If you’re in St. Louis and you consume any amount of media you may be noticing that Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is hard to get away from.
Skip is grinding. Trying to drum up as many sales as possible for his new book ‘The Matheny Manifesto’ before he heads south to Jupiter for the start of spring training.
Pretty standard stuff.
Next: @Cardinals @mikematheny22 joins @McGrawMilhaven & me on @550KTRS to talk #MathenyManifesto & much more.
— Kelly Jackson (@kellyjacksontv) February 5, 2015
Up next, @Cardinals manager @mikematheny22 joins the show! @StLouisBuickGMC stream: http://t.co/nsm6V3azMu #MathenyManifesto #STLCards
— The Morning After STL (@TMASTL) February 5, 2015
"Times have changed, but 1 of the greatest lessons my father taught me was that my coach was always right," @mikematheny22 #MathenyManifesto
— Parade Mag (@ParadeMagazine) February 4, 2015
Just curious about what you think here, because me? I can’t seem to figure out just what the heck this book is about.
His entertaining and deeply inspirational book will not only resonate with parents, coaches, and athletes, it will also be a powerful reminder, from one of the most successful new managers in the game, of what sports can teach us all about winning on the field and in life.
From the reviews:
The Matheny Manifesto illustrates a perspective we need not only in youth sports, but in our culture as a whole. By teaching the importance of respect, character, and a team-first approach, Mike Matheny gives our kids, and those who set an example for them, a positive outlook on healthy competition—and demonstrates how the most powerful lessons of baseball apply to their futures beyond the diamond. – Joe Torre
I once told Mike Matheny that if I ever became a big league manager, I’d want to manage just like he does. The Matheny Manifesto will show you why. Mike approaches the game as the ultimate competitor, but totally with class and dignity. – Orel Hershiser
What does any of this mean?
My pea sized brain is having trouble understanding just why this is a book. So your kids should play baseball hard, have respect for their teammates and not brag about success? Sounds like pretty boilerplate parental advice to me.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not criticizing the book. I haven’t read it (and don’t plan on reading it). I’m in no position to tell people how they should align their moral compass. If you find true north from this book, more power to you.
But in all the interviews and all the reviews and all the talk about this book, I’m still confused if this is anything more than platitudes on platitudes on platitudes. Are there actual, tangible things housed in those pages that can be of use?
If you’re planning on reading ‘The Matheny Manifesto’, drop me a line and let me know what you thought.
Oh, and this line from the official description?
From “The Coach Is Always Right, Even When He’s Wrong” to “Let Your Catcher Call the Game,” Matheny’s old-school advice might not always be popular or politically correct, but it works.
Huh.
Now I’m even more confused.
Photo: Twitter
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