From Gold to Friday Night Lights to a New Path

I'm coming live from NYC - on the upper west side near Subway stop 103. It's an experience that, like so many others I've written about in the last year or so, I never imagined I would have. My teammate Adrienne Smith (see former blog with Q&A from Sweden) is an amazing, inspiring entrepreneur who makes her living by tourism - a concept uniquely her own - and who has taken it upon her shoulders to build the TEAM USA brand from the ground. She organized for a group of us including Sharon (Strong Arm) Vasquez and Olivia ( OG ) Griswold - who both play for Pittsburgh's team to come here this week and coach as a part of the NFL Draft week Play 60 youth football camps. The three of them are exceptional athletes who I loved hanging out last summer and am loving even more this week. The four of us are coaching groups of kids who come in for a 60-minute flag football clinic, and we coached today alongside legends from the NFL including Donovin Darius, Chris Doleman and N...

Last night we were supposed to beat our opponents. We did it (69-0). There were some ups ( Kash returning almost three balls for special teams TDs , not running more than about 37 plays all night - even though we only played 2.5 quarters, defense not allowing any first downs.... and on...) and we had some lows (punted three times) but the main point was that for the extreme highs we had during the game and the individual performances: Mick made some killer hits, Groupie had a really good game, OL pancaked like it was our job. The extreme low came near the end of the third quarter when one of their players was severely injured. We haven't heard what exactly was wrong, but as we were leaving, the fire department guy told me that she was playing with a back brace. Not good. Those situations are scary and make you think too much about how fragile life is - especially on the field. One bad hit, one crunch, one minute - you can't think about that when you're putting on your equ...

After speaking to our new class of interns this morning, I broke in a new pair of cleats out on the high school field tonight. I hope the cleats will help solve some of the problems I've been having. Realistically, it won't make my plantar fasciitis go away, but if my feet can feel less like mashed potatoes, I'd be grateful. I'm scared of the giant shots. USA teammate Okiima Pickett tweeted the other day that her arms are all bruised, and after yesterday's practice, the usual suspects are back for me too. Thankfully, my work functions requiring no sleeves are over for awhile. Coach S came to practice Wednesday night after being married earlier in the day. I know I won't be married during football season because those photos would require serious Photoshop or a longsleeved dress. No chance. Not sure I can say that I won't get married in football season at all, because there's not much time off in my future. That's ok, though... As I was finishing up m...

you will make it happen, no matter what else stands in the way. Sacrifices make the journey worth the result. Practiced today with a girl who plays on her HS varsity team and is a kicker ... perhaps the sweetest girl I've ever met with a leg that can get after a 45--yarder no problem. That inspires me.

I'm in the process of working on my retirement plan. In approach shot (eight months ahead) to age 30, I won't be retiring from my 9-to-5 anytime soon, but I'm dreaming up my next big project anyway. We'll call it my 401K - because that might be a good goal to add to my strategic plan .... 401,000 girls exposed to football. The vehicle is a girls football clinic/tournament this summer or fall (or both), connecting up with girls from 6-18 and really focusing on skills, drills, teaching the game and sharing my passion for football. I was really moved when Mike McGee - Annika's husband - came up last weekend to accept an award on behalf of their girls golf tournament, and shared a speech on what it meant to him to manage her brand. Annika has done a wonderful job of becoming a true entrepreneur but also sharing her passion for golf with the next generation, and I want to do the same thing but on the gridiron. For me, I think this brings together all the stories: from...

This winter I read one of Walter Payton's books and I liked the focus. It was not on his dominant style of play but on his outside passions of fundraising for kids and his family. Walter Payton is football. But he was much more, as a person and as a football icon, and I'd give a lot to have the ear of someone like that right now. I'm feeling the rush: of the commitments I've made with coaching and the passion I have for this game against the terrible feeling I might need to retire because I don't always feel the same. The other day when I couldn't practice, I wanted nothing but to be on the field. Now that I've come back to practice, I don't feel that way. Daily I'm torn between the time commitment I need to make (Saturdays at coaches clinics and studying film, making phone calls for the golf fundraiser and even just waking up early to go to morning sessions) so that at the end of the day, I am investing in my future because I can't play forever....

Today I saw a smile on the face of a woman who was not used to accomplishing things like pulling weighted sleds around, let alone inside of cones at a football practice. She smiled as her teammates cheered for her. Inside, she cheered for herself. She wasn't going to finish every rep or run faster than anyone else, but she saw something inside herself tonight - and I think she'll be back for more on Wednesday. When I saw her smile, it reminded me of why I love this game. Sitting out tonight with my neck tied in knots of major proportion, I wanted to be doing all of it - the running, the stupid circuits, the pulling of a sled. I don't want to retire, but I play to feel that smile spread across my face as my teammates yell for "Extra Point"or when someone does something truly unexpected .... and right now, I haven't felt it yet this season. That makes me sad. It's too much controversy, too many opinions, too little information, too many good intentions and ...