After 2 Tours of Vietnam – my Dad bought me my first
glove it was 1968. The world was changing. There were Russian missiles pointing at us, my Dad
said.
We had to be home before the street lights came on. Dr. King
was assassinated. I was confused because my white friends did
not have a curfew. Then I saw that
casket again, draped in the American
flag, just like I saw when I was 4
years old. The president brother was
shot too. I didn’t know what my future
was going to look like. When we
traveled in public with my Dad in his military uniform, everyone
was mad at him for something. I got in trouble
for giving the “Peace”
sign to some funny dressed people called
“Hippies”. The only thing that made sense to me
was
baseball. I saw athlete’s on TV that
were the same color as me. I loved Bob
Gipson. I knew Willie Mays was going to beat Babe Ruth’s record,
not this young guy named Hank Aaron. I loved
Roberto Clemente, Lou Brock, Tommie Agee, Don Clendenon. The only thing
that mattered was Winning.
“I Brian
Holloway…promise I will do my best…”
I discovered cub scouts. It was the first time I was apart of
something bigger. They had goals, they had milestones, and they had vision and
values. This made sense to me. I saw other achieve. I took an oath. I was surrounded by models of success and
achievement. This was the first time I
identified pathways to success, and I
saw that the values, skills, discipline would be important to a future
that I wanted to create. There was
nothing I could do about the fact that some people did not like me because of
the color of my skin, but still I could
learn to navigate and succeed in this difficult world.
The Burning Desire Ignites
I discovered cub scouts. It was the first time I was apart
of
something bigger. They had goals, they had milestones,
and they had vision and
values. This made sense to me. I saw other
achieve. I took an oath. I was surrounded by
models of success and
achievement. This was the first time I
identified pathways to success, and I
saw that the values, skills, discipline would be important
to a future
that I wanted to create. There was
nothing I could do about the fact that some people did not like me
because of
the color of my skin, but still I could
learn to navigate and succeed in this difficult world.
Role Models
Inspired Me To AchieveAgainst
Tremendous Odds.
We stayed at Grandpa’s during the summers in New
Rochelle, NY. My father was finishing up his work at Strategic Air Command in
theAir Force and getting his PhD,at USC.My grandfather was continuing to roll out the new intelligence platform for
minorities and women in the development of the United Negro College Fund.This project was so important to our
country, Grandpa became part of
President Roosevelt’s and President Kennedy,famous“Black Kitchen” Cabinet. These were the elite group of “Negro”Ivy League scholars that help craft the educational empowerment of the civil rights movement.At nightwe watch Walter Cronkite and the Mets.During some period Granpa was mentoring this young rising star leader at
Yale,his name was George Bush.At dinner he would have a bunch of very
important leaders over and we had to sit at the table for hours. Churches were no longer safe for strategy
meetings because of the bombings.
Hanscom Field Air Force Base
Massachusetts
The presidential physical fitness award was way out
of reach for me. At 12 years old I was 6’ tall and 215 lbs.I was so big,and growing so fast my tendons were ripping
off my knees.I was in excruciating
pain.It hurt to walk,much less run.I started to train.I would stay after school and practice.I would come
early to school before classes and practice.It took me 2 years of hard work to finally
climb the rope.I started my first
business delivery papers.I took over
the entire community market.This was my
first experience of winning customers and dominating the market. This was exciting. It was profitable. I understood this.We were transferred to Montgomery
Alabama, I step onto the football field
for the first time. I did not make the
team – the coach said,“I was the sorriest football player he had
ever seen.”The next time I would
return to Hanscom Field Elementary School it was 20 years as the New England Patriots, 1st Round draft pick.Thefirst person I met was my old gym teacher.A was speaking to the students about
excellence, persistence and
dedication.After the ceremony,I was presented with this award – the moment
had great meaning to me.And I was in
business for myself.
