The Big Fella and me - getting it done

Back in early April 2017, I applied for a sales director level position, a big jump that I knew I was ready to tackle.  In my cover letter, I made parallels to Patrick Ewing and his long winding road to a head coaching position.  Since my promotion, I've made mistakes and taken a few bumps and bruises.  I've also forged key relationships, closed deals, and been a part of some key wins for two great organizations.  

Patrick Ewing and his Georgetown Hoyas went on an incredible run the last few days to cut down the nets at Madison Square Garden (Pat's house).  Ewing is now the first player to win the Big East as both player and head coach.  His legacy is etched in stone, and he has proven himself as a tremendous head coach.  It's gratifying to know I was onto something back in 2017 when I typed and submitted these words to my VP of Sales.  The Big Fella and me - we're getting it done! 

Dear **** ******, 

Greetings! Over the past couple of years, we have gotten to know each other very well. You are aware of my love of sports and how I can relate “real life” events and opportunities to those that take place on the court or field of play. Patrick Ewing is easily my favorite basketball player of all-time. Ewing, a NCAA champion, two-time gold medalist and top 50 NBA player of all-time, has a basketball resume that is up there with the greats of the game.  After retiring in 2002, Ewing went straight into coaching and has been a NBA assistant for the Wizards, Rockets and Magic. Currently, Ewing serves as the associate head coach for the Charlotte Hornets. He is widely regarded as the top assistant coach in the NBA. 

Ewing has played and coached under some coaching legends: John Thompson Jr., Rick Pitino, Pat Riley, Doug Collins, Jeff Van Gundy, Stan Van Gundy and currently under Steve Clifford. Ewing has made no secret of his desire to ascend to a head coaching position, and he has interviewed for multiple such positions, most recently with the Sacramento Kings last offseason. Now he is being considered for the vacant Georgetown Hoyas opening. Ewing, the best player in Georgetown history, should be a slam dunk for that job. Ewing’s body of work as a student, player, assistant coach and associate head coach makes him a strong candidate. He is overdue to get his opportunity. I truly believe that if given a chance, the big fella would be hungry to win a championship and be wildly successful. He just needs an organization to have faith in his ability to fulfill the role. 

I am certainly not on Patrick Ewing’s level in regards to professional success and visibility. That said, my resume is filled with educational excellence and a robust job history. These jobs all revolve around sales and customer service.  Over the past nine plus years at *****, I have cultivated a variety of skills through work experiences and educational endeavors. I feel I am ready to perform at a peak level in a director level position. Just like Patrick Ewing, I have spent the last couple of years serving as one of the top assistants in my technical sales role. I truly enjoy working in this role and have learned so much under ******** and his leadership. I have worked as a part of the sales team to manage and grow accounts such as ****** *******, *****, ****, ******* ****** and ******** ********. I feel if given the opportunity, I would excel in the sales director role. I have a strong base of knowledge and skills, and there is a vibrant internal team for me to learn from along the journey. I look forward to discussing this opportunity with you.

Sincerely,

Eric Taylor

D-Day Leadership Lessons

I recently visited the World War II Museum in New Orleans, and it immediately ascended to the top of my museum rankings for most impactful, education, and emotionally moving.  I could spend three full days soaking up the exhibits featuring videos, artifacts, audio, and text spanning the full breadth of the global conflict.  

I only had four hours so I had to pick and choose my spots and spent a good amount of time in "The D-Day Invasion of Normandy" exhibit.  Here are some learnings, reflections, and applications below.

Operation Overlord required an immense scope of secrecy/misdirection, planning, courage, and execution.  Beyond the somewhat controllable factors that could be influenced, the Allied forces faced Hitler's vaunted Atlantic wall, and they faced tough weather decisions regarding when to launch the attack.  Visibility concerns, avoiding choppy seas, and tide predictions were critical for success.  

Winston Churchill called Overlord "the most difficult and complicated operation that has ever taken place."  Just imagine trying to coordinate 11,000 aircraft, 6,000 naval vessels, and 2 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen from 15 countries.  That was the task thrust upon General Dwight D. Eisenhower.  

Here's a quote from Eisenhower (showcased in the exhibit):

"When pressure mounts and strain increases everyone begins to show the weaknesses in his makeup.  It is up to the Commander to conceal his: above all to conceal doubt, fear, and distrust."

A few minutes later in the exhibit, I ran across the following quote from Sgt. John Ellery, 16th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 1st Division:

"When you talk about combat leadership under fire on the beach at Normandy, I don't see how the credit can go to anyone other than the company-grade officers and senior NCOs who led the way.  It's good to be reminded that there are such men, that there always have been, and always will be.  We sometimes forget, I think, that you can manufacture weapons, and you can purchase ammunition, but you can't buy valor and you can't pull heroes off an assembly line."

When put together, the two quotes smacked me in the face with a leadership lesson.  General Eisenhower exhibited calm under extreme duress.  He worked with his subordinates to assemble, organize, and execute an unfathomable attack.  He led the way and modeled proper leadership behaviors for his team and sub-teams.  Those leaders under his umbrella, in turn, modeled the behaviors, and down the chain of command it went.

99.99999% of us will never have to lead something as complex and historically impactful as Operation Overlord, and almost all of us will never be called upon to exhibit the bravery of those that stepped off Higgins boats onto the shore of Omaha Beach to face near certain death.  That said, we all have a sphere of leadership influence: family/children, colleagues, youth sports teams, non-profits, political organizations, churches, social justice causes, and other such noble pursuits.  If we model positive mental attitudes, belief in the mission, and trusting our teammates, we invariably launch towards good outcomes.  True self-belief and authentic belief in overall organizational and team objectives is a must in today's competitive landscape.  If you can't find that in your current situation, earnestly seek it out within and seek resources to get there mentally, spiritually, and physically.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Last, we can't be afraid of change and taking bold steps towards healthier and better suited organizational settings for ourselves and those we influence and lead.

We can all learn a thing or two from General Eisenhower and the senior NCOs who led the way in Normandy.  If you haven't visited the World War II Museum, put it on your bucket list!  I'd like to thank my leadership team that made my visit a reality. 

Lessons we can learn from Ryan Tannehill

Titans Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is in a tremendous position as we enter a new year and decade.  After taking over for Marcus Mariota in week seven, Tannehill is 7-3 as the Titans starter and will be leading his team up to New England this weekend to face the vaunted Patriots in the wild card round.

Tannehill finished the season ranked third among NFL quarterbacks in completion percentage at 70.3%.  He wasn't just throwing swing passes either to reach that percentage.  Impressively, Tannehill led the NFL this season in yards per completion at 9.6 per.  The next closest was Matthew Stafford at 8.6, a whopping full yard behind the big Texan, Tannehill.  Most impressively, however, was Tannehill's ability to rally the once listless offense that was held scoreless this season in Denver with Mariota under center.  Tannehill mixed in some dazzling runs that he finished off seeking contact, and he even made a textbook form tackle after an interception.  It's clear he won over the locker room.

From purely a fan perspective, I am somewhat uniquely qualified to write a few words about Ryan Tannehill.  I've been a Dolphins fan since the mid-1980s when Dan Marino was throwing the ball all over the Orange Bowl to the one-bar face mask wearing Mark Duper and the visor sporting Mark Clayton.  I also watched Marino in his later years sling it around to Irving Fryar, OJ McDuffie, Keith Jackson and Keith Byars (among many others obviously).  After Marino's retirement in 1999, Dolphin fans waited for many years for a rocket armed heir apparent.  When Tannehill was drafted in 2012, there was a good feeling within the fan base that we'd finally gotten our guy.

