Book Review: The Matheny Manifesto by Mike Matheny

The Matheny Manifesto: A Young Manager's Old-School Views on Success in Sports and Life by Mike Matheny

Before I actually give a review of this book I would like to note I didn't expect much. I discovered The Matheny Manifesto while Mike was still managing the Cardinals but didn't actually start reading the book until after the firing of the skipper. My intentions of reading the book shifted from wanting to see how he was living up to the legend of Tony LaRussa to trying to piece together how he became the manager that ended the birds' postseason playoff streak.

I will admit I had a bit of a salty taste in my mouth for the ex-skipper, stemming from his performance in the dugout but this book completely changed the way I think about Matheny and honestly, the way I view professional athletes and coaches. Reading this book reminded me that athletes (and coaches) are people too, which is something we see and hear all the time but if I'm be honest, it can be difficult to remember this when a manager puts in the worst reliever who proceeds to blow the game, resulting in a big loss. Mike was able to effectively remind me that he, and other sport professionals, are not perfect, they make mistakes, and they are just as aware as we are when a mistake is made.

Throughout the book Matheny touches on what it means to be a youth coach, how it can be difficult to keep your prized character traits and beliefs at the forefront of your life when you have such a public career, and the importance of leaning on the people around you to push you further in life and in your career.

He truly believes youth sports can play an incredible role in the development of young kids and throughout his time coaching youth, he made decisions based on building character rather than winning games. As he was explaining this I remember thinking "wow, that's how it is supposed to be done". There is a huge disconnect between what youth sports is doing and what we say youth sports is doing and Mike was/is attempting to bridge that gap.

Matheny made himself very clear at the beginning of the book that his religious background was incredibly important to him. He told stories about how he had to remind himself of this throughout his career and how it was sometimes a struggle to remember his place when dealing with certain situations on the ball field.

One of my favorite topics he discussed was the influence of others around him. He talked about his family, his coach during his developmental years, coaching idols of which he modeled his work, his business partners that also functioned as close friends and mostly importantly the youth he was working to impact. He learned from all of these people, he grew with all of these people and he gave praise to all of these people, acknowledging that he would not be nearly as successful without them.

The Matheny Manifesto gave the man who was making questionable coaching decisions on my TV a life outside of professional baseball. His book changed my opinion of him and opened my eyes to the concept that you can do what you love without compromising your beliefs and values. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in coaching or struggling with remaining true to your faith while pursuing a career. I would also challenge Cardinals fans to push their grudges aside and read about Mike; you'll be surprised how much this book will open your eyes and force you to look at him differently.

Here's the link to the book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Matheny-Manifesto-Managers-Old-School-Success/dp/055344672X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BMOZA5C0AFE2&keywords=the+matheny+manifesto&qid=1571340296&sprefix=the+mathen%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1

What's the Word: Week 6 leads to disappointment for most of the NFC East but keeps the division race tight

I never like to clump the Eagles and the Cowboys into the same category, as an Eagles fan it's my job to point out the things that make the Cowboys a despicable football team but this week, there is only one word to describe the level of play for BOTH teams....awful....absolutely awful.

In the Eagles 38-20 loss to the Vikings there was a lack of...well everything. The receivers couldn't catch a ball, the offensive line wasn't blocking, the defense gave up TWO touchdowns on first down by long passes coming from Kirk Cousins (of all people). It was a disaster. I really don't know what else Carson Wentz has to do to win a football game. The man scrambled and made big plays under pressure, he placed the ball perfectly in receivers hands, he did everything he could to win the football game but the rest of the team might as well have stayed at home. It was embarrassing and if I'm being honest, I never want to watch another game like that again.

The only, and I mean ONLY, good thing about Week 6 was that the Cowboys looked just as awful. After losing 24-22 to the Jets (yes, you read that right) the once 3-0 Cowboys are still tied with the Eagles for first place in the division with a record of 3-3. For the Cowboys, their offense proved to be a huge problem as they owned time of possession but still couldn't bring a win back to Dallas.

PC: nbcdfw.com

Heading into Week 7 the Eagles will travel to Dallas for the Sunday Night match-up NFC East fans have been waiting for. With sole possession of first place on the line I expect this game to be a dog fight. Both teams are coming off ugly losses, both teams have a lot to prove, and both teams realize how big of a game this week is.

Around the rest of the division the Redskins are feeling GOOD after beating the Dolphins 17-16 to pick up their first win of the season. Unfortunately for them this may be their only win of the season so I expect them to soak in the feeling as they invite San Francisco into Washington. The Giants fell to the Patriots 35-14 after putting up a good fight in quarters 1 through 3. They will host the Cardinals in Week 7. This should be a good game as both teams are looking for their third win of the season.

What's the Word: TEN sacks, TWO defensive touchdowns, one BIG win for the Eagles in Week 5

Week 5 treated the Eagles well, and I mean really well. In 31-6 victory over the Jets the Eagles defense put up record numbers including a whopping 10 sacks and 2 defensive touchdowns. Before you go on to say "well of course they preformed well, they were playing the Jets" let's remember this is the NFL and anything can happen. While I do agree with this statement, and even I stated in my previous blog that I expected an easy win for the Eagles, the way in which they won was what I would like to touch on.

Defense. The Eagles defense has struggled this season and let's not pretend we haven't noticed the lack of sacks up until this last game. While they have gotten the job done in most situations, it has not been the defense we were expecting going into the season. However after watching Week 5 post-game interviews, it is clear this game was a huge confidence boost for the D-line. I expect more from them going into Week 6.

