Posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Monday, October 19, 2020
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
ComeDown tab for this NFL player: $50 million
How Mark Brunell blew $50 million dollars in failed investments | Daily Mail Online
We were watching a boring documentary last night, when something made up check the TV listings. NFL football on Tuesday night, definite upgrade! We switched over. Then, in the One Thing Leads to Another Dept., something made us think of QB Mark Brunell. We looked him up, and were somewhat astonished to read about his trip from the heights of NFL stardom all the way back down to earth.....
Nothing is as uncertain as finance, projected profits, cash flow, partners, the market, and whatever is being traded....
We were watching a boring documentary last night, when something made up check the TV listings. NFL football on Tuesday night, definite upgrade! We switched over. Then, in the One Thing Leads to Another Dept., something made us think of QB Mark Brunell. We looked him up, and were somewhat astonished to read about his trip from the heights of NFL stardom all the way back down to earth.....
Nothing is as uncertain as finance, projected profits, cash flow, partners, the market, and whatever is being traded....
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Courage and despair
“It requires courage not to surrender oneself to the ingenious or compassionate counsels of despair that would induce a man to eliminate himself from the ranks of the living; but it does not follow from this that every huckster who is fattened and nourished in self-confidence has more courage than the man who yielded to despair.”
Søren Kierkegaard, The Concept of Irony
Monday, September 21, 2020
Stunning Comedown
Alabama State University student charged in classmate's death
Ivry Hall, a 20-year-old Golden Gloves boxer originally from Chicago, was arrested Friday.
“He was back in Chicago for a couple days,” Father Michael Pfleger, a priest and his mentor, told the newspaper. “I spoke with him and sought to pastor him and counsel him, and we contacted the police and set up his return to Montgomery.”
Hall has previously credited Pfleger’s guidance and a Chicago boxing group, the Crushers Club, with helping him turn away from gang life. The young pugilist began running with gangs as early as 8 years old and started selling drugs a year later, according to the report.
Hall was also featured in a short documentary film called “Ivry” in which he’s seen working with younger boxers while using his story to compel them to better their life as he did, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Ivry Hall, a 20-year-old Golden Gloves boxer originally from Chicago, was arrested Friday.
“He was back in Chicago for a couple days,” Father Michael Pfleger, a priest and his mentor, told the newspaper. “I spoke with him and sought to pastor him and counsel him, and we contacted the police and set up his return to Montgomery.”
Hall has previously credited Pfleger’s guidance and a Chicago boxing group, the Crushers Club, with helping him turn away from gang life. The young pugilist began running with gangs as early as 8 years old and started selling drugs a year later, according to the report.
Hall was also featured in a short documentary film called “Ivry” in which he’s seen working with younger boxers while using his story to compel them to better their life as he did, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Monday, August 24, 2020
Sunday, August 16, 2020
Moving Forward
Moving Forward
Multiple sclerosis forced the author to quit running, but when the COVID-19 pandemic spiked her anxiety, she found a way back to it.
Thursday, August 13, 2020
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Resourcefulness: the sine qua non of Comeback
I heard Dr. Norman Vincent Peale speak to a national convention some 40 years ago. He told this story:
I have a friend in New York City. He was just exactly 16 years old last spring when the school vacation time came along. So he went to his father (who is a friend of mine) and said, "I don't want to sponge off you all summer long, I want to get a job and have some cash of my own."
After the father had recovered from his shock he said, "Well son, that is a laudable ambition, but I have to tell you that the job opportunities in the metropolitan area are practically nil. You couldn't get a job for love nor money."
The boy said, "Dad, you are speaking like a negative thinker. Now I am a positive thinker, and I know that there's a job available for me this summertime."
So the boy got out a copy of the newspaper and he looked for want ads. One caught his eye. It said: "WANTED, a boy, 16, alert, willing to work, ambitious, creative. Show up at a certain address on 42nd Street tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. and be prompt."
