JUST MY TAKE

What Would Tata Do?

At the suggestion (or demand) from a few readers, I have stayed away from the subject of soccer for many weeks. I will go back into the subject once again to give you my take on Frank de Boer, Atlanta United’s coach, who took over for the beloved Tata Martino. Just some facts: Atlanta United is coming off last year’s championship season. Martino left the Club to become Mexico’s national team manager. Miguel Almiron, United’s most important and impactful player, left the Club as he was purchased by Newcastle United of the English Premier League. Another key player at times, especially late in the season, was Greg Garza. His ability to affect the game from his attacking left fullback position caused opposing teams to lose their shape as Garza was a force coming down that left flank. Post season the club traded Garza to Cincinnati, a new expansion team. With the loss of their manager and two impact players, United hired Frank de Boer, a Dutchman with experience as both a player and manager.

Whether it be business or sport, new leadership most likely dictates a change in management style, expectations and culture. Frank comes from Europe, Tata from South America. Differences with their leadership style were always going to be questioned by the players, media, and the fan base, as well as the player selection and formation employed by Frank. No new leader likes-for-likes the exact dynamics of their predecessor – they bring their own style, strategies, and in most cases a new (coaching) staff.

Players have spoken out about the culture and playing style differences, and some of the fan base are irate with player selections and the defensive style of play. I guess there are a lot of short memories out there. As mentioned, Miguel Almiron left the club. Greg Garza was moved on. Due to qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup, the compressed schedule of games is borderline ridiculous. And most importantly, Frank has had to deal with numerous player injuries, which has caused a myriad of problems considering the schedule of games. Franco Escobar, Kevin Kratz, Mikey Ambrose, Ezequiel Barco, Pity Martinez, George Bello, Florentin Pogba, Tito Villalba, and Brek Shea have all missed significant playing time. Nine players have not been available for many games, no Miguel Almiron or Greg Garza, and a very compressed schedule. Never mind a few of our players who missed games due to national team playing assignments.

Then there is the Pity Martinez dilemma. Pity came to United in the off season heralded as the South American Player of the Year. Unfortunately, his short tenure with United has not been what was expected by the fans, the media, and more importantly the coaching staff. Yes, coming to a new club in a new league and in a new country is not easy. With that said, Frank has given this young man the runway to get acclimated to his new teammates and surroundings. It is now up to Pity to show his abilities – for 90 minutes and not short spurts like he has done to date. Work rate and attitude come to mind as being problematic and we can only hope that Pity snaps out of whatever is preventing him from playing well, game in and game out. Frank can only be tolerant to a point.

There are groups out there that are calling for Frank’s head. They want the Club to replace a manager that has dealt with all the talking points described above. Reality is that the team sits near the top of the Eastern Conference with a game in hand. Seven teams in the Conference will make the playoffs. United’s player pool is getting healthy once again with Barco, Villalba and Pogba now available. Some of the fans called for a walkout of this afternoon’s game with LA Galaxy. A walkout on a team that is three points out of first place in their conference…with a game in hand?

My question to all of you: under the exact same circumstances……WHAT WOULD TATA HAVE DONE? My take is exactly what Frank has done. #ATLUTD

Adios, pay it forward, and have a great weekend.

They Are Not Dealing with Highway 400 or I-4. Nope.

Do you sometimes wonder how people living in remote areas or the world’s indigenous tribes living deep in the jungles and forests of the world ‘survive’.

My reference points are twofold: 1) as children, my father often took me and my brother to shoot guns in the Florida Everglades. I remember wondering why and how people like the Miccosukee tribe survived living in the vast swamps, bush and wildlife of the Everglades. 2) on one of two mission trips, I worked with the people of Honduras’ Agalta Valley, nine hours by bus from the capitol city of Tegucigalpa, and often referred to as the Valley of Death. What I have come to realize from these experiences is that the Miccosukee tribe and the people of the Agalta Valley, in most cases, are very content with their way of life and well being. No air conditioning, no constant source of running water, limited medical services, and a ‘bed’ made of wood and straw. So by natural instinct, heritage, and survival, they have morphed into a very simple way of life.

They don’t know what they don’t know, though the digital age has most likely brought some type of technology/communication to their villages or reservation. Yes, the Miccosukee tribe have now built a casino way out west of Miami but I am referring to their way of life many, many years ago.

Though most of the people of Agalta Valley accepted Americans helping them with healthcare, commerce, and education, I felt very strongly that our help was a ‘take it or leave it’ proposition. Their children were reared to work on farms at a very early age so going to school was not really top of mind for their head of household. Education was something they had heard about but it was obvious that they could not tie any value proposition to their children leaving their working chores to go to school.

