St. Louis Cardinals' starting pitcher Adam Wainwright was recently diagnosed with a torn ligament in his pitching elbow that will require surgery and end his season days after it started.
I was fortunate to never sustain a major injury that would require surgery. It has to be devastating.
The sad part is that Wainwright didn't make his last scheduled start of the 2010 season because of discomfort in the elbow. The Cardinals had it checked out and there wasn't any problems detected. But, according to a St. Louis Dispatch article, he was apparently worried that something wasn't right and was scared to pitch.
I feel bad for him because I know who much time goes into to preparing for a long baseball season. Parts of almost every day of the off-season are spent getting ready for the long grind - especially of being a starting pitcher.
And to have your season cut short just a week after it started has to be a hard pill to swallow.
But I'm sure Adam Wainwright will resurface. You don't get to become a Cy Young Award candidate without hard work and discipline.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Rafael Furcal
In anther story that is flying under the radar when it shouldn't, apparently when Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal re-signed with the team before the 2009, the Dodgers included a unique perk.
The Dodgers included a clause that would provide Furcal's hometown of Loma de Cabrera in the Dominican Republic with a fire truck.
In a Yahoo! Sports interview, Furcal says "A lot of poor people get killed in my hometown because they don’t have a fire truck. We’re doing something for this little town.”
After an L.A. truck was recently retired, the still-serviceable truck was donated and repainted. The Dodgers will pay to have it transported to Loma de Cabrera as well as have firemen travel there to train the local volunteers.
In a sports world where there are contract arguments over private jets, luxury boxes and massage therapists, it is nice to see both the Dodgers and Rafael Furcal agree to something honorable.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
The Dodgers included a clause that would provide Furcal's hometown of Loma de Cabrera in the Dominican Republic with a fire truck.
In a Yahoo! Sports interview, Furcal says "A lot of poor people get killed in my hometown because they don’t have a fire truck. We’re doing something for this little town.”
After an L.A. truck was recently retired, the still-serviceable truck was donated and repainted. The Dodgers will pay to have it transported to Loma de Cabrera as well as have firemen travel there to train the local volunteers.
In a sports world where there are contract arguments over private jets, luxury boxes and massage therapists, it is nice to see both the Dodgers and Rafael Furcal agree to something honorable.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Shannon Sharpe
In staying with the recent Hall of Fame selection theme, Shannon Sharpe redefined the tight end position into what we know it today. Shannon was the first of the new-age tight ends that seem to be too quick to be guarded by a linebacker, but too big to be guarded by defensive backs.
Shannon Sharpe's career spanned 14 season, all but two with the Denver Broncos. When he retired in 2003, he held several records for tight ends, including receptions (815) and yards (10,060), which have since been broken by Tony Gonzalez.
To reach the highest level as Shannon Sharpe did or any professional does in their respective career, you have to be motivated.
Shannon Sharpe said in this interview that he was motivated by two things - cold oatmeal and getting wet when it rained.
Shannon said that when he was growing up, he lived with his Grandmother, who worked at a nursing home. They weren't wealthy and, many times, dinner consisted of cold oatmeal. The home he grew up in had an old tin roof and when it rained, the water leaked inside.
Sometimes, you don't have to be motivated to be the best. I would argue that, although the drive to succeed is powerful, trying to escape real life situations can be more moving. And when you factor in the drive to not only help yourself escape, but the love ones who make sacrifices for you, that may be all you need.
Shannon Sharpe was motivated to become a professional football player so he could to move his family to a home with a stable roof over their head and warm food on the table.
What motivates you?
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Shannon Sharpe's career spanned 14 season, all but two with the Denver Broncos. When he retired in 2003, he held several records for tight ends, including receptions (815) and yards (10,060), which have since been broken by Tony Gonzalez.
To reach the highest level as Shannon Sharpe did or any professional does in their respective career, you have to be motivated.
Shannon Sharpe said in this interview that he was motivated by two things - cold oatmeal and getting wet when it rained.
Shannon said that when he was growing up, he lived with his Grandmother, who worked at a nursing home. They weren't wealthy and, many times, dinner consisted of cold oatmeal. The home he grew up in had an old tin roof and when it rained, the water leaked inside.
Sometimes, you don't have to be motivated to be the best. I would argue that, although the drive to succeed is powerful, trying to escape real life situations can be more moving. And when you factor in the drive to not only help yourself escape, but the love ones who make sacrifices for you, that may be all you need.
Shannon Sharpe was motivated to become a professional football player so he could to move his family to a home with a stable roof over their head and warm food on the table.
What motivates you?
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Evgeni Malkin
Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin recently suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) in his knee. The injury will require surgery and will end his season.
After the diagnosis, Malkin sent Penguins General Manager Ray Shero a text message saying that he was sorry.
Sorry for what? He didn't try to get injured. Although, the Penguins chance of returning to the Stanley Cup Finals took a major hit, it isn't his fault.
One of the many life lessons my dad taught me at a young age was that, if you give your best, never tell a coach or teammate you are sorry.