I watched almost every snap Tannehill took as a Dolphin so I could write a long-form on Tannehill's Miami years, but ultimately, it didn't work out.  That said, there were plenty of bright spots.  Tannehill threw for over 120 touchdowns to only 75 interceptions as a Dolphin.  He also showed improvement year-over-year in areas such as deep ball accuracy.  Injuries and Adam Gase are the two primary culprits that derailed Tannehill as a Dolphin.  Sometimes, it's best for all parties to move on, and this was the case for Tannehill as a Dolphin.

As a Tennessee native, I was excited to see Tannehill traded to the Titans.  I'm a Dolphins fan first, but I have love for the Titans.  When they first came to Tennessee, I was over the moon for us to have NFL football in the Volunteer State so it was natural to adopt the Titans as my second favorite NFL franchise.  If Tannehill couldn't make it work out long term in Miami, maybe he could do it in Tennessee.  I'd named my fantasy football team "Big Tex Tannehill" for years, and my son wears number 17 on the pitch so I was already invested.

Kudos to Union City, TN native and Titans General Manager, Jon Robinson, for bringing in Tannehill to push Mariota.  Marcus Mariota has had some really good moments as the Titans starter, but injuries and inconsistency plagued him throughout his tenure.  The Titans clearly traded for Tannehill to push Marcus, but Ryan was squarely the backup as he arrived in Tennessee.  The Titans didn't even have an introductory press conference for Tannehill because in their eyes, teams don't have press conferences for backup quarterbacks.  Instead, they just put out a press release.  This trade and press release came on the heels of Tannehill essentially being ran out of Miami so he wasn't exactly seen as a world beater, and he was on the wrong side of 30.

Instead of feeling sorry for himself for being relegated to backup duty on a new team, Tannehill relied on his faith, family and team first attitude as he held the clipboard on the sidelines.  He waited on his number to be called and took full advantage once he was named the starter.  As we go turn the page to a new year and decade, we can learn a lot from the quarterback:

• Don't be afraid of new beginnings.
• Don't let others doubts define you.
• Be ready when you get your chance and take full advantage of it.
• Stay humble and gracious through it all.

I ran into Tannehill in May of this year at BNA, and we had a brief conversation while he was chasing his toddler son around the airport gate area.  I gave him a "Fins Up" for old times sake and wished him good luck with the Titans.  I had a strong feeling he would capitalize on any opportunity with the Titans, but I don't believe anyone anticipated this type of meteoric rise.  Hopefully, the Titans can pull the upset in New England this weekend and the Titans resign Tannehill.  I'd love to see him leading the way in Nashville into the roaring '20s.  

Defeating Envy Big Orange Style

Over the past two Sundays, New Vision's (Murfreesboro) Senior Pastor, Brady Cooper, has delivered impactful and insightful sermons on the dangers of envy.  Pastor Brady made multiple points, supported by scripture. 

Envy is an organizational cancer.  It can be combated by learning to celebrate the success of others. 

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. - Romans 12:15

As Pastor Brady delivered yesterday's sermon, I couldn't help but think about the Vols and more specifically, their QB room.  Anyone that follows this team knows Junior signal caller, Jarrett Guarantano, has had a rough year.  He played poorly against Georgia State, BYU and Florida and essentially lost his starting job during a bye week. 

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know about the QB sneak debacle against Alabama.  Many fans, former players and pundits piled on Guarantano for "going rogue" and possibly costing UT the game with that one particular play.  Many hoped he would never take another snap at UT.  Luckily, the coaching staff didn't take this knee jerk approach with the young man. 

Freshmen quarterbacks Brian Maurer and J.T. Shrout have been in the mix at quarterback over the last few games.  Both have made mistakes but also flashed promise and on occasion brilliance.  They both look like they could be the QB of the future for the Vols.  Right now, however, it's a three-headed monster at QB (due to injuries and who has the hot hand), and all three have contributed during stretches in recent conference wins versus Mississippi State and South Carolina. 

In a world where backup quarterbacks routinely enter the transfer portal or convey unhappiness with their role to coaches, it has been refreshing to watch these guys on the sidelines, in interview sessions and on Twitter.  Not counting Jennings in the wildcat, Shrout started at quarterback against South Carolina, but JG didn't sulk.  He was ready when his number was called. 

When one quarterback makes a touchdown throw, the other two are the first to greet him on the sidelines to celebrate.  The joy on their faces looks so genuine!  There's no envy or bitterness towards the starter-of-the-week, and they certainly live out the "rejoice with those who rejoice" verse after touchdown passes or big plays.  This sideline attitude spills over to interview sessions (when the players are made available) and Twitter banter.  There seems to be zero envy within the ranks of the quarterback room.

As football fans, we appreciate competition, and there's no doubt that these guys all want to be on the field.  One or two of the quarterbacks may transfer at the end of the season.  Who knows?  The current focus is all on 2019 and making it to a bowl game. 

Right now, this team is 3-5, but there's a clear winning camaraderie and positive vibe.  Much to the chagrin of the ever envious and bitter Dan Wolken, Coach Pruitt is building a winning culture.  I've never seen a 3-5 team that seems to love being out there competing quite like this team.  I'm sold no matter who is at QB, and I'm trying like heck to not be envious of teams like Alabama and Ohio State with undefeated records.  After all, envy is an organizational and personal cancer that can rot your soul.  I learned that from my Pastor and from a few young gunslingers down the road in Knoxville. 

Go Vols!  See Twitter screen shots below:

The Ninth P of Marketing

"The Marketing Mix" consisted of four P's back in my college days - product, price, promotion and place.  With the onslaught of the digital revolution and the rapid growth and quick pace of all disciplines (marketing included), we've seen the four P's grow all the way to seven or sometimes even eight - (four primary + process, people, physical evidence and performance).

I'm changing the game with this blog post by adding a ninth P!  Yes, you heard it here first!  The ninth P of the marketing mix is "permanence" as it is defined as "the state or quality of lasting or remaining unchanged indefinitely."  You may ask why am I officially adding this P of marketing?  Well, let me just tell you.

Earlier this week, my lovely wife made some killer chicken tacos in the instant pot (shredded chicken mixed with tomatoes, peppers, etc.).  As is often the case when doing home taco night, the store bought hard shells were about as durable as Glass Joe's jaw.  If you touched the shells with anything more than a gentle caress, they would break into pieces.  It was impossible to add the chicken, cheese, lettuce, avocado, salsa and sour cream without the shell shattering.  The solution, therefore, was to wrap the hard, crunchy shells inside a warm soft tortilla in order to keep it all together.  This combination of crunchy and soft is called a "double decker" and it leads me to the ninth P of marketing.

As long as I walk God's green Earth, I'll never consume a double decker without thinking of Taco Bell, Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon.  Shaq and Hakeem helped Taco Bell usher in the double decker nearly 25 years ago, back in 1995.  It was the perfect ad campaign.  Shaq was the most physically dominant player to ever enter the NBA.  He used his rugged brute strength to play a hard physical brand of basketball.  He tore down backboards and imposed his will on his opponents.  Hakeem, on the other hand, was a physically strong player too, but he possessed deft touch and the best footwork on the planet.  His game was a bit softer utilizing finesse and dazzling moves to conquer his foes.  A double decker taco was akin to combining the brute crunch of Shaq and the soft skills of Hakeem.

