Tiger Woods Tunes Up for U. S. Open with Win at Memorial

"The most unbelievable, gutsy shot I've ever seen,"
--Jack Nicklaus, famed golfer, watching Tiger putt at the 15th hole.
"Under the circumstances -- the circumstances being Tiger has been struggling -- it was either fish or cut bait," Nicklaus said later. "He had one place to land the ball. He's playing a shot that if he leaves it short, he's going to leave himself again a very difficult shot. If he hits it long, he's going to probably lose the tournament. He lands the ball exactly where it has to land. Going in the hole was a bonus. But what a shot!
"I don't think under the circumstances I've ever seen a better shot."
Woods, who finished at 9-under 279, won the Memorial for the fifth time.
Excerpt from ESPN.com (06/03/2012).
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San Antonio Spurs Take Game #2 from OKC (VIDEO)

Los Angeles Clippers Hope to Learn from Spurs

The NBA Los Angeles Clippers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in their playoff series earlier this week. The Clippers find themselves contemplating the loss.

"Look how many back doors [the Spurs] got. When it was a close game, they come down and run this little play where they hit Timmy [Duncan] and then just drop it to Tony [Parker] for a layup. It's tough. They know how to play. They come out after timeouts and they execute."

It's difficult to praise the Spurs without touching on the particulars of their game between the lines. There are few pyrotechnics because they're not the quickest or most athletic group. The Spurs big men are nailed to the floor, but play virtually mistake-free ball. On the rare occasions the Spurs do err, you'll know it from venom spewing forth from Popovich off the bench. But overall, this is a team that's hyper-aware of spacing, rarely out of defensive position, and consistently willing to give up a decent look for a squeaky clean one."

--Chris Paul, Clippers' point guard, who, though injured, was outplayed by the Spurs' veteran Tony Parker.

"This is kind of the model team as far as how to run an organization year in and year out and how to win games and championships. The way [Duncan] plays is so methodical, but at the same time he doesn't overthink the game. That's something I want to get to."

--Blake Griffin, Clippers' spectacular young forward, discussing his learning.

Will the Clippers learn from their opponents and mentally regroup or decide to dismantle and rebuild?

"It's our system," the Spurs' Tim Duncan said. "We understand our system and have a bunch of guys who understand what we're capable of, and we just kind of plug things in."

Excerpts from ESPN.com (5/24/2012).

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The Miami Heat's Wade and James Catch Fire

Since losing teammate Chris Bosh to injury and then trailing the Indiana Pacers 2-1 in their NBA playoff series, the Miami Heat's Big Two have gone wild. LeBron James has averaged 32.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and eight assists on 55 percent shooting, while Dwyane Wade averaged 33 points (he scored 99 in the three games, James 98), 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 62 percent shooting.

"We needed it," Wade said. "When you talk about three games, two guys being dominant at the same time, this was probably the best we've been."

The Heat now await the winner of the seventh game of the Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers series.

Can the Heat's Big Two stay hot? Will they have to to stay competitive?

Excerpt from ESPN.com (5/25/2012)


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The Leadership of Derek Fisher

"I'm used to having him in the locker room. I'm used to hearing his voice, saying things that he and I have talked about, in terms of the direction of the team and what the team needs to hear, and he vocalizes it. And I don't have that."

--Kobe Bryant, discussing the leadership of Derek Fisher that is missing in the Los Angeles Laker locker room.

Fisher was traded away from the Lakers in the mid-season. Fisher ended up with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who then beat the Lakers four games to one in the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

"Leadership. He says stuff every single day that helps us out and motivates us to want to go out there and compete."

--James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder guard, who won the NBA Sixth Man award.

Could Derek Fisher be the difference between these two NBA playoff teams?

Excerpt from nytimes.com (5/20/2012).

Chipper Jones Leads the Atlanta Braves Through Adversity

"It's really gratifying because the guys went home in the off-season and used what happened in September as a motivational tool. I've said this all along: if we end up winning an Eastern Division championship or a National League championship or a World Series in the next couple of years, I guarantee you all these players will look back at September and say we learned a lot."

--Chipper Jomes, Atlanta Braves all-star third baseman, discussing the Atlanta Braves' ability to bounce back from adversity after their late-season meltdown that kept them out of the playoffs last year.

Excerpt from nytimes.com (5/20/2012).

Tim, Pop, and the San Antonio Spurs' Resurgence

The San Antonio Spurs have now won their last 18 games and 32 of their last 37. They have swept past their last two NBA playoff opponents in the first and second rounds, 4-0 and 4-0.

This dominance has the Spurs being touted as the favorites to win the NBA championship this year, potentially their fifth since 1999. They have sped past the Miami Heat, the pre-season pick to win it all.

Their coach, Gregg Popovich has won this season's NBA Coach of the Year award. And, their marquee player, Tim Duncan, has been rejuvenated this year with the energy and skills of an All-star after being considered well past his prime.

How has this happened? Let’s look closely at a peak performance franchise.

Setting the Tone as the Backbone of the Team

"He is getting older, just like you are, and all of us, but Tim Duncan is still the backbone of the program," said Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich. "He's the guy we build around. He sets the tone for us.Tony [Parker] and Manu [Ginobili] know that full well."

