Business Requires Increased Use of Mental Conditioning

As I work with clients and listen to colleagues, it is clear that the old days of business are over and gone. Organizations and the environment in which they operate have changed dramatically. Owners, executives, managers, and employees are caught up in the process of doing more with less, as budgets have been slashed, and many departments have been decimated. Despite the sense of urgency, it seems to take more effort, more communication, more influence, more negotiation, and more time to execute and get results. People endure a great deal of mental pressure just to perform at yesterday's levels and the market is demanding more and more.

In addition, the margin for error with so many businesses is approaching zero. Business at any level has always required mental focus but today with so much competition and so many demands day in and day out, the mental side of doing business has become even more difficult.

The need to think strategically is equally as important. If you look at most industry verticals, the difference between winning and losing business is miniscule. That difference can be equal to hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue, not to mention the direct effects on employee morale and shareholder value.

You hear many executives talk about staying with their game plan; focusing on results; playing to win; aggressiveness; but without a solid, well-thought-out strategy the difference between winning and losing starts to widen considerably. It doesn’t take much to lose focus, reduce efficiency, alienate customers, and fall below revenue targets.

Though many executives say they do, most of them don’t think enough about strategy, mental focus and conditioning; but they should if only to perform more consistently and effectively; and get more satisfaction, success and enjoyment out of their jobs. Today there are an increasing number of tools and resources to draw from to develop an effective mental conditioning program that is specific to business professionals and management teams; proven mental techniques to help you control your emotions and stay focused on getting business results; and strategic tools and techniques to help you develop and communicate a clear and well thought-out game plan.

Thinking a bit more deliberately and strategically about how to approach business scenarios (based on your particular talents and strengths and those of you team) can make a huge difference in how you ultimately perform.

Ironically, it is the most talented executives that have the most to gain from mental conditioning. Though an average performer may benefit somewhat, with a higher-potential and more talented executive it may be significantly more; and what a difference that could make in anyone’s performance (let alone their enjoyment of their effort).

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

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Evan Lysacek Wins Olympic Gold With Pre-Skate Routine

"When I'm getting ready in my room, I drink the same thing, I light the same good-luck candle I have — it's a brand from England called Cire Trudon — I listen to the same playlist, with songs from Jay-Z to the Virgins or the Killers, happy music that will keep my emotions even and not get my heart wildly pumping. I'm engaging all my senses, telling my body, 'Okay, it's time to go to that place.' When I get to the rink, I go through pretty much the same warm-up off the ice every time, so my body is continuing to get into that super-focused mentality. About twenty minutes before I go on, I put my suit and my skates on — that's my alone time — and I talk to myself. Self-talk is very important to me," he says. "I try to conjure really difficult days, days when I was sick or jet-lagged and felt horrible, and then think, If I can get through that, I can get through anything."

--Evan Lysacek, U.S. Olympic gold medal skater, who upset Russian Yevgeny Plushenko.

Lysacek is the first U.S. male gold medal winner in skating since 1988. He attributes his win to a mental conditioning routine that includes self-talk, pre-skating rituals, self-hypnosis, and visualization.

Are you as prepared for your important events?

Excerpts from the New York Magazine, February 19, 2010. For more click on http://nymag.com/daily/sports/2010/02/how_evan_lycasek_got_ready_to.html


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Super Bowl XLIV: Peak Performance Case Study

"Everyone has such a passion for living. They deserve this so much."

--Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints' quarterback and Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLIV, discussing the city and the people of New Orleans.

Let's take a look at the New Orleans Saints' win over the Indianapolis Colts yesterday and their building blocks of success.

Vision

New Orleans Saints were playing for an entire city and state. Brees said the Saints "played for so much more than just ourselves. We played for our city ... and the entire Who Dat nation that was behind us all the way."

"We have a 1-year old son, and we're attached to this community now," Brees said. "We've made it our own, and we need to continue to help in whatever way that we can."

"I feel like we have fate and destiny on our side," Brees said. "We have the strength of not only a city and a community but I feel like an entire country, that there's a piece of everyone who wants to see us win the Super Bowl."

"Four years ago, who would've thought that we'd be here?" said Brees in reference to his signing with the team in 2006, a couple months after Sean Payton had taken the head coaching job. "Eighty-five percent of the city was underwater. People had been evacuated to other parts of the country. But the organization and the city decided to rebuild together and that's what we did. Today was the culmination of all that work."

For the Indianapolis Colts, the focus may have been too much on Peyton Manning's legacy. The media was ready to annoint Peyton Manning as the Greatest Quarterback of All-Time with a second Super Bowl win. From the end of the regular season on, the Indianapolis Colts also appeared to be planning very cautiously, including playing the regular season to avoid injury, rather than preparing and playing for success and victory. The irony being that the Colts sustained several injuries during the playoffs which did not help them in the Super Bowl.

Advantage: Saints

Mental Mindset

"We just believed in ourselves and we knew that we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us," Brees said after being voted MVP in New Orleans' 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts. "What can I say? I tried to imagine what this moment would be like for a long time, and it's better than expected."

Advantage: Saints

Fast-forwarding

The Colts seemed to be on their heels, particularly on defense, in the second half. They did not anticipate the Saints' onside-kick to begin the second half and did not adjust to the Saints' "fast-break offense."

The Saints' Tracy Porter intercepted Peyton Manning late in the second half through anticipation and preparation. He sniffed out the pass and knew it was coming.

Advantage: Saints

Preparation

Payton will forever be known for one of the riskiest calls in Super Bowl history. The Saints practiced the onside kick they call Ambush for two weeks, and in their meetings before the game Sunday Payton told his special teams units that they were going to try it in the game; it was just a matter of when. During the long Super Bowl halftime, Payton made the decision to go for it. He was so confident in its success that he scripted the first eight plays of the drive that followed, too.

The Colts' Manning is the king of preparation, but this match-up might have to go to the Saints as well.

Advantage: Saints

Game Plan

"The first thing we cared about coming into this game was taking care of the football," said Brees, whose efforts helped the Saints secure their first championship in team history. "And the second thing was to be patient. We did both those things and they resulted in a win."

"I think they had a smart, patient game plan," said Indianapolis free safety Antoine Bethea. "They didn't make many big plays in terms of long yardage, but they made a lot of big plays in terms of timing. [Brees] was all about location. Their receivers found the open spots and, to his credit, Drew put the ball right where he had to, again and again. He didn't make great passes, but he definitely delivered [the ball] when he had to, and to the right person. He used the people around him really well."

Advantage: Saints

Execution

Brees finished one of the most productive Super Bowl appearances ever for a quarterback — completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was 30 of 33 in the second half.

Advantage: Saints

The Future

Continuous Improvement

“There is something about what we do that maybe allows you 24 to 48 hours before you start eyeing up the next challenge,” Payton said. “Somewhere last night we talked about Dallas, Texas and one of the greatest stadiums our league knows, and there’s probably never enough in regards to the challenge. When you get a quarterback like Drew Brees in the prime of his career, it’s not enough. Last night was great, and yet still there is something that burns in you to separate yourself more.”

