CARLTON'S decision to replace Brett Ratten as coach, with a view to appointing Mick Malthouse, was painful but understandable. Given five years, the incumbent was still to convince that he could drive a team all the way. The opportunity to grab one of the best, who's done it repeatedly, was too good to pass up.

But the Carlton/Malthouse fit is not entirely without challenge. The club and its new man will at some future stage be required to extend themselves in ways they have previously resisted. There are interesting times ahead.

''We have to strike,'' club president Stephen Kernahan said at Thursday's announcement of Ratten's departure.

Carlton's reputation as a successful club within the AFL era is shaky - one flag in 25 years is scarcely top 10.

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They can hear the clock ticking on Chris Judd. They have a core of high draft picks and other good players in the prime of their football years. Time is on the wing. Only a flag will appease the discomfort.

So the Blues intend to appoint a proven coach who, in his first year at the helm, will turn 60. On the score of age, it will be a unique appointment. And they will hope to quickly win a premiership to justify it.

If the coup is completed and delivers its clear objective, all will be well. The Baggers will have a 17th flag and the coach would join the exclusive four-flag club. But what then?

As ever, Carlton is acting for the here and now. Replacing coaches is in its DNA; doing hard yards towards a longer-term objective is not. The play for Malthouse, justified though it may be, can't be seen as other than a short-term grab. He perhaps has a five year shelf-life. As well as he coached at Collingwood, the premiership there took a decade.

This means Carlton, as it commits to a full assault under a proven veteran, must also think to the long-term. The last time it did this, Wayne Brittain was shoehorned into the coach's box behind David Parkin, then - in a moment of political expediency - sacked within two years.

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Life of Mick, Blue messiah?

Twist of fate: Brett Ratten was still smiling yesterday. Photo: Ken Irwin

MICK Malthouse last night ridiculed Collingwood president Eddie McGuire's claim that accepting the Carlton coaching job would endanger his health.

''My health is fine,'' Malthouse declared. He added that his philosophy in life, referring to a note written by his late brother-in-law, was never to let opportunities slip by.

''One of the reasons I live by that is I preach that to young people, if you've got the opportunity, do it. That may well be the case. I've got a lot to weigh up but those things are gentle reminders about life,'' the three-time premiership coach said in an interview with Channel Seven.

Illustration: Matt Golding

Carlton confirmed last week that Malthouse, who turns 59 this month, is a prime candidate to replace the sacked Brett Ratten. McGuire then inflamed tensions between the two men and the clubs when he said it had appeared the pressures of coaching might ''kill'' Malthouse in 2009, and this had prompted the arranged handover to Nathan Buckley two years later.

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Malthouse maintained he was ''undecided'' about the Blues job, but hit back at McGuire's remarks.

''How ridiculous. There will be no tit-for-tat with Eddie. My health is fine,'' he said. ''I want to get those blokes on the same kind of bike I ride regularly and we'll go for our two or three hour rides. I wouldn't put anyone through anything if I didn't think I could get through a season of footy.''

Malthouse said he was not motivated by revenge towards Collingwood, and reiterated that impact on his family would be the greatest consideration.

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All's fine in the Malthouse, Eddie

Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke Burt and Dean Young will play their last game of NRL footy today. Source: The Daily Telegraph

Nothing ride on this game except emotion with Hindmarsh, Burt, Hornby and Young playing their final matches. Picking a winner is tough but Paul Kent and Dave Riccio give it a shot.

FOUR good men retire from the game tonight.

Nathan Hindmarsh and Luke Burt leave Parramatta. Dean Young and Ben Hornby leave St George Illawarra.

All of rugby league want to send them go out as winners and yet only two can.

We'll all be looking for different things from them tonight.

Some will want to see how they handle the nerves of their last game.

Others might look for what they might do different.

I can tell you we'll see nothing different from them between the lines, because these guys are pros. All the emotion will all come out after the game.

And with all of that swirling around their final game, I hope some of the players still around next season look beyond that and think about their own retirement.

Continued here:
Life starts at fulltime

31 August 2012 Last updated at 06:18 ET

Paralympic cyclist Mark Colbourne has explained how sport and his coaches gave him back his life, after securing Britain's first medal at the Games on Thursday.

Colbourne, 42, from Tredegar, south Wales, secured a silver in the C1-3 1km sprint on Thursday and he is aiming for another medal when he competes later in his favourite event, the C1 3km individual pursuit.

