Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Weekly Motivational Piece!
Greetings Nick!
This week I wanted to share with you a special poem that I found that is so perfect for you as an athlete, as a player that aspires to play major league baseball and just because someday you will become that next leader as a father of your very own children and of your community that you lay roots somewhere!
DON’T EVER DOUBT YOUR ABILITIES AND YOUR DREAMS! BELIEVE IN YOU AND YOUR ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY THAT IS BEFORE YOU NOW!
All the best my friend! Happy 4th of July Holiday Wishes too!
Jim Loria
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WHY NOT YOU? (Written by an Unknown Author)
TODAY, many will awaken with a fresh sense of inspiration. Why not you?
TODAY, many will choose to leave the ghost of yesterday behind and seize the immeasurable power of today. Why not you?
TODAY, many will break through the barriers of the past by looking at the blessings of the present. Why not you?
TODAY, for many the burden of self doubt and insecurity will be lifted by the security and confidence of empowerment. Why not you?
TODAY, many will rise above their believed limitations and make contact with their powerful innate strength. Why not you?
TODAY, many will choose to live in such a manner that they will be a positive role model for their community and children. Why not you?
TODAY, many will choose to free themselves from the personal imprisonment of their bad habits. Why not you?
TODAY, many will decide to no longer sit back with a victim mentality, but to take charge of their lives and make positive changes. Why not you?
TODAY, many will take the action necessary to make a difference. Why not you?
TODAY, many will make the commitment to be a better son, student, teacher, worker, brother & so much more. Why not you?
TODAY is a new day! Many will seize this day. Many will live it to the fullest.
Why Not You?
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“My competitors are not adversaries – they are helpers. They help me push past my limits” – stated by Victor Plata, Triathlon Athlete
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“Just the confidence that comes with chasing a dream and having it come through will make you feel you can do anything” – stated by Sarah Tueting, U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey Goaltender
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“Let your workings remain a mystery. Just show people the results” – stated by Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher
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“Don’t go to the grave with life unused” – stated by former Florida State College Football Coach Bobby Bowden
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Hi Nick! RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - June 30, 2012
Greetings Nick!
MY INSPIRATIONAL STORY THIS WEEK: I love to watch how teams win. I am not always enamored with statistics. It’s more about resolve and how individual players can sacrifice for the better, lay it on the line and perform in the clutch. Doesn’t matter how much fame you have or dollars in the bank account. Let LeBron James serve as your poster boy from now on when I speak of developing your “mindset” and how everything above your neck all connects the dots with your lower body and has the final say with your ultimate performance on the field.
The NBA hasn't really seen a player with LeBron’s physical gifts? He’s rare in that James is at or near tops in his sport with the ability to score, dish out and even defend better than most. But there’s been this knock on his basketball resume that he couldn’t perform in the clutch, especially at the end of games. That was painfully obvious during the 2011 NBA Championship series when Dallas ran past the same Miami cast of players and James averaged a dismal three points in fourth quarters of those six games.
Things were so bad that this past year, an NBA player poll was conducted and James did not receive one single vote for the “player you would want to take the last shot in a game.”
The key for any athlete, no matter their sport, boils down to your STOMACH and STAMINA; WILL POWER and MINDSET that determines many an outcome! At the pro level, the player that can block out the thousands of voices creeping into your head daily will make the difference.
What changed it all this year for LeBron when suddenly he put up Hall of Fame numbers during the recently concluded NBA Playoffs – averaged 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds per game? “He was thinking too much” said Miami teammate Dwayne Wade.
LeBron realized that to manage expectation, to meet expectation, HE HAD TO REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE EXPECTATION! Last year and in season’s past, LeBron was a tortured soul. Yes, he was hated for his decision to leave Cleveland and then to boast about the numerous championships he would win in Miami.
“The best thing that happened to me two years ago was us losing the Finals, you know, and me playing the way I played. It was the best thing to ever happen to me in my career because basically I got back to the basics. It humbled me. I knew what it was going to have to take, and I was going to have to change as a basketball player, and I was going to have to change as a person to ultimately get what I wanted. “
"It took me to go all the way to the top and then hit rock bottom, basically, to realize what I needed to do as a professional athlete and as a person," James said. “I had to get back to being myself."
Coming to grips with all of this has been one of the great challenges of LeBron’s life. Here’s a superior player. One of the world’s most recognizable faces and wealthiest athletes yet LeBron took it upon himself during the summer of 2011 to strip every part of his living being and face the “demons” head-on that occupied his mind for much too long. He was on a personal mission to reclaim his confidence and joy about playing basketball. He asked for the help of other professionals. He worked on his game and moves around the basket. He sought out other leaders in the sports profession to develop an understanding on what does it take to be a leader? He found out that it’s more than just scoring a lot of points and making a fiery speech before a big game. It took humility, self-evaluation and soul-searching to re-focus LeBron James.
"I was very immature two years ago," said James. "I played to prove people wrong instead of just playing my game, instead of just going out and having fun and playing a game that I grew up loving. One thing that I learned, and someone taught me this, the greatest teacher you can have in life is experience and then confidence to go out and perform in your sport."
The LeBron who'd been skewered with so much hatred for the past two years ... that wasn't him, he said. He absorbed the hate and tried to fight it -- tried to dish it right back, with every move he made. It didn't work -- in fact, it failed epically -- and he wouldn't have gotten his first NBA title without letting it all go and reshaping his mindset.
ALL THE BEST MY FRIEND!
Jim Loria
------------------------------------------------------------------
“You have got to Win in your Mind before you can Win in Life” – stated by an unknown author
------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our mistakes don’t make or break us. If we are lucky, they simply reveal who we really are, what we’re really made of. Challenges will come, but if you treat them simply as tests of who you are, you’ll come out of it not bitter and victimized, but smarter and stronger” – stated by Donn Moomaw, Pro Football Player
------------------------------------------------------------------
“We are all here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future” – stated by Robin Sharma, Author
------------------------------------------------------------------
“No matter where you are in life right now, no matter who you are, no matter how old you are – it is never too late to be who you are meant to be” – stated by Esther & Jerry Hicks
-------------------------------------------------
“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself” – stated by Mark Caine
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
MY INSPIRATIONAL STORY THIS WEEK: I love to watch how teams win. I am not always enamored with statistics. It’s more about resolve and how individual players can sacrifice for the better, lay it on the line and perform in the clutch. Doesn’t matter how much fame you have or dollars in the bank account. Let LeBron James serve as your poster boy from now on when I speak of developing your “mindset” and how everything above your neck all connects the dots with your lower body and has the final say with your ultimate performance on the field.
The NBA hasn't really seen a player with LeBron’s physical gifts? He’s rare in that James is at or near tops in his sport with the ability to score, dish out and even defend better than most. But there’s been this knock on his basketball resume that he couldn’t perform in the clutch, especially at the end of games. That was painfully obvious during the 2011 NBA Championship series when Dallas ran past the same Miami cast of players and James averaged a dismal three points in fourth quarters of those six games.
Things were so bad that this past year, an NBA player poll was conducted and James did not receive one single vote for the “player you would want to take the last shot in a game.”
The key for any athlete, no matter their sport, boils down to your STOMACH and STAMINA; WILL POWER and MINDSET that determines many an outcome! At the pro level, the player that can block out the thousands of voices creeping into your head daily will make the difference.
What changed it all this year for LeBron when suddenly he put up Hall of Fame numbers during the recently concluded NBA Playoffs – averaged 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds per game? “He was thinking too much” said Miami teammate Dwayne Wade.
