Greatness Newsletter Archive
Don't worry if you have missed our past newsletters. You can read them all right here, free of charge. If you haven't yet signed up for the Greatness Newsletter and would like to, all you have to do is enter your email in the form on the Newsletter page.
Moments of Greatness 2011
Records Are Made To Be Broken - January
They know their legacy isn't what they did on the field. They are well-rounded.
Dale Brown may have retired from coaching in 1997, but in many ways, his life was just getting started. After 25 years as the head basketball coach at LSU, in which he transformed the program into a basketball powerhouse and launched the careers of such NBA notables as Shaquille O'Neal. Brown could have quietly faded to the background to rest on his laurels, congratulate himself on his past successes, and enjoy an easy life of vacations and the occasional roast thrown in his honor.
But that's not the kind of man Dale Brown is. "Retirement can be a rocking chair or it can be a launching pad," Brown quipped in a recent documentary about his life, The Man in the Glass. "And I'm choosing a launching pad."
Greatness Is All Around Us - December
The only thing better than sharing one inspiring story is sharing several, which is why I'm so passionate about my newest book -- GREATNESS. It was truly an amazing experience bringing all of these stories together in one place to help others grow. But what most don't know is that this book project started because of this monthly Greatness newsletter, when publisher Harry Helm approached me with a larger vision for these monthly e-mails than I'd ever even dreamed of myself.
Over the past four years, the Greatness newsletter has become one of my most treasured projects. It has allowed me to connect with people and share extraordinary experiences as well as hear your stories of true Greatness. Even more than that, however, has been the wonderful gift of getting to actually interact with Greatness while preparing these newsletters -- to see it in action and to be a part of it so I could pass the lesson along.
Do Unto Others - November 2011
They know character is defined by how they treat those who cannot help them.
If you've been following my work for any amount of time, you've probably heard me talking about Team Hoyt, the incredible father-son marathon team who have competed in marathons and triathalons and challenged notions of what life with cerebral palsy looks like. Recently, I learned of a new chapter to their amazing story that I had to share because it perfectly illustrated another aspect of Greatness.
Growing up in Massachusetts, Rick's love for the rich sporting culture of his home state was no more evident than in 1972, when Rick was fitted with a text-to-speech computer engineered by Tufts University. His father and mother couldn't wait for his first words. Would they be "Thanks, dad" or "I love you, mom?" No, Rick's first words were... "Go Bruins!" His favorite hockey team, the Boston Bruins, were playing for the 1972 Stanley Cup and he wanted his father to know he had been watching and cheering alongside his dad.
Moments of Greatness - October 2011
When All Else Fails...
The truly Great know how -- and when -- to adjust their game plan.
So this is why you should never ask me for sports betting tips -- and why I'm not making a living in Las Vegas! A couple of months ago as I was planning this month's Greatness newsletter, I wanted it to coincide with last night's opening game of the World Series. And I was SURE that, given the way they were playing heading into the playoffs, the New York Yankees would be in the Fall Classic representing the American League [please forgive me fans of the Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers!].
Well, I hope you enjoyed watching last night's game along with me...and the Yankees!
The glue for this year's Yankee team -- as it has been for 17 years -- was shortstop Derek Jeter, one of the most intriguing people, at least to me, in today's world of sports. Jeter. Just the name conjures images of packed stadiums and cheering crowds. He's got star power as well as bat power. Throw in that he's a genuinely nice guy and you've got a larger-than-life Great One who is still going strong nearly two decades after signing with the Yankees.
Moments of Greatness - September 2011
Records Are Made to Be Broken...
They know their legacy isn't what they did on the field. They are well-rounded.
This February, Shane Morrell will walk on a field to play college lacrosse in his first game at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI. Shane Morrell When he gets the chance to face a collegiate opponent, it will be memorable...but not nearly as memorable as what he witnessed 10 years ago.
Within weeks of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Morrell's parents decided to start driving every weekend from their home in Philadelphia to Ground Zero, looking for a way to help. They loaded up their three children, ranging in age from Ryan (13) to Shane (8) to Tyler (age 7) and trekked two hours to New York City. There, they joined a volunteer effort at Ground Zero Food Services, making and serving food to the firefighters and law enforcement officers who were working around the clock in "the hole," as those first responders referred to the smoldering site that had been home to the Twin Towers.
Moments of Greatness - August 2011
Ultimate Teammate...
They will assume whatever role is necessary for the team to win.
Two weeks ago, I visited Chicago to do a series of speeches for Microsoft at a sales meeting. Chicago is one of my favorite cities, so at week's end my family flew in to Wrigley Fieldjoin me so we could enjoy for a little vacation. There was nothing I was looking forward to more than taking my two children on their first visit to Wrigley Field. I loved how excited my kids seemed to be whenever my wife and I mentioned our destination...until we arrived at the game and they realized we were at a baseball stadium and not "Wiggly Field" where they envisioned the musical group, The Wiggles, would be playing.
