If you were to start a professional basketball team based out of Los Angeles 60 years ago, the first combination of colors youd choose probably wouldnt be purple and gold. Its also safe to assume that Lakers would have been near the bottom of the list of potential team names despite how easily Los Angeles Lakers rolls off the tongue.

But somehow, the Lakers have made it work for the last 60 years thanks to the rich history thats associated with the teams name, colors and iconic logo, which has pretty much been the same since 1961. That history includes 11 championships not including the five they won as the Minneapolis Lakers 26 Basketball Hall of Famers and 11 retired numbers.

Admittedly, the Lakers havent lived up to their name in recent years, but the allure of the organization is still seemingly as strong as ever, as it landed them LeBron James in 2018. Now, the pressure is on James to deliver the Lakers a championship just like the greats before him did, and in the most recent episode of his HBO series The Shop, James said he feels the weight of those expectations on his shoulders every time he puts on his uniform.

James isnt the first person to share his feelings on the experience of putting on a Lakers jersey this season. After the Lakers win over the Washington Wizards last month, Howard said that he feels the same sense of pride James talked about when he suits up in his purple and gold armor.

Every time we step on the court, every time we put on that jersey, we feel like the Men in Black. The scene in the movie when he says are you ready to put on the last suit youll ever put on? Thats how we all feel every time we put on this uniform. Like this is it. This is what we play for, Howard said.

Sure, it may sound a little cliche, but general consensus among players is that putting on a Lakers jersey is different than putting on almost any other jersey in the NBA. As a matter of fact, the only teams that could probably offer a similar experience are the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls.

The hope is that feeling has a lasting effect on Anthony Davis, and that its something free agents still desire. If the last two years are a sign of anything, the Lakers are in a good spot.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @RadRivas.

See the original post here:
LeBron James says legends of Lakers past motivate him while wearing uniform - Silver Screen and Roll

Jason Garrett is who he is. You might not like it heck, you probably hate it but he wont compromise himself. Until he no longer holds the Dallas Cowboys top coaching position, Garrett will continue doing what he feels is in the best interests of the team.

This means going back to the same well thats sustained him over the past decade. It entails clapping, coach-speak, and cautious optimism in the face of even the sharpest criticism.

And it leads to decisions that bring about said criticism. Such as

In effort to get the Cowboy out of their slump coach Jason Garrett showed his team a reel of their highlight plays this week to show them how good they are at their best. It included a few plays from last season, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Thursday.

Hey, nobody denies that Garrett is a bit tone-deaf. Little else can explain the decision to show your squad a highlight-reel from 2018, days before facing the same foe the Los Angeles Rams who brought that season to a bitter and premature close.

The 2019 tape, too, is a questionable choice. While the Cowboys jumped out to a 3-0 start and their offense certainly has made some wow plays, theyve yet to beat an opponent with a winning record and lost three of their last four games. Fan morale has plummeted to new lows while Garretts seat has never been hotter.

To his credit, however, the message was clearly communicated. Garretts bunch isnt ready to wave the white flag despite it being nearly a month since they won a game.

You cant confuse losing with fight. You cant confuse losing with not good leadership. When you win theres great chemistry, but when you lose its in disarray. You have to play better, tight end Jason Witten said earlier this week.

Follow the Heavy on Cowboys Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!

Whatever the opposite of bulletin-board material is, Todd Gurley has provided it. The Rams Pro Bowl running back admits Dallas, who hell face Sunday at AT&T Stadium, isnt in a good place right now. But

Sh*t, theyre in a better place than us because theyre gonna make the playoffs, Gurley said. I dont know why everyones concerned about them. As long as they take care of what they need to take care of, theyll still be playing in January.

The Cowboys disappointing record aside, they are firmly in control of their own destiny. Thanks to tiebreakers, they can finish 7-9 and win the embarrassingly weak NFC East, provided they beat the 6-7 Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16.

The Rams, meanwhile, are on the outside looking in, currently holding the seventh seed behind wild-card leaders Seattle (10-3) and Minnesota (9-4). Sean McVay and Co. will have to win out and get some help to punch a postseason berth. A loss to the Cowboys and a Vikings victory would unofficially eliminate them from contention.

READ NEXT: Troubling Update Emerges on Cowboys, Dak Prescott Contract Discussions

Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL

View original post here:
Cowboys' Jason Garrett Used Highlights as Week 15 Motivation - Heavy.com

MELBOURNE Adam Scott was onto something, whether he knew it or not, when he recently advised his fellow Australians to curtail their enthusiasm for Tiger Woods at this weeks Presidents Cup.

Last time it was too friendly, the amiable Scott told the Herald Sun of Melbourne, referring to the 2011 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. That year, the U.S. won handily, with Woods scoring the clinching point, as part of its current streak of seven straight Cup victories. Quite bluntly, we want the home-crowd advantage, and Ill be disappointed if they are cheering enthusiastically for Tiger or anyone on the U.S. team.

