How Will You React When Things Goes Wrong?
By Cheval John
When something goes wrong, how will you respond?
Many will think about getting upset with the world and complain about how things are not going their way.
It is very easy to be very cheerful when things are going great.
But your true character will be revealed when the going get tough.
Case in point, the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati had a 14 year playoff drought prior to the arrival of Marvin Lewis in 2003.
Under his tenure, the Bengals made 6 trips to the post season and lost in every appearance in the first round.
It seemed like when the bright lights shine on the Bengals especially on quarterback Andy Dalton, they shrink under pressure.
Stephen A. Smith has said that Lewis should not continue to be the head coach of the Bengals because of his playoff results.
He really has a point on that assessment because if anyone is going to be regarded as one of the greatest teams, player, or head coach, you must be able to win championships when the spotlight is on you.
Though the Bengals did not have the right players for Mr. Lewis to work with, they still should have found a way to win that elusive playoff game.
If you wilt away under the pressure and have excuses for why you could not deliver a championship or in the case of Mr. Lewis, a playoff victory, then you really can’t handle the expectations that come with the job.
That goes for anyone who is an employee, an entrepreneur, etc.
So if something goes wrong that is not in your control, how are you going to react? You can leave your comments below.
Video courtesy of ESPN First Take
Stuart Scott Leaves A Lasting Legacy
By Cheval John
You know you did your work and fulfilled your destiny when people leave touching tributes for your hard work and dedication.
Stuart Scott not only trendsending the sports journalism industry with phrases like “Booya,” he made a strong impact on many people who are normally not watching sports.
Scott passed away earlier this Sunday morning after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
His death affected so many people at ESPN to the point that Hannah Storm had to hold back tears while she broke the news of Scott’s passing.
He even had an impact on the President of the United States, Barack Obama.
Many sports teams around the country had moments of silence for Scott:
Madison Square Garden just held a moment of silence to honor Stuart Scott: http://t.co/ftJuTWCaRV #StuartScott
— InsideHoops.com NBA (@InsideHoops) January 5, 2015
The world of @MLB spent Sunday remembering Stuart Scott: http://t.co/FNp9TRRTuJ
— Cut4 (@Cut4) January 4, 2015
Former Sportscenter anchor Rich Eisen, who was paired with Scott during most of his time at ESPN, left a heartfelt tribute at his current job, “The NFL Network:
Oh, man. @richeisen sharing the loss of his old Sportscenter partner @StuartScott, http://t.co/5Tnm7RJM6D. Grab a tissue.
— RobGeorge (@RobGeorge) January 4, 2015
Mr. Scott will not only be remembered for his charisma and passion for sports, but also will be remembered for his fight against cancer.
Here is the speech he gave at the ESPYs last year after receiving the Jimmy V Perseverance Award:
One thing is for certain, Stuart Scott fulfilled his destiny and has inspired all of us to be ourselves and not worry about pleasing everyone.
Rest In Peace, Stuart Scott. You will be really missed.
Patty Elizee Knows How To Keep Her “New Year’s Resolution”
By Cheval John
One of the best parts of 2014 was meeting amazing people who are fulfilling their calling and making the world a better place.
People like Patty Elizee, who has an amazing podcast called, “The Brand You Economy.”
Ms. Elizee overcame a lot to be where she is at today.
Patty will share with me on Monday at *3 p.m. on “What’s The Word?” about how she decided to launch her very own podcast and in the process gained a speaking gig at the first ever Podcast Florida conference last month.
As of right now, I will give you a little preview of Ms. Elizee’s story.
Patty had went with the program of working full time and accepting the mediocre for many years until she came to a cross roads and decided to not continue existing, but create a life that she dreamed of.
In the process of reclaiming her freedom, she accept a four month consulting gig in the direct sales industry with her former boss in Dallas, Texas.
That small step led to her realizing that it was not for her.
So after her contract was up, she left the industry for good.
