Posts by Joan Courtney
Do You Compensate?
Successful NFL quarterbacks have been getting taller and taller over the years. The average height is roughly 6’4″ or 6’5″ tall. Why is this important? So they can see over their offensive linemen, who are also taller, and go through a check down to figure out the best place to pass the ball. The ball…
Read MoreStars
Stars. We in the White Mountains are gifted with clear skies and bright stars. I step out for my morning walk and am dazzled by all the stars I can see. Some are large with a steady light. Others are much smaller and seem to twinkle. Some are grouped in bunches, leaving a vast area…
Read MoreExcellence Should Be a Habit
Paul Chryst is the coach for the Wisconsin Badgers football team. He is known for his emotionless sideline demeanor, especially when compared to the billboard of head coaching characters in the Big Ten. What is particularly sobering is that as a program, Wisconsin will never stop being Wisconsin: sturdy, disciplined, homegrown and efficient. This coach…
Read MoreNew Year? New You!
The New Year brings an avalanche of suggestions for resolutions, many of which will last three weeks . . . or less. There’s the tried and true: lose weight, exercise more, stop smoking. And there’s nothing wrong with those. I’m all for them. But to live unstuck this year, I want you to have some…
Read MoreHow Will You Celebrate?
Last week, the Detroit Lions made a touchdown. As typical for today’s games, these large athletes celebrated . . . by doing the Radio City Rockettes’ can-can. Yes, even the shy, retiring Matthew Stafford was in the line, kicking up a storm. And I got curious. How did they ever learn to do that? How…
Read MoreBeneath It All, A Warm Heart
Sometimes, the stories coming from the NFL surprise me. Or inspire me. But this story touched my heart. Dick Le Beau is widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive backs in the history of the Detroit Lions. After graduating from the Ohio State University, Dick entered the NFL. He was cut by the…
Read MoreUnderappreciated?
Feel underappreciated? Frank Gore should. He is a star running back for the Indianapolis Colts and is in the top 5 all-time rushing players. As a claim to fame, he has twelve 1,000 plus yard rushing seasons. At 33 years old, Gore already has 1,000 yards this year and is bound to surpass his own…
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