Love, And A Fastball, Are In The Air

“Down in Florida, February, the sun it always shines bright.  It’s a Spring Training a Spring Training a Spring Training delight!”

-Childhood Elementary School Music Hour Awesome Calypso Jam

It is that time of year again everyone.  The grass is growing, the sun is shining, and those sweet Florida oranges are ripe for the picking.  Unfortunately, I am stuck in Toronto and will be left freezing with nothing but my delicious Tim’s Steeped Tea to both quench my thirst, and prevent internal freezing.

This year pitchers and catchers report to formulate relationships on their respective team alongside everyone else’s “love it or hate it” relationship building holiday, Valentine’s Day. 

That got me thinking about relationships, and as it turns out, relationship storylines at Spring Training are a parallel to the love-life drama that we ourselves live, and allow to be grossly magnified this time of year. 

On that note I give you:

“Spring Training Scenarios: Baseball’s Love Doctor”

Scenario 1: “I’m Going to String Them Along for A Couple of Months, Just So No One Gets Hurt”

In the wise words of Justin Long, “He’s just not that into you.”  Like stringing along a bad date, or a relationship simply in worse nuclear fallout than the latest Xbox shoot-‘em-up, every year we see a GM bring in a non-roster invitee full of delusions of grandeur who somehow cracks the Starting 5.  The player’s actions  soon after make it abundantly clear that The GM and coach really should have cut ties earlier on in this relationship, and saved further damage. 

Sorry Dana Eveland, but you can now go and gossip over a cosmopolitan with Tomo Ohka, and Victor Zambrano about how you were the best thing that was ever thrown away by the Jays. And while you’re at it, learn to pitch.

Scenario 2: “I Bought You This Pricey Gift, But Man I Saw This Ending Differently In My Head.  Now, Where Is My Credit Card and That Receipt?”

Everyone out there has fallen victim to “over-gifting” in hopes that that either makes up for lost points, or gets you miles ahead of the game in points.  But sometimes, this is just a bad play on any relationship.  Like buying diamonds for that special someone whose alarm goes off every morning to the Huey Lewis’ classic “Hip to Be Square,” sometimes a player’s performance just doesn’t put out to the dollars you put up. 

Barry Zito, Kevin Brown, Dontrelle Willis, Gil Meche, I’m looking at all of you squares on this one.

Scenario 3: “The Romanticized Return”

Whether it is being swept off your feet, riding off into the sunset, sailing away in a yacht, or some other action verb involving some other exorbitant noun this is the dream that there are hopes of making a reality starting on the weekend of the 14^th. 

As fans of baseball, it is in similar hopes and fantasies that our once promising frontline starters come back from their injuries to fulfill all of their major league dreams. 

Skip the chocolates, flowers and Hallmark cards for me and other Jays fans.  My romantic dreams involve a Jesse Litsch bulldog-like return to the mound, and a Dustin McGowan pitch where his arm does not separate from his body and hit JPA’s face behind the plate. 

We saw it last year, as Shaun Marcum returned to strike us with cupid’s arrow and become the staff ace. But, we have also seen BJ Ryan return to such horrendously foul play that by the end he could not even make the Cubs. 

Here’s to hoping that we get our “Danielle-Steel-novel-like-storyline” out of this year’s crop!

Scenario 4: “Positions Ready!”

There’s a Pitcher.  There’s a Catcher. Enough said.

Now that we have that down, cue Barry White.

Happy Love Day, and Happy Spring Training.  Now, let’s all go out and buy a rose and a New Era hat, because it is game time! 

Bringing 'Em To The Table: The Jays Fantasy GM

With pitchers and catchers only a little over a month away from reporting to camp, I thought I would play, “Adam Amarthopoulos,” and list my fantasy Jays roster requests in this post. Chances are, I will likely do these moves myself in a power struggle, once MLB 2K11 comes out, and continues to leave me unsatisfied for a decent Baseball video game on the XBOX 360.

So without further Adieu, I give you, my 2011 "New" Jays:

A Bunch of Kansas City Corner Infielders:

If you play fantasy baseball with me, you know that there are certain players that I remain brutally faithful to, even though they’re performances may not justify it.

This is best represented by both my extreme like for Alex Gordon, and my borderline man-love for Billy Butler.

