Gosh a' Friday!!

Everyday something sparks me to express my point of view, but this is what prompted me to start this blog.  Several years ago, I had stumbled onto the Topix website for Greenwood AR and read some comments from about 5 people venting about various situations within our town’s government.  The comments were destructive, vulgar, and embarrassing for our town.  Recently, I brought up the Topix website again and peeked at a few of the comments which were the same few people talking about similar issues.   So I wondered if my childhood hometown Topix page is like this too.  Yep, could be the same 5 village knuckleheads talking about their small Missouri town.

I read this week’s Greenwood paper and on the front was an article written by our mayor.  His main theme of the article was to blame  our current situation on the past government and our current council members.  Over the years of living in Greenwood, the joke has been that Coach should be mayor.   So that made me think how would Coach run a city government like he runs his football program.

1.  Coach surrounds himself with qualified people and in most cases, these people would be experts and more knowledgable than himself in certain areas.  He would not be threatened by their experience, but learn from them every day.  If there were not choices in who was around him, he would be an encourager and find ways for that person to develop their skills and knowledge. 

2.  Everything is a “we”, not a “me” and “them”.  The quarterback didn’t drop the ball, the Offensive Coordinator didn’t call the wrong play, it is we didn’t work hard enough to prepare to make the right call to put our team in the correct situation.  

3.  Coach will always put in more time and effort than anyone on his staff and team. 

4.  Everyone is important and deserves respect.  Coach knows everyone’s name, OK well maybe I help him with that sometimes, but he knows that everyone has an important role from his practice players, trainers, maintenance staff, teachers, parents, and community. His door is always open.

5.  Don’t reinvent what works, Coach looks at other successful football programs and builds off of them.  He coaches old, but not old fashion, I stole that quote from Coach Weaver.

6.  Preparation in all aspects of the game.

7.  Positive attitude against all odds.  Coach never accepts defeat until the buzzer goes off and the referee says “Game over, Coach”.  If you know the history of the Greenwood Bulldogs,  we have had several unbelievable come from behind wins.  Bulldog fans don’t leave early!

8.  Coach’s time is 6 minutes earlier than standard time, he will always be early and never miss an appointment because he values your time more than his own.

9.  Everyday Coach spends time learning something new that helps him either professionally, spiritually, or life in general.  He is dedicated to a higher level of learning.

10.  Weekly, daily, and sometimes hourly, Coach looks at areas that he could improve on to make his program more successful.

Rick Jones for Mayor!  He would still get critiqued every week in the paper, but at least he would be home more……