The Senior Vice President of Player Personnel for the UFL on what it takes to be a champion, and his Hall of Fame hero
Doug Whaley has been in pro football for three decades. He’s worked with world-class athletes during his time as General Manager for the Buffalo Bills, Pro Personnel Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers and now Senior Vice President of Player Personnel for the UFL. And while searching for talent is the name of the game, for Whaley, nothing can trump competitive fire.
"What is my 'why'? It’s trying to be the best," he says. "Sometimes all it comes down to is my will is stronger than your will and I'm going to impose it on you. That's where you have got to have what we call JYD – that junkyard dog mentality."
As winemakers well know, character is at the heart of success. We catch up with him about his inspirations and how he 'lives life Issimo' – enjoying every moment to its fullest.
Who is the one person that has influenced your path?
There’s two. Obviously, my father – he was a West Point grad. He graduated in ’67 and I think was the third or fourth African American to graduate from West Point.
He served in the military, did two tours in Vietnam, was a successful business owner. So, for me, he wasn’t a vocal person in my life, but he was the ultimate example person. Basically, always saying: ‘Answer the bell, always do what is asked of you and if things don’t go your way, be better, not bitter.’ I will always remember that.
And the second is Bill Nunn. He is the only person in the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame without the title of player, coach or general manager. He was the Head Personnel Director of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ’70s when they had their glorious run of four Super Bowls, and he was actually the Head of the Personnel Department for what a lot of people say was the greatest draft ever – the 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers draft, where they drafted four Hall of Famers. He was very instrumental in guiding me through this journey and in me having that balance of trying to be successful in my industry but also as a husband and father. Couple that with the foundation my dad laid for me – I would not be where I am, who I am or achieved anything that I have without those two in my life.
What’s most important for you when you’re looking at players?
The talent trumps all, but that's not the be-all and end-all – there has to be a combination. So first they have to be qualified, talent-wise, but what you’re asking is what’s their football skill set, and then there’s football character. And football character, to us, is what really defines what this player’s going to bring into a team and/or a league.
I always remember a backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Charlie Batch, saying: the culture is set by the players in the locker room. The coaches could set it, but in championship teams, it’s the players. So you want to have someone that you’re bringing onto your team with that championship mindset. Do your job and be focused, knowing that it takes a whole team effort to be a champion. You don’t have to be the wheel; you can be that cog in the spoke of that wheel. If everybody takes that spoke that they're responsible for and is the best spoke they can be, that machine starts to gain traction and then that traction starts to gain speed. The next thing you know, you’re an unstoppable force.
What has you most excited for the UFL?
The biggest thing for me is to give a platform to not only players but coaches, trainers, video people, performance people, and evaluators - to give them a platform to work in professional sports. It gives opportunities to people in this ever-growing and expanding field of sports, and not just on the field for players, but for people that touch the sport. After college there’s still an avenue to pursue your dream.
When you think of Italy, what comes to mind?
For me it’s just the love of and vitality for life of the people. They don’t just eat, they enjoy meals. They don’t just drink, they enjoy wine. They enjoy things about life and they don’t get caught up in minor things that don’t really affect how they can make memories, and maximise any situation they’re in.
How do you live life Issimo?
No matter what situation I’m in, I’m trying to maximise it. If I’m outside playing in the mud with my son, I’m trying to maximise how dirty I can get both of us. And I think that’s one thing I’ve been blessed with. Growing up, my parents told me ‘don’t always look and say, “I don’t have this,” say, “I have what I have, so let me enjoy it”.’
You’ll waste life trying to get something you don’t have and when you get it, you’ll be onto the next. I had just as much fun when I was an intern at the Steelers as I had when I was a general manager, it’s just different levels. But you have to be able to understand where you are and just enjoy it, because life goes in the blink of an eye. So instead of thinking, ‘I’ve got to work for this and this,’ say, ‘I’m working to enjoy what I have and whatever comes after – great.’