Hamartia

Other languages contain words that explain life better than an English word. You know MUDITA or "your joy is my joy," happiness for another's good fortune.

Hamartia comes from the Greek, describing a "fatal flaw" that turned the hero's journey from success to tragedy. 

I asked ChatGPT for help"

Here are three examples from sports:

1. Mike Tyson – Impulsiveness: Tyson, one of boxing’s most feared champions, had a career derailed by personal issues stemming from his impulsiveness and lack of self-control. His infamous ear-biting incident in a fight agai'nst Evander Holyfield and later personal problems, including imprisonment, significantly marred his legacy.

2. Lance Armstrong – Arrogance and Deception: Armstrong’s remarkable achievements in cycling were overshadowed by a doping scandal. His hubris in denying allegations for years, coupled with an extensive cover-up, eventually led to his downfall when the truth surfaced. His success became a tragic fall from grace due to his overconfidence in manipulating the system.

3. Tonya Harding – Ambition at All Costs: Harding was a talented figure skater whose ambition and willingness to go to extreme lengths became her tragic flaw. Her involvement in the infamous 1994 attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan led to her being banned from the sport, despite her potential for greatness.

In all cases, their success was overshadowed by a flaw that led to their undoing.

Other causes for a "hero's demise"...substance abuse or alcoholism like so many, or overconfidence, such as General Custer's. At other times, unpredictable injuries or illness such as mental health problems occur. Sometimes, it's "the life," where partying distracts players from the hard work of development.  

Len Bias died from a cocaine overdose, a self-inflicted wound. There is some uncertainty about the death of Reggie Lewis. Drazen Petrovic died in a car accident. 

Teams implode, too. A woman's basketball team that fell apart amidst a gay-straight split. A high school team collapsed when one player "stole" another player's boyfriend. In These Girls Hope Is a Muscle, Madeleine Blais describes the opposite, healing of a toxic relationship between the two superstar players who played for the Amherst Hurricanes. Their rivalry had prevented the team from achieving their destiny.

Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan wrote "Execution" about getting things done in the corporate world. My takeaways were the centrality of 1) people, 2) strategy, and 3) operations... how things actually run. 

What pushes MVB forward has been players and the ability to raise their game against better opponents. Coach Scott Celli will always make adjustments as needed, making every effort to improve all three above. 

Don't let hamartia bring you down. 

Lagniappe. Do players realize what it takes? 

11 traits of the best! pic.twitter.com/qajlBK1mWr

— Jon Gordon (@JonGordon11) September 21, 2024

Copy and Print Idea

Something that @TeamCoachBuzz gave me years ago that I keep by my bed…I believe #TodayMatters and to take full advantage we need to measure the results of the day.#BedtimeAudit pic.twitter.com/sahbBwipld

— Bob Starkey (@CoachBobStarkey) October 3, 2024

Click on pic.twitter.com to view

Some concepts are exceptional and merit immediate sharing.  

Down Pat

How much does it mean to you? 

MVB wants to win. Can they reach within and summon more going down the home stretch? 

The End of the Middle

“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

In drama, the heroes and heroines don't blithely go from the eastern shore to the Pacific. They encounter obstacles - storms, mountains, flat tires while the author threshes out the journey. Near the end of second act comes the insurmountable challenge. 

Cinema often shows the struggles (assist from ChatGPT). 

Here are some examples from American movies in the past 25 years where heroes or heroines face seemingly insurmountable obstacles at the end of the Second Act:

1. "The Dark Knight" (2008)
   Batman faces an impossible dilemma: The Joker forces him to choose between saving Rachel, the woman he loves, or Harvey Dent, the hope for Gotham’s future. This moral quandary highlights Batman’s limitations, as he cannot save both, leading to tragic consequences and setting the stage for the film's dark climax.

2. "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018)
   Near the end of the film, the Avengers face the looming reality that they may not be able to stop Thanos. Despite all their combined efforts, Thanos collects the Infinity Stones and wipes out half of all life in the universe. The heroes are left broken and defeated, and the sheer scope of the loss seems impossible to overcome.

3. "Frozen" (2013)
   In this animated film, Anna faces an insurmountable obstacle when she learns that her sister Elsa has accidentally frozen her heart, and only an act of true love can save her. With time running out and no clear solution, Anna’s situation seems hopeless, especially as her trust is betrayed by Hans.

