The REAL REASON why these Giants WIN in OCTOBER! - They play a GREAT second fiddle - Ishikawa's walk to a walk-off

'It takes more grace than I can tell

To play the second fiddle well.'

Wait, What!?!? What does that mean? Second fiddle? We're not talking about the opera here, we're talking about baseball, right? Let me explain, but first here is Bumgarner's quote about winning the NLCS MVP immediately after the game. Sure, everyone says this kind of stuff, yeah, yeah....but this team is full of guys like this that defer credit to their teammates.

from Giants Extra:
POSTGAME NOTES: Morse makes good on Bum's call; Ishikawa has "career-defining" moment; Affeldt shows off the wheels - Giants Extra:

"— Madison Bumgarner gave up a couple of homers but got through the eighth, and that helped the Giants immensely. You could tell tonight that the bullpen was gassed. For that, and for Game 1, Bumgarner was named NLCS MVP.

“I’m truly thankful and honored for that,” he said. “I don’t think you can go wrong, you can pick anybody. We had so many guys play a big part in every game.”

Bumgarner picked up the trophy on the stage. And then he picked up six beers, one more than the last round …"

'via Blog this'

This is a team that lives and breathes the Leonard Bernstein quote above and those who are musically inclined probably know where I'm going with this, but remember how the Fox announcers gushed at how hard it was to get Buster Posey to talk about himself, he wouldn't do it he was so busy deflecting credit to his teammates and felt more comfortable talking about them rather than himself.

THE WHOLE OF THIS TEAM IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS FOR THIS REASON: THEY HAVE A TON OF GUYS WHO WILLINGLY AND ABLY PLAY A GREAT SECOND FIDDLE. 

It's the epitome of that elusive quality called team chemistry and it's the reason why the Giants win in October even though the pundits, the so-called experts downplay their chances for success. The Giants have great second fiddlers and everyone is looking at the first violin players.


http://books.google.com/books?id=cV_56vfs2_wC&pg=PA78#v=onepage&q&f=false

The conductor of a symphony orchestra was once asked what is the most difficult instrument to play. He responded, "Second violin. I can find plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play second violin with enthusiasm -- that is a problem. And if we have no second violin, we have no harmony.

The Background: 

http://www.ldolphin.org/johnmark.html

'It takes more grace than I can tell

To play the second fiddle well.'

                  A statement attributed to the late Leonard Bernstein, the famous conductor of the New York Philharmonic, states: 'The hardest instrument in the orchestra to play is second fiddle.'

            A fellow named Bo Bradham attended a fiddle camp in September of 1996 and wrote about that experience.  The story is recounted of a fiddler from Texas named Randy Elmore who was at a 'jam session' the first night of camp.  Bo states that [Randy] sat there quietly, and every time Mark [O'Conner, an accomplish fiddler in his own right] played a tune, Randy was right there with the second fiddle part.  'Playing second fiddle' has become synonymous with being out of the limelight, not the lead dog, but you know and I know just how hard it is to do, and how uncommon it is for someone to be really good at it.  Moreover, it speaks volumes about someone to volunteer for that difficult but unglamorous part.  I was intrigued by Bo's statement so I contacted Randy Elmore in order to get an understanding of what it means to play second fiddle.[2] 

I was fascinated to learn that the fiddle and the violin are the exact same instrument.  The only difference between them, however, is the musician and the music being played on the instrument.  For example, the instrument is called a violin when the musician plays classical music in an orchestra at Carnegie Hall.  The same instrument is called a fiddle when the musician plays Bluegrass music or other 'non-classical- music for events such as a square dance, or a ho-down, at the State Fair.

