Repeatability

It's been a long time and there is some really rather interesting things I should be blogging about (to me at least) but haven't. I've been really rather depressed lately for some reason or another (impending horrible recession, a shitty haircut, sleeplessness, the usual for a 27 year old male). Anyway, just like it had done for me in the past, seeing success in the Red Wings always seems to really cheer me up.

So last night Detroit goes down 3-2 heading into the 3rd period to the Dallas Stars. Ok, stick a fork in them already. They're done! Wait! Datsyuk scores 36(?) seconds into the period and then Samuelson pops one in about thirty seconds later. We're tied up, baby!!! Ok, now if we can just hold them off...they do. AND Filppula pops in an empty netter to make it 5-3. Detroit wins their (league leading I might add) 46th game, hits the 100 point plateau, they're now undefeated in March (as opposed to obliterated in the month of February) and now have clinched their 17th straight Stanley Cup playoff berth. Let me put that stat out there one more time for you.

The Detroit Red Wings have clinched their 17th consecutive Stanley Cup playoff berth

Are you kidding me? 17 years in a row Detroit heads into the playoffs. That's the longest streak in professional sports. Evar! Tell me this, name something you've done that's difficult, that you've competed for that you did 17 years in a row either by yourself or with a team. No luck, huh?

Ok, try 15 times...*crickets chirping*
10 times?
5 times?
2 times? Alright then...now think about what happened. Why couldn't you hit that 3rd time leading to a fourth or fifth? I'll pause while we go crack a beer open and sulk...we just weren't "in" it to win it. People lose passion, drive, patience, any number of things and the whole thing falls apart.

You really can tell a lot about an organization which many had written off at the beginning of the season to do poorly after last years showing (hell, they were even doubted to go far last season). The Ilitch family truly hires intelligent people with the same goals to run their club and it shows. Other teams could learn a lot from this model...as novel a concept as it may seem. It truly amazes me to see such a large organization have such stellar results year after year after...(continue as needed).

What always gets me about it still is that this is all done without all of the "flash" that many other clubs (certainly here in the South) resort to in order to get asses in the seats. Cheerleaders, give-aways, $2 beers until the 3rd period...these are gimmicks, we know this...they're admitted to. If you want to get people out to see your product...PUT TOGETHER A GREAT PRODUCT! Apple dealt with this for years, the Nashville Predators are scrambling to put themselves back together after a phenomenal year, in fact I'm sure if we sat and thought it through there are a number of organizations, both for and non-profit that fall into this funk. I believe Seth Godin considers this The Dip. I usually find it highly ironic how many of the things ol' Seth talks about are usually many of the things I deal with as a software developer, a husband, a team mate. But it made me really think back to my love affair with the Red Wings when he blogged about persistence.

Persistence, probably the one constant I've had described about myself from my parents, my wife, coaches, bosses, co-workers. Not in a bad way (heh, at least I don't think) but anyway, brings me back to my point of people no matter what the background, foreground, whatever have the same goal year in, year out and they are passionate, persistent and driven towards that goal it absolutely can be achieved.

What does that say about your organization? Your VP of <some division>, do you even know what that division is doing?

Incredible.