The Industry Needs YOU!

The great thing about the amusement industry is the ability to learn from our peers.  No where is that more evident than at the annual IAAPA Expo!

The expo is also a great opportunity to SHARE what you know, what you’ve learned, and what has made you successful.  You never know who you might help!

IAAPA is currently accepting proposals for the education component of the expo.  Most sessions are typically 75 minutes long, and the deadline for entry is Feb. 7.

More information and the submission forms can be found here.

See you at the Expo!

IAAPA Call for Presentations

Do you have an idea, story or strategy to share that would benefit others in the Entertainment/Amusement industry?  Then IAAPA wants to hear about it!

The “call for presentations” is open for the 2011 IAAPA Attractions Expo!  Deadline for submissions is Feb. 7.

Click here for more information!

See you in November!

Stars aligned

I’m a New England Patriots fan.  There I said it.  Some people love them, some hate them.  Whatever your view, you can’t argue with their record this season.  11 wins, 2 losses – one of the best records in the NFL right now.

What amazes me, is how people can still be amazed that a team can do so well WITHOUT the help of big-name stars.  Stars may grab the headlines and highlight reels, but quality teams win games and championships.

In a recent article on NFL.com, it was again pointed out that – gasp – an NFL franchise is collecting wins with rookies, cast-offs and the undrafted.  So what?  Just because their talent wasn’t immediately apparent doesn’t mean they can’t contribute.

What I found really interesting was when Randy Moss, a future Hall-of-Fame reciever, was released by the Pats earlier this season, just how many people felt the Pats were done.  Throw in the towel – the season is over.

So why didn’t that happen?  I think a couple of key factors are at play:

1. The players are an extention of their coach.  Love Bill Belichick or hate him, you have got to give him props for the loyalty and dedication his players have for him.  He’s gotten that respect by expecting really high levels of performance out of each player.  And if you aren’t meeting the standards, he’s not afraid to give you some time on the bench to think about it.  The Pats defensive unit was pretty weak in the beginning of the season.  Belichick said, “if you don’t produce, you don’t play.”  He builds in the desire to play and excel, not just the technical skill.
2. The team is humble.  At 11-2, and the first team to clinch a spot in the play-offs, you might expect the players and coaches to gloat a little, show some pride for their accomplishment.  If you did expect this, you’d be dissapointed.  Listen to a news conference and they “haven’t done anything yet.”  The goal is the Super Bowl, and there is no use getting too excited until that goal is reached.
3. They don’t get involved with drama.  How many “stars” have you heard trash talk, insult or blame others?  Probably too many to count.  Another way that the Patriot players are an extention of their coach is that Belichick doesn’t say much.  He doesn’t put others down or engage in pre-game verbal shenanigans with others.  It’s not his (or his teams) style.
4. The Pats don’t tolerate whining or distractions.  Randy Moss whined after the first Pats game, and his off-field antics were becoming a distraction.  In the Patriots playbook, that means it’s time to go.  This action sends a clear message to the rest of the team.  Message recieved.

In closing, I have to admit that I have not always been a Belichick fan.  When he was the coach of the Cleveland Browns (my team until they didn’t exist), he benched Bernie Kosar, a fan favorite and a Cleveland icon.  Even though Belichick later admitted he could have handled it differently, I certainly didn’t agree with the call.  I now see that he was looking out for the long term heatlh and success of the team – which is a tough thing to do with stars in your eyes.

Thanks for reading!

The sun will come out tomorrow

This weekend my wife and I finally stained the wood fence we put up almost a year ago. I know, we should have done it earlier, but I blame Annie. Yes, little orphan Annie.

By telling us that the “sun will come out tomorrow”, she is essentially saying that things will be better in the future, and we should wait until things are perfect to proceed. This may not be the literal translation, but it certainly hints to it.

You might be saying, “but the real message is of hope, and the days ahead will be brighter.”

True enough, but only if you take action today.

And honestly, my wife and I fell into this type of thinking with our fence. We were literally waiting for a sunny day.  We knew we had to do some prep work before applying the stain, but last weekend it was supposed to rain, so we held off. Looking at the finished product this morning, we could have totally done bits and pieces (even in bad weather) to prepare and make yesterday’s marathon more of a sprint, or even a jog.

So what sort of “sunshine” are you waiting on? What idea do you have tucked in the back of your mind that could be the next big thing? What action have you been wanting to take but have been waiting for just the right time- realizing that there is no “right time”?

Eventually, Daddy Warbucks did come and rescue Annie, so in her case waiting for the sun to come out was worth it.

For the rest of us, we are our own Daddy Warbucks, and we must take action on our own behalf if we want to make things better and move forward.

What action will you take today?

Thanks for reading!