Let’s go over why I want them on the Jays for, “non-statistical and very illogical,” reasons. 

Alex Gordon:

It is no secret that the Jays currently have either a top-flight defensive threat in RF, or a very good 3B on their roster, but not both (cloning Bautista is more for the 2012 playoff run).  Personally, I love Bau-Bau in RF because there are very few things I like to do over the course of the summer as much as yell “Cannoooooooonnnnnss” every time Jose chucks a baseball back to the infield. 

 

Keeping Bautista in RF will allow the speedy, yet somewhat one-dimensional, fielder Rajai Davis to fully take over where Freddy Lewis’ left off.  That being as the Jays’ Willie Mays Hayes from Major League, or Malik from Not Another Teen Movie. For those who have yet to see the latter:

As a former top pick, Alex Gordon oozes potential, but this alone is not a reason to break the bank on him.  After all, remember when the Jays had former #1 pick Matt Bush in their system for 20 minutes?  Potential did nothing to smooth over Bush’s attitude at the Major League level, and he blew up.  Rumour of his demise had it that he once drunkenly showed up at a high school yelling, “I’m Matt F*cking Bush!” around the school yard. Rumour also has it that he is still struggling to keep it together, even after his attempted fresh start under his new name, Mel Gibson.

In any event, Alex Gordon is a high risk-high reward option at the 3B position.  The former Corn Husker could either, “Reap” the benefits of a change of scenery and expectations, or he could be in for an “empty harvest season,” and the Alex Gordon silo could be low on MLB numbers...and oats....but certainly not on farm euphemisms

I would love AA to take a run at him, and officially limit E5 to 0 games at the position, and if he could pry my wonder boy Billy Butler away in a deal...

Billy Butler:

A 3B, turned 1B, Billy Butler is everything the Jays need in a hitter. 

Butler’s got more pop than a 2001 *NSync album.  He also has the great ability to spray it to all fields.  With the Rogers Centre’s “bowling alley” like outfield, his bat could be the most diverse weapon since Lyle Overbay’s pre-surgically repaired robot hand.  Get him, put him in the 2/3 hole, and let Bau-Bau make the best of bringing home arguably the future of sweet-swinging doubles hitting.

Someone Who Can Throw A Lot of Baseballs, Quality Ones Optional

Kevin Millwood

There, I said it.  It may be several years later than necessary, but, like Michael Young, I believe in a “better late than never” form of redemption with this guy.

The Jays rotation is young, and pitch counts are higher, but still not at an unlimited ceiling for some of these guys.  So why not take a risk on a now back-of-the-rotation guy who will always make his starts and eat innings like they are on special at Mandarin.  A short-term move like this can only help in managing the Jays young arms to strengthen them for a big run in 2012, 2013, 2014......2026, and beyond.

Menu Pun Players

Orlando Hudson

Attend a game with me, I can guarantee you that at some point I will bitch and complain about how much I miss the O-Dawg combo.  I want that combo, I need that combo, and rumour had it, we were close.  Suck it Padres, you’ve ruined my dinner.

GM State of the Union

Like I said, none of these were based on any sabermetrics.  They were based on anecdotes, and man-crushes.  They simply are nothing more, nothing less, but everything awesome in my books.

So here’s to the 2011 Jays, whoever makes the roster, may they bring many a “W,” and may Brandon Morrow continue to justify my extremely drunken personalized jersey purchase.

Now where’s MLB 2K11, I need more convincing to buy a PS3 just so that I can play a $350 version of MLB: The Show and not strike out or hit a home run, every. single. time.

Dude, we went fishing in Cabo....

Baseball Accessories: Why We Take Hours To Create A Player

As we are now in the full swing of the season of giving, and Christmas is only a week away, let’s take a look at some baseball uniform accessories that transform one from ball player to bad ass.

As our video game created player shows, given the choice, we will always add unnecessary accessories to our uniform.  There are just so many options to put on a pair of arms, legs, and a head that if nothing else, make you look intimidating to the other team in a, “He must be good at baseball, because extra stuff means extra talent” kind of way.

Let’s start from the feet and move up...

Shoes:

These are not as much an accessory, as a must have.  However, the fact that there are many different options makes them an accessory to your uniform. 

