ESPN.com - My 110 percent solution

ESPN.com: Page 2

Tuesday, January 15, 2002
Updated: January 16, 1:34 PM ET
My 110 percent solution

By Bob Halloran
Special to Page 2

When Randy Moss shocked the world with his bold admission that he only plays when he wants to, he was vilified as some kind of malingerer -- a millionaire picking the pockets of the average fans who are owed, at the very least, an honest effort. Moss was bragging about his laziness, and childishly looking for negative attention for his lack of competitive fire.


	Randy Moss merely stated what's true for many pro athletes and ordinary people.

That makes him a fool. There's no honor in what he said.

But if you really think about it, he spoke the truth -- about himself, about most athletes, and maybe about most people.

How many times this past week did you hear or read about NFL players who are ready to bring their games to the next level?

What they're saying is: "We basically mailed it in for the past 16 weeks, but now we're ready to try as hard as we can. We play when we want to, if you will, and we want to now that we're in the postseason."

Is that an overstatement? Sure. But how much over? Contrary to the common misconception among athletes, there's no such thing as 110 percent. There's only 100 percent and a lot of levels below that. If a player can bring his game to the next level for the playoffs, he must have been giving something less than his "all." Maybe it was 99.9 percent. Maybe it was Randy Moss-percent.

But Randy Moss just finished his fourth straight season with at least 1,200 yards and double-digit touchdowns. Maybe he can do more with his talent, but it sure looks like he "wants to play" at least as hard and as often as most NFL wide receivers. I actually suspect he might have implied a lack of effort because he doesn't want us to know we've already seen him at his best.

Meanwhile, look at the scores from the final week of the regular season. 33-13, 38-0, 29-10, 38-6, 34-7. Seven games were decided by 18 points or more. I haven't seen that many people voluntarily lay down and die since Jonestown.

We see athletes not try, try again all the time. We don't like it, but we were never as offended as when Randy Moss put it into words. He was unapologetic, and unashamed. But how much shame or remorse is shown by the guy who jogs to first base when he grounds the ball to short, and then does it again his next at-bat? That guy used to get booed, but even our reaction to lack of effort has become lackadaisical.

We're apathetic, and nobody seems to care!

		I'm not ashamed. I definitely work hard, and then I work a little harder. Do I work my absolute hardest all the time? I guess not. But who does? Who could -- without eventually having their mail sent to a rubber room? We all need to step back sometimes, take a moment to breathe, make a personal phone call, write an e-mail to a friend, or read Cosmopolitan in the men's room ... and then get right back to the grind.

When I used to cover local teams such as the Celtics and Bruins, I'd stand dumbfounded when other reporters would ask the players how they're able to maintain their intensity over the course of an 82-game season. The inference that I took from that question was that these athletes were somehow remarkable or special simply because they work hard every day. I thought that was an egregious insult to thousands of people who work hard every day -- including myself -- for a fraction of the pay, and an even smaller fraction of the appreciation.

The truth of the matter, at least for me, is that I don't give a 100 percent every day. Ooh, what am I saying? That's not exactly a wonderful negotiating ploy when I go in someday to ask for a raise. But watch me defend myself.

You see, I always thought I was giving a 100 percent until I got my first shot on SportsCenter. I had been at ESPN for about 18 months. Every day for that year and a half -- and since -- I showed up for work at ESPNEWS on time and ready to go. I researched my assigned stories and wrote them as well as I could. I ate my lunch at my desk, so I could use as much time as possible preparing for the broadcast. During each show, I concentrated on my delivery, my energy, my pronunciation of nearly unpronounceable hockey and tennis player names, my winning smile and that boyish charm I wish I had. I was positively giddy when I found some little piece of information that the viewer wouldn't get anywhere else.

Then came SportsCenter. I came in an hour early. I researched my stories, and when I thought I had something good to work with, I looked for something better. I got my hair cut six days before my "big shot" so my hair would be just the right length. And for the first time in about 15 years, I was nervous. I brought a playoff intensity to my night on SportsCenter -- tried to take it up a notch and bring my game to the next level. And it was at that moment that I realized that on every other day, I must have been giving something less than a hundred percent.

And you know what? I'm not ashamed. I definitely work hard, and then I work a little harder. Do I work my absolute hardest all the time? I guess not. But who does? Who could -- without eventually having their mail sent to a rubber room? We all need to step back sometimes, take a moment to breathe, make a personal phone call, write an e-mail to a friend, or read Cosmopolitan in the men's room ... and then get right back to the grind. By the way, thanks to the guy or guys who leave reading materials behind.

Maybe you've got days like the one I had on SportsCenter -- days when you bring a little something extra to your job. Does that make you a slouch on every other day? I don't think so. Of course, I don't know you that well. You might be a no-good lazy load. How am I supposed to know?

But when you look at Randy Moss and think: "He really should be trying harder," consider this: He might be able to look at you and me and say the same thing. What Moss said was foolish and outrageous, and the implication was that he not only doesn't try on a regular basis, but that he doesn't care. In that way, I think he's different than you and me. But I also think that what he said was unintentionally inspiring.

Maybe, we need to admit we can all work a little harder at being good employees, good mothers and good fathers, good children, good siblings, good friends, good neighbors -- better people!

Thanks, Randy. I'm sure you didn't mean to, but ... you move me!

Bob Halloran is an anchorman for ESPNEWS.