The Facts and the Numbers

For 15 seasons, Duncan has quietly gone about his business, winning four championships along with three finals and two league MVP trophies.

Here are the numbers and some accomplishments to consider:

13: Consecutive seasons to begin his career in which Duncan was named All-NBA and All-Defensive team, six more than anyone else in league history.

.702: The Spurs' winning percentage during the Duncan era, the best 15-year run by any NBA team in history.

0: Number of teams in the four major pro sports with a better winning percentage over the last 15 years than the Spurs.

One Game at a Time

For several years now, the media has wondered how long Duncan would continue playing. They and his opponents have been asking him nightly when he will retire.
Each night, Duncan says the same thing: "I got at least one more game."

Respect

In the summer of 1997. Coach Popovich flew down to St. Croix to meet his team's No. 1 draft pick.

Over the next few days the two men swam and lay on the beach, ate, and talked about life, family and priorities. Everything except basketball. Despite a difference of nearly 30 years, they connected in a way few athletes and coaches do. Today Popovich tears up just talking about it. "I really cherish that time," he says. "It was like an instant respect and understanding of each other. Almost like we were soul mates."

Leadership

When the Spurs call a timeout and you see the San Antonio coaches huddle a few feet from the bench, it's not to hash out strategy. Rather, Popovich is giving his veterans, Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker time with the team. "You'll see Timmy over there with a young kid, talking about how he should do this or that or what we meant by such and such," says Popovich. "I'll come back to the timeouts sometimes and say, 'Are we square?' and Timmy will say, 'Yeah, we got 'em.'"
"He commands that type of respect because he doesn't demand it, if that makes sense."

Motivation

What drives Tim Duncan? Everyone on the team says the same things: He loves the game. He cares just as much as the little guys do. It's one thing to claim to love the game and another, as Ferry says, "to make the sacrifices that are necessary to win."

Consistency

"He's always known who he was and been comfortable in his own skin," Sean Elliott, a retired former teammate says. "In 15 years he hasn't changed."

Ask Duncan about it, and this is what he says: "It sounds somewhat arrogant, but I don't really want to change. I like who I am, I like how I do things. I try to be that way."


Continuous Improvement Mentality/Comfort with Change

Duncan grew up in St. Croix, raised by a loving father and a mother whose mantra was, "Good, better, best/Never let it rest/Until your good is better and your better is your best."

However, As Duncan's career evolved, the Spurs' strategy changed because it needed to.

"As we got a little bit older and the personnel changed, we were going to go from one of the best defensive teams to a more middle-of-the-road defensive teams," Popovich said. "Something had to change if we wanted to continue to win at a high level. So we went to the offense about two years ago and kind of shifted it to pick up the pace, to shift a little from inside to outside. Some of the offense went from Timmy a little bit more to Manu [Ginobili] and Tony. Attack early in the clock, kind of Mike D'Antoni-ish. We tried to get that into the program." 



The Spurs are a faster, more exciting, higher scoring team who gamble a tad more on defense and generally look to fast-break more than ever. Fans like it and opponents fear it. Popovich said that the change wasn't merely a product of necessity, but also rejuvenating for a coaching staff and roster that had known only one thing for the better part of a decade. 



"It was great because we'd been the same team for a long time," Popovich said. "If you want to keep winning you have to be aware of changes that might need to be made. It was pretty obvious we had to do it. But it did make it more fun. I think the players enjoyed it, too. They were probably getting bored of the same old stuff."

Continuity and Longevity Equals Peak Performance

On April 11, 2000, Tim Duncan tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee. He missed the final four games of the regular season and forced Spurs coach Gregg Popovich into a corner: go with Duncan in the playoffs, or keep him on the sidelines.



Duncan didn't make the decision any easier.

"I was doing everything I could to get ready to play," Duncan said.



Nevertheless, Popovich was just too worried about his star player.


"He was young, a franchise player," Popovich said. "He wasn't just a No. 1 pick. With him, you've got an opportunity to win multiple championships, if you don't screw it up. I didn't know if [the injury] could get worse, or get chronic."



Popovich liked his team, and he liked its chances in the playoffs. He just liked Duncan even more. He was looking long-term and betting on the future of the franchise. He told Duncan that he would not play any more that season. Duncan was done.

"I don't know if it was right or wrong," Popovich said. "But we did it."

Fast-forward to 2012, it turned out to be the right decision. And Duncan has come to appreciate Popovich's decision to sit him down in 2000. Even though he might not have liked it at the time.

"He's always been the voice of reason," Duncan said.

Mindset

Tim Duncan has said he uses silence to "destroy people's psyches." He explains, "The best mind game you can run on someone is just to keep going at them and at them until they break." Don't respond, don't show emotion. Just keep playing. "Eventually," he says with a grin, "you'll piss them off."

Emotional Intelligence

Duncan prefers mellowness to emotion as a virtue. 

"It's essential," Duncan said of that mellowness. "Trying to stay cool and collected when things are going in all different directions around you -- if you can keep that even keel, you're not affected by the good or the bad as much. It's a great quality to have."

