Summer 2011 TSM

Can Munch Can Munch Be the First?Be the First?Can Munch Can Munch Be the First?Be the First?

Mercedes Smith • 2011 Bluecross Springfl ing • Mike MunchakINSIDE:

by Robert J. DeLuca

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4 | Tennessee Sports Magazine | www.tnsportsmag.com

Leading OffSUMMER 2011

VOLUME 2, NO. 2

142011 BLUECROSS

SPRINGFLINGThe best young athletes from

all over Tennessee

F E A T U R E S

14 2011 Bluecross Springfl ingThe best young athletes from all over Tennessee

18 Can Munch Be The First?An indepth look at the Titans newest coach and his chances of success at the Titans’ top dog.

20 This Mercedes Is A Rolls RoyceMercedes Smith has combined dedication, a belief in God and family and an off-the-charts work ethic to become one of Tennessee’s top golfers

10FISH ATTRACTION

Summer 2011 | Tennessee Sports Magazine | 5

STAFFJane Hutson .............................................. PublisherJim Muir .........................................Managing EditorJim Harwell ................................. Contributing WriterDave DeRocher ........................... Contributing WriterMaren Angus ............................... Contributing WriterJillian Davis ................................. Contributing WriterCarol Stewart .............................. Contributing WriterJoe Szynkowski ........................... Contributing WriterJohn Ferguson ............................ Contributing WriterJohn Lee..................................... Contributing WriterSteve Lee ................................... Contributing WriterRudy Kalis ................................... Contributing WriterDr. James Lohse ......................... Contributing WriterLarry Woody ............................... Contributing WriterGreg Sage .................................. Contributing WriterKevin Pieper................................ Contributing WriterKathy Steakley ............................ Contributing WriterAme Arlt .........................................Guest ColumnistNancy Quarcelino ............................Guest Columnist

ADVERTISINGJane Hutson ............................Offi ce/Sales ManagerDavid Anthony Green ..........Senior Account ExecutiveLuis Cova ....................................Account Executive

ARTMike Bullard ...........................................Art DirectorJoel Smith ..........................................PhotographerKevin Pieper........................................PhotographerKenn Stilger ........................................PhotographerMichael Thompson ..............................Photographer

Tennessee Sports Magazine is published monthly by Mad Kat Publications; 9050 Carother’s Pkwy, Suite 140 #73, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 955-0545.

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RosterOUROUR

Departments

6 Pre-Game7 Standouts8 Tips From The Pros29 Shut Up & Serve30 Ask The Jock Doc34 Between The Lines

Inside

10 The Great Outdoors

33 Ask The TrainerMeniscus Injuries: What to do for a common knee ailment

18CAN MUNCH BE

THE FIRST?

24THIS MERCEDES IS A ROLLS ROYCE


After all these years, I still fi nd it odd to watch basketball and hockey fi nals in June. One would think I’d get used to it by now. Summer is busy with travel sports

tournaments and national championships for basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, swimming and many more.

We recently returned from Wide World of Sports at Disney World for the AAU volleyball championships. It’s an amazing sports facility with every amenity an athlete or sports fan could possibly want or need. Perfectly manicured outdoor fi elds, pristine courts and bleachers for indoor sports, and that infamous Disney hospitality. Summer in Florida….I’m thankful we were there for an ‘indoor’ sport. Whew!

One of my favorite sports moments so far this summer was an interview with Rory McIlroy after losing the lead at the Master’s tournament. He set the standard for how to handle losing in sports. Even after the USAToday headline read “Rory McIlroy falls apart on Masters’ back nine”, he simply kept it all in perspective and went back to work, back to doing what he does best, back to practice. When asked

about losing the four-stroke lead starting Sunday’s round and fi nishing with an 8-over 80, his response was classic. McIlroy said, “I don’t know what all the fuss is about. Its golf and I’m 21. I’ll be back.” I watched another interview when McIlroy was asked what he learned that day.

Another fi rst-class response. “This is my fi rst experience at it, and hopefully the next time I’m in this position, I’ll be able to handle it a little better. I didn’t handle it particularly well today, obviously, but it was a character-building day. Put it that way. I’ll come out stronger for it.” Best part is… he did! Congrats, Rory, on winning the 2011 US Open!

We’ve got another great golf story for you this month too. Meet

Pre-game

‘Wild’ World of Sportsby Jane Hutson

Keep it in perspective:

Lessons from a young golfer

teach us so much about life.

Mercedes Smith from Monterey, TN. Good student, great junior golfer, strong community servant. You’ll learn how a young person with a supportive father and a dream is seeing her way to college doing what she does so well – playing golf.

Included in this issue is also some great golf advice from Tennessee’s Nancy Quarcelino. Take a few minutes to sharpen your golf skills with Nancy’s training tips.

We also have a great four-page spread from talented photographers Kenn Stilger and Randy Harris of our TSSAA State Tournament Spring Fling from late May held in Murfreesboro. You’ll see photos of great performances by high school athletes from throughout the state.

Eager for the NFL lockout to end, our cover story this month is on Titan’s head coach, Mike Munchak. Long-time Oilers/Titans fan and Houston writer, Bob DeLuca, contacted me about his story on Munch. I read it and instantly wanted to share it with you. Bob takes a look at some coaching history to project the future success of this major coaching decision. I think you’ll fi nd this to be pretty interesting stuff.

I’ll close this month with a big thanks to our readers and advertisers. I continue to be humbled by your wonderful feedback. You make it worth the effort each month. You make it fun and I truly appreciate that. To our advertisers who continue to support TSM each month, thank you for believing in us and making TSM part of your advertising strategy. We certainly can’t do it without your support!

Enjoy the rest of your summer! All the best... Jane.

Pre-gamePre-Game


STANDOUTSOUTSOUROUR

Laurel BurroughsFriendship Christian • SoftballLaurel Burroughs has played three seasons of softball at Friendship Christian and she has appeared in three straight state tournaments. A fi rst-team Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State selection as a junior, the shortstop batted .387 with 11 doubles and nine home runs while accounting for 30 RBI and 42 runs scored. The Lebanon native was fi rst-team all-district selection as both a sophomore and junior, earning district most valuable player honors in 2010. Head basketball coach Deanna Teeter says of Burroughs, “Laurel is one of those players I am so proud to say I have coached. As a coach you want an extension of you on the court, someone who knows what you expect and knows what to do in certain game situations in case no time outs are left or just someone who takes charge in a positive way. I have had the pleasure of watching Laurel develop into this kind of leader over her basketball career.” Burroughs, a 3-sport standout at FCS, has signed to play softball at Austin Peay University in Clarksville. While at FCS, Laurel was also an outstanding student, Christian role-model and standout volleyball player.

