Tom Coughlin said, "You never want an opponent to see you in anything, but strength."
"You don't want bad language. You don't want that as a stamp of who you are."
Your body language speaks before you do.
Your presence, your tone, your energy - everything speaks.
Yesterday I wrapped up my college baseball career as well as my playing career. I was reflecting on some things that I wish I knew coming into college or somethings that I would tell younger players interested in playing college baseball. So here they are in no particular order⬇️
Terry Francona on the line drive that hit Chase Burns:
“I ask him, ‘hey man, please tell me you have a cup on?’ and he said no, I was like, ‘Chase, I don’t even watch a game without wearing a cup.’”
Holding players accountable is uncomfortable for both coaches and players.
But having players fail because you won't coach, confront, or correct them, is unacceptable!
Immaturity vs Maturity:
Pitcher leaves the pitch up in the zone and over the plate, hitter makes solid contact, line drive to centerfield. Catchable ball but is misplayed, error on centerfielder.
Immature Pitcher:
“My centerfielder made an error on a routine fly ball. My fielders made so many errors.”
Mature Pitcher:
“I missed my spot, left it up and over the plate too much. Hitter did his job. I need to make better pitches.”
Mindset is everything. Accountability.
I played for Nick Saban, Bill Belichick, and Sean Payton.
I studied under some of the greatest coaching minds in the history of professional football. And after the Lord saved me, I realized something that changed everything.
Every single leadership principle that made those teams thrive is biblical. They just did it for the glory of man instead of the glory of God.
Here is what I mean.
Belichick taught us to do our jobs. Scripture commands us to work as unto the Lord, not for the approval of men. (Col. 3:23)
Belichick held Tom Brady to a higher standard than anyone else. Scripture says to whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48)
Belichick cut the cancer immediately, no matter the cost. Scripture tells us that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. (Gal. 5:9)
Belichick sacrificed personal credit and took responsibility for every loss. Scripture calls leaders to be servants first. (Matthew 20:26)
Brady sacrificed personal stats for the good of the team. Scripture says do nothing out of selfish ambition, but in humility consider others above yourself. (Phil. 2:3)
Brady could encourage a teammate and confront him in the same breath. Scripture says speak the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15)
These men did not know they were pulling from eternal, biblical commands. But the principles worked. They always work. Because truth is truth whether the man wielding it knows its source or not.
Now imagine this.
If these principles built a two-decade dynasty in professional football with men who did not know the Lord, what would God do through His church if we humbled ourselves and followed the same playbook?
What would happen in your marriage if you coached yourself harder than you coach anyone else?
What would happen in your home if you cut the cancers of laziness, passivity, and selfishness?
What would happen in your leadership if you stopped protecting your ego and started serving your team?
The blueprint is not new.
The playbook has been written for two thousand years.
The question is whether you are willing to run it.
I spent 10 years in the NFL and the best locker rooms I ever walked into operated on principles that Scripture laid out long before football existed.
Stop looking for a new framework.
Open the Book.
And do your job.