“When you get back into the swing of things, it’s all about that 2010 season,” quarterback Drew Brees said. “There’s 32 teams that feel like it’s going to be their year. We know what it’s like to build something from the ground up. What’s going to be fun is using the term repeat all next year.”

Excerpts from www.cbsnews.com (February 5 & 8, 2010), New York Times (February 8, 2010), ESPN.com (February 8, 2010), Canadian Press (February 8, 2010).

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

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Alabama Crimson Tide Rolls to 2009 BCS Championship with Mental Conditioning Program

With great interest and anticipation, I drove Sunday, January 24, 2010 to Birmingham, Alabama to attend a celebratory program to award Alabama Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban with the 2009 Leadership Innovation Award. The program and award highlighted the accomplishments of the Alabama football team.

During the acceptance speech, Coach Saban directly attributed his championship team’s chemistry and success to a mental conditioning program he employed. The mental conditioning program provided a "success mindset" that resulted in a BCS Championship win against the Texas Longhorns in the Rose Bowl.

Saban openly discussed his desire to change the culture of the team, after a 2006 losing season that, more importantly, included off-the-field misconduct and poor decision making by several members of the team during the off-season. With the help of the Pacific Institute of Seattle, the Alabama team learned about mental conditioning approaches to help them to achieve peak performance.

Opposing coaches could see the difference in the players right away.

“Alabama played with an attitude and viciousness that we did not,” Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said in 2008.

“I just saw a team that had a mentality,” said Georgia coach Mark Richt, “They were going to be physical, they were going to play physical and they did.”

“I think it’s the identity that we’ve always tried to create,” Saban said. “Be aggressive, physical, play with a lot of toughness. Strike them, knock them back. Be aggressive and relentless in your style of how you play and how you compete.

Though these types of mental conditioning programs are perceived as new and cutting edge, the fact is that mental conditioning involves the application and teaching of cognitive and positive psychology. This approach is based on scientific research and principles that have been around for close to a half-century. It is one of the most widely used and validated mechanisms for behavior change. Many organizational and sports psychologists have been using this approach in their practices for years with considerable success. This area of applied psychology looks closely at an individual's beliefs and self-talk and the effect it has on behavior and performance. It is highly results-oriented.

“I don’t think the message is that different,” Saban said. “I think the things that it takes to be successful are the same regardless, whether it’s passion, commitment, hard work, investing your time in the right things, perseverance, pride in performance, how you think in a positive and negative way, the discipline you have personally -- you have to make choices in your decisions.”

Saban emphasizes that you must “develop champions before you can create championship results.” He also emphasizes the importance of creating the right processes to get the right outcomes.

The players who spent the summer on campus were enrolled in a dozen mental conditioning classes, designed to improve, in Saban's words, the "self-actualization, self-confidence [and] self-esteem" of his players. Twelve times each summer, the Alabama football team sits through 30- to 45-minute classes devoted to mental conditioning and character development. The Pacific Institute of Seattle was hired to design a program and lead the players through a series of awareness exercises and affirmations, such as:

"We are a team that's committed to excellence. It's represented in everything we do."

"Our defense is aggressive. We fly to the ball seeking always to cause big plays on every down. We intimidate our opponents."

"Our offense is consistently on top of their game."

"Our team is a family. We will look out for each other. We love one another. Anything that attempts to tear us apart only makes us stronger."

These affirmations reinforced the vision and outcome that the Alabama coaching staff was looking for and provided a language to communicate expectations and establish behavioral habits related to mental focus, teamwork, determination and priorities.

Saban also made the point that the program never once talked about winning, they only talked about their commitment to success, pride in performance and being the best you can be.

“That’s exactly how it was. To me, I thought it helped us out as a team. It made us realize that we have to focus night and day.”

--Marquis Johnson, cornerback.

Nevertheless, the program’s emphasis is on personal choices and accountability. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

“Honestly, you have to look inside yourself. The coach can only tell you and say so much. To play as a man, you have to look inside yourself.”

-- running back Glen Coffee.

Excerpts from Chattanooga Free Press, July 28, 2008; Tuscaloosa News, August 10, 2008 and September 8, 2008; Forbes, September 1, 2008; and Sports Illustrated, September 8, 2008.

For more on mental conditioning and peak performance, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance, and for the latest mental conditioning tools, click on: Peak Performance eCoach and request access.

Tony Romo: Dallas Cowboys' Quarterback Learns About Accountability

"It's very easy in this profession to look at somebody else and blame. It's almost difficult to make yourself accountable to the rest of the guys. But when trouble arrived, we stayed committed to the plan. There wasn't all the little bickering and guys stayed committed to the team.

"I've only been playing for four years now, but we played two of them before and I felt like one of them was my fault. So I didn't feel like this was the most impossible thing ever that everyone made it out to be. The other thing is, if you're good enough you'll win. If I wasn't good enough to win a playoff game as a quarterback then I wouldn't have. It's very simple in the approach. It's just I'm going to go out there and play as hard as I can, I'm going to commit to it fully, this team is and if we're good enough to win, we'll find a way to get the job done."

--Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys' quarterback, disucssing his maturity and sense of accountability.

In his first career playoff win after two defeats, Romo completed 23 of 35 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He had a 104.9 passer rating.

"That No. 9 over there has a long future that’s just beginning to reach its potential in my mind. You can put a lot of things together when you’ve got stability at quarterback. It falls off fast. It’s like holding Jell-O when you don’t have a quarterback."

--Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys' owner.

"He's certainly developed as a quarterback. This is a completely different team, the dynamics of this team are very different.

"And again, I keep saying this, but his approach is to try to get better every day. That's what's allowed him to grow and to develop, and it has a lot to do with how he goes about his business, and hopefully, he can continue that this week."

--Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys' assistant head coach.

Romo uses self-talk to overcome mistakes.

"I said to myself, 'OK, I threw an interception, but I can't play as if I'm afraid to throw another one, Romo said after an interception this year. "If I do, I won't play with the same tempo or speed or ability."

Romo is focused on continuous improvement. "Nothing excited me more than to work on something and see the improvement," said Romo, who finished the regular season with 26 touchdowns and a 1.6 interception percentage -- Dallas' best since Troy Aikman in 1998. "When I stop improving, I'll quit."

With that, the Dallas Cowboys have alot more in mind for the NFL playoffs.

"Our goals are much bigger than winning that first game," Dallas linebacker Keith Brooking said after the Cowboys beat the Eagles, 34-14, Saturday night, in the wild card playoff game. "That's just being dead honest with you. We have a lot left that we want to accomplish and do. This is just the tip of the iceberg for us."

"Know what? It won't be as much fun if we don't take care of business during the week and prepare the way we can," safety Ken Hamlin said. "Continuing playing is great, but we're not settling for this one game."

"That's what I love about this team, it's on to the next thing," defensive end Marcus Spears said. "You really don't have time to soak in what you just did."

