I understand the concept of speaking something into existence.
One of my favorite stories is hearing Jim Carrey talk to Oprah about writing himself a $10 million check and dating it 3-5 years in the future. The goal was to be able to cash that check on Thanksgiving of 1995. Carrey claims that he signed a contract to do Dumb and Dumber weeks before Thanksgiving of ’95. His pay was 10 million dollars.
Speak it into existence. Set a goal. Work hard. Accomplish that goal.
(The problem is that in 2018 we are all aware that Jim Carrey is kind of a weirdo.)
Texas A&M is going with the same approach. At a Chancellor’s Century Council meeting on Feb. 16, Aggie Chancellor John Sharp presented new coach Jimbo Fisher with a plaque celebrating a NCAA Division I Football National Championship.
They left the date blank, but rest assured that Jimbo’s deadline is also 3-5 years.
There’s a part of me that really wants to make fun of this. In Knoxville, the entire world gave us hell for a year straight because a doofus talked about winning the championship of life. You couldn’t escape it. I lived in cliche hell for many years. It defined the Tennessee program to the rest of the SEC and nation. Jimbo and A&M has to feel the same wrath, right?
But, at the same time, a part of me respects John Sharp for telling Jimbo Fisher what he expects out of him.
“Please understand, Jimbo… We’re paying you 75 f’n million dollars. You better Win us a damn national championship.”
I respect that Texas A&M isn’t shying away from stating their goals. Jimbo Fisher nervously laughed when he received the plaque and was told that he can fill in the date of the national title and said “I hope I fill in a couple.”
Expectations. Speaking it into existence. It’s refreshing.
Maybe I should do this in my life.
I should give myself an award for best radio host in Knoxville. Wait. I’ve already accomplished that. Jon Reed: Best Radio Host in Tennessee plaques coming soon. I am going to have a really good head of hair in 2030. I will be in great shape. I will have lots of money and everyone will love me. I will have so many friends. Wow. I have waaaaaaay too many friends. Beyond blessed.
But then there’s that other part that rolled my eyes into the back of my head. A whole lot of people laughed at Central Florida for claiming a national championship after an undefeated season.
BUT AT LEAST THEY WENT UNDEFEATED ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD FOR AN ENTIRE SEASON. THEY ACTUALLY KIND OF PROVED SOMETHING. JIMBO FISHER HASN’T EVEN COACHED A GAME THERE!
As a head coach, Jimbo is 83-23. He went 27-1 with Jameis Winston as his quarterback. He’s 56-22 without him. That’s a 71.8% win percentage.
5 years from now, this is either going to be REEEEEEEAAAAAAAALLLLLLY funny, or we will have another Jim Carrey story. If I’m a betting man, Chancellor John Sharp brought more shame on Texas A&M than Johnny Manziel ever dreamed.