LeBron realized that to manage expectation, to meet expectation, HE HAD TO REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE EXPECTATION! Last year and in season’s past, LeBron was a tortured soul. Yes, he was hated for his decision to leave Cleveland and then to boast about the numerous championships he would win in Miami.
“The best thing that happened to me two years ago was us losing the Finals, you know, and me playing the way I played. It was the best thing to ever happen to me in my career because basically I got back to the basics. It humbled me. I knew what it was going to have to take, and I was going to have to change as a basketball player, and I was going to have to change as a person to ultimately get what I wanted. “
"It took me to go all the way to the top and then hit rock bottom, basically, to realize what I needed to do as a professional athlete and as a person," James said. “I had to get back to being myself."
Coming to grips with all of this has been one of the great challenges of LeBron’s life. Here’s a superior player. One of the world’s most recognizable faces and wealthiest athletes yet LeBron took it upon himself during the summer of 2011 to strip every part of his living being and face the “demons” head-on that occupied his mind for much too long. He was on a personal mission to reclaim his confidence and joy about playing basketball. He asked for the help of other professionals. He worked on his game and moves around the basket. He sought out other leaders in the sports profession to develop an understanding on what does it take to be a leader? He found out that it’s more than just scoring a lot of points and making a fiery speech before a big game. It took humility, self-evaluation and soul-searching to re-focus LeBron James.
"I was very immature two years ago," said James. "I played to prove people wrong instead of just playing my game, instead of just going out and having fun and playing a game that I grew up loving. One thing that I learned, and someone taught me this, the greatest teacher you can have in life is experience and then confidence to go out and perform in your sport."
The LeBron who'd been skewered with so much hatred for the past two years ... that wasn't him, he said. He absorbed the hate and tried to fight it -- tried to dish it right back, with every move he made. It didn't work -- in fact, it failed epically -- and he wouldn't have gotten his first NBA title without letting it all go and reshaping his mindset.
ALL THE BEST MY FRIEND!
Jim Loria
------------------------------------------------------------------
“You have got to Win in your Mind before you can Win in Life” – stated by an unknown author
------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our mistakes don’t make or break us. If we are lucky, they simply reveal who we really are, what we’re really made of. Challenges will come, but if you treat them simply as tests of who you are, you’ll come out of it not bitter and victimized, but smarter and stronger” – stated by Donn Moomaw, Pro Football Player
------------------------------------------------------------------
“We are all here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future” – stated by Robin Sharma, Author
------------------------------------------------------------------
“No matter where you are in life right now, no matter who you are, no matter how old you are – it is never too late to be who you are meant to be” – stated by Esther & Jerry Hicks
-------------------------------------------------
“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself” – stated by Mark Caine
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Hi Nick! RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - Dated: June 24, 2012
Greetings Nick!
This player is all but 23-years of age. At 19, he was the consensus National College Basketball Player-of-the-Year. The NBA Rookie-of-the-Year at 20. The youngest player ever to win an NBA scoring title at 21. Today, he is now known as a 3-time NBA scoring champion.
Meet Kevin Durant. Like Drew Brees, QB of the NFL New Orleans Saints, Durant is one of those rare athletes that carries the weight of his sports team franchise and perhaps an entire city on his back. He is one of those rare breeds found in sports. He is a living BRAND who is worshipped by the entire population of Oklahoma City. Yet he is as genuine as they come! He gives as much to the tenth man coming off the bench as he does to the starters. He never travels with a posse or security guards like most NBA superstars. He drives a plain everyday conversion van to-and-from the arena.
The local OKC fans took to Durant from the very beginning. It started off with the little things… people saw him attending local church each week. They saw him slap five to every child sitting courtside. They saw him hug his mom before each tipoff. They saw him sign autographs. They saw him pay homage at the Oklahoma City National Memorial (that honored the 168 citizens killed in the bombing of the 1995 Federal Building). They saw him give every custodial worker inside the Oklahoma City Arena the same respect – much like Peyton Manning during his days with the Indy Colts – as he gives his teammates and family.
“I like to see people smiling,” says Durant. “So I do whatever it takes. The fans make time for us as players. They don't have to go out of their way to drive to the game. They don't have to go out of their way to buy our jerseys, buy tickets, come scream and support us every game. They can save their money. But they choose to come watch us play. So that's the least I can do, just showing them that I appreciate them.”
At a young age Durant's parents instilled a sense of humility and often told their son that “IT DIDN’T HAVE TO BE YOU” when they realized Kevin was developing an athletic gift. Says Durant: “That's as simple as it can get! My parents taught me with those words that it could be the guy living across the street that's in my shoes. I was blessed to be a guy that's been chosen to do something. I've been put on this earth to do something that I love and I can't take that for granted.”
One of the things that impresses me so much about Kevin Durant is how he GETS IT! He’s making tens of millions. Actually turned down ten$ more! Doesn’t need the big city lights like Miami or L.A. to make him famous. He loves being tucked away in Oklahoma City. When asked why he didn’t bolt the Thunder franchise for more riches as a 22-year-old free agent and league scoring champion, Durant said: “OKC fits my personality very well. It's laid back and calm, and that's the kind of person I am. The people are tremendous. And I love the organization and what we have in store. We're big on family and that's what we have in Oklahoma City.”
That is such a key fellas. Finding a school (college) and or pro organization that you feel comfortable. That you have a trust. That your skills and beliefs match up with the program or organization. No matter how much money you may be paid someday, establishing that comfort zone and daily routine is one of the keys to helping you perform and reach the excellence you have come to expect. No matter how much we're all compensated in life, every human being has to feel loved and feel that inner happiness in order to succeed!
ALL THE BEST MY FRIEND! KEEP BELIEVING IN YOU ALWAYS AND GO CAPTURE YOUR DREAMS!
Jim Loria
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
“Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It’s something we call heart power. Once a man has made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success” - stated by Vince Lombardi, the legendary NFL Hall of Fame Coach
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent" – stated by Unknown Author
------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Confidence imparts a wonderful inspiration to its possessor” – stated by John Milton, English Poet
------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Confidence is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony” – stated by Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India during the early 1900s
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
This player is all but 23-years of age. At 19, he was the consensus National College Basketball Player-of-the-Year. The NBA Rookie-of-the-Year at 20. The youngest player ever to win an NBA scoring title at 21. Today, he is now known as a 3-time NBA scoring champion.
Meet Kevin Durant. Like Drew Brees, QB of the NFL New Orleans Saints, Durant is one of those rare athletes that carries the weight of his sports team franchise and perhaps an entire city on his back. He is one of those rare breeds found in sports. He is a living BRAND who is worshipped by the entire population of Oklahoma City. Yet he is as genuine as they come! He gives as much to the tenth man coming off the bench as he does to the starters. He never travels with a posse or security guards like most NBA superstars. He drives a plain everyday conversion van to-and-from the arena.
The local OKC fans took to Durant from the very beginning. It started off with the little things… people saw him attending local church each week. They saw him slap five to every child sitting courtside. They saw him hug his mom before each tipoff. They saw him sign autographs. They saw him pay homage at the Oklahoma City National Memorial (that honored the 168 citizens killed in the bombing of the 1995 Federal Building). They saw him give every custodial worker inside the Oklahoma City Arena the same respect – much like Peyton Manning during his days with the Indy Colts – as he gives his teammates and family.
“I like to see people smiling,” says Durant. “So I do whatever it takes. The fans make time for us as players. They don't have to go out of their way to drive to the game. They don't have to go out of their way to buy our jerseys, buy tickets, come scream and support us every game. They can save their money. But they choose to come watch us play. So that's the least I can do, just showing them that I appreciate them.”