It was a tough blow for a sports-loving father of a three-year-old and two-year-old to take! Even so, my family had a wonderful time at the game, watching Carlos Zambrano pitch and even hit a homerun as the Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds.
Moments of Greatness - July 2011
Hope For the Best, But...
The truly Great prepare for all the possibilities before they step on the field.
This weekend, Sam "Bam" Cunningham was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In honor of that well-deserved honor and his Great career, we want to share a Moment of Greatness that helped define both Sam's career and change college football.
On the evening of September 12, 1970, a watershed game was played in the Deep South. The University of Alabama, an all-white football team, hosted the University of Southern California, the only college team with an all-black starting backfield and the first fully-integrated team to come into Alabama and play Bear Bryant's Crimson Tide.
Moments of Greatness - May 2011
Ultimate Teammate...
They will assume whatever role is necessary to win...
Tomorrow night, the Memphis Grizzlies have a chance to become only the second team in NBA history to upset the top-seed in a seven-game first-round playoff series.
That incredible journey began two weeks ago when Memphis forward Shane Battier hit a game-winning shot to give the franchise its first ever win in a playoff game.
After that first win, Battier found himself in unfamiliar territory: surrounded by reporters barking questions and photographers flashing cameras. It wasn't unfamiliar because Battier is shy (he's not) nor it is because he's not an incredibly talented player (he is). The reason Battier isn't used to the glare of the spotlight is because he never seeks it for himself; he's known among many in the NBA as the ultimate team player.
Moments of Greatness - April 2011
Lessons in Greatness
It was a warm morning, perfect for the beach, when 13-year-old surfing champion Bethany Hamilton paddled out on her board to catch some waves with her friends. Already one of the most talked-about young surfers in Hawaii, Bethany had a score of championships to her name and was well on her way to living her dream of becoming a professional.
But something happened in the water on the morning of October 31, 2003, that threatened to end Bethany's dream forever: A 14-foot tiger shark swiftly approached and bit off her left arm only two inches below her shoulder. Bethany's incredible story has been turned into a movie, Soul Surfer, and was released in theatres last weekend.
Moments of Greatness - March 2011
Contagious Enthusiasm
They are positive thinkers, they are enthusiastic and that enthusiasm rubs off!
J-Mac models so many traits of a truly GREAT winner that it was difficult for me to decide exactly which characteristic I wanted to highlight with his story. He has overcome adversity, he knows there is no off-season, and he is the ultimate teammate -- but really, it seems that the essence of his GREATNESS comes down to his enthusiasm.
He simply loves what he does -- the game of basketball -- and everyone around him feeds off that enthusiasm.
Moments of Greatness - February 2011
What Off-Season?
They are always working towards the next game... The goal is what's ahead, and there's always something ahead.
It's one the most memorable scenes in one of Hollywood's most memorable movies.
A large African-American teenager named Michael Oher is walking down the street, hunched over against the cold, when an affluent family in a silver BMW pulls up next to him. The mother, played wonderfully in the movie by Sandra Bullock, asks where he is headed. It is the scene where everything changes -- for the young man, for the family, and for the tremendous story that unfolds in The Blind Side.
But as poignant a moment as that was, it didn't adequately shed light on what made Michael Oher GREAT.
Moments of Greatness - January 2011
When Everyone is watching...
They embrace the idea of being a role model!
Over my years at Sports Illustrated, one of my favorite moments each week was getting a look at the images that were chosen for the cover of the magazine. My favorite cover of all time was published last Feb. 15, the week after the Super Bowl. On it is pictured New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees, fresh off his team's big win, holding his 1-year-old son Baylen above his head as confetti drizzles down around them.
That victory, which lifted a franchise and a city, earned Brees many accolades, including SI's Sportsman of The Year award just last month. The story about Brees reminds us what is so GREAT about sports and those who play them. Brees and his Saints lost in the first round of the playoffs this year, but his place as one of the true greats in sports is secure.
Moments of Greatness 2010
Moments of Greatness - December 2010
Inner Fire...
The truly Great use adversity as fuel
Life-changing events happen. And when they do, we are given a choice -- a choice to be bitter or better. I spoke to one Great champion on the phone last week who had to make this decision ten years ago. He chose to be better and the result is an inspirational story about family, hope and passion that I feel fortunate to share this holiday season.
Nick Springer was a typical 14-year-old growing up on Long Island. He loved playing hockey and spending time with friends. But then tragedy struck in the form of bacterial meningitis while he was at summer camp in Massachusetts.
Moments of Greatness - November 2010
Rubbing Elbows...
Thanksgiving. What a great week to celebrate family and all that it can mean to our success. Sibling rivalry can be rough; it can be outgrown; it can be laughed about years later - and it can be a tremendous motivator towards Greatness.