Growing up there were only the Big 3 brands to go for in baseball.  Either you rolled with the swooshes, the stripes, or the Reebok combination-of-the-two-type-of-thing.

The simple understanding is this: The flashier the shoes, the more intimidated you were by the players speed.  Any sort of hologram, fluorescent colour, or whiteness was taken as a sign of intimidation on the base paths, because man did those shoes look sweet when blurred by a quick 1,2, step.

The darker and more simplistic the shoe, the more intimidating the player’s power was.  Under the same understanding as the flashy shoes, these players did not have doubles speed, but they stuck around by playing Jose Bautista with the bat and ball.   It wasn’t about flash for the Johnny Cash of shoes, it was about Brawn, and he is able to hit the ball into a burnin’ ring of fire 400 feet away.

My Personal Selection: White Reeboks

Socks:

The age old question, and arguably the most important decision for a baseball player: “Do you roll with high socks?”

This really shouldn’t even be a question.  For all of us Blue Jays fans out there we remember the days of “all hustle” Reed Johnson, and his high socks patrolling the field.  Since then, they have become synonymous with hustle and heart. 

As Fred Lewis put it this season, “Hustle is Old School.”

To this day, I don’t know what that means exactly, but I interpret it in this way based on the way Reed Johnson played:

“Don’t f*ck with a guy in stirrups.”

Amen.

My selection: I was nearly 6 feet tall when I was 12.  It was a choice of stirrups or flood pants for me, so stirrups, forever and always.

Batting Gloves:

Along with your shoes, these were your other major branding decision.  You could rock the classic Franklin gloves.  They came in a variety of colours, and the white on them would become stained with tar, leather, and dirt, the mark of a true ball player.

Some players went the trendy route, and got Nike mitts.  When they first came out they were dark, sleek and simple.  These gloves could let your bat do the talkin’.  Their other main sell, was that Griffey had them...

...No further reasoning needed.  Nike wins, because if you were a child in the ‘90s, you did as Junior showed.

Honourable Recognition: No batting gloves.  Doing this shows an equal amount of hustle and heart as the high socks.  As well, bare handing the bat  gives off the image that you don’t need any help, that you’re going to mash this baseball no matter what.  Just like intimidating powerhouse sluggers Vladdy Guerrero, Moises Alou, and umm.... Gregg Zaun.

Wristbands:

I would like to cross over sports and thank Allen Iverson for convincing us that there is no such thing as necessary symmetry amongst limbs.  Wristbands were reason to experiment with some flash above your glove hand, or the look of a powerful and steady arm on your swing follow through.

Special thanks: Goes to Josh Hamilton for looking as all our video game created players do, and having 3-5 wristbands on at any given time.  Well played Josh.

Sunglasses:

In speaking of cross over sports, there is one thing which Baseball and Wrestling have in common...

...Yep, these are still awesome.

In Conclusion:

What we add to our uniform, is what allows us to break away from traditional moulds.  They are an expression of our own individual personality, a story as to how you will come out and play this game before the first pitch has even been thrown.

So whether you are roaming the field in life, in the 2K series, or he Show, remember, it's about looking good, and playing better.

Ode To New Caps

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

I must make you curve.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

To not is absurd.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

But this task is of might,

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

I’ll be up all night.

Curving and bending and moulding to shape,

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

You keep me awake.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

I hold up and I see,

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

Your longed for symmetry.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

You can do no wrong.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

My bedhead is gone.

I'll wear you forwards, backwards, anyway I please

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

You give me such steez.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

You are so nifty.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

My 59/Fifty.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

Your stickers are gone.

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

I needn't look like lil’ John.

With your bend so strong, so round, and so fit,

Oh cap brim, oh cap brim

I’m reppin’ this sh*t.

Thank you New Era.

The Heavyweight Bautista: Martinelli vs. Cox. Rematch.

Stepping Into The Ring and/or Up To The Plate

Before I begin, let me say that this blog is inspired by a fantastic piece of writing by Tom Benjamin at canuckscorner.com titled “Dumb and Damien.[i]” I took these quotes directly from Tom’s transcripts of this: http://video.thescore.com/watch/a-look-into-the-battle-between-nhl-reporters-and-bloggers . “A Look into the Battle Between NHL Reporters and Bloggers,” Score V-Blog story. 

