Giants Vs. Cowboys Analysis: Five Reasons The Giants Lost

Wednesday night was a rough beginning to the 2012 NFL season for Eli Manning and the New York Giants. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

By Ed Valentine - Regional Editor (no affiliations of Legacy Marketing Group)

Sep 6, 2012 - You can point to a lot of reasons why the New York Giants lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 24-17, Wednesday night. Coach tom Coughlin certainly had a laundry list of them in his post-game press conference.
"Very disappointing, very disappointing loss. Any way you want to look at it. We fumble the ball after a nice drive that possibly could have been points, we don’t score from the one-yard line. We give up big plays in the second half. We don’t really stop the run, they had all kinds of yardage, we had little or none."
Here is SB Nation New York's list of the five primary reasons the Giants are now 0-1.
[Related: 'Kudos & Wet Willies | Big Blue View]
1. They can't run the football -- The giants had the worst rushing attack in the league a season ago. It really didn't look any better Wednesday night. The 19 carries for 82 yards (a 4.3 yards per carry average) is misleading. Thirty-three of those yards came on one quick hitter by Ahmad Bradshaw when the Cowboys were playing pass.
When the Giants needed to run, like when they had first-and-goal inside the Dallas 2-yard line in the second quarter, they couldn't.
If the giants can't run, they can't play-action pass. If they can't play-action pass, Eli Manning will get harassed all night. Like he did Wednesday. And the Giants won't score enough points. Which they didn't on Wednesday.
2. They couldn't cover anybody -- Corey Webster is their best corner and he was repeatedly torched. Michael Coe, subbing for the injured Prince Amukamara, who was subbing for the injured Terrell Thomas, was abused. When Coe got hurt, Justin Tryon -- subbing for all of the above -- was terrible.
"We had trouble stopping the slant all night long like we’ve never seen a slant before," said Coughlin.
They pretty much had trouble covering everything. Sideline routes. Go-routes. Dallas receivers were wide open all night.
3. DeMarco Murray ran wild -- While the Giants could not get a run game going, Dallas running back Demarco Murray ripped off huge chunks of yardage in the second half. He is a tremendous player and a very physical back. You wonder, though, if without defensive tackles Chris Canty and Marvin Austin to help in the middle the Giants simply wore down. Murray finished with 131 yards on 20 carries.
4. Tony Romo's escapability -- Romo completed 22-of-29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns. The Giants' vaunted pass rush sacked him only twice. He consistently used his athleticism to get out of trouble, extend plays and pick up yardage on his own when he needed to.
5. Missed opportunities -- They got inside the Dallas 30 in the first quarter and came away with no points thanks to a David Wilson fumble. They started a drive inside the Dallas 2-yard line and could only get a field. So, out of a possible 14 points on those possessions the Giants got 3. You can't win that way.

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Is Your Leadership Showing?

You're the CEO of your company. But do you look and act like a leader? Here are five ways to get started.

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Most members of a team know when they’re doing their work well. They often have a particular area of expertise, and they have deadlines and deliverables. 

For leaders, it’s a bit different. How do you show that you’re leading? Here are five competencies that good leaders demonstrate. They are related to one another, and each is framed with a question to help you think about opportunities to display leadership.

1. Visibility

We know that leaders need to be seen by followers--from formal presentations and announcements, to a crisis, to simple “managing by walking around.”  The less-obvious occasions, however, are easily overlooked. They can be lost opportunities, or powerful expressions of leadership.

As a leader, when do you feel out of your comfort zone? Maybe it’s when you have to deliver bad or unpopular news, or mediate a conflict between direct reports, or perform a necessary task that you just don’t like. One CEO client told me that he found it hard to celebrate the “small to medium wins” that his team wanted acknowledged. He considered these victories just part of doing business. His solution was to ask his executives to publicize accomplishments up to a certain level, allowing him to save his praise for the really big achievements.

Ask yourself, “How am I visible to others when I don’t want to be?” The answer is not to pretend to like being visible--far from it. Instead, ask yourself this question prior to an uncomfortable event, and use it to help you prepare. Consider some behavioral options, and put yourself in a different mental space. Then you’ll be able to be visible in a more productive, less stressful manner.

2. Preparation

Many leaders are great at preparing the logistics of leadership (the facts and figures in a plan, or the pitch for a presentation). Too many leaders, however, don’t prepare regularly for the deeper daily requirements of leadership. This is a shame, because most leaders face complex challenges, relentless claims on their time, and increasing pressures to deliver on goals over which they don’t have direct control. A bit of regular preparation goes a long way.

Just as athletic activities involve physical, mental, and emotional energies, leadership is a “whole-body practice” and requires preparation of the whole person. The next time you are running through your checklist prior to a leadership event, ask yourself, “How have I prepared my whole self for this?”

3. Comfort

This is closely related to preparation, because leadership discomfort is greatly enhanced by a lack of preparation. In order to be more comfortable as a leader and to appear that way to other people, you need to practice (which is simple preparation repeated).  By “comfortable,” I don’t mean perpetually happy or even relaxed--I mean groundedin your complete embodiment of leadership.

