“God’s on the throne. Football don’t define me… Even if I never win another game, God is still good.. My peace comes from knowing that God’s on the throne.”
- Clemson HC Dabo Swinney when discussing if he allows himself to feel the eternal pressures
I Love Jesus & because of that I got so much Love for some people that can’t understand that or they don’t know how that’s even possible! JESUS that’s why. #CoachPrime
RULES FOR SONS:
1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.
2. Don’t enter a pool by the stairs.
3. The man at the BBQ Grill is the closest thing to a king.
4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.
5. Request the late check-out.
6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
7. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
8. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.
9. Play with passion or not at all…
10. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them in the eye.
11. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.
12. If you need music on the beach, you’re missing the point.
13. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.
14. You marry the girl, you marry her family.
15. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.
16. Experience the serenity of traveling alone.
17. Never be afraid to ask out the best looking girl in the room.
18. Never turn down a breath mint.
19. A sport coat is worth 1000 words.
20. Try writing your own eulogy. Never stop revising.
21. Thank a veteran. Then make it up to him.
22. Eat lunch with the new kid.
23. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.
24. Ask your mom to play. She won’t let you win.
25. Manners maketh the man.
26. Give credit. Take the blame.
27. Stand up to Bullies. Protect those bullied.
28. Write down your dreams.
29. Always protect your siblings (and teammates).
30. Be confident and humble at the same time.
31. Call and visit your parents often. They miss you.
32. The healthiest relationships are those where you’re a team; where you respect, protect, and stand up for each other.
When I played with the Minnesota Twins, I saw Brian Dozier doing one of the strangest drills I'd ever seen.
He was standing at home plate with a bucket of baseballs and a fungo.
He'd flip the ball to himself and try to hit it over the fence.
Again.
And again.
And again.
At first, I thought he was just messing around.
So I walked over and asked him what he was doing.
Brian looked at me and said:
"I'm learning to use my lower half to drive the baseball."
That answer surprised me.
Because Brian had hit 42 home runs in the big leagues.
I figured a guy with that kind of power would be working on bat speed.
Or strength.
Or some secret power drill.
Instead, he was working on his lower half.
That's when I learned something.
Most players try to create power with their hands.
Great hitters create it from the ground up.
Brian understood that the lower half is the engine of the swing.
The hands just deliver the barrel.
So I started doing the drill myself.
And over time, I noticed something.
The ball started carrying farther.
Not because I got stronger.
Not because I swung harder.
I was simply using my lower half better.
Brian showed me that power isn't always about adding more strength.
Sometimes it's about using the strength you already have.
So here's what I'd do tonight if I wanted to boost my power using my lower half:
1. Tee Work (10 Swings)
Place the ball on a tee and focus on driving it with your legs and hips.
Don't try to hit the ball hard.
Learn to move the baseball with your lower half.
2. Self-Flips (10 Swings)
Flip the ball to yourself and try to drive it as far as possible.
Feel your lower half start the swing.
This is the same drill Brian Dozier was doing when I saw him.
3. Front Toss (10 Swings)
Now take the same feeling into a moving baseball.
Focus on using the ground to create force and letting the barrel work.
30 swings.
One focus.
Use the lower half.
One thing I've learned:
The hands hold the bat.
The lower half drives the baseball.
Thank you for reading,
Jermaine Curtis
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.@CBAorangecounty 15U Gold's Aiden Wang (@AidenWang2029) clobbers the pitch into RCF for an RBI triple.
Cerritos (CA) 2029 #uncommitted
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