Nathan RenfroBrentwood Academy • FootballNathan Renfro, BA senior kicker/punter will be a Terrapin at the University of Maryland this fall. According to Coach Ralph Potter, “Nathan is a talented kicker and punter who has always been willing to do whatever we asked of him. Up until his senior year, he played a position (back up linebacker) as well as handling most of our kicking duties. He is a two year member of our Leadership Council – a group of seniors and a few juniors elected by their teammates to set the tone and carry out the daily discipline of the team.” An excellent student, Renfro was awarded the prestigious Founder’s Award this year, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a senior by his peers and by the faculty at Brentwood Academy. The award is given to the senior who is perceived to best live out the mission of the school – pursuing excellence in academics, athletics and a relationship with Christ. Coach Potter adds, “He cares about his teammates and classmates and we know that he will have great success in whatever he chooses to do.”

Matt HamannBelmont • BaseballOn April 2, Belmont Baseball stood 13-15 overall and a precarious 3-8 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. But with the insertion of junior pitcher Matt Hamann into the starting rotation, Belmont has made a remarkable turnaround. The Bruins have won 12 of their last 16 conference games entering the fi nal weekend of regular season play, and are 30-23 overall following a 6-3 win on May 17 at Tennessee. Hamann, a native of Northbrook, Ill., has a 7-1 record with a 2.28 earned run average. He leads the Atlantic Sun in opponent batting average and shutouts, and is second in earned run average, victories, and complete games.


Tips From The Pros

Playing golf and practicing golf is very different. When you are practicing on the driving range, you are always on a level lie. The wind may be blowing in your face or from side to side, but you are always on a fl at surface while hitting your shots.

On the golf course you may hit the perfect shot down the center of the fairway and then fi nd that the ball has ended up on an uneven surface. As you access your situation and determine the distance to the green, you must take into consideration that the distance to the target will change when you are on an uneven lie. You should also know that the uneven lie will affect your alignment as well.

This month we will cover two of the four uneven lies you will encounter on the golf course, the uphill and downhill lie.

DOWNHILL LIEWhen confronted with an uneven lie, the fi rst thing you should

always do is determine the distance to your target. In making your club selection, you will want to choose a shorter club with more loft, as the ball will fl y lower and travel farther than normal.

Play the ball position toward your uphill foot (for right-handed golfers, this will be your right foot). In order to determine how far back the ball position should be, take a practice swing near the ball and watch where the club soles out to the ground. The ball position should be placed where the divot begins.

Next, put the majority of your weight on your front foot. Match your shoulders hips and knees with the angle of the slope. They should be parallel with

The Ups and Downs of Playing Golf

Uneven Liesthe ground. Adjust your alignment to aim left of your target. The ball fl ight will move to the right because of the downhill lie and ball position.

Use the wrists on the backswing to bring the club up the angle of the hill. The follow through will be low with the slope of the hill. If there is any weight transfer you will follow through as if you are walking down the hill.

UPHILL LIEDetermine the distance to

your target. In making your club selection you will want to choose a longer club with less loft. Because of the slope the ball will fl y higher and travel shorter than normal.

Play the ball position toward your uphill foot. To determine how far forward the ball position should be, take a practice swing under similar conditions and watch where the club starts to hit the ground. The ball position should be placed where the divot begins.

Because weight transfer is so diffi cult with this shot, turn your front toe to the outside of your heel. Pointing your foot to a 10 o’clock position will help you with any weight transfer.

Match your shoulders hips and knees with the angle of the slope. They should be parallel with the hill. The right shoulder, hip and knee will be lower than the left shoulder, hip and knee. Your weight will be on your back foot. Do not lean to your front leg and attempt to level your self. This will cause you to swing into the hill.

Swing with the slope of the hill. If you have any weight transfer with this shot it should be minimal. This shot also promotes the ball moving more left of your target so adjust your alignment at setup accordingly.

The Nancy Quarcelino School of Golf is located at Kings Creek Golf Club just south of Nashville in Spring Hill, TN. Nancy is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher. For more information call 615-778-8823 or go to www.QSOG.com.

by Nancy Quarcelino

THE UPS AND DOWNS Nancy demonstrates hitting an uphil lie (left) and a downhill lie (right).


The stake beds are especially effective for spring crappie.

“It’s a very simple concept,” explains

TWRA fi sheries biologist Todd St. John. “Submerged stake beds attract and hold crappie and other species. The poles mark the spot so that fi shermen can locate the submerged structure and fi sh it.”

Renowned crappie expert Steve McCadams

says man-made fi sh attractors are particularly effective on older impoundments in which much of the natural cover has disintegrated.

“Cover is what attracts and holds fi sh,” McCadams says. “In a big lake

most of the fi sh are going to be concentrated in relatively small areas. Find those areas you’ll fi nd the fi sh.”

McCadams is such a believer in man-made attractors that he builds and maintains dozens of them. As a professional guide he wants to reserve them for his clients, so he doesn’t visibly mark the submerged

INSIDE

Fish Attraction

The Great Outdoors by Larry Woody

THE CATCHSteve McCadams with a crappie he caught fi shing around a submerged stake bed.

During the winter Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency personnel spend countless icy hours building “fi sh attractors” – submerged stake beds marked by a plastic pole jutting out of the

water – and in the spring it pays off for fi shermen.

HUNTING SEASONS MAY CHANGE: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission is considering moving the mid-December turkey hunting season up to October and having the deer season run uninterrupted through Dec. 31. It also may take a month off quail season in an attempt to bolster the declining population. Those and other changes were on the recent TWRC agenda and if passed will go into effect this fall.

ELK SEASON: The deadline was May 31 for applying for a permit for Tennessee’s third annual elk hunt, Oct. 17-21 at the North Cumberland Wildlife Area. Four bull elk permits will be issued through a random draw conducted by the TWRA, and a fi fth permit will be auctioned off. Applications can be made at any TWRA license agent, TWRA regional offi ce or online at www.tnelkhunt.org. Successful applicants will be notifi ed at the TWRA’s June meeting. Proceeds go to the state’s elk-restoration program.

Mark YourCalendar

stake beds. Instead, he records their locations on a GPS unit so he can fi nd them later.

The TWRA attractors, on the other hand, are put there for public use. They are marked with a white plastic PVC pipe to guide anglers to the exact spot.

“We want people to fi sh them,” St. John says. “That’s what they’re there for.”

The agency has been building fi sh attractors for decades. The original markers were buoys imprinted with a red fi sh-and-hook logo and stamped with “Fish Attractor.” Some of those original markers are still in evidence today.

Several years ago the TWRA began constructing the more prevalent shallow-water fi sh

attractors marked by the familiar PVC pipe and agency logo.