Balancing focus, intensity and calm, Romo is extremely competitive.

"I know that sometimes my nature seems too light," said Romo, who became the first quarterback in Cowboy history to take every snap of the season. "But underneath I'm extremely competitive. I'm focused."

Excerpts from ESPN.com, Dallas News.com, New York Daily News, and CBSsports.com (January 4,10-11, 2010).

For more on the Dallas Cowboys franchise, click on Dallas Cowboys: Peak Performance Case Study.

Kobe Bryant: Having His Best Year Ever?

From Yahoo Sports:

Is the NBA's Kobe Bryant better than ever? What keeps him motivated? How long can he go as he ages and withstands injuries?



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Texas Tech's Mike Leach Responds to Firing

“I want everyone to know what a privilege and pleasure it has been to teach and coach more than 400 student-athletes at Texas Tech University over the past 10 years. When I arrived at Texas Tech, the football program was on NCAA probation and the graduation rate was far below the national average. However, in the past 10 years, Tech has been to 10 straight bowl games, has the third best record in the Big 12 Conference, and has the highest graduation rate for football players of any public institution in the country.

Over the past several months, there have been individuals in the Texas Tech administration, Board of Regents and booster groups who have dealt in lies, and continue to do so. These lies have led to my firing this morning. I steadfastly refuse to deal in any lies, and am disappointed that I have not been afforded the opportunity for the truth to be known. Texas Tech’s decision to deal in lies and fabricate a story which led to my firing, includes, but is not limited by, the animosity remaining from last year’s contract negotiations. I will not tolerate such retaliatory action; additionally, we will pursue all available legal remedies.

These actions taken by Texas Tech have severely damaged my reputation and public image. In addition, Texas Tech has caused harm to not only my family, but to the entire Red Raider nation and the sport of college football.

As you know, I prefer to engage in question and answer sessions; however, in this instance my counsel has advised me to simply make a statement. There will be time to answer questions about this issue in the future, but the serious legal nature of this situation prevents me from going into further detail at this time.”

From New York Times, December 30, 2009.

For more on Mike Leach, click on: Peak Performance Case Study.

NFL Peak Performance Notes

"I got that because that's what I want to do -- I want to live forever. I want to make a difference. I want people to be thinking about my name until the sun blows up."

--Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers' cornerback, who many consider to be the most valuable defensive NFL player of 2009, discussing the tattoo he has on his right wrist. It is an Egyptian symbol that means "Live forever."

It was not always that way for Woodson.

"Charles always came to play on Sundays," said NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks, who was a Raiders defensive back during Woodson's rookie season.

"But he literally would walk into a meeting room, put his playbook on the floor and go right to sleep. He always had great talent. The question was whether he would waste it."

"You start to do a lot more things as you get older. I feel like I'm still a good athlete now but it was different at the start [of his career]. It wasn't until my sixth year in the league that I started to prepare for training camp.

"When I was in my first or second year, I would just go back to Atlanta [his offseason home] and it would be on. I wasn't worrying about longevity," said Woodson.

The Vision

“These guys in the next five weeks can do something that will be with them for 50 years, each one of them. You can hold your breath for five weeks when it comes to getting a benefit that you’ll have for 50 years. That’s the way they ought to look at it.”

--Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys' owner, discussing the Cowboys' playoff clinching win and his hope for a Super Bowl win.

Preparation/The Whole is Greater Than the Parts

“When I look at my game, I see that the people who surround me have basically built me into a machine. Like I’m made up of all these parts.”

--Darrelle Revis, New York Jets cornerback.

If Darrelle Revis were building the ideal cornerback from scratch, he would start with the footwork of Deion Sanders, add the vision of Ty Law and mix in Darrell Green’s speed, Champ Bailey’s hands and Charles Woodson’s athleticism.

Now in his third year, Revis studies film daily, during meetings and from 60 to 90 minutes on his own. This season, Revis stopped viewing run plays, because he reacts to those instinctively. Instead, he watches every play from the current season, dozens of times, of the next receiver he will face.

First, he looks for body language. Does the receiver tilt his shoulders forward on a pass play? Has he run go routes with his left foot forward at the line? Does he pop and flex his fingers before running across the middle?

Revis does not play poker, but he said every player has tells, including him. The key is finding what is unique about each receiver, then exploiting that.

“It’s all about memorization,” he said. “I’m in the walk-through calling out routes and formations. To the public eye, in the game, it looks easy. And it is, if you’ve seen it dozens of times and you know what’s coming.”

Mental Mindset/Continuous Improvement

Although more advanced than other cornerbacks with similar experience and ahead in technique, fundamentals, and knowledge, Revis is open to coaching and always wants to learn more. In the off-season, Revis studies the greats at his position, even shoots text messages to Hall of Famer Deion Sanders for advice.

The Game Plan

Head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Caldwell, in an effort to avoid injuries and rest for the playoffs, took many of his stars and starters out of a game with the New York Jets on Sunday. With a chance for an undefeated regular season in sight, Caldwell decided to play it safe for the bigger goal of winning a Super Bowl. With an division championship in tow, a first-round bye, and the home field advantage for the playoffs already clinched, The Colts lost to the Jets. The move was criticized by many fans and NFL experts.

However, Caldwell also had some defenders in the media.

“You have to take that emotional side out of it before the game even starts. You have to make those decisions: either we’re going all the way or we’re sticking to our formula. I’ve had instances like that in the past where you set your formula and guys say, ‘Hey, leave me in.’ Once that happens to you as a coach, you never allow that to happen again. You have to stick to your guns.”

--Tony Dungy, former Indianapolis Colts head coach and current NFL analyst.

"The main focus for us is making sure we're ready to go [for the playoffs]. The most important season is the one that is coming up.

"I'm one of those guys, it's probably my greatest strength and my greatest weakness, I can focus in, I can narrow my scope, and once you make a decision you have to live with it. Certainly you weigh all the options before. You take a look at all the things that could occur, but once that decision is done you just keep moving."

--Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts' head coach, on his decision to rest starters and lose a chance at an undefeated regular season.

Execution

"Until any player is a head coach, you follow orders and you do it with all your heart. We support the decisions that are made. Our orders were to win the game. Our orders weren't to give up a fumble for a touchdown or a kick return for a touchdown [by the Jets' Brad Smith]."

--Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts' quarterback, defending the Colts' decision.

Excerpts from the New York Times, December 28, 2009 and ESPN.com, December 27 & 28, 2009.



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

Alabama Achieves a Vision in Defeating Florida in the SEC Championship

Alabama Establishes a Clear Vision

“Everybody bought into it.”

--Mark Ingram, Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy candidate. Ingram, making a strong bid to claim the school's first Heisman Trophy, rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Florida in the SEC championship game. He passed Bobby Humphrey for the school rushing record in a season (1,542 yards) and augmented his performance with a 69-yard reception on a screen pass.

