I was going to write a post to honor Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi, who is calling it a career today (unlike Bret Favre, I have no doubts this is the end for Tedy). Fortunately, Dan Zappulla of Chowdaheadz.com beat me to the punch and since he summed it up very nicely, I repost his blog from today here:
Legendary Patriots Linebacker Calls It Quits
As you all have probably heard by now, Tedy Bruschi and the New England Patriots are holding a press conference this morning to announce the veteran linebacker’s retirement from the NFL after thirteen seasons.
It goes without saying that his number 54 will someday adorn the rafters at Gillette Stadium. The most renowned, respected and beloved player in franchise history has left a mark on New England untouchable by any player that follows in his path.
It’s hard to pinpoint which moment will define Bruschi’s career. He was victorious in three Super Bowls, a participant in five. He suffered a life-threatening stroke and wreaked havoc on the football field less than a year later. To me, the defining aspect of Bruschi’s career wasn’t a singular moment at all: it was his never-ending, undying passion to do whatever it took to help the New England Patriots win football games. He was a role-player at heart, and he played his role with the greatest of energy and pride.
Did he have the swagger and star-power of Tom Brady? No. The big-play potential of Randy Moss? No. The Sportscenter-highlight-material of Ty Law? No. Tedy Bruschi never needed to. He had heart, determination, and the will to win. Put the Bradys, Bledsoes, Browns, Laws and Vinatieris aside. Tedy Bruschi is the greatest player in New England Patriots history.
All I can add is:
As big as a sports fan that I am, I only ever wear 2 jerseys. One is Curt Schilling’s Red Sox 38 home jersey I wear to games, dry clean and hang in my closet until needed. The only other jersey is Ted Bruschi’s. It’s in my casual wear circulation and you can often see me running errands around town with it on. I gladly wear often and am proud his number 54 is on the back.
Recently, a video showing the consequences of texting while driving has stirred up a bit of controversy. Apparently, many feel it is too graphic in its dramatization of a car crash caused when a teenage girl and her friends are texting while driving. In fact, many stations in America refuse to show it. I, on the other hand will.
Seems we Americans get squeamish when forced to look at real consequences of our actions. While we have no problem showing violent crime on practically every show on network television, from the 18 different Law & Orders to the over-the-top graphic CSI shows (what’s next? CSI: Des Moines?), people complain if too much accountability is included in the equation. It’s one of the main reason the war in Iraq and Afghanistan seem to only affect people with family members in combat. To us, murder and war are alien things that are relegated to movies and video games, not something we run into in real life. So we are ignorant (willfully so in many cases) of what really goes on.
But show us something that we actually DO every day? How something in our daily lives can actually harm others? We can’t watch that, or allow it to be shown on TV!
Remember the old driver’s education movies? Blood on the Highways! Red Asphault! They were true accounts of the aftermath of car accidents. They don’t show those anymore. And they should. With video games and movies desensitizing us to gore (not in a let’s kill someone its no big deal way the politicians think, but a more don’t worry its only special effects) people really don’t have a clue what devastation car accidents have. Negative bias proves that we remember bad things more than we do good things, so let’s show people how bad it can be so they can be more vigilant and alert when driving. Better to learn from someone elses mistake than learn something this tragic first hand.
Twitter much? Are you on the Facebook? LinkedIn and loving it? Make sure you think about what you post BEFORE you post it. So many people use social networking to tell way more about themselves than necessary, they forget that more than just their friends may be watching. From CNN:
As social media becomes the latest branding strategy, networking technique, job seeking tool and recruitment vehicle, it’s also becoming the latest way for people to get job offers rescinded, reprimanded at work and even fired.
It’s happened so many times — publicized and not — that one would think we could learn from others’ mistakes. (But, if that were the case, I wouldn’t have anything to write about, now would I?)
A recent Tweet by a potential Cisco employee, for example, turned ugly when he decided to tout a recent job offer:
“Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.”
Unfortunately for “theconnor” (the handle for the would-be employee), Tim Levad, a “channel partner advocate” for Cisco, saw the tweet and responded with this:
“Who is the hiring manger, I’m sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the Web.”
Terrible tweets
Everyone has their “My-job-sucks,” “I-hate-my-co-workers,” or “Give-me-more-money” moments. But, they seem to forget that as employers increase their online presence using social networking sites as recruitment and branding strategies, it might be best for their career not to have these moments on the Internet.
Paul Wilson, a freelance/corporate Web marketer and blogger, found several of such moments on Twitter, a social networking and micro-blogging site, and posted these “Top 10 Tweets to Get You Fired” [sic'd]:
1. “hate my job!! i want to tell my bosses how dumb they are and how meaningless this job is, then quit, and be happy!”
2. “So my job was to test all the food at the new resturant, can I just say, ughew. I’m going to taco bell then twistee treat.”
3. “Workin… This job sucks worse then the economy!”
4. “I’m going to work! Walmart! Must find better job! I hate it when chicks there have a deeper voice than me and refer to me as foo!”