A Legacy of Winning
Does Duncan care about how he's viewed, how he's remembered?

Duncan thinks for a second, pulls on the sleeve of his silver Spurs sweatshirt. "Why?" he says. "I have no control of that. All I can do is play and try to play well. Winning should be the only thing that matters. I can't manipulate how people see me."

Excerpts form Los AngelesTimes.com (May 17, 2012), bleacherreport.com (May 18, 2012), ESPN.com (May 20, 2012) and SportsIllustratedCNN.com (May 21, 2012).

For more about the San Antonio Spurs, click on: http://www.squidoo.com/saspurs and http://www.squidoo.com/Duncan.

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Larry Bird: Executive of the Year

Congratulations to Larry Bird, NBA Executive of the Year.

Kevin Garnett: Mastering His Craft

"You know, I don't want to come off kind of wrong, but I really go at my craft and take it very seriously. ... I always have, since '95, since I've been able to come into this league, and it's almost like you guys are shocked. Like this ain't what I do every day, like this ain't what I was made for. It comes off as disrespectful at times." 

--Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics, after winning the opening round NBA playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.

Excerpt from ESPN.com (5/10/2012),

For more on Kevin Garnett, go to http://www.squidoo.com/celticgarnett

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OK, NFL! Here is the Plan!

John Mackey, Mike Webster, Steve McNair, Dave Duerson, Ray Easterling, Junior Seau.

The list will surely continue.  Veteran NFL players suffer from dementia, concussions, domestic violence, drug addictions, financial problems, depression, and post-football adjustment.  We have the wake-up calls. 

OK, Roger Goodell and the  NFL!  Here’s the plan.  Performance Vertical Consulting, a leading performance and sports psychology consulting firm, will set up the Performance Vertical Institute as a not-for-profit organization to address the mental health and mental conditioning needs of these elite athletes, veterans, and  retirees.  The essential services will be offered to players from the time they enter the league through their entire post-football lives to provide the necessary coping skills and other tools to maximize their post-NFL mental health.  We will mobilize.  We must. 

Fifteen hundred players are suing you.  There is a big problem and you are now seeing the tip of the iceberg.
 

What we need from you, NFL and NFL owners is to set aside at least 1% of all drafted rookie contracts each year to fund this institute.  This funding gets things started on the service side. However, more research is needed as well.  Now is the time. 

Fans we need your support, your time and, ultimately, your donations.

 

If you like this plan, please call or write me.  Call or write the NFL.  Use your social media tools.  Your voice is needed.  You know where to find us at Performance Vertical Consulting. 

Andrew Luck, the NFL's #1 Draft Choice

"He always said and did the right thing.  He was very aware of people around him, how they felt.  He knew how to make them better. He saw the picture at a very early age. "

--Elliot Allen, Andrew Luck's high school football coach at Houston Stratford High, discussing Luck's early maturity and emotional intelligence.

Andrew Luck was the NFL's number one draft choice of the Indianapolis Colts after a stellar career as a quarterback at Stanford University.

Excerpt from USAToday.com (4/26/2012)

Why The Kansas Jayhawks Will Win Tonights' NCAA Championship

As many of you know, I love this time of year.  I am very excited about the game tonight.  It should be a great match-up.  On paper, Kentucky should win.  However, I want to put myself out on a limb here and declare a winner in tonights' NCAA Mens' Basketball Championship Game.  It will be Kansas.  Why?

The things that are in the Kansas Jayhawks' favor:

• Anthony Davis of Kentucky has just been named Player of the Year.  The POY jinx is strong.
• John Calipari has too much pressure on him to define his legacy and claim a championship.
• Kansas has been there before and has the experience to win.
• The Kansas defense will disrupt the Kentucky offense.
• "One-and-done" freshman dominated teams do not typically win.
• Kansas' team defense is better than Kentucky's shot-blocking oriented defense. 
• Kentucky's fans are putting excessive pressure on this team to win.  They are in New Orleans en masse.  They expect a championship.    
• Kentucky was compared favorably in the media to an NBA team.  This is the strongest NCAA tournament jinx of all. 
• Kansas is a +6.5 point underdog.  

The things that are in the Kentucky Wildcats' favor:

• Kentucky's freshmen are virtual sophomores.  They are no longer freshmen.
• Bill Self just took Coach of the Year honors.  The COY jinx is not as strong as the POY jinx, but it still has influence.
• Kentucky's overall talent surpasses Kansas' talent. 
• Kentucky is a -6.5 point favorite. 

So, the slight edge, including pressure, jinxes and others intangibles goes to Kansas.  Enjoy the game!  

"Pure Joy" -- Tiger Woods is Definitely Back!!

Successful behavior creates true confidence. You can't truly and fully manufacture confidence. In the end, you have to demonstrate success. Tiger Woods struggled for 30 months to get his mojo back. He has finally done it by winning a golf tournament. It wasn't a major, but he proved he could win a tournament. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in convincing fashion and has shown he can be a major force again in professional golf. With the Masters coming up, his win could not have come at a better time. This was the last step in Tiger again being Tiger. He proved it to himself and he has now proven to his competitors as well as his critics.

"He was a man on a mission today. He was pretty jacked up. He was out there to prove himself."