That ad campaign resonates with me 24 years later, and it's the reason Taco Bell nailed permanence in my opinion.  Some marketing efforts blow through time and are forgotten like tumbleweeds.  Others achieve the ninth P and never go away.  They last and remain unchanged indefinitely etched in memory banks.  Check out these YouTube videos.  Entertaining stuff!

Double Decker Introduction

With Spike Lee added

Four Alarm Double Decker

Different stances to achieve success

How to Play Winning Baseball by Arthur Mann is one of my most cherished baseball books in my personal library.  Copyrighted in 1953, the book is an easy-to-read, descriptive how-to manual for the best game in the history of mankind.  I read this book as a kid during my days of playing organized baseball, and now I like to read it as a baseball coach to brush up my skills in teaching the game to youngsters.

There are universal truths for successful batters and their swings: well-timed and executed load (coil that provides power), balance, proper weight shift, steady head and eye on the ball are a few of these truths.  While such truths apply virtually to all sluggers, there are a myriad of stances, bat-twirls and other nuanced differences that can be employed to achieve the desired results.

In his book, Mann illustrates the stances and strides of famous right-handed and left-handed batters from the earlier eras of baseball (diagrams and illustrations by Captain Malcolm Thompson under the direction of Mann):

The iconic stances of Hall of Fame players shown in the two photos above are extremely varied.  For instance, look at the right-handed Rogers Hornsby.  His right (rear) foot was always positioned in the outside rear corner of the batter's box yet he had the ability to stride in diagonally towards the front inside corner (of the batter's box) and get full extension over the strike zone.  While covering so much ground, he was still able to stay balanced, load, keep his eye on the ball, transfer his weight and get his hands through to send the ball sailing.

Conversely, the left-handed "Splendid Splinter", Ted Williams, who many consider to be the greatest hitter that ever lived started with his rear foot towards the inside rear corner of the batter's box.  Williams used a wide stance and had a short stride with his front foot.  His height helped enable this stance.  Hornsby and Williams hit from opposite sides of the plate, and they couldn't have looked more different doing it.  However, they both stayed true to the universal truths of hitting, and both of them are enshrined in Cooperstown.

There are truths in every facet of life from the business world to parenting children and every other component of life.  There are rules of accounting and proven strategies for negotiation.  Also, children are taught the golden rule, phonics and addition/subtraction.  All of that said, often the "stance" or path to greatness in business, parenting/teaching or any other endeavor can vary based on personal attributes, strengths, weaknesses, preferences and cultural differences.

A slick sales professional from Manhattan is going to use different language and tactics than a smooth southern charmer sales professional from Alabama, but they both are seeking the same fruitful results.  Both of them will use some of the same truths to provide value to their clients and hence, reach their goals.  Being able to glean nuggets of wisdom from others yet staying true to your "stance" to reach tremendous highs is one of life's greatest adventures.  Whether it's hitting in the batter's box, presenting in the boardroom or doing homework with your son or daughter at the kitchen table, truths exist and results matter, but the stance to reach those results can vary.

The Knicks, New York City and me

Me at Madison Square Garden January 2014

"How in the world did you become a Knicks fan?"

I've heard the above question hundreds of times during the last 25 years.  It all started in the spring of 1992 when the Knicks met the defending world champion Bulls in the Eastern Conference playoff semifinals.  In the previous 1991 playoffs, the Bulls swept the Knicks 3-0 in the first round, winning each game by an average of 20 points.  That wouldn't be the case in '92 as the bruisers from NYC pushed the Bulls to the full seven games in a heated series that featured intensity boiling over between Xavier McDaniel, Scottie Pippen, Greg Anthony, Michael Jordan, Charles Oakley, Will Perdue and a host of other players.  Patrick Ewing was especially heroic in game six at Madison Square Garden, playing down the stretch on a gimpy ankle all the while leading the Knicks to a win which forced a game seven in Chicago.  Check out the game six highlights here.

That 1992 series (that the Knicks ultimately lost) is what sparked my passion for the franchise.  Most of my NBA loving friends were obsessed with Michael Jordan and the Bulls.  The axles on the bandwagon were at capacity so I had no interest in hopping on.  I was impressed with the Knicks' intensity and heart.  They didn't submit to Michael Jordan.  In fact, they challenged him greater than any other team during the Bulls championship runs.  I loved the defense, rebounding and hard fouls.  I was hooked and immediately began sporting Knicks shorts, shirts, and caps.  Like my hardwood heroes, I talked trash to fans of other teams, especially Bulls fans.  If the Knicks didn't back down from MJ and the Bulls, I certainly wasn't going to bite my tongue either.  Our family had one of those old school large satelite dishes, and we got the MSG Network which showed ALL the Knicks games.  This enabled me to watch the Knicks on a regular basis and further cultivate my fandom.

I love the Vols, Braves and Dolphins, but my favorite all-time sports team is the 1993-1994 Knicks that came within one game of winning a title.  After dispatching the Bulls in a seven game tussle in the Eastern semis, the Knicks won a thrilling seven game series versus the Pacers to ultimately win the Eastern Conference.  In the NBA Finals, the Knicks played an epic series against the Houston Rockets that pitted two teams desperate to win a championship while Jordan was on a basketball hiatus playing baseball in the White Sox organization.  This may sound weird, but I've never gotten over that series loss.  All the games were decided by 10 points or less, and it went the full seven games.  New York went back to Houston up 3-2, but they weren't able to get over the hump in Texas and came up just short.

I've been blessed to watch the Knicks play in person numerous times.  The first time was in the fall of 1994 when the Knicks played the Spurs in a preseason game at Vanderbilt.  My mom and dad took my best friends and me to Memorial Gym to enjoy the action.  We even skipped out on watching the UT vs. Bama "Third Saturday in October" football game as it was being played at the same time.  Attending that preseason NBA game was a dream come true.  Early in the first quarter, Spurs guard/wing Willie Anderson drove to the basket and tried to dunk on Charles Oakley.  Big mistake.  The "no layup rule" was in effect, and Oakley was whistled for a flagrant foul in a preseason game.  That's the type of intensity the Knicks brought to the gym every single night - whether it was a preseason, regular season or playoff game.

Other live experiences include watching the Knickerbockers play in Atlanta during the 1999 playoffs (the 8 seeded Knicks swept the Hawks en route to the Finals), in Indiana during the 2000 playoffs, and multiple games in Memphis versus the Grizzlies.  More recently when Shay, the boys and I lived in New England, I took my lovely wife to TD Garden to watch the Knicks versus Celtics.  Also, I FINALLY checked MSG off my bucket list on January 7, 2014 when I watched the Knicks host the Pistons.  Carmelo Anthony played a prolific game as the orange and blue bested the Pistons.