Colbourne was badly injured in the Gower, Swansea, in a paragliding accident in May 2009.

His medal came on his Paralympic Games debut, and the first people he thanked were the coaching staff from Disability Sport Wales (DSW) who helped him on the road to recovery.

When I'm on the bike I do feel able-bodied again, so it's a great feeling that I look forward to every day

He underwent five months of gruelling physiotherapy just to learn to walk again.

Colbourne was left with a broken back and lower leg paralysis after his paraglider fell to the ground from around 40ft (12m).

With a natural passion for sport, as part of his treatment and rehabilitation he went on to compete in the Welsh indoor adaptive rowing championships.

In September 2009 he set himself a target of competing in his first Para-cycling event and went on to win two gold medals at the Wales Grand Prix in Newport.

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'Coaches gave me my life back'

My travel soccer club sponsors a Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) workshop every year. It is a mandatory workshop for all soccer coaches, and I am always reluctant to attend. But after each workshop, I always walk away with one or two concepts to help me be a better youth soccer coach. Tonight, I attended the PCA workshop called Double-Goal Coach: Coaching the Mental Game. And what struck me tonight was that players should set and achieve goals. By setting and achieving goals, players will quickly improve.

Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals

The first step is to set goals. Players should choose S.M.A.R.T goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. Goals should meet all of these criteria. For example, an individual player goal could be to score at least 10 goals in a single season. A team goal could be to win the league championship. With concrete goals in mind, players can focus on achieving them.

Achieving Goals

There are many ways to help players achieve their goals. For example, positive coaches can inspire players by filling their emotional tanks. That is certainly something I try to do. But at tonight's workshop, I learned another way to help my players achieve their goals. I learned that when NBA star Kobe Bryant was in high school, he practiced on his own at 6am every morning. I also learned that Tiger Woods still hits 1,000 golf balls every day. These professional players became great by practicing often. So I am going to provide a similar opportunity to my players. I am going to invite them to come to practice 30 minutes early to work on anything they like. It will be an optional, self-paced and open session. The extra time on the field will help them achieve their goals. And I hope this experience inspires them to set and achieve more goals.

Coaches have goals too. My goal this season is to help my players set and achieve their goals. When they learn how to achieve goals in soccer, they will set and achieve goals in life. And that is what positive coaching is all about.

More from this contributor:

Positive Soccer Coaching: Unique Ways to Fill the Emotional Tank

Positive Soccer Coaching: Five Dumb Things Coaches Do

Positive Soccer Coaching: Enjoy the Game First

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Positive Soccer Coaching: Help Players Set and Achieve Goals

CHICAGO, Aug. 30, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the world recently cheered on athletes who most embody the Olympic spirit, we reflect on how greatly sports have evolved throughout the years. The methods for coaching athletes have changed drastically as well. These days, coaches have to be versatile enough to grow beyond teamwork and motivational techniques in order to truly inspire their athletes.

That's why the GH School of Healthy Living is forging ahead and embracing a distinctive approach to personal training, which has resulted in creating world class trainers and inspirational healthy living leaders. It all starts with the right team, and GH is hiring.

GH School of Healthy Living recognizes that former college coaches are the best suited candidates to transition from their day jobs into the GH programs. Channeling their passion and skill set from a career served shaping the lives of athletes, these former college coaches create a positive environment of highly effective techniques for motivating all types of people towards sustainable, healthy living.

When Kelly Lindsey joined GH School of Healthy Living in 2011, she knew she was joining a movement that transforms traditional 'exercise and healthy living' practices for her clients. After completing a successful professional soccer career with the US Women's National Soccer Team, Lindsey refocused her drive and athletic prowess to coaching; serving as an NCAA Division 1 women's soccer coach at the University of California, Berkeley. Lindsey later left her job at Berkeley to pursue her dream of working closer with her players to propel them towards their peak potential.

Lindsey eventually realized the more successful she became as a coach, the less time she had to train and inspire the best from her players towards reaching their champion goals - as well as motivate them in school and their daily lives. She wanted the opportunity to go beyond merely winning and losing with her players by encouraging them to reach their true life potential. At GH School for Healthy Living, Lindsey finally found herself in an environment that allowed her to combine her skills as a former player and coach to positively transform the lives of others.

"Helping real people win in the game of life -- where winning really matters -- allows me to be more of a coach than I could ever have been in the world of collegiate and professional sports," said Lindsey. "GH School for Healthy Living allows me the opportunity to really focus on improving the lives and health of others."