--Joe LaCava, Tiger Woods' caddie, after Woods' win on Sunday.

"It's not like winning a major championship or anything," Woods said. "But it certainly feels really good."

"I've gotten better, and that's the main thing," Woods said. "I've been close for a number of tournaments now. And it was just a matter of staying the course and staying patient, keep working on fine-tuning what we're doing. And here we are."

Woods may downplay the significance, but this was a big win. The anticipation is palpable and his opponents should fear him again.

"I am excited, no doubt," Woods said. "I'm looking forward to the momentum I've built here."

"One win doesn't mean you're back, back," LaCava said. "He beat the field by 5 and played great obviously. Is he back? I'd say yes, he's back. Who knows what he is going to do down the road, win 10 tournaments, whatever. I think those days … it's pretty hard with the depth on tour. But he's definitely back."

Which, of course, leads to talk about the old days. Is it even fair to judge Woods by his past, to expect that level of greatness?

LaCava said "he thinks he's going to win every tournament," which has been the Woods mantra from day one.

Tiger Woods is back and ready to keep winning. How did he get his confidence back? By winning.

Excerpts from ESPN.com (March 26, 2012).  

Lionel Messi Continues Hot Streak

"With me, you'll score three or four goals a game."
--Pep Guardiola, Barcelona coach, talking with Lionel Messi in their first ever meeting. 

Immortality

"If he carries on like this he will set records that no one will ever break, ever again," Guardiola said. "And he doesn't just score goles, he scores golazos [huge goals]." 

“I am sorry for those who want to occupy his throne but this lad is simply the best,” said Guardiola. “Michael Jordan dominated his sport, Messi does the same in football. There’s nothing more to say.”

With a recent hat trick, Messi has 54 goals in 45 matches this season, one short of the Spanish season record, with 13 matches left in the season.  He has 234 goals in his Barcelona career. 

Effectiveness

"If there is a player who plays with zero adornments, it is Leo," he said, "I've never seen a stepover from him, or a [pointless] flick: he is the ultimate in effectiveness."

Beauty

"Don't write about him, don't try to describe him," Guardiola quite rightly said, "watch him."

 Excerpts from WashingtonPost.com, Guardian.co.uk and tribune.com.pk (March 21, 2012)

Nick Swisher Gets His Head and His Swing Straight

"I’m way more proud of the things I’ve been able to accomplish mentally this off-season than what I’ve done physically.”

--Nick Swisher, New York Yankees, who spent the off-season working out physically with other professional athletes, and mentally, with a sports psychologist.

Swisher was concerned about a slow start that morphed into a terrible slump last season.  He did not hit a home run until the end of April, and as June approached his batting average was barely above .200.

“You want to do so well, and in this game, I think, you get caught up in the numbers,” said Swisher, who finished the season with a .260 average, 23 homers and 85 runs batted in. “When I got out of the gate slow, it just ate me up. I wanted to pop out of the gate like a sprinter, and when it didn’t happen I started getting frustrated.

“Those are things I worked on. How do you deal with failure? How do you set your expectations to where you feel they’re obtainable and not a billion miles away? Because that’s where I’ve always kind of kept my goals. I do a lot of things now that are a lot more non-outcome-related — you know, the process of getting to a point.”

Excerpts from the nytimes.com (March 18, 2012).

Top Ten Plays of the Night in the NBA

Lindsay Vonn Wins Fourth World Cup Title

Source: google.com via Luis on Pinterest

"This season, I've really found my rhythm in GS. It's been a great year," -- Lindsay Vonn, who won today's World Cup giant slalom title, her fourth.

Lionel Messi Scores Five Goals in One Match

"We'll never see a player like him again,"  "He is one of a kind."

--FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

Messi helped defending champion FC Barcelona beat Bayer Leverkusen 7-1 to advance to the quarterfinals.

"Without Messi, Barca is the best team," Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt said. "And with him, they are in another galaxy."

The last time a player scored five goals in European soccer’s top club competition had been in 1979-80.

"Messi is a joke. For me the best ever," Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney wrote on Twitter.

He became the first player to score four goals twice in the Champions League — he accomplished the feat against Arsenal two years ago.  He has 48 goals for Barcelona this season, including 12 in the Champions League. 

"I can’t remember the last time I scored five goals, so I’m very happy," Messi said. "It’s nice to score five goals."

Messi has seven hat tricks this season.

"He’s the best. There is no other like him," Guardiola said. "The numbers speak for themselves. One day he’ll score six. We’re very fortunate to have Messi, so we have to take advantage of him."

"What was important was to win," Messi said. "That’s what we wanted to achieve, now we’re in the quarterfinals and we did it impressively."

Excerpts from ESPN.com, BostonHerald.com, and the Associated Press (March 7, 2012)

Performance Vertical Consulting - Mental Conditioning

Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo Plays Brilliantly

"I know we're all in this together, but it's great when he takes over like that.  He's the smartest point guard I've ever been around. He's a brilliant player like that."

--Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, after Rajon Rondo, recorded 18 points, 17 rebounds (career high) and 20 assists in a come-from-behind overtime win over the New York Knicks on Sunday.

