On Themes

Why do you want this? Why is the postseason important to you? What are you prepared to sacrifice to achieve your goal?

In a MasterClass, campaign strategist David Axelrod discusses 'mistakes' and criticism that are inevitable.

As an example, he uses the 2007 campaign, where the team spent 87 days in Iowa. Why? Because if they don't win Iowa, they have no shot to win the White House. 

So my theme is "Iowa," because if you don't win the Round of 32 game, you turn in your uniform. Focus on what's immediately in front of you, not one day beyond. 

In the early Tom Cruise film Risky Business, after a lengthy car chase, he crows, "Porsche, there is no substitute." Remember that in sports, "fundamental skill, there is no substitute." Hall of Fame basketball coach Bobby Knight says, "basketball is a game of mistakes." The team that commits fewer mistakes usually wins. It's similar in volleyball. Making routine plays regularly outweighs making spectacular plays. 

So often it gets down to consistent serve, serve receive, and attack. Platform skills don't go out of style. 

Lagniappe.