Dancing with the Stars and The Boss

Last night I watched the finale of Dancing with the Stars and it was such a close race between 1st and 2nd place. Both finalists performed their best dances. But, it came down to Olympic Gold Medalist, Shawn Johnson, who received the most votes by the outside voters. It was fun to watch as her competitiveness and will to win as an athlete naturally took over...focus, preparation and determination result in success!

If you have never had the opportunity to watch The Boss, Bruce Springsteen perform live in concert, you don't know what you're missing. I had the chance to see him live for the second time, a few weeks ago in State College, PA. Whether you like his music or not, you have got to respect his passion for performing! I have never seen another performer play with so much passion, it's very inspiring! We should all strive to perform with as much passion as he does!

Tough vs. Dumb

Below is an article from Kevin Eastman, well known player development coach and an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. The recent series between the Chi-town Bull and the Celtics made a lot of headlines, and for the first time since Jordan, Magic and Bird competed against each other, engaged fans in the NBA playoffs like it was the late 80's and early 90's all over again...passion, determination, competetitiveness and will to win, that's what the NBA playoffs were all about "back in the day"!
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Tough vs. Dumb
Everyone seems to be riveted to the NBA playoffs this year, and for good reason. The games have been unbelievable — and extremely physical as well. And whenever you have a physical game, at any level, there comes a time when players have to make decisions on how physical; how tough do they want to play?
In the Chicago – Boston series, both teams have very competitive players, staffs, and organizations. Both teams want to win so badly. Both teams are pretty evenly matched. So, without a doubt, emotion enters the equation. But it is important that it be intelligent and positive emotion. It is positive emotion that helps your team get over the hump. It can’t be bravado emotion that only registers with those who don’t understand the game anyway.
Both teams have to make sure that they make tough plays and not dumb plays. Tough plays are plays that are made of hustle and grit; often times they don’t even require skill. But they are definitely within the rules. Dumb plays are those made doing something that looks tough but gets your team nowhere and often times hurts your team. Players need to understand this if they are going to be champions. Championship teams make sure they protect their turf but they do so in an intelligent, disciplined, and tough way!
Truth be told, players today have to understand that in a run for a championship, often times the tough play is the one where you don’t retaliate to something done by the other team. Instead, you beat them on the scoreboard.

The toughness comes in from the discipline that champions have to be
bigger and
smarter than the moment.

What I love about this series is that both the Celtics and the Bulls are
trying extremely hard to make the tough, intelligent plays without giving up any
edge or turf. And they are clearly doing so in a very emotional, hard-fought
series! I wish all of you had a chance to be down there on that floor
experiencing the effort, the determination, the sweat, the diving, the
physicality, and the will to succeed. I can’t even begin to describe it in
words. It’s why this is the greatest game there is!