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In James Collins’ Build to Last, he outlines what he calls Big Hairy Audacious Goals, a principle for setting goals so outrageous they are rarely met or even believed to be obtainable. These companies than go after them or die trying. A couple successful examples:

• Boeing – After WWII, they entered the commercial jet engine market by making the 707. For a company who primarily created military aircrafts, they had no experience in the commercial market. Additionally, this market was not thought to ever need jets.
• GE – Be # 1 or 2 in every market they enter or get out of the market.
• Microsoft – A computer in every home.
• Google – Organize the world’s data.

Easy accomplishments, huh? Not much to it? You could imagine a large amount of motivation once some momentum is behind it.

The same philosophy could be applied to a football franchise. Obviously, any team goes into a season to win the Super Bowl. But that is not enough. A team could destroy its long-term potential with such a short-term goal.

The Green Bay Packers have had their glory days – the 30s and 60s and a burp in the 90s. Shortly after the leagues merged, they have been considered the team that was.

Well I am going to single handedly change that. Are you ready? I hope Mike and Ted are listening because here are my BHAGs:

• Ten Consecutive Division Titles – No more losing to the most hated rivals.
• Undefeated at Home – Bring back the times when nobody came to Lambeau to win.
• Undefeated in the Division – Yes, I realize these last two will give them 12 win seasons automatically.
• Four Super Bowl Titles – During the ten years of division titles, four should take them all the way.

Achieving these goals should not only prove the Pack is the greatest team of all time (new and old) but also build a system that is build to last. A system with gears turning past the current administration and players.

Many of you probably watched the Super Bowl last Sunday. You also probably watched the commercials. To throw out some shameless self promotion, I had the pleasure of being apart of one of those ads. Ok, it was not me directly. Although I do enjoy Doritos and not wearing my Dockers.

In the third quarter Google had an ad. You can watch it below. They called it Parisian Love. Between seconds 36 and 40 search of ‘AA 120′ is made (a flight number). This referenced my employer, FlightStats.

There has been a ton of chatter in our office the last couple days, but in general we are all really excited. One of our marketing people said he would never be able to top an accidental Super Bowl ad appearance – career over.

I do have to say it is nice working for a team and product with such high credentials.

I was finally able to go skiing last night. Huzzah. This brings my all time total ski trips to six, hence the two hands thing. For my sixth trip and that I have not skied in two years, I was pretty excited about my progress. I was weaving and curving with the best of them and my confidence is getting better. James even told me I should run a Black Diamond – nah, next time.

Conditions reminded me of late March. Old, packed snow. Lines were very short, we never had to wait more than 15 seconds.

How about some stats?

• About three hours – just after 6:00-9:00.
• 15-20 runs.
• $15. Meadows has super special deals after 6:00 or something.
• Five crashes including the two below.
• One yard sale. Skies off, 20 feet apart and 30 feet behind me. Poles off. Boats unbuckled. Snow in pants. Six inch wide, three feet long, and four inch deep hole, 15 feet behind me.
• One failed lift entrance. Some snowboarder tried to join James and I on the four person lift. He took about three of the spots. My attempt to give him more room failed when I noticed the lift railing between my legs. Adjusting back found myself face first in the snow under the lift. Stupid snowboarders.

A good night, a good night.

The weather hates me. It probably is just fine with other people, but me – hatred. In the last week I have had three failed ski trips.

It all started the weekend before last. I wanted to go night skiing sometime during the week at Mt Hood. After attempting to recruit ski buddies, I found the lifts were closed except on Friday and Saturday due to lack of snow and insanely warm weather for mid-January. Turns out, some lifts were open later in the week, but I had already ditched hopes. Fail one.

For several months a friend from the college dorms was planning a XC skiing trip. I was ready to go this last Saturday, but it turns out it was 40 and raining. Not too fun. Fail two.

After seeing the lifts open later last week, I attempted to reorganize another trip. I got to work early this morning, so I could leave at 3:00. After meeting my ski buddies for the day, we made our way to the mountain. If the foreshadowing did not give it away yet… Closed. All three places. Fail three.

What does a guy have to do to get a little ski around here?

For anybody out there that does not know, the Packers have made the playoffs. It was only a one year absence too. Woohoo. Since the NFL playoffs started in 1933, this will their 25th appearance.

Well, this means for the next few weeks I am going to be a bit crazy. Sorry for anybody who hangs out with me on Sundays. I think this team is better than the 2007 team, so it should be fun.

Go Pack, Go

I thought I would put together my predictions for the 2010 playoffs.

Wild Card Weekend
AFC

• Cinci over the ‘we have no chance of getting in the playoffs’ Jets
• NE over Baltimore

NFC

• “America’s Team” over Phillie
• Pack over Arizona – duh

Division Series
AFC

• Indiana over Ohio – aka Indie over Cinci
• SD over NE

NFC

• Norway over Down Home
• Pack over Saints – the shocker of the playoffs. Yes I think this can beat the Saints.

Conference Series
AFC

• Indie over SD – A great game. The best game but will have less hype than the NFC game.

NFC

• Vikes over Pack – Gasp. MN, as a throwing team, can beat this great Pack defense unless everybody gets off the IR list (Not happening). This Pack offense can beat the MN defense, but the defense will not stop Brett. That is unless Brett pulls his normal playoff choking. Me guess not.

Da Big One

• Indie destroys MN – Manning and Favre cry in one another’s arms. Manning goes to Disneyland. Favre to Mississippi.

If all this comes out this way, I think somebody needs to send me a box of cookies.