Ask yourself, “How do I display that I am comfortable with the responsibilities and demands of leadership?” Look for nagging doubts in the back of your mind; or instincts that need to be surfaced around what you feel should be happening instead of what is happening, or that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach about an issue not faced. This is valuable data, and if you do not address your lack of grounding and comfort, others will certainly sense it for you.

4. Listening

One reason that modern leadership is hard is because an effective modern leader must listen to others. Though few people manage to do it, this may be one of the easiest competencies to demonstrate--provided you can resist the urge to talk.

Ask yourself, “What one thing can I tell myself as a reminder to listen more?” It’s vitally important that you think up an effective cue. If you can’t come up with one, that in itself could indicate a deeper internal misalignment.

5. Blend

This list started with visibility. When the opposite is required, a leader must blend in. Otherwise, he or she risks drawing attention away from the people and issues at hand. When you pull back, it makes it easier for other people to bring you hard problems, bad news, and perspectives that challenge the status quo. 

As a leader, it’s not all about you. The clearest way to demonstrate this is to find the right moments to step out of the spotlight so that other people get the attention they need. Ask yourself, “When necessary, how do I lower the volume of my leadership presence?”

Though leadership can be hard to demonstrate at times, regularly questioning how you embody your role will serve your leadership well.

Constantly Growing...Welcome to Leadership David

Legacy Marketing Group prides ourselves on the constant growth both personally and professionally for our employees and managers. David Reiss is our newest Corporate Trainer. He was promoted last week due to his work ethic and positive attitude. David is the ideal candidate for what our company stands for. Congratulations!

Fun Facts about Mr. Reiss

FAVORITE FOOD:  Sushi

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: Ravens

HOBBIES:  Reading, Writing, Running

WHAT CITY WERE YOU BORN IN:  Princeton, NJ

WHATS ONE PLACE YOU WOULD LIKE TO VISIT:  Singapore

NFL Preseason 2012: Jets' Hunter Needs to Trust Himself

By

Adam Waksman

(Contributor) on August 21, 2012

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

New York Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter has been as maligned and ridiculed as any player in the NFL this offseason.
Former Jets tackle Damien Woody provided some perspective on Hunter's preseason woes, saying that the man needs to trust himself (via Metro New York).
Hunter has been called one of the worst starting right tackles in the NFL. While Woody argued that Wayne Hunter does deserve his starting spot, he added:

A lot of times what happens—you have a bad play and it’s a snowball effect... The one thing I always told Wayne was to trust his athletic ability. He’s a big, tall, strong guy with great feet—trust it.

What Woody seems to be driving at is the fact that Hunter is an extremely athletic player, but when he gets beaten, he gets beaten badly. In the last preseason game against the New York Giants, Hunter was only beaten by his man on four plays. However, all four of those plays resulted in sacks (one was called back by penalty). Once Hunter loses a step on his man, he does a terrible job of recovering, which may be more of a mental problem than a physical one.
For better or worse, Wayne Hunter is very much aware of the criticism he receives and has been hard on himself. Of his starting job he said:

It’s always been on the line. It’s not a surprise. Either I perform or they’ll find someone who is better.

Wayne Hunter is a name we will hear over and over again this year. He is the obvious weak point on an other wise strong offensive line. There is no physical reason he cannot handle defensive linemen the way he did in the 2011 playoffs.
Most importantly for Jets' fans, there is no viable alternative. Wayne Hunter is the starter for the 2012 season—barring a miracle—and he will have to play well for the Jets to win the AFC East.

2012 Olympics: Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt Confirm Their Legacies in London

By

Trent Stutzman

(Contributor) on August 14, 2012

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One of the great thrills in sports is watching the underdog break through unimaginable odds to claim victory.
It’s why Tebowmania took the nation by storm during football season, only to be surpassed by Linsanity in February.
It’s why Al Michael’s call, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” is one of the most legendary ever, and always will be.
And it’s why every IU basketball fan will always remember every intricate detail leading up to, during and after that fateful basketball game back on December 10, 2011.
But the 2012 Olympics gave us a chance to see the other side of the "dog" spectrum, if you will. Two top dogs, each seeking to complete their legacies that began in prior Olympic Games, came to London and left no doubt in anyone’s mind that they were the best ever at their respective sports.
First, Michael Phelps had to prove he was not just the greatest swimmer, but maybe the best Olympian of all-time.
Coming into the games, all the hype surrounded fellow American Ryan Lochte. Phelps admitted he didn’t train as hard for London as he did for Athens or Beijing, and Lochte claimed 2012 was his time.
So much for that. Lochte did leave London with two golds, two silvers and a bronze, but Phelps stole the show again with four golds and two silvers.
It didn’t live up to his eight-gold-medal performance in Beijing, but it left an exclamation point at the end of his historic career. Phelps left the Olympics with 22 total medals, the most all-time by four.
Oh, and 18 of those medals are gold, which doubles the amount of four others tied for second all-time.
Then, there was Usain Bolt. Like Phelps, many were questioning if he could continue his dominance in London. He had his own fellow countryman rising up, trying to make his own mark in the Olympics. But Yohan Blake—and everyone else, for that matter—didn’t stand a chance against Bolt.
He became the first sprinter ever to win both the 100-meter and the 200-meter in consecutive Olympics, and we’re still not sure if he finally gave it his all in any of those races.
Bolt couldn’t break the world records in either of those events like he did in Beijing, but he set the bar so high (or low), those sprinting records will both probably become one of sports’ most unbreakable, along with Cy Young’s 511 wins, Bill Russell’s 11 championships and Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857 career points, among others.
Many people would have liked to see Lochte or Blake pull the Olympic upset and dethrone the king of their sport. It would have been a great storyline, another underdog defeating the almighty stalwart.
But do you know what’s better than the ultimate upset? The ultimate champion.
No one ever complains about the boredom of watching Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali or Wayne Gretzky win all the time. The spectators lucky enough to see these legends in their prime only rave about how special it was to witness such greatness.
Well, now you can tell your kids and grandchildren about Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. There sure won’t be any others like them, at least not for a long, long time.