“Coach Saban’s got a philosophy of hard work and discipline,” Ingram said. “And you can’t have self-indulgent behavior. It’s about doing everything you can, every chance you have, to make the team better.”

"Everything we did all year long was to beat them, to be better than them," Ingram said about their goal of being better than Florida, who beat Alabama in the SEC title game last year.

“We had a meeting [last offseason and told the players] everything you do, every time you go to work, every time we lift weights, it’s not to be as good as the guy you’re playing against, it’s to be as good as the guy you have to beat to be the champion,”

--Nick Saban, head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.

Drive and Desire

"Everyone had to buy into not to be denied in this game." Saban said. "To be a champion, that's what you had to do. I've never been prouder of a group of players."

"Our standard was to be as good as Florida," Alabama linebacker Cory Reamer said. "Today, we were better than them.”

"They seemed like they wanted it a whole lot," Florida cornerback Joe Haden said.

Preparation and Work

Greg McElroy, Alabama quarterback and MVP of the SEC championship game said the victory was a tribute to all the work that the Tide had put in since the loss to Florida in last year’s SEC title game.

"I think it all came full circle in the sense that all the things we’ve done,” he said. “All the 110s we’ve run and blood, sweat, conditioning, all the reps in the weight room, that’s what it’s all for, taking a knee against Florida to win the SEC championship.”

--Greg McElroy, who threw for 239 yards and a touchdown to claim the SEC Championship Game MVP award.

Mental Mindset

“You’ve got to be responsible and accountable and be able to do your job,” Saban said. “There’s a way you have to do it in terms of the effort, the toughness and the dependability and the discipline. … And when you have a critical mass of players on your team that think like that, they really don’t want the other guys that don’t think that way to be out there with them.”

"If you want to be a champion, you have to have a team of champions," McElroy said. "This team came out and proved itself a champion."

Alabama will now face Texas in the BCS Championship Game in January.


Excerpts from the New York Times, Yahoo.com and ESPN.com (December 5-6, 2009).

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

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Peak Performance Case Study: Vince Young, Tennessee Titans Quarterback

"My goal is to win three or four Super Bowls."

--Vince Young, NFL quarterback responding to questions as he entered his third NFL season with the Tennessee Titans in 2008.

"This guy is unique, no question he's unique. He's a very, very competitive young man. He's used to winning. He's used to being a leader, so it all fits very well."

--Norm Chow, former Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator, talking about quarterback, Vince Young, and his emerging leadership in 2006, Young’s rookie year.


Sunday, November 29, 2009

Vince Young threw for a career high 387 yards, won his ninth straight start (after sitting behind Kerry Collins for 22 straight games) and improved to 23-11 in his career against the Arizona Cardinals.

For many people, this is vindication and a reputation-rebuilding and career defining win. With a great deal of confidence, Young showed he could be a pocket passer as well as a running quarterback.

Early Concerns

Many college quarterbacks such as Young who almost exclusively used the shotgun at the University of Texas have difficulty adapting to NFL offenses where most snaps are taken under center. Many scouts and personnel analysts felt that Young would not be an adequate passing quarterback in the NFL. Many critics also were concerned about Young’s unorthodox throwing style.

Traditional or Trailblazing Quarterback

“I am not sold that Young will ever be an elite passer who can threaten the whole field, and I do think that the Titans have very wisely kept his reads very simple -- from option one to option two to tuck the ball down and run.”

--Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

“He’s not that guy, not now. But what he’s doing is allowing them to win football games. Now you’re hoping that as he continues to grow, he’s going to eventually be that guy. You want him to be that guy, but he’s not that guy yet.

“I think with what he’s done you’ve got to stick with the guy now. That doesn’t mean you don’t draft a guy. If Collins is done, if this is his last year, they need another quarterback. Do you draft a guy? Maybe so. Maybe you draft the pocket passer you want so if it doesn’t work out you’ve got a guy in your system that you know you are grooming.”

--Herman Edwards, NFL analyst and former head coach in the NFL, responding to questions about Young, even after Young’s return as a starting quarterback.

“All I can do is play my game. I can't worry about what they're going to try to do. All I know is when Coach calls this or this or that, I have to execute the play. If it's a run or a pass, whatever it takes to win a ballgame, that's what I'm going to do. At the same time, it's not all about me. I know the rest of the guys are going to make plays as well."

--Vince Young, NFL offensive rookie of the year in 2006, discussing his focus on his role, blocking out the opposition's defensive schemes, and the importance of execution and teamwork.

Head Coach Jeff Fisher says he never lost faith that Young would become the team's franchise QB.

“He’s won a lot of games for us with different teammates,” Fisher said. “I think, yeah, it’s fair to assume [he’s the guy long-term]. We drafted him to be our franchise quarterback and never lost sight of that. Just because there was an interruption of his starts, we never thought he wasn’t going to be the guy we drafted him to be.”

So, what has Young and the Tennessee Titans done to develop him as their starting quarterback and bring about his recent resurgence.

Deliberate Practice: Touch and Mechanics

The Titans accepted Young’s unconventional throwing motion when they drafted him. But when Mike Heimerdinger took over as offensive coordinator in 2008, he said there were mechanical adjustments for Young’s feet that would have a bearing on his arm.

In his five-game comeback, Young has shown he can throw just about every pass in the NFL quarterback repertoire effectively. His completion percentage this season (62.9) is up nearly six points from his career number coming into the season.

“His footwork is tremendous right now and his ball placement [in his dropback] is very good,” Heimerdinger said. “And when his ball placement is right and his feet are right, he can wing it. It’s just having his feet underneath him and not all spread out, his arm above his numbers instead of out [extends his arms like an airplane to illustrate] like he used to, which caused him to push it.”


Mastery: Study, Preparation and Commitment

“I think his work habits have been great. He’s been spending the time, he’s been studying it. If I put something in new on Wednesday and he struggles with it, he comes back Thursday and has it down cold. He’s really working at it,he’s doing the things that you are supposed to do.

“He’s got to be taking it home and studying it. If I’ve got a real wordy formation and play, he has it down cold the next day. The stuff I always wondered if he’d do, he’s doing.”

--Mike Heimerdinger.

“I think he realizes more now what it takes to get ready to play during the week and to go out and do it on Sunday. A lot of that has to do with the amount of time he’s putting in whether it’s here or at home. That’s what it takes to be a great quarterback, and I think it’s showing in his reads, it’s showing on Sunday.”

--Kerry Collins, veteran and former starting quarterback for the Titans.


Increasing Maturity and Emotional Resilience

Young has a history of moodiness. There were rumors of depression and suicidal thoughts. This year he is more relaxed and comfortable, particularly in the spotlight. His body language is more positive and confident.

“Last year he was [moody],” Heimerdinger said. “I’ve not seen him moody this year.”

“I think he’s taken this opportunity more seriously than other opportunities and that to me is a signal of growing up and maturity,” Collins said. “… I think he carries himself more maturely. I think he’s handling different situations more maturely. He’s just growing up.”