Coach Fred Shepard – Lombardi,Woody Hayes
When my dad retired from the Air Force we moved to
Potomac,Maryland.My new school – Churchill HS.We were the hardest working team in the state
– Fred Shepard made sure of that.We
would scrimage against Coach Boone’s Titans,in Virginia.In the off-season,I started training with the Track team.I found that after losing more weight I had
quickness and speed of the running backs. The junior prom was a big deal.I
wanted to look sharp.I took some
money,I saved from my paper route to
buy my first suit.If you saw the
movie,Remember theTitans,that was Churchill scrimmaging them.
The
Practices Were Harder Than The Games.
I was not the best player on the team.I had a lot to learn,but I could always hustle and give that extra
effort. This was a difference maker.It
made up for the lack of experience. The
long 3-a day practices broke a lot of people.Player’s passed out.Some
quit. Some broke down and just
cried.You were pushed to your breaking
point.He was building mental toughness.This would pay huge dividends in years to
come. It was harder than college
football and harder than the NFL. I
learn to focus and concentrate and perform in extremely exhaustion.
You’ve Got
To – Shake & Bake!To Change The
Game
I’m blocking downfield
freeing the running back.You can
dominate a space on the field just by your presence. You may get down field 40 times a game,30 times it will not make a
difference,5 times it will get
you a first down,2 times it will
be a game breaking play. That’s what PLAYMAKERS do. Most people only play a half a play.In business,the same is true. Greatness does not come from doing your job and
nothing more.You can never
win that way.Not in the new
world of 2012.Can’t happen. Ever.
This Became My Signature --To Dominate In Every Platform
This became my signature. It was a distinction that no one else was
bringing to their game.The defense had
no way of accounting for me.This type
of effort shifting the odds.It was
like we had 12 men on the field.The
bottomline -- lineman weren’t suppose to be downfield. It required superior conditioning and most
BIG MEN were not willing to work that hard. However I discovered this gave us an instant competive advantage. You’ve
got to block your man first,taking care
of priority #1.Then if you’ve got a
chance to make the crucial block.Darrin Nelson is my Stanford Running back,we are 40 yards downfield.Darrin went on to a great NFL career with
the Minnesota Vikings,under Denny
Green.
Tom Landry Was The First In Line Dallas Cowboys – America’s Team
Tom Landry was the first Pro
team to Scout me.They
had a complicated Multi-platform offense led by Roger Staubach.They flew me into Dallas. They
put my name up in lights on the Jumbotron.I starred up at the open in the stadium at the
star filled Dallas night.I stood at the 50 yard line at the sacred star. The world was getting very
big,very fast.I traveled all spring
semester of my senior year.I had 2 classes to finish,accounting and Wall Street.I was determined to graduate on time.The accounting was brutal.To learn,you needed rest,and there
was no chance of me getting that. The other class – we were required to read one
book.Atlas Shrugged. The 2nd
most important book I ever read.
The Secret
Meetings With The Washington Redskins
In DC everyone was a Redskin fan.Our weekends revolved around the Redskin
game.The Redskins offensive line was
In shambles.They were recruiting me
hard.I was secretly brought into the
Redskins camp two weeks before the draft by Joe Bugel.He reminded me of the passionate,focus of Marv Goux the beloved Coach at
USC.He loved what he did.He loved his lineman.It was his whole world – they were his
“Hogs” as he called them.I knew he
would be great to work for.We watched
films.I could feel that great
chemistry,and just knew I was going to
be a Redskin.His only concern was I
would be selected before the Redskins 24th pick.
The Brutal Beginning – It Was
Not What
I Had Expected -- I Didn’t Sleep For Days
There are many driving forces that shape,change and propell you. Some are positive and inspirational –
others are difficult and painful.I was
furious.I sat up all night with deep
seated anger unlike anything I had ever experienced and I tapped into a level
for fierceness,competitive excellence,
and passionate reslove that consumed me.I didn’t have a word for it at the time.It was the awakening of the Passion of the
PLAYMAKER. It became my magnifcent
obsession that still drives me today.