There have been some lulls in my fandom, especially post-Ewing during the Isaiah Thomas wilderness years, but during those times, my allegiance never wavered.  Even though I wasn't alive during the old Knicks championship days, I've studied and read all about those late 1960s and early 1970s teams.  Hell, my youngest son's middle name is "Reed" after the great Willis Reed, who was the team leader and sturdy center for both Knicks championship teams.  I've taken the bull by the horns to briefly meet Doc Rivers and Derek Harper, and Shay, Harrison and I did a Ewing Athletics meet-and-greet with Patrick Ewing.  We spent several minutes with the big fella, posing for multiple pictures and talking hoops.  That's a moment I'll never forget.

In addition to my love for the Knicks, I have a strong connection to New York City in general.  My first trip to the Big Apple was with friends to catch a couple of games at old Yankee Stadium.  Subsequent trips included the U.S. Open in Flushing, a family photo shoot in Manhattan, Pistons at Knicks and a whole heap of work trips when I covered NYC as part of an operations manager territory.  For a three year stretch, I was in the city six times per year for work.  I embraced everything about it - the diversity, grittiness and overall vibe.  I even love driving in New York City.  I'm a laid back Tennessee boy, but I can flip a switch to fit right in with the horn honking, cursing, fist wagging hustle of the NYC roadways.

One of my favorite shows of all-time is the short-lived How to Make it in America which featured a crooning Aloe Blacc intro that truly captured the essence of the city.

Most meaningful, however, is my immigration history with New York City.  My maternal grandfather, Angelo Karnazes, came to the U.S. through Ellis Island in 1907 as a 13 year old boy without any knowledge of the English language. I can imagine this wasn't the most comfortable luxury cruise either, as his port of departure in France was Le Havre on November 30th 1907, and his arrival date at Ellis Island was December 20th, 1907. His father, Dimitri, was with him, but he later returned to Greece.  I literally would not be sitting here right now hammering away on my keyboard in Murfreesboro without New York City serving as a portal for my grandfather to enter our beloved country.

The general story-line woven in the paragraphs and sentences above is my connection to New York City, and much of that is centered around the New York Knicks.  I have a genuine love for the Knickerbockers that's hard to fully articulate.  That's what I've attempted to do thus far in this blog post.

The Knicks haven't been easy to root for over the past few years.  The erosion of Carmelo Anthony's athleticism and the team's inability to surround him with proper complementary players has been difficult to watch at times.  The arrival of Phil Jackson, who won two rings with the Knicks as a role player and 11 rings as coach of the Bulls and Lakers, was supposed to usher in a winning culture.  I've read Phil's books, and while I loathed him in Chicago, I always respected his New York pedigree.  In fact, his time playing for coach Red Holzman helped mold his coaching philosophy.

Phil is famous for his effective mind games with players, but he has now devolved into a passive-aggressive Twitter troll/bully that has completely alienated Carmelo Anthony and likely hampered the team's ability to draw star free agents.  Who the hell wants to play for an executive that can't keep a secret and puts his players on blast via Twitter?  Additionally, his failure to suspend Derek Rose for a no-call, no-show back in January showed weakness and an overall apathy towards team discipline.

Phil's failures notwithstanding, the worst part about the Knicks is owner James Dolan.  Outside of Jeffrey Loria and Donald Sterling, I can't think of another recent owner who is more despised in professional sports.  His horrendous history is too long to document in this post, but here's a brief history at this link.

I saw one of my Long Island buddies, Vincent, earlier this week, and he said basically the following, "All James Dolan wants is a Knicks product that will draw fans to MSG Network (Dolan is CEO of Cablevision and Executive Chairman of MSG Networks).  He doesn't care about winning.  That's why you see him bring in aging stars to market on television."  Vinny went on and on about Dolan, and he made excellent points.  Winning has never been a top five priority for Dolan.

Dolan took his idiotic actions to new heights this week by literally having his henchmen rough up Knicks legend Charles Oakley.  The Oak man was arrested and booked.  If you've been living under a rock, read these links to get caught up:

Knicks Invent New Type of Loss as Owner Banishes Charles Oakley

MSG's security chief fired over Charles Oakley incident

SEE IT: Charles Oakley arrested after fighting in stands at MSG, says James Dolan wanted him out of there

There's tons of other stories about the debacle on the Internet.  It's the biggest story in sports right now.  As someone who idolized the '90s Knicks, it makes me sick to my stomach.  Charles Oakley was the ultimate lunch pail power forward for an entire decade at Madison Square Garden.  Nobody better represented the identity of those Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy teams better than Oak.  His teammates loved him, and even more telling, the current batch of NBA stars such as LeBron James, D. Wade and Chris Paul LOVE Oak.  They all consider him a mentor.  Read this story about Oak's cooking prowess and his mentoring of an old foe:

From Rival to Ally: Charles Oakley Helps Jayson Williams Rebound From Addiction

I don't believe a single word from the Knicks PR department, and I don't believe a single word of Dolan's interview with Michael Kay.  I have never been so mad at one of my favorite sports teams than I am over this situation.  In fact, I am fully boycotting the Knicks for the indefinite future (kinda like Oak's indefinite ban).  I have unfollowed the Knicks (and most associated accounts) on all social media platforms.  I just can't entertain the thought of supporting them right now, which is saying something considering I named my youngest son after Willis Reed.

I know there are far worse things happening in our world right now than Charles Oakley getting tackled at MSG, but I just had to get this off my chest.  Typing all of this out and linking articles has been cathartic.

Snubbed

One of my favorite Memphis Grizzlies press pass moments occurred when I was able to briefly meet broadcaster Derek Harper and tell him face-to-face that his spirited and skilled play in the NBA playoffs during the summer of 1994 was one of my favorite fandom moments.  Harper played well throughout that playoff for my beloved New York Knicks, and his stout defensive presence and key three point shooting were primary reasons the Knicks came within an eyelash of winning a championship. 


Derek Harper is widely considered one of the best NBA players to never put on an All-Star jersey.  After a successful college career at Illinois, Harper spent 10 plus seasons as a stud for the Dallas Mavericks (played 16 seasons overall).  His prime seasons were played in a Mavs jersey, including his finest season of 1990-1991 when he was 29 years old.  That year, Harp averaged 19.7 points and 7.1 assists per contest.  Advanced stats (win shares, etc.) show Harper had better seasons, but for argument's sake, let's go with '90-'91. 


The Western Conference All-Star team was loaded with point guards in the 1990-1991 season.  Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Terry Porter, Kevin Johnson and Tim Hardaway were all on the squad.  It's hard to argue with any of those guys, but a case can certainly be made that Harp was more deserving that Terry Porter (with all due respect to Porter).  Essentially, Derek Harper was snubbed.


Fast forward to 2017, and Mike Conley is the new Derek Harper.  Conley is the best current NBA player never to make an All-Star team.  In 2016-2017, at age 29 just like Harp, he is having his best season - 20.6 points per game and 6.8 assists per contest.  Stats only tell part of the story about Conley; he is the on court conductor and leader for a battle tested perennially playoff bound Grizzlies team.  The Grizz are represented by a very deserving Marc Gasol on this year's Western Conference All-Star team, but Conley deserved to be there too.  I believe Conley is more deserving than Draymond Green and Gordon Hayward, both of whom made the squad.  Will Conley break his overdue All-Star drought next season?  I sure hope so.  Until then, he's in snubbed status, just like Harper.


It's eerie how similar Conley's ASG plight is with that of Harper.  Both were/are under appreciated point guards that spent the bulk of their career in small markets (by NBA standards).  The Mavs are much more high profile now thanks to Cuban and Dirk, but that wasn't the case back when Harp and Ro Blackman were leading the team down in Dallas.  Regardless of ASG status, both Harp and Conley are two of my favorite floor generals in league history. 