The person playing first fiddle plays the melody.  This is the tune that people know and the audience listens for at a concert.  Mr. Elmore chuckled when he said that, in reality, the first fiddle is the boring part because the fiddler only plays the melody and should not deviate from it.  The second fiddle, on the other hand, plays the harmony.  Mr. Elmore thought this was the fun part because the fiddler could be creative with the harmony and do fancy finger work.  This is the harder part because the fiddler must know how to harmonize the music as well as play higher notes as he moves his fingers up the throat of the fiddle.  It takes much practice to play this part well.  The purpose of the second fiddle is to play a supporting role and compliment the first fiddle, thus making the first fiddle look and sound good.  The audience does not realize that the second fiddler is playing his heart out in order to make the first fiddler look good; yet the second fiddler does not get any credit for what is played.  Thus, this part is unglamorous.

The irony of the moment is not lost on me that this arrived in my mailbox today and it might seem as if I am "forcing" the theme somewhat. I receive a quarterly hard copy of the series in advance via snail mail and had read ahead into mid_October and bookmarked this passage specifically for further research.

 http://www.scriptureunion.org/daily%20bible%20devotions/encounter%20with%20god/2014/10/17/playing-second-fiddle

To see the details play themselves out in such dramatic fashion was to say the least serendipitous.

This as well. Travis Ishikawa shows once again the eternal beauty of the game. You can indeed go home again. Such a great story of perseverance and faith.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMSqb1I5xuY

HD Travis Ishikawa Gives His Testimony at SF Giants Fellowship Day 8/16/14 AT&T Park

I know Mrs. TheSlav had a soft sport in her heart for Travis after we read a blurb about his incredible journey back home. And it culminates in this, Ishikawa's walk to his walk-off, what an incredible story.

 THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!!!

Ishikawa's walk-off homer
http://m.mlb.com/video/?content_id=36821231&topic_id=6479266

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/bibleandculture/2011/10/29/the-beauty-of-baseball/

Baseball was and is about redemption after losses, even devastating losses. It’s the game that is most like life. It is a game of children played by adults. In what other sport can you get a hit only one try out of three, failing two thirds of the time, and end up in a Hall of Fame? None. None that I know of. Thank goodness life is more like baseball than football. In what other sport can you fail magnificently, completely, repeatedly, in double digits, and still go on to win a world championship?

 Most of us cannot identify with transcendent athletes like a Michael Jordan or a Deion Sanders, or an Albert Pujols. They are way beyond our reach or pay grade. But if you love baseball, you can dream of being little Ryan Theriot, a good fielder. Or an Eric Hinske. The thing about baseball is it really does confirm to you that even the ordinary person under extraordinary circumstances can do the extraordinary, can transcend the mundane and shine for a moment.

Well last night, our faith in humanity was restored once again. The Cards did not merely beat the long odds… they stomped that sucker flat. They refused to die, refused to quit, refused to give up. Sometimes athletes just go through the motions, day after day. They have lost their joy of playing, lost the child-like glee in doing something well for its own sake. Not so in this World Series. Both those teams to a man let it all hang out and left it on the field. They did not play like professionals. They played like kids (see the picture above). They played like Ernie Banks did, who once said “let’s play two”.

Our country and our American culture has become much coarser over the span of my lifetime. When I was a child, you could never see WWF body destroying bloodsport on TV. You would never glorify taunting. Indeed you could be kicked off a team for bad sportsmanship. Today however it is not about ‘how you play the game’. It’s all about just win baby, at any cost— even at the cost of cheating with drugs, or deliberate attempts to harm someone else by throwing your body at them.

But frankly, life is not all about winning at any and all costs. It’s about character, shown even when no one is watching. It’s about the good, the true, the beautiful. It’s about sportsmanship, about caring about others. It’s about not even wanting to win unless it could be done in the right and moral way. It’s even about loving your noble and worthy adversaries.

We got glimpses of the good, the true, and the beautiful during this World Series if you were watching. Both teams left their hearts and souls out there on the field, for the good of the common cause. They knew the game was not about them as individuals so much as it was about the good of the team. Baseball is a morality play…. not a video game. But then life is a morality play as well.