Of course, he singled out Tiger Woods, who not only remains the biggest draw in golf, but also this week assumes the dual roles of captain and competitor for the United States team.

RELATED: Two hats, one manTigers challenge as a modern playing captain

Making his ninth appearance for the International team, Scott wasnt calling for unsavory behavior from the locals. But he does want the folks to be an authentic home crowd, and thats not happening if their reception of Woods and his American team is a bit too friendly and enthusiastic, or not much different from their support of the International side.

Im not saying be a poor sport, but one challenge our team has always had is gaining a home-soil advantage, Scott said. While we appreciate them very much, we dont have to cheer for them.

Team cohesion has been an issue for the Internationals in past Presidents Cups.

Within Scotts words is the answer to a conundrum that has dogged the International team since its lone Presidents Cup victory at Royal Melbourne in 1998. There has been no central cohesive element, no rallying point for a team composed of players from every part of the world outside the U.S. except for Europe. Their different languages and cultures are a hurdle, yes, but Europe faces similar issues. What the Europeans do so well, as Englands Paul Casey once said, is properly hate the Americans for one week every two years.

Caseys strong choice of words troubled some soft-hearted souls, but sensible people knew what he meant. There has to be an unabiding desire to beat the other side, whatever the sport or competition, if victory is the objective. One has to hold the other side in utter disdain during the competition. That does not mean throwing aside sportsmanship. But save the backslapping and handshakes for the conclusion.

What should be the binding ingredient for captain Ernie Els and his International team in the upcoming 13th Presidents Cup? Its really quite simple, and its not the new International Team logo that Els unveiled last year, one intended to give the team a more unified focus.

You want a unified focus? Try this mission:

Beat Tiger Woods.

Woods arguably is the greatest player of all time, having recently tied Sam Sneads record of 82 PGA Tour titles. Though Woods' Ryder Cup record is sub-standard, he has been decidedly more successful in the Presidents Cup, going 24-15-1, including 6-2 in singles. In addition to scoring the clinching point at Royal Melbourne in 2011, he did the same two years later at Muirfield Village. Woods is the captain of this team and only the second man, after Hale Irwin in the inaugural edition in 1994, to double as a competitor.

What better motivation can there be than beating Woods? To add to your legacy the scalp of the games most formidable winner is to forever dine out on the ultimate bragging rights.

Right now, we just want to win, said Canadas Adam Hadwin, who debuted for the International team two years ago at Liberty National and had to swallow a spirit-puncturing eight-point setback that wasnt even that close as the Americans came within a point of closing things out before Sunday singles. But would beating Tiger make it more meaningful? I think I would have to say it would. Hes certainly the greatest player of our generation. Yeah, it would mean a lot more.

Hadwin walks to the fairway during a practice round at Royal Melbourne.

RELATED: A former European Ryder Cup captain offers this warning to the U.S. Presidents Cup team

Fellow Canadian David Hearn, still looking to play in a Presidents Cup, agrees that latching onto the goal of beating Woods is a winning psychological strategy. Weve got to find something that is going to fire up the International side, he said. Thats probably a great way to bring everyone together.

What would a victory mean to Woods and a U.S. squad that leads this series 10-1-1? Well, it would be worthy of celebrating, no question. The Americans want to win, too, especially after the disappointing effort in last years Ryder Cup in Paris. But would it be career-defining? Hardly.

To the Internationals, however, a triumph over a Woods-led team would be something to savor from next week all the way to their rocking chairs.

With only two players among the top 25 in the world (Scott at No. 15 and Hideki Maruyama at No. 20) and seven rookies on the squad, Els team is a decided underdog. The Internationals can play for pride or they can play for a piece of history they can share forever.

I think seeing our guys beating the Americans would be great. It hasnt happened in so long, said Australias Aaron Baddeley, who went 1-3-1 on the 2011 squad in Melbourne. Beating a team led by Tiger Woods, I think, would make it sweeter. You know what they saywinning means more when you beat the best.

WATCH: GOLF DIGEST VIDEOS

Continue reading here:
Presidents Cup 2019: For motivation, the International team can point to an unlikely sourceTiger Woods - Golf Digest

PEDESTRIAN.TV has teamed up with Samsung to help set your goals.

For most people, starting the day at 4.30am seems completely abhorrent. If it were me, Id need to set about twelve alarms and pre-emptively rig up a light, brighter than my teachers thought my future would be, to turn on at that time even just to crack an eyelid.

But thats the everyday experience for fitness queen and boxing guru Ellice Whichello, who rises at 4.30am and goes to bed by 8.30pm. Its all part of her balanced lifestyle, and its how she has grown her empire to the place it is now.

Until recently, Ellice was a trainer and ambassador for Hustle Boxing, a high-tempo boxing studio based out of Potts Point, as well as a qualified nutritionist and veritable Instagram queen with over 60K followers.