At a young age Durant's parents instilled a sense of humility and often told their son that “IT DIDN’T HAVE TO BE YOU” when they realized Kevin was developing an athletic gift. Says Durant: “That's as simple as it can get! My parents taught me with those words that it could be the guy living across the street that's in my shoes. I was blessed to be a guy that's been chosen to do something. I've been put on this earth to do something that I love and I can't take that for granted.”
One of the things that impresses me so much about Kevin Durant is how he GETS IT! He’s making tens of millions. Actually turned down ten$ more! Doesn’t need the big city lights like Miami or L.A. to make him famous. He loves being tucked away in Oklahoma City. When asked why he didn’t bolt the Thunder franchise for more riches as a 22-year-old free agent and league scoring champion, Durant said: “OKC fits my personality very well. It's laid back and calm, and that's the kind of person I am. The people are tremendous. And I love the organization and what we have in store. We're big on family and that's what we have in Oklahoma City.”
That is such a key fellas. Finding a school (college) and or pro organization that you feel comfortable. That you have a trust. That your skills and beliefs match up with the program or organization. No matter how much money you may be paid someday, establishing that comfort zone and daily routine is one of the keys to helping you perform and reach the excellence you have come to expect. No matter how much we're all compensated in life, every human being has to feel loved and feel that inner happiness in order to succeed!
ALL THE BEST MY FRIEND! KEEP BELIEVING IN YOU ALWAYS AND GO CAPTURE YOUR DREAMS!
Jim Loria
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
“Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It’s something we call heart power. Once a man has made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success” - stated by Vince Lombardi, the legendary NFL Hall of Fame Coach
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent" – stated by Unknown Author
------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Confidence imparts a wonderful inspiration to its possessor” – stated by John Milton, English Poet
------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Confidence is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony” – stated by Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India during the early 1900s
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Hi Nick! RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - June 14, 2012
Greetings Nick!
Once again, I am staying on the same theme for those who were recently drafted and to those working their way up in the minor pros. To the highers schoolers and next year's draft prospects - this will serve as a great remidner for the next 12 months!
Regardless of status, a great big landscape awaits all of you! When you took that pen and carved out your signature on the Major League Baseball contract, you left the amateur ranks to now become a “businessman in spikes!” You have to punch in the clock every single day! Fear no one! Be in awe of no one. From Babe Ruth to YOU, thousands of players have walked the same steps you are now taking and those that pursued their dreams with desire, dedication and discipline, took care of their body away from the field, perfected their craft and made adjustments, never caved in to the daily baseball politics and distractions … advanced to the SHOW! It's all there for you to make your goal in life come true! Leave no regrets behind!
Now that you are wearing the insignia of a MLB team on your cap, be very careful, too, on how far you want to go when promoting your own Image? In a blink of an eye, you can derail those dreams you've killed for and ruin your financial wealth! To succeed at the big league level, you might as well refer to yourself today as a Corporation. You are a BRAND IMAGE and it needs to be cultivated! A successful and well liked image can lead to THOUSANDS or perhaps MILLIONS of endorsement dollars in the future when you combine your IMAGE with SUCCESS on the FIELD!
Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or other forms of social media, you control the Image you want your Big League Club (and others) to see! Showing a very immature portrait of yourself, be it from photographs, Tweets or a wall posts, can be a very dangerous warning sign to your future MLB team and the financial value they will place on you as one of their investments.
AWAYS REMEMBER THIS QUOTE NICK: “Today I Will Give All I Have .. For This Moment Will Never Come Again!" So True! Enjoy the other terrific quotes below that I wanted to share with you!
All the best!
Jim Loria
----------------------------------------------------------------
“Some opportunities only come once. Seize them. Go out and start creating. Live your Dream and Wear your Passion” – stated by an unknown author
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“I never wanted to be one of those people who looks back and says, ‘I wonder if …‘. If I have a goal, I’ll go out and set forth to achieve it. When something is your passion, it becomes everything. You put everything into it without hesitation. No questions. No doubts. Nothing to stop you” – stated by Kim Fitchen, Cross Country Runner and member of three U.S. World Cup Relay Teams
------------------------------------------------------------------
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation” – stated by Brian Tracy, Best Selling Author and Success Expert
------------------------------------------------------------------
“Unfortunately many athletes are so focused on getting into professional sports that they never think beyond that. The goal isn’t to get to the pros, it’s to STAY in the Pros! Do you want to be a first-round pick, sign a rookie contract, and then be out of the League after a couple of seasons in the minors? Or is your goal to have a 10-year career in the Big Leagues and not care where you’re drafted” – stated by an unknown author
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“It’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you’re going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny” – spoken by Anthony Robbins, American Self-Help Author and Success Expert
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail Address: loria@sfstampede.com
Once again, I am staying on the same theme for those who were recently drafted and to those working their way up in the minor pros. To the highers schoolers and next year's draft prospects - this will serve as a great remidner for the next 12 months!
Regardless of status, a great big landscape awaits all of you! When you took that pen and carved out your signature on the Major League Baseball contract, you left the amateur ranks to now become a “businessman in spikes!” You have to punch in the clock every single day! Fear no one! Be in awe of no one. From Babe Ruth to YOU, thousands of players have walked the same steps you are now taking and those that pursued their dreams with desire, dedication and discipline, took care of their body away from the field, perfected their craft and made adjustments, never caved in to the daily baseball politics and distractions … advanced to the SHOW! It's all there for you to make your goal in life come true! Leave no regrets behind!
Now that you are wearing the insignia of a MLB team on your cap, be very careful, too, on how far you want to go when promoting your own Image? In a blink of an eye, you can derail those dreams you've killed for and ruin your financial wealth! To succeed at the big league level, you might as well refer to yourself today as a Corporation. You are a BRAND IMAGE and it needs to be cultivated! A successful and well liked image can lead to THOUSANDS or perhaps MILLIONS of endorsement dollars in the future when you combine your IMAGE with SUCCESS on the FIELD!
Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or other forms of social media, you control the Image you want your Big League Club (and others) to see! Showing a very immature portrait of yourself, be it from photographs, Tweets or a wall posts, can be a very dangerous warning sign to your future MLB team and the financial value they will place on you as one of their investments.
AWAYS REMEMBER THIS QUOTE NICK: “Today I Will Give All I Have .. For This Moment Will Never Come Again!" So True! Enjoy the other terrific quotes below that I wanted to share with you!
All the best!
Jim Loria
----------------------------------------------------------------
“Some opportunities only come once. Seize them. Go out and start creating. Live your Dream and Wear your Passion” – stated by an unknown author
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“I never wanted to be one of those people who looks back and says, ‘I wonder if …‘. If I have a goal, I’ll go out and set forth to achieve it. When something is your passion, it becomes everything. You put everything into it without hesitation. No questions. No doubts. Nothing to stop you” – stated by Kim Fitchen, Cross Country Runner and member of three U.S. World Cup Relay Teams
------------------------------------------------------------------
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation” – stated by Brian Tracy, Best Selling Author and Success Expert
------------------------------------------------------------------
“Unfortunately many athletes are so focused on getting into professional sports that they never think beyond that. The goal isn’t to get to the pros, it’s to STAY in the Pros! Do you want to be a first-round pick, sign a rookie contract, and then be out of the League after a couple of seasons in the minors? Or is your goal to have a 10-year career in the Big Leagues and not care where you’re drafted” – stated by an unknown author
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“It’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you’re going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny” – spoken by Anthony Robbins, American Self-Help Author and Success Expert
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail Address: loria@sfstampede.com
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Hi Nick! RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - June 7, 2012
Greetings Nick!