All of which brings us to the MVB 24 journey. The goal remains a deep playoff run. Early progress hits a snag, a defeat to Winchester. Along the way, another rut, as senior Sofia Papatsoris gets dealt an injury from Cruel Fate. Momentum builds and Melrose goes to Lexington, the conquerors of Winchester, and earns a 3-1 win. Opportunity arises with a visit from defending State Champion Westborough. The Rangers, playing the role of the Joker, Thanos, or the tragic Elsa, knock Melrose down. 

What's next? How do our intrepid Melrosians meet the obstacles ahead both in the regular season and the playoffs? 

Reality differs from fiction as both Coach Scott Celli and the players author the coming narrative. 

1) The team didn't fall off a proverbial cliff. They lost to the top-ranked club and has areas to clean up. When you play your absolute best and lose, where do you go from there?  

2) MVB has a week off before the next game. That allows for needed practice and potential return from injury for Sofia. 

3) "Mean reversion" is common. When a teams plays exceptionally well, they are likely to play 'average' the next outing. The same goes for the next game after some struggles; they more often play well. 

Sometimes, you awaken and the dream becomes the story. Go ask Alice.

Lagniappe. A lower toss with high consistency of contact permits for better serving. L.P. Mainville shows why. 

Calculations - Power Rankings

In the wake of Westborough, I think the Power Rankings will be:

Margin of victory = 22/12 = 1.833

Strength of schedule ~ 14.8/12  = 1.23

Total ~ 3.06 which is likely to leave MVB at about 11th 

Bracketology:

It's early and all of the likely opponents in the round of 16 are more than a $50 cab ride. 

11 faces 22 in the first round and that winner is likely to face #6

If Dogs Could Talk - The "Gift of Speech"

Traveling a country road, a young man came upon a sign, "Talking Dog, $25." He followed a path to the doorstep and remarked about the sign, inquiring whether he could see the dog. The Master said, "sure, suit yourself." The young man asked the dog, "what's your story?" The dog replied, "as a puppy, I learned I had the gift of speech. Naturally, I was taken away, trained by the CIA, and had a career in espionage, infiltrating and gathering intelligence...as a dog. But I got old and they retired me to the country." The young man asked, "how can you sell this dog for almost nothing?" The Master explained, "He's such a liar, he never did any of that."

Each of us has a story, true, embellished or contrived. The origins of canine conversation may arise from Cervantes' Exemplary Novels (1590-1612) including The Dialogue of the Dogs.

These are not meritless, recognizing human nature. Scipio says to his canine colleague Berganza, "Be wary with your tongue, for from that member flow the greatest ills of human life."

Cervantes creates metaphorical flocks (e.g. teams), overwatched by dogs (captains), tended by shepherds (coaches), and vulnerable to predators (opponents, wolves). Sometimes the shepherds themselves failed in their duties, plundering the sheep themselves, while blaming wolves and the sloth or cowardice of the dogs. 

Over our lives, just as Shakespeare's 'players', we have different roles - sheep, dogs, shepherds, masters. The more skills we acquire, the better to perform our roles. 

That is not the only talking animal story. Some of you know Jon Gordon's The Positive Dog, a heartwarming tale about the value of positivity. 

A man goes to the village to visit the wise man and he says to the wise man, I feel like there are two dogs inside me. One dog is this positive, loving, kind, and gentle dog and then I have this angry, mean-spirited, and negative dog and they fight all the time. I don't know which is going to win. The wise man thinks for a moment and he says, I know which is going to win. The one you feed the most, so feed the positive dog.
-- Jon Gordon

Work like a dog. Be great in your role.

Defeat at the hands of the top team in Massachusetts offers challenges and opportunities. There's not one area to improve but a week before the next match to improve efficiency in all areas to make more plays. 

Lagniappe. Rule nuances.  

Stats Are In - Melrose vs Westborough

Stats are in. 

Attacking: Carol Higonenq led with nine.

Assists: Leah Fowke added 20.

Digs: Leah Fowke led with ten. 

Serve Receive: Maggie Turner had 21.

Serving: Melrose had only 18 service points and over 91% serve percent. 