THE GRADUATE'S GIFT

I thought of this story after hearing a wonderful sermon from a visiting, young pastor from Charlotte who was speaking at my neighbors church. I went after our service and I'm glad I did.

A bit of a circuitous route, but the theme of his sermon was that God's promise is > our perhaps. 1 Samuel 14. Yeah, yeah and audacious faith, I took notes and everything.

Sometimes this is hard to remember when you're down or times are tough. It's good to be reminded once in a while.

The Graduate's Gift

An arrogant young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his wealthy father could easily afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.

Angry, he shouted at his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man had become very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father now was getting old, and thought perhaps he should go see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had wanted. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

The FCA Project

During the lull in baseball that is the winter months, I generally struggle to find baseball or sports stories of great interest. Sometime late last year, I received a monthly prayer calendar from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes that listed a daily prayer topic for athletes and coaches to reflect on. I decided I would take each topic as a theme and try to build a sports or baseball story around it.

It began mainly as mainly a writing exercise but I have to say that, in doing the research for each topic, it became a very revealing, educational look into what coaches, athletes and parents need to do to improve the landscape surrounding youth sports in this country.

At times, it wasn't easy to craft a sports story around what are generally considered to be spiritual topics, but I am glad I did it and I hope it ends up being as educational and inspirational to everyone who reads it as it turned out to be for me.

Devotion to Sports

The definition of devotion is as follows:

feelings of ardent love; "their devotion to each other was beautiful"
commitment to some purpose; "the devotion of his time and wealth to science"
idolatry: religious zeal; the willingness to serve God
(usually plural) religious observance or prayers (usually spoken silently); "he returned to his devotions"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

We see that the basic elements that define devotion are feelings of deep love and commitment rising to a spiritual level.

When we do things out of devotion, we do so from the heart.

Sounds like how a fan feels about his team, and an athlete or coach about his sport.

It works best
when our feelings for our team do not rise to fanaticism.
when our devotion to our sport does not cause us to do foolish or harmful things
when our admiration of our favorite athlete does not rise to idolatry

When we have the fruit of the spirit we are able to find the grace and wisdom to guide us in our dealings with people and situations. We are able to do this with caring for other people and their positions and situations relative to ours.

Those who are invested in and devoted to us motivate and exhort us to continue to pursue excellence in our lives. They bring out the better person in us. The epitome of good teamwork and good team players.

This hold true in any relationship or team effort. We were meant to be relational beings, to trust or or rely on our own abilities alone is never enough. When we use our energies and passion to serve others with devotion we are the ultimate personification of the "team player" playing our role on the ultimate team.

DEVOTION - In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. - Psalm 5:3

The Language of Sports...Trash-Talking??

It is difficult to talk about a topic such as the language of sports and not touch upon the growth, prevalence and even the acceptance of trash-talking in sports. It has in recent years risen to an admired and reviled practice depending on the observer. Trash-talking is defined as the practice of boasting or insulting an opponent during a game. Many sports, especially at the youth and high-school levels, have formal rules discouraging and penalizing trash-talking with so-called "no taunting" rules.

Proponents of trash-talking see it as basically a harmless device to give players a mental or psychological edge over their opponents. It's the "getting in his head" method used to throw an opponent off his game. Some players and coaches accept it as not only an effective form of gamesmanship, but a little bit of showmanship as well.

Opponents feel that it has led to a progressive decline in the level of sportsmanship in particular and a general decrease in civility in society at large. Philosophically, it has become a battle of old-school vs. new-wave.

Another divide among coaches, players and spectators is the question of "does trash-talking even work"? Is it effective? Some think that it is a mere temporary distraction and that playing the game well is the best way to get in opponents heads and negatively change their game.

Others feel that it can rock an opponent, especially when you get them down in the score. By contrast, a team that relies on trash-talking as a psychological method has nothing to fall back on when they are behind; the opponent merely has to point at the scoreboard.

