Parents of Athletes

I was talking with my 12 year old son about the start off the NFL season this week.  We discussed the Jets and the Giants and how the quarterbacks for both teams will determine how much success the team has.  As our conversation keyed on Eli Manning, we thought more about the tandem of Eli and his older brother.  Not only are these two the best brother combination ever to play football, but they likely transcend any other combination in sports.  The only other siblings in the conversation would be Venus and Serana Williams. 

In 2004 the Giant's GM, Ernie Accorsi, traded with San Diego for Eli Manning.  The skeptics main gripe came down to this summation:  if his last name were not Manning, he would not be the number one pick.  I contend with hindsight's justification that being a Manning was the very reason for the Giants to trade for him.  He had the physical gifts of a future NFL quarterback that were displayed at Mississippi, and he had the family pedigree to know he would apply those gifts to the best of his ability.  Moreover, the Giants would have someone the team could proudly put out as the face of the organization. The two other highly drafted quarterbacks that year were Ben Rothlisberger and Philip Rivers.  Both of them have had very good careers with Rothlisberger winning two Superbowls.  However, Ben has not been a model citizen, and Rivers has yet to make it to the Superbowl.  Eli has proven all those skeptics wrong.

Serana Williams has been the best player of her generation and a top five player of all time.  Until recently, Venus had been the best of the second group of current players.  With twenty-one Grand Slam titles between them and a dozen years each of highly competitive play these women have lived up to most of their father's glorious predictions all those years ago.  When reading quotes of Serana from 1999, you can understand how much confidence Richard instilled in his daughters.  "I always believe in the best in myself," Serena said. "I believe that I can be the best and . . . I'm here to be the best. I can't be anything other than that. If I don't have any expectations of myself, then I shouldn't be here right now."1

Archie Manning and Richard Williams set the foundations for their children to succeed at the highest levels.  Earl Woods also boasted of his phenom and led him to greatness, while Dorothy and Sanderson Jeter gave quiet substance to the Yankee great.  I would further contend that most superstars have their parents or an adult role model to thank for all the emotional and physical support, the values of hard work to attain goals, and the model to handle all the rewards, Tiger Woods not withstanding.

Unfortunately, we also see the downside every day from hockey dads beating up refs to Stefano Capriatti acknowledging his role in Jenifer's burnout.  And let us not forget Todd Marinovich's disastrous career as robo-quarterback.  However, like in any aspect of life most parents try their best,  They set goals, boundaries, and values for the future sports stars, doctors, entrepreneurs, and even Presidents.  My son may not have the athletic ability to quarterback for the Giants, but he might represent the next Eli Manning.

1.JODY GOLDSTEIN Staff, SUN 09/12/1999 Houston Chronicle, Section Sports, Page 13, 4 STAR Edition

Manhattan and thin people

I was in Soho yesterday with my girlfriend, my daughter, and her friends.  We walked all around for a couple of hours from West Broadway to Lafayette and from Grand to Houston.  I think I can count on one hand the number of people that would have a BMI of greater than 25.  Moreover, most of the people under 30 years old had bodies that anyone from Hollywood would spend thousands of dollars a week to emulate.  Conversely, in the average mall in America many people have BMIs greater 25.

Why does Manhatan attract thin people and why do they maintain healthy bodies?  First, the City has careers geared towards A type personalities and the lifestyle commensurate with that mindset. Investment bankers to television producers believe a healthy mind and body aides in their success.  Hence, all the success of Whole Foods and Bikram Yoga in Manhattan.

Second, people in Manhattan walk everywhere.  To get anywhere within a mile walking provides the fastest alternative.  I usually walk well under a four minute pace, and I get passed all the time by sixty year olds.  New Yorkers are in a hurry and move down the sidewalk burning calories.

Third, selective breading.  Now, this one is a bit off the radar.  I mentioned my observation in a jewelry store and the person helping us told me he lived in the area for 30 years.  He thought these were all the spoiled test tube kids with no siblings.  The parents overindulged them for every whim, and this is just part of their life.  This idea is a bit out there, it does fall within the lifestyle.

In various studies Colorado has shown to have the fittest residents.  While New York state or even New York City may not have people with the lowest BMI profile, Manhattan residents are right near the top.

Another of my Maxims

I explained the 90% rule in a previous post.  That one I will stick by until it no longer applies to my corpse.  My second rule states, "when someone really wants to do something, he will figure out any way to get it done.  Conversely, when he does not want to do something, he will find any excuse not to do it."

When I was married, I would usually run early on Sunday morning and my ex was responsible for the kids.  On Saturday she would do her kick boxing and I would take the kids for breakfast and to the park.  However, on certain Sundays circumstance would dictate that I needed to figure out another time to run.  If that meant the 40 minutes in between shuttling the kids to baseball and a birthday party, I worked it.  This used to drive my ex crazy because she thought everything else was priority and I should sacrifice my run.  I would counter that we did everything else and I worked it out.