We caught up with Ellice to pick her brain and chat about how shes gotten to where she is now and how she stays on top.

It might be hard to believe, but Ellice wasnt always the boxing beast she is now. At the very beginning of her fitness journey, she experienced the same struggles and challenges that many of us face (though there was no word on whether she also experienced the extreme tomato-coloured sheen my face goes whenever I have to go faster than a walk).

I couldnt even make one kilometre without stopping, she said. But I started to get a little bit addicted to the feeling of feeling well.

So running became her forte, and cardio became a part of her regular routine. Then one day she came to a spinning class and realised that the spinning instructor hadnt shown up. Instead? The boxing instructor was there, and a seed was planted.

I fell in love with the idea of hitting something, she joked. Having grown up with older brothers, she was no stranger to embracing her more aggressive side in a healthy, channelled way.

And so, boxing became a huge part of her life.

With so much going on each day, keeping track of things is of paramount importance for Ellice. So how does she do it?

Having wearables that are easy to use makes a huge difference, she said. I love using the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 it looks quite nice whether youre in a dress or your gym gear, and thats important for me when Im in three different sets of gym gear a day.

But its the specifics that make all the difference. Wearables nowadays have a lot of scope for what they can track, and when youre someone who needs to maintain that measurement and tracking across all aspects of fitness, that scope is vital.

I really like to look at heart rate, said Ellice. As well, for me, the sleep tracking and the stress tracking are important. Being able to measure those things, because its all about exerting the right amount at the right time.

Look, between you and I, goal setting was never my forte. Unless my goal was sourcing snacks then it was hard to keep my focus on anything. But thats not a problem for Ellice, who taught herself to focus on the right things.

She said, If youre not thinking about your goal, youre putting your energy in the wrong place. When it comes to health and wellness, its something we tend to leave out when we get busy.

And its true we keep up with work and friends, and trying to sleep enough (let alone waking up at 4.30am), but we put off things like fitness. Ellice has a secret weapon for dealing with that, too.

Working in a time-efficient manner is key, she said. Prioritising my time is crucial. I deal with something right then and there instead of putting it off until later, so having tech that allows me to tap into phone calls, messages, even Instagram posts then and there before moving on, is super important.

Everything is kept in her Galaxy Note10 appointments, measurements and tracked fitness automatically transferred from her watch. As a self-confessed planner, its integral to the continued balance of her hectic lifestyle.

If theres one thing that people lack, and that Ellice has in spades, its motivation. While other people struggle to get themselves off the couch on their days off, Ellice is constantly striving for more, with the help of her two accountability partners.

Having a fitness buddy is not something to be overlooked, she said. I have two buddies. One would be Dan and the other would be my Samsung watch, so theres double the accountability for my fitness goals we set weekly challenges like step counts, I can see what hes doing, he can see what Im doing.

And its not because she wants to be better than other people, though she admits to being fiercely competitive.

Im super competitive with myself, not with other people, she said. I hate to think that Im not getting better at a skill, that Im not improving.

It comes down to ensuring that other people have that mentality of striving for better. Striving not only to improve on your yesterday, but to keep improving the day after that too, and remembering that you dont have to compete with anyone other than yourself.

So if that means getting up a little earlier each day, measuring your heart rate on a Galaxy Watch Active2, finding a fitness buddy or setting definitive goals to make sure youre hitting your targets (boxing or otherwise), give it a crack.

Rest assured, nobodys asking you to get up at 4.30am yet.

Read this article:
How This Boxing Queen Smashes Goal Setting, Fitness Tracking & Motivation Out Of The Park - Pedestrian TV

Table Tennis Robot Forpheus Equipped with Joint Research Technology to Be Exhibited at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2020

OMRON Corporation ofKyotoand Square Enix Co., Ltd. (hereinafter Square Enix) ofTokyoannounced onDecember 13the commencement of joint research on artificial intelligence (AI) that helps motivate humans for FORPHEUS, an innovative table tennis robot tutor that harnesses OMRONs state-of-the-art technology. Through this joint research, the two companies aim to develop an AI algorithm that generates motivational feedback from vital data and other kinds of information, thereby establishing technology that brings out the ability to stimulate dramatic human growth.

Based on the philosophy of founder Kazuma Tateisi, To the machine, the work of the machine; to man, the thrill of further creation, OMRON aims to shape a future that achieves harmony between humans and machines, with the latter bringing out the abilities and creativity of the former through the core technology Sensing & Control + Think. In 2013, the table tennis robot Forpheus was developed in order to introduce harmony between humans and machines by the core technology Sensing & Control + Think in an easy-to-understand manner. Since then, OMRON has evolved its core technology every year to bring out human abilities. Featuring cutting-edge AI, robotics, and sensing & control technologies, the latest 5th-generation FORPHEUS possesses playing skills high enough to maintain a rally with professional players. The robots excellent coaching skills promote the growth of human players by optimizing returns and providing players with personalized tips based on a thorough understanding of each individual person.