Historically, the practice seems to have evolved from the rise of Muhammad Ali from a counter-culture, anti-establishment figure to a popular iconic figure. Winning certainly helped bring about acceptance and many athletes tolerate the practice as part of the competitive atmosphere with the logic that "it's OK if you can back it up".

It is interesting that some point to the biblical story of David slaying Goliath as an example of one of the first trash-talkers. Before his battle, David is documented to have "taunted" his opponent with the warning "I will strike you down and cut off your head".

I don't believe that this was the example that ushered in more widespread social acceptance of the practice--any more than the success Ali, Reggie Jackson or any other athlete--but it is still more acceptable in some sports than others.

Sports like baseball and hockey have a self-policing mechanism in place to deal with players who step too far off the sportsmanship reservation. In individual sports or sports where contact is discouraged to a greater degree, the burden falls to the rule-makers and enforcers to decide the level of sportsmanship that will be tolerated.

It's definitely been a phenomenon that has grown across the sports landscape over the last generation. Time will tell where it goes in the future.

LANGUAGE - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. - Ephesians 4:29

The Courage of Integrity

The Courage of Integrity
The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity. Choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity…these are the choices that measure your life. Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing. - Author unknown

These values have never been more true or needed in society than today. Seems like a simple credo or ethos to follow--"Do the right thing" was a popular advertising catch phrase at one point--but it really needs daily reinforcement. Leadership rises from having the value of integrity combined with the courage to not compromise in the face of adversity. These are not virtues or values that we are born with--they are learned and cultivated.

Integrity is doing the right thing, regardless of temptation.
Courage is being able to do the right thing, regardless of the cost.

Building these qualities generally happens outside of the spotlight usually by doing small things right and being recognized or rewarded for the behavior. Many times, these qualities can also be eroded or destroyed in the shadows if we allow fear to move us towards dishonest behavior.

In the aftermath now of the McGwire revelation, it struck me how easy it would be for any of us to slide into similar behavior. Doing the right thing is not always a black and white issue.

It's obvious in hindsight that McGwire was afraid his career was slipping away and he compromised his integrity to hold onto it. He had million$ and million$ of reasons why he did what he did. Doesn't make it right, but I'm not sure I would ever want to be in that situation.

We all fantasize about how we act if we were in a situation like McGwire or Derek Jeter. But if push came to shove, how many of us would have the courage and strength to handle the pressures and temptations? We all fantasize about winning the lottery and what virtuous things we would do if we won the money, but I just read a story of a man from Florida who won a $30 million lottery and his life was miserable afterward. He was hounded by friends and "newly found" relatives for money and financial aid. He struggled to not change his life very much, but he later told a relative he was thinking about disappearing to an desert island somewhere to get a break from the stress. He has not been heard from since and is presumed by authorities to be dead. I am sure his perceptions of how his life would be before winning the lottery compared to after winning were very, very different.

It seems easy to say that we would all act with the highest levels of integrity if we were placed in similar situations. We all hope that we would have the courage to maintain our values when placed in a situation that would tempt us to compromise or change them. But harder to do.

It takes a lot of courage and strength to maintain a high level of integrity in our lives.

Coaches are famous for having phrases posted in gyms and locker rooms as constant reminders for how to go about your business. I know many people that carry poems or phrases in their wallet or purse as a reminder. This poem is provides a nice framework for maintaining a high level of of personal integrity in your life. It should be required reading in the public schools, at the very least discussed and understood, if not committed to memory. Maybe I ask for too much.


If..by Rudyard Kipling

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

-----

COURAGE - He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. - Deuteronomy 20:3-4

The missing element...peace in sports

When we are competing, are we more successful when our frame of mind is guided by peace or rage? Many coaches are fueled daily by anger and anxiety bordering on rage and we see the negative consequences that can ensue from that mindset play out in the news today. See Leavitt, Leach, Mangino et. al.

Peace is defined as the ability to remain calm in the midst of swirling chaos and confusion. Is this emotional stability not the quality of "poise" we look for in QB's and pitchers and hitters as they are performing?

