On behalf of FCA, we'd like to invite all of you to a free concert Sunday, Sept. 28th, 6pm @ The Rock (225 S. Washington, Papillion, NE). Promises to be a great time and message!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Kobe Bryant
From the Los Angeles Times
BILL PLASCHKE
The word on Kobe Bryant from his Olympic teammates: respect
Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt have garnered the fame. For Kobe Bryant, the reward is much more valuable.
August 23, 2008
BEIJING — He never wore a swimsuit, but nobody made a bigger splash.
He never ran a lap, yet nobody traveled farther.
The Beijing Olympics may initially be known for Michael Phelps' strength and Usain Bolt's speed, but, among American sports fans, no memory will prove as indelible as Kobe Bryant's redemption.
It's here. It's done. It will be officially completed on Sunday when the U.S. reclaims a gold medal against overmatched Spain, but, in terms of the one thing Bryant had lost, it's already happened.
The Olympics will give Phelps and Bolt only fame.
The Olympics have given Bryant the more enduring gift of respect.
Seven games down, one remaining, and longtime Bryant watchers are hearing the most unusual things.
Players speaking glowingly of him. Players speaking kindly of him.
Players who once universally distrusted him, well, they like him. They really like him.
The sort of All-Star team that once froze him out now follows him, gaining energy from his defense, making it their mantra.
Every game, Bryant has been the first player in a defensive stance, the first guy guarding the opponent in the backcourt, squatting and straining alone in front of four guys who have no choice but to imitate.
If this team could have only one passport, Bryant playing defense would be the photo.
"He gives it his all on every second of every play. You see that and you're like, you've got to do the same thing," said center Chris Bosh. "You see a guy playing that hard, you'll do anything not to let him down."
The sort of smart players who once shunned him now actually learn from him, drawing inspiration from his preparation.
Every game, he's the player pointing to other players, directing them on both sides of the court, counseling them, cheering them.
"You hear a lot of things about Kobe, but I had no idea he was such a basketball junkie," said guard Chris Paul. "He studies all the film, talks basketball all the time, knows everything."
Finally, the sort of nice-guy players who once ignored him now treat him as an equal.
"We're good friends, so none of what he does surprises me," said center Carlos Boozer.
Notice something interesting about that sentence?
In my memory, it's the first time that anyone has ever been quoted saying that he and Bryant were "good friends."
The loner has become an embraced leader, and you could see it again Friday in a 101-81 rout of defending Olympic champion Argentina at Wukesong Arena.
Before the game, the handful of players who had competed on the embarrassing 2004 Olympics team in Athens pleaded with them for revenge.
Bryant listened, and came out crazy.
He scored the first points on a reverse follow-up layup. He made the first defensive stop while swarming Manu Ginobili into a three-point miss.
He threw the first big elbow of the game, shoving Ginobili right in front of a whistle-chewing official, setting the tone for an hourlong scrum.
And then, he ran the first player off the court, chasing Ginobili to the bench with what appeared to be a sprained ankle less than seven minutes into the game.
Neither Ginobili, nor the Argentine chances, returned.
"Kobe was the guy; he was like, 'I want to guard Manu,' " Paul said. "He always wants to guard the other team's best player."
It's one thing for him to say that in a Lakers locker room, on a team where he has to guard the opposing star.
It's another thing to say it in a room filled with stars, where he knows that concentrating on defense will hurt his scoring, and that volunteering for anything can only bring embarrassment.
"The things he does out there, they're not about putting the ball in the basket," said Carmelo Anthony. "They're about his presence."
Notice something interesting about that sentence?
How many times does a teammate compliment Bryant on something that doesn't involve numbers? Even when his Lakers teammates talk about how Bryant won't let them lose, they are talking about his scoring.
As perhaps the ultimate compliment, Bryant's teammates here are raving about him in spite of his numbers.
He is only the third-leading scorer on the team, at 14.3 points a game. He ranks fourth in steals. He ranks sixth in assists. Eighth in rebounding.
It's not about the numbers. It's about the perception.
His teammates can't believe this is the Kobe Bryant who has, at various times in this career, cast himself as heartless and selfish.
His teammates see him only as the leader of a defense that has scored 84 more points off turnovers than their opponents and 91 more points off fastbreaks.
Notice something interesting about this column?
As recently as a year ago, you couldn't write a story about Kobe Bryant's impact on a team without talking to Kobe Bryant. His teammates never had much to say, and when they did, they seemed to say it with fear.