Prepare for the worst AND best

I am currently immersing myself in a Bonnie Biafore, PMP, MCTS course via Lynda.com. Biafore shares a simple yet profound learning for managing risk. When anticipating and/or managing risks, we need to do it in order to reduce the probability and impact of negative events. That makes sense, right?

Additionally, we need to anticipate and/or manage risk to increase the benefit of positive events. Essentially, we need to anticipate and manage positive surprises so we are ready to meet them head on and fully benefit from them when they arise.

Sure, we prepare for the worst. Like one of Coach Neyland's seven maxims teaches, "If at first the game, or breaks, go against you, don't let up. Put on more steam." However, we also must prepare for the breaks to actually go our way so we know what to do when it happens. How many times has good fortune fallen in your lap, and due to hesitation or not knowing what to do, an opportunity slipped through your fingers? Let's all commit to not letting that happen in 2017!

Can a Divided Nation Come to the Center?

I'm a big fan of content churned out and published by Harvard Business School.  Earlier this month, HBS released Problems Unsolved and a Nation Divided.  It's a continuation of their U.S. Competitiveness Project, launched in 2011, as a "multi-year, fact-based effort to understand the disappointing performance of the American economy."  I encourage everyone to read this 70 page document (linked above).

Some of the most critical findings in the study relate to the political paralysis that is crippling our political system and henceforth, our nation.  As I read about and studied this topic, I couldn't help but think about the polarization, divisiveness, political correctness and bully-pulpits that are running rampant in the following arenas:

• Federal government (Washington D.C.)
• State and local governments
• Media (especially national)
• Social media platform discourse 
• Universities
• Corporations

The HBS authors (Michael E. Porter, Jan W. Rivkin, Mihir A. Desai, and Manjari Raman) delve into an eight-point plan for Washington, first released by HBS in 2012 (page 34).  This plan includes but is not limited to simplifying the corporate tax code, easing immigrant for highly skilled individuals, creating a sustainable federal budget, reforming entitlements, and developing America's unconventional energy advantage.  

I believe there are great ideas and intentions that can be applied to the eight-point plan.  These ideas and intentions can be gleaned from across the spectrum of political associations: liberals, conservatives, libertarians, independents, etc.  In order for gleaning from various viewpoints to occur, however, there has to be an awakening and move to radical centrism.  Such a movement would look to address reform opportunities by using pragmatic approaches that would close the ever-widening gap between emotionally driven vs. data driven discourse and solutions (The modern day skew towards emotion is odd considering we've never had better data or data Web sites at our fingertips).  

Emotions and ideals are crucial elements of our culture, but I believe the level of polarization and name-calling (stemming from emotional idealism) in our nation is choking out realistic, common sense solutions and viewpoints.   I completely realize that there will always be zealots on the far right and far left.  Additionally, some issues are inherently difficult to find common ground on simply due to the nature of the issues.  That said, immediately shutting down political opponents, university classmates or social media users due to their stances on particular issues only leads us further down a path of paralysis.  

Can our divided nation come to the center to address the issues laid out by the HBS authors?  The 2016 presidential race makes me extremely skeptical but hopefully over time, we can come together to address the glaring problems that are hurting the U.S. economy in a globalized world.  There are plenty of folks beating the drum for radical moderatism.  Just open your eyes and ears to media outlets and viewpoints that aren't far right or far left leaning.  You don't have to agree with someone 100% to learn from them.  That's a truth I try to keep top-of-mind.

Lessons learned from eating a Kit Kat

Go ahead and take a long, hard look at the above photo.  If that image of a Kit Kat bar doesn't make you crave some milk chocolate and wafer goodness, you are a stronger person than I am.  The Kit Kat bar has a fascinating and long history, and it is still one of the most popular candy bars all over the world.

Every time I bite into a "break" of Kit Kat, I always appreciate the consistent crispiness.  The crispiness of a Kit Kat bar is tasted, felt and even heard.  That crispy texture is even more amazing when you visually examine the inside of a Kit Kat.  The chocolate covering houses three very thin wafers.  How can those wafers produce such a crispy product?  What can we learn from those wafers?

After giving it considerable thought, I believe it would be impossible for a single, thin Kit Kat wafer to produce proper crispiness.  Therefore, the Kit Kat's signature attribute is achieved by three wafers working together in complete unison and harmony.  This concept can be easily applied to any organization - business, sports team, non-profit, church, etc.  As individuals, we all have our capacity bandwidth, strengths and weaknesses.  On our own, we may not produce a proper "crispiness" that leads to desired results.  However, in organizational structure, tribes and teams can be aligned in a manner for individuals to meld together to produce the desired results or at least put them in a position to achieve those results (uncontrollable factors notwithstanding).  Focused teams of talented individuals who put egos aside and pool their strengths in an effort to achieve shared goals can literally reach the stars.

The Kit Kat bar boasts a second attribute that heavily contributes to its awesomeness.  It lies in the filling between the three thin wafers.  That filling is not a special chocolate or creamy filling.  It's actually mashed up Kit Kats that basically act as glue holding it all together. (MIND BLOWN!)  Every sports team or business needs "glue guys" that hold things together.  

Draymond Green is a prime example of a "glue guy."  The Golden State Warriors forward isn't the best player on his basketball team.  That distinction would fall to Steph Curry.  He's not even the second best scorer on his team (that's Klay Thompson).  Green, rather, does all the little things such as defend all five positions, play "point forward," rebound and provide emotional leadership.  Essentially, he's the glue that holds it all together or the straw that stirs the drink.  Every team and/or organization needs team members that can do a myriad of activities well or who are willing to apply their talents in any means necessary to move the organization forward.  

Just like the mashed up Kit Kats, glue guys don't always get the same fanfare that goes to the wafers or stars, but they are crucially vital to the operation.  I work with some great glue guys (and gals) at my professional work organization.  I can also think of glue guys in other facets of my life whether it's a coach pitch baseball team, church group or my college buddies.  

Whether it's thin wafers working together to produce a proper crispy chocolate bar or mashed up pieces of that same bar working as glue to hold it all together, life and business lessons can be gleaned from a Kit Kat.  Are you working in unison with your work teammates?  Or are you a lone wolf that isn't contributing to the crispiness (success)?  Are you a "glue guy?"  If not, how can you extend yourself in order to achieve "glue guy" status?  After all, the glue guy or gal is talented, but much of their success is derived from grit and tenaciousness.  

This is all good food for thought (literally).

Churning up the Dirt with Dad

There's something therapeutic about digging into an overdue home project.  That's exactly what Shay and I did this weekend.  As part of the project, I had to till up a circular area in our yard.  All the sensory elements of running a tiller - feels, sounds, smells and heat - took me back to my childhood with my dad.

Dad always kept five or so old milk jugs full of ice in the deep freeze.  He'd take them out early in the morning and place them in the back of his Dodge Ram.  We'd hop in the cab and head up the hill to the back of our expansive property where his massive garden was nestled in a perfect area for growing a wide range of crops - corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, okra, banana peppers, watermelons and more.  