Competition provides an environment that can be filled with chaos and confusion. It's inherent in almost every sport or game. The stakes are elevated during key points of the game like "crunch time" when we want to see our players come through in the clutch. This is exactly the time we want players to find this missing element of peace and serenity--when the game is on the line.

If as coaches we expect our players to react well during these crucial periods of competition, shouldn't we also model the behavior we want to see? Of course!! Coach with peace and serenity in your heart and mind. If peace and joy reign in our hearts, we will be better leaders of the athletes in our charge.

PEACE - Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. - Colossians 3:15

You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided; the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. - Isaiah 55:12

Strength....from Weakness?

Would you believe someone who told you that true strength comes from weakness or would you think they were talking in circles? I know I did, I didn't quite understand what the deal was there.

Strength from weakness? Hmmm...

So, because of Christ, I am pleased in weakness, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, and in pressures. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Corinthians 12:10

The very idea that someone would be pleased in weakness is counter-intuitive to athletes or competitors alike. The mind set is that the stronger person wins. How can you embody weakness
and still project a strong competitive spirit?

I think I understood it better watching coach Tony Dungy as he projected strength, class and dignity during the low points he faced as his team went on their Super Bowl run. He lost a son as his team was winning games. It would have been easy for him to succumb to the weakness he must have been feeling during those days. But he projected the strength that was the hallmark of his book Quiet Strength. I wanted to know where he found this amazing strength.

Admitting that you are weak to sin or temptations and need strength is always the first part of becoming stronger spiritually. Once we surrender ourselves to Christ we allow him to take control of us and our heart, mind and spirit. This recognition of our initial weakness leads to strength.

We need to learn how to embrace our weakness as an opportunity become stronger and use our strengths for higher purposes.

STRENGTH - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. - Ephesians 6:10

Focus on the right things..keep the faith

FOCUS - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HOPE - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13

Whose law are we talking about?

Most people would agree that good character is needed for success in an type of organization, team or family unit. Yet, it seems as if the news is filled with examples of bad character and the destruction it causes when uncovered.

People pay lip service to being of good character and then it is found that they do not practice what they preach. Leaders need to lead by example constantly. They need to care about teammates others in the organization. And they need to practice being a servant leader and model the value of servant leadership.

This is the only way to pass these valuable traits forward to future generation.

GODLINESS - Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. - 1 Timothy 4:7

DEFINE GODLINESS:

Careful observance of, or conformity to, the laws of God; the state or quality of being godly; piety. (devotion or reverence to God)

Unity in sports

Sports have long held the ability to bring people across the globe from all over the world together since the Olympics were held in Greece. By providing people with an outlet where they can share experiences and accomplishments, in an environment where they are comfortable, is an effective means to forge unity among people even when they are from divergent groups originally.

As a participant players and coaches understand that you have to be able to communicate with teammates to reach your common goals. Even in individual sports, communication with a coach or caddy is vital to success. Communication is a key element in any relationship where unity is important.

When you have unity in a team or group setting you have trust. Teammates have to trust each others ability to do their jobs effectively so the team succeeds. A team divided--or without trust in each other--will rarely defeat a team united even though they may appear to have more talent overall. We see teams with one or two superstars who don't seem to mesh or play well together and we don't understand why they don't win more games. We blame "bad chemistry" or say they just don't seem to mesh well together. It really comes down to the fact that the stars either don't trust each other or their teammates enough to win. Good communication breeds trust and trust breeds unity and unity breeds success. This is when we see that elusive "good chemistry" that coaches are looking to see in their team.

We see the power that world wide events like the Olympics have to bring people together and sometimes tear them apart. The same elements that lead to success on the field or in the locker room lead to success at higher levels where unity would be even more important. Call me a hopeless romantic but I believe that when people practice good sportsmanship and have a good time on the playing field or court, they tend to be more likely to develop better understanding and mutual acceptance off the field.