The reality is these people live a very simple life. Yes, too simple for us as we were raised in a different spectrum. The socio-economics are quite diverse from what we consider simple and how the people of the Agalta Valley define simple. I would venture to say that along with simple, most of the people I encountered and spent time with were very happy.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated”. Confucius

There are many indigenous tribes living in very remote areas of the world. Take a look at this short clip when two members of the Awa tribe deep in the Amazon forest realize that they have a visitor. Thankfully, they are scared and decide to run or it might have been a very bad day for this videographer.

Complication in our lives stems from many things including relationships, family, finances, and expectations. It is difficult to benchmark our lives against an indigenous tribe, but the reality is that there are many benefits to keeping things simple.

Getting simple is not as easy as it sounds. Getting into a complicated situation is way easier than it sounds. Sleeping on a straw mat, not having running water, and living in a remote area does not sound easy. But if you compare that to to a 6-mile drive on I-4 or a 90-minute commute navigating Highway 400…..well, you get my point.

Adios, pay it forward, and have a Funday Sunday!!!!

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau

“To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions.” 
― Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

“I know that mirrors give us a false sense of confidence. The reflection that we see everyday has nothing to do with how others see us. The glass lies.” 
― Rasmenia Massoud, Human Detritus

I will raise my hand and admit that I have passed judgement. I am not sure if I am alone with passing judgement and I don’t care. The reality is that for whatever reason, passing judgement on others may have made me feel better, given me a laugh, or bolstered my self-esteem. Sure, I have told others to ‘stop passing judgement’ on others, but my ask was a bit hypocritical as my behavior was sometimes the same. I am not coming clean with my faults but after watching the video below, I realized that at one time I may have been looking at the dressed up Cristiano Ronaldo with a bit of scrutiny. The second video is simply a fun perspective of perception!

One of my favorite people may think I have hit my head. I have not. What I have done is reconciled many things over the last seven months and tried to be that ‘better person’….not for anyone else but for me. Life in general is fast-paced, dynamic, and can sometimes be complicated or get sideways. After my brother succumbed to cancer a year ago, I realized that life is very short, so one day at a time it was just time for me to ‘step up’, ‘rise up’, or ‘unite and conquer’, or whatever appropriate motivational tag line fits.

I am not preaching. What I am doing is asking that before you make comments, stir up the rumor mill, or pass judgement, take a step back. Take a step back far enough to re-adjust your perceptions, your feelings, and your comments. Look at the video below and compare the reaction of people before and after the costume is removed. It does make you think. #CR7

“Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.” 
― Colin Powell

Adios, pay it forward, and have a Funday Sunday!!

When Was The Last Time You………..?

• For no specific occasion, gave flowers to a loved one or friend? Just cause.

• Gave a gift to someone to show affection or as a thank you? Just cause.

• Spent time with the elderly to give them something to do different than their normal day? Just cause.

• Not given up on someone or something? Just cause.

• Wrote a letter or an email to someone to tell them how much you really care? Just cause.

• Paid the toll for the car behind you? Just cause.

• Recognized someone not for superior performance, but for good, dedicated performance? Just cause.

• Volunteered your time? Just cause.

• Paid the restaurant bill for police officers, firemen (women), or emergency service personnel? Just cause.

• Opened the car door for your wife, significant other, or a friend? Just cause?

• “Swallowed your pride” for the good of others? Just cause.

• Helped someone out of a tough situation? Just cause.

• Made a donation? Just cause.

Pay It Forward is a 2000 Warner Brothers film that started this movement. The story line is solid, the acting great, and the movie is a nice change from the usual drama or action film.

Adios, PAY IT FORWARD, and have a Funday Sunday!

Headlines News.

This is post number 136. I have received a number of questions, inquiries and suggestions regarding ‘Just My Take’. Some of the questions relate to my writing style and the content, as well as the look of the blog site. Some of the comments suggest that I need to embellish the posts with links, photos, and video. To the best of my ability I have done so. Let’s all just remember that my weekly posts are a challenge to me, and that my content leans away from religion and politics. Posting on a weekly basis sometimes comes easy and sometimes is difficult but I will do my best to keep the Sunday morning post going.

I am taking a break on this Holiday weekend but I will leave you with ten newspaper headlines to think about. You just can’t make this stuff up:

And last, but not least:

Adios, pay it forward, and have a Funday Sunday!

Respect. We Should Know More. Independence.