WHERE THE BATTLE IS WON
Winning does not happen on the field.It happens long before with hours
of painstaking preparation.You did not just lift the weights and build your strength. You were visualizing every
play,every situation against
every player you were going to face. It’s in these quiet moments alone you where
make the decisions on how you were going to face tremendous
adversity. This is how you see what is impossible to see.This is how you slow down
time,having thought out every
situation possible.In doing
so,your brain has already been
instructed on how to respond.It reduces your reaction timefrom .7 seconds,to .35
seconds.This gives you a
50% advantage against your opponent.It also instantly creates the ability to adjust,shift,see the opening that flashes in front of your eyes in split
seconds.It trains
your brain to see stuff that your eyes can’t see.This is that intangible.It does not just happen.You must build It.This is an absolute requirement
of business and busines leaders today. This is how you generate the “elusive” business
intelligence that gives you “the edge”,that sets your product and product experience apart. This is the secret to
creating the BUZZ that drives the viral word of mouth conversation on the
social network platform.This is
the skill set that is currently changing the landscape of business development
in 2012 and beyond.
The Other Face of Winning. The Front Line.
The
front line has the toughest job. You smile for the fans, your
customers and clients. You make each engagement personal friend and
memorable. This drives sales and
fills the stadium with die-hard loyal fans. But on the field – their
another
face, another person that must merge. It’s hard on the front
line. There is no margin for error. The work is the
toughest. The pay is the lowest. The demands on you are the
greatest, mentally and physically. When you do your job with
excellence, no one knows
-- the running back scores, the quarterback throws the winning
touchdown. When it’s all over, they get the recognition. They get the
press. The front line, leaves the stadium quietly, in silence,
with a deep sense of pride/pain of doing an extremely difficult and
dangerous job well. That’s the nature
of the front line warriors. As the Left
Tackle, you protect the blind side of
the quarterback. You play against the
opponents very best player. You are
the T-Rex and you better be.
Getting Crushed by 80,000
Leadership Emerges – The Dynasty Begins
As leaders you muststir up the team. You
must provoke greatness.You
have to talk about Winning. You’ve got to breath Winning.Leadership mustfuel that bravado,that dominating swagger of confidence.When you step on the field -- you can feel it and the fan’s
and feel it too.The passion
of the PLAYMAKERintimidates the
competition.You can literally
bring80,000 people to their feet
with this energy,force and
belief.I was becomingthe “semi-famous” ROCKSTAR of the 85’New England Patriots.I still don’t know how that
happen. I’m a T-Rex.The Left Tackle.I protect the blind side.
This was unexpected.I almost did not make it off the field.
After
the game,
the locker room was insane. I had
never seen so many people in my life. Press was everywhere – forget the
shower. All the corporate sponsors were in the
room. All the investors were in the
room. I was then taken to the private
VIP room where the Sullivan family meet privately with the most elite
Wall
Street giants, corporate heads, entertainers, and national celebrities. This
lady came up and asked for my autograph. I recognized the smile
instantly. It was The Teacher in Space
Christa McAulliffe. I wanted
her autograph. She was changing lives
of young children all across the world – as she help push math/science education. We talked off and on during the
next 3 weeks. Sadly our country lost
this hero and the other members of the Space Shuttle Challenger.
The Revenge.Dan Marino.Shula.
The Ultimate High Stakes Game – Super Bowl XX.
We
just beat the Raiders in the Coliseum, in
January…no one does this. I blew up to
320 lbs for this brutal slug fest and glad I did. And we won. I pulled
Howie Long off sides using a very risky technique…this time it
worked and gave us the crucial first down to seal the
victory. Everyone on the team pressed the
edge. Everyone played a part. Every play
mattered. Everyone had to carry the GAME BALL to
win. It’s a total team mindset. Fast-forward. This pictures
was taken in
pre-practice the following week in Miami. The AFC Championship was
staged at the Orange Bowl. It was the classic
revenge match, the Dolphin’s beat us on
Monday Night 3 weeks earlier. I dropped
to 290…the heat demanded it. Both wrists get a roll of tape,
just like a prize fighter. This
was the 22nd game of the season. Everything
hurt.