Most of us know from experience that a unified team is more enjoyable to play for than team divided. And we know intuitively which one is more likely to succeed. In addition, if you remove unity, you remove a lot of the enjoyment from participating on a team.

UNITY - How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! - Psalm 133:1

Free at last, free at last.....

They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity — for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. - 2 Peter 2:19

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? - Psalm 118:5-6

FREEDOM - It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. - Galatians 5:1

From Brokenness comes Breakthrough

BROKENNESS - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Healing

HEALING - ‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. - Jeremiah 33:6

The virtue of humility in athletics

One of the human virtues that people seem to struggle the most to define and develop in themselves and those they lead is humility. In a sense in sports it is a real dichotomy. Athletes have to be strong mentally and project great self-confidence outwardly, yet be humble on the inside. It's easy to say that you are humble and have humility, but hard to get a real handle on because they are opposing forces.

Many athletes, when they begin to have success and reach the higher levels of their craft, develop an attitude that screams "it's hard to be humble when you are this good". Personal vanity gets the better of them. True humility allows your actions and your successes to speak loud enough about the type of person you are. But many athletes feel that is not enough and they have to enhance things with public displays of false pride.

The great author C.S. Lewis framed this virtue when he said, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." Framing it in this light, humility is the absence of personal vanity. Being humble in spirit and confident in the knowledge that you are not only doing well, but you are doing right.

HUMILITY - Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble." - 1 Peter 5:5

The Athlete's Prayer

The article below from Athletic Insights illustrates the value of prayer to athletes.

The athlete gains great courage, confidence and perspective to perform optimally. The article does a much better job than I could ever do at examining the reasons why that is the case.

Athletic Insights: Prayer in Sports
http://www.athleticinsight.com/Vol7Iss4/PrayerinSports.htm

The use of religious rituals in sport, especially Christian prayer, is one area of research that has begun to receive particular attention and will be the focus of this paper. A number of investigations have shown that the use of prayer by athletes before, during and after competition to be a common and valuable practice for enhancing performance and overall well-being (Czech & Burke, in press; Czech, Wrisberg, Fisher, Thompson, & Hayes, 2004; Park, 2000; Vernacchia, McGuire, Reardon, & Templin, 2000). This article will provide a brief review of existing literature on the use of prayer in sport, and will provide recommendations for sport psychology consultancy work and future directions for research and scholarship.

Coakley (2003) has suggested six possible reasons athletes utilize religious prayer: prayer as a coping mechanism for uncertain stressful situations; to help live a morally sound life; to sanctify athletes' commitment to sport; to put sport into perspective; to establish a strong bond of attachment between teammates; and to maintain social control. The use of religious prayer to alleviate anxiety and stress in uncertain situations is prevalent among athletes, and is consequently an important topic for sport psychology research. Previous studies have identified the often traumatic and stressful impact of career-ending injuries (e.g., Udry, Gould, Bridges, & Beck, 1997), athletic retirement (e.g., Kerr & Dacyshyn, 2001) and career transitions, such as moving teams and changing participation level (Nesti, 2004). When athletes are confronted with this type of adversity and suffering, it is highly likely that athletes will ask existential and spiritual questions (Watson & Nesti, in press). It is argued that for Christian athletes, prayer will be an important source of strength and means of coping with anxiety. However, to date, there are only two studies that have explicitly examined the role of Christian prayer in sport psychology consulting (Czech et al., 2004; Czech & Burke, in press).