This time, though, there are no Bryant quotes. There is not enough room. His teammates said plenty.
BILL PLASCHKE
The word on Kobe Bryant from his Olympic teammates: respect
Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt have garnered the fame. For Kobe Bryant, the reward is much more valuable.
August 23, 2008
BEIJING — He never wore a swimsuit, but nobody made a bigger splash.
He never ran a lap, yet nobody traveled farther.
The Beijing Olympics may initially be known for Michael Phelps' strength and Usain Bolt's speed, but, among American sports fans, no memory will prove as indelible as Kobe Bryant's redemption.
It's here. It's done. It will be officially completed on Sunday when the U.S. reclaims a gold medal against overmatched Spain, but, in terms of the one thing Bryant had lost, it's already happened.
The Olympics will give Phelps and Bolt only fame.
The Olympics have given Bryant the more enduring gift of respect.
Seven games down, one remaining, and longtime Bryant watchers are hearing the most unusual things.
Players speaking glowingly of him. Players speaking kindly of him.
Players who once universally distrusted him, well, they like him. They really like him.
The sort of All-Star team that once froze him out now follows him, gaining energy from his defense, making it their mantra.
Every game, Bryant has been the first player in a defensive stance, the first guy guarding the opponent in the backcourt, squatting and straining alone in front of four guys who have no choice but to imitate.
If this team could have only one passport, Bryant playing defense would be the photo.
"He gives it his all on every second of every play. You see that and you're like, you've got to do the same thing," said center Chris Bosh. "You see a guy playing that hard, you'll do anything not to let him down."
The sort of smart players who once shunned him now actually learn from him, drawing inspiration from his preparation.
Every game, he's the player pointing to other players, directing them on both sides of the court, counseling them, cheering them.
"You hear a lot of things about Kobe, but I had no idea he was such a basketball junkie," said guard Chris Paul. "He studies all the film, talks basketball all the time, knows everything."
Finally, the sort of nice-guy players who once ignored him now treat him as an equal.
"We're good friends, so none of what he does surprises me," said center Carlos Boozer.
Notice something interesting about that sentence?
In my memory, it's the first time that anyone has ever been quoted saying that he and Bryant were "good friends."
The loner has become an embraced leader, and you could see it again Friday in a 101-81 rout of defending Olympic champion Argentina at Wukesong Arena.
Before the game, the handful of players who had competed on the embarrassing 2004 Olympics team in Athens pleaded with them for revenge.
Bryant listened, and came out crazy.
He scored the first points on a reverse follow-up layup. He made the first defensive stop while swarming Manu Ginobili into a three-point miss.
He threw the first big elbow of the game, shoving Ginobili right in front of a whistle-chewing official, setting the tone for an hourlong scrum.
And then, he ran the first player off the court, chasing Ginobili to the bench with what appeared to be a sprained ankle less than seven minutes into the game.
Neither Ginobili, nor the Argentine chances, returned.
"Kobe was the guy; he was like, 'I want to guard Manu,' " Paul said. "He always wants to guard the other team's best player."
It's one thing for him to say that in a Lakers locker room, on a team where he has to guard the opposing star.
It's another thing to say it in a room filled with stars, where he knows that concentrating on defense will hurt his scoring, and that volunteering for anything can only bring embarrassment.
"The things he does out there, they're not about putting the ball in the basket," said Carmelo Anthony. "They're about his presence."
Notice something interesting about that sentence?
How many times does a teammate compliment Bryant on something that doesn't involve numbers? Even when his Lakers teammates talk about how Bryant won't let them lose, they are talking about his scoring.
As perhaps the ultimate compliment, Bryant's teammates here are raving about him in spite of his numbers.
He is only the third-leading scorer on the team, at 14.3 points a game. He ranks fourth in steals. He ranks sixth in assists. Eighth in rebounding.
It's not about the numbers. It's about the perception.
His teammates can't believe this is the Kobe Bryant who has, at various times in this career, cast himself as heartless and selfish.
His teammates see him only as the leader of a defense that has scored 84 more points off turnovers than their opponents and 91 more points off fastbreaks.
Notice something interesting about this column?
As recently as a year ago, you couldn't write a story about Kobe Bryant's impact on a team without talking to Kobe Bryant. His teammates never had much to say, and when they did, they seemed to say it with fear.