• I commented on this issue in a previous post when a National Football League quarterback, with great athletic ability and potential, decided to lead a movement of disrespecting the Honor Guard, the Flag, and the national anthem of the the United States of America. As Paul Harvey said in his commentaries, “you know the rest of the story”. The Women’s World Cup has again brought the same type of controversy to light as a very strong-willed American woman has refused to respect the National Anthem. Not in the same way as the fore-mentioned quarterback, but in a way that she feels clearly sends her message of protest against the President and his administration. Megan Rapinoe stands for women’s rights, LGBT, and many other issues that she feels are important. I have no argument and support her efforts to promote her causes, but I will state the same now as I did then with Colin Kaepernick: respecting our Flag, our Honor Guard, and our national anthem has zero to do with the President, the White House, and politics in general. If you are participating in an event and our Flag is presented and our national anthem is playing, and more importantly you are representing the United States as a national team player, show due respect to our past and present armed forces. Don’t put our Honor Guard, our Flag, and the national anthem between your support for causes and the White House. Don’t misunderstand – I do support the 1st Amendment and strong-willed people like Megan Rapinoe. I just feel strongly that politics and showing respect are definitely mutually exclusive. #meganrapinoe

• Space, the next frontier is not just hyperbole. Just ask Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk. Their Blue Origin and Space X entities have provided the playbook for privatized commercialization of space exploration. They have provided NASA and the United States Air Force with the deployment of satellites at a fraction of the cost of previous space missions. In general I never really spent time thinking about space exploration, though I have watched a few liftoffs live, including the Space X launch early in the morning on Tuesday of last week. Over the last eighteen months, I have been involved with the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary project and celebration. The design and development of displays, exhibits, and interactives celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing has been quite the learning experience. The amount of historical information, the significance of landing on the moon, and Neil Armstrong’s first steps onto the moon’s surface are remarkable. For most people the significance is underwhelming, as few people around the world have spent the time learning and understanding the next frontier. The last three weeks were spent in the office during the day and at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center at night (installation of what we designed and produced can only be installed after all the visitors have departed). The twenty hour days were tough but the end result of this project and what it represents overshadowed the lack of sleep for me and the DesignShop team. If you ever have the chance, go to the Space Center and take the bus out to the Saturn V building. Understanding the dynamics of the Apollo 11 mission that happened 50 years ago is significant. It is really good stuff. #NASA #DesignShop

Thursday is Independence Day. The celebration of the thirteen original colonies being declared independent from the monarch of Britain. Hopefully most of you have a long weekend, enjoy the fireworks, and most importantly fly your flag. Some of you are running the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta early Thursday morning. Have a great race and a fun time!! #independenceday

Adios, pay it forward, and have a Funday Sunday!

“….and what can I do to make your flight more enjoyable?”

Some of us have traveled for many years. Air travel for both business and pleasure has “pressurized” since 9/11 due to the subsequent and necessary security measures invoked by the Transportation Security Administration and other governing bodies. The upside is that the ability to check in using an airline’s app, TSA Pre-Check, and CLEAR have made getting through security a bit easier. Then of course is the cattle call of the boarding process, and the inevitable time consuming passengers who just can’t seem to navigate getting their carry on’s down the aisle and figuring out how their bag fits in the overhead bin. I sort of equate it to the square peg in a round hole syndrome. https://youtu.be/gFH991-uNOQ

After the monotonous boarding process, with most passengers seated, the fun starts with flight attendant announcements, messages, and demonstrations. Over my many years of travel I had always wanted to document some of the experiences I have had listening to flight attendants and neighboring passengers. Note: I do have the upmost respect for most flight attendants as they have a difficult and mostly thankless job. With all that said, the following are some top of mind takes with the world of airline flight attendants and fellow passengers:

I just smile when I hear the sincerity from a flight attendant: “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make your flight more enjoyable.” Really? Enjoyable? Maybe potable water? An in-flight magazine that has not previously been manhandled by 500 passengers? A shower, with soap, for the passenger who obviously just played eighteen holes? How about giving the moron behind me a quarter to call someone who cares about his ‘ridiculous travel schedule’.

I love the announcement and demonstration on how to fasten your seat belt. “Insert the flat metal tab into the buckle, then blah, blah blah” . . . If a passenger doesn’t know how to use a seat belt, he or she probably shouldn’t be on a plane unattended. Just sayin’.

This is always comforting: “In case of the loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will fall from the overhead panel. Put the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally. Seriously? I can be a very brave man, but if a gaping hole opens in the cabin, I don’t think I’m going to be breathing “normally.”