Athletes may utilize prayer and other religious observances to help provide special meaning to sports participation (Coakley, 2003; Shafranske, 1996). A study by Storch et al. (2001) explored the religiosity of 248 elite college athletes. Participants were administered the Duke Religion Index to assess organizational, non-organizational, and intrinsic dimensions of religion. One finding was that athletes’ attendance at Church (which would include corporate and individual prayer) provided an opportunity to reflect on earlier accomplishments and future plans and thus to attach religious meaning to their sports participation. These results are supported by the study of Vernacchia et al. (2000) who found that “. . . an athlete’s spiritual and religious beliefs [including the use of prayer] seemed to promote a deeper meaning to their athletic successes, failures, struggles, and disappointments” (p. 22). Similarly, Balague (1999), drawing on her consultancy work with elite rhythmic gymnasts and track and field athletes, suggests that personal meaning derived from religious beliefs of the athlete is closely linked to motivation. She concludes that if sport psychology interventions do not account for athletes’ religious worldviews “. . . the likely outcome is not only that the intervention will not work, but that we lose the trust of the athletes by showing we do not understand something that is at the core of their identities and values” (p. 92). Many of the religious athletes identified in these studies frequently joined religious organizations such as Athletes in Action (AIA), which provides spiritual support for Christian athletes (e.g., Vernacchia et al., 2000).

Another possible reason athletes partake in prayer and religious observances is to put their sporting lives into perspective. Hoffman (1992) states that one way athletes can justify the self-focused, self-indulgent way of thinking that is so pervasive in competitive sports, is to define sports participation as an act of worship and an avenue of giving witness. This is supported by the research of Czech et al. (2004) who found that Christian athletes often use prayer in sport to “give glory to God” (p. 10). For example, one participant used the biblical verse Colossians 3:23: “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, but for the Lord, not for man”, as his motivation for sports participation. It is then apparent that when working with religious athletes, sport psychology consultants need to consider a number of important factors that may determine intervention design and approaches to counseling.

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ATHLETE'S PRAYER

Help me to play the game, dear Lord, with all my might and main;
Grant me the courage born of right, a heart to stand the strain…

Send me a sense of humor, Lord, to laugh when victory’s mine;
To laugh, if I should meet defeat, without a fret or whine…

Give me the grace to follow rules, to ‘fess up when I’m wrong,
When silence or some other thing wins plaudits from the throng…

When foes are tough and fighting fierce and I am getting weak,
Dear God, don’t ever let me show a broad, bright, yellow streak.

And teach me, Lord, life’s game to play just one day at a time.
With Thee as coach and trainer, Lord, real victory must be mine.

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PRAYER - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:16

Go for it!!!

Sports fans love to see boldness in the athletes and teams they root for. In golf, the enormous popularity of Arnold Palmer in the past and Phil Mickelson today is rooted in their boldness, their desire to "go for it" when the game is on the line and the stakes are the highest.

Arnold Palmer quoted in recent Wall Street Journal article:

"The style you are referring to, I know what you mean and I know what it meant to me, but I'm not sure how to explain it without coming across as cocky. If I said just one thing about it, I'd say I played that way because I was afraid of losing. I was playing to win."

Fans admire the play to win approach rather than the "play not to lose" approach that seems to be favored by many coaches.

You cannot get a football crowd or a team much more excited than when a coach cuts against the grain and has his team "go fir it" on fourth down at a key point in a game. The momentum and confidence a team gains by the effort and confidence the coach displays in his team can change the outcome of a game in one play.

In golf, when a players doesn't "lay up" or play it safe and takes a shot at winning when winning presents itself is very exciting for the crowd. In baseball, a go for broke steal of home or a well-timed suicide squeeze play can shift momentum and generate excitement in the fans.

It is interesting to see Palmer say his approach was based on a fear of losing rather than an inherent boldness in his mind. Seems almost counter-intuitive.

Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly. Taste the relish to be found in competition - in having put forth the best within you. - Henry J. Kaiser

BOLDNESS - After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. - Acts 4:31

Wisdom that comes from sports

What, if any, kind of wisdom can be gained from participating in or being a fan of a sports team. Are sports really the toy department of the daily news cycle with no real value-added for the experience of viewing or participating? Why do we even watch sports? Is it for the diversion? A male version of the soap opera or reality show?

