While you where relaxing...

There is somebody out there working their ass off to take your spot, or keep theirs.

Whether they're getting up 10 minutes earlier to start their day, getting in an extra rep, shooting another free throw, running another gasser, watching more game film...doesn't matter. Somebody out there is working harder than YOU at this moment RIGHT NOW!

My question to you is, "what are you going to do about this"?

Ryan Long

How many "sane" people WANT to get punched in the face?  Or kicked, how 'bout choked out?  I think I'm in the majority who would rather watch it, then be an active participant...But that's just me though.

How many times have you witnessed that guy or girl talk a big game, and never REALLY get into a fight?  It's nothing but loud talk, idle threats and posturing.  But when it comes time to knuckle down, they don't want any part of the action.

Not my man Ryan Long.  Ryan is one of the few who actually WANT to get punched in the face.  Well, he DOESN'T want to get punched in the face, but when you cage fight, it kinda comes with the territory.



 



But this is the thing about Ryan, he's not your average, on TV, highly paid, highly endorsed fighter.  He's a family man with a full time job.  And still he makes the time to train, provide for and support his family.

 



Anyone who has trained for anything (with the intent of actually participating in said event/sport) knows that it takes a lot of discipline to follow through to the end.  Did you know that after Ryan's last fight (29SEP12) which was a Saturday, Ryan was back in the gym training that Monday? 

Of course you didn't, because Ryan doesn't blow his own horn (I'll do that for him!).  Ryan has the H.E.A.R.T of a champion.  He stays humble and works his ass off, whether you acknowledged, know, or appreciate it.



 

Well I appreciate Ryan, keep moving forward and kicking ass fam.

Seriously...Who does this...?

Every beginning to Football Season, I can't help but think of my little mans Nick Gavin.  Seriously, I can't.  I mean, I'm a football dude, I am.  But this little guy (he's not little anymore, but to me he will always be my little dude) is the epitome of the "football spirit".  Let me take you on a trip to memory lane...

 

I first met Nick when he was 4, maybe 5.  And if you ever met him, you know he isn't the biggest kid in the world (neither am I though...).  So I go to Tim Gavin's house when I first move to Maryland, because he invited me over and I had NO friends in the area.  I had no idea what was in store.  Made no reservations, I just went to see what was what.

 

So I get to Timmy's crib, his Mom's and Pop's where mad cool (to this day, I feel like they're MY Mom's and Pop's) and his little brother (Nick) was CRAZY cool.

 

We kick it for a minute, and Nick tells me that one day he wants to play football.  Well, anybody who knows me, knows that football is the way in with me (or just about any sport).  So I tell him that I play and that we can run through some drills, so he can see what it feels like to be a REAL football player.

 

I teach Nick the basics of "tackling".  So before we know it, we're basically running two man Oklahoma drills with the two of us.  I don't know where my head is at (this is LITERALLY the FIRST time I'm at Timmy's house) but when when Nick comes to tackle me (I'm on my knees 'running' at him in the drill) I "juked him". This, being a Tail Back, was a natural reaction.

 

What I want you to do is look at the picture below.  This is an estimate of the fireplace that the Gavin's have at their home.  This is the fireplace that will be the focal point of this story....

 

So, Nick Gavin comes to "tackle" me.  I "juke" him.  As a 4 year old kid, he' coming FULL STEAM...He misses (if you see the fireplace above, you can imagine the rest of the story...).  His nugget hits into one of the fireplace bricks...'Till this DAY, I still feel bad...Nick rams his nugget into the fireplace (I STILL can't believe it!).  Seriously, after 2 maybe 3 minutes, he has a nugget the size of a basketball chillen on his forehead.

Me being the "new kid" in the neighborhood and it's my first time in Timmy's house, I'm thinking....,"fuuuuuuuuuccccccckkkkkkkkk".  Seriously, I am.  But, there is something in this kid's eyes that tell me something else.  Don't get me wrong, he's crying because he just took a header into a fricken fireplace. But he has this look like, "I'm gonna tackle your black ass before you go home"...Seriously...that's what I saw.

After about 3-5 minutes of "babying", Nick Gavin put on his "big boy Lancer Pants" and wanted to go again!  This 4 year old had a Watermelon chillen on his forehead and he STILL wanted to tackle ME!

At this point, I KNEW this kid was special.  I knew NOTHING would stop him, even though life would through him many, many curve balls because of his height and size.  Although he may have paused, this kid had NEVER stopped.  His heart and determination are what set him apart from his classmates.