Tom, if you are reading this thank you for sparking my fire at my old friend Mr. Damien Cox.  I have been waiting since August 22, 2010 after Cox’s, “Gotta at Least Ask the Question[ii]” umm... “Blog?/Article?/Piece of Journalism?” came out to write this one up.  I for one, am a strong supporter of the blogosphere.  I believe that the information found on twitter feeds, facebook posts, and any online form of media consumption is not to be disregarded as Cox would have us think. 

(Please note that this is all done in good fun)

The following is my dismantling of Cox’s 3 arguments in The Score’s V-Blog. 

Round 1: The Truth - Online Media is too Critical and Aggressive.

DC: “Should we not ask them for comment and to explain? Is it possible that what somebody is saying about Colin Campbell may not exactly be the truth? If you are a person who wants to do that, all of a sudden you are protecting people. All of a sudden you are not being tough enough. And I just think that’s unfair. And I understand that’s part of what people who consider themselves outside the mainstream media want to portray themselves as tougher, nastier. I understand that that’s what they want to do, um, and to do it they try to tear down other people. And quite frankly that’s a waste of everybody’s time.”

You’re right Damien.  We should allow the person we are accusing, or writing a story about, the chance to comment.  So allow me to pull up my favourite article of yours, “Gotta at Least Ask the Question,” to see how real journalists like yourself do just that.

Direct Quotes from Damien Cox about Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays:

-“When it comes to Jose Bautista, how is it exactly that at the age of 29 he's suddenly become the most dangerous power hitter in baseball?...

...Chance? Healthy living? Diet? New contact lenses? Comfortable batting gloves?”

            -“Anyone reading about the Roger Clemens perjury case this week, which of course brings up all of baseball's tawdry steroid history, should at least be willing to wonder about Bautista's sudden transformation into the dinger king.”

            -“ The Blue Jays, we know, have quietly become known as a bit of a nest for alleged steroid abusers over the years. Clemens played here. Gregg Zaun has been implicated. Ditto for Troy Glaus.”

            -“ But the fact is that baseball's history, and the Nixonian way in which the Selig administration and the players association have chosen to deal with the steroid issue over the years, should compel any intelligent person to wonder when a player suddenly starts displaying abilities never before seen in his career.”

-“Blue Jay fans won't like it. But you've got to at least ask the question when it comes to Jose Bautista.”

You are right Damien, we should ask questions!  Since this is about Jose Bautista, and going by your quote this week, we should ask Jose Bautista directly!

Direct Quotes from Jose Bautista or the Toronto Blue Jays Training Staff Commenting on Steroids as Found in the Article:

-...

-...

-...(cricket)

Whoa Damien!  Is this not a direct case of you trying to portray yourself as a Brian Burke-esque, “tougher, nastier?” like you said in your recent interview? And that this article must then be, “Quite frankly a waste of everybodys time?”

Well your point is made Damien.  Unfortunately for you, it was best exemplified against your own journalism, which you were attempting to defend, and thus, making it illogical and irrelevant.

Logical Breakdown Session!:

Proper journalism always has supporting comments. --> all A is B

Damien Cox writes. -->  C

This Damien Cox article has no supporting comments. -->   C has ~B

Therefore Damien Cox does not always write proper journalism.  --> if C has ~B then is ~A

Sorry Damien! logic doesn’t lie!

Adam 1 – Cox 0

Round 2: Bias Hurts Journalism: Fans Should Stay in the Stands

DC: The basic tenet of sports journalism as long as I’ve been in it is “No cheering in the press box.” And some places literally have signs “No cheering in the press box.” If your primary function is to cheer for the team then you belong in the stands with the fan.

So Damien, there should be no bias in journalism? Ok let’s go back to the August 22 article again

shall we.

Direct Quotes from Damien Cox on Baseball:

-“For the following unpopular question, blame Major League baseball and all the nonsense it has spewed over the past decade.”

-“As of Sunday morning, he had 38 homers, six more than the great Albert Pujols, seven more than Miguel Cabrera and Adam Dunn.”

-“ For the fact that we do, blame baseball.”