Giving your all and falling short is part of sports. You can't always win and every single game isn't going to be perfect - in fact rarely, if ever, will you have a perfect game. But you can always show up and give the best effort you can.
If you are confident that you tried as best you could, never apologize.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
After the diagnosis, Malkin sent Penguins General Manager Ray Shero a text message saying that he was sorry.
Sorry for what? He didn't try to get injured. Although, the Penguins chance of returning to the Stanley Cup Finals took a major hit, it isn't his fault.
One of the many life lessons my dad taught me at a young age was that, if you give your best, never tell a coach or teammate you are sorry.
Giving your all and falling short is part of sports. You can't always win and every single game isn't going to be perfect - in fact rarely, if ever, will you have a perfect game. But you can always show up and give the best effort you can.
If you are confident that you tried as best you could, never apologize.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders played 14 seasons in the NFL and was recently selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His career began with the Atlanta Falcons. He had a flamboyant style of play that came off arrogant and cocky to most.
He burst onto the scene after a career at Florida State and made an immediate impact in Atlanta as both a cornerback and a returner. As a Falcon, he score eight touchdowns and made 24 interceptions in five years.
Deion was aptly named "Primetime" and made the biggest name for himself as a member of the talented teams of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s - though his only Super Bowl team with Dallas was 1995.
He retired following the 2005 season with 53 career interceptions and 22 career touchdowns which came a variety of ways - interceptions, fumbles, receiving, punt returns and kickoff returns. The best shutdown cornerback of his era, Deion is unquestionably a Hall of Famer.
But Deion wasn't well liked. Many sports fans didn't appreicate his flash, which seemed to lack respect for the game and his opponent. When he made a play, he would typically high step in Deion fashion, almost taunting the other team. By his actions, it didn't seem humility was in his vocabulary.
But in an interview after recieving word that he had been selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Deion Sanders said something that resonates with me, a lesson that we can all learn. Deion Sanders, amongst all the criticism, said he didn't care what anyone else thought of him.
Too many times, whether in athletics, academia or life, we get caught up in what people will think of us. What will they think of me if I make an out or miss a tackle or lose? What will be said if I don't pass this test or get into a certain school? What will they think if I don't stay out late because I want to go to church in the morning?
It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. You have to be comfortable in your own skin and with your own decisions. What you think is the only thing that truly matters. Focus on what you can control - how hard you work, how long you study or how much you read. You can't worry about what the cute girl or your best friend or the stranger will think.
I know it is easier to say than do. But you have to start eventually.
Only you can control you. And only you should influence you.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
He burst onto the scene after a career at Florida State and made an immediate impact in Atlanta as both a cornerback and a returner. As a Falcon, he score eight touchdowns and made 24 interceptions in five years.
Deion was aptly named "Primetime" and made the biggest name for himself as a member of the talented teams of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s - though his only Super Bowl team with Dallas was 1995.
He retired following the 2005 season with 53 career interceptions and 22 career touchdowns which came a variety of ways - interceptions, fumbles, receiving, punt returns and kickoff returns. The best shutdown cornerback of his era, Deion is unquestionably a Hall of Famer.
But Deion wasn't well liked. Many sports fans didn't appreicate his flash, which seemed to lack respect for the game and his opponent. When he made a play, he would typically high step in Deion fashion, almost taunting the other team. By his actions, it didn't seem humility was in his vocabulary.
But in an interview after recieving word that he had been selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Deion Sanders said something that resonates with me, a lesson that we can all learn. Deion Sanders, amongst all the criticism, said he didn't care what anyone else thought of him.
Too many times, whether in athletics, academia or life, we get caught up in what people will think of us. What will they think of me if I make an out or miss a tackle or lose? What will be said if I don't pass this test or get into a certain school? What will they think if I don't stay out late because I want to go to church in the morning?
It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. You have to be comfortable in your own skin and with your own decisions. What you think is the only thing that truly matters. Focus on what you can control - how hard you work, how long you study or how much you read. You can't worry about what the cute girl or your best friend or the stranger will think.
I know it is easier to say than do. But you have to start eventually.
Only you can control you. And only you should influence you.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
the Green Bay Packers
I know this is a few days late, but congratulations to the Green Bay Packers for their victory in Super Bowl XLV, a hard fought win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There is a simple lesson that can be learned from the Pack - believe in yourself, even if nobody else does, regardless of the adversity.
Though the Packers were several analysts' preseason Super Bowl pick, the team faced a variety of injuries to key players during the season. Starting running back Ryan Grant was lost in the first game. Later in the season, defensive captain and middle linebacker Nick Barnett was injured and put on injured reserve (meaning a player can't come back for the rest of the season), as were starting tight end Jermichael Finley, outside linebacker Brady Poppinga and offensive tackle Mark Tauscher.
In all, 15 Packers finished the year on injured reserve.
To make matters worse, 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson injured his collarbone in the second quarter of Super Bowl XLV and didn't return.
In order to even make it into the playoffs, the Packers needed to win their last two regular season games. They did.
