READ THIS: Earn the Right to Win How Success in Any Field Starts with Superior Preparation by New York Giants Head Coach and Former Boston College Head Coach Tom Coughlin Our Coverage Sponsored by Billy Bishop's Point Break, Thunder Jackson's, Billy Hurricane's, and Sweet Jane's
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Peachy Deegan owns a shirt that says "God Is Good" on the front. On the back it says, "So was Gordon's Kick" and to be exact, she owns two as she loves it so much she needed a backup when it came out from the Boston College bookstore the year she was accepted to Boston College. The shirt would not have been possible without the coaching skills and philosophies of the sage coach Tom Coughlin, who gives the sport of football intellect to be proud of. However, this only makes sense as Boston College has had the highest graduation rate in the country for football players for years. We were indeed honored to review "Earn the Right to Win" because it contains many maxims that are near and dear to our heart, as we were schooled in the Ever to Excel tradition, which directly resulted in the mission statement of Whom You Know: The Best of Manhattan and Excellence Everywhere. The day of that game, Peachy Deegan was watching a football game at Avon Old Farms, the alma mater of David Gordon. Tom Coughlin tells the infamous tale on page 137:
"We started the 1993 season 0-2, then won seven straight games. In mid-November we traveled to South Bend, Indiana to meet undefeated and number-one ranked Notre Dame. A week earlier the Irish had eared the top ranking by defeating the then number-one Florida State Seminoles in what had been called the 'game of the century.'...In four previous meetings we'd never beaten Notre Dame, but in that game, we never backed down, eventually winning 41-39. Then we beat the University of Virginia 31-13 in the Carquest Bowl. Those BC players also continue to take tremendous pride in their accomplishments."
Peachy never gets tired of watching this replay. If you like to be inspired, you won't tire of it either.
You do not need to be someone that bleeds maroon and gold or a Giants fan to appreciate this book however; you only need to be someone with a desire to win in life. Tom shares his recipes for success that he learned growing up with an Irish Catholic background. He was prepared for life: preparation creates confidence. That's why the schools that get their graduates into the top colleges are called Preparatory Schools...and where everything preppy originates from as well.
Coughlin says: "Success is what happens when opportunity meets preparation." (p. 74) Coughlin could just as successfully be a philosophy professor as a football coach...and isn't having a strong philosophy that works essential to being an excellent football coach?!
Tom Coughlin loves structure and he is preaching to the choir with Ms. Deegan as an audience. Organized Peachy is even a column here! Anyone that thinks flexibility is a plus is not focused enough on achievement. If you want to win, you have to PLAN TO WIN. You need to be productive and efficient and make good use of your time. Everyone has the same amount of hours in a day. Having "no time" to do something or "being busy" is just no excuse. Few things bother Coughlin more than wasting time.
We are very big on rules and on words meaning things, because without this there is no basis for further philosophies. Details matter, A LOT. Tom says the culture of an organization is defined by its rules, and the rule of all rules is to BE ON TIME. Thumbs up and applause from Peachy! Coughlin time is 5 minutes early. Maybe Coughlin and Peachy are somehow related as the house that she grew up in had clocks that were set 5 minutes fast on purpose and as a result her clocks and watch are also always set 5 minutes fast.
Among the Coughlin Gems of Wisdom are:
Here's what he has to say about small things and finally,
And Tom also quotes Michelangelo, Andy Rooney, Aristotle and Thomas Jefferson. There are some terrific family stories in here as well, including a star scene from the bobby pin container.
There are quotes from some favorites of ours like Doug Flutie who says on pages 11-12:
"The years I spent [at Boston College when Coughlin was a Quarterbacks Coach] I was the most disciplined I have been in my entire life. In practice [Tom] was tough and meticulous about even the smallest things. For three years he was a voice over my shoulder pointing out the smaller detail. As a result, my biggest fear was making a mental mistake. It was much bigger than making a physical mistake, because it would mean that I hadn't studied long enough or hard enough to do my job. I learned more about football those three years than I did at any other time in my career. Much of my success happened because I knew I was prepared and I was able to relax and perform on game day. What I didn't know at the time was how much I learned that carried over into my life off the field. I thought I had a disciplined work ethic and good values when I went to Boston College, but I left there a different person. Everything I had brought with me that mattered had been reinforced, and I also had all the tools I needed to prepare for anything in my life that I wanted to do."
We think you like to listen to what Peachy has to say, but Doug Flutie's reinforcement we believe does not hurt! After the Flutie era, applications more than quadrupled at BC and we'd say big props to Father Monan as well for that. Monan says on page 177 that the Couglin practices were like a military operation!
And a final note...when Peachy received a response from that school in South Bend that she applied to, she returned the postcard saying "No thank you, 41-39" because she was going to Tom's place. And it made all the difference.
Whom You Know Gives Earn the Right to Win by Tom Coughlin our highest recommendation. It is required reading for anyone that wants to lead their best life!
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Preparation is easy to praise but very hard to master. No modern coach in any sport understands that better than NFL veteran Tom Coughlin. He led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories with his system of relentless preparation and old-school resilience.
Earn the Right to Win (out March 5) reveals the philosophy of mental preparation and consistency in the face of adversity that has led Coughlin’s teams to victory. In the book, the Giants head coach shares his best advice and how it applies beyond the gridiron. His lessons are illustrated with previously untold stories about star players like Eli Manning, Doug Flutie and Michael Strahan.
Coughlin’s direct, honest wisdom on leadership, communication and preparation is sure to help leaders in any field.
TOM COUGHLIN is the head coach of the New York Giants and one of the most successful coaches in NFL history. Before winning two Super Bowls with the Giants, he coached the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine seasons, leading them to two appearances in the AFC Championship Game. Before that he was the head football coach at Boston College and an assistant coach for three NFL teams. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Judy. They have four children and eleven grandchildren.
“The work that is required for improvement is done when nobody is watching…. No bright lights. No cheers. There is a tremendous satisfaction when you have sacrificed and practiced and prepared so that you and your team can be the best you can be.
It is then that you have earned the right to win.” —Tom Coughlin