A few weeks ago, I spent some time catching up with the First Family of Football: Archie Manning and his sons Cooper, Peyton, and Eli. The result of this fascinating visit was an article appearing in the current edition of SUCCESS magazine, as well as a pretty impressive lesson in the power of association...
Moments of Greatness - October 2010
It'sNot Just About the Benjamins...
As any baseball player, statistician, or fan will tell you, it's no small feat to pitch a no-hitter and it's even rarer to pitch a perfect game.
Yet, amazingly, Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies did both those things this season. On May 29, he threw only the 20th perfect game in MLB history and just last week, on October 6, he became only the second pitcher ever to throw a no-hitter in the post-season, leading Philadelphia past Cincinnati in the National League Divisional Series.
With credits like that, it would be easy to assume that Halladay is near the top of the league's salary chart. But in reality, he actually took a pay CUT for the 2010 season in order to leave the Toronto Blue Jays to play for the Phillies.
Moments of Greatness - September 2010
Contagious Enthusiasm...
The Great ones are positive thinkers, they are enthusiastic, and that enthusiasm rubs off
One of the best parts about sending these newsletters is hearing back from you about examples of Greatness you've seen in your own community. Sometimes these stories are run in the city newspaper or broadcast on the local news, but no one outside the area ever gets to learn about some of these GREAT individuals in our midst.
Louise Jones, of the Alabama Pharmacy Association, recently sent me the link to a story about an extraordinary young man named Gabe Marsh, and I am so glad that she did. As I read Gabe's story, I was struck by what an inspiring example of Greatness this six-year-old sets for us all. Reading his story made me call his parents to learn more!
Moments of Greatness - August 2010
Do Unto Others...
The Great ones know character is defined by how they treat those who can not help them.
As many universities begin their fall semester this month, one of the most innovative yet under-publicized periods of the college sports calendar begins. Several years ago, NCAArules changed to allow college basketball teams - both men's and women's - to take one pre-season out-of-country trip every four years, where the teams compete against their contemporaries from other lands. I've always been fascinated by these trips and almost every coach or player I've talked to over the years has said the trip changed the dynamic of that year's team, opening players' eyes to parts of the world they've never seen and inspiring an esprit de corps that bonds players together.
But no story of a team and its pre-season trip rivals the one I heard a year ago from Sue Semrau, the head women's basketball coach at Florida State.
Moments of Greatness - July 2010
It's Personal...
The Great Ones hate to lose more than they love to win.
Serena Williams was a perfectionist long before she was a serious competitor on the tennis court.
"When I was 5 years old and in kindergarten, we had a project due and I was up late working on it, so late that my mom had to force me to go to bed," she told me in an interview for SUCCESS magazine. "But I kept getting back up because I wanted to re-do the project until it was 100 percent perfect. Eventually, I fell asleep and didn't get it done because I wanted it to be perfect more than I wanted to just get it done."
Moments of Greatness - June 2010
Greatness Personified...
As I write this, I'm on my way to Los Angeles for a celebration of the life of John Wooden, who passed away on June 4. Coach Wooden was such a significant presence in the life of so many people over the course of his 99 years that UCLA had to require tickets for tomorrow morning's memorial, even though it's being held in one of the largest arenas in LA. And it was reported that the number of people who wanted to be there could have filled the arena four times over.
Moments of Greatness - May 2010
When No One is Watching...
The Great Ones live their life with integrity.
About five minutes ago, one of the most amazing father-son teams in the history of sports took off from the starting line at the famed Boston Marathon. This marks Dick and Rick Hoyt's 28th appearance in the world's most famous road race -- a pretty amazing record given their unlikely story.
Moments of Greatness - April 2010
When Everyone is Watching...
The Great Ones embrace the idea of being a role model.
Brian Davis has had the kind of quiet career that most would consider respectable, but not great. He turned pro in 1994, the same year he turned 20. Hailed at home as one of England's rising stars in the golf world, his career grew steadily but unremarkably as he played on the European Tour before finally qualifying for the PGA in 2004.
Moments of Greatness - March 2010
It's Personal...
The truly Great hate to lose more than they love to win.
As March Madness heads into its second weekend, we're reminded how awesome and how humbling the great game of college basketball can be. Duke's head coach Mike Krzyzewski, whose team plays in its 19th Sweet Sixteen game on Friday, has felt both the emotional peaks (three national championships) and valleys of the game's post-season.
Moments of Greatness - February 2010
Hope for the Best, But...
The Great Ones prepare with a purpose.
The images are timeless: the clock ticking down, the wild celebrations in the rink, the goalie wrapped in an American flag, and legendary sportscaster Al Michaels screaming the now-iconic line, "Do you believe in miracles?"The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team's defeat of the Soviets is the greatest upset in sports history. Disney even got in on the act with the release of its blockbuster movie Miracle in 2004, which won an ESPY as the best sports movie of the year.
