As we head into Super Bowl Weekend, probably the single most watched broadcast all year long, and home parties start gearing up for the event, the NFL hands out several awards. The Hall of Fame Inductees, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year are awards and announcements I’ve always had an interest in.

I’ve always believed in looking at successful people and finding traits that I can use in my own life. I’ve also learned that it doesn’t matter where it comes from, success leaves clues. No matter what you choose to do in life, (and yes this includes Network Marketing) if you study what successful people do, and model your own thoughts and actions after them, you’ll find yourself ending up with similar results.

Football is a team sport and everyone needs to do their particular assignment in order to be successful. As it turns out, looks like it was no accident that Pittsburgh will be playing in the biggest game of the year this Sunday. Two valuable pieces of the Pittsburgh Steelers team were recognize for their individual efforts this past year. Mike Tomlin and James Harrison.

Congratulations to these two valuable members of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From the Pittsburgh Steelers Official web site:

Mike Tomlin Named Coach of The Year

Head coach MIKE TOMLIN of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year, Motorola and the NFL announced today.

In 2008, Mike Tomlin continued to rewrite the record books in Pittsburgh, becoming the only head coach in Steelers’ history to win division titles in his first two seasons as he established a franchise record with 22 wins in that time.  The Steelers secured the second seed in the AFC, captured the AFC North Division title for the second year in a row, and posted a 6-0 record within their division as part of their 12-4 record.  After notching two victories in the postseason, Coach Tomlin will be the youngest head coach to appear in a Super Bowl at the age of 36.

A record number of more than 521,000 fans voted on NFL.com for the head coach whose game planning played the greatest role in his team’s success this season.  Voting took place from Wednesday, January 7 through Wednesday, January 21 to determine the 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year.  In winning the award, Coach Tomlin also receives the new AURA™ by Motorola, a luxury handset inspired by high-end watches and hand-crafted design that breaks convention and re-establishes artistry in mobile device design and manufacturing.

“As the official wireless communication provider for the NFL, there is a natural tie between our brand and the sport’s great coaches,” said Jean Pierre Le Cannellier, senior director, North America Marketing, Motorola, Inc.  “We salute Coach Tomlin for being voted the 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year by the fans and admire those leadership qualities that would make him a champion in any endeavor.”

Tomlin was selected as 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year from among six finalists by voters on NFL.com.  The other finalists were head coaches TOM COUGHLIN of the New York Giants, JEFF FISHER of the Tennessee Titans, JOHN HARBAUGH of the Baltimore Ravens, MIKE SMITH of the Atlanta Falcons and TONY SPARANO of the Miami Dolphins.

Motorola’s brand has become synonymous with NFL coaches through the coaches’ headsets worn during every NFL game.  As the wireless communications sponsor of the NFL, Motorola is working with the league to better integrate technology to improve the quality of the game, just as Motorola continuously provides better communications devices to help millions of NFL fans enjoy the game of football in their everyday lives.

And from NFL.com.

Harrison voted GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Year

Linebacker James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the 2008 GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Year, GMC and the National Football League announced Thursday.

More than 672,000 fan votes were submitted for the 2008 GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Year on NFL.com from Jan. 3 through Jan. 29.

Harrison was one of five finalists for the honor. The other finalists were defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans, linebacker Joey Porter of the Miami Dolphins, free safety Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens and linebacker DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys.

The five finalists were selected for their outstanding performances throughout the 2008 NFL season. Each week, five nominees were chosen for GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week and NFL fans voted for the winner on NFL.com. Those results were used to help determine the finalists.

This is GMC’s fourth year as the official vehicle of the NFL and the second year that GMC will present the Defensive Player of the Year award.

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When the “Cowher Power” era ended in January of 2007 I had hoped that Ken Whisenhunt would take his place.  Ken’s a Georgia Tech Alumni, and from Augusta, Georgia. Ken was also Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator the same year the Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger (2004). That year Roethlisberger went on to set an NFL record with wins in his first 13 career starts en route to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The next season he became the youngest QB in NFL history to win a Super Bowl. (Pittsburgh’s 5th Super Bowl victory and Lombardi Trophy.)

