Biggest Fan, Hardest Critic!!!

I have made a philosophy decision to be my kid's "Biggest Fan and Hardest Critic".  (Remember, I believe it is about the journey and not the destination)  I have enormous "street cred" with my kids because I have often predicted their results with amazing success.  I know how hard they can work.  Until now, early 2012, I have spent most of my sports time with Alex, and Maddie fast approaching.  Natalie has spent most of the time with Andrew and his baseball activities.

Don't read this the wrong way...  but I always thought it was worthless to be constantly positive, because its the failures that make you stronger.  If you fail 70% of the time you make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Working to improve is the "fun" I have in the relationship with my kids and their sports activities...  If they were "GREAT" I wouldn't have any reason to pitch to them after work...  I realize it sounds like I am an Ogor...  but probably not explaining well...  if you strike out three times, looking, I will tell you that you didn't have a good game...  I will also be ready to go to a park, or the lit tennis courts (Alex :-)) to work with you... as I am writing, and reading, I think I am digging a bigger whole...

Well, I just started Asst Coaching on Andrew's team...  and to be fair to him he wasn't use to my "coaching"...  I also believe games are a great place to learn...  we had a few rough first games...  Tom Hanks said it best...  "there is no crying in baseball"...  we have spend a dozen times pitching in the front of the house and continued going to fields to hit...  he is getting better...

Tonight, Andrew's team played a really good team...  Andrew pitched and threw well...  he gave up 12 runs in the first inning without an out...  I said, without and out...  infinity ERA...  he threw hard, threw strikes...  probably didn't get as many calls as he should and had a few errors behind him...  on the books it was his worst pitching performance EVER...  actually, may be the worst pitching performance in the history of baseball...  BUT, he DID FANTASTIC!!!  I was really impressed with how he kept throwing strikes...  he never showed emotion...  never made mental errors...  and when he was pulled after 50 pitches, he made all three outs at first base...  I was VERY PROUD of him...

The best thing about baseball is that there is always another game...