THURSDAY COMMENTARY – WHERE CORN DON’T GROW

(Listen for the RP Commentary daily on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)

You could call today’s commentary: Washington Commanders Part II.

Or, “Who’s Going To Win – Old School or New School?”

As expected, the situation at Washington’s NFL camp this week caused quite the debate on Wednesday’s RP Show on Game+ TV, WQEE and YouTube Live.

I’m fairly certain no common ground was reached between the older and younger generations, and I’m also fairly confident none was reached within the Commanders locker room.

To recap real quickly, Washington players think new assistant coach Eric Bieniemy is too hard on them and too intense. Incumbent head coach Ron Rivera basically told them to sort it out amongst themselves, and that’s why he hired the 2-time Super Bowl winner from Kansas City.

How many times do we need to say here that sports is a microcosm of life? As a young person, I didn’t like to be pushed either but my parents had a strict “Our way or the highway policy”. So I took the highway right after Grade 12 but within a year, had my teeth knocked in and knees broken by the world.

I came back to the farm on bended knee and although I knew I would never be a farmer, I took those Old School values of showing up everyday – on time, or earlier – and giving your best, there’s always some task to do, finish the job, and never giving up, and transferred them to the media world.

Voila, it’s been a Hall of Fame career. A lot of people don’t like me but not one person has ever questioned my work ethic. I think they’re just jealous and too lazy to put the work in themselves!

These concepts are all the same things Eric Bieniemy is trying to implement in Washington.

The disconnect for me comes when trying to pass along those values to the next generation. For some reason, they’re not having it. I’ve spent a number of years trying to figure that out and why they won’t relent, and insist on taking the easy way. I’ve also recently made the decision to stop banging my head against the wall, and let them hit the ditch on their own.

Unfortunately these coaches, and employers, are dealing with the same thing, but they don’t have the luxury I do. They have to make it work, somehow.

The good news for me is that at age 50, I’m in BY FAR the best mental, physical and emotional shape of my life and opportunities are presenting themselves by the boatload in both Canada and the USA. This all comes after 35 years in the business.

Many people in my position are getting a gold watch, if they’re lucky. Most are getting their belongings in a box and getting kicked out the door.

I say to the kids, “Do it your way”.

I’ll be waiting for you at the finish line, if you make it that far.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+TV, WQEE Radio, Podcast & YouTube Live)