Read More: Beyond RPA And Cognitive Document Automation: Intelligent Automation At Scale

Under the framework of this joint research, the two companies aim to develop AI that can realize personalized coaching to enhance each players motivation to play better by combining OMRONs proprietary sensing technology for reading human emotions and ability and Square Enixs AI technology (Meta-AI*) for differentiating how a game unfolds for each player to stimulate an emotional response in them, which the company has fostered through the development of electronic games. As humans communicate with machines equipped with this AI while they play table tennis together, it is hoped that a new relationship between humans and machines machines drawing the best performance out of humans will be made a reality.

The Advanced Technology Division (ATD) at Square Enix has been leading development of Meta-AI technologies, a new mechanic that can automatically learn from a users emotions and then produce unique content based on the data. In the near future, it is expected that a digital game will be playable not only on a display screen but also in real space. Square Enixs Meta-AI will have an important role in realizing the potential of real space play in the future and the companys partnership with the FORPHEUS project will allow Square Enix to advance its technology and contribute to this real-world opportunity.

Read More: AiThority Interview with Adi Kuruganti, GM, Community Cloud and SVP, Products B2B Commerce at Salesforce

Meanwhile, OMRON plans to apply the fruits of this joint technology development to focus on business domains such as factory automation (FA), healthcare and social solutions. One industrial sector in which such technologies may be applied is factory automation, where machines can better motivate operators by offering appropriate support in a way that matches operators skill levels. OMRON believes that this joint research of FORPHEUS will advance its drive to solve social issues to achieve harmony between humans and machines.

OMRON will exhibit its latest generation of FORPHEUS at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) (R) 2020, which will be held inLas Vegas, Nevada, the U.S., onJanuary 7-10, 2020.

*In games, Meta-AI observes the characters, environment and players all together over time, and then uses the information to adapt the general strategies for enemies, non-player characters, terrain, weather and more in the game.

About this joint research Duration: FromDecember 2019toMarch 2020 Objective: Development of an algorithm for motivation-controlling AI for use in a table tennis robot tutor Division of roles: OMRON: Development of a concept and architecture for the table tennis robot, verification of effects, and study of algorithm improvement techniques Square Enix: Development of a concept, designing of architecture for the motivation-controlling AI, setting of evaluation indicators, provision of advice/support for development, and study of algorithm improvement techniques

Read More: Deloitte Announces Flagship Enterprise Safe Passage Program Powered by AWS for SAP Customers

Originally posted here:
OMRON and Square Enix Research on "AI That Helps Motivate Humans" - AiThority

'That gave them motivation and we weren't in the same mental space' - Mike Ross' warning to Leinster ahead of Saints return

Independent.ie

It was one of those unspoken statements that made Leinster realise it would be different this time.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-rugby/that-gave-them-motivation-and-we-werent-in-the-same-mental-space-mike-ross-warning-to-leinster-ahead-of-saints-return-38784692.html

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/article30215907.ece/0bd03/AUTOCROP/h342/NWS_2014-04-25_SPO_004_31450186_I3.JPG

It was one of those unspoken statements that made Leinster realise it would be different this time.

Matt O'Connor's men travelled to Franklin's Gardens in December 2013 and humiliated Northampton Saints with a performance for the ages.

The comparison between the back-to-back series' of 2013 and 2019 are eerily similar.

The afterglow of their 40-7 domination carried through into the next week when the Saints came marching straight into the Aviva Stadium with redemption in mind.

Leinster were looking lively, moving the ball into space at will, until a smart set play put Tom Collins away, the wing's chip causing Rob Kearney to impede his line of running, giving away a penalty for obstruction.

This was back in the days when you took what you got, a penalty in this case, and moved on.

This time, there was no debate, no hesitation. Stephen Myler went to the corner in what was clearly a pre-planned scenario, a statement of intent.

Dylan Hartley connected with Christian Day at the 5-metre lineout, Courtney Lawes, Salesi Ma'afu, Tom Wood and Lawes again all drove it up the guts.

Scrum-half Lee Dickson didn't dawdle, fizzing a pass to Luther Burrell and his immediate dispatch to George North caught Luke Fitzgerald out of position.

It also caught Leinster cold in a moment that altered the image of the tie, Northampton having the character to build it into an 18-9 shock, Jamie Elliot's breakaway try putting a seal on a barely conceivable turnaround.

It could all be traced back to that decision to go for broke and Mike Ross knew what it meant.

"It was throwing down the gauntlet wasn't it? We didn't deal with it too well," said the retired Leinster and Ireland tight-head Mike Ross.

"As much as you talk about not being complacent, what happened the week before is there in the back of your mind.

"We knew they must have been frustrated, devastated, angry from what we did to them in front of their supporters.