Game 12: Westborough 3 Melrose 0

Crowds and fireworks surrounded the Middle School in search of an upset. But not tonight. Melrose hosted top-ranked Westborough and the visitors dominated 10-25, 22-25, 12-25. Melrose falls to 10-2. 

Westborough demonstrated the power and precision according their undefeated status tonight dominating in every aspect of the match. 

The Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School showcased two of Massachusetts' legacy programs, in a battle where the Rangers continue to hold the upper hand. 

Despite graduating all-everything Quinn Anderson, the Rangers had plenty of residual firepower. The Rangers are led by Georgia Tyrell, averaging 4.7 kills/set while the team has a stunning hitting percentage of .220. They have a service aces/errors ratio of 116/101 showing they are "going for it" on many serves, demonstrated by a serving percentage of 86%. 

Volleyball "positive" scoring arises from aces, blocks, and attacks and Westborough controlled the match throughout. In the first set Tyrell scored early and often. Melrose won an officiating controversy at point 9, trailing 6-3 only to see the Rangers run off a seven point run to put the set out of reach. Sabine Wenzel and Carol Higonenq both had a few first set kills but it wasn't enough. 

Melrose took the early edge in the second set leading 8-3 leading to a Roger Anderson Westborough timeout. Westborough gradually assumed control of the set before Melrose narrowed the score to 20-22 forcing a Ranger timeout. Melrose knotted the score at 22-22 but an error and two Westborough points won the set. 

Melrose trailed early in the third set 7-15 leading to a timeout. Emme Boyer had a few kills in the frame but MVB couldn't generate consistent attacks. MVB never was able to seize momentum as they couldn't generate attacks, blocks or more than a couple of aces in the match and Westborough moved to 10-0.

There was no single issue that resulted in a Westborough win. They won on offense, defense, serve and serve receive, and at the net. Melrose didn't play its "A game" and Westborough is largely responsible for that. 

Culture, Continuity, and Construction

Pat Riley said, "A culture is simply a shared vision of what it is you want to do to get to where it is you want to go."

Your culture is reinforced daily. It's reinforced by:
• How you act.
• What you tolerate.
• The standards you uphold.

( 🎥 The Why with @DwyaneWade) pic.twitter.com/8CM9gAWdXi

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) September 29, 2024

MVB doesn't solely describe the players on varsity. They get the most attention having earned and 'matriculated' through the system.

Many athletic programs exist in a school. The ones with consistent leadership, coaching, and development maintain or grow interest and those 'trees' bear fruit. 

You don't have to be the fastest or the strongest to find your way into volleyball. Athleticism and height help. But what matter most are competitive character and mental toughness. Those fuel desire for improvement and impacting the game. Of course, it's not just MVB but all competitors. 

Coaches want players who reflect their athletic and personal values - commitment, desire, effort, leadership, sacrifice, toughness. 

When fans see the JV players, they see bright future possibilities. Although we are not 'post COVID' in an epidemiologic sense, COVID damaged student-athletes across several classes; players and teams emerge from those doldrums. 

"We Win Together and We Lose Together"

From Beyond Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski

Volleyball is a team sport. Errant attacks, missed serves, and shanked balls belong to the collective effort. The team always owns the outcome. 

Focus on doing your job within the context of the team. Play hard, play smart, play together, and have fun. 

Lagniappe. Lead. 

~ via @JanssenLeader pic.twitter.com/ZhBcA12lcL

— Coach the Coaches (@WinningCoaches) September 16, 2024

Time Changes for Tonight

Westborough transportation issues:

JVa/JVb -  6 PM

Varsity - 715 PM  

The Eyes Have It

"The eyes are the window to the soul." What do you see? 

MVB crafted a reputation for excellence, not perfection, over the past three decades. None of that matters when you take the court tonight. Banners don't matter. Polls don't matter. Blogs don't matter. 

Character matters. 

Are you going to be the toughest dog in the fight? 

 

Upper Body Workout Ideas to File Away

Most players won't do that much 'lifting' during the season. Elite players do.

Here's a short video with some simple exercises.  

Rewrite the Stars

"Pressure is a privilege." Weak teams never play meaningful games. You know what today brings. 

