Monday, October 20, 2008

Love Those Devil Rays!!!


Monday has indeed rolled around! What a beautiful day in the Tampa Bay area. Sunny and mild for here...82 degrees. Ummm, just right! Everyone is smiling today even though it is though sleepy eyes for most. The Tampa Rays baseball team won the league title last night at about midnight...then the celebrations that were going on!!!! and on.....and on......

We are so proud of that team. They have gone from the worst...I am meaning THE WORST team...bottom place last year...to going to the world series this year! They are tremendous!

But what I am impressed with are the manager and team members themselves. They are truly a team. No one seems to be out for their own glory. They are out to give the team glory. And so they have!!!

And the manager, Joe Madden, is quite a guy. His idea of working with people if fantastic. He doesn't yell and stomp and scream during the games. He calmly and patiently watches the game. Not that he doesn't get upset, but only when his team is mistreated. He can have his moment!!!

Once this year, and I forget when, I heard that the opposing team seemed to be purposely aiming to hit his players when they pitched. He marched on the field and told the umpire it would stop or he was pulling his team off the field. What a change it made in the players' attitudes. He stuck up for them. They were important.

Quite often when a pitcher is having problems, you would see him go to the mound, not to pull him off, but to calm him down and encourage him, taking the edge off the pitcher. He doesn't seem to like to pull the pitcher but likes to let them work through it if possible.

The height of it all was before the last game. The biggest game the team has ever had to face. Reports had it that there was no team meeting ahead of the game. He was said to have told a reporter...they know how important the game is and they know what they have to do. I think he thought there is nothing to be said.

He was not about to get everyone worked up. He believed in them. He believed they knew their job. We had heard he always told the team, what happened yesterday doesn't matter; what happens tomorrow doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is right now. Do your job.

What a wonderful message for life. What matters most is right now. Do what you are supposed to do. Do your job.

The way he seems to treat his players reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses. The way I remember it is "He bids us build each other up". I don't know what version it is. Really doesn't matter. I guess if you want a version, the New Living Translation says it this way: "So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing" 1Thessalonians 5:10-12

Wouldn't there be a change in this world, if we could just build each other up, instead of constantly knocking each other down?

Just think of it. Marriages, relationships, your children, employees.............What a change could be made on this earth.

Could we ever do it?

My thought for the day.

Enjoy.


2 comments:

Little Ole Me said...

We need more people like the coach and our world would be a much better place.

Terry said...

Go Rays!! Although, I'm not much on watching pro baseball.

Great thoughts Barb---my sentiments exactly. The best thing we can do for people and the world---pray!

have a great day and glad to see you keeping your blog up!!