When Mike Tomlin’s name appeared, I had never heard of him before he was hired as Pittsburgh’s 3rd Head Coach since 1969. He came out of nowhere and like anyone you never heard of before, you have doubts as to their abilities and effectiveness to lead an NFL team to the playoffs. About the only thing I felt comfortable with was that Tomlin got his NFL start as a Coach with Tony Dungy down in Tampa.

Tomlin did however make an almost immediate impact in a positive way. Tomlin liked the so-called Tampa 2 cover scheme popularized by Dungy and assistant Monte Kiffin in Tampa Bay, one that had its roots in Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain defense of the 1970s — a defense that played a 4-3. Dungy played on one of those four Steelers Super Bowl-winning teams.

But Tomlin didn’t rush to install the 4-3 and instead retained defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, a proponent of the 3-4 and zone blitzing schemes. Tomlin matched his defenses to the skills of the players he had — and that produced the leagues #1 overall defense this year.

Tomlin was quoted in a 2007 Press Conference, “You’ve got to be flexible and do what your guys do well.”

Smart guy. It was a remarkable move, and one that looks to have certainly paid off. Not many have that type of humility to admit they might not have the best “game plan” in order to achieve success. Tomlin realized however, that the defense he was inheriting was not only built for 3-4, but it was successful under the guidance of Dick LeBeue.

Ken Whisenhunt on the other hand, took a team, and a culture that has not seen a Championship in over half a century and has guided them to the Super Bowl in only his second year. While I don’t know Arizona as well as Pittsburgh, I believe many of the same talent is still there when Whisenhunt landed the job two years ago. In a way, what Whisenhunt has done with the Cardinals is even MORE remarkable than what Tomlin has done. Tomlin’s team and philosophy was already there, for decades, just like Whisenhunt’s. The difference is that Whisenhunt needed to change the team’s thinking and structure in order to make it a winner.

Whisenhunt took what he knew best, that being a philosophy and thinking to turn a struggling team who’s only had one winning season since 1990 and landed them in the World Championship. Not to take anything away from Mike Tomlin, because what he has been able to maintain as a winning attitude says something about his leadership, but Ken Whisenhunt just created one of those “Extreme Makeovers” that Pittsburgh first started to see back in 1969 with the hiring of Chuck Noll. (After some 40 years of losing.)

I received a comment here on the blog and also have gotten e-mails and phone calls that Pittsburgh should be able to handle Arizona in the Super Bowl. With the Leagues best defense this year in the NFL, it certainly makes the match up attractive. However, before I go pounding my chest over any match up, I need to look at the last three weekends of playoff football. I recall the same speculation from experts who thought Atlanta, Carolina, AND Philadelphia should advance and all three teams will be at home in a little less than two weeks watching Arizona play against my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl.

That’s why they play the game.

I wasn’t sure about this match up or if I even liked the idea of an Arizona vs Pittsburgh Super Bowl. Honestly, like most everyone else, thought Pittsburgh vs Philidelphia would be printed on the tickets. Now that it’s had some time to digest, I like the connection, because I like Whisenhunt and the story he brings to this event.

Not everyone that follows the NFL will appreciate it the way I do. But then again, I’m not the average NFL fan. I love the game, the League, and my team. I have for as long as I can remember. Of course, winning 5 Championships tends to lend a hand in that.

We’ll have to see if we can start adding rings to the other hand on February 1st, 2009.

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Our Father, Who Art in Pittsburgh, Football Be Thy Game,

Thy Kingdom Come, 5 Super Bowls Won, On Earth as it is in Heinz Field,

Give us this Day a playoff Victory, And forgive us our penalties, As we defeat those who play against us.

But lead us into victory – And deliver us to Tampa!

A-Ben

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It’s the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs this weekend and I’m going to be in hog heaven. Like last weekend, we have two days of Professional Football.