Seemslike Damien Cox has had his own opinion and image of baseball forever changed to the negative?  It seems like no matter how much regulated testing now goes on, Damien Cox is going to believe that steroids have ruined baseball.  These quotes make it very apparent that Damien Cox does not respect baseball like he does other sports, aside from, “The Great Albert Pujols.” But Albert isn’t Damiens favourite player!  That would be biased!  Journalists can’t be biased!  Right Damien?

Logic Time!

No journalism should be biased. -->  A is  ~B

Damien Cox writes. --> C

Damien Cox writes biased statements. --> C is B

Damien Cox is not a journalist. --> if A is ~ B, and C is B, then C is ~A.

Sorry Damien, your words!

Adam -2, Cox -0

Round 3: Anonymity is Bad.  You need to have some sort of accountability.

DC: “Part of what concerns me about what I see is that there is irresponsibility and no consequences. I can say whatever I want about anybody and I don’t even have to put my name on it. I can’t see how that’s good.”

I can see how it is good, and so can any school teacher or university professor as well.  It is the name of the writer that renders a bias in the reader.  The writer’s personal ideals should not have anything to do with the validity of the article, and to most readers, they don’t.  If an article is written by a Blue Jays fan, I am more likely to take it as something with journalistic integrity because it was written with passion.  I will at the very least want to know what the ghost-writer has to say, on the topic that they are so involved with. 

It is when we put nametags on writers that we develop our own unwarranted impressions on a written work well before reading it.  This is why the ghost-writing of the internet is so intriguing.  To the prospective reader on the blogosphere, we have forced them to finally not judge a book by its cover.

Logic:

Anonymity is bad journalism. --> ~N is ~J

All bias is bad journalism. --> B is ~J

A name is a bias. --> N is B.

 A name is bad journalism. --> N is B is ~J

Everything must either have a name, or not a name. --> N or ~N

Everything is bad journalism. --> N =~J, ~N =J

So Damien, I guess we all flunk that one!  Call it a deuce!

Final Score:

Adam-2.5 Cox-0.5

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Final Words:

Well that is all I have to say because...

DC: “When somebody says, like that guy, something that is so ignorant and so misinformed and quite frankly so beneath anybody whose been in the business… to even respond to it… all I can really do is laugh”...or ask the question? Right Damien?

Someone cue DJ Khaled please...

Now, to all my fellow bloggers out there:

“Errrreeeboddy Hands Go UP!”

---

[i] http://canuckscorner.com/tombenjamin/2010/11/27/dumb-and-damien/

[ii] http://thestar.blogs.com/thespin/2010/08/gotta-at-least-ask-the-question.html

Little-League Exercises: Tips To A Healthier 14 Year Old You

Get Inspired...

No matter how athletic you may already be, you always want to get better.  It is this push for the next fraction of an increase in our physical health, which we work endless hours towards.  It is this push that makes us keep all of those old promotional t-shirts from Jays games and frosh weeks past, so that we have proper attire.  And, it is this push that makes us use a somewhat ludicrous amount of Tide on a regular basis to clean said attire.  But through it all, still, we push.

Recently I sparked myself to not just push a little, but shove myself far beyond any comfort levels. I was going to not just run, but race, a half marathon, in what I will only say is a, “Beyond unrealistic time” goal.  But I will do it.

My Gatorade X-Factor to this race is the fact that I am a diabetic and that this type of strenuous activity over this length of time requires a lot of personal-health management, to decrease the already present risks.  Simply put though, diabetics have a 6^th sense for their blood sugar.  And can overcome this.  When Brandon Morrow threw his “almost no-no” this past season I was nervously watching in the stands, knowing that my blood sugar was fluctuating heavily simply based on the fact that there were unusual stresses forcing unknown actions upon my body.  At this point, I could not imagine what Brandon’s 6^th sense for diabetes was doing, but to manage and overcome it is nothing short of spectacular on his part.

Reading Brandon’s story after the game, and hearing about how he had carefully drank managed amounts of Gatorade between innings to keep his sugar levels balanced, and keep him focused and healthy, was nothing short of inspirational.  I built off of this, and this past fall, I found my outlet to use his inspiration...