Through the vision of Greg Hahaj, the CEO and founder of the popular Chicago-based GH's life coaching centers, GH School for Healthy Living has incurred tremendous success transforming clients' lives through changing behaviors inside and outside the gym. At GH, clients are instilled with a complete education about healthy nutrition and exercise, as well as scientific assessments to create and monitor personalized health plans for each client.

"I want to dedicate my career to improve their performance in the game of life and I wanted to surround myself with a team that shares that same mission," commented Hahaj.

GH School for Healthy Living has attracted other top-tier athletes and coaches who have made the switch from traditional coaching to sustainable living. Doug Penno, a former Division 1 basketball player and Assistant Coach at Pace University in New York, has also channeled his years of experience to educate and empower people who want to live a healthier lifestyle.

"Through my experience in basketball as a player and a coach, I realized the incredibly positive impact a coach can have on the lives of others," said Penno, "I enjoyed coaching basketball, because it gave me the opportunity to help my players be better people and that's my passion."

Excerpt from:
Chicago's GH School for Health Living Launches National Hiring Search for Coaches and Athletes

Mark Robinson analyses Brett Ratten's remarkable media conference after the heart-breaking disappointment of being axed as Carlton coach.

Mick Malthouse and Eddie McGuire after Collingwood's defeat in last year's Grand Final. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD feared it could "kill'' Mick Malthouse if it had not enacted a coaching transition three years ago.

Magpie president Eddie McGuire revealed today the club feared the stress of coaching an AFL club, along with other issues going on in Malthouse's life at the time, were the only reasons for the deal that saw Nathan Buckley appointed senior coach this year.

McGuire's heartfelt comments come as Malthouse is expected to be appointed Carlton coach for 2013 after Brett Ratten's sacking.

"I heard on Neil Mitchell's program this morning, Mick was at pains to point out the agonising decision of whether to put himself through the mental and physical anguish of coaching the game and the emotional toll that it could put on his family,'' McGuire said.

"I think that give you an insight into the dilemma we faced three years ago at Collingwood.

"Mick is a mighty person and an amazing coach. But his closest confidant and his manager Peter Sidwell and I met and we were a little worried at that stage that we might kill him because he put so much into it, all the stress and the things we were going on in his life at that stage.

"The stress was so much on him and you could hear it in his voice on radio this morning.

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Eddie feared for Mick's life

VICTORIA, British Columbia, Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Wholesome Career Living Inc. has launched a new TV site to provide multimedia resources on the topics of career planning, life transition management, executive coaching and purposeful living.

"We are tapping into the ever increasing trends in video watching on the web, and using it as a leverage for enhanced customer engagement," says Company President and CEO Tolu Adeleye, Ph.D.

The website features video content from experts and practitioners in the mentioned subject areas as well as those of individuals who speak from an experiential point of view. Movie clips, podcasts, videos are sourced from YouTube, vimeo, and other video-sharing sites as well as iTunes and other podcast directories sharing sites.

The various video and podcasts are organized in easy-to-access categories on the site.Furthermore, video magazine episodes featuring view points of multiple experts on a chosen topic will be presented on regular basis at http://www.wholesomecareerliving.tv

The website also serves as a forum for interaction between practitioners in the career management and life coaching fields and visitors to the site.

In line with the company's service offerings as a 'provider of services that cover the whole career continuum', the website features topics such as:

The provision of these key issues and others in visual and audio forms through this site and the interaction that ensues will better position the company's customers for greater successes in their goals.

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Wholesome Career Living Inc. Presents - Wholesomecareerliving.tv - Videos, Podcasts and Sound Clips to Empower You ...

Kansas State's Angel Rodriguez says he chose to be a Wildcat largely because of former coach Frank Martin.

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

Angel Rodriguez had spent his entire life living in the tropics. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a city on the northern coast of the island. While San Juan is significant historically and economically in the Caribbean, these days most people associate the city with a potential vacation destination. That's what happens when beautiful beaches are combined with an average temperature in the 80's 12 months out of the year.

Think about it like this: Rodriguez was born in a place where he had to travel 1,000 miles northeast just to get to Miami, where he went to high school. Even if you listen to Rick Ross and judge the city based solely on a 30-year-old Al Pacino movie, it's impossible to deny the fact that Miami is one of our nation's premiere party destinations.