At one time, my wife seemed to think it was nothing more than an excuse for me to be a “Couch Potato”. Blasphemy! She now understands, (okay “accepts”) my love of this game, especially when my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers are playing.

Baltimore (11-5) at Tennessee (13-3)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET

Arizona (9-7) at Carolina (12-4)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET

Philadelphia (9-6-1) at New York Giants (12-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

San Diego (8-8) at Pittsburgh (12-4)
Sunday, 4:45 p.m. ET

In honor of this weekend, I bring you David Letterman’s Top 10, with one small change. (See if you can pick it out.)

Top Ten Signs You Are Watching Too Much Football

			Only fresh air you’ve had this month is opening door for pizza guy
			You refer to orange juice as Fedex orange juice
			When wife finishes making dinner, you dump jug of Gatorade on her
			You schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor about Andy Reid’s cholesterol
			Got a telestrator in the bedroom
			Three words: Big Ben tattoo
			Fantasize about Gisele Bundchen falling in love with you and introducing you to Tom Brady
			When you go to McDonald’s you insist on ordering the McNabb
			Laura has to keep reminding you you’re still President for two more weeks
			To be more like your favorite New York Giant, you shoot yourself in the leg

Go Steelers!

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PITTSBURGH — Bill Cowher announced today that he is stepping down as Steelers head coach after 15 years at his position. Cowher was the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL and only the team’s second head coach since 1969.

Cowher, the 15th head coach in team history, replaced legendary Steelers Head Coach Chuck Noll on Jan. 21, 1992, at the age of 34. In 1995, at age 38, he became the youngest head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl when the Steelers played the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX. He ultimately led the Steelers to their fifth Super Bowl title in 2005, with a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

“We would like to thank Bill Cowher for his tremendous contributions to the Steelers organization and for leading us to our fifth Super Bowl title,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “Bill will always be a valued part of Steelers history and tradition, and we wish him the very best with all future endeavors.”

Cowher led the Steelers to postseason appearances in each of his first six seasons, tying an NFL record originally set by Cleveland Browns legendary head coach Paul Brown. In 15 seasons under Cowher, the Steelers made 10 postseason appearances, won eight division titles, played in six AFC Championship games and two Super Bowls, winning one NFL title.

“History will look back on Bill Cowher as one of the great head coaches of his time,” said Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney. “He led us through one of the most successful eras in franchise history and has my lasting respect and admiration.”

Cowher ended his Steelers career with an overall record of 161-99-1 (.619) including a 149-90-1 (.623) mark in the regular season. His record with the team ranks second only to Noll’s overall (209-156-1/.572) and regular season (193-148-1/.566) records. Cowher’s .623 regular season and .619 overall winning percentages are the highest in Steelers history.

During Cowher’s tenure as Steelers head coach, 105 head coaches were hired throughout the NFL. In 15 seasons under Cowher, the Steelers tied (New England) for the league’s most division titles and posted the NFL’s best overall record in the regular season. Cowher also posted winning records against 20 of 31 NFL teams.

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I had the privilege to listen to our founder J. Lloyd Tomer this week which prompted this week’s entry. I’ve met “Coach” several times during career with YTB Travel and Cruises and YTB Network. The fact that the founder is huge Steelers fan has nothing to do with my decision to listen to him.

Whether people want help with weight loss, managing careers, finances, relationships, quitting smoking, depression, self-esteem and more, they all have goals and changes they want that go unresolved. Yet, the goals we don’t accomplish can appear too ambitious to know where to begin, much less how to go about it. As daunting as these tasks seem, specific techniques do exist to help accomplish them and produce success.

I’ve read from several different sources that if you want to become a millionaire you need to do what a millionaire does. You can’t soar with eagles when you are pecking with chickens. Yet people will follow the instruction of someone making $30K a year over a millionaire, and wonder why their lives and financial situation doesn’t change just because it goes against what they are comfortable with.