To the many of you that were drafted this past week by Major League Baseball – CONGRATULATIONS! To the many who continue to climb the ladder in Minor League Baseball, keep pushing onwards to reach your Dreams! To those in High School and or underclassmen in college, you now know exactly what you’re working for … to hear that MLB team call out your name next year!
For everyone, it doesn’t matter what uniform you wear or dollar you are paid, you all can have this “Dream” of yours stripped away or kicked to the curb in a matter of seconds all because of a knucklehead moment.
As many of you will be celebrating this week for reasons of accomplishment, know that another player in your sports fraternity – Justin Blackmon, is now having his life torn apart by national media, millions of football fans all over the country, the city of Jacksonville, Florida, and toss in one angry man known as NFL Commissioner Rodger Gottlieb who will rule on this young man’s ability to step on the football field this September and pursue his Dreams like yours.
WHY: Blackmon, an incredibly talented wide receiver from Oklahoma State University and a top “5” pick in the recent 2012 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, was charged with one count of aggravated DUI on Monday. The player’s blood-alcohol level registered a POINT-26, which is over three times the legal limit (.08). He was arrested at 3:00 AM in the morning!
Here’s a player that was willing to put at risk the biggest football Lotto ticket he might ever cash, and do it for an alcohol high especially when he just sabotaged his own contract negotiations with Jacksonville! Still unsigned, Blackmon was easily going to get a deal for $20-Million not to mention the offers that were coming in from Corporate America because this player had a gift to SMILE and ENERGIZE people around him! He was expected to join Cam Newton from the Carolina Panthers as another charismatic megawatt star! I’m sure you’ve seen the many national television commercial spots that are popping up everywhere featuring the former Auburn QB and Heisman Trophy winner!
Well, now Blackmon is one big question mark? Jacksonville was ready to open up the vault and pay this player handsomely while splashing his face on every highway billboard in Northeast Florida. The NFL club and the player are both in a difficult PR position on how severe of a financial repercussion will he be penalized for his first pro contract? If not enough, there will be the moral outrage from the Jacksonville community raining down on the player as well as the franchise (this is Blackmon’s second DUI arrest in two years). Blackmon’s story has been even much more magnified because of the fact that there’s been 11 other Jaguars’ players arrested in recent years.
Now, one drunken night has turned his entire world around for Justin Blackmon. Gang, this is another lesson to take to heart! Have fun away from the field but you have to be careful. Most of you are now professional businessmen playing a kid’s game. Unfortunately your name is also now a BRAND and your IMAGE is connected with a Major League Baseball franchise, also a business.
Don’t play the CHUTES & LADDERS game in real life. Justin Blackmon did. He was on the verge of taking his game piece all the way to the top of the game board but chose to roll the dice one more time. Picked up the wrong card and now has been sent back down to the bottom of the game board to start all over.
One other thing: As a high profile athlete. You never walk into a courtroom to a face a judge who is in control of your life’s freedom wearing a long sleeve button-up polo. Another PR blunder for this player of which his every move is now being scrutinized more than ever before.
I care about you guys and don’t want to see you lose out on your Dreams and the consequences of forfeiting millions in earnings because of one poor choice in life. Be smart!
MY BEST ALWAYS!
Jim Loria
--------------------------------------------------------------
“True success is one of our greatest needs. Success is not something you stumble onto or come to by accident. It is something you must sincerely prepare for. Take a good look at successes, and you’ll see the same consistent qualities all the time – qualities of one’s character that make one strive for a goal with a standard of unmatched excellence” – stated by Reggie Jackson, one of baseball’s all-time greats and Hall of Fame member
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“Be responsible for your actions but emotionally as well. You have created something special, a one of a kind, never to be repeated again person; don’t miss the wonder of it” – stated by unknown author
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“If I could get the ear of every young man but for one word, it would be this; make the most and best of yourself. There is no tragedy like a wasted life--a life failing of its true end, and turned to a false end” – stated by T.T. Munger, a Pioneering Research Scientist from the early 1900’s
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
To the many of you that were drafted this past week by Major League Baseball – CONGRATULATIONS! To the many who continue to climb the ladder in Minor League Baseball, keep pushing onwards to reach your Dreams! To those in High School and or underclassmen in college, you now know exactly what you’re working for … to hear that MLB team call out your name next year!
For everyone, it doesn’t matter what uniform you wear or dollar you are paid, you all can have this “Dream” of yours stripped away or kicked to the curb in a matter of seconds all because of a knucklehead moment.
As many of you will be celebrating this week for reasons of accomplishment, know that another player in your sports fraternity – Justin Blackmon, is now having his life torn apart by national media, millions of football fans all over the country, the city of Jacksonville, Florida, and toss in one angry man known as NFL Commissioner Rodger Gottlieb who will rule on this young man’s ability to step on the football field this September and pursue his Dreams like yours.
WHY: Blackmon, an incredibly talented wide receiver from Oklahoma State University and a top “5” pick in the recent 2012 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, was charged with one count of aggravated DUI on Monday. The player’s blood-alcohol level registered a POINT-26, which is over three times the legal limit (.08). He was arrested at 3:00 AM in the morning!
Here’s a player that was willing to put at risk the biggest football Lotto ticket he might ever cash, and do it for an alcohol high especially when he just sabotaged his own contract negotiations with Jacksonville! Still unsigned, Blackmon was easily going to get a deal for $20-Million not to mention the offers that were coming in from Corporate America because this player had a gift to SMILE and ENERGIZE people around him! He was expected to join Cam Newton from the Carolina Panthers as another charismatic megawatt star! I’m sure you’ve seen the many national television commercial spots that are popping up everywhere featuring the former Auburn QB and Heisman Trophy winner!
Well, now Blackmon is one big question mark? Jacksonville was ready to open up the vault and pay this player handsomely while splashing his face on every highway billboard in Northeast Florida. The NFL club and the player are both in a difficult PR position on how severe of a financial repercussion will he be penalized for his first pro contract? If not enough, there will be the moral outrage from the Jacksonville community raining down on the player as well as the franchise (this is Blackmon’s second DUI arrest in two years). Blackmon’s story has been even much more magnified because of the fact that there’s been 11 other Jaguars’ players arrested in recent years.
Now, one drunken night has turned his entire world around for Justin Blackmon. Gang, this is another lesson to take to heart! Have fun away from the field but you have to be careful. Most of you are now professional businessmen playing a kid’s game. Unfortunately your name is also now a BRAND and your IMAGE is connected with a Major League Baseball franchise, also a business.
Don’t play the CHUTES & LADDERS game in real life. Justin Blackmon did. He was on the verge of taking his game piece all the way to the top of the game board but chose to roll the dice one more time. Picked up the wrong card and now has been sent back down to the bottom of the game board to start all over.
One other thing: As a high profile athlete. You never walk into a courtroom to a face a judge who is in control of your life’s freedom wearing a long sleeve button-up polo. Another PR blunder for this player of which his every move is now being scrutinized more than ever before.
I care about you guys and don’t want to see you lose out on your Dreams and the consequences of forfeiting millions in earnings because of one poor choice in life. Be smart!
MY BEST ALWAYS!
