As a coach, I think I look at the world a little differently. I like to look at body language and listen to what people say and how they say it. A big part of my job is to make inferences about things that people do not say out loud. Those inferences are what give you the insight on an athlete or a person.
Cliff Lee is probably my favorite player in baseball. He was an average pitcher until a pitching coach in Cleveland changed his delivery.
Lesson #1 A world class ball player lets a coach he doesn't know that well change his delivery. He wins the CY Young.
He is calm and cool all the time. He said it in the post game interview last night. All my work has been done, what is there to be nervous about.
Lesson # 2 When you know you have done all you can do to be prepared, there is no place for nervousness. Those who are nervous are unprepared. Work hard day in and day out and on game day go have fun. Play the GAME.
He has fun, does anything asked of him and takes what is in front of him. He has pinch runned in the playoffs, stolen a base, hit in the top of the 9th and been pulled graciously. He doesn't argue balls and strikes and approaches each pitch as that pitch. Not the one before or two batters ago. He lives the moment.
Lesson# 3 control what you can control. Let the rest melt away. What does it matter if it is 1-0 and you didn't like the call, it is still 1-0. You still have to make this pitch.
One final note. Would we be laughing if C.C. had made the catch on the mound that Lee did. If C.C. Sabathia's flat brim, crooked hat had made that catch, would we laugh it off or would we be up in arms because he was showboating? think about that. and why is it the case? Is it race? Is it age? Is it culture?
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