Before heading off to college, Rodriguez had spent his youth living where the rest of the country goes on Spring Break. So when the time came for the point guard who had twice been named to the Class 6A All-State First Team and was one of the top five prospects in Florida to decide where he would spend four years as, in all likelihood, a star basketball player, he chose ... Manhattan, Ka. Home of the Kansas State Wildcats.

Manhattan is a city of 52,000 that freezes during the winter, deals with droughts and triple-digit temperatures during the summer, sits smack in the middle of tornado alley and has an airport with flights to and from Chicago and Dallas. Only Chicago and Dallas. What motivated Rodriguez to make that move? To go from southern Florida to northeastern Kansas?

"Everybody knows that the reason I came to K-State was because of Frank," Rodriguez said.

The 'Frank' that he is referring to is Frank Martin, the former head coach at Kansas State. Martin, whose parents immigrated from Cuba before he was born, cut his teeth as a high school coach in Miami and still has strong recruiting ties in an area where his name carries quite a bit of weight and garners even more respect. Rodriguez referred to his relationship with Martin as a 'friendship' on more than one occasion during a phone conversation Tuesday evening. Throw in the fact that Martin had turned another Puerto Rican point guard -- former Wildcat Denis Clemente -- into an all-Big 12 performer during a season that ended with Kansas State in the Elite 8, and Rodriguez's decision to play his college ball in the Little Apple was an easy one to foresee.

What wasn't so easy to foresee, however, was Rodriguez's reaction when Martin left to take over the basketball program at South Carolina. Just four days later, Kansas State filled their head coaching vacancy with Bruce Weber, who had been fired after nine seasons at Illinois less than a month earlier. Rodriguez was at a crossroads: follow his coach -- his friend, his mentor -- to South Carolina, where he would have to sit out a season before being forced to compete with Bruce Ellington for playing time, or stay at Kansas State to play for a different coach but with a roster talented enough to compete for a league title in a wide-open Big 12?

"It was a decision I had to make not only based on me, but with my parents and my people and what they thought was best for me," Rodriguez said. It wasn't a decision he made quickly. Rodriguez met with his new coach and heard him out, giving Weber, who was criticized for his recruiting during his tenure at Illinois, a chance to re-recruit him and convince him to remain at Kansas State. And luckily for Weber, Rodriguez bought into the sales pitch. "He was a great guy and a great coach. Based on that and the fact that I didn't want to sit out, why go transfer ... when I could stay and play right away in the Big 12 as a starter?" he said.

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Rob Dauster: Despite K-State coaching swap, Angel Rodriguez still looks to break out

Downsizing can make paying bills less painful and simplify your life, say experts

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Editor's note: Maureen Jenkins is a freelance travel, food and lifestyle writer. A Chicago native, she now lives outside Paris and blogs about her expatriate life at UrbanTravelGirl.com.

(CNN) -- Chicago life and business coach Nicole A. Dunbar has learned to live with less, and love it.

Before launching her own coaching and motivational speaking business last year, Dunbar had a "day job" in academic fundraising and lived in affluent Hyde Park, a neighborhood adjacent to President Barack Obama's Chicago home. Pricey dinners out with friends didn't give her much pause. But those days are over.

She first downsized her apartment, moving to a smaller place in a less expensive and less trendy 'hood, saving $300. Even though she's now back in Hyde Park, she's got a six-month sublet arrangement that keeps her rent low and keeps her mobile. She subscribes to utility companies' budget plans so she's no longer surprised by fluctuating bills. She totes sales flyers when shopping the supermarket, eats more seasonally and cooks at home more.

Her athletic club membership? It's history. Said Dunbar: "I went out to the (nearby Chicago) lakefront, and that was my gym." That $150-a-month cell phone bill? Gone. It may not be sexy, but a $55 prepaid phone has taken its place.

When first launching Congruency Inc., she "decided to take contract or part-time assignments that would allow me to build my business while generating another income to cover my living expenses. I could never have come to this place without living simply and not listening to the 'shoulds.' "

"People don't know what they actually need. A need is electricity; a want is cable."

Because she does most of her coaching work with entrepreneurs and professionals remotely with clients across the country, she's not tied to one physical location. Dunbar's real goal is to spend Chicago's colder months elsewhere -- with her mom in Atlanta, visiting a younger sibling in her native Jamaica -- and downsizing her expenses will give her the freedom to do it.

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Living happily with less