I remember just how hard he would work the land and how happy it made him.  From the springtime tilling to the late spring hoeing to the summer harvesting, that smell of freshly churned dirt mixed with vegetable plants and sweat is forever etched in my memory bank.  I can still feel the cold rush of slushy water from the milk jugs after they melted a bit on the tailgate.  "Slow down, son.  You're going to make yourself sick if you drink it too fast."  That oasis of water is the coldest I've ever tasted, Yeti included.

Dad's work ethic wasn't just on display in his garden.  Back in the 1970's, he wanted to get a job at Procter and Gamble but failed the physical due to what were deemed "bad veins" in his legs.  Undaunted, he opted for a surgical procedure to correct the issue.  He showed back up to P&G, passed the interview (again) and aced the physical.  He wound up working there in a variety of roles for 15 years and ultimately retired from the company.

Sometimes the harsh elements weren't enough of a challenge for Dad.  I can still see him in the middle of sweltering July heat cutting the grass all the while wearing a large belt/wrap affixed with Velcro around his waist.  It was designed to make him ever hotter sweating out more fluids, and in his mind, keep him slim and trim.  

Once Dad hit his mid-to-late 70's, his body really started to succumb to cancer.  Once he knew he had only a couple of years left, he feverishly knocked out a myriad of home improvement projects so my Mom would be set up for success once he passed.  He was tough as nails and harder working than anyone I've ever known.

A couple of years ago, I was chatting with a childhood friend of  Dad's.  He told me my grandfather, Asa Taylor, used to tout my dad back when he (dad) was a child stating young Harry Lynn, "could outwork any man in Henderson County."  In reality, Dad had to grow up too fast, but it set in stone habits and principles that he adhered to for his entire life.

My mom and sister certainly have their share of stories they could add to this post.  He's been gone 10 years, but his life lessons live on.  Now I have a couple of young boys tugging on my cape.  I pray I'm etching memories they can cherish one day once I'm down in the dirt.

2015-16 NBA predictions

Eastern Conference

1. Cleveland

2. Atlanta

3. Washington

4. Chicago

5. Miami

6. New York

7. Boston

8. Toronto

The East is wide open for the last four playoff seeds.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlotte, Milwaukee, Detroit, Indiana or Orlando qualifies for the tournament.  That said, I am going with the eight teams above.

1^st round winners: Cleveland, Atlanta, New York, Miami

Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Miami

Western Conference

1. Golden State

2. OKC

3. San Antonio

4. Clippers

5. Memphis

6. Houston

7. Dallas

8. New Orleans

The West seems more top heavy than even throughout.  I believe Utah and Phoenix will be in the mix for the eight seed.  Also, Portland will be fun to watch, and Sacramento will win some games based on their talent.  However, the Kings will be a debacle chemistry wise with Rondo, Cousins and Karl.  That’s a trio that won’t finish the season intact.  Minnesota might surprise some folks too.

1^st round winners: Golden State, OKC, San Antonio, Memphis

(Blow up the Clippers!  The Grizz will take them out in the first round.  Doc Rivers might get fired.  I love Doc, but I seriously believe they will implode in the playoffs even with Paul Pierce).

Western Conference Finals: Golden State over San Antonio

NBA Finals: Cleveland over Golden State – I went rematch with a different outcome.

MVP: Steph Curry (repeat)

DPOY: Anthony Davis

6^th man: If Noah continues to come in off the bench for the Bulls, the award will be his.  I suspect he will start most games so I’m going with his college teammate Corey Brewer.  Also, Derrick Williams will have a shot for this as he’s instant energy off the bench for the Knicks. 

Rookie of the year: Kristaps Porzingis (Y’all heard it here first.  He’s more ready than people realize).  That is a heart pick though.  Most likely, it will be Karl Anthony Towns.

Coach of the year: Billy Donovan – OKC is back in a major way!

Most Improved: Derrick Williams – NYK all day!!

Dolphins rise to meet Campbell's challenge

In the first few weeks following Joe Philbin's ouster as Dolphins head coach and Dan Campbell's ascension to the role, it is crystal clear that Stephen Ross and Dolphins brass made the correct decision in firing Philbin.  In fact, they should have done it sooner.

Campbell's complete opposite approach (from Philbin) is flat out working.  Granted, Coach Campbell's two wins have been against AFC South doormats (Titans and Texans), but the Miami Dolphins are obviously playing better in all three phases no matter the competition.  That competition will be much improved this Thursday as the Fish travel to Foxborough to face the vaunted Pats.

I'm currently reading Carly Fiorina's 2006 memoir Tough Choices.  In chapter 16, she delves into leadership during times of change:

As is true whenever a new leader issues a challenge, a critical mass of the old-timers must rise to that challenge.  If this fails to happen, the new leader is simply ignored.

Fiorina goes onto expound on those two sentences, but there's a ton of meat on the bone in just the two sentences alone.  In relation to the Dolphins, Coach Campbell, a new leader, has certainly challenged their mindset and toughness and completely revamped their practice habits.  Campbell has shed complacency and protecting players egos in favor of ultra-competitive practices that lay bare any deficiencies.  He has issued challenges from the very first moment of his promotion to head coach.  The "old-timers" in this instance are the players.  They have risen to the challenges and embraced Campbell's hard-nosed approach.  If the players were ignoring Campbell or tuning out his message, the Dolphins would not have beaten the bark off the Titans and Texans in consecutive weeks.

Fiorina believes that a choice must be made to either follow or not follow a new leader/change agent who has issued challenges.  The Miami Dolphins look like a completely different team under Campbell.  From the quarterback play of Ryan Tannehill to the powerful running of Lamar Miller to the improved run defense, Campbell has unearthed the the very best from his players; they have accepted his challenges.  Check out this link to see how well the Dolphins performed today versus the hapless Texans. 

History Repeats Itself

UPDATE 01/17/2016:

When I originally typed out this blog post back in September, I knew Peyton Manning's season was trending down a path very similar to Dan Marino's 1999 (final) season in the NFL.  However, I had no idea that the respective seasons would be almost identical.

Dan Marino 1999 regular season:
11 games played, 55.3% completions, 2,448 yards, 12 TD, 17 Int, 67.4 rating, 5-6 team record with Marino as starting QB.

Peyton Manning 2015 regular season:
10 games played (9 started), 59.8% completions, 2,249 yards, 9 TD, 17 Int, 67.9 rating, 7-2 team record with Manning as starting QB (8-2 overall record in games played).

In addition to the eerily similar statistics, both legends missed multiple games due to injury and eventually had to fend off younger, upstart QBs to retain their jobs.  Damon Huard was the QB pressing Marino in 1999, and Huard finished with a much better TD to INT ratio (2 to 1).  Additionally, Huard was 4-1 as the starter which obviously bettered Marino's 5-6 mark.

Manning, on the other hand, actually LOST his job for one half of football to strong armed Brock Osweiler who boasted a 5-2 record as the starter.  Osweiler also protected the football much better than Manning by tossing 10 TD to 6 Int.

Last, both Marino and Manning clashed with coaches and front offices.  Marino and Jimmy Johnson shared a strained relationship throughout their partnership, particularly so in 1999.  Likewise, Manning had to deal with an offense that wasn't catered (and still isn't) to his every whim.  He lined up more under center as opposed to shotgun which doesn't suit his strengths.  Finally, as stated previously, a healthy Manning was the backup QB in a game (season finale versus San Diego) for the first time since September 1994, his freshman season at the University of Tennessee.  Coach Kubiak called Manning's number in the second half of the Chargers game and won because of it.  That said, who knows the status of Peyton's relationship with both Kubiak and John Elway?