Jim Loria
--------------------------------------------------------------
“True success is one of our greatest needs. Success is not something you stumble onto or come to by accident. It is something you must sincerely prepare for. Take a good look at successes, and you’ll see the same consistent qualities all the time – qualities of one’s character that make one strive for a goal with a standard of unmatched excellence” – stated by Reggie Jackson, one of baseball’s all-time greats and Hall of Fame member
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Be responsible for your actions but emotionally as well. You have created something special, a one of a kind, never to be repeated again person; don’t miss the wonder of it” – stated by unknown author
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“If I could get the ear of every young man but for one word, it would be this; make the most and best of yourself. There is no tragedy like a wasted life--a life failing of its true end, and turned to a false end” – stated by T.T. Munger, a Pioneering Research Scientist from the early 1900’s
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Hi Nick! RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - May 31, 2012
Greetings Nick!
With the MLB Draft coming up and high school and college programs winding down, this is a piece that will serve as a reminder that for all of the equity you’ll build up for the good deeds generated from the 2012 season and career, it’s that one ill-timed mistake that can derail your dreams in a split second, tarnish your name and ruin your financial earning capabilities?
During my own career working in sports, I’ve seen two players - minor league and NHL level – die in separate alcohol-related car crashes that stemmed from late night team parties that each took place the night of the final game after a season had come to a close.
When I worked with the Washington Capitals in the 1980s, Len Bias was an All-American basketball player with the University of Maryland. One of the truly great pro prospects ever seen! Bias was the 2nd overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. Two days after his selection, Bias flew to Boston to meet the Celtics’ media and sign one of the richest shoe endorsement contracts (at the time) with Reebok for a reported $3-Million.
Bias flew back home later that night and drove back to his college campus. He attended a dorm party to celebrate his new-found wealth. Reports say Bias took a dose of cocaine (which likely induced cardiac arrhythmia) and shockingly was pronounced dead at 8:55 AM.
Six days after his draft selection, millions on the way and a childhood dream now coming to fruition, Bias, instead was laid inside of a wooden casket and mourned by more than 11,000 people at his college basketball arena where he created his legend. I actually attended the Bias funeral. It was one of the saddest days ever witnessed. I will never forget the memory of (then Celtics’ captain) Larry Bird presenting the mother of Len Bias - who was crying profusely - with her son’s NBA Jersey that he would never wear (nor any other player in team history as it was immediately retired) all because of ONE MISTAKE.
Switching gears, this past week a national story about a football player name Brian Banks captured headlines everywhere. He was a former high school star linebacker in Long Beach, CA. In the summer of 2002, Banks was preparing for his senior year at age 17 and was among the nation’s best at his position. He was already awarded a scholarship from Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans when Banks was accused of rape and kidnapping -- falsely, as it turned out -- by a fellow student. Banks maintained his innocence, but faced up to 41 years in prison for the charges levied against him. Based on the advice of his legal counsel, he chose to plead guilty in exchange for a five-year sentence. Upon his release, he spent another five years on parole. He was required to register as a sex offender and wear a monitoring device. His life wasn't his own, all because of a conviction for a crime.
This week, through a remarkable turn of events. Banks’ accuser recanted her story that has led to the dismissal of his conviction, making him truly free. Exonerated. Banks, now 26, is working out with a trainer with the hopes that an NFL team will give him a tryout to possibly realize his childhood dream of playing pro football after surrendering the last ten years of his life and freedom.
Fellas, have fun, no question. You deserve it! But be very careful with the company you keep; the time of day and location. You are one cell phone picture away from a PR Nightmare that could cost you a career, a lifetime of wealth and fame after you busted your chops for so many years to get that one chance at the big leagues!
My best always my friend!
Jim Loria
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Words from a sign that hangs on display in the Tampa Bay Rays’ player clubhouse: "Integrity Doesn't Require Rules!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example” – stated by Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister in the 1800s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ALWAYS REMEMBER … “The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour” – Japanese Proverb
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
With the MLB Draft coming up and high school and college programs winding down, this is a piece that will serve as a reminder that for all of the equity you’ll build up for the good deeds generated from the 2012 season and career, it’s that one ill-timed mistake that can derail your dreams in a split second, tarnish your name and ruin your financial earning capabilities?
During my own career working in sports, I’ve seen two players - minor league and NHL level – die in separate alcohol-related car crashes that stemmed from late night team parties that each took place the night of the final game after a season had come to a close.
When I worked with the Washington Capitals in the 1980s, Len Bias was an All-American basketball player with the University of Maryland. One of the truly great pro prospects ever seen! Bias was the 2nd overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. Two days after his selection, Bias flew to Boston to meet the Celtics’ media and sign one of the richest shoe endorsement contracts (at the time) with Reebok for a reported $3-Million.
Bias flew back home later that night and drove back to his college campus. He attended a dorm party to celebrate his new-found wealth. Reports say Bias took a dose of cocaine (which likely induced cardiac arrhythmia) and shockingly was pronounced dead at 8:55 AM.
Six days after his draft selection, millions on the way and a childhood dream now coming to fruition, Bias, instead was laid inside of a wooden casket and mourned by more than 11,000 people at his college basketball arena where he created his legend. I actually attended the Bias funeral. It was one of the saddest days ever witnessed. I will never forget the memory of (then Celtics’ captain) Larry Bird presenting the mother of Len Bias - who was crying profusely - with her son’s NBA Jersey that he would never wear (nor any other player in team history as it was immediately retired) all because of ONE MISTAKE.
Switching gears, this past week a national story about a football player name Brian Banks captured headlines everywhere. He was a former high school star linebacker in Long Beach, CA. In the summer of 2002, Banks was preparing for his senior year at age 17 and was among the nation’s best at his position. He was already awarded a scholarship from Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans when Banks was accused of rape and kidnapping -- falsely, as it turned out -- by a fellow student. Banks maintained his innocence, but faced up to 41 years in prison for the charges levied against him. Based on the advice of his legal counsel, he chose to plead guilty in exchange for a five-year sentence. Upon his release, he spent another five years on parole. He was required to register as a sex offender and wear a monitoring device. His life wasn't his own, all because of a conviction for a crime.
This week, through a remarkable turn of events. Banks’ accuser recanted her story that has led to the dismissal of his conviction, making him truly free. Exonerated. Banks, now 26, is working out with a trainer with the hopes that an NFL team will give him a tryout to possibly realize his childhood dream of playing pro football after surrendering the last ten years of his life and freedom.
Fellas, have fun, no question. You deserve it! But be very careful with the company you keep; the time of day and location. You are one cell phone picture away from a PR Nightmare that could cost you a career, a lifetime of wealth and fame after you busted your chops for so many years to get that one chance at the big leagues!
My best always my friend!
Jim Loria
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Words from a sign that hangs on display in the Tampa Bay Rays’ player clubhouse: "Integrity Doesn't Require Rules!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example” – stated by Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister in the 1800s
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ALWAYS REMEMBER … “The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour” – Japanese Proverb
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Saturday, May 26, 2012
For Nick! RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - May 26, 2012
Greetings Nick!
With the MLB Draft coming up, many of you that are eligible in 2012 will have some tough decisions ahead to consider and make. I wanted to focus some of my helpful quotes this week on “decisions”. Hope some of these may serve as a stimulant for you! TO OTHERS, THAT HAVE MOVED PAST THE DRAFT OR ARE NON-ELIGIBLE THIS YEAR, YOU WILL STILL ENJOY THE QUOTES BELOW VERY MUCH!!
For those that have been receiving my weekly stories and took time to reshape and package yourself throughout 2011-12, this is where your body of work away from the field can definitely help elevate your final draft grade. I’ve been in the business side of marketing players for a number of years and have been in big league club war rooms many times on draft days. I can tell you wholeheartedly that MLB clubs pay heavy attention towards the evaluation of a player’s character, his maturity and the overall humanizing efforts of your work in the community. They can all serve as the "tie-breaker" when team's decide on which players to choose and how much they are willing to invest in a prospect!
