Posts Tagged ‘first impressions’

My parents didn’t get off to a great start.

He was a technician working in a shop that sold and repaired radios and televisions, and she came in to buy a small radio for her boyfriend. Because the boyfriend was in the military, she had to give his full name for the shipping label. Part of the young man’s given name was … Elsie. My dad had an aunt named Elsie. He was very amused. Mom, not so much.

They met again when my dad came into the fountain where my mom worked a second job as a soda jerk. The first meeting had been somewhat out of character for both of them. Typically, he was more reserved and she had a better sense of humor. Things began to go more smoothly after their second encounter … for everyone but Elsie.

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They called it “Showtime”—the decade from 1979 to 1989 when the Los Angeles Lakers dominated professional basketball by winning five championships. And in the midst of it Michael Cooper was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Fast forward to 2010. After an illustrious career in the pros, Cooper is named the new head coach of the University of Southern California women’s basketball team. He delivers BIG, beating archrival UCLA 70–63. The former Showtime star strides confidently into the post-game press conference and offers up his pearls of wisdom on the game: “My opening statement is [expletive] UCLA.”

Uh-huh. Man knows how to make an impression. Too bad it’s not a good one.

Fortunately for Cooper, a contract and a big win under his belt afforded him the opportunity for a do-over. He released a public letter of apology to UCLA’s coach and players, and his blunder will soon fade from the headlines.

But what if you screw up when you don’t have a safety net?

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