Most of the 'signature wins' in MVB history have come away from Melrose. Maybe the biggest home win came in 2009 over superpower Barnstable. MVB 2009 had a great setter (Colleen Hanscom, MHS HoF), an elite middle (Hannah Brickley, MHS HoF), a complementary power hitter (Laura Irwin), and solid, experienced players throughout the roster. In other words, they shared similar construction to MVB 2024. 

 

Competitors live for the chance at a shot at the champs, a bite at the apple, a chance to be onstage at Carnegie Hall. 

What's your definition of success? Success is nuanced and personal. As a coach, I valued teams that 'showed up', worked, and fought to be worthy competitors. 

Ralph Labella and I coached many of the 2012 MVB champions as basketball players, as well as Victoria Crovo and Lauren Joyce, fiery Melrose student-athletes and brilliant leaders. Regardless of whether winning or losing, they brought competitive fury to the court.

Great moments happen when your families, coaches, and teammates say, "I believe in you." You're blessed when you have total confidence, immutable belief that as an underdog you can rise up and meet the challenge. What matters most is believing it yourself.  

"Fight like a girl."

Lagniappe. "This is a completely different kind of test."

Book It

Amidst your busy lives at home, school, and after school, think about the book you're reading, Beyond Basketball.

The book explores words associated with coaching and playing. These words always have meaning.

One of the words is CARE. Coach Mike Krzyzewski describes a visit from several players after his hip surgery. The coach tells his players that Duke will have a successful season...and asks "do you believe it?"

Player Chris Carrawell says, "Coach, if you say it, I believe it." Coach K says that is one of the greatest things a player has ever told him. 

When a coach tells me, "if we play our best, we can beat anybody," I believe that. 

As a player, trust the process and trust your coaches when they say every game is a "winnable game." That implies playing well. 

Coach Scott Celli's three keys to winning have always included:

• Talent
• Health
• Luck

Melrose isn't quite at full strength but has plenty of talent. Lineups are always subject to change. Believe in the process and in yourself, and care enough to believe when you hear "anything is possible." 

Stats Are In - Melrose vs Arlington

Melrose - Arlington statistics.

Highlights: 

Attacking: Carol Higonenq and Sabine Wenzel led with 14 and 10.

Assists: Leah Fowke piled up another 30. 

Receives: Maggie Turner added 13. 

Serving: Gg Albuja rang up 15/20 service points. 

Digging: Alex Homan led the way with eight. 

Game 11: Melrose 3 Arlington 0

Melrose (10-1) qualified for the postseason with a 25-11, 25-20, 25-12 win over visiting Arlington. 

In a real sense, the match was the opening act for tomorrow's battle against top power-ranked and defending State Champion Westborough.

Melrose continues to search for optimal combinations. With a titanic challenge ahead of it tomorrow, MVB appeared to have a few 'less-focused' moments, especially in the second set. 

Melrose needs to bring their best tomorrow both physically and psychologically. More than anything else, the team needs to believe in having done the work, the weights, and in themselves.  

Time to defer highlights until later in the week...

 

Excel in Your Role

Everybody wants to be a starter, but not everyone will be.
That’s the hard truth.
But understand this—your role is just a position, not a measurement of your value.
The best teams have players who embrace their role, whatever it is, and elevate it. pic.twitter.com/pXBICMZZXg

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) September 30, 2024

Fund operator Todd Harrison reminds people, "never confuse your net worth with your self-worth."

Identity is a mix of all the inputs in your life. You matter to many people in many spheres.

Bring the best version of yourself daily. Ask yourself how to improve, how to make others better, how to impact winning and make a difference. "Make the big time wherever you are." 

Melrose Hosts Arlington Monday at 530 PM

Melrose (9-1) hosts Liberty Division member Arlington (1-9) Monday about 530 PM. Melrose looks to start the second half of the regular season with a win and Arlington seeks to build momentum coming off a 3-1 win against Stoneham.

Melrose comes off a critical 3-1 road win at Lexington with strong performances by numerous players. 

Melrose rides a six-game win streak and has won 28 sets and lost 6, a 22 set difference over ten matches, accounting for its 2.20 MIAA "Margin of Victory" in the MIAA Power Ranking formula. 