St. John said there are approximately 165 of the markers on Percy Priest Lake alone.

During the winter draw-down when the water level is at its lowest, TWRA personnel wade out and hammer the wooden stakes deep into the lake bottom. In deeper water the workers stand in a boat and hammer the stakes down with the aid of a

metal driving pole.Some stake beds are pre-

fabricated, hauled out to the site, dropped and anchored. Brush – especially cedar – old tiers and other debris is sometimes anchored around the stake beds.

When the lake returns to normal pool the stake beds are submerged in 8 to 15 feet of water. A section of PVC pipe, fi tted over a metal rod anchored in the stake bed, protrudes a few feet above the surface to mark the precise location for fi shermen.

As most crappie anglers know, fi shing just a few feet away from the cover may not be productive. It is critical to drop the jig or minnow as close to the stake bed as possible because that’s where the fi sh are holding.

One advantage of wooden stakes over limbs and brush is that a bait or lure can be fi shed in the midst of the stakes with less chance of snagging.

“Our goal is to bring the fi sh and the fi shermen together,” St. John said. “The fi sh attractors do just that.”

“It’s a very simple concept. Submerged stake beds attract and hold crappie and other species. The poles mark the spot so that fi shermen can locate the submerged structure and fi sh it.”

— Todd St. John, TWRA fi sheries biologist

I once made the mistake of believing the Old Wives Tale that a skunk can’t throw its scent if quickly dispatched. I was young and naïve and never stopped to wonder how an Old Wife could possibly know about something like that.

Trust me – the Old Wives were wrong about skunks and their spraying aptitude. Since then I’ve heard from other outdoorsmen who got into similar dire straits by believing various Old Wives Tales.

On the subject of skunks, tomato juice is supposed to remove the odor. It didn’t work on my dog Kazan; after a tomato-juice bath he smelled like a skunky tomato.

If a bird fl ies through your window, Old Wives claim that means bad luck. I can see how that could be true, especially if the bird were, say, a Canadian goose. The cleaning bill would be enormous.

It was equally bad luck the night a bat fl ew down my Aunt Em’s chimney. After Aunt Em demolished much of her furniture swinging a broom (a fl itting bat is harder to hit than a major league screwball), the bat departed out a window.

Speaking of bats, Old Wives claim the little critters will dive down and get tangled in our hair. Over the years that’s become less and less of a worry for most men my age. Any bat that tried to land on our head would skid off the runway.

If a bee fl ies into your home it means you’ll have a visitor. If a bee fl ies into your car it means the visitor could be a tow-truck driver. The sound of cow bells drives away evil spirits. It also drives fans nuts at Mississippi State football games.

It’s bad luck to smash a ladybug. Especially on a freshly-cleaned white carpet.

According to the Old Wives it’s bad luck to place a hat on a bed. It’s also bad luck to go to sleep hanging from a hat-rack. One of my favorite Old Wives Tales is that its good luck to spit on your fi sh bait. Not very sanitary, but good luck. I once fi shed with a superstitious fi sherman who chewed tobacco. What a mess.

Another Old Wives Tale for the hygienically-challenged: spit in your palm before shaking hands and the deal will never be broken. Maybe so, but it’s hard to imagine sealing a deal with some corporate big-shot that way. (“OK Mr. Trump, we’ve got a deal – put’er there! Patooey!”)

If your left hand itches it means you’re going to come into some money. Not sure what it means for Southpaws.

Always get out of bed on the same side you got in or you’ll have bad luck. Plus, if it’s dark, you can’t fi nd your shoes.

According to an Old Wives Tale, if an owl hoots outside your bedroom window it’s a bad omen. I can attest to that, based on an experience one night in a cabin at Reelfoot Lake. When an owl began hoot I got up to shoo it away. I got out on the wrong side of the bed and stepped on a lady bug. Next day I didn’t catch a single fi sh and my boat sprang a leak.

The Old Wives tried to warn me.

DON’T BELIEVE ALL THE OLD WIVES’ TALES

SPRING SQUIRRELS: Spring squirrel season runs May 14-

June 12. Bag limits and hunting regulations are the same as

during the traditional fall season. Check the Tennessee Hunting

Guide for details.

EAGLE REWARDS: The search continues for the killer(s) of two

bald eagles earlier this year in Cumberland and Bledsoe

counties. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is working

with federal wildlife agents, and a reward of $8,500 is offered for

information leading to an arrest and conviction.

BOATING REMINDER: A fl otation device for each passenger

must be aboard every boat and “accessible” – not stored in some compartment. Youngsters 12 and under must wear a life jacket any

time the boat is moving.

Mark YourCalendar


HIGH SCHOOL HEROES(above) Brentwood’s Jake Lazus in the long jump, (opposite page) Hillboro’s Tyler Anderson in the triple jump, (opposite page, inset left) Abbie McKinney in the hurdles, (opposite page, inset middle) Margret McDowell in the pole vault, (opposite page, inset, right) East Literature High’s Kanellarr Carney won the Pentathalon gold medal.

2011 BLUECROSS SPRINGFLING


Photography (page 14 & 15) by Kenn Stilger, (page 16 & 17) by Randy Harris


2011 BLUECROSS SPRINGFLING


HIGH SCHOOL HEROES (top) Amy Wengerter of Independence High in the long jump, (bottom left) Summertown batter looking for a pitch, (bottom, right) Independence’s Austin Billings in the triple jump.


HIGH SCHOOL HEROES (clockwise from top left) MBA’S Davis Thailkill delivers a big serve, Riverdale’s Rachel Albritton prepares to deliver a pitch, Jessica Azor (riverdale) in the long jump, Oakland’s Kody Brown wins the high jump, Brentwood’s Steve Wade in the discus, Page’s Hanna Springer clears the hurdle in the 100M.



Can Munch Can Munch Be the First?Be the First?Can Munch Can Munch Be the First?Be the First?

I am not sure exactly when it began but looking back now, I can see pretty clearly that it ended on that gray and gloomy winter afternoon in

January 1994, when once again we poor suffering Houston Oiler fans had our hopes dashed against the abrasive Astrodome carpet. My sons and I had begun “the walk” from our seats toward the parking lot as Nick Lowery’s extra point gave Joe Montana and the Kansas City Chiefs a 28-20 victory in the second round of the NFL playoffs. This was fi nally going to be our year. It had to be. We were so close. Quarterback Warren Moon had led the team to a brilliant 12-4 record in the regular season, fi nishing with 11 straight wins. Houston had captured the AFC Central Division outright and earned a fi rst round bye with home fi eld in the post season. The stars were aligned, but, no matter, the Oilers were one and done. The next season we won two measly games in one of the worst spin-crash-and burns ever. By 1997 the team had gone to Tennessee. It is almost amusing to realize that some 17 years later, despite eight years of the Texans, the last playoff game in our city is still that one against the Chiefs on January 16, 1994. Yes, as we trudged along the Dome ramps to our cars after that game, I think we knew down deep that

the Oilers were dead. The love affair was over.

