What are the odds?
This weekend a game is being played that has some of the following letters in it:
S_ _ _ _ B_ _ l. Sorry, I can’t tell you more. The NFL trademarked the name and no one is allowed to take advantage of it in print without paying a royalty. I figure they don’t need my money since they seem to be doing just fine.
How tough is it to make it to the “big game” as a player?
- 1,134,377 players participate in High School games each year.
- About 3 percent of them make it to the college ranks.
- There are 25,300 college players each year.
- 254 college players get drafted to the pros each year.
- 20 percent of drafted players play in the NFL for more than a year.
- The average NFL career is 3.5 years.
- There are 32 teams with 40 players each.
Two teams play in the “Big Game,” with a total of 80 players out of the millions of athletes who spent their high school, college and professional careers trying to get there
So what is the mathematical chance of your Little Johnny making it to the “Big Game”? Johnny has a better chance of winning the lottery, becoming President of the United States or the CEO of Qualcomm.
In spite of these overwhelming odds, Derrick Coleman, a legally deaf player will take the field for the Seahawks this Sunday. How do you like those odds? He is not getting a lot of press because one of his teammates, Richard Sherman, has been busy proclaiming how he is the best in the game and how he overcame such great odds to make it in the NFL. I like the Derrick Coleman story better. You can read more about Derrick at:
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/01/29/super-bowl-2014-deaf-seattle-seahawks-player-derrick-coleman-works-to-prove-doubters-wrong-serve-as-inspiration/
Weekly Wisdom by Jerry Rollins, co-founder of Sage Executive Group