I'm hopeful there is at times, a somewhat larger purpose. The famous political columnist George Will, author of "Men at Work" --one of the best books about the game of baseball ever written--say that "Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence".

Like the movies and the theater they may, at their worst, only provide diversion but at their best they have much wisdom to offer if we are willing to watch and listen with discernment. We see real life examples of values like character and discipline serve our favorite athletes, coaches and teams. They allow them to rise to the highest levels of their game. Rare is the team or athlete who succeeds without these two values residing at their core.

John Wooden used to say about discipline, "Discipline yourself and others won't need to". What parent or child would not benefit from having that simple philosophy at the core of their beliefs?

Regarding character, Wooden would say, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are".

These examples of solid wisdom--rooted in successful life experience--provide a template for us to follow, whether we want to lead a successful company, sports team or family.

WISDOM - But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. - James 3:17

Faithfulness

Simply put, faithfulness is being one who is trusted in both word and deed. It is a quality appreciated in players, coaches, colleagues and friends. It is a quality that is appreciated when demonstrated because we live in a culture that increasingly glorifies faithless actions.

You should be so well known for your reputation of integrity that to others, your word is your bond. In the past, there was little need for legal contracts which with their increasing prevalence has only brought on more distrust and more deceitful behavior.

It may seem old school, but business deals used to be done on a handshake. Today, our word has been rendered meaningless and we increasingly do not value integrity.

Faithfulness includes telling the truth in all your dealings. Lying is simply a violation of trust. And trust is like a fine crystal, once it is broken it is impossible to put back together.


From cg.org: Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfulness
http://cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/PERSONAL/k/244/Fruit-of-Spirit-Faithfulness.htm

The dictionary then compares "faithful" with its synonyms:

Faithful implies steadfast adherence to a person or thing to which one is bound as by an oath or obligation; loyal implies undeviating allegiance to a person, cause, institution, etc. which one feels morally bound to support or defend; constant suggests freedom from fickleness in affections or loyalties; staunch implies such a strong allegiance to one's principles or purposes as not to be turned aside by any cause; resolute stresses unwavering determination, often in adhering to one's personal ends or aims.

Other synonyms include dedicated, steadfast, devoted, dependable, accurate, true, conscientious, dutiful, careful, scrupulous and thorough.

This world always appeals to moral and ethical standards lower than those of the great God and His way of life. In Technicolor with emotion-stirring music, Hollywood "sells" adultery and fornication as acceptable as long as the couple involved are attractive and somehow oppressed—thus "deserving" of a "better" relationship.

War, murder, lying, stealing, coveting, Sabbath-breaking and idolatry are acts that almost everyone in the world would claim as being wrong, yet most unwittingly commit them to some degree and promote them in our culture. They justify their sin because everybody else is doing it, and they see no good reason why they should not just go along. If they try to swim against the tide, they think they will be taken advantage of.

Not too long ago, a person's word was his bond, and mere handshakes sealed major business agreements. Tales of Abraham Lincoln's honesty over pennies are an almost legendary part of our nation's history. Historians say that faithfulness was such a hallmark of the Roman Republic that not one divorce occurred in its first seven hundred years! But in the last fifty years this nation has seen a calamitous, family-destroying rise in the divorce rate that threatens the very stability of society.

Faithlessness is playing a major role in this destruction. People are without natural affection and traitors to their marital contract. Child abuse is becoming ever more prevalent. Athletes seem to break contracts almost at will. Manufacturers lie about the quality of their products, and workers fudge in the quality of their work.

Faithlessness is rising to its peak because self-centeredness, the father of irresponsibility, is being promoted to its utmost. It is the spirit of this age, but we have cause to resist it by what God has offered us in His revelation. God-centeredness in our lives is the answer to faithlessness and irresponsibility. But God-centeredness is not cheap, and few are willing to pay the price: their lives!

My eyes favor the faithful of the land so that they may sit down with me. The one who follows the way of integrity may serve me. - Psalm 101:6

FAITHFULNESS - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9