Have you ever made a plan to go to a concert with someone only to start hearing the week before that he could not make the engagement because he to pick his uncle up at the airport or some other lame excuse.  then you remind him that the concert was the next day.  Somehow, two days before the event he tells you he is not feeling well, so you tell him let's see how you are in two days.  Then on the day of the event he locks himself out of his apartment.  Obviously, he did not want to go to the concert.  Now on the first excuse I ask, if he really wants to go.

Door Locks are for Honest People

I went out to my car this morning early this morning at 6:15.  I had plans to meet my running group at at 7, and I wanted to get in a couple of miles before starting with the group.  My hands were full of a peanut butter sandwich, some gatorade, a towel, and another shirt.  I put the stuff on top of my car and went to open the door.  Out of the corner of my eye I caught the figure of a guy sleeping in my back seat.

My first inclination was to roust him and tell him to get lost.  Fortunately, I thought better and called the police.  I realize most likely he was drunk from the night before and found a place to sleep it off.  However, he may still have been drunk from the 4AM last call and still a bit angry.  I did not need a confrontation or a potential fight with a knife or something worse.  The police came quickly and gave him a vagrancy ticket. 

He explained that he thought this was his friend's car.  He may have been that drunk, and he had a fat lip as a clue he was in a fight at some point.  Anyhow, he gestured to me an apology as they drove him to the train station.  I had no wish to press any charges.  He seemed to have honestly made an error in judgement.

Now to the title of this entry.  I am not sure why my door was unlocked, but my car was available to this guy.  I had my golf clubs in there and some money he could have stolen, but he was not a thief..just a drunk.  A real crook would have popped any lock and taken what he wanted.  This happened to me numerous time on the streets of New York many times in the 90s.  He was an honest drunk looking for a place to sleep it off.  He must have tried many cars before mine that were locked.  He got lucky with mine but unlucky that I was out the door before he was.

Fracking

My friend sent me a chain email to let governor Cuomo know that I wanted him to stop natural gas fracking in NY state.  Of course, I hate chain letters to begin with, and I did not wholeheartedly agree with my friend.  So, I decided to return his email with a few points as to why I was not against fracking.

1. Energy independence.  Hopefully within 10 years natural gas will be used for a reasonable amount of surface transportation and not just for heat and power.

2.  It provides jobs in depressed parts of NY.

3.  Better than coal or oil as an environmental alternative.

I conceded to him I was against wildcatters that did not pay attention t environmental concerns.  Also, if I needed groundwater or as a source of my drinking water from that part of the state, I would be more concerned.

Suffice it to say that he did not like my response.

Finding a new career

Making a life change is never easy.  I have spent most of my working life in the investment business as a money manager and stock trader. For 15 years this career path was interesting and lucrative enough to pay my bills.  However, the past 3 years have been difficult, and I am finally looking to change careers.  My reluctance to make this change has been dealing with the transition from making decent money to start over and make very little.  But I have to do something now because even the money now is running out.

There is nothing easy about looking for work that pays half of what I used to make.  But then again I have made half of what I used to make for the past 3 years.  However, the opportunity lays in changing to a career I can really enjoy.  As long as the money is not great in any area, why not do something I will enjoy.

Looking back at the choices I made 20 years ago, I should have worked for Fedex.  I have always loved logistics and transportation.  In college I rented a truck with my friend to take dorm belongings from San Diego to Northern California. I figured out the routing, the pricing, and the actual moving.  We each made five hundred bucks and moved our own stuff.

Now I will try to find something in the trucking logistics area without worrying about the pay.

U. S. Women's Teams: Thank Tiltle IX

CNBC posted a report comparing the U.S. women's success to that of the men.  The American women have dominated swimming, track, and gymnastics.  In addition, the team sport like soccer and water polo have gold in hand with volleyball and basketball likely to win this weekend. 

Even though the American men have had great success, they compete against a huge number of highly trained athletes from all over the world. Dominating all these sports is very difficult.  Conversely, I think the shear numbers of women in America competing at the highest levels dwarfs those from most countries outside of China. In addition, the coaching and training these women receive at all levels develops great athletes and teams.

The few breakout stars from these sports like Gabriel Douglas will make millions.  These riches are a strong incentive for any woman to put in the Herculean effort needed to win at the Olympics. However, most of the women participating in these sports at a young age will never attain world class status.  Another reward must exist for the athlete and her family to go through the training, the travel, the stress on the family.  Surely the love of playing soccer for a 14 year old does not warrant the hectic travel schedule that most familes must endure.

Title IX and the college scholarships it requires provides that incentive.  All the sports mentioned above have culled players off the college rosters.  Even the 12 year old gymnasts realize that a scholarship to UCLA  and an NCAA championship will be well worth the effort.  While many foreign born women fill the rosters of college teams most are still Americans, and our Olympic teams have truly benefited.  I think this is why American women have dominated in the past 40 years.