"That gave them motivation and we weren't in the same mental space as they were."

In fact, captain Dylan Hartley continued the obsessive pursuit of seven points rather than three by insisting on the corner flag whenever the home side transgressed within striking distance.

There was also the unsurprising bating of the boys in Blue by Hartley at scrum time.

"Come on boys, let's go through them," called out the captain.

"We always used to love playing against Dylan. There was a queue of lads lining up to hit him," shared Ross.

"It was just the way he played the game, talking at the scrum as much for the opposition to hear as his teammates."

The controversial England hooker retired this year, leaving behind a career-long trail of indiscretions and achievements.

Whatever else can be said of Hartley, he led from the front as a big, bruising battler. On that evening in 2013, he was the perfect man for the job.

"I felt we restored a bit of faith in the shirt, in the club, the way we conducted ourselves," Hartley reacted then.

"We were physical, played for 80 minutes, defended for our lives, showed it meant something for us.

"The week has been very long. It is a long week, especially when you lose by 40 points."

Leinster have been put on notice.

Saturday, December 14th 2013: Leinster 9 Northampton Saints 18

LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney (Zane Kirchner 60), Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy (Jimmy Gopperth 78), Luke Fitzgerald; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath (Michael Bent 56), Sean Cronin, Mike Ross (Martin Moore 60), Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy (Leo Cullen 72), Rhys Ruddock (Kevin McLaughlin 56), Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip (capt).

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Ken Pisi; Jamie Elliott, George North, Luther Burrell, Tom Collins; Stephen Myler, Lee Dickson (Kan Fotuali'i 52); Alex Waller (Ethan Waller 70), Dylan Hartley (capt, Mikey Haywood 72)), Salesi Ma'afu (Tom Mercey 52), Courtney Lawes (Phil Dowson 72), Christian Day, Calum Clark, Tom Wood, Samu Manoa (Sam Dickinson 67).

Referee: J Garces, France.

Online Editors

Read more:
'That gave them motivation and we weren't in the same mental space' - Mike Ross' warning to Leinster ahead of Saints return - Independent.ie

Opinion

Cath Duhig picks up the Federation of Athletics Murcia Region Master Athlete of the Year award. Picture: Neil Featherby

Archant

Email this article to a friend

To send a link to this page you must be logged in.

However, goals achieved or not, January 1 will be the first day of a new year with new goals and expectations for which that in itself is usually enough inspiration or is it motivation?

With that subject in mind, I had lunch with an old friend earlier this week before going to a presentation at one of my old schools where his dad was a teacher and whereby we not only discussed old school days, we also got on to talking about what is the actual difference between inspiration and motivation.

My friend is very clever and can leave me standing by miles when it comes to such debates, but also amusingly knows that I will always bite on the bait if I have a slight difference of an opinion.

Nevertheless and having known each other since childhood, he has always made it known that he thinks that I am a very focused and driven person be it in sport or business and suggested during our meaningful chat that my drive as he calls it comes from being inspired at an early age when at school.

I agreed, but also said I was more motivated as opposed to being inspired by events of what had happened back then, along with of course other life changing events as I got older.

Whilst I am not proud of it now and as pointed out by my friend, much of my early school years saw me in one scrape or another and whereas when most of my class mates were reading through their school books, I would invariably have a sports book tucked inside mine before getting caught time and again only to be told that I was wasting my time thinking I would be a footballer or indeed good at any other sport.

"You must have been a nightmare to teach, but let's not forget what was probably the defining moment when one of your teachers said you will never ever run a marathon," he said.

It all goes back to when the 1968 Mexico City Olympics Games were taking place and my teacher at the time who was obviously a huge athletics fan would start each day talking so very excitedly about all the sporting events going on in another part of the world.

Whereas my ability to retain attention and focus nowadays might be pretty good, back then it was not the best when it came to classroom lessons. However, this huge passion for athletics and the Olympics which he displayed, really did make me sit up and hang on to his every word.

Two events which I can so vividly remember him talking about were the high jump when Dick Fosberry brought his own style to high jumping with his gold medal winning jumps since referred to as the Fosberry Flop, and the story and the history behind the marathon. He said that only a few people are blessed with enough talent to be able to run such a distance and that the likelihood is that no one in our school would ever be able to do so.

MORE: Love running? Join the Run Anglia Facebook group here

I was absolutely enthralled by it all and put my hand up and said: "I am going to run a marathon."

He just looked at me and said: "I don't think you will."

Hardly encouragement for any young influential child you might think, but those words have stayed with me ever since that day and whilst on the surface you would have to say, his comments were not exactly inspiring, for me they very much triggered something.

Rather than using the word inspired, I would prefer to say that is what very much motivated me to always knowing that one day I would indeed run marathons and I suppose you could say prove him wrong.