“He’s been able to handle the adjustments on the run,” Fisher said, of his on-field maturity.

Handling Pressure, Failure and Adversity

Young won offensive rookie of the year in 2006 but followed up with a shaky second season. He started well as a rookie, winning and showing some highlight reel moments. However, many opposing teams found ways to make things far more difficult, he didn’t handle it well, he didn’t find a way to adjust and respond. In a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the start of his third season, he got so frustrated he asked to leave the game.

So far, in his return to the starting lineup, Young has bounced back from his bad moments. “He could have easily gone in the tank at halftime and did not,” Heimerdinger said, after some difficult moments (fumbles and interceptions)during games against Buffalo and Houston this year.

“He worked through it. At halftime, he was very attentive. He was right on top of everything we talked about and the adjustments we made.”

Collins said he expects Young will show himself to continue be much more resilient.

“When you play this position, there are always bumps in the road, there is always a bump looming,” he said. “It’s a humbling position. All signs indicate he will be able to handle it and maybe better than he has in the past. And that’s part of the growing-up process as well.”

Confidence

“He’s got a lot more confidence playing in the pocket,” Edwards said. “In this league, you’ve got to have a quarterback that can play in the pocket. Because it’s built that way. The rules are set up that way, it’s all for the quarterback to play inside the pocket.”

Consistency and Longevity: Questions about Young Linger

The Tennessee Titans have a big decision for the off-season. Do the Titans pay Young a roster bonus of $4.25 million and carry a cap number of over $14 million for him in 2010?

“We’ll find out in five more weeks,” Heimerdinger said. “He’s been consistent. He’s doing what he’s supposed to do. But a great quarterback does it every week -- protects the ball, does the things you are supposed to do and stays within the system. He’s played very well in the five games we’ve had. I don’t have a lot of things to correct him on. But we’ve still got five more weeks.”

At least for the moment, Vince Young is back.

Excerpts from ESPN.com (December 4, 2009).

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

For mental conditioning tools, resources, video, etc., click on Peak Performance eCoach.

I Couldn't Help Myself: The Top Ten NBA Plays and Dunks of November 2009

Please excuse the overlap in plays and dunks. Some deserve a second look anyway.



And...



From NBA.com.

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Texas Longhorn QB Colt McCoy Finally Learns to Relax

In his last home game, Colt McCoy, the University of Texas Longhorns' quarterback, burned the Kansas Jayhawks for 396 yards and four touchdowns. He connected on 32 of 41 passes, one incompletion short of 80 percent.

In that game, McCoy set a record by winning more college football games than any other quarterback in the history of the sport. He has completed a higher percentage of passes in one season (76.7, in 2008) than any other quarterback in the history of the sport.

The 6-foot-3, 214 pound McCoy, from Tuscola, Texas, has led the No. 3 Longhorns to an 11-0 record and the Big 12 South championship. He is 3-0 as a bowl starter. He is 3-1 against Oklahoma.

Until recently, however, McCoy never satisfied; and driving himself crazy.

"You come back for your senior year after a good year," McCoy said. "You have the opportunity to go to the NFL. You win a bunch of awards. You almost win the Heisman. All those things you accomplish, and you come back as a senior, and you have to do this and do that and play perfect."

Offensive coordinator Greg Davis has preached for five seasons, that McCoy could be a better quarterback and leader by relaxing.

McCoy not only set that completion percentage record last season but also led the Longhorns to a 12-1 record and a No. 4 finish in the final poll.

"I called him in January," Davis said. "I said, 'Look, you just completed 77 percent of your passes for the season. I just completed 36 years of coaching. I've never had a guy do that.

"'Now, let me go a step further. Nobody who has ever coached quarterbacks has had a guy do that. So to think you're just going to walk back out here next year and it's going to go to 80 is unrealistic.'"

But, McCoy entered the 2009 season trying to be perfect, do everything right, but ended up playing too cautiously. The team continued to win, but wasn't playing well, and most certainly wasn't having fun. The entire team was tight and underperforming.

"I was playing good and giving my team its best chance to win," McCoy said, "but at the same time it was not fun. I was beating myself up. I kept digging myself deeper and deeper in a hole that I couldn't get out of."

"You put so much pressure on yourself and expectations on yourself to be the best, to complete all your passes and throw three or four touchdowns and throw for 300 yards," McCoy said. "When you don't, and you decided to come back for your senior year and come back and have an up-and-down year and you don't do all that, it hurts you mentally. You end up not having fun. You stress out all week. You think, 'I'll do better next week.'"

"It's easy to say, 'I'm going to get out of it,'" McCoy said. "But to get out of it, physically and mentally and completely, was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do."

"I wasn't losing it on anybody else but myself," he said. "I wasn't being myself around the facility, around my teammates. I was most pissed off at myself. When you're a quarterback, a leader, you've been here for four years, you can't do that. That's something I know. I wasn't trying to act that way. I was in a hole. I was concerned."

Nevertheless, Texas kept winning. The Longhorns went into Dallas to play Oklahoma with a 5-0 record.

"I could have been so much better," McCoy said. "I could have been such a better leader and teammate. … I was frustrated and trying to figure out what was wrong with me instead of helping the young receivers, staying after practice, making sure they knew where I want them to be."

McCoy had his worst statistical game of the season against OU. He completed 21 of 39 passes for only 127 yards. He lost two fumbles, one at the Oklahoma goal line. With Texas trying to extend a 16-13 lead, he threw an interception to Sooners cornerback Brian Jackson at the Oklahoma 9. McCoy chased Jackson down and made the tackle.

That might have been the play that saved McCoy's season. After Davis broke down the video of the game, he called McCoy into his office.

"I said, 'Of all the records you've broken, of all the things you've done, I'm probably more proud of you for this ballgame than I am for any ballgame,'" Davis said.

"He said, 'Why?'

"I said, 'Just because of the way you competed and the way you put the team first. You throw the interception, and a lot of guys would have been over there kicking the dirt. And you went and made the tackle. We ended up getting the ball back. You competed for 60 minutes against a quality defensive football team, and because of that, we won the game.'"

"The week after Oklahoma, I let myself go," McCoy said. "Forget about everything. I walked up to Coach [Mack] Brown and Coach Davis and said, 'As far as I'm concerned, we're 0-0. This is going to be my first game. I'm starting over completely.'

"I've been so much better since," McCoy said. "I can feel my teammates following me, responding to me, and I'm feeling confident."

In the past five games, McCoy completed 77 percent of his passes for 1,487 yards and 12 touchdowns and threw only two interceptions. Again, aainst Kansas on Saturday night, McCoy threw for 396 yards and four touchdowns.

So, what happened?

"He relaxed," Davis said.

Excerpts from ESPN.com, November 23, 2009.

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

The NBA's Kobe Bryant: Never Satisfied and Always Improving

“When you first come into the league, you’re trying to prove yourself as an individual, do things to assert yourself and establish yourself. But then once you’ve done that, there’s another level to the game that’s more complex than figuring out how to put up big numbers as an individual.”

