February 29th, The Extra Day

The 'glass half full' part of me declares that today is an extra day. Sure, it's part of the regularly scheduled Gregorian calendar, but February 29th (or should it be March 0th?) still feels somewhat different to me.

This extra day, occurring only during a Leap Year, helps adjust for the difference between a normal 365-day year and a solar year (which accounts for the earths placement relative to the sun). That difference is almost six hours, which is why it is needed every four years (give or take).

So, what does this extra day mean to us? Well, a few things, I suppose...

If you were born on February 29th, you can actually celebrate your Birthday without being either late or early. And if you can only celebrate once every four years, I give you my full permission to make it a doozy! Montreal Canadiens legend and winner of the most Stanley Cups in history, Henri Richard, will celebrate his 19th Birthday today. Happy Birthday Henri! Save me some cake.

If you are a salaried employee, you may choose to look at this extra day as a day you aren't being paid for. An annual salary rarely takes Leap Years into account, so you are effectively working gratis today. Thanks for your contribution.

If you write computer software date algorithms, this is the day you get to experience the joy of having your work triumphantly correct itself for the anomaly...or watch in horror as everything crashes and burns. I've written those algorithms. I won't tell you on which side of the fence I landed. ;-)

But, of course, there's always one more way to look at this day. It's all about how you choose to look at it. Why not think of February 29th as a day to catch up in your personal world? Why not use it to re-synchronize with the universe around you and make an impact. That might mean cleaning up a task on your plate. It might mean cancelling meetings and spending the day advancing a project. It might mean reaching out and helping someone. It might mean telling your family and friends that you truly appreciate them, and that you're there for them as well.

Whatever you decide to do with your extra day, try and make a statement with it. It can be as special as you make it.

   Don

Super Bowl's Strangest Play

This year's Super Bowl (number XLVIif you're Roman) saw one of the strangest things in sports. No, it wasn't the the winning coach's predictable Gatorade shower being replaced by chocolate milk, or multi-million dollar commercials being replaced by text-only ads. It happened at a very critical point late in the game. And it almost seems unreal when you think about it. The defence let the offence score a touchdown, and the offence tried not to. Huh? Let me explain...

With under a minute left in the game, and the New York Giants trailing the New England Patriotsby 2 points, the Giants made an impressive march down the field and were in scoring position. Announcer Cris Collinsworth noted that he would instruct any player heading to the end zone to score a touchdown to simply fall down on the one yard line and NOT cross the goal line. Why? With very little time on the clock, you not only have to manage the seconds required for your team to score, but also the seconds required for the other team to come back and score against you before time runs out. In this case, it might be better to keep the ball deep in Patriot territory, wind down the clock, and save the very last play to kick a chip-shot field goal for 3 points and the 1 point victory.

As I listened to the announcer, I thought it was a strange, although very creative, strategy. Sure enough, moments later the Giants ball carrier is heading to the end zone, seemingly untouched, putting on the brakes at the one yard line. In a strange twist of fate, his momentum carries him over the line backwards, and he accidentally scores a touchdown for his team. It all works out in the end, as New England never scores again, but it still seems like the Bizarro world of sports to me.

It got me thinking....when else does the offence try NOT to score, while the defence wants them to? It never happens in hockey, or soccer. In baseball, you often see them walk a batter, but I don't recall ever seeing them intentionally walking in a run. And if so, I can't imagine the team at bat trying to NOT let them do it. Perhaps basketball comes the closest, if one team lets the other score two points so they can quickly try and come back with a three-pointer. But again, I can't imagine the team with the ball trying not to score. Yet that's what happened in this crazy Super Bowl. New York didn't really want to score the touchdown, but the defence parted like the Red Sea and cheered him on. It was quite the sight.

One of the best things about sports is that sometimes the physical part gives way to the mental part. The coaches and their strategy really can have a positive impact on a game. Like a last minute stick measurement call by coach Jacques Demers against Marty McSorley that eventually leads to a Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup in 1993.

No matter how much you exercise your muscles to be a better athlete, don't ever forget to exercise your brain. Sometimes the best play you can make, is to think creatively.

    Don