Competere vs. Competition: The Oxford Dictionary defines competition as: the activity or condition of striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others. The synonyms are: rivalry, competitiveness, vying, contesting, opposition, contention, conflict, feuding, battling, fighting, struggling, strife, war. This is the common understanding of competition: me against you. I win. […]
What a great time of year for sports fans. Tonight, the BCS National Championship will be decided, the NFL playoffs are heating up, and both the NBA and college basketball seasons are in full swing. I challenge you to watch for something very specific tonight (during the Alabama and Georgia game): “sudden change” defense. Sudden […]
In 2013 I read an article about the Pittsburgh Pirates manager, Clint Hurdle. It wasn’t your typical sports column: it talked about Clint’s daily inspirational messages, the love for his family, and his past struggles. In the article, there was a quote from John Lennon that is displayed in the Pirate skipper’s office: “When I […]
Friday night, defending National Champion and the current 2nd ranked Clemson Tigers lost 27-24 to the Syracuse Orangemen. Many people would call this a “devastating loss.” The likelihood of Clemson having the opportunity to defend their title is unlikely. In addition, we must remember that major college football is a business. The Clemson football program […]
I am helping coach an 8u fall baseball team. The game of baseball is important to me; however, the life-lessons sport can teach are even more meaningful. We’ve all either witnessed or heard horror stories of youth athletics. Instead of being a judge, I wanted to get involved. My friend is the head coach and […]
Physically, Lenny didn’t belong in the same league with him. He was half Billy’s size and had a fraction of Billy’s promise- which is why the Mets hadn’t drafted him until the 13th round. Mentally, Lenny was superior, which was odd, considering Lenny wasn’t what you’d call a student of the game. Billy remembers sitting […]
Congratulations! Your child is going to college and attempting to play a collegiate sport. What an exciting time. While there is cause for celebration, I wanted to let you know that challenging times are ahead. Playing a collegiate sport is hard. Being a parent of a child playing a collegiate sport can be even harder; […]
Side Hustles: A Unique Way To Pursue Your Passion Today’s newsletter focuses on the idea of “Side hustles.” Here are three examples: While observing Xavier University’s baseball program this fall I was speaking to their volunteer assistant, Kyle Sprague. He reported to the office between 9:00-9:30 a.m. most mornings. This allowed him to drive Uber […]
The Gift of Humility Merriam-Webster defines humility as, “freedom from pride or arrogance. The quality or state of being humble.” The older I get the more I see humility not only as a virtue, but also as a competitive advantage in sports and life. Elite leaders, coaches, and educators all share this elusive […]
Grit: Physical and mental toughness; perseverance; the ability to overcome obstacles. Today, most people think things should come easy. The word we often hear is entitlement which Webster’s defines as, “a belief that one is deserving or entitled to certain privileges.” There is a misconception that success comes easy; that one should not have to […]