The only 2 dudes I love younger than me, more than anything else are Booshi Bear and Nick Gavin.  I want nothing but the best for BOTH of them.  Nothing....

#HEART Contract

 

Before you start reading this blog post, I would like you to actually READ the picture of the contract my awesome sidder Kashia Marshall made for her youngest son, Shawn "Punchie" Marshall...

 

Dope isn't it?  How many times have YOU had to have someone else motivate you to get going?  How many times did YOU want to quit, but someone else didn't let you?  Who's MOM does something like this?

Apparently MY sister (aka sidder) does!  How cool is this?!?!  How awesome is it to have #HEART instilled in you before you even know the concept of it?  How many kids grow into adults (this term can be used lightly, and we ALL know THIS is true) and have absolutely no testicular fortitude?

My kick ass sidder has set the ground rules for the upcoming season and hopefully the rest of my nephew's life.  It may seem "hard" that he can only cry if he's bleeding or has a broken bone, but what happens to his #Toughness if he crys over something trivial?

I'll tell you what happens...he becomes a whiner, a complainer and everything is somebody else's fault.  Period.  And this is something he'll carry with him for the rest of his life.  I don't want this, his Moms doesn't want this...and I KNOW his Pops doesn't want this (even though he's a Giant's fan...I won't take that any further).

This contract will most definitely set my nephew Shauny on the right track to realize the true definition of #HEART for himself when he gets older.  He may not appreciate it now, and he may not realize the ramifications of this contract.  But WE do.  And when he gets older, he will too.

Thank you Sidder for making so important look so simple and understandable.  This is easily one of the illest things I have EVER seen...

Me and Shauny

 

Me and Shauny (after his game)

 

 Future All-South Jersey

Guess what CAN'T be measured....

For every "Combine", every "Pro Day", every "Weight Limit", there are sections of the particular player which can be quantified.  I think it's funny, because, we measure what we can see, feel and touch, instead of actually measuring what actually COUNTS...

The one thing that completely implodes the concept of "scouting" and "COMBINES" is Mike Mamula.

I hate to throw the guy (continuously) under the bus...but hey, he went from a No-Name to a 1st Round Pick.  Did the Eagles actually do their homework before making this pick, or did they fall in love with the #'s...?

The funny thing is, is that Mike had ALL the #'s to make you fall in LOVE with him.  The only thing is that these numbers came in shorts...with no opponent...and no game tape.

To accurately measure a player, you have to see tape, talk to teammates/coaches/opponents, talk to them in person AND see them play in PERSON.

The one thing you CAN NOT measure is someones #HEART.  An individuals #HEART is something that makes them want to get up off the ground and keep going.  Get up early in the "Off-Season" and grind or watch tape when most of the team is watching cartoons.

#HEART can not, will not and most likely will NEVER be able to be quantified...I'm good with that.  Because it's a "feeling", a "way of thinking"....If you never experienced it, you'll never know.  If you have, then you KNOW that there is NO # that will ever encompass it.

A Marine once told me this...(The Six P's)

Proper
Planning
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Performance

Do you want to be successful?  Do you want your plan to work?  Want to win?  Want to start?  Do you want to get out of bed and be able to do the best you can?

If you do, following the Six P's can't do anything but increase your chances.  What do you have to lose?

Off-Season

Every shirt that is created by H.E.A.R.T Athletics LLC is either rooted in our beliefs, or tailored to a specific athletes liking.  Other companies (no name, no blame) just tend to make cookie cutter crap because of their logo.  *Blogger Note*  I think my business logo trumps theirs...but that's me...

When we created the "Off-Season" shirt (available in Men's, Women's and Youth...), the purpose was to inform those who "believe" in this time of year, that this time of year actually does not exist.  If it actually did exist, Saint Nick would be enjoying it from December 26 to December 24...Exactly.

Any competitive athlete knows (or SHOULD) know that training should be year 'round.  Where the problem lies is that most athletes want to get by on mere talent alone...yeah, that doesn't really work past the High School level.  But the fact remains that it shouldn't exist on that level at all.

The Off-Season is a myth.  It does not exist.  If you want to get better, be better, play better...you have to put in work.  There is no time for days off.  If you want to take days off, don't play.  Don't waste yours or your teammates' time.  Some people actually WANT to win.

So the next time you think the "Off-Season" actually exists.  Go to NIKE's website and order one of the atrocities...