In return, she put herself into the world of podcasting by taking classes from Cliff Ravenscraft, a veteran podcaster and attending conferences before launching her podcast in July.
I can honestly say that her podcast is really amazing because she has interviewed guests like John Lee Dumas, Lou Mongello, Pat Flynn, Mr. Ravenscraft and Jared Easley.
Also, anyone who listens to the podcast feels a positive energy because of her lovely personality.
That is why Patty is going to continue to succeed because she did not give up on her dream of living the life that she deserved.
That is what separates the ones who keep their “New Year’s Resolution” or in the case of Ms. Elizee, intentions, from those who just give up on their dreams.
How are you going to make your dreams come true? You can leave your comment below.
*The show is normally on Monday nights at 7 p.m., but this is an exception because of the time she was available.
Also, if you like to find out more about other episodes of my show, you can click on the podcast page on this site.
Adversity Shows Your True Character
By Cheval John
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
Florida State was one of the most interesting teams of the year.
The Seminoles, who previously won the BCS National Championship, was looking to claim a second consecutive title this year.
They were down 6 times, but found a way to win those close ball games that could have derailed their chances at participating in the first ever “College Football Playoff.”
After winning 29 straight games that included a national championship, the Seminoles got obliterated by Oregon 59-20 in the semifinals that was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasedena, California.
Though Florida State missed out on a chance to play for the national championship against Ohio State, who won their semifinal matchup against No.1 Alabama 42-35 in the All-State Sugar Bowl, they showed their true character in their loss.
After the game, 70% of the Florida State players went straight for the locker room and did not even congratulate the Ducks on their win.
Only a few stayed out to congratulate the Ducks that included quarterback Jameis Winston, who had his off the field issues, wide receiver Rashad Greene and head coach Jimbo Fisher.
That lack of sportmanship was a shock to Kirk Herbstreit, who was the analyst for the matchup on ESPN.
“That’s disappointing that 70 percent of the Florida State team is in the locker room,” Herbstreit said after Oregon’s 59-20 win on Thursday. “It’s easy to go across when you win a game to shake hands. You lose a game after 29 games and you can’t come over and shake a hand of an Oregon player and tell him, ‘Congratulations?'”
Though I have a disdain for the Seminoles because I am a Florida Gator fan, the lack of sportmanship was further confirmation on why I don’t like Florida State.
They showed me that they are a classless team and really need to take a long look at themselves to understand that they are representing their school, alumni and fan base.
Adversity showed Florida State’s true character as being sore losers and I suspect that not many people want to be associated with sore losers.
Biggio Earned The Right To Be In The Baseball Hall of Fame
By Cheval John
The city of Houston has a lot to be proud of today.
Craig Biggio, who spent his entire 20-year career with the Houston Astros, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today on his third try.
“I got a phone call at noon time that will forever change my life and my family’s life,” Biggio said to the Houston Chronicle. “This is a very overwhelming and humbling experience.”
Biggio will join this year’s class with former pitchers Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz on July 26th in Cooperstown, New York.
Biggio was a seven time All-Star and had 3,060 career hits, joining 27 other players in Major League Baseball (MLB) history with 3,000 or more career hits.
He was part of “The Killer Bs” during the majority of the 90s and early 2000s that featured Jeff Bagwell, Derek Bell and Sean Berry.
“Craig deserves it,” said Bagwell to the Houston Chronicle. “It’s about time. I’m ready for July. I’m ready to be sitting there in Cooperstown sweating my butt off and listening to him. It’ll be really, really cool because Randy will be there too.”
Biggio also made his only World Series appearance with the Astros in 2005 which they lost to the Chicago White Sox.
One thing is for certain, Biggio deserved this honor because he played the game of baseball the right way amidst the steroid scandal that plagued the sport for about two decades.
Do you believe that Biggio deserved to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame? You can leave your comments below.
Video courtesy of MLB
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