 

 

Teammates

🦊 Fox Hole Test: Make sure you have the pulse of your players.
- Who do they hang out with?
- Who do they listen to?
- Who do they trust?
- What cliques are forming?#leadership #basketballcoach #cmdcoachinglab #knowyourteam pic.twitter.com/10s66kzB6c

— Coach Matt Dennis (@CoachMattDennis) September 29, 2024

A rhetorical exercise... who are our best teammates? With one group, we had the "best teammate award," not the MVP. The players voted for the person whom they believed was the best teammate and the second best (in case of a tie). 

What makes great teammates? 

• Teammates who put others first
• Teammates who put the team first 
• Teammates who lead, inspire, and model excellence

MVB has many candidates and an abundance of leaders. 
 

What Do You Want? "Show Me"

"The great ones want to be disciplined - want to be held accountable.
It's the other ones that don't."
If you can’t handle accountability and discipline, you won’t handle success.
The great ones understand that greatness isn’t given; it’s demanded every single day. pic.twitter.com/lnArh789Qj

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) September 28, 2024

Exceptional performance requires extraordinary work. The better the opposition, the harder it is even to be 'average'. 

The second half of the season offers a chance at exceptional. Five formidable opponents (by power ranking) present opportunity - Westborough (5.62), Wakefield (1.62), Burlington (1.49), Duxbury (3.82), and Newton North (5.41). Except for Woburn, the other teams scheduled have sub-zero power rankings. 

Lagniappe. The sixties shared the classic music of your grandparents. Audrey Hepburn makes this demand in My Fair Lady. Coach Scott Celli issues the same request. 

In Search of the Best...

Cornbread

 

"All cooking is a function of time and temperature." - Thomas Keller  As a principle, I believe the same for coaching, with inputs of time and intensity. 

"What's your plan for the seven pounds of corn meal?" To be fair, that includes both yellow corn meal and white corn meal for arepas. 

What are the ingredients on those little boxes of Jiffy muffins? On principle, I'm not cooking with lard... 

Here's this week's recipe (in search of the best cornbread): 

Dry ingredients:

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup all purpose flour 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1.5 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt 

Wet ingredients:

1/3 cup neutral oil or melted butter

1 egg

1 cup milk 

Mix together until moist and cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes... 

They’ve Got Your Back (Row)

Twins from different mothers, Gg Albuja and Maggie Turner are two of the best defensive specialists since Jill MacInnes. Autumn Whelan also fell in that category. Often defensive specialists get overlooked because they're 'doing the job' silently.  

In baseball, great defenders excel in "runs saved" or "outs above average." In volleyball, exceptional defenders have high efficiency (chances - errors)/chances and 'steal points' by keeping the ball up. 

Both have qualities in common such as athleticism, anticipation, skill, leadership, drive, communication.

Both are efficient players who have a high percentage of service points. 

A formidable back line of defense, left to right, Carol Higonenq, Leah Fowke, Maggie Turner, and Gg Albuja. 

Maggie and Gg are interchangeable and invaluable foundational players. Carol is earning 'most underrated' status in 2024. 

Slide Presentation

Reminiscing about three decades, ask what "slides" belong in an MVB recap. Nothing approaches adequate.

Many of you have not heard John Barth's "everyone is necessarily the hero of his own story." That makes creating a definitive MVB slide show impossible. 

Should it be chronological? Should it focus on the chief architect, Coach Scott Celli? Where does the 2012 Championship team belong? Where do the elite players (18 All-State, numerous All-Scholastics, and Hall of Famers) fit? No matter where one begins or ends, errors of omission abound. Know your MVB history. 

Here are a few of the best. 

This 2005 photo of the Crovos (Stephanie, left, Victoria) flanking Liz Sheerin is iconic. Stephanie would play on the 2012 champions. Victoria became one of the toughest MVB athletes ever...a future All-State player. Her next title is Dr. Crovo when she completes veterinary school. 

Another iconic shot from November 2006 photo shows Coach Scott Celli with a future MVB Assistant varsity coach and All-Scholastic, son Ryan Celli.

2012, the greatest assembly of senior talent in MVB history. These cool cats could play. 

Hannah Brickley, MVB 2009, the "Queen of Melrose Volleyball," three-time All-Stater and pending induction into the Trinity College Hall of Fame. 

