N.O.Y.S.
“I am pro-football. I want the game to go on. I want the game to be tough.” – Jim Brown
A shared sentiment I’ve seen on The Evolution is the deep, passionate place football holds to those who have written pieces thus far. Which is a theme I will gladly add to. There are minimal things throughout my life that I cannot attribute to the game of football. I met my best friend via peewee football – he’s like my brother. Literally, his family’s house was my home away from home type of vibe – like I would go there without him and stay as long as I wanted type of situation. My two best friends from college – undergrad and grad – I met while playing football and coaching in football. I met my wife during my first full-time strength and conditioning job in football, which I was able to attain because of networks developed playing and coaching in football. And one of the most important things to come from football, my little girl – who will more than likely play football in the Olympics someday (she’s already declared herself an Olympian at 3 years old – thank you Flag Football!).
All of that background to reiterate the shared sentiment amongst The Evolution – I owe everything I hold dearest to the game of Football.
Football Gives What It Takes – If You Want
Considering all of the things I presented above, football has given me A LOT. However, what would a good story be without a cautionary tale. For what football gives, it will also require sacrifice from you – like deep, gut-wrenching sacrifice at times. And there are folks within and around football who will tell you that is not the truth, that it “doesn’t have to be like that.” But as someone who has spent the last 20 years in collegiate or professional football – I am telling you it does, if you want to stay in football and be at least halfway decent at it. Also, to those who make the above argument – I respond politely, “Football isn’t for everyone.” You don’t Have to work in football; you Get to work in football.
Long days, missed weddings and funerals, missed holidays, “unfair” situations with shit co-workers, low salaries, politics, getting chewed out or “disrespected,” etcetera. The list of negatives can be quite extensive, and I would argue very relative to folks (some people just don’t like birthdays or weddings so that shortens the list for a handful). But, if you Choose to work in football, the odds are favorable that your schedule or commitment will cause a self-sacrifice of some kind at some point, if not regularly. Again, this is a stipulation if you want to be Good at this football thing and maximize your time working in it (still no guarantee here but we’ll get to that). If you are okay with that, the game can provide some of the best memories for you, your family, and closest friends. If you can stomach the sacrifice, you’ll make some of the best friends you may have never met otherwise – I’m talking folks who feel like family type friends.
With all of that being said, all the time spent on work or for work doesn’t automatically ensure success or longevity. However, there is one thing I took from a mentor of mine that continues to keep me grounded working in this game, “Nobody owes you shit!” He may not like that I picked one of his finer quotes, but if you don’t know of, haven’t listened to, or read anything by Ken Mannie, you now have some homework (I’m facilitative, see the link dumb-dumb Ken Mannie Cincy Clinic – skip to 2:00 and buckle up). That quote continues to provide guidance because it resounds with truth, not only about football, but about life. My high school football coach, Pat O’Keefe, taught us that football and life will not pity you. Nobody cares what sacrifices you have to make to get what you want or be where you want to be in life. Nobody cares what misfortunes come your way. Nobody cares what you hold important and highly value. What people do care about is that you’ll work your ass off and do the best you can with everything you’ve got.
Football Demands Your Best
One thing that has always separated football from other sports is the practice/preparation to competition ratio. If you love football, more than likely you love A or The proverbial Process. Oxford defines process as a structured and continuous series of actions, operations, or changes that occur over time to achieve a particular result, outcome, or transformation. Two large elements within that definition are “actions” and “over time.” Therefore, an implied requirement of achieving anything, in football or life, is going to take effort/work/actions over a good chunk of time. Some of the old heads would call this “paying your dues,” which I’m guessing may piss off the younger folks (used to get me to, don’t worry). However, what coaches meant and mean by that is working in football takes experience, and unfortunately, experience takes time. Now I will jump to the other side of the aisle and loudly exclaim that experience Does Not equate to expertise. Again, this equation does not consist of a singular variable – you have to put in the Work Over Time. You have to read, watch, listen, understand, read again, fully comprehend, read some more, be confused, read one or two more times, then apply what you might have learned. Otherwise, you’ll end up guarding a desk because you’re actually not good at your job. Important caveat here: certifications, degrees, and endless clinics mean nothing by themselves. When choosing to work in football, granted you get the opportunity, you’ll get to apply your expertise in service to others. Ultimately, it's about the Work, done for the players, coaches, and organizations, not the validation. Again, “Nobody owes you shit!”
In S&C, this means digging into the physiology and background to your programming. Don’t succumb to the temptation of using the cards you’ve always used or been given without truly understanding them. Or using the programming that has “always” worked for you and your athletes. Challenge yourself, dig into the literature, push the field with some crazy ideas founded on new and upcoming science and first-hand experiments. In sports science, employ a critical perspective on everything. Don’t let technology guide you, let the desire to do best by your athletes, clients, or coaches drive you. Don’t get caught up in the latest buzz either – frameworks and models are fancy ways of saying be organized, have a plan, and be flexible within that plan. And if you don’t know R or Python, you can still work in sports science – I promise you. Keeping up with the Jones’ does nothing to grow the field, so try some different things. Being prepared is a time intensive process, but as a response to that I refer you to the previous paragraph. As Jim Brown said, I too am pro-football, and I want the game to go on. I want the game to still be played with a toughness that makes it what it is, and to do that, we must prepare our players for that demand.
During my five years working in Pittsburgh, I spent every day next to the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin. One thing that resounded within that organization was “The Standard is the Standard.” The power in that quote is that it reflects the game – no matter the circumstances, excellence is demanded and your best is required. So, work your ass off and do the best job you humanly can while you have the chance. Ask anyone who has ever worked in football, days in football are numbered.
Football Doesn’t Last
In the NFL, most know the league as a few different acronyms, but one reverberating one is Not For Long. Time in football is limited, and that’s what makes working in it so beautiful. There is a reason why most people who worked in football and find themselves out of football at some point either get back in, or have a lingering desire to get back in. In return for the sacrifices and the demands, football provides moments that last a lifetime. Celebrations after big games with friends and family after months on the grind, random moments in the office during training camp days where everyone is in slap-happy mode, staff training on the floor together (GT’s with GG’s), or the occasional drive through campus listening to Katy Perry or rocking to KISS. Making a lasting impact on an athlete/coach/practitioner or assisting someone with the attainment of their long-term goals. There is something about a shared commitment and shared sacrifice that makes football incredibly special. My advice to those who choose this grind is to cherish every single moment you spend in football. Although the same moments can seem unbearably hard at the time, you will more than likely look back on even the most challenging days with rose-colored glasses. But one thing is for certain, good or bad, the days don’t last.
Working in Football is a Privilege, Not a Right
In summation, I want to leave everyone with a few messages looking back over my first 20 years in college and professional football. Working in this game will challenge every fiber of your being at times, but it can also provide a way to build a life and to experience things you only dreamed of. Know that a standard of practice exists that is unbelievably high, considering we’re all stewards of such a unique and special game. Along with that standard and the sacrifices the game requires, again to quote Ken Mannie, “Nobody owes you shit!” Working in football is a choice and privilege. Should the demands and sacrifices become too much, there are plenty of other ways to make money – have a plan B, C, and D. And one thing to remember as you work in football – your days are numbered. If losing and being fired doesn’t get you, time will eventually. So, one way or another, your time in football will come to a bittersweet end. Cherish the moments you have and work your ass off in the meantime.
Thank you for coming to my FredTalkTM - keep kicking ass and being wicked smart!
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