One of my past jobs in the National Hockey League (that I brought to my 17-20-year-old Major Junior players of today) was to teach our players how to SMILE, to speak and interview in a professional manner with our local media and how to effectively energize and communicate to our fan base! These are skills that can pay immediate and long-term dividends for you! It's very important to show the sports world that you CARE!
All the best once more Nick! Much success on the field this weekend my friend!
Jim Loria
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“Unfortunately many athletes are so focused on getting into professional sports that they never think beyond that. The goal isn’t to get to the pros, it’s to stay in the pros. Do you want to be a first-round pick, sign a rookie contract, and then be out of the League after a couple of seasons? Or is your goal to have a 10-year career and not care where you’re drafted” – stated by an unknown author
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“It’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you’re going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny” – spoken by Anthony Robbins, American self-help author and success coach
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“High achievers spot opportunities swiftly, make big decisions quickly and move into action immediately. Follow these principles and you can make your dreams come true” – stated by Robert H. Schuller, Entrepreneur and Author, 1926
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“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier” – stated by Roy Disney, brother of Walt Disney
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“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation” – stated by Brian Tracy
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way” – stated by John Maxwell
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“I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be” – stated by Ken Venturi, former Pro Golfer, Broadcaster and Sports Illustrated’s 1964 Sportsman-of-the-Year
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“There is no such thing as ‘great talent’ without ‘great will power’” – stated by Honore de Balzac, French novelist and playwright
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
With the MLB Draft coming up, many of you that are eligible in 2012 will have some tough decisions ahead to consider and make. I wanted to focus some of my helpful quotes this week on “decisions”. Hope some of these may serve as a stimulant for you! TO OTHERS, THAT HAVE MOVED PAST THE DRAFT OR ARE NON-ELIGIBLE THIS YEAR, YOU WILL STILL ENJOY THE QUOTES BELOW VERY MUCH!!
For those that have been receiving my weekly stories and took time to reshape and package yourself throughout 2011-12, this is where your body of work away from the field can definitely help elevate your final draft grade. I’ve been in the business side of marketing players for a number of years and have been in big league club war rooms many times on draft days. I can tell you wholeheartedly that MLB clubs pay heavy attention towards the evaluation of a player’s character, his maturity and the overall humanizing efforts of your work in the community. They can all serve as the "tie-breaker" when team's decide on which players to choose and how much they are willing to invest in a prospect!
One of my past jobs in the National Hockey League (that I brought to my 17-20-year-old Major Junior players of today) was to teach our players how to SMILE, to speak and interview in a professional manner with our local media and how to effectively energize and communicate to our fan base! These are skills that can pay immediate and long-term dividends for you! It's very important to show the sports world that you CARE!
All the best once more Nick! Much success on the field this weekend my friend!
Jim Loria
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“Unfortunately many athletes are so focused on getting into professional sports that they never think beyond that. The goal isn’t to get to the pros, it’s to stay in the pros. Do you want to be a first-round pick, sign a rookie contract, and then be out of the League after a couple of seasons? Or is your goal to have a 10-year career and not care where you’re drafted” – stated by an unknown author
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“It’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you’re going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny” – spoken by Anthony Robbins, American self-help author and success coach
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“High achievers spot opportunities swiftly, make big decisions quickly and move into action immediately. Follow these principles and you can make your dreams come true” – stated by Robert H. Schuller, Entrepreneur and Author, 1926
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier” – stated by Roy Disney, brother of Walt Disney
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation” – stated by Brian Tracy
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way” – stated by John Maxwell
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be” – stated by Ken Venturi, former Pro Golfer, Broadcaster and Sports Illustrated’s 1964 Sportsman-of-the-Year
---------------------------------------------------------------------
“There is no such thing as ‘great talent’ without ‘great will power’” – stated by Honore de Balzac, French novelist and playwright
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Friday, May 18, 2012
FOR: Nick RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - May 17, 2012
Greetings Nick!
Many times we have talked before about the word “confidence” and how much you need to exercise your “mindset” to the point where you are cleansed from any and all negative thoughts. When your Mind is fully in tune with your body down below, it is only then that your true skills on the field will be unleashed and or enhanced from perhaps a level you’ve never seen.
Take Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers. We all know he just put together one of the greatest opening months in baseball history at the plate before an aggravated hamstring strain sidelined him last weekend. Looking back at his first five big league seasons, Kemp batted over .300 once and flirted with the triple digit plateau a few more times before he absolutely bottomed out in 2010 with a .249 mark and a career high 170 K’s.
Some blamed it on his Hollywood romance with singer Rihanna as a distraction. The man you may consider to be one of the two best players in the game today (with Josh Hamilton) was verbally beaten down by his own Dodgers’ organization. So much so that Kemp actually dreaded going to work to play the game. His mindset just wasn’t there. Evident to everyone. He was being labeled one of the biggest underachievers. His own coaches (Bob Schaefer and Larry Bowa) were very open in their disdain, thinking he cared more about the Hollywood scene than baseball. Manager Joe Torre benched him. GM Ned Colletti even called out Kemp in a radio interview.
"That was a bad year (2010)," Kemp says. "Everything was just so out of whack. It's hard to play well when you're not having fun or you're not happy. I wasn't happy at all that year, and it showed." He was gaining a label as a problem child. Motivation was questioned. Attitude was a concern. "I expect to have a good year every year, and if I don't, I'm disappointed, like (2010)," Kemp said. "But I looked at that year as a learning experience. The game is very humbling, and I was humbled. This game is based on failure, so you have to be mentally strong. I don't play this game to be mediocre. I don't want to be just all right. I play this game to be the best. That's not being cocky. That's just being confident."
How did Kemp rebuild his confidence and overcome the dark days of 2010 and even some years before when the game didn’t click in as it seems to now? He moved to Arizona in the winter following that slump-ridden season, re-dedicated himself and entered a rigorous six-day-a-week training program. Kemp worked out with a running coach at Arizona State to improve his base-stealing and with a personal hitting coach to eliminate the at-bats he felt he gave away in 2010. He hired a Chef to improve his diet after reading that NFL star Ray Lewis did it, lost 20 pounds but firmed up.
He came to the 2011 spring training focused and with a different mindset. Former major leaguer player Junior Spivey, a friend of Kemp’s, said: "He went back to what that got him there, and being the Matt Kemp that was so hungry. He's a fighter, and that dude does not like losing. He wants to win more than anyone."
Now, to maintain that confidence, Kemp wakes up every morning to study videos of the day's opposing pitcher. Shows up early to the stadium and puts in the work in order to be successful. "He's a monster, that's the bottom line," says Colorado Rockies’ manager Jim Tracy, who managed Kemp in the Dodgers’ farm system. "To see what his character has become, and his energy on the field … I didn't see that two years ago (2010) in him and even before.”
I want to reprint the comment I posted last week from David Freese of the St. Louis Cardinals. In many ways he echoed what Matt Kemp stated: “You have to understand that the game of baseball isn’t going to run away from you. You have to attack the game, and ‘Confidence’ is a huge part of baseball or anything in life.”
Fellas - Rededicate yourself now to your craft. All successful people no matter what walk of life you choose have never found success by working 9-5. You have to put in the time and develop a plan just as Matt Kemp and the many others before him. It all started when Matt’s mind spoke to his body. That’s the key!