Anthony Robles Motivational Speaker

During our conference in Atlanta, we had the privilege to listen to Anthony Robles story. He is such a motivation, and listening to his story can make anyone's daily trials and tribulations seem so small. Here is his story.

From http://anthonyrobles.com/bio.html


"On July 20, 1988, the doctors were not prepared when, Judy Robles, age 16, gave birth to a baby boy who was missing his right leg. The doctors could not explain what went wrong or why I was missing a leg. My mom, however, always told me growing up that "God made me this way for a reason" and she made me believe it. I finally realized what that reason was when at the age of 14, in Mesa, Arizona, I tried out for the wrestling team. My first year was horrible. I was the smallest kid on the team weighing in at a whopping ninety pounds and without question, the worst wrestler; finishing my first year with 5-8 record and in last place at the Mesa City wrestling tournament. Not many people believed that a tiny kid born with one leg, the worst wrestler in the city, would ever excel in such a demanding sport . However, with the support of my family and my coaches, I believed I could one day be a champion wrestler; I believed that I could be UNSTOPPABLE. Despite various obstacles along the way, I went from being last in the city to finishing my junior and senior years at Mesa High School with a 96-0 record , a 2-time Arizona State Champion and a high school National Champion. Despite finishing with an awesome high school record , few college wrestling programs believed I could excel at the next level. They thought I was too small to wrestle in college and that a one legged wrestler could never compete with the nations best college wrestlers. My mom raised me with my head in the clouds, so I believed I could do anything I set my mind to. This way of thinking compelled me to walk onto the Arizona State University wrestling team to prove to them, and the world, anything was possible. Through trials and hardships, both on and off the wrestling mat, I finished as a 3-time All-American and the 2011 NCAA National Champion. Although my competition days on the mat are over, I will continue to wrestle the opponents life brings my way all the while believing that I am UNSTOPPABLE."

15 Ways to Stay Positive

There are times when we must go through negative situations. Maybe people say something negative about us, or they show rejection or even resentment against us. In such situations, it may be difficult to stay positive. We may be inclined to react negatively to them. That won’t do us any good though; doing so will just make the situation worse. People may behave even more negatively to us. Our day would be filled with anger and disappointment. At the end, nobody wins.

Though it’s not easy, it’s important to stay positive in negative situations. Beat the negative situations by staying positive. Here are 15 tips on how to do it; pick the ones that work for you:

1. Never respond when you are not calm. If you are not sure that you are calm, don’t respond. Take time to calm yourself down first.
2. Take a deep breath as a first step to calm yourself down.
3. Speak in gentle tone to reduce the tension of the situation.
4. Realize that you can find opportunities in negative situations. Albert Einstein said: “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
5. Look at the content of what people say to you for something positivethat you can act upon to improve yourself. Don’t just reject the whole messages.
6. For the rest of the messages which is negative, simply ignore it.
7. Maintain positive view of the people. Maybe you don’t like their messages or behavior, but that doesn’t mean that you can hate them personally.
8. Realize that having negative feelings will just hurt you, not them. So there is no reason for you to have any negative feeling.
9. If you make mistakes, be open to admit it.
10. If you make mistakes, remember this quote by George Bernard Shaw: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
11. If you can, listen to motivational audio program to feed positive thoughts into your mind.
12. Talk to a positive friend who can encourage you.
13. Remember your favorite quotes to give you inspiration and motivation. This is one reason why you should have quote of the day.
14. Look at the negative situations as your training sessions for real life. The higher you climb in life, the worse the negative situations would be, so you’d better be prepared for them.
15. Realize that you can’t please everyone. In fact, nobody can. Sometimes you need to just let some people go. Realizing this will relieve you from a lot of unnecessary burden so that you can focus on the people that you can positively interact with.