That game also marked the breakup of one of the most outstanding player tandems in the history of the NFL. When Mike Munchak, the Oilers’ superb offensive guard, limped off the fi eld after that game in 1994, he would never again return in uniform. Still a pro bowler in his 12th season, he fi nally gave in to his chronically bad knees and perhaps more than a little bit to his own frustration. Munch had combined with Bruce Matthews to give the team a devastating offensive line, which no doubt had a lot to do with Houston’s success - in the regular season.

I have always had a soft spot for offensive linemen. In the violent world that is the NFL, these obedient behemoths are continuously involved in the worst of the mayhem, and yet to the average fan they are the least appreciated and understood combatants on the fi eld. There are precious few ways to determine how well one of these guys does his job, except by the measurable success (or lack thereof) of his teammates. If a running back has a thousand yard season, you will hear accolades about his offensive line. If a lineman is lucky, he might get a new Rolex, or, more likely, just a steak dinner, from his “glory” boy running back. By the

same token, when a quarterback is sacked, fi ngers will immediately thrust in the direction of an O lineman. Even defensive linemen can pile up their own stats with tackles and sacks. And yet their counterparts across the line of scrimmage must be content with anonymous slaps and smacks. I guess I admire and appreciate this unheralded fraternity of trench toilers since in my playing days I also labored in similar relative obscurity.

I brought my family to Houston from Pittsburgh in the late 1970’s, where we had been captivated by the Terry-Franco-Mean Joe Super Bowl juggernauts. Lucky for us, it was about the same time that Earl Campbell arrived from the University of Texas. Even with Earl carrying the load, though, we needed a lot of tough love to hang in there with the Oilers during all those low single digit win seasons. Finally, of course, Bum Phillips and his “Luv Ya Blue” bunch, won the hearts of the entire city. Those teams were loads of fun, even if they never could quite “kick the door in”. Just about the same time I was beginning to question my sanity in suffering with the Oilers, somehow, they managed to draft two of the most outstanding offensive linemen ever to play the game. Mike Munchak marched into the Bayou City from the hills of western Pennsylvania, and

by Robert J. DeLuca


AROUND THE NFL WITH MUNCHAK (left) Being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, (right) coaching on the sidelines, (bot-tom) playing for the Titans (Oilers back then)


one year later Bruce Matthews surfed in from the beaches of So Cal. In no time at all Mike and Bruce gelled into twin road grading fi xtures on the offensive line where they would remain for more than a decade. During their time together they competed at a consistently high level that has rarely been observed before or since. In their 12 and 19 seasons, respectively, Munchak and Matthews were named to an incredible 9 and 12 pro bowls between them. Both, of course, were lay-down Hall of Fame inductees. On the fi eld performance aside, both men conducted themselves as model citizens and were strong family men who were highly regarded within the community. You didn’t have to have played center in high school to appreciate how lucky Houston was to have Mike and Bruce.

The question today, however, is just how far can a superb player and “good guy” go when he wakes up

one morning, as Mike Munchak did recently, and fi nds himself running the show for an NFL franchise? “Hold it a second, Chris. Let me ask Jeff what he wants to do there................Wait a minute! Jeff is gone. I’m the Jeff!”. In January 2011, after fi nally deciding to show head coach Jeff Fisher the door after 16 seasons, Tennessee Titans owner, Bud Adams, threw the keys on Mike Munchak’s desk. While the timing of the appointment might have been a little strange and a surprise to some in keeping with the way Bud does things, it is certainly clear that Mike Munchak has paid his dues as an understudy for the pressure cooker job of head coach in the National Football League.

In fact, virtually since the last time he walked off the fi eld that day in Houston, he has been employed as an assistant coach for 14 seasons with the Oilers-Titans under head coach Fisher. He has been the team’s offensive line

coach since 1997. By any standard of fairness Munchak has earned a shot at the big job. He has what seem to be impeccable and impressive credentials as a 12 year NFL player who was voted to 9 Pro Bowls and is in the Hall of Fame. He has served as an assistant on an NFL staff for more than a decade. He has a reputation for hard work and is unquestionably an upstanding human being. Putting any rooting interest feelings for or against the Titans aside, almost everyone has to be pulling for him to be successful. But, what really are his chances of going on to a head coaching career in the NFL that can compare to the sterling achievements as a player? The remainder of this article is devoted to addressing that key question.

As outlined in my book, “The Perfect Pro Football Coach”, I have studied and analyzed in depth the careers of all 263 men who have stalked the sidelines as NFL head

PAST AND PRESENT(right) Munch at the press conference announcing his ascension to the head coaching job, (below from left to right) Bruce Matthews, Vince Lombardi, John Madden.


coaches from 1960 through the 2010 season. I have developed a simple system, using hard data only from the coaches’ performances on the fi eld, which I have called the Coaching Achievement Scoring Hierarchy (“CASHTM “) for evaluating the careers of every NFL head coach. I have prepared a ranking of all coaches from the very best to the very worst. John Madden’s CASHTM score, by the way, grades him out as the very best of all time. With the rankings established I then studied the resume attributes and characteristics of the most, and least, successful coaches. With that information I have compiled some “success predictability factors”, which can be applied to any new head coaching candidate such as Mike as he takes on the job in Nashville.

It is very important at this point that I explain that my study and ranking of NFL head coaches attempt to do the impossible. I try my best to take the emotion out of the equation and truly level the playing fi eld while evaluating the careers of this group of incredible individuals. Everyone has a favorite team and probably coach, of course, depending often on where you live or maybe grew up. Some coaches are just warm, lovely, terrifi c human beings, who are admired on the strength of their character alone. My work puts all that aside, and considers coaches only on the success, as judged primarily by team wins, that they have achieved on the fi eld. As a result, I have no doubt assigned high rankings to some coaches, who might be of questionable character, while at the same time, denigrating in rank some of the most admirable people in the profession. I also fully understand that in the real life coaching profession, especially in football, a coach’s character and emotional make up are closely tied to his success. Perhaps, it is similar to the very likeable high school teacher, who has great

rapport with his classes, gives out few assignments, and does not challenge the students. He is universally admired until a few years down the road the students realize they learned nothing much from him.

