On November 5, 2011 the University of Washington football team played their last game in Husky Stadium before a $250 million renovation, which has already started. They made a big deal about it, as they should have.
The game turned out as expected with the seventh ranked Oregon throttling the UW, especially in the second half. The Oregon team’s speed and quickness is phenomenal and this was pointed out by a Seattle Times columnist in the next day’s paper.
However, that was the superficial view. The Husky’s got beat because they got killed on both lines of scrimmage. The Oregon lines dominated, including a brutal quarterback sack on a two-man rush. The Oregon lines dominated and that led to huge holes, sacks, open receivers and mistakes.
Business is like football; you do better with a strong foundation. If you have a solid management team (the linemen), a strong competitive advantage (skill players) and a good plan coupled with good work habits (coaching staff and practice regime) your business will do great.
Football teams are built around strong lines. Businesses are built upon a strong foundation. Pay attention to the basics, offer value and you’ll win.
“One does not manage people. The task is to lead people” Peter Drucker