After getting in as the sixth seed (only six from each conference make the playoffs), they faced the reality of having to win three games on the road even to make it to the Super Bowl. They did. And did so by beating the three best teams in the NFC - the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears.
Injuries alone gave the Packers a built in excuse to not succeed if they wanted to take it. But they didn't. They just fought a little harder. If not the injuries, they could have said that playing on the road was the reason they didn't make it. They didn't.
The desire to win is willing to overcome anything. We just saw that with the Green Bay Packers.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
There is a simple lesson that can be learned from the Pack - believe in yourself, even if nobody else does, regardless of the adversity.
Though the Packers were several analysts' preseason Super Bowl pick, the team faced a variety of injuries to key players during the season. Starting running back Ryan Grant was lost in the first game. Later in the season, defensive captain and middle linebacker Nick Barnett was injured and put on injured reserve (meaning a player can't come back for the rest of the season), as were starting tight end Jermichael Finley, outside linebacker Brady Poppinga and offensive tackle Mark Tauscher.
In all, 15 Packers finished the year on injured reserve.
To make matters worse, 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson injured his collarbone in the second quarter of Super Bowl XLV and didn't return.
In order to even make it into the playoffs, the Packers needed to win their last two regular season games. They did.
After getting in as the sixth seed (only six from each conference make the playoffs), they faced the reality of having to win three games on the road even to make it to the Super Bowl. They did. And did so by beating the three best teams in the NFC - the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears.
Injuries alone gave the Packers a built in excuse to not succeed if they wanted to take it. But they didn't. They just fought a little harder. If not the injuries, they could have said that playing on the road was the reason they didn't make it. They didn't.
The desire to win is willing to overcome anything. We just saw that with the Green Bay Packers.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tom Walter
Most of the people that coach any type of sport do it because they love the game, love being around the game and mentoring players. Tom Walter is no different.
Tom Walter is the head baseball coach at Wake Forest University. Tom Walter is a kidney donor.
Kevin Jordan is an outfielder on the Wake Forest baseball team. A freshman from Columbus, Georgia, Kevin became sick about a year ago with what most thought was the flu. He was eventually diagnosed with ANCA vasculitis, a condition which your white blood cells begin to destroy your own tissue. His kidneys began to fail and he had to have dialysis treatments three times per week.
Kevin Jordan was one of Tom Walter's kids. If you have ever coached, especially at the college level, it is easy to take on the role of a parent or big brother when a player is several hours away from home. Your only role is not to help them become better at their athletic skill, but also teach them about life (although the stereotype of many 18-22 year olds is they know all they need, many of those I deal with aren't as naive and are worried about job prospects, student loan debt and life after baseball).
Tom Walter was eventually tested to see if he was a match to possibly give a kidney to Kevin. He was. Coach Walter decided that he was going to give Kevin one of his kidneys. Way more valuable than a scholarship or advice, Kevin was going to receive a new outlook on life.
This past Monday was the day. Coach Walter and Kevin Jordan both went into surgery. Monday afternoon, lead surgeon Dr. Kenneth Newell proclaimed the surgery a success. Both are still resting in an Atlanta hospital.
One group, NKF, estimates the five year survival rate for a living kidney transplant at 90 percent. Let's hope this story plays out the right way. While it is unknown if Kevin will ever be able to play again, the fact that he now has been given hope of seeing his twenties and beyond makes him a winner.
But it makes Tom Walter Coach of the Year.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
Tom Walter is the head baseball coach at Wake Forest University. Tom Walter is a kidney donor.
Kevin Jordan is an outfielder on the Wake Forest baseball team. A freshman from Columbus, Georgia, Kevin became sick about a year ago with what most thought was the flu. He was eventually diagnosed with ANCA vasculitis, a condition which your white blood cells begin to destroy your own tissue. His kidneys began to fail and he had to have dialysis treatments three times per week.
Kevin Jordan was one of Tom Walter's kids. If you have ever coached, especially at the college level, it is easy to take on the role of a parent or big brother when a player is several hours away from home. Your only role is not to help them become better at their athletic skill, but also teach them about life (although the stereotype of many 18-22 year olds is they know all they need, many of those I deal with aren't as naive and are worried about job prospects, student loan debt and life after baseball).
Tom Walter was eventually tested to see if he was a match to possibly give a kidney to Kevin. He was. Coach Walter decided that he was going to give Kevin one of his kidneys. Way more valuable than a scholarship or advice, Kevin was going to receive a new outlook on life.
This past Monday was the day. Coach Walter and Kevin Jordan both went into surgery. Monday afternoon, lead surgeon Dr. Kenneth Newell proclaimed the surgery a success. Both are still resting in an Atlanta hospital.
One group, NKF, estimates the five year survival rate for a living kidney transplant at 90 percent. Let's hope this story plays out the right way. While it is unknown if Kevin will ever be able to play again, the fact that he now has been given hope of seeing his twenties and beyond makes him a winner.
But it makes Tom Walter Coach of the Year.
Visit our complete online resource for instructional baseball videos and our free eBook at www.ToTheTopPerformance.com.
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