So, warm feelings aside, just how does Mike’s preparation for a head coaching career shape up under my success factors compared to those who have gone before him? To start with, he is a good age at 51. The optimum age based on my analysis is 46. He also comes from Scranton, Pennsylvania and played at Penn State, which also augur well, since that part of the northeast has consistently produced numerous successful head coaches, such as Shula, Noll, and Cowher, to name a few. Most great NFL coaches, also coached in college at some point. Munchak has not, but with his longevity at Tennessee, missing out on a college job probably can be overlooked. History has demonstrated time and again that experience on an NFL staff is essential, and he certainly meets the test there, although I feel that time at the full blown coordinator level is also critical. He is coming in from offensive line coach. Not having been an actual offensive or defensive coordinator could hurt him. My research also shows a bias toward coaches who grew up on the defensive side of the ball. Mike has always been on offense.

Another strong indicator of future success is the degree to which a new head coach has been around winning programs throughout his football career, including all playing and coaching positions in college and the NFL. Simply put: is he use to being a winner? Munchak played on some very good Joe Paterno teams around 1980 at Penn State. Interestingly, in his NFL career as a player and a coach so far, which has been all with Houston-Tennessee, through 2010, he

is exactly at .500 with 229 wins and 229 losses. 17 of his 33 seasons in his career have been with winners. He has seen some success but does not have an overwhelming lifetime winning percentage in the sense that it is used here.

In studying what it takes to bring to the table to assure head coaching success in the NFL, I was very surprised to observe that having been a head coach at least somewhere previously was not necessarily a key to good things in the NFL. Many of the very top all time NFL head coaches never ran a show anywhere before they took over at the highest level. In fact, I noticed that in many cases, having been a head coach in the NFL before can actually be a bad thing. Statistics prove that most repeat head coaches fare worse the second time around. If a coach was fi red once it was probably for good reason. In any event, Mike has never been a head coach, so it shouldn’t affect him either way.

So far, Mr. Munchak is stacking up reasonably well against our “Perfect Coach” coach standard, but there is one more important test. While you don’t necessarily have to have played in the NFL to expect to be a good coach, most of the really good ones have had at least few years in the NFL wearing a helmet. For some reason, many of the terrifi c NFL head coaches were borderline NFL players at best (e.g. Don Shula and Tony Dungy). Unfortunately, however, in the past fi fty years in the NFL, there has never been a Hall of Fame Player who has gone on to become a great head coach. Several have met the minimum standard, but most have failed. It is against this historical precedent that Mike Munchak’s credentials can be most called into question.

To cite a recent prime example, there is the case of the just dismissed Mike Singletary, who is an undisputed Hall of Famer with a helmet on but


a tragic failure as a head coach. Who can forget the camera shots of Mike Singletary’s bulging eyes as he tensed in anticipation at middle linebacker just before the ball was snapped? His great play took him to 10 pro bowls in 12 seasons and confi rmed his induction with the Class of 1998 into the Hall of Fame. At the end of the 2008 season he took over as interim head coach

for the hapless 49ers and showed enough with a 5-4 record to get the “interim” dropped from his title. He jogged in place during 2009 with an 8-8 record, and then was given his walking papers with one game left in the 2010 season. In his two plus years Mike won 18 of 40 games. His intensity and dynamic approach to the game notwithstanding, the odds were stacked against his going on to have a head coaching career in the NFL that approaches the quality of his on-the-fi eld performance.

Over time, the great ones, who show up at the Pro Bowl every year, simply have not panned out as great head coaches. Perhaps for that reason or more likely because of the big money that is spread around NFL rosters these days, fewer and fewer players turn to coaching when they hang up their spikes. Of the 263 head coaches that appeared in NFL games since 1960, at least 108 or about 41% of them had some actual NFL playing experience. For

analysis purposes I included anyone who appeared on an NFL roster at anytime, even in training camp, such as John Madden, who was injured and never got into a game. Of the ex-players who went on to be head coaches Mike Munchak will be the 25th who is in the Hall of Fame. The very best coaches in this group including Don Shula, Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, George Halas, and John

Madden all got there mainly with their clip boards. Almost all the other great players turned out to be average to dreadful head coaches.

At fi rst glance, the lack of head coaching success by great players is puzzling since it seems logical that a good player, especially one who has performed at a high level for a while, would be uniquely qualifi ed to step into a coaching position. Any accomplished player certainly has performed under pressure in all kinds of game conditions. Such a player turned coach who has “walked a mile” (or more) in his team’s shoes must have gained considerable appreciation of how much he can demand from his players to be successful. He should know, for instance, when to push and when to back off. You would think so, but let’s look at the numbers.

I don’t deny that there have been successful, if not stellar, NFL head coaches who were excellent players, but they are very few in

number. Mike Ditka and Raymond Berry were great players who also did well at times as head coaches. To a lesser degree, the same holds for Art Shell, Joe Schmidt, and Forrest Gregg. Then there are Bart Starr and Norm Van Brocklin, who are unquestionably among the best quarterbacks of all time. As coaches, though, their achievements are among the worst. George Halas is listed only for the part of his record that occurred after 1959. Other than perhaps among Bears’ faithful after a long evening of elbow bending, is there anyone who would classify Ditka, Berry, Shell, Schmidt, or Gregg as truly exceptional head coaches?

So, will Mike Munchak in Tennessee become the very fi rst Hall of Fame player to also become a Hall of Fame coach as well? He did make a very interesting move in hiring his staff: he brought in Bruce Matthews as offensive line coach. The M and M boys are reunited. But will they be a hit this time in Music City? If work ethic were the only criterion, there would be no debate. If emotion is extracted out of the equation, and his situation is viewed through the magnifying prism of history, however, the odds may be against the Titans fi nding a real winner.

All that said, did I mention that my two top coaches of all time, John Madden and Vince Lombardi, were also offensive linemen? And now that Bruce is back, I am now thinking that just maybe I was wrong. Maybe the magic of Luv Ya Blue didn’t die that bleak day in Houston almost 20 years ago. It may yet still be kindling in Tennessee. In fact, I’ll bet that Munch will become the very fi rst Hall of Famer, who deserves to be there both in a helmet and carrying a clipboard.

Always had a soft spot for offensive linemen... these obedient behemoths are continuously

involved in the worst of the mayhem, and yet to the average fan they are the least appreciated

and understood combatants on the fi eld.

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This Mer cedes is a Rolls RoyceThis Mer MERCEDES SMITH HAS COMBINED DEDICATION, A BELIEF IN GOD AND FAMILY AND AN OFF-THE-CHARTS WORK ETHIC TO BECOME ONE OF TENNESSEE’S TOP GOLFERS

by Carol Stuart

Mercedes Smith’s dad came to eat lunch with her at school one day when she was seven years old and asked her if she wanted to

go play golf. He had been reading an article on the Internet about Title IX gender equality in sports, and it made him go “hmmm.”