This was Rondo's fourth triple-double this season and the 17th of his career. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last player to record a triple-double with at least 17 in each category was Magic Johnson, who had 24 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds on April 18, 1989. The last player to exceed Rondo's performance in each category was Wilt Chamberlain, who had 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists on Feb. 2, 1968.

"That's the Rondo we like to see, playing with all that energy," teammate Paul Pierce said. "He got the guys the ball in open spots; he did everything for us tonight. He rebounded, he passed, he got the clutch rebound there in overtime and got the layup. That's the Rondo I like to see."

Pierce also had a great game, scoring 34 points, including a 3-point basket with 4.9 seconds left in regulation.

Excerpts from ESPN.com (March 4, 2012).

Josh Smith Carries Atlanta Hawks on his Back

"I was just real FOCUSED.  I wanted to be the guy to try to will us to win this game. I was able to find some cracks in their defense and put the ball in the hole.

"When they grabbed that lead,we knew we still were in the ballgame, we didn't want to hang our heads and have bad body language. We were able to come out and play a good basketball game tonight."

--Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks forward.

Smith has scored over 30 points in the past three games as the Hawks deal with a rash of injuries on their team.

Excerpts from USA Today.com 03.03.2012.

Kevin Durant Says:

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. "
--Kevin Durant, 2012 NBA All-Star Game MVP.  

NBA All-Star Game Highlights

LeBron James Having MVP Season

In a win over the streaking New York Knicks in Miami, Le Bron James of the Miami Heat, chipped in 20 points and nearly had a triple-double, finishing with 9 rebounds and 8 assists. James also had five steals.

"He was just so locked in," Joel Anthony, Miami Heat center said of James. "He set the tone."

James played 41 minutes,but his 37-minute average this season is more than two minutes fewer than he averaged last year. He has made the most of his time on the court: a career 48 percent shooter, he is making 55 percent of his shots and averaging 8.1 rebounds - 1 above his career mark.

"He's playing the best basketball I've ever seen him play," Udonis Haslem, Miami Heat forward said, adding, "He's the M.V.P."

Excerpt from nytimes.com (February 24, 2012).

How Badly Do You Want It?

How Bad Do You Want It from Greyskale Multimedia LLC on Vimeo.

whitney houston -1985 - saving all my love for you

Happy 49th Birthday, Your Airness!

"Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I'd close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that usually got me going again."

--Michael Jordan, talking about his intense drive and determination, originating from early disappointment and adversity.

Early in his career, Michael Jordan played basketball at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ironically, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore. Instead of giving up after failing to make the team, Jordan used it to spur himself to greater achievements, practicing hour after hour on the court.

Be on the lookout for my book: "Razor Thin: The Difference between Winning and Losing," coming soon. 

Tom Coughlin, New York Giants' Head Coach, Stresses Mental Toughness

“Mental toughness, resiliency, resolve. We keep playing, we keep fighting, and we’re highly competitive. We do have great trust in each other, great belief that we can finish, and that if we keep playing one play at a time as hard as we can go that we will find a way to win.

“I will tell you this: from the earliest part of camp moving forward, particularly what we went through seemingly every week, we would have an injury that would be, under normal circumstances, devastating, I think what would happen there is that the players fed off of me and I fed off the players.

“We never changed our objective. We never changed our goal. We never changed our attitude about what had to be accomplished and what we had to do. This is a great statement to our players as well as to our mental toughness. That’s what you have to rely on.

“Somehow, someway, you have got to answer these questions. The next guy has to come along, step up, play well and give you a chance to win. That’s exactly what we did. That’s exactly the approach we took. 

“Because of their mental toughness, because they hung in there, because they continued to believe, because we continued to be in the hunt for the NFC East title, that was always there for us.”

"We’re about team, we’re not about individuals. We’re certainly very cognizant of some of the superior individuals that we have on our team, thank goodness, but it is the team that provides us with our strength, and our ability to perform under pressure, whether it is good or bad, and that’s the way we think.”

Excerpt from sports.yahoo.com (02.06.2012)

How winners are made.

Quiet Leadership: Eli Manning and Giants are Ready for the Super Bowl

“We got an excellent message from Eli.  It was very well-needed. For players like myself who have been to a Super Bowl, it is still great to hear someone speak with that kind of leadership. And you know, Eli doesn't say much. When he says it, he means it and you know it is coming from the heart." 

--Antrel Rolle, New York Giants’ safety, discussing a speech given by Eli Manning as they prepare for their Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots.   

Eli Manning’s Quiet Leadership"There's a lot of pressure coming into a season on a team like this and if you walked in and are working with a veteran quarterback, and you make a mistake and he's ripping you apart, putting you down or making it obvious on the field that it's your fault, then that would make a tough situation even worse.

"Eli doesn't approach it that way. I know that when me and Victor came in, we didn't know everything and we still don't. But when we made a mistake, ran the wrong route, he always took the time to help us. That's what good leaders do. They realize the team's not just made of vets. You have to be willing to accept other people's mistakes and Eli is great with that, one of the best.

"I don't know how he was before. But maybe because he didn't always get that when he started out he understands how important it is. Again, that's just Eli - hard worker, commander, leader."

