Be a Hero to Someone

Everyone has a chance to be a hero to someone.  You don’t even have to be dead to be a hero.  With Memorial Day approaching, it got me to thinking about those in my life that I have looked up to as heroes.  Unfortunately, holidays like Memorial Day and funerals seem to be the only times that we really stop and think about the impact that someone had on our lives.  These are the times that we remember, or better yet, celebrate their life and their lasting legacy on those that they touched.   

December 2, 2001.  That is when my mentor and high school basketball coach, Bill Dunn, died of colon cancer at the much too young age of 48.  He was in Michigan and I was in Texas coaching.  I was too busy to visit and figured he’d come through and I’d have a chance to see him again.  That didn’t happen.  I never got a chance to tell him what he meant to me.  Actually, strike that last statement.  I had plenty of chances.  It just never seemed important or urgent enough. There would be time for that some other day. There’s always another day, right? Well, that day never came. 

11 Interview Tips to Give you an Edge

“How would I describe myself? 

Three words: hard working, alpha male, jackhammer … merciless … insatiable“ 

(Dwight K. Schrute at an interview)

 

In a previous post, I talked about the do's and do not's of applying for jobs.  Today, I'll give you some ideas on how to give yourself an edge during the interview process.  I'll try not to give you the normal advice that you can find anywhere on the internet.  In my career, I have been on 11 interviews for coaching positions at 4-year universities.  Of those 11 interviews, I have been blessed to have nine job offers.  Through my personal experience, as well as being a member of search committees, I am going to present a few tips that may put you in a slightly different frame of mind from the other candidates.  An additional resource for you is the article "15 things I look for when I interview people".  Anyway, follow my 11 tips and you'll be guaranteed to get the job.  No, not really.  Actually the only thing I can guarantee is that doing these things will give yourself a better than average chance to get the job.   Every job and every interviewer is different but with these tips, who knows, maybe they'll be just the difference you need to set yourself apart from the crowd and give you an edge.  Why 11 tips?  It's because ten is normal but we want to always do a little extra.  Also, if you truly want to dive into all of this stuff, I suggest you check out any of Harvey MacKay's books ("Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt", "How to Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive", etc...).  

(1)  Research and Be Prepared.  Seriously...do your homework!  If this job is important to you then act like it.  It's not enough to know that the boss used to work at such and such company or that he belongs to a certain civic organization.  Find out as much as possible about the person(s) that will be making the hiring decisions.    Use your contacts.  Talk to people who know people.  Do more than just look at the first page of Google to find information.  You can't always control the interview.  If you know 3 or 4 key things, you might not be able to tailor the conversation to include those facts.  The more you know, the more likely you'll be able to work some of that into the interview.

Solution to NCAA's Transfer Problems

Wisconsin's Bo Ryan
has come under fire
 recently for the
stipulations he
placed on a player
looking to transfer

This is the NCAA's lucky day because I have the solutions for their transfer policies, which have come under considerable fire in recent weeks and months (e.g. Maryland Football, Wisconsin Basketball, St. Joseph's Basketball).  To set the stage before I give you the solution, below are a few articles that should provide further insight on the topic.

• Bo Ryan Uproar Sheds Light on NCAA's Faulty Transfer Policy (Seth Davis)
• Coaching Changes and NCAA Transfer Rules:  Is the Current System Leaving Athletes Abandoned? (Research study at Williamette University)
• Time to Change Transfer Rules (Dick Vitale)
• College, player divorce in basketball can be messier than the marriage (Terry Hutchens) 
• Transfer Rules Won't Be Easily Lifted (espn.com)
• A Saner Solution to Basketball's Transfer Problem (Brad Wolverton)

Mark Emmert, the NCAA's President, appears to be a very sensible and practical person that talks about his desire for reform in college athletics.  This includes the issue of student-athletes transferring from one school to another.  Depending on who you talk with (coaches, administrators, student-athletes, fans), you will probably get varying opinions on the topic.  In fact, you may even get a different opinion from each person based on their situation.  There is no fool proof or perfect solution. Compromise is needed because neither side is right in all situations and neither side is always innocent. However, I have provided a simple solution to the problem, as well as some remarks in response to the most heard comments.  No doubt, there will be some differing opinions about what I write.  That is fine.  The bottom line is that the NCAA's transfer policies are not working as optimal as they probably could be.  There needs to be some rational and objective discussion about how the student-athletes, the coaches and the institutions can all co-exist as best as possible without taking advantage of each other in this area.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

(1) Allow the athletic program to scholarship the transfer.  This will probably eliminate a majority of the complaints, since oftentimes a player wants to transfer but find it difficult because of the financial hardship it will place on them. 

Applying for Jobs...Do and Do Not's

I have been involved in numerous search committees, as well as my share of job pursuits.  My most recent foray into the world of resumes, cover letters and interviews took place in the last few months as our men’s basketball coaching position became open.  Going through the process got me to thinking about the do and do not’s of applying for jobs. It is not just coaching jobs that have tremendous competition.  Nearly every job available will be a difficult up-hill battle to secure.  The odds are stacked against you, but there are some things that you can do to help you increase your odds slightly and give you a better chance. Obviously, not all administrators or jobs are alike, but there are some general rules that applicants should follow if they want to give themselves a fighting chance to get an interview.

1. Read the job posting and do what it says.   If it says “no calls”, then don’t call.  If it says “postal mail” or “email only”, then adhere to these requests.  If you have to fill out an institutional job application to be considered (normally a requisite at state schools), then do this.

"In The Big House"

As much as he loves Thomas the Tank Engine and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, my son Jaylen's favorite video in the world is "In The Big House" by Pop Evil.  Pop Evil is a rock band from Michigan with some Top-10 songs to their credit including "Monster You Made" and "Last Man Standing". As Michigan football fans, they wrote a song and made a video specifically for the Wolverines.  Yes, I have brainwashed Jaylen.  The first letter he learned was "M".  One of the first phrases he learned was "Go Blue" and his first three syllable word was "Michigan".  Nearly every meal is accompanied with a UofM bib and for his third halloween, he will be dressed like Denard Robinson.  The video pays homage to the winningest college football program of all-time and contains clips, both new and old.  I highly recommend it.  Today, Jeff Arnold wrote a piece on Pop Evil's song for ESPN.com.  Click on the link below to read the entire article.  Enjoy the article, as well as the video...and GO BLUE!!!

 "POP EVIL'S MICHIGAN ANTHEM PRECEDES THEM"