TFCREDNWHITE
09-02-2008, 09:32 AM
"You gotta have heart."
This phrase, immortalized by the coach of the seldom-victorious Washington Senators, served as words of encouragement in the musical Damn Yankees. Since then it has been echoed by hundreds of coaches and athletes as a source of inspiration. The meaning of the phrase has maybe been lost on our TFC. In fact, it seems the loss has shaped their way of thinking about the sport.
"It's not about winning and losing. I take it all to heart." Although a loss still counts in the standings, Ricketts feels that if he can look at his play and honestly say that he did everything possible to win, it's not as hard to take. He accepts that sometimes the competition can simply be better, or a team can successfully find a hole in the opposition's defense.
But Ricketts insists that sometimes "two teams are so well matched that it really does come down to who's playing with more heart. I've seen that happen more than a few times."
"Who wants it more?" That's the question Ricketts, a professional footballer, asks himself when he is face-to-face with his competition. It is also the question he asks of his teammates. He feels that a team's tendency to over-analyze a situation can be one of its biggest obstacles. Too much focus on the physical component takes away from the mental aspect of the game. Ricketts believes that to play well, you have to connect the mind and the body.
"Someone can fill the perfect athletic portion, but I think anyone can beat anyone else on any given day, if they have the desire in their hearts."
signed, just for fun.
This phrase, immortalized by the coach of the seldom-victorious Washington Senators, served as words of encouragement in the musical Damn Yankees. Since then it has been echoed by hundreds of coaches and athletes as a source of inspiration. The meaning of the phrase has maybe been lost on our TFC. In fact, it seems the loss has shaped their way of thinking about the sport.
"It's not about winning and losing. I take it all to heart." Although a loss still counts in the standings, Ricketts feels that if he can look at his play and honestly say that he did everything possible to win, it's not as hard to take. He accepts that sometimes the competition can simply be better, or a team can successfully find a hole in the opposition's defense.
But Ricketts insists that sometimes "two teams are so well matched that it really does come down to who's playing with more heart. I've seen that happen more than a few times."
"Who wants it more?" That's the question Ricketts, a professional footballer, asks himself when he is face-to-face with his competition. It is also the question he asks of his teammates. He feels that a team's tendency to over-analyze a situation can be one of its biggest obstacles. Too much focus on the physical component takes away from the mental aspect of the game. Ricketts believes that to play well, you have to connect the mind and the body.
"Someone can fill the perfect athletic portion, but I think anyone can beat anyone else on any given day, if they have the desire in their hearts."
signed, just for fun.