He was down there the next morning not at 8:00. Certainly not at 8:15. He was there at 7:45, only to find that there were 20 boys lined up leading to the secretary of the man doing the hiring, which made him the 21st kid in line. He looked these boys all over and had to admit they were good boys, and if he were the boss, he'd be willing to hire any one of them, but he did not want any of them to be hired.
He was a competitor . . . part of the greatest economic system in the history of the world: the American free enterprise system. This was his competition . . . how to get over the heads of 20 boys, sell himself to the boss, and get the job.
I said, "What did you do?" He said, "1 went into the most painful process known to man. I thought. And I prayed." And he added, "Prayer is a form of thought by which you tap the Great Intelligence and then you work with a great intelligence. I thought and I prayed and I got an idea, and you will always get an idea when you do that."
He took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it, folded it, and walked over the the secretary. As he bowed respectfully, he fixed his eyes straight on her and said, "It. is absolutely imperative that your boss get this note immediately."
Now she knew people . . . and if he had been an ordinary boy she would have said, "Forget it and get back into the 21st position where you belong." But she said, "OK, show me that note." He handed her the note, she read it and smiled. She got up and walked into the boss's office and handed him the note, and he laughed out loud.
It said, "I am the 21st kid in line. Don't make up your mind until you talk to me."
The question: Did he get the job? Of course he did.
The question: Will he be able to handle himself in all the vicissitudes in life? Of course he will, because he is a thinker and a positive thinker.
==============================================
We have plague, social unrest, riots, arson, murder of innocents, political divide, a shuttered economy on the brink of collapse and universal anxiety. Never has the world so needed resourcefulness. Will we find it? If so, how and when?
Friday, July 24, 2020
Friday, June 19, 2020
Chicago Bear Khalil Mach: "Training like I have never seen anybody train before"
Mack motivated by down season
Chicago Tribune, Friday, June 19, 2020
Bears coaches excited about what star LB, Quinn can do together.
Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said Khalil Mack is “training like I have never seen anybody train before” during this offseason. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune ) Bears coaches are high on what ex-Cowboy Robert Quinn, center, can bring to the table. (Paul Sancya/AP )
By Colleen Kane
With teams confined to online interactions during the NFL offseason because of the coronavirus pandemic, coaches need to have a certain level of trust that their players are preparing physically to be ready when they hit the field at training camp.
But Chicago Bears coaches didn’t need that blind faith when it comes to Khalil Mack.
Many times when the defense met via Zoom meetings, coordinator Chuck Pagano and outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino could see Mack training in his home workout facility during the calls.
Work ethic never has been something coaches question about Mack. But Pagano and Monachino seemed to indicate there’s an extra element to Mack’s drive this year as the Bears come off an 8-8 season and he comes off a slightly down year — by Mack’s previous production standards, at least. Pagano called him “determined” to win, and Monachino made the big statement that Mack is “training like I have never seen anybody train before.”
That all matches up with Mack’s declaration at the end of the 2019 season that “my therapy is being a part of the grind.”
“Motivation is not an issue with Khalil — never has been,” Monachino said. “But what I’ll tell you is that he has approached this offseason with something to prove, and that’s something that we all can be encouraged by. That’s something that’s exciting when a player of his caliber approaches his work the way he has approached it.”
Bears coaches have reflected about the various reasons Mack’s pass-rush totals — 8 1/2 sacks, 14 quarterback hits — dipped to their lowest since his rookie season in 2014, noting it wasn’t about his work or attention to detail. Monachino called improving the Bears pass rush “a high, high priority for all of us, especially for Khalil.”
During his first Zoom call with the media this year, Pagano claimed much of the responsibility in his first season commanding the Bears defense, noting he needs to be better at putting Mack and others in positions to be successful. Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks’ absence because of a left elbow injury and Leonard Floyd’s poor production also didn’t help draw protection away from Mack.
