“We play today. We win today. Das it.”
All pro athletes have talent, even the ones we make fun of,
(Cough. Volpe. Cough.) that said, there
are athletes that just know how to win. Players that use their will and
determination to find an extra gear when it’s all on the line.
Jeter. Brunson. Manning.
NOTE: I wanted to add a New York Jet to this list but the
best I could do was Joe Namath. I was thinking about using Marc Sanchez (Two AFC
Championship appearances) but he couldn’t even win a bar fight against a sixty-nine
year-old. So no…
But I digress…
When the NY Giants (of beloved memory) hired John Harbaugh to be their Head Coach and de facto undisputed leader of the entire organization, the Giants finally did something to change not just the personnel but the culture of the team.
They brought in a guy who on the Lombardi Scale of
“Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” is around an eight out of ten.
He has high expectations, he drills the crap out of fundamentals, and broaches no bullshit.
They may not make the playoffs this
year, talent matters too, but they will give 100% and they will care. They are
learning how to win and they will get there.
He has high expectations, he drills the crap out of
fundamentals, and broaches no bullshit.
Winning starts at the top.
--
The Knicks (in five!!!!) turned the franchise around by
adding winners. The Nova Knicks. Two NCAA Championships. OG Anunoby, a ring
with Toronto, Mike Brown (Three Championships
with the Warriors.)
Guys who know what it takes and how to win.
Interesting side note: I saw a YouTube short about Brunson vs. Wembanyama. Apparently Brunson
has never lost a “championship” elimination game. HS State Championship. NCAA x
2, NBA. Wembanyama lost every single one he’s been in.
The Yankee roster has only one player who has won a World Series (Cole) and is riddled with guys acquired from the worst franchises in baseball. Guys for whom losing has always been a way of life.
This doesn’t mean that they don’t
have talent. It just means that they come from places where losing is easier to
accept.
On the current Yankee 26-man Roster
Bednar – Pirates
Blackburn – A’s
Cruz - Reds
De Los Santos – Pirates
Headrick – Twins
Weathers – Marlins
--
Ali Sanchez - Marlins
Jazz – Marlins
Garcia Jr. – Nationals
McMahon – Rockies
Ramos – Giants (bad while he was there)
That’s eleven players out of twenty-six who come from losing cultures.
Add the Yankees who came up under Aaron Boone and it becomes easy to see why the team has lengthy slumps and gets bounced so easily from the playoffs.
--
Aaron Boone is not a winner.
Let’s compare and contrast a few quotes shall
we?
“Look, I think everyone that goes in the playoffs, there's pressure in these games. There's a lot on the line, there's a lot to play for, you want to do well” - Aaron Boone
NOTE: “Do well” is not win.
“Do well” is not embarrass yourself.
Be happy with your effort. Have some success. Some.
Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser. — Vince
Lombardi
--
“I think a great culture can look a lot of different ways.
Sometimes it's guys that get along great and it's a good, solid, healthy work
environment.” Aaron Boone
“Hopefully, one of my gifts will be that I'll be able to,
you know, say something that's I guess considered critical without being a
jerk.” Aaron Boone
“The only thing I believe is this: A player does not have to
like a manager and he does not have to respect a manager. All he has to do is
obey the rules.”— Sparky Anderson
--
“Hopefully I'm part of creating an environment that a player
feels like he can come in and be himself.” Aaron Boone
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies
in a man's determination.
- Tommy Lasorda
--
They need a culture change.
Lombard Jr. and Schlittler have what it takes so maybe it’s a start. Hopefully it doesn't get sapped out of them. I don't think it will. You can see it in their eyes.
They need support.
The Yankees need to do more. Much more. They need a manager who HATES hates to lose. Who sets the tone.
They need a GM who doesn’t just look at data but looks for players who hate to lose. A few years ago Bryce Harper wanted to be our Paul O’Neil. Cashman never made him an offer.
No more talk about “good swings” and “getting there” and “It’s all in front of us.”
Because as Vince Lombardi put it…
“Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while... you don't do things right once in a while... you do them right all the time. Winning is habit."
"If you can accept losing, you can't win.”
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