect to victory.”  These feelings very common at the college level because young men and women were not taught the values in their early development.  A college coach with pressure to win inherits them with these issues and probably looked over them in the recruiting process.  Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin is dealing with a multitude of issues with Manziel, who is a rising redshirt sophomore with a personal assistant who dropped out of school for the position.  Johnny’s family compensates the personal assistant and security guards when he is at certain functions.

Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and Andrew Luck

The 2012 NFL football season saw Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, and Russell Wilson lead their teams to playoffs as rookies.  They demonstrated leadership and maturity that was infectious to their respective teams.  On the other hand, Cam Newton entered the 2011 season with questions about his maturity and leadership and showed poor body language when things did not go his way.  These are examples of how differently the accolades and recognition at a young age were handled.  It does not make Newton a bad person, but shows the difference in maturity and intangibles that the other three quarterbacks possess.  Manziel unprecedented success as a freshman quarterback probably didn’t change him, just exposed the traits that his parents did not focus on during his upbringing.

My concern is through athletics what kinds of people are being developed.  Well rounded, disciplined, respectful ones or entitled, selfish, and narcissistic.  It is up to parents and youth coaches to realize the importance of using sports as a teaching tool.   There is nothing wrong with putting the time and effort to maximize athletic ability.  It should not come at the cost of their personal development.  Relationships and experiences through athletics will last a lifetime.  Those experiences can be a foundation of our future leaders who set a positive example.