-- Jake Ballard, the second-year tight end.

"Instead of jumping on receivers when they make mistakes, Eli is more likely to pull them aside on the sideline, explain what they had discussed in practice and tell them what he's expecting from them," said former Giants quarterback and current ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck. "When you have a guy who doesn't have a confrontational approach to dealing with things, that's a better way of handling things. One of the reasons he and Kevin Gilbride [Giants’ offensive coordinator] get along so well is because Eli is the way he is. Kevin can be pretty fiery."

"Eli told everybody at the beginning of the season that he's a leader," Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty said. "And he's proven that with his performance."

"I think a leader is someone who motivates someone to achieve a goal or change their actions or improve their actions, and Eli has that ability," Barden said. "Now, he's not the kind of guy who's going to get in your face or ride you and yell at you. He displays his displeasure or his emotion as anyone else does, but he goes about it in a way so that it doesn't negatively affect the game."

-- Ramses Barden, Giants’ third-year receiver, discussing Manning’s statement about his elite status as an NFL quarterback.

Elite Status as Quarterback

"That's been obvious to me, since I've been here and you want that kind of attitude out of your quarterback. Now he's had the opportunity to prove it beyond a doubt, putting up numbers that are beyond what people expected from him," said Barden. 

Solid Stability

"It's his strength," "You're not dealing with a roller-coaster guy here, you know? These are all young receivers and I know how confident they all are talking to him, trying to tell him what they see," said Sean Ryan, the Giants' second-year receivers coach.

"…But after being with him for a while, it's his consistency not only as a quarterback but as a person that you know you can count on,” Barden said.

At the outset of Manning's fourth season that Tiki Barber introduced himself as a network commentator by calling Manning's leadership skills comical. Months later, Manning led the Giants past the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl. Process is all about patience.

"He's all right, he's as tough as they come,"

--Hakeem Nicks, wide-receiver.   

Intelligence and Preparation

"He has functional intelligence. He can sit in a film room and break down route combinations, pass protections, defensive fronts, and he can do it all in about three seconds. Coaches like to get into the habit of running tape over and over so players understand what you're trying to do. Eli doesn't need that. We get excited about fast-twitch athletes, guys who are really explosive physically. He's what you call a fast-twitch thinker."

--Duke offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, who coached Manning at Ole Miss.

"For us it's no surprise our offense goes how Eli directs it," Giants left tackle David Diehl said. "His understanding and grasp of our offense, his knowledge of things, the way that he's able to recognize blitzes or coverages or different things. When he is watching film, he notices things that the [defensive] line is doing. Not many quarterbacks pay attention."

A season ago, he was berated by Giants fans for not showing enough emotions on the sidelines during a difficult 10-6 season. Now, it is considered remarkable how he never looks rattled especially during the playoffs. Manning boasts an all-time playoff mark of 6-3.

"I think it is his mentality. It is his approach. Nobody sees what he does behind the scenes. He is a studier and a pounder. He is looking for every little advantage that he can get. He is just trying to be the best he can be to help this team win," head coach Tom Coughlin said.

"If we could all just remember that and use that. He loves playing against the best competition, but it is just all about doing the best for his team."

"I think we are always confident going into games. Guys understand the way to win football games against good teams. Our defense is playing great with pressure and turnovers," Manning said. "Our offense for the most part is protecting the ball and playing smart football. When we have a chance to make a big play we are making them."

Excerpts from ESPN.com (2/4/2012) nytimes.com (01/20/2012) and Sports.yahoo.com (01/16/2012; 2/2/2012).

Philadelphia Phillies Use Mental Conditioning Techniques to Take 3-1 Lead In NLCS Series

“A lot of teams say they play all 27 outs, but I’ve never seen a team actually do it as well as we do, I mean, there’s really no score in the ninth inning we don’t feel we can come back from.”

--Brad Lidge, Phillies relief pitcher, who struck out the only two batters he faced in the ninth inning and earned the win — his first of 2009.

CONFIDENCE AND SELF-TALK TO OVERCOME FEAR AND ADVERSITY

The Philadephia Phillies are one win from advancing to their second consecutive World Series after edging the Dodgers, 5-4, at Citizens Bank Park with a ninth-inning rally. Down 4-3 to the Dodgers, Jimmy Rollins delivered the game-winning hit, a two-out, two-run double off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton.

“It’s one of those situations where I wasn’t afraid,” Rollins said. “I’ve faced him a number of times before.”

In three of their six postseason victories, the Phillies have scored the winning runs in the ninth inning. During the regular season, the Phillies led the National League with 43 come from behind victories.

FINISHING

“Like I said before, we play the whole game,” Manager Charlie Manuel said. “We play 27 outs, we think we can win.”

VISUALIZATION AND RITUALS

Perhaps no player utilizes mental conditioning techniques as effectively as the Phillies' Ryan Howard. In preparation for his turn at bat, Howard begins his mental routine. He sits on the Phillies’ bench with bat in hand, head bowed, eyes closed. For these few seconds, Howard is in a quasi-meditative state. He is letting go of his last at-bat, putting it out of his mind. He is channeling positive, upbeat thoughts.

