MESSAGE #1156 VISUALIZE LIKE THE BULLS

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“I believe that if I can take twenty or thirty minutes before each game and visualize what’s going to happen, I’ll be able to react to it without thinking, because I’ll already have seen it in my mind. When I’m lying down before the game, I can see myself making a shot or boxing out or getting a loose ball. And then when I see that come up during the game, I don’t think about it, I do it. There are no second thoughts, no hesitation. Sometimes, after the game, I’ll go, ‘Wow! I saw that! I anticipated it before it happened.”
-B.J. ARMSTRONG, Chicago Bulls

MESSAGE #1155

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You can win with 60% of your game and 100% of your brain, but never the opposite.
-author unknown

 

MESSAGE #1154 BE LIKE THE MICK

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Supposedly, Mickey Mantle once hit a weak ground ball to second base and, as usual, took off out of the batter’s box. But his spikes got stuck and he fell on to all fours and couldn’t get up. Instead of giving up and heading to the dugout, he furiously doggy-paddled to first base.

That’s giving your all, no matter what.

MESSAGE #1153 WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT ON YOUR GAME

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Cory Arbiso, New York Yankees

Once in a while I hear a great quote.

Last week I was sitting in the hallway next to the Trenton Thunder clubhouse, as I did many times this season, talking to one of the players. This time it was pitcher, Cory Arbiso.

He said a great quote that stuck with me…

“Some days you will only have 80% of your ‘stuff.’ But if you use 100% of that ‘stuff,’ you can still win.”

I really like that.

Thanks, Cory.

MESSAGE #1152 WHAT I DID THIS SUMMER

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This summer, I spent quite a bit of time at Waterfront Park, home of the Trenton Thunder, Double-A Yankees.

I interviewed players.

I took photos on the field.

I was in the clubhouse.

I was in the press box.

I became friends with season ticket holders.

I became friends with players.

I sat in the first row.

I went to the player picnic.

I saw Andy Pettitte make a rehab appearance.

I saw Brandon Laird hit for the cycle with a walk-off home run.

I saw Adam Warren break the single-game strikeout record.

I even threw out the first pitch and proposed to my girlfriend, Sarah.

I saw some amazing baseball in perfect weather, and I saw some terrible baseball in horrid weather.

It was a great season, however the Thunder came one game short of winning the championship. It was a shock and it was sad walking away from the ball park and ending the season like that.

But not as sad as the passing of a dear friend’s son.

Or as sad as people losing their jobs, or getting divorced.

Or a high school teacher taking his own life.

Things happen. We can’t control that.

We can only control our reactions to those situations.

That’s baseball.

And that’s life.

Thank you for the memories, Trenton Thunder players, fans and staff.

See you next summer.

MESSAGE #1151 A QUOTE

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Supposedly, I once said the following quote…

Excellence
is not
expected effort-
it is
extra effort.

I can’t remember saying it, or where and when, but my source is good, so I must have.

Either way, it’s true.

MESSAGE #1150 YOU ARE NOT WONDERFUL

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The quote below is from a recent article on school testing, specifically comparing China versus the United States, from the New York Times.

“What’s best for kids is frequent testing, where even if they do badly, they can get help and improve and have the satisfaction of doing better…Kids don’t get self-esteem by people just telling them they are wonderful.” -GREGORY CIZEK

That’s what they do in China–frequent testing.

On the other hand, many schools in the US have adopted a “No test” policy.

“Kids don’t get self-esteem by people just telling them they are wonderful.”

How does this relate to sports?

You have to compete to learn how to win. That’s where you get feedback. That’s where you grow the most. That’s where you get confidence.

Too many people don’t want to lose.

You know what?

Winners lose the most.

Think about that.

Thank you to my father, the great Vincent Tseng for sharing this article. Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/weekinreview/12rosenthal.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

MESSAGE #1149 ARE YOU A GOLDFISH?

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Supposedly goldfish have 30 second memories.

Tonight I was talking to one of the Yankees minor league players who is in the midst of winning his league championship.

I said, “How do you stay mentally tough?”

“You have to have a short-term memory.”

Don’t worry about the last game. Focus on the current game.

The past is the past.

I really like this mindset.

So my question to you is…

How good is your memory?

MESSAGE #1148 TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE

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If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you know what TEAM stands for…

Together Everyone Achieves More…

As long as…there’s a…

Total Effort from All Members.

In sports, we can’t do it on our own. Even in individual sports like tennis, golf and gymnastics, we have a team of coaches and supporters.

A true champion helps the rest of the team become better.

There’s a hopi saying, “One finger can’t lift a pebble.”

Think about it. We need help. We need to work together.

Who is helping you?

Who can help you?

Who are you helping?

MESSAGE #1147 FOCUS

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Today I was teaching a lesson.

The students were working hard and one of the girls in the class said, “I need a drink.” So I let her get a drink.

THEN, one of the boy in the class said, “I need a burger.”

What are YOU focusing on during your day?