Winning Words 10/7/09
“Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.” (Aesop) This is from the fable, The Peacock and Juno, where Juno tells the peacock to celebrate his beauty, instead of envying the song of the nightingale. Well, the Tigers will have to be content with their lot. We all have to move on, even when things don’t go our way. That’s how it is in the game of life. Go Twins! ;-) Jack

FROM RI IN BOSTON: You're a good sport. (Re: the Tigers...as the song goes..."You cain't always get what you want...") FROM JACK: My want: Twins vs BoSox. So you're a fan of The Stones.
No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
And if you try sometime you find
You get what you need

FROM SG IN TAMPA: That was a terrific game last night. By the way, in some gifted programs in Florida schools, the teachers don't encourage the students to be first in anything, but to be satisfied with something less. What do you think of that? FROM JACK: Gifted kids have their own set of problems. I think that the Aesop fable, quoted today, would be a great teaching tool. To me, "less" seems to be a negative, whereas, "be satisfied with who you are" appears more positive....but what do I know? I was never in a gifted group. Regarding last night's game....That's baseball! As Yogi said: "Even Napoleon has his Watergate."

MORE FROM SG: As a parent and grandparent, we have all attended lots of games. My attitude is "you win some, you lose some." Our youngest daughter told me the other night that one of the mothers on her son's t-ball game {where scores are not kept} brings a notebook and keeps score anyway. Our daughter is the
coach, and we all know that many parents are very intense at the games. FROM JACK: Parents keeping score at a T-Ball game....I know the kind. In all of life, some people seem to have the need to" keep score."

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I loved Aesop's Fable. I think they should be required reading in every school. And I love this saying too...be content. Love it! FROM JACK: I may have to save it for the Red Wings. Oops! That's too negative; I have to remind myself to be more optimistic!

FROM MOLINER CF: Three things to never bring up in mixed company: Religion, Politics and Baseball. FROM JACK: Are the Cubs considered to be baseball?

FROM CWR IN B'MORE: .......spoken like a true Minnesotan.... FROM JACK: ...at least until the end of the season, now that the Tigers are waiting for next spring.

FROM CJL IN OHIO: We have a lot of counseling to do on those Tiger fans. Problem is they don't seem consolable.... Oh well.... FROM JACK: The word is, consoling. Perhaps you've heard the saying...It's the job of a pastor to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.

FROM MOLINER GS: But I'll be content with the Hawkeyes beating Big Blue on Sat. FROM JACK: Well, they're in first place....for now, so celebrate, while you are able.

FROM DP IN MINNESOTA: You are very gracious! What a game--it could have gone either way--the Tigers played as well as the Twins--so that must be a bitter pill to swallow! FROM JACK: For the last month or so, we Tiger fans have has practice dealing with losses. We were ready. Our son from Apple Valley was here to watch the game with us, his sisters, his bro-in-law and our two high school nephews. He was the only one cheering for Minnesoda. He didn't gloat....much!

FROM EMT SINGS IN MICHIGAN: I was born and raised in Minnesota. My Mother and all the relatives still in MN are thrilled! We know that Minnesotans are "different" in a good way. I know that I am dreading the end of baseball season as she is such a fan of the game and with so many physical limitations it gives her something to look forward to every day that they play. My Grandson, who is a huge Yankee fan are glad that they will be
facing a tired Twins team later today!

FROM JG IN MINNESOTA: Go Twins, indeed!! It was quite a game! FROM JACK: As Vince Lombardi once put it...There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game and that is first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and I never want to finish second again.

FROM RN IN MINNESOTA: Thank you for WINNING WORDS. You are right about the Tigers and the Twins. I felt some real pain for the Tigers whom I cheered for 25 years. A couple of weeks ago there was an excellent article in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED about how much a Tiger victory would cheer the Detroit residents. I hear on a regular basis from friends in Flint and the work that is being carried on by Pastor Gary Hansen as Interim at Salem. It is really hard for folks like me to really feel the pain of the hundreds of thousand of "downers" in place like Detroit and Flint. We say, "God help them and God bless them", but what else do we do? I wonder?
FROM JACK: I'm reminded of this song from Evita....
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
Don't cry for me Minnesota
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance

FROM M&LS IN MICHIGAN: We can only do our best! FROM JACK: There's a book by Kevin Lehman: "When Your Best Is Not Good Enough: The Secret of Measuring Up."

FROM ES IN COLORADO: Go Rockies! FROM JACK: Oops; I forgot. There is a National League, isn't there? When son David lived in Denver, he took us to the ballyard, so that we could go on a tour of the facility. We were impressed.

FROM ML IN ILLINOIS: i repeat...life is not a competition... FROM JACK: Wanna bet? MORE FROM ML: really, now...did you think i'd fall for that?