“She worked and worked and worked at the game, and I made a statement within a year I guess, she’ll end up and we’ll get a college scholarship out of this,” said Richard Smith.

And she has – despite her dad being both the stereotypical and an atypical father-coach of a junior golfer. He admits to having pushed his daughter, now a senior at Monterey High School and a signee at Lincoln Memorial University, too hard at times. But Richard Smith is also a single parent who

has been raising three children by himself since they were 2, 3 and 4 years old, and Mercedes is the middle one. On top of that, he’s 100-percent disabled due to injuries sustained in military action.

“I have more metal in my body than I do bones I think,” he said.

Mercedes, a member of the Tiger Woods National Team in 2008, fi nished third in the AAU National Championships last summer and runner-up in the TSSAA Class A-AA state tournament last fall. She’s played in 260 tournaments, but hasn’t had as



This Mer cedes is a Rolls Roycecedes is a Rolls Roycemuch private coaching as many top junior golfers.

“Not having much income, he couldn’t afford to get professionals,” said Charles Looper, her high school golf coach. “He got a couple of lessons – it costs $75 hour to get these people to help, and he couldn’t do that. And that’s been a handicap for her.

“If she had the training that she could have used professionally, she could have really been tough. Her driving average in high school was like 265.”

Richard Smith and Mercedes both say they owe a lot to the late Bobby Nichols, a longtime Tennessee Tech golf, and current Ironwood Golf Course owner Elaine Garrison for helping them out. Ironwood, in nearby Cookeville, Tennessee, is what Mercedes considers her home course, and Nichols coached her until his death from cancer in 2008.

“They let her have her privileges without me buying membership and things like that,” Richard Smith said. “We had a lot of things that we would’ve never had if it hadn’t been for Ironwood. They kind of just nurtured us and took care of us. I’m very grateful. I couldn’t live 10 lifetimes and pay them back.”

Habitat for Humanity also built a house for the family, Looper said, and Richard Smith receives service-connected disability payments.

“We just made it happen; there were a couple of times I passed myself going, I think,” Richard Smith said of juggling activities as a single parent.

Son Boomer, who has enlisted in the Navy, got football scholarship offers, and his rising junior son played basketball and golf until giving it up due to a childhood foot birth defect.

“And I’m one of those parents – I’d sit through two hours of practice watching my son practicing football, and I’d be at the golf course with Mercedes constantly. Of course I love my children and I just wanted to be involved in whatever they were involved in.”

The Smiths spent Mercedes’ trips to junior tournaments as their family vacations, too. This year she’s really only focused on the AAU championships due to costs associated with high school graduation, and then it’s on to Lincoln Memorial – which she picked from over 50 colleges that offered her fi nancial aid.

“She’s one of the hardest working golfers I’ve ever had,” said Looper, in his 41st season coaching. “I’ve had three or four girls go on and play college golf, but they never worked as hard as she does. And that means that she’s going to go further than them probably when she gets over to LMU. I’m just really proud of her.”

Mercedes is also a straight-A student, in the National Honor Society and vice president of her senior class.

Her list of volunteer work is incredible, and she was the fi rst person to receive the Tennessee Golf Association’s Vince Gill Volunteer of the Year Award. She’s a member of the High School Volunteers of Community Service Corps

at Tech; created fundraisers that paid for 24 local kids to attend camps; teaches golf camps and clinics to area kids; helped in community food drives and clean-up projects; sent gift boxes to soldiers overseas; and visits nursing homes on a regular basis.

“Mercedes is super – all this notoriety has never gone to her head at all,” Looper said. “She’s very pleasant, and teachers love her. Her grades are excellent.”

That day Mercedes’ dad fi rst asked her to play golf when she was 7 came with other incentives, she noted.

“My dad came up to my elementary school and was

“Mercedes is super – all this notoriety has never gone to her head at all. She’s very pleasant, and teachers love her. Her grades are excellent.”

— Charles Looper, Monterey High School golf coach


like, ‘So, do you want to go out and play golf?’ I was like, ‘You’ll get me out of school and go play golf?’

“And he said, ‘Yes, if you keep your grades up. I’ve kept my grades up and I’ve played golf ever since.”

Her combined merit and athletic scholarship at Lincoln Memorial, a Division II university in Harrogate, Tenn., is worth $25,000 a year.

Citadel, one of 75 schools that contacted her, was a fi nalist and fl ew her in, and she also had a chance to visit Connecticut but didn’t want to play golf in such a cold, snowy climate. She said she picked Lincoln Memorial in part due to its player development program and its on-campus facilities as part of its professional golf management business degree.

LMU, which is considering applying to D-I, has an on-campus driving range, practice hole, putting green, wedge range and indoor facilities – better than most Southeastern Conference schools’ campus offerings, for instance.

“We never had the resources to actually have someone work with her as a professional on a consistent basis,” her father said. “I do believe the player development program at Lincoln Memorial and their golf facilities on campus will enhance her ability to be a better golfer.”

Mercedes’ goal is one day to try her hand qualifying for the LPGA professional tour, but she also will study to be an athletic trainer. She won the 2010 Wendy’s Heisman Award and holds the school’s girls golf 9-hole record with a round of 33.

“I like traveling and it’s really peaceful out on the golf course,” she said about what she likes about golf. “If I’m really stressed or anything, I can go out on the golf course and play. It’s always calmer.”

And Mercedes, who also played basketball in middle school, benefi ts from a steady demeanor on the golf course, Looper said.

“She doesn’t get rattled; she’s very calm in her play,” said the Monterey coach, who has donated a bus to the school’s program. “And that’s a plus too when you’re playing golf. You’ve got to not be like Tiger when he throws his clubs.”

Tiger’s golf program has been a part of Mercedes success, too. She got to play in San Diego at the Calloway World Tournament after getting accepted onto his national team.

“I signed up for the Tiger Woods program, and it was a surprise that I got it,” Mercedes said. “Dad brought up the envelope to the school, and he thought it was just saying thank you for applying. I opened it and read it, and I’m like, ‘Dad I got accepted.’ … It was really fun, just to experience everybody’s culture there and all that.”

Mercedes has also played in the George Holliday memorial tournament in Myrtle Beach., S.C., and last year at the Ballantyne golf course in the national championships in Charlotte, N.C. “That course was really fun, I loved that golf course.”

““She doesn’t get rattled; she’s very calm in her play... You’ve got to not be like Tiger when he throws his clubs.”

— Charles Looper, Monterey High School golf coach


Richard Smith said he’s lucky his daughter stuck with the game, however, because of his own coaching and conduct as a parent.

“I’m pretty blessed that she continued to play,” the dad said. “I learned more lessons on the golf course than she did. A part of that was about me.

