Friday, November 30, 2007

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Quote of the Day

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the
harder I work the more I have of it.



Thomas Jefferson

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Quote of the Day

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.
My strength lies solely in my tenacity.


Louis Pasteur

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

How Do They Do It?

How do the folks on the U.I.L. Legislative Council keep from laughing at some of the presentations?

Here are a few proposals that were denied/rejected/tabled:

No coach can coach his son on a varsity team.

Is it okay for a mom to coach her daughter?

Coaches not be allowed to run alongside their athletes during cross country meets.

I guess that means swimming in open lanes during races would be out for swim coaches, too.

Allow players to take a drink during a thirty-second time out in basketball.

Does that mean they can’t now? That's pretty idiotic!

Acrylic or artificial nails shall not be allowed in girls basketball.

Next, they'll want to limit hair weaves!

Regulate the length of basketball pants.

I hope we're not going back to short shorts!

Create a rule to dictate hair length.

Do they mean shorter for guys, longer for girls, or both?

Allow fifth year seniors to play football.

Let's lower the bar to reward failure!

Freshmen and sophomores should not be allowed to play on a varsity team until he or she reaches their junior year.

That would have meant last year's guys' team of ten would have been trimmed to a much more manageable four, while the gals' squad of eight would have been a team of two. At least there wouldn't be any relay controversies.

All youth participating in athletics be given equal playing time in all sports.

I couldn't agree more. It's just not fair that an eight-minute 500 freestyler has all the fun while a twenty-one second 50 freestyler barely gets any "playing" time!

I'll bet you hoped I'd include something funny about U.I.L. sponsoring water polo, didn't you?

Sorry, but I'm not going there...

Quote of the Day

I don't make jokes. I just watch the
government and report the facts.



Will Rogers

Monday, November 26, 2007

Quote of the Day

I owe my success to having listened respectfully
to the very best advice, and then going away
and doing the exact opposite.


G. K. Chesterton

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Quote of the Day

Never interrupt your enemy
when he is making a mistake.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Advice

This list appears in the most recent edition of Texas Coach magazine. It's from former Corpus Christi ISD athletic director Richard Avila. It's aimed at first-time football coaches, but most items could apply to any new coach.

Advice for a First-Time Head Coach
  1. Thank those who helped you get where you are today...parents, teachers, coaches, mentors, etc. Thank the Board, administration, principal, A.D., upon being awarded the position.
  2. Be loyal to your district, board, superintendent, principal, school, coaches, athletes, etc.
  3. Be careful what you say to the media, be short and to the point - be positive always.
  4. Evaluate existing staff, allow them a chance to prove themselves. If they fit, keep them; if not, help them get another position.
  5. Pick or hire two top assistants. If defensive-minded, get a strong offensive-minded coach and vice versa.
  6. Share and write down your philosophy/goals with your staff and your team.
  7. Loyalty is your number one priority when surrounding yourself with good assistants at all levels.
  8. Support all sports by your presence and your actions: salary, budget, travel, equipment, assistants, etc.
  9. Treat all coaches like you would have wanted to be treated when you were coming up the ranks.
  10. Never run up the score on anyone and don't let other sports in your school do it either.
  11. Never ask coaches to work on Sundays unless you have to, but don't ask them to miss church.
  12. Never neglect your spouse and family - find time for them always.
  13. Study the rules, know them inside out. If you break a rule, turn yourself in...tell the truth. Admit it...learn from it...Take your lumps...Don't do it again!
  14. If an assistant breaks a rule, turn them in and administer a reprimand with approval of principal.
  15. Re-visit Code of Conduct by committee: male & female coaches, student-athlete, assistant principal and you.
  16. Make all meetings. Be professionally dressed, be on time, better yet - be early.
  17. Always have a shirt and tie handy when asked to go "downtown".
  18. Work with local officials' associations. Be courteous, respectful, accept their rulings, etc.
  19. Keep in mind always that you are a role model. You never know who is watching.
  20. Document...document...document

Quote of the Day

You can only be young once, but
you can always be immature.





Dave Barry

Friday, November 23, 2007

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Quote of the Day

Preach not to others what they should eat,
but eat as becomes you, and be silent.


Epictetus

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Quote of the Day

The problem with people who have no vices is
that generally you can be pretty sure they're
going to have some pretty annoying virtues.




Elizabeth Taylor

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Quote of the Day

You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do.



Henry Ford

Monday, November 19, 2007

Quote of the Day

It is dangerous to be right
when the government is wrong.

Voltaire

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Quote of the Day

I have always found that mercy
bears richer fruits than strict justice.



Abraham Lincoln

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Quote of the Day

Good parents give their children roots and wings.
Roots to know where home is, wings to fly away
and exercise what's been taught them.



Jonas Salk

Friday, November 16, 2007

Quote of the Day

I love argument, I love debate. I don't expect anyone
just to sit there and agree with me, that's not their job.



Margaret Thatcher

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Quote of the Day

People ask the difference between
a leader and a boss.  The leader
leads, and the boss drives.
 
 
Theodore Roosevelt

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Quote of the Day

I have no regrets. I wouldn't have lived my
life the way I did if I was going to worry
about what people were going to say.



Ingrid Bergman

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Quote of the Day

The only reason to have money is to tell
any SOB in the world to go to hell.



Humphrey Bogart

Monday, November 12, 2007

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Quote of the Day

The outcome of the war is in our hands;
the outcome of words is in the council.



Homer

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Quote of the Day

Some people are born on third base and
go through life thinking they hit a triple.



Barry Switzer

Friday, November 09, 2007

Quote of the Day

If I came in to recruit your son, I would tell you,
your wife, and your son, that I will be the most
demanding coach your son can play for.



Bobby Knight

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Quote of the Day

Traveling to swimming meets took me beyond
my small-town existence, gave me a hint of the
exciting world outside of my own home.


Esther Williams

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Quote of the Day

It's lonely and cold on the top... lonely and cold.



Judy Garland

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Quote of the Day

Education makes a straight ditch
of a free meandering brook.



Henry David Thoreau

Monday, November 05, 2007

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Quote of the Day

You do have to be fairly selfish when you
have a gift. You cannot afford to let
too many outside things get in the way.



Sarah Brightman

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Bull Shark (4 a.m.)




Today's meet was called off, so the boys got a workout in by hauling in this fighter.

Quote of the Day

I have learned over the years that when one's mind
is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what
must be done does away with fear.



Rosa Parks

Friday, November 02, 2007

Quote of the Day

You can get much farther with a kind word
and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.



Al Capone

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Quote of the Day

I was taught that the way of progress
was neither swift nor easy.


Marie Curie