This is my favorite: “In the event of a water landing, your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device. Let’s see, if I’m hurtling toward the ocean at 500 mph, I’m afraid I’m going to use my seat cushion for something other than a flotation device.

Again, most flight attendants are fantastic so I want to make sure that my readers know that I am not slamming them. On the other hand, what about the incessant, loud-talking passengers who have no regard for the people sitting around them? I will try not to be rude (no comment, Samir), but I have thought of some tactics to avoid or put off talkative air travelers. Here are a few:

I’m sorry. Did you say something or are the voices back?

Would you like to hear about my amazing multi-level marketing opportunity?

Yo no hablo Inglés.

Typhoid isn’t contagious, is it?

This is my first time on a plane. I feel so sick to my stomach.

I’m sorry, but I have to put my ear buds in so I can listen to my favorite sermon.

I do not condone the ‘f-bombs’ Chris D’Elia uses in his rant about over-talkers on planes…but he does have a point. Caution: if you are sensitive to foul language, do not click on this video:

All of us deal with the airport and airplane experience. For many reasons, I am way more tolerant these days but sometimes you just have to shake your head.

Adios, pay it forward, and have a Funday Sunday!!

Random Gets For Mid- June.

I get that this is the World Cup. I get that goal differential in group play is important. I get that there are players participating in a World Cup for the first time. I get that all the players have put in thousands of hours of training. I get that the USA put up 13 and won the match 13-0. I don’t get celebrating goals 9-13. #USWNT #WorldCup

I get that the Middle East is problematic. I get that 30% of all oil is shipped through the Straits of Hormuz. I get that command and control of shipping lanes are critical to many countries and their economies. I don’t get Iran mining shipping lanes. I don’t get Iran looking for a fight.

I get Artemis. I get returning to and landing our astronauts on the moon. I get that NASA has given a directive that a woman be part of the mission to the moon. I get that NASA needs a new landing system that will allow a lunar landing module to land on the surface and return the astronauts to a space station. I don’t get how or why it will take $30 billion to make this happen. #Artemis #NASA

I get that Universal Studios, a wonderful theme park, spent $300 million to design and build their new Harry Potter ride. I sort of get Harry Potter. I get adventure rides as they are experiential, especially a roller coaster ride that takes you on a one mile journey. I get the long lines to wait to climb aboard the new Harry Potter adventure ride as I am sure Universal did some magic with the experience. I don’t get how people can wait in line up to ten hours to enjoy the Harry Potter ride. Yes, ten hours.

I get art auctions. I get that people or institutions pay a great deal of money for what they feel, in their mind’s eye, is great artwork. I get and can appreciate the work of Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and Monet. I get that paintings can be very expensive and a prized collection. I don’t get how a painting from Caravaggio, found five years ago in Toulouse, can fetch an asking price of $175 million. Yes, the painting is estimated to have been completed in the early 1600’s in Rome, but no, I don’t get the $175 million. #Caravaggio

I get the Toronto Raptors. I don’t get Drake. Enough said.

I get Father’s Day. Today is the day to celebrate fatherhood. I hope all of you can spend time with you father, give them a call, and keep them in your thoughts. My daughter is with me this weekend – a great weekend for Father’s Day.

Adios, Happy Father’s Day, and Have a Funday Sunday!

Code Name: Operation Overlord.

Seventy-five years ago seems like a long time ago. Then we realize how old we are, when we were born, and the 75 years is nominal. This past Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of France. It started with a year of planning and a massive build up of Allied forces made up of troops from the United States, the UK, Canada and France. The year-long planning originally picked the date of June 5, 1944 for the Allied invasion to commence, but due to weather issues the massive armada of ships crossing the English Channel had to push back their target time by 24 hours. Early in the morning of June 6, 1944, close to 7,000 ships carried 132,000 troops to the beaches of Normandy. These beaches were code named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword with most of the United States soldiers hitting Omaha and Utah beach.

The night before the invasion of Normandy, in order to try and protect the troops landing on the beaches, Allied forces engaged in an extensive bombing campaign to damage German defenses. Close to 24,000 Allied troops were also dropped behind enemy lines shortly after midnight on the day of the invasion. Deception tactics employed in the months leading up to the attack led the Germans to believe that the initial attacks were merely a diversion and that the true invasion would take place further along the coast. Reference: there is a scene in the movie #TheLongestDay that depicts this deception and how the German headquarters had no clue of the Normandy invasion. With that said, and even with the bombings attempting to destroy the German troops protecting the coast, some of the approaches to the beachhead failed miserably. The Germans had hunkered down on the cliffs overlooking the beaches and their gunfire, mortars and hand grenades took their toll on the Allied forces. There were more than 4,400 soldiers confirmed killed, with 9,000 injured or missing. Reference the first 20 minutes of the movie #SavingPrivateRyan.