Needless to say, there was no point trying to have the last word with my friend so I let him finish with "he inspired you and motivated you. It was the story of the marathon that inspired you and him saying you won't be able to run one which motivated you further."

"Absolutely," I just said and left it there.

At the end of the day, we all need inspiration and motivation if we want to succeed.

I have always tried to encourage people to be the best they can be at anything they want to do and not let anyone tell them otherwise just like my old teacher. I have also at times tried to inspire or is it motivate people into doing things by way of perhaps suggesting they can't or won't do it i.e. what we now call reverse psychology.

As we go through life, lots of things happen to all of us which makes us what we are and why we need to try and achieve things and whereas inspiration certainly does come from the driving forces within us, for most of us, we all at times need a little extra motivation too.

Going into 2020, even though I am well beyond being a competitive athlete, I still have at least one big challenge for next year and whilst I know exactly what the driving forces will be for me, I also know exactly where to go looking during those moments when I might just need a bit of a kick up the back side to give me that extra motivation to keep going.

Fifty-one years on and those words from my old teacher still motivate me. Or is it inspire?

Finally, I have to say a very big well done to former West Norfolk race walker Cath Duhig who now lives out in Spain and has just won the award for being the Federation of Athletics Murcia Region Master Athlete of the year and to her husband and former top Norfolk athlete Peter Duhig who recently celebrated his 70th birthday by running in the Valencia 10k with all his family. They have both for many years epitomised the words inspire and motivate, that I do know.

View post:
Neil Featherby: What's the difference between inspiration and motivation for runners? | Norwich City FC and Norfolk and Suffolk sport - Eastern Daily...

Alabama will play Michigan in the Citrus Bowl on New Years Day and Nick Saban did participated in a teleconference to talk about the matchup.

A quick rundown of his thoughts entering the game in Orlando.

-- Its an honor to play in the Citrus Bowl, Saban said. Its a challenge they look forward to.

-- Our team is disappointed with how the season ended, Saban said, and its an opportunity to get back to the Alabama standard hes mentioned all year.

-- This is about the future, so this game is about establishing that, Saban said.

-- On the topic of players skipping the game for the draft, Saban said guys will make individual decisions based on their situation and circumstances. They will focus on coaching everyone who wants to play. This has been a situation Alabama hasnt faced, but well see how it goes.

-- Saban said those conversations will be had and will let you know when any such decisions are made.

-- On Sabans reevaluation of bowl games in the playoff era: He said its important because of the next game. The questions about playing vs. the NFL draft speak to the difference in players view of bowl games. He noted some can improve their draft stock with a big game.

-- Saban hopes players approach this game with something to prove in a non-playoff bowl situation. Theres a high standard around here and this is an opportunity to fix some of the disappointment.

-- The message to players related to disappointment: We want to get back to playing to the standard, Saban said.

-- Saban said he has a lot of respect for Jim Harbaugh, but he doesnt know him all that well.

-- On the 2010 Capital One Bowl: It was the first step in the right direction after a disappointing season. They played and prepped well for that 49-7 win over Michigan State and it set the table for what we did that next season. They won the next to national championships.

Read more:
Rundown of Nick Saban thoughts on playing Michigan, non-playoff bowl motivation - AL.com

Penn State superfans: Get exclusive, in-depth Nittany Lions news, analysis and recruiting updates every day. Become a PennLive Football Insider. Only $5.99 a month. Learn more.

Todays Penn State football news is headlined by yet another article about who the Lions next offensive coordinator could be, plus some early Cotton Bowl thoughts.

Statecollege.coms Mike Poorman is the latest reporter to chime in with thoughts about who head coach James Franklin might pick, and he suggests that past practices could lead to another internal promotion.

The Joe Moorhead Coaching Tree says it could be Tyler Bowen, Poorman writes.

Those who know Bowen say that his influence on the Penn State running game the past two years has been substantial. That vision may need to be 2020 next season, especially if KJ Hamler departs for the NFL and the Penn State staff is intent on figuring out how to maximize the four-headed back named Ricky Journey Cain Ford.

Bowen played under Franklin at Maryland and was previously the offensive coordinator at Fordham before later becoming the Lions tight ends coach. Poorman also wonders if a co-coordinator situation could involve Bowen and running backs coach JaJuan Seider.

Check out the full reasoning at the link below.

In other news, ESPNs early Cotton Bowl prediction is out about two weeks and change before Penn State battles No. 17 Memphis at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Tex. It includes a few good nuggets to know about the Tigers and also looks at the motivation angle in play for each side.

This is Memphis first New Years Six appearance in program history, so thats incentive enough, Sam Khan Jr. writes.

As for Penn State, Franklin says his team is happy to play in the Cotton Bowl, even though it was no secret that some players and fans were hoping to go to the Rose Bowl. The Cotton is still a prestigious New Years Six game, but will a different destination and a Group of 5 opponent impact the Nittany Lions enthusiasm?