5. “Also I’m really bummed that I’m working today, i asked off so i could study but my boss is a ******* **** ***** ***** who can’t read.”
6. “Coworker smuggled out a chair for me. Currently being paid to SIT around and listen to John Barrowman on my iPod. I don’t hate my job today!”
7. “having sex dreams of people you work with makes for an awkward day.”
8. “smoking weed at work is so [EDITED] great “
9. “It’s bad when you overhear the n00b programmer say “I used to work at McDonalds with him” and you wonder if he is talking about the CEO…”
10. “Huh, with my boss on twitter, maaaybe I should take down that sexy picture of her… but her reaction will be priceless!”
Facebook fired
Twitter is not the only culprit in career self-destruction. Facebook, a popular social networking site, has housed its fair share of user firings:
Kimberly Swann, a former employee for Ivell Marketing and Logistics of Clacton, U.K., thought her job was boring — and she said so on her Facebook page, according to an article in The Daily Telegraph. Swann was called into her manager’s office and handed a letter that cited her Facebook comments as the reason for dismissal:
“Following your comments made on Facebook about your job and the company we feel it is better that, as you are not happy and do not enjoy your work we end your employment with Ivell Marketing & Logistics with immediate effect.”
An MSNBC article remembers Kevin Colvin, the legendary young intern who e-mailed his boss, claiming a “family emergency” would keep him out of the office around Halloween. His co-workers (and Facebook friends), however, saw a photo of Colvin dressed as a fairy at a Halloween party time-stamped on the same day of the “emergency.” Colvin’s boss responded to him with an e-mail CC’d to the entire company, firing him and including the incriminating fairy picture.
In March 2009, the same MSNBC article cites Dan Leone, a Philadelphia Eagles stadium employee, who was fired after slamming the football organization for trading a player in this status update:
“Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver. . .Dam Eagles R Retarted!![Sic]“
Two days later, the head of event operations said they needed to talk about his Facebook status; instead, he got the boot.
Social networking don’ts
If you want to use your profile to get hired or — or at least not get fired — here are three basic rules to keep in mind:
1. Don’t announce interviews, raises or new jobs
As exemplified by “theconnor,” how you talk about any of these sensitive topics on your social networking site is key. If you’re unemployed, writing “Interview today — wish me luck!” would be OK, or if you got a job, something along the lines of “So excited about my new job!” is totally acceptable. If you’re currently employed, however, I don’t think your boss would be too happy to see something like, “Trying to con my boss into giving me a $5K raise. SUCKA!”
2. Don’t badmouth your current or previous employer
Just like in an interview, keep your rants about your boss or company to yourself. If hiring managers see that you’re willing to trash a colleague online they assume you’ll do it to them, too. Plus, there’s always the possibility of getting fired if someone sees your negative comments.
3. Don’t mention your job search if you’re still employed
If your boss knows you’re on the lookout for a new job, feel free to advertise it in your status. If you’re keeping your search below the radar, however, don’t publish anything, anywhere. Even if you aren’t connected to your boss online, somebody can get the information back to him or her.
So the next time you want to LOL with your BFF about your boss’ stupidity. Remember: You have a J-O-B so STFU! (I’ve already gotten in trouble for using this acronym but I think it’s hilarious and we’re all adults so get over it!)
People always try to avoid negative experiences. One of the great uses of negative thinking is to use it to see potential problems so you can bypass them altogether. But often, you need to have those negative experiences to make you better prepared for potential worse experiences in the future. Take the Swine Flu. Seems if you catch it now, you’ll be better off later. You’ll have built up an immunity that will protect you better than the people who never got it. An excerpt from Forbes:
Some doctors say that catching swine flu now, while it is mild, could prevent a more serious infection later by building immunity in those sickened by the new flu virus.
“In the U.K. and Europe and America, it is spreading so fast that it is very likely that most people will be exposed to or get swine flu, and this will help them develop immunity before the second wave,” said Dr. Raymond Ng, a doctor with OT and P, a family practice in Hong Kong. That second wave could be a mutated, more lethal flu. “Having some immunity gives us some protection against this virus,” Dr. Ng said.
Not everything that is bad for you in the short term is bad for you in the long term. Look at every negative experience and learn from it. Otherwise, you’ll just be in worse shape later on.
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Bought Red Sox tickets for trip to DC June 4th. Get 2 see Camden Yards 4 1st time. Know anyone needing a speaker in Baltimore around then? 1 hour ago
Please don't tell me a CEO of a Fortune500 company spoke for free so I should too. If I had millions of dollars, I'd speak for free too! 3 hours ago
It's always a good way 2 start the week with a solid quality booking. It's local 2 which isn't that often. #GoodMonday April is filling up! 7 hours ago
Posted by Craig Price 
Social Media Monday: OMG! U R Fired. KTHNX
August 24, 2009Twitter much? Are you on the Facebook? LinkedIn and loving it? Make sure you think about what you post BEFORE you post it. So many people use social networking to tell way more about themselves than necessary, they forget that more than just their friends may be watching. From CNN:
As social media becomes the latest branding strategy, networking technique, job seeking tool and recruitment vehicle, it’s also becoming the latest way for people to get job offers rescinded, reprimanded at work and even fired.