Allied forces were eventually able to control the Normandy coastline and move inland towards Paris. Months later, with Allied forces fighting with the German troops and their Tiger Tanks, were able to liberate Paris in August of 1944.

There is the old adage: “a picture is worth a thousand words”, but no photo tells more of a horrific story than the one below:

The largest amphibious invasion ever, forever known as #D-Day, laid the foundations for the Allied defeat of Germany in World War II. The gratitude the world owes all of those soldiers is immense. The defeat of the Germans was a pivotal point in world history and was the beginning of the end of WWII. When you see someone who is now serving or once served in the armed forces, please take the time to thank them for their service. I will on Monday, in Jupiter, Florida, when I shake the hand of a proud veteran, who in my mind is the epitome of what describes a patriot.

I could add on some other takes, including the opportunity to talk about seeing a long time friend yesterday…… but not this week, as the 75th Anniversary of D-Day should not be overshadowed.

Adios, Pay it Forward, and Have a Funday Sunday!

Uber This. Money Grab = Death. Stay Positive. It Is All Good.

They are all about ride-hailing and food delivery. Analysts seemed to be impressed with Uber’s first quarter financial results. Something to the tune of $3B in revenue. Outstanding until you learn that their 1st quarter loss was over $1B. Let me state it again: Wall Street was pleased with Uber’s Q1 performance as they had earlier predicted greater losses than the $1B. Someone enlighten me please. #Uber

You can climb Mt. Everest from the Nepal or Chinese face. On the Nepal side, this land-locked country in South Asia has the Himalayas as a tourist grab so it is not surprising that they have monetized the Mt. Everest experience. Unfortunately, the money grab from permit revenue for the Mt. Everest climb led to a greater increase of inexperienced climbers paying $11,000 for a one-week permit. With 381 permits issued this year, the Nepal government has taken in over $4m, which has allowed for too many people climbing at one time, resulting in people waiting up to twelve hours to continue their ascent. This has led to 11 deaths so far in 2019. Time for the government of Nepal to get smart and limit the permits issued. What must be a bucket list experience has turned into a sad state of affairs. https://www.foxnews.com/world/mount-everest-climbers-crushed-together-nepal-permit

I have tried to limit my take on soccer for many reasons. With that said, and as Atlanta United heads into a long international break, I wanted to sum up their year-to-date season. They have played fifteen games so far this season with 19 left in the regular season. All of us were deeply concerned with how they started the season. Fans and the national media were all over Darren Eales and Carlos Bocanegra for their decision to replace the beloved Tata Martino with Frank de Boer. The same held true for their relentless critique of de Boer’s player selection and tactics. We witnessed slow and relatively boring games that left many questions with everyone who enjoyed last year’s championship team. I was no different though I did recognize that a coaching change, combined with absence of Miguel Almiron and key injuries might be problematic. Naysayers are now eating crow as Atlanta United has climbed into second place in the eastern conference, one point behind D.C. United, and has two games in hand. While their attack has sometimes been frustrating to watch, the team has allowed two less goals than anyone in the league. The balance of the season should be fun and entertaining both at the Mercedes-Benz stadium and on the road. #atlutd

I am a go-forward person. I have made mistakes, both personal and business-related, resulting in some very tough situations. The question for me becomes one of reflection, to think deeply or carefully about the ramifications of my decisions or actions. I use a 100% unbiased sound board to voice my concerns, my thoughts, and my wants and wishes. Maybe due to the way I was raised, or simply pride, I never considered using another person as a sound board for guidance and feedback. I did so starting back in late February, and Wednesday night was my 12th weekly ‘session’. My motivation to make this happen were actions and decisions made that were totally opposite of my personal ethos. The outcome was quite a bit of reflection, self-actualization, and a tremendous spike in my awareness of the trigger points that result in emotion. I am not Zen. I am not Karma. What I am and what I did was simply get some guidance and feedback to get me back to a good place. Sound bizarre? It should not as I started a tough new job, in a new city, and most importantly put physical and emotional distance between me and the person most important to me. Anyone who knows me well probably cannot believe I posted this…..but everyone also knows that I am a stand up man who is no longer too proud to socialize his good and not so good. If I can do it, so you can you. #real

Adios and Have A Funday Sunday!!