“I was tough on her at fi rst, real tough. As any parent, I wanted my child to be successful. I could have driven her away from the game, as a lot of parents do with their kid, but she hung in there.”

But Richard Smith would see other parents and how they acted on the golf course with their children and it hit him hard – that he didn’t need to behave that way.

“I wanted my children to be successful. I always drove a little harder, to reach out and gain and to make good grades. You just want your kids to have something that you never had – opportunities,” he said.

Mercedes, who also attributes her ability to play golf to God, has made lots of sacrifi ces by spending time on the course when a lot of her other friends were sitting at home, playing video games or going to the movies.

LMU Coach Travis Muncy thought Smith had already

been signed by someone, so she was sort of a late addition to his recruiting class. He already has fi ve golfers in the women’s program who shoot in the 70s, and another reason Mercedes picked LMU is because she knew two other incoming freshmen – Cumberland Gap’s Lindsay Davis, third behind Mercedes in state, and Alcoa’s Lindy McGuire.

“We’re pretty excited about having her come along,” Muncy said. “She’s placed so high in state, she’s got so much ability and potential that I think she’ll be really good collegiate player.

“I think her game’s got nothing but to get better. She has a lot of room for growth. She hasn’t had a lot of private lessons and things like that, and we can get up here and work with here with our coaching staff and see how good we can make her.”

When Mercedes fi rst started playing golf with her dad, he would have to give her a couple of strokes, but even though they haven’t played in a while she thinks it’ll be the other way around now.

“Last fall I told him I’d give him 10 strokes and I’d still beat him,” she said.


Shut Up & Serve

TThis month I have the privilege of highlighting a family that has made a huge impact in the volleyball world in Middle Tennessee as well as around the country. It all started

30 ago when Robert Cook from Wilson County decided to give volleyball a shot. Quickly, he fell in love with the sport and it took him all over Middle Tennessee looking for games and competitions. Eventually, he put a court in his backyard with lights and people started coming fi ve days a week to play late into the night. My favorite part of their story is how “volleyball fever” began to sweep through the entire Cook family!

Robert’s sons, Danny and Caleb, grew up around the game. Their father put a volleyball in their hands when they could barely walk. Robert told me, “Instead of having footballs or basketballs around the house we mainly had volleyballs.” As the boys grew up they even put a small net inside their home and used a lighter ball so they wouldn’t break anything. As they started getting into their teen years, Danny and Caleb built a smaller size court in the backyard so they could play each other one on one. Robert proudly said, “I got them started and they did the rest!”

Today Danny and Caleb are some of the fi nest volleyball players in the country. And the game they seem to dominate is beach volleyball. They recently won the famous FuddPuckers beach tournament held in Destin, Florida for the third time. Also, they win almost every local tournament held at the Nashville Beach Courts in Joelton, Tennessee. Check out tnvolley.com for more information about upcoming tournaments.

But there is much more to this story. The ‘Cook volleyball fever’ spread into the hands of Robert’s brother Tony, who then passed on the game to his two kids John Michael and Kristin. Kristin began competing at the age of 12 and has become an amazing athlete. She has been a key player on her high school team at Wilson Central as well as playing on the 17 and under Alliance Volleyball Club this year. Her brother John Michael watched his sister and cousins all excel and decided to give volleyball a chance at the age of 14. He was a fast learner and has become a key player on the Impact Volleyball Club’s 18 and under team that is traveling to the Junior Nationals this July. Off the court they both

It’s a Family Affair excel at school and John Michael is the class valedictorian for Wilson Central this year. He will be attending UT Knoxville next year and continuing to play volleyball on their club program.

The Cook family equally shares a love for the Lord as much as their love for volleyball. It’s a challenge to keep your faith strong when opponents are doing everything they can to beat you, but they have all managed to keep a balance. Their faith in Jesus is the foundation that strengthens the whole family through the many ups and downs of life. It will help keep Caleb strong when he is deployed this fall to the Middle East.

Robert Cook found a passion for volleyball and it positively infl uenced his family and hundreds of people in Middle Tennessee. Perhaps his story will encourage you to “Shut Up” any excuses and learn to “Serve” others with the gift God has given you.

by Dave and Mandy DeRocher

THE COOK FAMILY VOLLEYBALLERSJohn Michael (top left), Kristin (top right), and Danny and Caleb at the Fudpuckers tournament in Destin, Florida (bottom).


Tennis is considered to be one of the best cardiovascular sports, which can be played as a single player or with a partner. Even though acute and overuse injuries such

as ankle sprains and muscle strains dominate the injuries associated with tennis, we are going to closely examine the most common cause of pain in the tennis player’s elbow.

How does an athlete present with tennis elbow pain?A tennis player will complain of pain and tenderness on the outer side of the elbow. Your athlete will notice a weakened grip when holding the racquet. There will be pain with twisting their wrist such as opening a door with turning the doorknob, using a screwdriver, and even opening a jar. They may also complain of lifting objects like a coffee mug.

What causes tennis elbow?Your equipment, like too large of a grip on your own racquet, can cause tennis elbow. Also, be conscience of the weight of the racquet that may be too heavy. A common technical fl aw such as leading with your elbow during repetitive backhands can irritate your elbow. Even by changing your intensity and frequency of practicing can lead to tennis elbow.

Which one of my tennis players is at risk for developing tennis elbow?Keep a keen eye on your athletes who do not adequately warm-up before practice or a match. Look for weakness in their grip and any infl exibility of their forearm muscles. Never return an athlete previously diagnosed with tennis elbow back to play without complete healing and rehabilitation.

How do you treat this type of injury?For acute injuries in which symptoms persist for less than four weeks, I recommend complete rest from tennis with ice compression by using a 4-inch ACE bandage and keeping the affected elbow elevated for a maximum of 15 minutes three times a day until pain subsides. Additional pain relief can be accomplished with a short course of anti-infl ammatory medicine after meals with stretching and strengthening the forearm muscles.

Ask The Jock Doc

by Dr. James Lohse

A common technical fl aw

such as leading with your elbow during repetitive backhands can

irritate your elbow. Even by changing your intensity and frequency of

practicing can lead to tennis

elbow.

Finally, I recommend modifying your activities involved in daily living to compliment the rest from sports.

For chronic injuries where symptoms persist for more than 8 weeks there are more complications such as scarring, partial tearing of the muscle, and chronic tendon degeneration known as tendinosis. I fi rst recommend utilizing a counterforce tennis elbow brace to decrease the forces across the damaged tendon. On rare occasions, I will shut down the elbow completely with a splint and a local steroid injection to quiet the pain. For the more recalcitrant elbows, I will recommend to use ultrasound guided needling while adding protein rich plasma injections. Surgery is usually never an option to treat chronic lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) unless there is an associated radial nerve entrapment.