Fast forward to today, and Manning is starting in the divisional round of the playoffs at home versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in a cold weather affair in Denver.  Manning has never fared well in cold weather.  Also, he's had his fair share of one-and-done moments in the NFL playoffs.

Another obstacle today will be the hobbled yet vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers.  After last week's backyard brawl in Cincy, the Steelers are missing some key cogs.  Also, Big Ben's throwing shoulder is injured.  Nevertheless, there's no one who comes through in big games better than Roethlisberger.  The Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization that has won big games throughout their history, and their signal caller is a savvy veteran that can make chicken salad out of chicken shit when things break down and instincts and pure athleticism take over.  The Steelers are a battle tested, formidable opponent.

I still believe Denver will win the game.  The Broncos boast a stout Wade Phillips led defense that will be dialing it up in front of a rabid home crowd.  Second, Denver can run the ball effectively with Hillman and Anderson which will take some pressure off Manning.  Last, I think Peyton comes through today.  He's had an extra week off to get his arm (and body) ready for competition.  It will be a close game, and Peyton will have to make some throws down the stretch for Denver to win.  Call me a homer, but I predict he gets it done.  I hope I'm right because I'm salivating for a Brady vs. Manning AFC title game.

The whole 2015 Manning saga is somewhat sentimental because I've rooted for Peyton Manning since the fall of 1994 - my sophomore year of high school.  I know many other Tennesseans will be cheering for the VFL a.k.a. "The Sheriff" to get it done today!  Perhaps today's game will serve as the springboard for another Super Bowl run.

Broncos 24
Steelers 21

ORIGINAL POST 09/16/2015:

When scouring annals of history, holy scriptures or sports almanacs, certain truths and patterns become evident.  One of these is the old adage "History repeats itself."  For my two favorite quarterbacks and football players of all-time, I believe we are in the midst of history repeating itself almost identically.

For my money, from a pure execution standpoint, there's nothing in sporting history more awe inspiring than watching Dan Marino sling the pigskin.  His supreme confidence, rocket arm and lightning fast release made Dolphins games during his tenure "must watch TV."  Even so, legends can't play forever.  A 38 year old Dan Marino entered his final NFL campaign in 1999 a shell of himself physically.  Various leg injuries (including an Achilles tear) over the years had taken their toll on the cocksure gunslinger.  Marino was still capable of big games, but his consistent dominance was a thing of the past.  He still had the arm strength, but I remember how painful it was watching him stretch like Mister Fantastic just to put a handoff in running back J.J. Johnson's breadbasket.  Marino's legs were shot.

Dan Marino threw 12 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions during the 1999 campaign, and the Dolphins earned a wildcard playoff berth with a 9-7 record.  In the wildcard game, the Dolphins traveled to Seattle to play the Seahawks in the Kingdome, and that was the scene of Marino's last stand.  I liken it to Davey Crockett defending the Alamo to the bitter end - two legendary figures fighting tooth and nail.  NFL football and the Texas Revolution aren't exactly the same thing, but mentalities of battle-hardened, high achieving, competitive men are alike no matter if the stakes are football glory or Texas independence. 

Marino had a paltry final NFL regular season by his elite standards, but he still had the stones to lead the Dolphins on a fourth quarter touchdown drive comeback in a hostile environment to pull out a 20-17 win.  The game had an eerie feeling of finality, and sure enough, Marino and the Dolphins ran into an absolute buzz saw the following Saturday in Jacksonville.  Marino could only watch his career end helplessly from the bench as the Jaguars channeled their inner Santa Anna (see what I did there?) and bludgeoned the Dolphins by a final tally of 62-7. 

Fast forward to 2015 and a 39 year old Peyton Manning is now 1999 Dan Marino - a beloved icon that is no longer physically up to dominating his sport.  Manning is accustomed to being the most prolific passer in the entire league.  His preparation, mental football acumen, competitive drive and ability to find the end zone have only been rivaled by Tom Brady and a handful of others over the past 15 plus years. 

If you watched the way last season ended for Peyton and the Broncos, the writing was on the wall.  Manning is probably the smartest quarterback to ever line up under center, but after numerous neck surgeries he can no longer throw the football with the type of velocity needed to be an elite passer.  If you can't admit this, you're looking through biased orange tinted (Broncos or Vols) glasses. 

Another problem for Manning is new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison isn't exactly catering his offense to Peyton.  Like Marino under Jimmy Johnson (history repeating itself), there seems to be a bit of angst in Denver.  Peyton is lining up more under center as opposed to shotgun.  It just feels different than the old days in Indy and Denver when Peyton was quarterback and partial offensive coordinator and head coach.  In his prime, Manning ran the show. 

The Broncos won their week 1 game this past weekend over the Ravens, but Manning was 24 of 40 for 175 yards and no touchdown passes.  To put that in perspective, Manning threw SEVEN, yes SEVEN touchdown passes in the 2013 opener. 

I believe that Manning will end the season with statistics markedly better than Marino in 1999.  After all, the league is in love with fantasy football and the interest it brings to the league. Hence, defenses have been handcuffed by rules and regulations.  Passing touchdowns aren't exactly hard to come by.  That notwithstanding, Manning is the best statistical quarterback in NFL history for a reason.  He's Toby Keith-esque, "not as good as he was once was but as good once as he ever was."  He'll have a handful of big games.  The Broncos will probably even make the playoffs similar to the Dolphins in 1999. 

My hope is that Peyton can find that often elusive playoff success and go out like Dan Marino in Seattle or Davey Crockett in San Antonio.  Crockett died at the Alamo, and Marino was humiliated in Jacksonville, but they both had skins on the wall from going out guns blazing.  I have little hope of Denver being good enough to win the AFC.  I don't see how Manning can thrive with regular season mileage and cold weather playoff conditions.  I do believe he'll be a sentimental favorite, and he'll go out the only way he knows how, yelling "Omaha" and throwing the damn pill.

What Eric Knows About New England

One of my favorite books as a youngster was James Howe's What Eric Knew which introduced teen sleuth Sebastian Barth.  I must admit that the title with my first name "Eric" piqued my interest and drew me in like a bug zapper, but the content of the book was the sustaining factor in it becoming one of my favorites.

The book centered around young Sebastian Barth and his group of friends as they embraced adventure all in the name of working to unravel a mystery.  The setting was a quaint New England town in the summertime.  The town was walkable ("free range kids"style) and bike friendly.  It featured a nifty downtown and a community church with an iconic church bell that was the centerpiece of the town and storyline.  For someone who grew up in a very rural setting (me), the idea of living in such a cool town close to my friends in the summertime was enticing.

Fast forward roughly 25 years to 2012, and I found myself living in such a New England town.  I can walk a few hundred feet in one direction and be downtown for pizza, ice cream, craft beer or a hair cut.  A few hundred feet in the other direction, and I find myself traipsing down wooded, secluded walking trails in a nature preserve.  We have a river that runs through our back yard.  If I had more of an arm, I could throw a football from our back deck and hit the community congregational church and its church bell that tolls every hour on the hour.  Essentially, Shay, the boys and I could be Sebastian Barth's neighbor. 