--Kobe Bryant, 31, Los Angeles Lakers, discussing his evolution as a player and teammate.

Bryant has earned four NBA championships with the Lakers. He started his NBA career out of high school at the age of 17.

Kobe has refined his game by:

*Traveling with a portable DVD player queued to games to analyze and review.

*Working with Tim *Grover, Michael Jordan’s former trainer, to address weaknesses in the physical aspects of his game.

*Hiring a consultant to analyze various NBA teams' and individual opponents' weaknesses.

*Visiting the former Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon over the summer for a 5-hour tutorial on low-post play.

“The strengths that I have now were weaknesses when I was a kid,” Bryant said. “The strengths that I had as a kid may be weaknesses now. So you just kind of flip-flop and get the same results.”

“He’s always trying a new angle,” Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni said about Bryant. “His work ethic is better than anybody I’ve seen, so he’s going to improve.”

D'Antoni added, “Whether he can do the same things he could do when he was younger, I don’t know, but he’ll keep getting to be a better basketball player.”




Excerpts from the New York Times, November 24, 2009.

For more on mental conditioning, peak performance and Kobe Bryant, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

The Atlanta Hawks on Top of the NBA: Patience and a Plan

"We've got the depth we need. We treat each possession as precious because we know we've got something good going here."

--Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks.

The Atlanta Hawks have improved their record to 10-2 with a win over the Miami Heat. They share the best record in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns. How have they improved and why?


Ownership: Brought Together by Adversity

Legal issues between owners have perhaps galvanized the organization and brought the entire enterprise together like nothing else could. This internal power struggle could have been deadly. However, despite the distractions, the owners also had a long-range plan and stuck with it. They allowed GM Rick Sund to build a strong organizational foundation and not panic. They didn't break up the pieces and start over when faced with adversity or criticism. When fans were clamoring for the firing of head coach Mike Woodson, ownership did not buckle. Now, Woodson is the longest tenured coach in the Eastern Conference.

Consistent and Incremental Improvement

The Hawks have gone from 37-45 in 2007 to 47-35 in 2008 to 10-2 in 2009 without changing a starter. To do this, the Hawks had patience and allowed existing players to continue developing confidence and chemistry amongst one another. They believed that they had a good mix of players that know their roles and play within a team concept.

Building Blocks

Of course, the Hawks started by successfully selecting talent and valuing athleticism. For several years, the Hawks were consistantly described as an athletic team. Opposing teams saw the potential, understood the challenge, but did not fear the Hawks

Continuity, Stability, Patience and Persistence

Using the draft, free agency to pick up the right role players and maintaining the team's core. They stuck with their nucleus and built a resilient foundation.

Putting the Pieces Together

Strong Rebounding

Inside players Al Horford, Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia are playing hard and going for every rebound.

All-around, Versatile Players with a Focus on Defense

The Hawks are forcing turnovers and taking advantage of opponents' mistakes. They are perfecting their transition game. In the win against the Heat, Josh Smith was all over the Philips Arena floor with 16 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals.

"We're a tough team to beat when he's playing like that," Joe Johnson said of his teammate. "When he's rebounding, playing defense and diving down in the paint for dunks and layups, it makes the defense collapse. That's leaving guys like me and Mike [Bibby] open for shots."

Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Joe Johnson continue to provide an all-around game for the Hawks. Johnson continues to be a NBA force as a one-on-one scorer. Johnson can score from anywhere. His total of 30 points against the Heat included 5-for-11 from 3-point range, a dunk of a follow-up, put-back and a couple of layups on the run — plus many forays through the paint against multiple defenders.

Johnson also has become a defensive stopper — holding the usually dynamic and reliable Dwayne Wade to 2-for-9 in the first half, a total of only 15 points on 6-for-18 shooting, and a mere two free throws. Johnson is a position defender, who relies on strength, anticipation and a thorough understanding of his opponent's strengths and weaknesses.

Role Players

Jamal Crawford provides energy and scoring off the bench. A sixth-man of the year candidate, he brings electricity to the court. He can shoot from anywhere, moves well without the ball and can get off quick shots from a variety of unexpected release-points. Crawford also demonstrates his confidence when in a recent game, as soon as a 3-point shot left his hand, he turned and headed downcourt. And, of course, the shot hit nothing but net.

He has developed maturity by being more interested in moving the ball than he is in shooting it. His defense has improved significantly since coming to the Hawks. He can light up a scoreboard. As the season progresses and he gets more comfortable with his role — backup point and shooting guard — Crawford will undoubtedly become more consistent. For the moment, however, he provides explosive point-making off the bench.

Effort

The Hawks have built a deep bench, immunizing them against injuries and fatigue over a tough game or a long season. The Hawks starters don't have to play excessive minutes to win a game.

Balanced Scoring

Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Jamal Crawford, Marvin Harrison, Mike Bibby, and Al Horford can all score and, on any given day, can lead the team in scoring.

Mike's Woodson Coaching: Fostering Chemistry and Teamwork

Woodson has been able to reach Josh Smith and get him to focus on his strengths and minimize the effects of his weaknesses. He helped to turned Pachulia into a super-sub who rebounds, passes and comes off the bench to raise the energy level of his teammates. He’s refusing this year to overuse Joe Johnson and understands the importance of keeping him fresh. He trusts Mike Bibby to run the team on the court and be the coach on the floor. Woodson has confidence in Bibby's leadership and clutch shooting. He is realiable and steady; great characteristics in a point guard.

Future Questions for the Hawks

This is the NBA. There are many great players. It is a long season and many things can happen. Other teams can get hot. Coaches can figure out how to adjust and effectively stop another team from doing what they do best.

Can the Hawks play consistently well when fans', players', and opponents' expectations rise?

Will the Hawks respond when they become favorites, when other teams shoot for them or when they get behind against an elite team like the Lakers?

Only time will tell, but the Hawks have built something strong and there is much to be learned from this metamorphasis.

“It’s just a lot of growth, man. Two, three, four years ago, we would have lost a game like this [against the Portland Trailblazers].” With the growth and maturity of guys like Marvin Williams and Josh Smith, I think we can be as good as we want to be.”

--Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks' scoring leader.

Smith, who surprisingly has not attempted a three-point field goal this season after averaging 1.3 per game a year ago, echoed that same attitude.

“We don’t have any give-ups in us,” Smith said after his 20-point, 16-rebound effort against the Blazers. “We stay fighting and persevere. I feel confident. The team is confident. We feel like we can beat any team in the league.”

Excerpts from AJC.com, ESPN.com, www.hawks.realgm.com and FoxSports.com (November 19, 2009).

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

Key to Long-Standing Patriots' Success: Stand Behind the Coach and his Decisions

”Coach has a lot of confidence we can make a yard and a half to win the game. They showed us the drive before they can go pretty fast and score. Coach was being aggressive and I love that about him. As a coach, you’re not thinking let’s punt it to them and see if they can do it again. He’s thinking, ‘We have 450 yards of offense.’ ”

-Tom Brady, New England Patriots' quarterback, defending head coach Bill Belichick's decision to go for it in fourth down deep in Patriot territory late in the game. The decision backfired, and the Patriots' opponent, the Indianapolis Colts, got the ball and scored to win 35-34.