Lancaster Online says Penn State big spending on Franklin shows Penn States priorities are out of whack, and 247Sports reports that Memphis will also be without its defensive coordinator, along with its head coach, in the Cotton Bowl. Both are now at Florida State.

Elsewhere, Roar Lions Roar previews a big recruiting weekend that is on deck, Penn State lost three-star line commit Devin Willock on Thursday night, and Micah Parsons has been recognized as an All-American again.

Those stories and more highlight Fridays headline roundup.

Penn State Footballs Next Offensive Coordinator? The JoeMo RPO Coaching Tree Says it may be Tyler Bowen: Poorman [Statecollege.com]

Penn States Micah Parsons earns more All-American team nods: Pickel [PennLive]

Cotton Bowl preview: Khan Jr. [ESPN]

The Penn State blitz podcast: Cotton Bowl talk, offensive coordinator thoughts, and more: Pickel [PennLive]

Big spending on coach James Franklin shows Penn States priorities are out of whack: Lancaster Online

Latest mock draft has Penn State end Yetur Gross-Matos headed to the AFC south: Associated Press

Adam Fuller will follow Norvell to Florida State: Fowler [247Sports]

Will Ricky Rahne leaving impact Penn State recruiting, and will the offense change? Cotton Bowl motivation, more: Mailbag: Pickel [PennLive]

For the Future (12.12.19): In-Home Visits & Upcoming Official Visit Weekend: Stanley [Roar Lions Roar]

Lions lose 3-star Devin Willock from Class of 2020: Pickel [PennLive]

FREE Nittany Lions news! Sign up now to receive our Penn State Today newsletter in your email inbox every morning. No charge.

Read more here:
Could Penn State promote from within to replace Ricky Rahne? Assessing the Lions bowl motivation, and more - PennLive

Penn State superfans: Get exclusive, in-depth Nittany Lions news, analysis and recruiting updates every day. Become a PennLive Football Insider. Only $5.99 a month. Learn more.

The countdown is on to Penn States first appearance in the Cotton Bowl since 1975.

Practices are ongoing in State College while head coach James Franklin and his staff continue to pound the pavement on the recruiting trail. The drills are all about improvement for the blue and white right now, and many young players are receiving more reps than they did during the regular season.

Its with that bit of background information that we kick off this weeks PennLive Penn State mailbag, and there is a lot to get to. Unsurprisingly, the majority of your questions this week focus on the movement at offensive coordinator now that Ricky Rahne is at Old Dominion and Franklin has a new hire to make. There is some variety in this edition, though, and remember: Questions (which are in the bold-face text below) can be submitted weekly to gpickel@pennlive.com or on Twitter by sending a message to @GregPickel.

Lets get to it.

@TCGIbson13 asks: Who is the most likely candidate for the OC position?

We posted a pretty long list of potential candidates back on Monday, and while one of those names becoming the pick won't shock me, that isn't exactly Franklin's style.

Think about it: No one thought Joe Moorhead would replace John Donovan before the 2016 season, and who saw Joe Lorig joining the staff as the new special teams coordinator?

Franklin has a good idea of who he wants for any potential opening on his staff and always has. An internal promotion doesnt make sense this time around, but a seemingly logical pick such as Mississippi States Andrew Breiner, Ohio States Mike Yurcich, or Minnesotas Kirk Ciarrocca might be too easy of a prediction to come true.

@DPeazy007 asks: Do you think any of the position coaches take a coordinator position with Rahne?

Rahne hired third-year PSU grad assistant Mark Dupuis to join his staff on Wednesday night, and other lower-level Lions staffers could join him with the Monarchs.

Im hardpressed to think that any of the current position coaches will join him, though. For starters, itd probably equal a pay decrease, and only tight ends coach Tyler Bowen would fit a hypothetical mold of an up-and-coming coach with play calling experience. Gerad Parker would too, I suppose, but have he and Rahne bonded quick enough to team up elsewhere? It seems unlikely.

Then, defensively, its a veteran staff that has had opportunities to move on to bigger jobs than ODU. Again, its not wise to rule anything out in this wild game of college football, but its hard to make a logical case for any of Brent Prys staff to head to Norfolk.

@OhioLions333 asks: Who will have a bigger role next year from the class of 2019 that didnt get much playing time this year?

Great question! There are so many options to choose from.

On offense, it seems smart to pick TJ Jones or John Dunmore. Both receivers redshirted but there are obviously opportunities to get on the field at that position in 2020. Then, theres Caedan Wallace, who is going to fight for a starting spot despite all the returning offensive line starters, and tight end Brenton Strange could work his way into the Nick Bowers role behind Pat Freiermuth.

Defensively, Lance Dixon looked ready to play special teams and some spot linebacker reps, but he was wisely redshirted. There should be a bigger role for him in the new year. The same goes for end Adisa Isaac, who did some nice things when out on the field in 2019.

