Super Bowl prediction: What The Boss will play

During today’s Super Bowl game, I’ll be rooting for the Cardinals (Kurt Warner’s comeback story is just to inspiring to ignore) but I’m expecting the Steelers to win their sixth Super Bowl title. But what I’m really interested in is Bruce Springsteen’s halftime show. What will the setlist be? (In case you haven’t heard, The Boss is the latest in a line of geezer rockers to perform at halftime. He follows in the footsteps of Tom Petty, Prince and the Strolling Bones — er, the Rolling Stones.)

Here’s my prediction for Springsteen’s playlist:

Born in the USA
Glory Days
Working on a Dream (from the new album)
Born to Run

While I’m betting on the “Born” bookends, I wouldn’t doubt that “The Rising” might make in into the set. I’m expecting all of the tunes to be upbeat, because it’s the Super Bowl, but that’s too bad because some of Springsteen’s best work has been more sublime, ballady and even downright depressing.

Here are some other playlist predictions. What is your prediction — either for halftime or for the game itself?

Friday five: Jessica Krywosa’s lessons from the front

Last Friday, Jessica Krywosa posted her five lessons learned about working in higher education after six months on the job. I thought her six-month evaluation of the higher ed environment would resonate with a lot of you, so I’m sharing snippets of the five lessons here. But I encourage you to read Jessica’s full post and the comments, as she puts it better than I could. Well done.

1. Politics, Politics, Politics: It seems like not much can get done because someone else may be upset.

2. Decentralization: Without one area for messages, branding, and strategies to filter through, how will we know we are successful?

3. Fiefdoms Proliferate: Not sure why someone doesnt want to let you in? Maybe its because they are master of their own kingdom, having been there for 20 years and are afraid you’ll uncover that they do not really have any content knowledge beyond ‘the way its been done’.

4. Old Way (My Way) versus New Way (Your Way): Building on #3, many employees feel threatened, not only by new technology and social media, but by your expertise in an up and coming field.

5. Slow Sallies: Mix 1-4 together and what do we have? A slow operation that gets even slower when educating people on new tactics and strategies becomes central to moving anything forward (which, it should).

Jess concludes that she’s still “up for the challenge” of working in this environment and “optimistic that stars will in fact align.”

“There’s a tide turning here and its exciting to help steer the boat that rides it.”

That’s good to hear. We need more people like Jessica, who truly believe in the enterprise of higher education and are helping to bring about reform and change from within. Who knows, Jess? Maybe in another 17 1/2 years, you’ll be able to post something like this.