Burleson ISD’s Post

The concept this week. You don’t need luck; you need to do your best. As a football fan, I always look forward to the upset victories. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals have made it increasingly difficult for smaller colleges to compete with the traditional powerhouses in the current college football landscape. Insert Northern Illinois’ upset victory over #5 Notre Dame. Notre Dame paid NIU almost 1.5 Million dollars to play them in South Bend, under the pretense that they would win big. As the number 5 ranked college football program in the country, Notre Dame was favored to win by four touchdowns against NIU. Last week, Notre Dame beat nationally ranked Texas A&M in College Station, and everyone believed that the Fighting Irish were on their way to the College Football Playoffs. Not so fast, my friends (Lee Corso Voice). NIU’s starters were primarily juniors and seniors who had been in the program for a long time. They know exactly what’s required; they have 10k+ hours in the program. After NIU beat ND, the post-game reporter asked the NIU head coach, Thomas Hammond, what he shared with the team to inspire them to win. Hammond responded, “I told my team we didn’t need luck; we just needed our best.” Don’t bet on luck this week if you don’t have to. Trust and believe in your best. Believing and obsessing about improving your best helps you avoid being outcome-oriented, keeps you present, and helps you progress towards that ‘big opportunity’. Look at this post-game interview! I love College Football for this reason. #MusaMonday #MondayMotivation

Life is long if you know how to use it.

This week we welcome Danya Abrams, former Boston College basketball player, to Merchants of Change for an awesome conversation! After his college career, Danya played professionally before starting his own financial services firm and founded Diverse Athlete Placement, a platform helping minority student-athletes transition out of sports! Don't miss the full episode Thursday for an episode filled with great nuggets of advice and a big announcement between Shift Group and Diverse Athlete Placement!! #careerdevelopment #careertransition #salescareers

Transform Lives with LEAD Ambassador Baseball Tryout! Join us for a game-changing event: The LEAD Center For Youth Ambassador Baseball Tryout. We're on a mission to nurture not just future Major League Players but Major League Citizens. LEAD empowers Atlanta's Black youth to tackle life's toughest curveballs—crime, poverty, and racism—through the power of baseball. This is your call to action. Help us find promising Black boys in Metro Atlanta who are ready for a life-changing opportunity. Share the tryout application and be part of building world-class athletes and leaders. Share Now: https://lnkd.in/dKHj7JFv A problem well stated is a problem half-solved." - Charles Kettering. Together, let's create solutions and transform futures!

Debating Panthers: Future Hall of Famers or Not? Join us in a thought-provoking debate as our characters reflect on the significance of panthers and speculate on Hall of Fame futures. This engaging discussion delves deep into beliefs and perceptions, challenging viewers to think critically about sports and legacy. #PantherDebate #HallOfFame #SportsDiscussion #CriticalThinking #LegacyInSports #AthletePredictions #DebateReflections #FutureHallOfFamers #ThoughtProvoking #EngagingConversations

What is your "I'm going to cut down the nets" dream? Jimmy Valvano's dream in 1980: "I'm going to win a national championship and cut the nets down". The team visualized and practiced achieving the dream by cutting the nets down. He painted the picture for them: "If I can get you to see what I'm seeing, to dream what I'm dreaming, we can win it." At first it was awkward, and year 1 didn't end well. It took 3 years of ups and downs before the manifestation of his vision in one of the greatest upsets ever. Do you think NC State wins it all in 1983 without Jimmy V's clear vision and belief he instilled in his team? Have you visualized your dream? Imagined the time and place it will happen? The challenges you'll have to overcome? The behaviors you'll have to exude? The feeling you'll have when it's accomplished? Paint your picture. Make your dream tangible and explainable in detail. Start April with 2 minutes of inspiration from Jimmy V:

Todd's Top Tip for Excellent Educators (Edition 122, September 27, 2024) Lessons Learned from spectacular playoff season of Kansas City Royals: 1. It's not how you start but how you finish. (Last year, one of worst seasons ever. This year? Here we are!) 2. Do your best, forget the rest. (Bobby Whitt Jr.- recording best season ever to NOT win MVP) 3. Be a goldfish (Short negative memory) (How many times fid Bobby actually make past out to end the game? Many) 4. Only two things you can control- attitude and effort (Star 1B Vinny goes doen with injury at height of playoff race, but here we are) 5. Never let 1% of day ruin 99% of day. 6. Good luck is where hard work and preparation meet opportunity (Royals lose. Twins lose too- we are in!) Go KC!

Did you know March Madness has been around for over 80 years? And where does the phrase “March Madness” come from anyways? Find these answers and more by checking out this fun guide on everything you need to know about the tournament. https://lnkd.in/gV6kskvT

Never count out the underdog - especially when they’re making a comeback This past weekend wasn’t just a win for the Huskies - it was a defining moment for Northern Illinois University. For the first time in its history, NIU defeated a top-10 team, defeating No. 5 Notre Dame in their own stadium. The Huskies were 28-point underdogs, and no one expected them to win. But in true Huskies fashion, they showed that resilience, preparation, and teamwork can defy even the toughest odds. NIU has long been a Mid-American Conference (MAC) powerhouse, but recent years have been tough. When Coach Thomas Hammock - a former NIU running back - returned in 2019, the team struggled, including a winless 2020 season. However, Hammock rebuilt the program with resilience and determination. By 2021, they claimed the MAC Championship, and in 2023, won their first bowl game in over a decade. Now, their upset of Notre Dame shows the underdog can rise again This Boneyard Victory - a term for NIU’s wins over power five conference opponents - was earned through grit and relentless effort, not luck. As Coach Hammock emphasized, “We didn’t need luck; we just needed to play our best.” He called it a program-changing win, a milestone that proves what belief, hard work, and unity can achieve. As an NIU PhD graduate and long-time fan, this victory hit home for me in more ways than one: At Intel, we too are on a journey to reclaim our leadership and prove ourselves once again. Like NIU, we have a legacy of excellence, and we’re meeting challenges that require resilience, innovation, and belief in ourselves. Coach Hammock’s story is a powerful reminder that the best victories are hard earned through perseverance, teamwork, and the refusal to give up. Watching him in this moment and is pride in his team makes me believe that tough battles can be worth it. Congrats and Go Huskies! 🎉🐾 #NIUHuskies #GoHuskies #Resilience #Leadership #IAmIntel https://lnkd.in/gt2Fx7Am

Did you know March Madness has been around for over 80 years? And where does the phrase “March Madness” come from anyways? Find these answers and more by checking out this fun guide on everything you need to know about the tournament. https://lnkd.in/gdVJ-VPu