"It was a really bad coaching decision by coach Belichick. I have all the respect in the world for him, but he has to punt the ball. The message that you are sending in the locker room is: I have no confidence in my young guys on my defense.

"This is the worst coaching decision I've ever seen Bill Belichick make."

--Rodney Harrison, sportscaster and former New England Patriot said on NBC's postgame show.

Still, in the Patriots locker room, there was no questioning the call.

”He’s the head coach,” Faulk said. “No matter what, to us that’s the right call. We are the employees.”

If the Patriots would have made the first down, they probably would have been able to run out the clock and win the game. If the play had worked, Belicheck would have been labeled a rogue genius.

Belicheck should have been applauded for his moxie and innovative, despite the play not working. This type of decision-making and play calling has led to four Super Bowl appearances and three Super Bowl wins.

"We thought we could win the game on that play," Belichick said. "That was a yard I was confident we could get."

It is particularly impressive that the Patriots stuck together after the game and did not question the decision, despite the outcome. This is rarely seen in the NFL today. It is not typical in corporate America either.

How many organizations can say they do not second-guess their boss and their organization after a failure or defeat?

This type of team solidarity is difficult to find.

Should you reconsider your reactions to mistakes?


Note: The Colts are now 9-0 and have the inside track toward home-field advantage through the A.F.C. playoffs. The Cincinnati Bengals, at 7-2 and with an easy schedule remaining, seem headed for a first-round bye. The Patriots are now 6-3, and though they still have a firm grip on the A.F.C. East, their chances of a first-round bye are sinking.

Bottom line: There are seven games left in the regular season. There is alot of football left to play and many more decisions to make and plays to call.

Let's see which teams stick together and which implode.

Excerpts from the New York Times and ESPN.com (November 16, 2009).

For more on Peak Performance Teams, click on Team Pulse. For more on the New England Patriots, click on http://www.squidoo.com/patriotscasestudy.

NBA All-Stars Show the Way to Victory Through Mental Mindset

Here are some notes from NBA games played on November 12, 2009. Much can be learned about success from listening to NBA players reacting to victory.

Focus, Maturity and Discipline

"We really did a good job focusing ourselves. They do what they do, and we try to stop it. We showed a lot of control, a lot of maturity. It was a very disciplined game for us."

--Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers' leader, after a 121-102 regular season win over the Phoenix Suns, who had brought a 7-1 record and four-game win streak into the Lakers' home arena.

Responsiblity and Accountability: Finishing Games and Being a Role Model

"It starts with me -- closing the games out. If I'm being lax, if I'm not being aggressive and putting pressure on the defense, the rest of the team is not going to do the same. I just tried to put as much pressure as we could offensively, tried to get as many stops as possible, and come out with a win. We had played so well for most of the game, you don't want to let a game like this get away."

--LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers' All-Star, on beating the Miami Heat, 111-104, in a regular season match-up.

Understanding History and the Importance of Legacies

LeBron James would like to see any NBA player who wears No. 23 to choose another number in homage to Michael Jordan, who also wore No. 23.

James said he plans to switch his number from 23 to 6 after this season.

"I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon," James told TNT. "There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn't Michael Jordan first.

"He can't get the logo [Hall of Famer Jerry West's silhouette adorns the NBA's logo], and if he can't, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I'm starting a petition, and I've got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it."

"If you see 23, you think about Michael Jordan," James said, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "You see game-winning shots, you think about Michael Jordan; you see guys fly through the air, you think about Michael Jordan; you see fly kicks, you think about Michael Jordan. He did so much, it has to be recognized, and not just by putting him in the Hall of Fame."

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers are two of the teams favored to go far in the 2009 NBA Playoffs. Mental mindset and emotional resiliency will play a large role in the success of their teams and the success of the other contenders.

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

Excerpts from ESPN.com, November 13, 2009.

The Owner of the New York Yankees Acknowledges the Champions

"The Steinbrenner Family and the Yankees Organization are extremely proud of the members of the 2009 New York Yankees for bringing a 27th World Championship to New York City and our fans, the greatest fans in the world. Every World Series victory is special, but this one is especially sweet coming in the first year in our new home.

"The 2009 New York Yankees proved that we are the best in baseball. We beat truly worthy opponents in the American League Division Series, the American League Championship Series and the World Series. As we did all season long, we fought hard, never lost focus and gave a true team victory. Our players have a lot to be proud of. This group will become legendary -- similar to the 26 World Championship teams that preceded them.

"Joe Girardi and his team deserve great credit for racking up wins over a long, tough season.

"We are so grateful to our fans. They have never wavered in their faith or enthusiasm through the good and bad years. This World Series belongs to them and to all Yankees, past, present and future."

--George Steinbrenner, New York Yankees' owner.

It is clear that the championship grew out of a vision, confidence, a need to prove their abilities and meet a challenge, a family atmosphere, a sense of belonging and teamwork, perseverence, pride, focus, and passion. This is a successful formula for championships. Congratulations to the New York Yankees.

For more Team Peak Performance, click on Team Pulse.

New York Yankees Win World Series as a Team

"Look, a lot of other people were going the other way and my teammates and coaches and the organization stood right next to me and we finished together as world champs. I couldn't be prouder.

"I just knew then that when I had the 25 guys standing next to me and the organization and general manager, it meant the world to me and I said that day [that] this is going to turn out to be one of the most special years of our lives, and it sure has.''

--Alex Rodriguez, discussing his teammates' support since February when he admitted to steroid use and faced the media at spring training.

"He's a world champion," general manager Brian Cashman said. "No one can say anything about him anymore. He's performed in October. He's performed on the biggest stage. He's got a World Series ring coming his way, and he deserves it."

Hitting .365 in the postseason, Rodriguez slammed six homers and drove in 18 runs.

GOOD MANAGEMENT

Joe Girardi was instrumental in managing the talented Yankees.

"He lets us play, that's the thing. He writes down the lineup. He's open with us. He's honest with us, he communicates with us well. He gives us a chance to go out there and do our thing. He's done a tremendous job."

--Derek Jeter, giving credit to the managerial skills of Yankee manager, Joe Girardi.

DREAMS, PRIDE, AND TEAMWORK

"The joy is the same, but it's a different type of joy," Girardi said after the victory. "As a player, it's what you dream about ever since you were a little boy, and for me, it was listening to Curt Gowdy do all the World Series games. As a manager, you still have that joy, but the joy is for other people, because you know as a player what it takes to win a championship."

"It feels great," Rodriguez said. "I couldn't be more proud of 25 guys, coaching staff and an organization -- it takes everybody."

"I feel very blessed. I feel so lucky to be part of their fifth championship and my first. It's an honor to play with these guys."

