Business administrators could use some tips

The Pittsburgh Steelers were picked to win the 44th Super Bowl because of a young quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, and a tenacious defense. After the game, credit was given to a young receiver, Santonio Holmes, who won the game’s MVP award. Additionally the Steelers young (relatively speaking) 36-year-old head coach, Mike Tomlin, received accolades for coaching the team to the Super Bowl in his second year on the job.

All of the above is true but mature fans and ordinary working senior citizens have a lot to say about two of the old men on the field. The first old man (relatively speaking), 37 year-old quarterback Kurt Warner led the Arizona Cardinals. And the second, 71 year-old defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, coached the NFL’s top-ranked Steelers defense.

Toss in Brett Favre, the ageless quarterback who told his agent Wednesday that he plans to retire after 18 years in the league. Until his arm tired at the end of the season, Favre, 39, showed he still had the skills and smarts to succeed in the NFL.

Granted, most pro and college sports, when speaking about players, are young persons’ games. With the exceptions of pro golf’s senior’s tour, seniors in pro bowling and senior pro boxers, young people dominate. But for coaches and management in most sports age isn’t a disqualifier.

It’s too bad that America’s private or public business administrators in hiring positions aren’t as perceptive as their counterparts in pro and college sports. It seems that only sports executives recognize the quality, experience and value of hiring older workers.

If it weren’t for retailers like Wal-Mart, Home Deport, McDonald’s and private security companies, seniors would have a hard time supplementing their retirements, if they’re lucky enough to get retirement money.

When you’re young and ready to enter the job market, those responsible for hiring want you. Of course, that was prior to the current jobs crisis.

On the opposite end, when workers reach age 50, their younger co-workers and front office personnel can’t wait for them to move on. The younger workers want to take your place and those who hire want your replacements.

So what do personnel directors in sports realize those holding similar positions in working America don’t? In a word it’s results – you’re never too old if get the job done.

Results in sports regardless of age may be defined by several characteristics - leadership, experience and the ability to judge people. In non-sports working America, results are characterized by the growing the bottom line – saving dollars.

Older, experienced workers are paid more; and accumulate more vacation and sick time. Their bosses, many of whom are young themselves, envision cost savings by hiring younger replacements.

Young managers fail to see that older workers are dependable and conscientious – they arrive to work on time and care about quality.

As for Tomlin, even though he’s young, he recognized the value of LeBeau.

To Lebeau: On behalf of older workers across America, thanks and allow me to congratulate you. You showed a lot of administrators – young and old that most of the time, age is only a number.

Nelson Graves, of Augusta County, is a columnist for The News Virginian. E-mail him at .