THE GIANTS!!!! + What We Can Learning By Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Was that a game? I mean was that a game or what???? It may actually have been one of the best games - ever? - and certainly one of the biggest surprise/upsets in NY sports history. It was nailbiting, adrenaline rushing, fun, exciting, hold-your-breath-until-the-last-second (literally). By the way was that the loooooooooongest second in sports history or what?

I've always been fascinated by the way that sports coaches get their teams to do their best. To win, to learn from defeat, to change and get better. I've read countless of tomes written by coaches and learn from their books, interviews and anything else they have to say on the matter. I think they're a great way to learn about how to handle daily life work and career issues. There's always something to be learned about how to set goals, how to train for the long and short term rewards, how to plan and how to get ahead.

This game was amazing. Here was a team who had a perfect streak, the Patriots, - but not perfect if they didn't win the Superbowl.... (a quick note - I do not mean to be disloyal to New England where I was born but as an almost life-long NY'er my loyalties are here.)Then there was the team that people didn't think were going to make it, the Giants. Did they listen? No. Did they let it get to them? No. Did they go out there and give it EVERYTHING they had? Yes. Did they beat expectations? YES. Did they win? YES. Are we giving them a great parade in the Canyon of Heroes? YES. Do they deserve it? YES. (Ok - I'll take my pom-poms off now and get back to the coaching aspect.)

My sister Rachel C. Weingarten(http://www.careerandcorporatecool.com) is an amazing author and marketing and pop-culture expert and she had some great things to say about the game and the coaching strategy and how it can be a great metaphor for anyone. In an article about Tom Coughlin's Management style
she talks about the beauty, brilliance and down-to-earth smarts of the strategy

"Furthermore, Coughlin and the Giants also did not repeat the errors that beat them in previous playoff games, said Rachel Weingarten, author of "Career and Corporate Cool."

"The Giants were a marvel in learning from past mistakes, particularly Manning and Coughlin, and not allowing popular opinion or predictions to sway their determination to win," she said.

Smart words about a smart coach and great team. It's never too late to change your tactics and remember to trust yourself and what you know you can do.

(If you're in NYC - go out and cheer our team on at the parade which is today at 11:00am)

Enjoy the day your way,
RK