This time, though, there are no Bryant quotes. There is not enough room. His teammates said plenty.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
The Winners Manuel by Jim Tressel
Chapter 1 Highlights
If the game of life ended tonight, would you be a winner?
If you do the things you need to do
When you need to do them,
Someday you can do the things you want to do
When you want to do them!
Goals are important, but it’s important to understand that people are not defined by their goals and whether or not they reach them. A win or a loss does not make you or me a better or worse human being. This is where, in our society, we’ve so easily lost perspective on the truth about who we are. We have to separate who we are from what we do.
John Wooden defines the elusive quality of success: “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”
Success is found in “peace of mind”. That was a revolutionary thought to me. I don’t have to look at others to tell whether I’ve made it. They can’t tell me anything about my success, because they have no idea if I have peace of mind. That’s a radical shift in thinking and drastically different from basing my success on whether I win or lose.
We expanded his (Coach Wooden) definition like this: “Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that comes from knowing I did the best I was capable of going for the group.”
Our purpose in adding “for the group” was to capture the truth that in being our best, we add it to those around us. It forces us to define success in terms of what the group needs, what our team needs…
We must never let goals, adversity – or even success – define us. Those things don’t hit at the heart of who we are.
If a person measures his success by his inner satisfaction and the peace of mind that comes from knowing he did the best he was capable of doing for the group, he’ll be able to gauge that success correctly.
Success is an everyday proposition. It isn’t defined by a championship game or the day you get your diploma…Don’t get me wrong, those are great days, and we should celebrate those accomplishments. But the key to a successful life is the journey and the process. It’s the emphasis on the journey to success that we work on each day, step by step.
It’s hard in today’s society to keep success in its proper perspective and not base our sense of self-worth on what we do. But it you can get there, it’s such a comfort. If we lose a game, we’re not losers – that’s not who we are. And by the same token, if we win a game, that doesn’t make us wonderful people. We achieved our goal, and that has its place, but that success – or any failure – doesn’t define us.
I don’t have empirical data to back it up, but I believe the more we’ve helped our young people discover their purpose and set specific, measurable goals for their whole lives, the more games we’ve won.
If the game of life ended tonight, would you be a winner?
If you do the things you need to do
When you need to do them,
Someday you can do the things you want to do
When you want to do them!
Goals are important, but it’s important to understand that people are not defined by their goals and whether or not they reach them. A win or a loss does not make you or me a better or worse human being. This is where, in our society, we’ve so easily lost perspective on the truth about who we are. We have to separate who we are from what we do.
John Wooden defines the elusive quality of success: “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”
Success is found in “peace of mind”. That was a revolutionary thought to me. I don’t have to look at others to tell whether I’ve made it. They can’t tell me anything about my success, because they have no idea if I have peace of mind. That’s a radical shift in thinking and drastically different from basing my success on whether I win or lose.
We expanded his (Coach Wooden) definition like this: “Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that comes from knowing I did the best I was capable of going for the group.”
Our purpose in adding “for the group” was to capture the truth that in being our best, we add it to those around us. It forces us to define success in terms of what the group needs, what our team needs…
We must never let goals, adversity – or even success – define us. Those things don’t hit at the heart of who we are.
If a person measures his success by his inner satisfaction and the peace of mind that comes from knowing he did the best he was capable of doing for the group, he’ll be able to gauge that success correctly.
Success is an everyday proposition. It isn’t defined by a championship game or the day you get your diploma…Don’t get me wrong, those are great days, and we should celebrate those accomplishments. But the key to a successful life is the journey and the process. It’s the emphasis on the journey to success that we work on each day, step by step.
It’s hard in today’s society to keep success in its proper perspective and not base our sense of self-worth on what we do. But it you can get there, it’s such a comfort. If we lose a game, we’re not losers – that’s not who we are. And by the same token, if we win a game, that doesn’t make us wonderful people. We achieved our goal, and that has its place, but that success – or any failure – doesn’t define us.
I don’t have empirical data to back it up, but I believe the more we’ve helped our young people discover their purpose and set specific, measurable goals for their whole lives, the more games we’ve won.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Comfort Zone
I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn't fail.
The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I'd never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.
I said it didn't matter that I wasn't doing much.
I said I didn't care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.
I couldn't let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I'd never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.
If you're in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile; success is there for you!
The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I'd never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.
I said it didn't matter that I wasn't doing much.
I said I didn't care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.
I couldn't let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I'd never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.
If you're in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile; success is there for you!
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