All the best this weekend! Keep believing in you always! Cheering for you my friend!
Jim Loria
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“Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world” – stated by Helen Keller, author and first person - deaf and blind – in history to earn a college degree
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“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment” – stated by Jim Rohn, self-help author
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“Always remember, you accomplish victory step-by-step, not by leaps and bounds” – stated by Lyn St. James, Indy Race Car Driver
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Thursday, May 10, 2012
FOR NICK! RE: Weekly Motivational Piece - May 10, 2012
Greetings Nick!
This week, I thought I would provide you with some terrific quotes from players associated with Major League Baseball. Enjoy the feedback!
REMEMBER IT IS MOTHER’S DAY SUNDAY! Be sure to thank your Mom for giving you life, and for her year’s of love, guidance and teachings as well as a gene pool that brought you such an amazing gift – skills to possibly become a big league ballplayer one day!
All the best my friend! Continued success!
Jim Loria
------------------------------------------------------------
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS’ 2011 WORLD SERIES HERO DAVID FREESE ON BATTLING HIS WAY FROM THE BASEMENT LEVELS OF BASEBALL TO NEW-FOUND STARDOM: “You have to understand that the game of baseball isn’t going to run away from you. You have to attack the game, and confidence is a huge part of baseball or anything in life.”
------------------------------------------------------------
BASEBALL LEGEND JIM THOME ON HIS ADVICE TO YOUNGER PLAYERS … “Baseball is a basket. Every day you put something in it, but it takes a long time to fill. So just try to be consistent. Play the game. Try not to get too high or too low. Besides, when you think you’ve got it figured out, you don’t. I’ve experienced a lot of failure, but in the long run it’s helped me succeed.”
--------------------------------------------------------------
PITCHING ADVICE … Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly on when he knew Clayton Kershaw arrived and became his team’s ace of the staff? ”We always knew what Clayton had, but he started to show it. It started with keeping his pitch count down. He used more of his pitches, got the early outs but still got a lot of strikeouts. He didn’t go 0-2 and then wait ‘til 3-2 to put a guy away. His attitude was, ‘Let’s get this over with!’”
---------------------------------------------------------------
“The most important part of a player's body is above his shoulders” - stated by baseball’s legendary Ty Cobb. REMEMBER FELLAS WHAT I’VE BEEN PREACHING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS – EXERCISE YOUR MIND AS MUCH AS YOUR BODY! WHEN YOUR MIND IS 100% SOLD, CONFIDENT AND CLUTTER FREE, IT WILL UNLEASH YOUR SKILLS AND ALLOW THEM TO TRULY SHINE THROUGH!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“A Full Mind is an Empty Bat” – stated by Branch Rickey, a former Major League Baseball executive who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967. He was best known for breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson; for drafting the first Hispanic superstar (Roberto Clemente) and for creating the framework of today’s modern minor league farm system
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL WORDS OF WISDOM …
Don't wait for time. Make it.
Don't wait for the path. Find it.
Don't wait for opportunity. Create it.
Don't go for less. Get the best.
Don't compare. Be unique.
Don't fight your misfortune. Transform it.
Don't avoid failure. Use it.
Don't dwell on mistake. Learn from it.
Don't back down. Go around.
Don't close your eyes. Open your mind.
Don't run for life. Embrace it.
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
This week, I thought I would provide you with some terrific quotes from players associated with Major League Baseball. Enjoy the feedback!
REMEMBER IT IS MOTHER’S DAY SUNDAY! Be sure to thank your Mom for giving you life, and for her year’s of love, guidance and teachings as well as a gene pool that brought you such an amazing gift – skills to possibly become a big league ballplayer one day!
All the best my friend! Continued success!
Jim Loria
------------------------------------------------------------
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS’ 2011 WORLD SERIES HERO DAVID FREESE ON BATTLING HIS WAY FROM THE BASEMENT LEVELS OF BASEBALL TO NEW-FOUND STARDOM: “You have to understand that the game of baseball isn’t going to run away from you. You have to attack the game, and confidence is a huge part of baseball or anything in life.”
------------------------------------------------------------
BASEBALL LEGEND JIM THOME ON HIS ADVICE TO YOUNGER PLAYERS … “Baseball is a basket. Every day you put something in it, but it takes a long time to fill. So just try to be consistent. Play the game. Try not to get too high or too low. Besides, when you think you’ve got it figured out, you don’t. I’ve experienced a lot of failure, but in the long run it’s helped me succeed.”
--------------------------------------------------------------
PITCHING ADVICE … Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly on when he knew Clayton Kershaw arrived and became his team’s ace of the staff? ”We always knew what Clayton had, but he started to show it. It started with keeping his pitch count down. He used more of his pitches, got the early outs but still got a lot of strikeouts. He didn’t go 0-2 and then wait ‘til 3-2 to put a guy away. His attitude was, ‘Let’s get this over with!’”
---------------------------------------------------------------
“The most important part of a player's body is above his shoulders” - stated by baseball’s legendary Ty Cobb. REMEMBER FELLAS WHAT I’VE BEEN PREACHING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS – EXERCISE YOUR MIND AS MUCH AS YOUR BODY! WHEN YOUR MIND IS 100% SOLD, CONFIDENT AND CLUTTER FREE, IT WILL UNLEASH YOUR SKILLS AND ALLOW THEM TO TRULY SHINE THROUGH!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“A Full Mind is an Empty Bat” – stated by Branch Rickey, a former Major League Baseball executive who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967. He was best known for breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson; for drafting the first Hispanic superstar (Roberto Clemente) and for creating the framework of today’s modern minor league farm system
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL WORDS OF WISDOM …
Don't wait for time. Make it.
Don't wait for the path. Find it.
Don't wait for opportunity. Create it.
Don't go for less. Get the best.
Don't compare. Be unique.
Don't fight your misfortune. Transform it.
Don't avoid failure. Use it.
Don't dwell on mistake. Learn from it.
Don't back down. Go around.
Don't close your eyes. Open your mind.
Don't run for life. Embrace it.
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Thursday, May 3, 2012
FOR NICK: WEEKLY MOTIVATIONAL PIECE - MAY 3, 2012
“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny” – stated by Frank Outlaw
Greetings Nick!
Many of you have heard me speak on character issues and how much that your very own body of work away from the field can truly make the difference. In today’s age, more and more, your character will serve as the eventual tie-breaker when pro personnel evaluators make decisions on drafting you as a prospect or when a MLB GM will offer you a contract and the dollar size of their commitment.
Last week, the NFL held its annual draft. In the last three months I was paying attention to the prospects I knew had first round material. I wanted to see who would “free fall” and blow away millions of dollars because they failed to develop their character and protect their reputation despite an ability to play at a higher level. Perfect example: Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Many scouts were ready to anoint him as the next Ray Lewis from the Baltimore Ravens. Burfict was a player that would bulldoze another and lay them out on the field. For sure, he was a top five player at his position. A potential first-round pick in everyone’s pre-season draft lists. Then, how could he go completely UNDRAFTED by all 32 NFL teams?
First, reputation. NFL team’s were concerned over Burfict’s lack of discipline with his play in 2012. He committed numerous personal fouls, a sign of possible anger issues to the scouts? He shows up at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis in March and bombed. Not only did he have terrible workout times but he reportedly failed an NFL required drug test. If that didn’t set off alarm buttons, he was also unimpressive during his live interviews with NFL team coaches and executives.