Players care...a lot. The 2017 State runner-up trophy didn't bring total joy to Lily, Saoirse, and Lydia.

From 2019, objects in the rearview mirror still loom large. 

The uniforms have changed significantly from 2007. There are no 'throwback' days. 

Spring 2021 "COVID" volleyball was not the good old days. 

From 2006, Jen Cohane (MVB 2005) with Dick Collis, a founder of the Melrose High School Athletic Hall of Fame and "Back Row Gang" member. 

Bring your intensity. 

It's never always 'sunshine and rainbows'. 

The hunt is on. 

And a championship secured. 

These Are Your Primary Jobs in Sports

Players wonder, "what do the coaches want from me?" Ask them. In a recent Boston Sports Journal column, Mike Giardi interviewed Patriots defensive coordinator Demarcus Covington about Drake Maye, "And then we ask every player to do that, try to improve every day, try to be better than what you were yesterday. And I think that's what he's working toward that. I can't speak - offensively - what he's doing or is he making the right reads, all that stuff. I let them do that. But I do know that it seems like he's improving on a week-to-week and day-to-day basis." 

Coaches expect players to work hard to improve their individual techniques (e.g. platform, footwork, arm swing, serve, block) and leverage those to impact winning. Improve day-to-day and week-to-week. 

Coaches value players who care, who work, who want to play, and have the will to do the work. 

Have mentors and learn to become your own coach, one who motivates, studies, develops a plan, works the plan, monitors progress and adjusts the plan. 

What about goal setting? Imagine that you set a goal to become a starter on next year's team. Does that inspire you to action in the "whatever it takes" mode? Goals...or action? 

Lagniappe. Winchester-Barnstable. 

It Takes Time

Chase Greatness pic.twitter.com/zp4fmqtvyI

— Kara Lawson (@karalawson20) September 28, 2024

Don't believe the myth of overnight success. Whether you believe in Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 Hours or not, most professions or careers require a long runway of education and training.

Aspirants get tired or frustrated with the rate of progress or see others progressing faster than they do.

Sometimes it helps to visualize progress to the next step. As a medical student, imagine how to carry out the duties of an intern (first-year resident). As an intern, work to fulfill the duties and thought process of an advanced resident. As an advanced resident or fellow, think as an attending physician. That way, upon promotion, you're ready. 

Mindset is critical in every discipline. If you're a "stay ready" reserve player, be ready at a moment's notice to step in as a starting player or big contributor. 

If you're watching college or professional volleyball, study how the game is played differently. Or if you're watching Boston pro sports, think about how you'd coach. "Little things make big things happen," said John Wooden. 

Stat Leaders - MA

Maxpreps.com organizes stat leaders. 

Leah Fowke remains in the assists top ten.

Sabine Wenzel checks in at seven among leaders in kills.

Maggie Turner is at number 48 in digs. 

 

In the Moment

Coach K on having a “Next Play Mentality”

Big time

(Via @PGCbasketball 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/3cDl8zYSQq

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) September 27, 2024

Reminder: feedback is backward looking and advice is forward looking. Opportunity is ahead of you.

Staying in the moment favors real-time execution and avoiding one misplay bleeding into a series of them. 

Talk, listen, energize the group.  

"Core Values"

Teams thrive on energy. 

Some of you know the Coach John Wooden "Pyramid of Success." Wooden's UCLA team won ten national college basketball championships. There's a lot to see. At the 'cornerstones' stand "Industriousness" (hard work) and "Enthusiasm." Great players have the discipline and attitude to do both. 

The 'core' of the pyramid include condition, skill, and team spirit. Don't sleep on team spirit. Self-belief separates excellent teams from exceptional ones. 

Thursday's game at Lexington displayed team spirit beyond anything seen earlier this season. It looked different and I'm sure that it felt different in person. 

Jon Gordon presents rules of The Energy Bus. 

The 10 Rules

1. You’re the Driver of Your Bus

2. Desire, Vision, and Focus Move Your Bus in the Right Direction

3. Fuel Your Ride with Positive Energy

4. Invite People on Your Bus and Share Your Vision for the Road Ahead

5. Don’t Waste Your Energy on Those Who Don’t Get on Your Bus

6. Post a Sign That Says No Energy Vampires Allowed on Your Bus

7. Enthusiasm Attracts More Passengers and Energizes Them During the Ride

8. Love Your Passengers

9. Drive with Purpose

10. Have Fun and Enjoy the Ride

There's another unwritten rule that team leaders understand: "just because you're driving the bus doesn't entitle you to throw teammates under it." 