It’s happened so many times — publicized and not — that one would think we could learn from others’ mistakes. (But, if that were the case, I wouldn’t have anything to write about, now would I?)
A recent Tweet by a potential Cisco employee, for example, turned ugly when he decided to tout a recent job offer:
“Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.”
Unfortunately for “theconnor” (the handle for the would-be employee), Tim Levad, a “channel partner advocate” for Cisco, saw the tweet and responded with this:
“Who is the hiring manger, I’m sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the Web.”
Terrible tweets
Everyone has their “My-job-sucks,” “I-hate-my-co-workers,” or “Give-me-more-money” moments. But, they seem to forget that as employers increase their online presence using social networking sites as recruitment and branding strategies, it might be best for their career not to have these moments on the Internet.
Paul Wilson, a freelance/corporate Web marketer and blogger, found several of such moments on Twitter, a social networking and micro-blogging site, and posted these “Top 10 Tweets to Get You Fired” [sic'd]:
1. “hate my job!! i want to tell my bosses how dumb they are and how meaningless this job is, then quit, and be happy!”
2. “So my job was to test all the food at the new resturant, can I just say, ughew. I’m going to taco bell then twistee treat.”
3. “Workin… This job sucks worse then the economy!”
4. “I’m going to work! Walmart! Must find better job! I hate it when chicks there have a deeper voice than me and refer to me as foo!”
5. “Also I’m really bummed that I’m working today, i asked off so i could study but my boss is a ******* **** ***** ***** who can’t read.”
6. “Coworker smuggled out a chair for me. Currently being paid to SIT around and listen to John Barrowman on my iPod. I don’t hate my job today!”
7. “having sex dreams of people you work with makes for an awkward day.”
8. “smoking weed at work is so [EDITED] great
“
9. “It’s bad when you overhear the n00b programmer say “I used to work at McDonalds with him” and you wonder if he is talking about the CEO…”
10. “Huh, with my boss on twitter, maaaybe I should take down that sexy picture of her… but her reaction will be priceless!”
Facebook fired
Twitter is not the only culprit in career self-destruction. Facebook, a popular social networking site, has housed its fair share of user firings:
Kimberly Swann, a former employee for Ivell Marketing and Logistics of Clacton, U.K., thought her job was boring — and she said so on her Facebook page, according to an article in The Daily Telegraph. Swann was called into her manager’s office and handed a letter that cited her Facebook comments as the reason for dismissal:
“Following your comments made on Facebook about your job and the company we feel it is better that, as you are not happy and do not enjoy your work we end your employment with Ivell Marketing & Logistics with immediate effect.”
An MSNBC article remembers Kevin Colvin, the legendary young intern who e-mailed his boss, claiming a “family emergency” would keep him out of the office around Halloween. His co-workers (and Facebook friends), however, saw a photo of Colvin dressed as a fairy at a Halloween party time-stamped on the same day of the “emergency.” Colvin’s boss responded to him with an e-mail CC’d to the entire company, firing him and including the incriminating fairy picture.
In March 2009, the same MSNBC article cites Dan Leone, a Philadelphia Eagles stadium employee, who was fired after slamming the football organization for trading a player in this status update:
“Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver. . .Dam Eagles R Retarted!![Sic]“
Two days later, the head of event operations said they needed to talk about his Facebook status; instead, he got the boot.
Social networking don’ts
If you want to use your profile to get hired or — or at least not get fired — here are three basic rules to keep in mind:
1. Don’t announce interviews, raises or new jobs
As exemplified by “theconnor,” how you talk about any of these sensitive topics on your social networking site is key. If you’re unemployed, writing “Interview today — wish me luck!” would be OK, or if you got a job, something along the lines of “So excited about my new job!” is totally acceptable. If you’re currently employed, however, I don’t think your boss would be too happy to see something like, “Trying to con my boss into giving me a $5K raise. SUCKA!”
2. Don’t badmouth your current or previous employer
Just like in an interview, keep your rants about your boss or company to yourself. If hiring managers see that you’re willing to trash a colleague online they assume you’ll do it to them, too. Plus, there’s always the possibility of getting fired if someone sees your negative comments.
3. Don’t mention your job search if you’re still employed
If your boss knows you’re on the lookout for a new job, feel free to advertise it in your status. If you’re keeping your search below the radar, however, don’t publish anything, anywhere. Even if you aren’t connected to your boss online, somebody can get the information back to him or her.
So the next time you want to LOL with your BFF about your boss’ stupidity. Remember: You have a J-O-B so STFU! (I’ve already gotten in trouble for using this acronym but I think it’s hilarious and we’re all adults so get over it!)
For information about Generation Y: Business etiquette and Y you need it! call 877-572-7890 or email me directly!