Still, knowing what to do is usually not enough. Often people are stifled by their own patterns of behavior that prevent them from following through. They tell themselves that they don’t have the time or the money; they’ll get to it later; they’ll start tomorrow; or this one time is OK. These and countless similar considerations prevent people from implementing the changes they want. ”Coach” assists me and other individuals in developing constructive and proactive behavior patterns and allows us to monitor and evaluate our progress. The process integrates this new behavior as a permanent pattern to maintain the results, unlike other approaches. It contagious and I find old habits fading away, being replaced with new, and more productive habits.

There is one thing I know is universally true and that is we each have the ability to make sweeping changes and create the life we want. If you are ready to set goals and get into action and start living your life with new results, look into finding a qualified “Coach”.

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January 12^th, 1975. I don’t remember many dates from my childhood, but I remember that one. I was 10 years old at the time, growing up in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, Pa. The center of my world revolved around a place that I had never even heard of before, and a Championship game that consumed my day. What was supposed to be the first Super Bowl to be played indoors was instead played at Tulane stadium, because the Super Dome was not yet complete for Super Bowl IX.

36 years later that team remains the only NFL team to win four Super Bowls in six years, yet what might separate the Steel Curtain Steelers of the 1970s from other NFL champions is what they did off the football field. Lynn Swann is running for governor of Pennsylvania. John Stallworth founded an aerospace company in his native Alabama that employs hundreds. Franco Harris launched a successful bakery and is one of the most visible NFL players from the 1970s, making numerous public appearances. Jack Ham runs his own company in Pittsburgh and is a color analyst for NFL games on Westwood One radio and for Penn State’s vast radio network. Dwayne Woodruff must be called “Your Honor.” A successful Pittsburgh attorney, he was elected an Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge last year. Mel Blount, runs a youth home for disadvantaged youngsters in Canonsburg, Pa. Tony Dungy, obviously is the Head Coach for the Indianapolis Colts. And of course, Terry Bradshaw might be the most recognizable TV studio host in NFL history. And I knew them when!

All these players have moved on. I’ve since moved away from Pittsburgh, and have resided in Atlanta the last 14 years. You can take the boy out of the city, but you can never take the Steelers out of the boy. I love football, but more importantly, Steelers football. I still never miss a game because of a wonderful product called TiVo, but watch the vast majority of the games live thanks to NFL Sunday Ticket. My daughter watched her first football game with me only days old in Piedmont Hospital for a Monday Night Football game against the Tennessee Titians.

I took a look at the series of draft picks that built the Dynasty of 70’s. 1969: Joe Greene, DT, North Texas St. 1970: Terry Bradshaw, QB, Louisiana Tech 1971: Frank Lewis, WR, Grambling 1972: Franco Harris, RB, Penn St. 1973: J.T. Thomas, DB, Florida St. and 1974: Lynn Swann, WR, Southern Cal. Now let’s take a look at some of the last few years that built the team that made Super Bowl XL: 2001: Casey Hampton, DT, Texas 2002: Kendall Simmons, OG, Auburn 2003: Troy Polamalu, SS, USC 2004: Ben Roethlisberger, QB Miami (Ohio) and 2005: Heath Miller, TE, Virginia. That’s some key drafts that between 2001 and 2005 that could arguably be the best since 1969 through 1974.

I don’t know about another run of 4 Super Bowls in 6 years for this team. I do like our odds in this Super Bowl, and I enjoy dreaming about what this team could be in the next few years. With free agency, it will most certainly be more difficult to keep this team in tact. However, the Steelers have been the model of consistency year in and year out for as long as I can remember. I’ve only known two Head Coaches in the long history of following the Steelers. I was 5 when they hired Chuck Noel in 1969. Since Bill Cowher has was hired 14 years ago, there have been 95 Head Coaching changes in the NFL.

I’ll close this weeks entry with a Prayer for Super Bowl XL.

Our Father, who is Art Rooney in Heaven, football be thy game.
Thy kingdom come, 4 Super Bowls won, on earth as it is at Heinz Field.
Give us this day our playoff victory, and forgive us our penalties,

As we defeat those who play against us.
Lead us to a playoff victory, and deliver us to Detroit.
A-Ben

Go Steelers!

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