Hip Hop Wisdom Lesson #9: Get Your First Victory

Coming off a 1-15 record the previous season, the 1990 Dallas Cowboys were the laughing stock of the NFL. And even with one of the largest fan bases throughout the league, Dallas’ first home game against the visiting San Diego Chargers was in danger of being blacked out by local television because not enough tickets were sold initially. What a way to start off the season for one of pro football’s glamor franchises. In times like this, when you are in a slump, it’s best to think positive, control what you can control and get your first victory.

Before the opening game of the 1990 season, the Cowboys had lost 14 straight home games. However, the team was sticking to their rebuilding plans. With a young core of players, a high profile coach and several draft picks at their disposal, Dallas had reason to be optimistic heading into the last decade of the millennium. For those that follow the NFL know that it is a what have you done for me lately league. Regardless of the upside, Cowboys’ fans wanted wins and wanted them now. And not that the preseason matters, it didn’t help that the Cowboys went 1-3 in those games.

To make matters worse for America’s team, rookie running back Emmitt Smith was a preseason holdout, the longest rookie holdout in franchise history. The 48 day holdout ended just five days before the start of the season. With little time to prepare for the season opener, Smith was ruled out as a starter versus the Chargers.

The Cowboys did have a silver lining in the clouds when a new broadcast partner ran a promotion for refundable season tickets. Because Dallas was that bad over the previous two seasons, a local radio station gave Cowboys fans the option to return their season tickets if after five games, two preseason and the first three regular season games, they didn’t like the on field product. Although this promotion was risky, it did create a renewed interest in attending Cowboys’ games. All 3500 season ticket packages that were a part of the promotion were sold.

The Cowboys won the first game of the season, beating the Chargers 17-14. That was the first victory of their big three era of Aikman, Irvin and Smith. And although the Cowboys would post another losing season, they were in the hunt for the playoffs until the final week of the season. Emmit Smith would go on to win Rookie of the Year and head coach Jimmy Johnson would be named Coach of the Year. Not bad for a team that just posted one of the worst records in the 16 game season era the year before.

The Cowboys would go on to win three Super Bowls in the 90’s and would stamp themselves as one of the greatest football dynasties ever. One can point to that 1990 home opener as a turning point in their franchise history. After that one victory, attendance numbers began to rise again. Even with a losing record they were more competitive. Going to a Cowboys game was beginning to be an event again. The it-factor had returned to Dallas.

If you ever find yourself in a prolonged slump, all is not lost. Regroup and put a plan together or revisit and revise your plan if you already have one. The best thing to do is remain positive until you manufacture that first victory to end the slump. Even the best of the best have down moments, but they never give up. They embrace the challenge of ending the slump and most times when they do, they do it spectacularly.

Slumps are great times to identify strengths and weaknesses and to form strategies on how to deal with both. My opinion is to work on amplifying your strengths first. Why? Because too much focus on your weaknesses can have a negative impact on you mentally if not careful of your analysis of them. I am of the school of thought that you must remain positive during a slump. Yes the reality will be what it will be, however, a negative mindset can lead to anger and depression, which will further intensify the slump you are in.

The good thing about slumps is that they do not last forever. It is up to you to stay positive and focused. The following are some suggestions to help you end a slump:

• Trust yourself

• Remain calm

• Identify your strengths and amplify them

• Revisit your goals

• Get a massage

• Talk to your spiritual leader or trusted elder

• Take a break and regroup

• Reflect on what worked for you in the past

• Improve the things you can control

• Avoid hasty decisions