In that regard, the Bears had two major offseason developments. Hicks is slated to return from his injury. And nine-year NFL veteran Robert Quinn signed a five-year, $70 million contract to replace Floyd, who signed with the Rams after the Bears cut him .
Pagano said Quinn will have hurdles to clear in moving from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker. But if Quinn can replicate the production he had last year with the Cowboys, when he had 11 1/2 sacks, he and Mack could form a formidable duo. Floyd had 11 1/2 sacks in his last three seasons combined.
“Everybody just thinks (Quinn) can rush the passer, but he’s relentless, he’s tough, he’s athletic, he’s physical,” Pagano said. “He’ll play really good against the run. There’s some things he’ll have to adapt to from a schematic standpoint. But he’s done a great job to this point with picking up the playbook stuff. Just his ability to rush the passer, come off the edge (is exciting). He’s a great pro. He’s a great teammate. He’s a great person.”
Monachino called Quinn, 30, grounded and mature and said he adds some “urgency” to the outside linebackers room. He’s eager to see how the dynamic between Mack and Quinn plays out when they finally get on the field together.
“It is exciting because the two of them can make each other better on a daily basis,” Monachino said. “I also think we’re going to present some different things to the offenses we play, where they’re going to have to tend to us a little differently.”
Mack, 29, will face one other new dynamic that Monachino is interested in monitoring at training camp.
The Bears signed Mack’s younger brother, Ledarius, as an undrafted free agent out of Buffalo, and Monachino said siblings are very close. As he prepares for his seventh NFL season and third in Chicago, Khalil Mack already has played a bit of big brother to his teammates, helping guide them with his words — as well as his actions in the weight room.
“During this virtual offseason program he has done a remarkable job of starting conversation, asking questions — not only of me and Coach (Bill) Shuey but of the other players in the meeting,” Monachino said. “He has done an amazing job of leading them and giving them insight into what his process is. I just think that this is a special guy that has something to prove and has approached the last several months with a chip on his shoulder. And I think that’s good for everybody.”
Chicago Tribune, Friday, June 19, 2020
Bears coaches excited about what star LB, Quinn can do together.
Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said Khalil Mack is “training like I have never seen anybody train before” during this offseason. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune ) Bears coaches are high on what ex-Cowboy Robert Quinn, center, can bring to the table. (Paul Sancya/AP )
By Colleen Kane
With teams confined to online interactions during the NFL offseason because of the coronavirus pandemic, coaches need to have a certain level of trust that their players are preparing physically to be ready when they hit the field at training camp.
But Chicago Bears coaches didn’t need that blind faith when it comes to Khalil Mack.
Many times when the defense met via Zoom meetings, coordinator Chuck Pagano and outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino could see Mack training in his home workout facility during the calls.
Work ethic never has been something coaches question about Mack. But Pagano and Monachino seemed to indicate there’s an extra element to Mack’s drive this year as the Bears come off an 8-8 season and he comes off a slightly down year — by Mack’s previous production standards, at least. Pagano called him “determined” to win, and Monachino made the big statement that Mack is “training like I have never seen anybody train before.”
That all matches up with Mack’s declaration at the end of the 2019 season that “my therapy is being a part of the grind.”
“Motivation is not an issue with Khalil — never has been,” Monachino said. “But what I’ll tell you is that he has approached this offseason with something to prove, and that’s something that we all can be encouraged by. That’s something that’s exciting when a player of his caliber approaches his work the way he has approached it.”
Bears coaches have reflected about the various reasons Mack’s pass-rush totals — 8 1/2 sacks, 14 quarterback hits — dipped to their lowest since his rookie season in 2014, noting it wasn’t about his work or attention to detail. Monachino called improving the Bears pass rush “a high, high priority for all of us, especially for Khalil.”
During his first Zoom call with the media this year, Pagano claimed much of the responsibility in his first season commanding the Bears defense, noting he needs to be better at putting Mack and others in positions to be successful. Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks’ absence because of a left elbow injury and Leonard Floyd’s poor production also didn’t help draw protection away from Mack.