Hey-Oh Buffalo: How I Became Born To Run

My story here can be summed up in an equation:

Bills Game + Tailgating + Beer + Fur Hat + Intersection + Car +Adam =Broken Leg

 This is a simple formula which resulted in my leg being “Reggie Bush’d” for 6-8 weeks.  During this timeframe I found it extremely awkward to get around.  I couldn’t go more than a few blocks without stopping to lean on a wall, I couldn’t beat a changing light (the flashing orange hand would mock at me), and packed streetcars were even more horrendous when you are crowded onto one with one functional leg (below you’ll see an exercise which taught us how to better manage this). 

I decided at that point, when my leg healed,

“I’m running, and Forrest Gump ain’t got nothin’ on what moves I’m gonna pull.”

So now, I’m rehabbing and training for this race in the spring and I couldn’t be happier.  And while I find new exercises and try new things every day, I am inspired to write on some old little league baseball exercises that coach gave us before a game, or during practice that worked out so well.

Hans and Franz may have thought bigger was better, but little league coaches had routines that would turn any chump into a 5-Tool All-Star!

So why don’t you try incorporating any of these into your next routine:

The Arm Circles

A true test of one’s upper body strength, the arm circles consist of extending both arms and moving them in small circular patterns.  After a few moments, make the circles larger, but don’t get too excited yet! After a few more moments, let them grow and grow and grow!   Once you are at big, full-body circles you know you are burning some serious calories!

This exercise’s main purpose was to prepare the body for when you needed to drill into the outfield wall, yet you could not find a Black & Decker power drill around which could be deemed suitable for the task. 

Look ma’ I can do it with my hands!

Tree-Suicides

These are not your “high-school-gym-floor-basketball-court-70’s-inspired-colour-scheme” lines suicides we’re talking about here.  These are the real-deal suicides.  When coach calls out a tree line, the team runs, touches the tree, and runs back.  Coach calls out the next tree line, it’s a little deeper, and you run back.  After a while you have to run through an entire forest (def’n forest: small underdeveloped tree line surrounding a residential property) dodging teammates, and avoiding head-on collisions with your sworn enemies, the trees.  The trees are intimidating, as they are not made of flesh and bone like us common folk.  But are made of Birch, Oak and Maple, the materials from which the Gods were sculpted.  These deity-like plants could easily put you in your place by having you run into them, resulting in a bloody nose.  Or, they may trip you on one of their roots, leading to a nasty knee scrape.

Either way, it was tough work battling in the field with the trees, and this exercise was not for the light at heart.  However, if you start at it, it will increase your sense of awareness, and your overall pine-smelly-ness.

Reach For The Spikes!

The lower body workout is of great importance, and unfortunately does not always get the credit it deserves.  The simple fact that no one on the beach will ever say, “Hey, I love your calves!” is a firm reminder that upper body exercises will always be the trump card to your training regimen.

Never the less, coaches have never discriminated against the lower body workout, and have developed some wonderful methods over time to assist in development.  Coach was very much obsessed with the philosophy that touching your cleats more made you a better athlete.  The firmer my hold on those foot sweat ridden beauties the better I was going to be!

The best of these lower-body exercises being when coach had you bend your leg back, grab your foot, and hold it for an extended period of time.  Now, there is a group of people who will say, “That is not an exercise, it’s a useless stretch.”  To them I say absolutely not!  It is a core workout! And the next time you are brutally decapitated while playing shortstop with one out, and there is a sharp grounder hot back up the middle.  You will be thankful you took this exercise seriously, so that you could hop on over, make the play, and turn 2 like the defensive stud of a tripod you are!

I can also thank this exercise for training my once busted leg how to lessen the load on those packed streetcar commutes!

“Thanks Coach!”

So Fit The Fiddle Has Envy

So go out there, try these new routines, sweat it out, and get back into the shape you were in when you were 14.  I know I’m trying! 

Always remember, there are two roads in life:  The long road, and the easy road.  The easy road is just that, it’s easy.  The long road will reward you greatly, yet it is hard, and requires a lot of time and energy.  So if you take this long road, be sure to drink a lot of beer, because beer has calories, and calories are energy, and thus, great amounts of beer must be consumed in order to make all of the dreams of the long road possible.

I know I’ll remember this.  Now if you excuse me, I must go and have a protein shake, a purple Gatorade, and a Budweiser. It’s time to get my run on!

But, In all seriousness...

Go be great.  

Go find your inspiration.  

Go reach for that next level that is within yourself, and is within your grasp.


Go and take it.

 Happy Training!