Looking back at the values of the game
By Joe A. Staffieri Jr.
President and CEO
Business Direct Marketing Associates, Inc.
for GwinnettForum.com

(Editor's Note: Joe Staffieri Jr. is a product of the National Football League, having played cornerback for one year with the Philadelphia Eagles. Today is president and CEO of Business Direct Marketing Associates, Inc. in Atlanta, and a member of the NFLPA---the retired football players group.)

June 8, 2001 -- Back in the late 1960's, the NFL was a different kind of business. The players were hardworking, solid individuals who were dedicated to their faith, family, team and community.

Reputations were paramount. You didn't really care what you were paid; you just wanted to be the best position player in that uniform. You wanted to have an impact on the team's success.

The old adage of "the more things you can do, the more chances you have of making the team" was prevalent. Team effort was mandatory and "chemistry" with other players and coaches was a definite plus.

Respect for the coaches and authority was always present. If you broke a rule or a law, you were punished equally and accordingly. No one was above the law.

Players inspired one another to be the best and looked out for one another. They studied the playbooks together; confided in one another; challenged one another.

The goal? The NFL Championship. As the great Coach Vince Lombardi stated, "Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all-time thing." That message meant as much off the field as it did on. Players often helped in community events without a second thought. Some were respected more for their off the field accomplishments than the on-field work.

The lessons learned in my early sports years have stayed with me my entire life. The playbooks of my early years have become my business plans and strategies of today.

• Knowing what the coach wanted me to do is now what my clients expect from me.
• The locker room is my office.
• Game Day is every workday and I prepare myself accordingly.
• The team meetings are still "team meetings."
• My teammates are my associates and industry peers.
• My championships are the successes in my children's lives, the successful business and community relationships and, of course, the 15 years of my company's success.

Hard work, discipline, ethics and community values still play a very important role in my everyday life. Each day I continue to thank the good Lord for blessing me with the opportunities and successes in my family, my business, my faith, and my community.

As for professional sports as it exists today, it has become very difficult for me to take an active interest. In today's sports world, many of the core foundations that built professional sports into the thriving business it is today have been weakened. The sad part of it all is that I see it carried over into the business and political communities without anyone taking a stance or challenging the direction.

We are simply accepting things today that we would have never stood for 25 or 30 years ago. I am hoping that the next generation will strengthen those weakened foundations and take us back to the strong personal, family and business values of yesteryear.

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