I would like to start playing tennis, are there any preventive measures to avoid tennis elbow?A technically sound athlete will have a decreased chance of serious injury. I recommend a few lessons with an instructor to maximize your technique and correct any imbalances in your swing. Always stretch prior to any practice or match. Make sure you have the correct size and weight racquet to compliment your physique. Focus on wrist and forearm fl exibility with proper strengthening. Finally, you may want to wear a counterforce tennis elbow brace with play.

Dr. James Lohse is a board certifi ed sports medicine specialist treating athletes and weekend warriors in both Williamson and Davidson counties for the past four years. Please call today for an appointment at 615-591-4500. Don’t forget to ask about our sports physical special!Join Brentwood East Family & Sports Medicine’s healthy initiative to “BE Fit, Strong, & Move” today!

Tennis Anyone? Recognizing and Treating Tennis Elbow

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Recreation sports don’t stop once summer arrives. Let’s face it, sports kick up to a new level. Most organized sports are participating year round, and athletes have little

rest or down time. Even when athletes aren’t participating in their organized team activities, they are having fun with various other athletic activities. Unfortunately, knee injuries can occur with any of these athletic endeavors.

As a matter of habit, all knee injuries are not seen immediately by medical personnel. Often times, people will continue to be active until the knee interferes with that activity, as seen by increased pain and swelling, or the knee ‘locks up’ or ‘gives way.’ Most people complain of pain within the knee joint, especially with prolonged bending, turning, twisting, or cutting. Often it turns out the athlete has what is categorized as a ‘torn cartilage’ or more succinctly a meniscal injury.

The knee joint has two internal menisci, one lateral (outside), the other medial (inside). These discs act as a cushion between the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bones). Since the ends of the femur are rounded, and the tibia end is fl at; the shape of the meniscus lateral and medial assist as a joint stabilizer. Several ligaments surround each meniscus securing them in place to further assist in the stabilizing of the knee joint.

Meniscus injuries may occur from the twisting of the cartilage which gets pinched between the tibia and femur. The injury may also occur when the ligaments surrounding the knee become stretched beyond capacity or ‘sprained.’ As we age, the meniscus can lose its elasticity, soften, and become worn. This is seen on an individual case by case basis. Initially, the injury will cause pain and swelling, which may dissipate as time passes. People may also experience a feeling of the joint ‘locking’ or ‘giving way’ upon a subsequent turn or twist.

Physicians will use manual and diagnostic tests, such as X-ray and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to determine the extent of injury sustained by the joint. An X-ray is used to rule out loose bodies, joint degeneration, or any bone abnormalities. An MRI is needed to determine if a tear is present or the severity of the event.

Once the location and severity of the injury are determined, incident management will be recommended. The outcome may be surgical or non-

Ask The Trainer

Meniscus InjuriesWhat to do for a common knee ailment

surgical. Therapeutic or non-operative management may include ice, anti- infl ammatories, and plasma rich protein injections. Physical therapy is also an avenue to healing where therapy the goal is to maintain strength, gain range of motion, and amend daily activities.

For those cases that do not respond to non-operative management, there is a surgical option. Physicians can perform arthroscopic surgery where they will either remove or repair the torn meniscus. Recovery depends on the individual and type of procedure performed. Repairs of the meniscus involve longer recovery than just trimming it. Whether surgical or non surgical, each individual should follow his or her physician’s recommendations as each case are unique.

In closing, as a nation we are striving to be a healthier and more active society. This makes the occurrence of injury more prevalent. Pay attention to your knee pain, as it might be time to seek medical advice. When the minor or major setbacks occur, use the same motivation and determination that you use for sports to get through this challenge to achieve your ultimate goal.

Meg Stockham received both a Bachelors in Science and a Masters in Exercise Physiology from Auburn University. She had the privilege of working and traveling with many of Auburn’s athletic teams. Meg has worked as an athletic trainer in middle TN for 13 years; fi ve in Marshall County Schools prior to getting a job with Star Physical Therapy. Meg has worked at Star Physical Therapy for eight years and has also been the athletic trainer for several schools, including Brentwood Academy, Brentwood High School, Page High School and Fairview High School. For more information about STAR Physical Therapy, visit us at starpt.com or follow us on Facebook.

by Meg Stockman, ATC, L

Meniscus injuries may occur from

the twisting of the cartilage which

gets pinched between the tibia

and femur.

IIf you have brothers and sisters or are parents of more than one child you’ve asked this question a thousand times.

My sister got straight A’s all through school. My daughters found an old report

card of mine for the 8th grade where the highest grade was a C- and everything else was a D an F or an incomplete and just about every teacher wrote a note along side saying: “If he would only apply himself.” I would be looking out the window, daydreaming instead of listening.

Out of high school I tried college for a year at a technical school, but played more pool than I attended classes and after a year fl unked out and was slapped with a draft notice. It was the Vietnam era and I decided to enlist in the Air Force because I loved, and still love being around airplanes. But instead of becoming an air traffi c controller, which I was led to believe when I signed the papers, I became Air Police or Security police as they call it these days.

Four years in the military changed my life. As much as my parents tried to discipline me, Uncle Sam did a better job, a tougher job. I made the decision right off the bat that I wasn’t going to buck the system. I was going to do whatever they wanted, like it or not. The rebel in me was driven out by countless hours ‘humping’ the fl ight line, (walking guard duty around military alert aircraft).

Why Are We So Different?

Between The Lines

One of my favorite quotes comes from the book “Call Me Coach” written

by legendary UCLA basketball

coach John Wooden.

The quote is “Things turn out the best for those

who make the best of the way

things turn out.”

I began to like the change, something inside of me liked growing up, like being accountable, liked having people believe in me.

But it all started with my attitude. That was the only thing I could control, no matter what was thrown at me or how I was treated.

When I came out of the service, I wanted to go back to college and try again. With the help of the GI Bill I enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (where Bruce Pearl coached before he went to Tennessee) and took, among other things, a radio production course just to get back in the habit of studying.

Don’t ask me why. I was a wimp standing up in front of a high school English class. I think I just wanted to prove something to myself.

That one class opened the door to a nearly 40-year career in broadcasting sports.

One of my favorite quotes comes from the book “Call Me Coach” written by legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

The quote is “Things turn out the best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.”

Your children may all be different, but God made them that way. Don’t you ever quit on the one that seems to be lost in his or her own world.

Keep the faith. Proverbs 16:9 says: “A man plans his way in life, but it’s the Lord who directs his steps.”

Why are we so different? Because we’re supposed to be.

by Rudy Kalis

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Summer 2011 TSM

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