--Mark Teixeira, Yankee firstbaseman, said of Yankee veterans Derek Jeter, Jose Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte.

. . .was happy to be able to hit and contribute to the team's win but more than that, just, us as a team, winning the championship - by far - that is such a great feeling. I guess you can say that this is the best moment of my life right now. If I were to look back, yes, this would be the best.''

--Hideki Matsui, Most Valuable Player of the 2009 World Series, who drove in six runs in the sixth and final game and hitting .615 with three homers and eight RBI during the entire series.

"This is what the Steinbrenner family has strived for year after year after year and has tried to deliver to this city of New York and George Steinbrenner and his family are champions and to be able to deliver this to the Boss, the stadium that he created and the atmosphere that he created around here, um, is very gratifying for all of us," Girardi said.

Excerpts from USAToday.com, NECN.com, VOANews.com, ESPN.com and MLB.com (November 5, 2009).

Dallas Cowboys Gain Momentum and Confidence

"The thing with this success is that we just have to be even harder on each other, expect even more out of each other. With each win comes great expectations. We're not just talking about from the outside; we're talking about in our own locker room, from ourselves."

--Jay Ratliff, Dallas Cowboys' nose tackle.

The Dallas Cowboys are on a three game winning streak and have increasing confidence. Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo threw touchdown passes to three receivers, including his new favorite target Miles Austin, and didn't have an interception for a career-best third straight game, leading the Cowboys to a 38-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and into a tie with the Philadelphia Eagles for the division lead in the NFL NFC East.

"I feel good about the progress we've made, but we've still got a ways to go."
--Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys' head coach.

PATRICK CRAYTON DEALS WITH ADVERSITY

"You've got to make the most of the opportunities you can," wide receiver Patrick Crayton said. "That's the only way you can view it."

Since losing his starting wide receiver position to Miles Austin and briefly the punt return job to Allen Rossum, Patrick Crayton has scored three touchdowns in two games.

It's his third streak of at least two games with a touchdown over the last three seasons. On Sunday, November 1, 2009, he added three catches for 39 yards, including a big third-down grab on a drive that put the Cowboys up, 14-3, in the second quarter.

"He shows you how to be a professional, how to go about your job every day," Cowboy wide receiver Kevin Ogletree said. "Pat, I don't think he lets anything bother him."

Crayton, whose punt return average (16.6 yards) is better than his per catch average (14.6), should be applauded for how he has acted.

"Some may say, 'He's just doing what he's supposed to do,' " Crayton said. "That's how I look at it."

"Patrick's been nothing but a great teammate and player since he's been here," quarterback Tony Romo said. "He knows the competitive side of the game, the ups and the downs that go with it. What allows him to go forward and be successful is his mind and ability to keep working. For some reason, he always comes out on top. That's pretty good."

“He understands that he’s going to play a ton,” Romo said before a win over the Atlanta Falcons. “To think he’s not going to be a major part of this offense is wrong.”

“It’s a long season of ups and downs, and the mental side of the game is what it’s all about,” tight end Jason Witten said. “I think he did a great job of understanding those challenges and really just stepping up and being the same guy every day. And it showed on Sunday.”

"Week in and week out, you've got to prove yourself. If you don't they'll find somebody else. My job is to do whatever they ask me to do, plain and simple. I'm not going to ever lose confidence in myself and hopefully they don't , either."

--Patrick Crayton, about his role on the team after being demoted.

"It's never even been thought of mine that Patrick Crayton wouldn't walk out there and play like he'd just been named to the Pro Bowl. On any given play, I think he'll play that way. From my standpoint, thinging about this team, we shouldn't waok on eggshells over that kind of issue That's not the point here. The point is that we're all lucky to be here."

--Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys' owner, discussing the controversy that arose when it was reported that Crayton took offense to not being told about the decision to demote him by a coach, rather than the media.

LOOKING FORWARD AND IMPROVING

"For us, it's just about improving and getting better," Romo said. "I can say it 55,000 times, but it's true."

"We want to keep improving and keep trying to win games. That's been our motto all season," Romo said. "We don't really think about other teams. Our season is about the things we can control."

"This team has a good chemistry. They are hard workers. We have a lot of guys that play a role, whatever that is. They accept it and they try to do really well at that role."

--Wade Phillips.


Excerpts from Dallas News.com (November 2, 2009), Associated Press (November 1, 2009 and ESPN.com (November 1-2, 2009).

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

Yankees Taking a Team Approach to the World Series

“There's no question, I have never had a bigger hit. But if you look at what Mark Teixeira and I have done in this World Series, it’s not much, and it just tells you what a great balanced team we've had all year, and we're getting contributions from all our guys. It just feels to go out and help the team win.”

--Alex Rodriguez, Yankee thirdbaseman, acknowledging the teamwork needed to compete and win as New York takes a 3-1 lead over the Phillies.

Rodriguez is hitting .143 (2-for-14) in the World Series, combining with Mark Teixeira (1-for-14, .071) to form a slumping 3-4 punch. Neverthless, Rodriguez' two hits were clutch hits that have propelled the Yankees to two wins over the Phillies. The hit also was the 15th RBI of the postseason for Rodriguez.

"He's the reason why we're sitting here in Philadelphia right now," Johnny Damon said of A-Rod, who tied Bernie Williams and Scott Brosius for the most RBIs in a postseason by a Yankee. "Without him, who knows where our road may have stopped at. He has the RBI numbers and he's been driving us through the playoffs."

VISIONS, DREAMS, AND PRIDE

"It's always been all about trying to win a World Series," general manager Brian Cashman said. "It's very special in that we just opened up a brand new ballpark, and considering all the history we left behind in the old place, it's nice to open this one with a trip to the World Series. Hopefully we can finish it off with a championship."

"A lot of great players have never had the honor of going to the World Series," Rodriguez said. "It's been a dream of mine since I was a 5-year-old boy to play in the World Series. It's been a long wait."

"When you put that uniform on with these guys, for this organization, it's about winning," said A. J. Burnett, who was a member of the 2003 World Series Champion Florida Marlins, but missed the entire postseason due to injury. "Somebody in spring training, I don't remember who it was, said if we don't win the World Series it's a failure. And I agree."

"When you think about Yankees you think about the word ‘winners'. To be able to be a part of this team, and to be able to be a part of this organization, it's an amazing feeling. This is a great team, and there's great camaraderie with all these guys. I couldn't be more happy, more proud. I'm really excited to put those pinstripes on for the World Series."

--Nick Swisher, New York Yankees.

FOCUS

"We haven't accomplished anything yet. We've won three games, but that's not what we set out to do. We want the fourth."

--Johnny Damon, New York Yankees outfielder, after the Yankees have taken the 3-1 lead over the Phillies.

"We've been down this road before," Rodriguez said. "We have to stay very focused. These guys are the world champs, so they're going to come out fighting. So are we."

Excerpts from ESPN.com, sports.Yahoo.com, and New York Post.com (November 2, 2009)

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