The Beginning of The New England Patriot Dynasty
New Orleans -- SUPER BOWL
XX.My Chest was
pounding.I never felt so alive in
my life.The Super Bowl experience is bigger than the game.You reflected back on the difficult journey.You remember the pain, the sacrifice and hard
tough times.You remember
wanting to quit. You
remember those moments when life dropped you to your knees and look up at
God. That’s what the
Super Bowl is really about.As you stand on top of the world,one thing is abundantly clear – you did not achieve this alone.You thank God. The outcome of the game was
significant for sure,but thebiggest breakthrough was knowing the
way there.(This
mindset,vision and passion is
vital for business leaders in 2012 and beyond) Your body goes numb with adrenalin.You have the entire off season to
heal.We had no idea we would
become legendary, as the original New England Patriot’s iron men,that blazed the trail to the first SUPER BOWL.It was the beginning of the New England Patriots
dynasty that is on-going today after25 years.It
was the beginning of a 10,000,000 mile journey helping companies rise to
greatness and dominate markets in the most difficult times.
SUPER BOWL XX
Started Here.
In
2012 and beyond success still starts with the
foundation of values, commitment, dedication and sacrifice.
Leadership is built on these pillars. Winning is a lifestyle. It’s the
most important force that must be
the heart beat of every company that must re-invent themselves in the face of the impossible. In these most difficult times, the reality is clear – not everyone is going
to make it. The PLAYMAKERS will. The new solutions must be invented today. Business intelligence is a competitive
advantage only if it is shared and acted upon.
SUPER BOWL XX
Started Here.
The years spent on the bench had nothing to do with
baseball.It had everything to do with
preparing the heart of the champion that is within us all.I stopped worrying about coming from
behind.I stopped talking about how
difficult the future was.
I did not
blame anyone. I did not spend one
ounce of energy complaining about my frustration. And I did not get consumed by the negative
chatter of others.I made a powerful
and profound decision – to do whatever it took to win.
Stepping Up.Leading.Serving &
Giving.
I pulled the NFL Star’s together – to step up and help
out.This capital
raise was for Living Memorial To Teacher In Space.President Bush,Bob Hope,Joe
Namath,Joe Dimaggio,Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy,Roger Staubach,John Elway,Frank Gifford all stepped up to help.The power of the celebrity brand
was extremely helpful to bring the needed resources to the table for the
national platform. Today, 30 years later The Challenger Center for Space
Science Education is operating and successful all across America.
The Trade.
Holloway Become’s A Raider – Bo Jackson emerges
I had just got off the plane at 1 am and arrived at training
camp at 3 am.Art Shell met
me in the film room at 3:30 in Oxinard, California.We implemented the PLAYBOOK until 6 am.This picture was taken at
6:30.Al Davis said,“I was born to wear Black, he could see
it in my eyes.” He
needed a T-Rex at Tackle.Bo
Jackson was due to arrive and Alwanted
to run the ball.We were
playing the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night.We were going after this kid named Bozworth.He was a myth.We took him down.Bo crushed it. Bowas by far the greatest athlete I have
every seen in my life. A 240
lber that blows out a 4.1240 yard
dash.That’s sick.You had to discipline yourself to
keep playing when Bo was breaking free.It was the only time going down field to block was
totally useless. He was too
fast.One step and he was
gone.I still
ran down field anyway,just to get
a closer look.That running
into the endzone thing and disappearing in the tunnel was no joke. He did not have enough runway to
slow down.That’s fast.
The Launch Beyond – NFL,Hollywood,Wall
Street
Leveraging The Power of the Sports Celebrity Brand
After the games
in Los Angeles, some of the
ballplayers would head out to Beverly Hills to network inside the
Hollywood/Wall Street billon dollar marketing machine.It excalated my vision as I
started to wrap my head around the power of the sports celebrity brand.This elite inner circle was
reserved for SUPER BOWL quarterbacks,super star running backs – no lineman had ever been in this space.I saw the opportunity.I would give it a
shot.The biggest risk
was doing nothing.Easy
choice.Not easy for
many people who are stuck inside “the box.”New thinking will drive change and increase sales in
2012 and beyond.For
those who cannot change,for those
who cannot see a bigger future – the end is near.2012 and beyond requires the big boy shoulder
pads,and everyone must
cowboy up and carry the game ball to win.It’s Go big or go home time. It’s the greatest time ever for PLAYMAKERS.
