Second Thoughts

Coach hopes familiar faces motivate team

Arizona State Coach Todd Graham is trying to promote a family atmosphere and has asked players and coaches to bring a picture of someone near and dear to them who sacrificed a lot to help them get to where they are today.
Arizona State Coach Todd Graham is trying to promote a family atmosphere and has asked players and coaches to bring a picture of someone near and dear to them who sacrificed a lot to help them get to where they are today.

To foster a team atmosphere, college programs over the years have considered removing players' last names from the back of their jerseys.

Todd Graham never would do such a thing. To the Arizona State coach, from where a player comes is far too important.

"You play for the name on the front, but you represent that name on the back," Graham said.

For that reason, Graham this summer came up with an idea. He asked Arizona State players and coaches to bring in a photo of someone they hold dear. Someone who inspires them. Someone who has sacrificed for them.

The photos were secured to the locker of each player and coach, and it's the first thing the Sun Devils look at every day before practice.

"I want these players to give me everything they've got -- and just a little bit more," Graham said. "And that little bit more comes from two things: your faith and your family. Everybody has somebody that has sacrificed so you could be successful."

He continued:

"The hardest thing with today's athlete is to captivate them, to just get them to look where they're supposed to look. It's something I've done -- when I was in college, when I was in training camp -- I always had my mother's picture. I thought about it and said, 'If we can just spend 30 seconds a day reflecting on the people that have sacrificed for us to be here and then go honor them with how we practice every day, that would just maybe help our focus a little more.' "

Mike Norvell said this is one of the better things the program has done during his time at Arizona State. The offensive coordinator has a photo of wife Maria and daughter Mila on his locker.

Maria supported the family when he first got into coaching, when Norvell made $400 a month as a graduate-assistant coach.

"I don't take that lightly," Norvell said, "and I want to make her proud every day."

Money makers

According to Forbes, the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable NFL team, worth $3.2 billion.

"Gosh," wrote Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com. "Can you imagine how much the team would be worth if they ever had some revenue from the playoffs?"

Cheating on a new level

Notre Dame came under criticism and ridicule for the revelation that it is investigating academic fraud among its football players. Reports speculate players had papers written for them by other students.

"At least there's an upside," wrote Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne, Ind. "Notre Dame is finally competing on a level field with SEC teams."

Sports quiz

When was the last time Arizona State went unbeaten during conference play?

Answer

The Sun Devils compiled an 8-0 record in the Pacific-10 in 1996.

Sports on 08/23/2014

Upcoming Events