In that regard, the Bears had two major offseason developments. Hicks is slated to return from his injury. And nine-year NFL veteran Robert Quinn signed a five-year, $70 million contract to replace Floyd, who signed with the Rams after the Bears cut him .
Pagano said Quinn will have hurdles to clear in moving from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker. But if Quinn can replicate the production he had last year with the Cowboys, when he had 11 1/2 sacks, he and Mack could form a formidable duo. Floyd had 11 1/2 sacks in his last three seasons combined.
“Everybody just thinks (Quinn) can rush the passer, but he’s relentless, he’s tough, he’s athletic, he’s physical,” Pagano said. “He’ll play really good against the run. There’s some things he’ll have to adapt to from a schematic standpoint. But he’s done a great job to this point with picking up the playbook stuff. Just his ability to rush the passer, come off the edge (is exciting). He’s a great pro. He’s a great teammate. He’s a great person.”
Monachino called Quinn, 30, grounded and mature and said he adds some “urgency” to the outside linebackers room. He’s eager to see how the dynamic between Mack and Quinn plays out when they finally get on the field together.
“It is exciting because the two of them can make each other better on a daily basis,” Monachino said. “I also think we’re going to present some different things to the offenses we play, where they’re going to have to tend to us a little differently.”
Mack, 29, will face one other new dynamic that Monachino is interested in monitoring at training camp.
The Bears signed Mack’s younger brother, Ledarius, as an undrafted free agent out of Buffalo, and Monachino said siblings are very close. As he prepares for his seventh NFL season and third in Chicago, Khalil Mack already has played a bit of big brother to his teammates, helping guide them with his words — as well as his actions in the weight room.
“During this virtual offseason program he has done a remarkable job of starting conversation, asking questions — not only of me and Coach (Bill) Shuey but of the other players in the meeting,” Monachino said. “He has done an amazing job of leading them and giving them insight into what his process is. I just think that this is a special guy that has something to prove and has approached the last several months with a chip on his shoulder. And I think that’s good for everybody.”
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Supercross: Ken Roczen aiming to complete another comeback story
Supercross: Ken Roczen aiming to complete another comeback story
“My dad messaged me in the morning and wished me good luck and everything, and I told him ‘I’m winning today......I kind of just put it in my head.”
Friday, May 29, 2020
Avid Traveler Who Worked To Help Students With Disabilities Dies From COVID-19 : NPR
Avid Traveler Who Worked To Help Students With Disabilities Dies From COVID-19 : NPR
His legacy is to never give up, I think, just to know that you can make the world be what you want it to be and that there are going to be problems but you can get through them. And there are people out there to help you. You don't have to do it all by yourself.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Shania Twain in February/March AARP The Magazine - January 30, 2020
Shania Twain in February/March AARP The Magazine - January 30, 2020: Five-time GRAMMY®-winning artist Shania Twain opens up about how losing her voice and then her marriage devastated her career and emotions, and also shares the motivation and thinking that ultimately helped her to come back 16 years later even stronger and happier in an in-depth interview for the February/March issue of AARP The Magazine (ATM).
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Extraordinary ComeDOWNS: These 7 Billionaires Lost Their Entire Fortunes | Celebrity Net Worth
These 7 Billionaires Lost Their Entire Fortunes | Celebrity Net Worth: Anil Ambani made headlines recently when he announced that he was officially broke. He is far from the first billionaire to lose it all.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Mark Cuban Failed Several Times Times Before Hitting It Big | Celebrity Net Worth
Mark Cuban Failed Several Times Times Before Hitting It Big | Celebrity Net Worth: It just takes one good idea to make it big, but sometimes that good idea takes longer to come along. Just ask Mark Cuban. Sure, today we all know him ...
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Sunday, January 5, 2020
"Science is in the mind, not in the hands or eyes"
Buckeye trailblazer | CFAES: Blindness has never stopped Floyd Poruban
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