Here’s where the TOTAL BODY OF WORK comes into play that I spoke of at the top of this piece. Burfict ran into New England Patriots’ Head Coach Bill Belichick in a hotel lobby at the NFL Combine. The coach asked a few questions to the player. His one moment to make an impression? He’s now 1-to-1 with possibly the most influential football coach or executive in the business and one that has great influence over the drafting of his players. A coach that would even gamble on a player with less than a stellar background? Yet, Burfict failed miserably once again. Apparently there was a severe lack of eye contact between player-to-coach. His voice lacked confidence. His spoken words were hardly heard? Burfict admits that his stomach was tied in knots and hands all sweated up. Word had it that Belichick had to strain himself to just hear the football player speak?
In days to follow, Burfict moves on from one NFL coach to another. He notices a pattern. Not one coach wanted to talk football with him… They all ask if he has anger problems? If he can adjust his temperament to the NFL? One coach wondered how Burfict would react if a sweeping offensive tackle were to hit him with a cheap shot: Would he pursue the ball or punch the lineman?
At the NFL Combine, Burfict admits he heard the whispers from the sidelines and sensed that the scouts’ heads were shaking. He was not wrong in his assumption as NOT ONE NFL TEAM DRAFTED HIM. Completely bypassed by 32 teams. His draft “free fall” not only cost Burfict millions but the only offer he could get was a training camp try-out with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Fellas – if you’ve never seen a TV Show called EXCUSED … take time to do so. It’s a dating show. The premise is that two females are inside a house. A group of men get a chance to date these women but each must first walk up to the front door of the house and in TEN SECONDS or less, SELL THEMSELVES!! Their presentation and first impressions are seen by the girls on a hidden TV camera. The ladies get to see the introductions and make a split second determination if the person is WORTH IT OR NOT and allowed inside to proceed with a date!
It’s no different with the Major League Baseball talent evaluators. They know your talent. You don’t have to sell that ever to them. It is the “YOU” part they want to unravel! Again, your character and reputation can/and will help to either inflate your “net worth” or “devalue” it! Don’t ever cheat your social development skills … work on speaking in front of children at schools. Try to get your local media people to help teach you how to interview and most importantly, get involved with charitable work. Humanize yourself – it will pay off for you in the long term!
All the best my friend! Have a great weekend on the field!
Jim Loria
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“You want to be perceived with ‘potential’ rather than ‘problems’, as possessing ‘strengths’ instead of ‘weaknesses’, as ‘unlimited’ rather than ‘dull and unresponsive’, then you’ll thrive and grow to your capabilities” – stated by Robert Conklin
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"The person who masters himself through self-control and discipline is truly undefeatable" – stated by an unknown author
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Longtime Major League Baseball GM Pat Gillick on what team’s today look for in a prospect: “We want players who are dependable. I don’t necessarily mean they give dependable performances. Performance varies, and some of that is beyond a player’s control. We want players who are dependable in the way they go about their lives. Players who treat the parking-lot attendant right, players who talk to their teammates, players who will go about their business in practices, in their video work, in their strength and conditioning work. Dependable. Players you can depend on.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas City Chiefs NFL GM Scott Pioli on what it takes to succeed as a pro athlete. “These Four Simple Words: Reliability – Dependability - Accountability - Discipline.”
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
Greetings Nick!
Many of you have heard me speak on character issues and how much that your very own body of work away from the field can truly make the difference. In today’s age, more and more, your character will serve as the eventual tie-breaker when pro personnel evaluators make decisions on drafting you as a prospect or when a MLB GM will offer you a contract and the dollar size of their commitment.
Last week, the NFL held its annual draft. In the last three months I was paying attention to the prospects I knew had first round material. I wanted to see who would “free fall” and blow away millions of dollars because they failed to develop their character and protect their reputation despite an ability to play at a higher level. Perfect example: Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Many scouts were ready to anoint him as the next Ray Lewis from the Baltimore Ravens. Burfict was a player that would bulldoze another and lay them out on the field. For sure, he was a top five player at his position. A potential first-round pick in everyone’s pre-season draft lists. Then, how could he go completely UNDRAFTED by all 32 NFL teams?
First, reputation. NFL team’s were concerned over Burfict’s lack of discipline with his play in 2012. He committed numerous personal fouls, a sign of possible anger issues to the scouts? He shows up at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis in March and bombed. Not only did he have terrible workout times but he reportedly failed an NFL required drug test. If that didn’t set off alarm buttons, he was also unimpressive during his live interviews with NFL team coaches and executives.
Here’s where the TOTAL BODY OF WORK comes into play that I spoke of at the top of this piece. Burfict ran into New England Patriots’ Head Coach Bill Belichick in a hotel lobby at the NFL Combine. The coach asked a few questions to the player. His one moment to make an impression? He’s now 1-to-1 with possibly the most influential football coach or executive in the business and one that has great influence over the drafting of his players. A coach that would even gamble on a player with less than a stellar background? Yet, Burfict failed miserably once again. Apparently there was a severe lack of eye contact between player-to-coach. His voice lacked confidence. His spoken words were hardly heard? Burfict admits that his stomach was tied in knots and hands all sweated up. Word had it that Belichick had to strain himself to just hear the football player speak?
In days to follow, Burfict moves on from one NFL coach to another. He notices a pattern. Not one coach wanted to talk football with him… They all ask if he has anger problems? If he can adjust his temperament to the NFL? One coach wondered how Burfict would react if a sweeping offensive tackle were to hit him with a cheap shot: Would he pursue the ball or punch the lineman?
At the NFL Combine, Burfict admits he heard the whispers from the sidelines and sensed that the scouts’ heads were shaking. He was not wrong in his assumption as NOT ONE NFL TEAM DRAFTED HIM. Completely bypassed by 32 teams. His draft “free fall” not only cost Burfict millions but the only offer he could get was a training camp try-out with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Fellas – if you’ve never seen a TV Show called EXCUSED … take time to do so. It’s a dating show. The premise is that two females are inside a house. A group of men get a chance to date these women but each must first walk up to the front door of the house and in TEN SECONDS or less, SELL THEMSELVES!! Their presentation and first impressions are seen by the girls on a hidden TV camera. The ladies get to see the introductions and make a split second determination if the person is WORTH IT OR NOT and allowed inside to proceed with a date!
It’s no different with the Major League Baseball talent evaluators. They know your talent. You don’t have to sell that ever to them. It is the “YOU” part they want to unravel! Again, your character and reputation can/and will help to either inflate your “net worth” or “devalue” it! Don’t ever cheat your social development skills … work on speaking in front of children at schools. Try to get your local media people to help teach you how to interview and most importantly, get involved with charitable work. Humanize yourself – it will pay off for you in the long term!
All the best my friend! Have a great weekend on the field!
Jim Loria
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“You want to be perceived with ‘potential’ rather than ‘problems’, as possessing ‘strengths’ instead of ‘weaknesses’, as ‘unlimited’ rather than ‘dull and unresponsive’, then you’ll thrive and grow to your capabilities” – stated by Robert Conklin
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"The person who masters himself through self-control and discipline is truly undefeatable" – stated by an unknown author
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Longtime Major League Baseball GM Pat Gillick on what team’s today look for in a prospect: “We want players who are dependable. I don’t necessarily mean they give dependable performances. Performance varies, and some of that is beyond a player’s control. We want players who are dependable in the way they go about their lives. Players who treat the parking-lot attendant right, players who talk to their teammates, players who will go about their business in practices, in their video work, in their strength and conditioning work. Dependable. Players you can depend on.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas City Chiefs NFL GM Scott Pioli on what it takes to succeed as a pro athlete. “These Four Simple Words: Reliability – Dependability - Accountability - Discipline.”
###
Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
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