Finally, the staff took time to point out corner Daequan Hardy during media availabilities during the fall. He should see immediate special teams work.

With Hardy the pick for that unit, lets go with Caedan Wallace on offense and Lance Dixon on defense.

@bpwpsu317 asks: How much money do you think Franklins contract is worth? How much for assistants, facilities? Thanks

Youre right: Penn State has not released those details yet.

The base salary should go up into the high $6 million dollar range if not $7 million as soon as 2020.

As for the added cash for assistants and facilities, well never learn how much that pot swelled thanks to this latest deal, but the word considerably should sum it up well. Well know more, too, when we see what caliber of offensive coordinator is hired.

Finally: No, there is no indication as to when the terms will be released.

@TJUtley asks: Who would be favored if Penn State played Wisconsin on a neutral field?

According to the power ratings over at The Action Network, the Badgers would be a 1.5-point favorite.

In this current environment, bettors might jump on Wisconsin because of PSUs current coordinator uncertainty. For that reason, I suspect the line might have the Lions as about a three-point underdog in a hypothetical neutral site matchup.

@dgreder22 asks: Its early but where do you see Penn States recruiting class landing next year? If a playoff birth happens next year, how do you see that affecting Penn States recruiting?

At this time last year, we thought Penn State would sign a top-five Class of 2020 if it could reel in Southern Columbia receiver Julian Fleming (Ohio State) and Maryland five-star end Bryan Bresee (Clemson). The Lions are still signing a strong class in, but not what it could have been.

Its again too early to tell, but PSU hosted a very strong group of underclassmen last weekend, and if it can turn some of those visitors, such as five-star Washington, D.C., quarterback Caleb Williams and Maryland four-star offensive lineman Landon Tengwall, into verbal commitments, then well again be talking about the program having a chance to sign one of the nations top-tier classes.

As for the CFP part of the inquiry, that would likely help the Class of 2022 and beyond more than the Class of 2021.

@mattmiller_2 asks: How much money would you throw at a quality offensive coordinator?

As much as it takes.

James Franklin is fond of saying that small increases in many areas can help take the Lions to the top, and thats true, and also applies to the coordinator positions.

Looking at how the market has already gone this offseason, its looking likely that something around $1 million will be the required base salary to lure a top option, and make no mistake: PSU wants one of those.

@bigknuterockne asks: Do you think Rahne leaving might open the door for Shorter to return? Do you think it will impact any players decision to stay or go?

I dont think so. I think the players had much more respect and appreciation for the job Rahne did than many fans do and did, and the ones that didnt probably were displeased with other things that would still cause them to leave if they were going to, with or without Rahne around.

As for Shorter specifically, his camp has been quiet publically but is surely weighing all of the options behind the scenes before making a decision. Its still difficult to see him coming back considering he entered the transfer portal a week before the regular season ended.

@AZSoup16 asks: How will Franklin get to 85 scholarships?

The same way they always do: Unexpected attrition.

You can bet that the Lions have been working under the assumption that Will Fries and Michal Menet would probably return, and they likely felt Pat Freiermuth would be back.

That said, they also know some guys we arent expecting will either head to the NFL early or hit the transfer portal. Id say its amazing that those numbers always work themselves out, but weve seen them do it with relative ease time and time again.

@a_redding7 asks: How soon will a new OC be named?

James Franklin has shown a tendency to want to wrap these decisions up quickly, but this is an important hire, and the December signing period is an obstacle he didnt deal with in the past.

My gut says if a hire isnt made by the Friday after Signing Day (Dec. 20), then one wont be made until early January once the team is back from the Cotton Bowl.

@mcsjudo asks: Will hiring of a new OC affect current recruiting class?

Nope. I expect Penn States offensive scheme to stay more or less the same, though the new guy will surely have some tweaks in mind. A good rule of thumb is that, if guys dont start leaving as soon as the coach does, then the program is probably safe.

@wirewalker630 asks: Where is Nick Tarburton. No one has ever answered that question.

Hes still on the roster, but I have no update otherwise.

WeAreToTheTop asks: Whatever happened to the phantom UVA return trip to Penn State that was to happen in 2013?

We are nearing the annual rite of passage at the bowl site: Asking Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour this very question. Stay tuned!

@pacatfan asks: Do you think this team will show up for the Cotton Bowl, or will they lack motivation as in last years bowl game?

This is a pretty hungry team, and unlike last year, some key decisions have already been made. The month of rest will do them good, and the young stars on this roster will stress how important a bowl win is after many of them tasted defeat for the duration of the offseason. I expect the Lions to come to play in the Cotton Bowl.

FREE Nittany Lions news! Sign up now to receive our Penn State Today newsletter in your email inbox every morning. No charge.

Original post:
Will Ricky Rahne leaving impact Penn State recruiting, and will the offense change? Cotton Bowl motivation, m - PennLive