Lagniappe. Jon Gordon has written great stuff. 

pic.twitter.com/lsfz3ea13t

— Jon Gordon (@JonGordon11) September 27, 2024

Lagniappe 2. Platforms aren't always the same. 

Flash News

Winchester 3  Barnstable 0

Transitive properties? Lexington 3  Winchester 1; Melrose 3  Lexington 1.

Any given day.

 

Power Rankings - SOS

"We are not amazed."

The initial power rankings are out and it's an SOS (Strength of Schedule) issue. The Middlesex League teams are getting hammered by poor performance against non-league opponents as a group. 

Whatever one's opinions of the power rankings, they're objective. 

In Division 1, Winchester is 20, Lexington 26, and Belmont 28. In D2, Melrose is 12 and Burlington is 21. In D3 Wakefield is 16. 

If a program wants respect, it has to earn it. With almost a point between number 8 and 9, it's a long pull to get there. 

"Comparison Is the Thief of Joy"

"Comparison is the thief of joy." - Teddy Roosevelt

MIAA Power Rankings come out today. "Control what you can control."

Where does MVB belong in the polls, in the ratings, in the hearts and minds of America? 

Does it matter? Bring the best version of yourself to home, school, and the court every day. Polls don't change that. "The MVB Blog" changes nothing. The rankings don't change that. They determine playoff seedings.

Joe Mazzulla said the goal is to win a championship, every season, regardless of how the prior playoffs turned out. That's wisdom. 

In The Undoing Project, Michael Lewis shares the remarkable careers of Danny Kahneman and Amos Tversky. Kahneman, a Nobel Laureate points out an intelligence test... how long it would take to realize that Tversky was the smartest guy in the room, every room. If one thinks they're the smartest guy or on the 'best team', get out more. 

Polls and rankings are fun. At the end of the day, every team has the same chance to prove itself during the postseason. 

The Lever in Your Hands

"It takes hours and hours and hours to devote to be great at something.
You can't skip that step.
You have to do that."

Success isn’t something you schedule.

It shows up when you’ve put in the work, when you’ve earned it. pic.twitter.com/uTRQrVcJqy

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) September 27, 2024

Adolescence has a lot of advantages. The lever you have to move the world is time.

The more you understand the world, the greater your opportunity to make a difference for the broad community, your family 'team', and yourself.

In "The Playbook" series, Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams' coach describes coaching a young male tennis star into the Top Ten. The player then dropped him, saying that he didn't need him to go farther. The player's career fell apart. 

When you say, "I've made it," the gods laugh. Or they consign you to the fate of Tantalus or Prometheus or Sisyphus. Who are they? If you haven't heard of them, then you're in the sweet spot - high school. 

From Brave AI:

The Tantalus myth originates from ancient Greek legend, with accounts varying across different sources. Here’s a summary of the key elements:

• Tantalus’ Character: King Tantalus was known for his arrogance and selfishness. He believed himself to be the smartest person, even surpassing the gods. He cared little for his wife, son, or people, and thought them foolish.
• Crime and Punishment: Tantalus committed three egregious offenses:
  • He stole nectar and ambrosia, the food and drink of the gods, and brought them back to mortals.
  • He killed his own son, Pelops, and served him as a meal to the gods at a divine feast.
  • He committed other unspecified atrocities.
• Divine Retribution: The gods, outraged by Tantalus’ actions, punished him in various ways. According to Homer’s Odyssey (Book XI), Tantalus stood neck-deep in water that receded whenever he tried to drink it, and fruit hung above his head, which the wind blew away whenever he attempted to grasp it. This torment is the origin of the word “tantalize,” meaning to tease or torment someone with something just out of reach.
• Alternative Accounts: Pindar’s odes provide an alternative myth, where Tantalus’ punishment focuses on his theft of ambrosia and nectar. In this version, Tantalus is condemned to eternal hunger and thirst, with food and drink always eluding him.

The Tantalus myth serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris and the consequences of defying the gods.