After two-and-a-half years plus of New England living, we are moving back to our beloved Tennessee at the end of June.  While we are very excited for the opportunity to move back to Middle Tennessee and the greater Nashville area, we are going to miss our little New Hampshire seacoast town tremendously.  We have made tons of memories and dear friends that we will cherish forever. 

I wanted to assemble a list of ten random things that I'll miss about New Hampshire and New England (What Eric Knows About New England - cheesy, I know).  Hence, this blog post and list complete with cool links and such:

1. Ice Cream - Before moving to New Hampshire, I had no idea how seriously New Englanders took their ice cream.  You can drive through almost any New England town and find proper mom and pop ice cream spots.  We can walk from our home to two such locations, one of which makes their ice cream in house.  The other uses product from a New England creamery.  Not only do these local places churn out (see what I did there?) delicious ice cream, their prices are typically lower than the chain ice cream concepts you see throughout the rest of the country.

2. NH coastal living and Portsmouth - New Hampshire boasts a quaint (how many times can I use the word "quaint" in this post?) 18 miles of seacoast which makes it the state with the fewest miles of coastline of states that are coastal.  It's a jewel of an area and one in which we've been thrilled to live.  Portsmouth is easily one of the coolest towns in the nation, at least of the ones I've visited.  If you haven't been, you should check it out.

3. Shoveling snow - Summer and fall are absolutely perfect New England seasons, and late springtime is right up there too.  Conversely, winters are hard, especially for southerners who are not used to the onslaught of snow that falls but doesn't melt for months. We lived through three New England winters, and they got progressively harder and more brutal.  While New England winters are challenging, there is something appealing at a primal level (think Rocky IV training montage) about getting out in the ridiculous elements and shoveling heaps of snow.  There were numerous times that my neighbor and I would be outside for hours cleaning up Mother Nature's wrath.  We've faced winds that would blow the horns off a billy goat and temps so cold that a beer once literally froze in a matter of minutes in my gloved hand.  One of the coolest experiences (literally) was when Shay and I shoveled out of Winter Storm Nemo and flew out the next day to Orlando for vacation. 

4. No sales tax - New Hampshire does not have sales tax.  If you go to a furniture store and see a recliner for $599, you pay $599.  Tennessee is much friendlier in terms of property taxes, but we will have to get used to paying sales tax again.

5. Raw milk - Ok, I know what you're thinking, "Wow!  They moved up to NH and went all granola on us."  In this instance, that is true.  I personally don't drink milk, but we have turned our four-year old into a milk snob.  He wants his milk unpasteurized and from a glass bottle.  We literally have to shake Bartlett Farm's raw milk before serving because it's J-Lo level thick.  Raw milk is illegal for human consumption in Tennessee.

6. Fenway Park - I grew up a huge baseball fan.  My dad was the man for many reasons, but one of those reasons is he made sure we had a massive satellite dish with plenty of TV viewing options.  As a kid, I remember watching the Red Sox on NESN  when they had iconic players like "Oil Can" Boyd, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Ellis Burks, Lee Smith and Mike Greenwell.  I was enamored with Fenway Park on television and intrigued by the local commercials that referenced Boston and far away sounding places like "Pawtucket."  I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I'm certainly a Fenway Park fan.  Going to Fenway Park for the first time is a road to Damascus experience in terms of sheer awesomeness.  In the two full baseball seasons we have lived in New England, the Sox won a World Series, and I attended four games at Fenway.  I even got to watch my beloved Braves play in the city they first called home.  I'll certainly miss being an hour or so away from the most iconic patch of grass in Major League Baseball.

7. Felger & Mazz - While living in New England, my disdain for the Patriots and Celtics has intensified.  For a region of the country that produces such a small number of elite football and basketball players, it's a shame the Good Lord bestowed such winning franchises such as the Pats and Celtics in New England.  Boston radio hosts Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti have made it their mission to get under the skin of die-hard New England sports fans, and it is glorious.  The vitriol Felger and Mazz generate on social media is other worldly.  I know I can listen online, but it's not the same as being here.  I will miss those guys stirring the pot. (Plus, any radio show that uses Pearl Jam's Glorified G as its bump music gets bonus points in my book.)

8. Easy drive to NYC - New York City is my favorite place on Earth to visit.  I love the history, food, crowds and melting pot culture.  I also love the New York Knicks with every fiber of my being.  My only wish is they win one (JUST ONE) NBA championship during my lifetime.  Additionally, my maternal grandfather came to this bountiful country via Ellis Island which only strengthens my bond with the world's most iconic city.  The apple didn't fall too far from the tree either.  My four-year old son is enamored with NYC as we've vacationed there twice during our time in New England.  He talks about eventually moving to NYC, and his new room in Tennessee is going to feature a NYC theme.  In NH, we are roughly four-and-a-half hours from the Big Apple via car or an easy train ride.  That won't be the case once we move back to the Volunteer State.

9. The Big Bean - I love breakfast foods, and the Big Bean Café has one of the best breakfasts I've ever smashed.  Their French Toast can be made with a number of homemade breads, and it's the best I've ever tasted.  They serve coffee from a local roaster too!  We can walk there and back from our house which helps burn a few of the calories. 

10. Summertime - Summertime in New England is perfect.  Baseball is in full swing, ice cream is available on every corner, water is close-by (ocean, Lake Winnipesaukee, etc.), and temps are hot but not unbearable hot.  It's a short but perfect season!

**** Honorable mentions: Halloween (huge deal up here) and seafood festivals. Also, I would love to be here during the early Presidential primary season when the nation affixes its eyes upon New Hampshire.  Last but not least, we are going to miss Next Level Church.  They are boldly proclaiming the gospel in New England!

Floyd and Manny

Last night, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao touched gloves and fought 12 rounds in Vegas, a duel dubbed pre-fight as the "fight of the century."  Floyd's elusiveness shined through for the 48th time in 48 professional bouts as he won by unanimous decision.

Everyone who is feigning surprise and bemoaning last night's fight as boring must not have watched Floyd's previous 47 sweet science displays.  Anger at the fight is misplaced.  Such anger is cognitive dissonance/buyer's remorse of falling victim to slick and pervasive promotion and marketing. 

Additionally, there are others who purchased the PPV and now regret padding the pockets of a man (Floyd) with a documented past of domestic violence.  Pacquiao, an outspoken Christian, philanthropist and politician, was cast as the perfect character foil to Mayweather's love of money.  The storylines were rich and dripping with nuance.

It's as if Mayweather's marketing team waved a magic wand that made casual boxing fans forget he fights a fully defensive style before they hit "buy" for $100.  I imagine there are others, rich and famous, who shelled out insane dollars to sit ringside that today are feeling a twinge of regret as well. 

I personally didn't purchase the fight, but I've made plenty of impulse buys over the years.  Yesterday, however, I used Floyd-esque defense to fend off the magnetic pull of ESPN, TMT and Manny (as a Christian warrior) hype.  The marketing major in me really appreciated many elements of the event.  From Manny eating Butterfinger products at the weigh-in to Floyd walking out with the actual. Burger King, Twitter was ablaze and $100 cheaper than actually buying the fight.

Both Mayweather and Pacquiao will one day be enshrined in the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. Mayweather is the best of his generation, revered by hardcore fight fans and dismissed by virtually everyone else.