Show Me The Money

Job security. I know a thing or two about it. Working in public education, even with tenure and a union on my side, I have found myself flinching in anticipation as the school year draws to a close. If I said that I was doing everything I could do to make myself irreplaceable, it wouldn't be an exaggeration. And yet, year after year, good teachers get kicked to the curb because of this cut or that budget shortfall. Thus we find a flock of wandering teachers looking for a classroom year in and year out.
It makes me think of the National Football League. This year, seven head coaches were fired by their various franchises. In most cases, it was a matter of "What have you done for me lately?" Winning games, and in some cases, not winning Super Bowls was the bottom line. Andy Reid had been the head coach in Philadelphia for fourteen years, almost as long as I have been teaching. But the past few seasons have been tough in the City of Brotherly Love, especially for the Eagles Faithful. There was a lot of money and talent floating around out there, but also a whole lot of missed opportunities. Even though they had made the playoffs in the past two seasons, this year's four wins wasn't enough to keep the coach of 2004's NFC Championship team in Philly.
So, along with six other head coaches, Andy Reid went packing. Partly because of his resume and the relative desperation of the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy didn't have to shop around long. Romeo Crennel, who had the top job with the Chiefs, who suffered through a two-win campaign and witnessed the suicide of one of his players after that player had already murdered his girlfriend, is planning to take some time away from football. Andy Reid spent the 2012 season dealing with the disappointments of a tough season as well as the heroin overdose death of his son at the Eagle's training camp.
Maybe Andy should consider taking a year's sabbatical too. I can't afford to.