Howard is visualizing results and getting them. No one has driven in more runs this major league postseason than Howard. He set a major league record Sunday by driving in a run for the seventh consecutive game in one postseason. After a home run in his first at-bat in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Monday night to extend that streak, he had 14 runs batted in this postseason, more than he had in 17 playoff games the past two years. After Monday’s 5-4 victory for the Phillies, Howard was batting .379 with seven runs scored and two homers in eight postseason games.

“He goes to his quiet place,” the Phillies’ hitting coach, Milt Thompson, said. “When he’s there, he’s ready to hit.”

Thompson said Howard had been using visualization techniques all season, as a way to focus on the present, to enjoy the moment. When players see him meditating on the bench, they know not to interrupt.

“I’ve noticed it,” Manager Charlie Manuel, who is an advocate of positive thinking, said. “I haven’t talked to him about it because it’s something I think — that’s his own thing.”

Howard is in a zone, but it is simply the continuation of his impressive regular season, in which he had 45 home runs, with 141 runs batted in.

RELAXED FOCUS

“I think it’s more just the experience that I’ve gained from last year to this year, just the entire feel of the playoffs and just kind of taking a step back and looking at last year, at what kind of happened last year,” Howard said. “I just kind of gathered that experience of just being more relaxed, going up there and being loose and having fun playing the game.”

“For some reason, I just went up there and just started seeing more pitches,” Howard said. “Just told myself to relax and try and see as many pitches as I can and just wait for a mistake.”

RESULTS

“You never know with our guys,” Lidge said. “They’re capable of some amazing things.”

The Phillies are one win away from consecutive trips to the World Series.

Excerpts from the New York Times (October 20, 2009).

For more on mental conditioning, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

Ray Lewis: The Team Player

"As a man, I said it earlier, not one play won or lost this game. Could you have put us in a position to keep playing, absolutely. But one play didn't win or lose the game. There is no one man who has ever lost a game. Don't you ever drop your head. We win as a team, we lose as a team. There is no 'Billy is the fault, Bill missed the kick.' It happens, move on, move on, as a man, because life doesn't stop."

--Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens' linebacker, telling the media what he will tell Billy Cundiff, who missed a game-tying field goal that allowed the New England Patriots to win the AFC Championship.

The Ray Lewis Mentality

"For us to be here now, I'm hungry again and I'm thirsty again. Every time you go through something like this, it has to drive you. I truly believe that's the only thing that makes people great. It's not the ones who always winning that people remember. It's the ones who go through tough times."

--Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens' linebacker, after losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. 

Lewis is a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a16-year NFL veteran and 13-time NFL Pro Bowler.

"Is this my last time as a Raven? Absolutely not," Lewis said. "Let me answer that question before somebody asks me. Absolutely not. It's just too much. Life offers too much. Everytime you step on this field, it's a true blessing."
 
"God has never made a mistake. Ever," Lewis said. "Somebody is going to feel like this tomorrow, and somebody is going to feel like this in two weeks in the Super Bowl. And whomever wins it, that's their year. That's a fact, and there ain't nothing nobody else can do about it. That's the irony of sports. There is a winner, there's a loser, and when you lose, you've got to suck it up like a man and say 'You know what Father? If it's your will, so be it. As a man you got to keep moving, and a team keep building, remembering this taste."

Excerpts from http://www.hometownannapolis.com (1.23.2012).

Eli Manning Leads New York Giants to the Super Bowl Again

“Eli is just as calm in the fourth quarter as he is in the first quarter of a preseason game. They expect to score. That’s impressive.”

 --Eli Manning’s brother Peyton said outside the New York Giants’ locker room after their overtime N.F.C. championship game.  

Eli quarterbacked the New York Giants to a win in the N.F.C. championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.  Manning and the Giants advanced to the Super Bowl with a 20-17 victory.   They will face the New England Patriots whom they upset in their previous Super Bowl meeting in 2007.

Excerpts from nytimes.com (January 23, 2012)

"The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital."

--Joe Paterno (1926-2012)

Rest in Peace

Taken from The Handbook of Peak Performance.

Joe Flacco Respected by his Raven Teammates

Happy Holidays 2011 from the Valdes'

Happy Holidays 2011 from the Valdes'

The Managerial Secret of Tony LaRussa

“He’s on a whole different level. He thinks about stuff nobody else is thinking about. I played for him, I know how he is. He’s one of a kind.” 

--Darren Oliver, Texas Rangers pitcher, discussing St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa.   

Tony La Russa has been a major league manager for 33 seasons.  In the opening game of the 2011 World Series on Wednesday night against the Rangers, La Russa pulled the right levers with his bullpen, making five changes. Each move went his way, and the Cardinals won the first games of the series.  3-2 in front of 46,406 at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium.

LaRussa emphasizes caring as a key component of this managerial style. 

“There’s a lot of smart baseball people around,” La Russa said. “Nowadays, with all the distractions, you better get kids that care for your message. And how do you get them to care? You care for them as people.”

It is not easy and it takes time. 

“Our staff, we believe in being very personal, up-close with our players,” La Russa said. 