Thirty years ago today, on February 22, 1980, that famous game took place, which captured America's heart and made Olympic history. It would come to be known as the "Miracle on Ice." But as Jim Craig, goalie for the team, will tell you, "What we did wasn't a miracle. It was the result of hard work."
Moments of Greatness - January 2010
Believe...
The truly Great have faith in a higher power.
As the college football season came to its official close last night with the national championship game, one of the enduring memories of this post-season came at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. There, college football's second all-time winningest coach Bobby Bowden was carried off the field as his Florida State Seminoles won in what was Bowden's final game.
Moments of Greatness - November 09
Records are Made to be Broken...
The truly great know their legacy isn't what they did on the field (or the broadcast booth). They are well-rounded.
He is the face of college basketball, a man whose enthusiasm for the game is so infectious that when the Basketball Hall of Fame considered his induction last year, the decision was a slam dunk. As college basketball season kicked into gear last week, Dick Vitale was in his own personal heaven, broadcasting games from the game's Mecca, Madison Square Garden...
Moments of Greatness - October 09
Hope for the best, but...
The truly great understand the importance of thorough preparation.
The Greatest Coach of All Time (as selected by his peers) celebrates his 99th birthday today! Former UCLA Basketball Coach John Woodenwould be the first to tell you that "he" didn't win 10 national championships, the young men he "taught" are responsible for those banners.
Moments of Greatness - September 09
When Everyone is Watching...
The truly Great embrace the idea of being a role model.
Quick Disclaimer: I live in Tallahassee and, though I didn't attend the school, I long ago became a fan of Florida State. And any supporter will tell you it is tough to offer praise of your fiercest rival. That makes this all the more difficult. But while celebrating the opening of college football this weekend, it was impossible not to recognize a person who exhibits so many traits of Greatness down in Gainesville: Quarterback Tim Tebow. The Florida Gators' championship season in 2008 didn't start out as a promising one. They struggled in early wins and then lost, 31-30, to unranked conference rival Mississippi; but the team turned a corner after Tim Tebow made what is now known simply as "The Podium Speech" in which he made a promise that changed their seaso
Moments of Greatness - August 09
What Off-Season?
The truly great are always working towards the next game...
Warren Moon was a quarterback. As he emphasized time and again while we were working on his recently released memoir, Never Give Up on Your Dream, he wasn't a wide receiver or a running back. He wasn't a defensive back. He was a quarterback - and he was determined to play that position - all the way to Canton, Ohio, home of the NFL Hall of Fame, which welcomed a new class during ceremonies last weekend. From his Pop Warner days in southern California, it was clear that Moon had tremendous potential both on the field and off. It was also clear that his potential would never be fully realized attending the inner-city school for which his family's home was zoned. Working with a friend of his mother's, he was able to secure admission to Alexander Hamilton High School, which could offer him much stronger academic and athletic programs. Moon was committed to make the most of this opportunity and worked constantly to maintain his grades so he could retain his eligibility for the football team - his ticket to a college education.
Moments of Greatness - July 09
Hope for the Best, but...
The truly great prepare for all possibilities before they step on the field.
Moments of Greatness - June 09
Ultimate Teammate...
The truly great will assume whatever role is necessary for the team to win.
Moments of Greatness - May 09
Ice In Their Veins...
The truly great are risk-takers. They don't fear making a mistake.
Moments of Greatness - April 2009
Contagious Enthusiasm...
The truly great are positive thinkers... they are enthusiastic... and that enthusiasm rubs off.
Moments of Greatness - March 09
When Everyone Is Watching...
They embrace the idea of being a role model.
Moments of Greatness - February 09
When All Else Fails...
They know how - and when - to adjust their game plan.
Moments of Greatness - December 08
Do Unto Others...
They know character is defined by the way they treat those who cannot help them.
Moments of Greatness - October 08
When All Else Fails...
The truly great know how - and when - to adjust their game plan.
Moments of Greatness - November 08
Inner Fire...
The truly great use adversity as fuel.
Moments of Greatness - August 08
Ultimate Teammate...
The truly great will assume whatever role is necessary for the team to win...
Moments of Greatness - July 08
Contagious Enthusiasm...
They are positive thinkers... They are enthusiastic... and that enthusiasm rubs off.
Moments of Greatness - June 08
Visualize Victory...
The truly great see victory before the game begins.
Moments of Greatness - May 2008
Ice In Their Veins...
They are risk-takers and don't fear making a mistake.
Moments of Greatness - April 2008
What off-season...
The truly great are always working towards the next game... The goal is what's ahead, and there's always something ahead.
Moments of Greatness - December 2007
Rubbing Elbows...
The truly great understand the value of association.