“It’s not a line drawn and you rarely step over it. We really believe in a lot of intermingling and making each other personally accountable to each other. In other words, you care for your players. Actually, it’s a harder way to lead, because you spend a lot of time as a staff thinking about each and every guy, every day.”

Excerpts from the NYTimes.com (10/19/2011).

San Francisco 49ers' Fast Start

“I think a lot of you think it’s a cliché that we’re really just focused on getting better. Being better tomorrow than we were today. Being better today than we were yesterday. That’s how we’re judging success, so we didn’t put any limitations on ourselves or any things like that. We’ll just keep moving on with that plan, improving. Not changing but improving.” “Thought it was a great win for our team, great thrill of winning. We take the next step. It was a step. I feel like our team performed well, competed hard.”

--Jim Harbaugh, first-year head coach of the NFL San Francisco 49ers, responding to questions from the media about the team’s 4-1 start in the 2011 regular season and the quick turnaround by his team.

Coaches’ Mindset Extends to the Team

"You act like your coaches," said 49ers tight end Delanie Walker, whose 26-yard scoring reception got the 49ers rolling in their latest victory over Tampa Bay. "We are going to keep our heads, keep our cool and make smart decisions. When other teams make bad decisions, we capitalize on that." "I love the fact that he motivates us and has us ready to win every game," wide receiver Michael Crabtree said of Harbaugh. "It's like the will to win. It's not just focusing on one person. Everyone has the same goal in mind."

‘‘You can just tell the attitude difference. Everybody has a plan, a direction of what they want to do. Those guys played hard for [former coach Mike] Singletary, but they certainly play hard for Harbaugh. They certainly show a sense of urgency to go out and win this year. And it’s no different from what you would get any time you get a new coach. Harbaugh has done a wonderful job with these guys, and we look forward to going out there and having a good game.’’

--Raheem Morris, head coach of the Tampa Bay Bucanneeers, before his team played the 49ers.

Team Not Surprised by Fast Start

"It might be surprising to the outside," left tackle Joe Staley said, "but it's part of the culture that Harbaugh is instilling. We don't care about what anyone says on the outside. If they respect us. If they like the way we play, if they don't like the way we play. It's all about the guys in this locker room and believing in one another. That's what we're doing."



QB Alex Smith: Staying Loose and Focused

 "Alex is a strong-minded individual," tight end Vernon Davis said. "He's struggled in the past but he's headed for success. He's taking advantage of his opportunities. He knows there's a possibility he'll get hit from all sides and he still wants to make the play." "He has the ability to stay loose and focused at the same time," Harbaugh said. "He plays with a calm demeanor." "He studies the game plan and the opponents' structure," Harbaugh said. "He's smart, talented and doesn't rattle easily. He makes good quality decisions."




Team Confident about the Future

"It's about getting into rhythm and staying together as one," tight end Vernon Davis said. "What I saw last week I had never seen before. I saw that this team has what it takes to go all the way." "Just top to bottom, collectively," quarterback Alex Smith said. "It's a completely different mindset, a different attitude."



Taking It One Day and One Game at a Time

“Across the board,” Harbaugh said after the victory over the Bucanneers, “I thought it was an outstanding day by our team.”

49er running back Frank Gore called his team’s winning performance as, “another step.”

It’s the first time he’s been 4-1 as a professional athlete, and Gore wasn’t getting ahead of himself, either.

“It takes steps,” Gore added. “It takes the right steps and we’re just going to keep getting better and better. “The longer we keep taking the right steps, and that’s taking steps forward, we’re going to keep getting better.”



Excerpts from ESPN.com, AJC.com, SanFranciscoChronicle.com, modbee.com, 49ersblog.com and sports illustrated.cnn.com (October 7, 9, 10, and 11, 2011).

Eli Manning: Maturity, Preparation and Focus Equals Success

“He’s tough, he’s hard-nosed, he hangs in there. He believes in himself and his teammates. This is something that we’ve worked on and directed an awful lot of attention towards from the neck up with our team, and the last two weeks it’s paid off.” --Tom Coughlin, the New York Giants’ head coach, discussing quarterback Eli Manning mindset and maturity.

Eli Manning has been on fire during the past two weeks. In a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants trailed, 16-14, but won, 29-16, after Manning threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Manning threw two more touchdown passes — this time only 58 seconds apart — as the Giants came back from a 10-point deficit late to win, 31-27. Manning is 29 of 38 for 353 yards in the fourth quarter this season, with four touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 139.5 — best in the N.F.L. and nearly 34 points higher than his 105.6 rating over all.

Manning Inspires Others to Prepare

“You study so you can react without hesitating. The only way we’ll all be on the same page is if we have seen it before.”
--Kareem McKenzie, Giants’ lineman, who understands the importance of preparation and practice.

An Appreciation of a Team Approach

Manning was quick to deflect the attention when asked about the Giants’ successes in the fourth quarter, saying, “It is not just one person, it is everybody doing their job.” The team understand Manning’s importance to their success.

“We follow his lead.” --Giants’ tight end, Jake Ballard.

Excerpts from NewYorkTimes.com (October 6, 2011)

Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

The "Dream Team" Has Yet To Wake Up