PC: Philadelphia Eagles

Again, kudos goes to the O-line for creating holes for Howard and the run game. This part of the offense has the potential to create big plays and be a key factor in the success of the team. In Weeks 1 through 3 we saw how rough this team can look without a successful run game, so I expect Peterson to continue working on improving this side of the offense.

While the Eagles win was incredibly important to the team and their confidence moving forward, the Cowboys loss was equally, if not more, important. The 'boys took on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Dallas and fell 34-24, effectively moving their record to 3-2, tying them with the Eagles for first place in the division. After losing to the Saints the week before, the Cowboys have now lost two games in a row, against two teams with records above .500. This is important to note because their first 3 wins came from teams with losing records. It should leave everyone questioning, "are the Cowboys really as good as everyone thought?" If you ask me, the answer is no....but it is still very early in the season and with a BIG Week 6 and 7 coming up, the division is still up for grabs.

In Week 6 the Eagles will travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. This is going to be a tough game and a win is imperative in order to keep pace with the Cowboys, as I expect them to handle the Jets in their showdown this week. The key to an Eagles win will be the run game once again. I also expect Carson to launch the ball this week in hopes of getting the passing game going as well. A win (or loss) for both the Eagles and Cowboys in Week 6 would bring them in to Week 7 tied, as they head to Dallas for Sunday Night Football. These next two weeks are going to be exciting for the NFC East as the division race continues.

The Redskins (0-5 following last weeks loss to the Pat's) will travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins (0-4) in a battle for the title of "worse team in the league", while the Giants (2-3 following their loss to the Vikings) will inevitably fall to the Patriots in New England.

What's the Word: Week 4 Eagles win and Cowboys loss puts the birds in a good place

I have been excited to write about the Eagles Thursday night win since Nigel Bradham ran out of the Packers end zone with a deflected pass from Aaron Rodgers. The 34-27 win over the, then undefeated, Packers at Lambeau Field was exciting from start to finish. The offence was ON POINT, looking like an entirely different team than the one that lost to Detroit in Philly the week before. The virtually nonexistent run game appeared out of no where, propelling the Eagles to their second win of the season. I blame this entirely on the offensive line. They were dominant and created run lanes the RBs haven't seen all season. Howard took advantage of the opportunity, rushing for 87 yards while Sanders, who struggled in Week 3 averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Carson Wentz did more Carson Wentz things, completing 16 of 27 passes and tossed 3 touchdowns. 

PC: Philadelphia Eagles

On the other side of the ball the defensive line was average. They did what the Eagles defensive line usually does; get the job done. Still, a big concern for the Eagels, which seems like a constant concern dating back to the 2017 season, was the CBs. They get smoked by receivers every game. In order for this team to have continued success, something has to be done about the CB position.

Around the rest of the division there was a very happy Giants team who beat the Redskins to move to 2-2 in the division and drop the Redskins to 0-4. The Cowboys lost in a very pathetic Sunday Night showdown with the Saints. Losing 12-10, all it took for the Saints to beat the, then undefeated, Cowboys was 4 field goals. The fault in the Cowboys loss was the neutralization of Ezekiel Elliot who only rushed for 35 yards. It is clear that slowing down the run game plays a huge factor in the success of this Cowboys offense. In the coming weeks I expect the Cowboys opponents to focus on shutting down Elliot. After Week 4, the NFC East is still up for grabs. There is no signs of a clear leader I am sure it will continue to be a tight race.

Looking ahead to Week 5, the Eagles have it easy, facing the Jets in Philly. I expect the birds to move to 3-2 on the season after this week. As for the Giants, they will take on the Vikings at home ultimately leading to a loss, in my opinion. The Redskins will host the Patriots and based on their level of play thus far, I believe the Redskins will move to a disappointing 0-5 by the end of the day on Sunday. The Cowboys will have another tough game ahead of them as they host the Packers in Dallas. This Packers defense is the real deal and if they can get to Dak and his run game, I expect a Green Bay win, moving the Cowboys the 3-2.

Week 5 has the possibility to shift the standings in NFC East tremendously. The Packers at Cowboys game is going to make the most difference so be sure to tune into that game.

What's the Word: Week 3 loss leads to a must win in Week 4 to boost morale

PC: inforum.com

Another week another mishap for the Eagles offense. Week 3 was full of dropped passes and sloppy defense. It became shockingly more evident that this team does not have the receiving depth OR a reliable enough run game to support Carson Wentz. It seems as if Carson could literally put the ball into the hands of a receiver (which he did at least 3 times with the game on the line) and he would still find a way to drop it....


But enough of the negativity...it was Week 3...there is still plenty more football to play and the health of the receivers, that can actually catch a ball, is starting to look up. Alshon Jeffery will be back in the game tonight against Green Bay to kick-off Week 4 in a Thursday night showdown at Lambeau. The Pack are 3-0 and showing no signs of slowing down, while the Eagles are sitting at 1-2 with a tremendous chip on their shoulder. The fact of the matter is, the Eagles are playing with their backs against the wall. Tonight they are aiming to prove they have what it takes to give the Cowboys a threat in the divisional race.

PC: fantasydata.com

While there is still plenty of football left to play, Week 4 is looking like a must win for the Eagles. Not because of their record, but because of their moral. The two losses the Eagles have taken were not easy ones. And when I say not easy...I mean they were rough, really rough. The team has the talent, in fact they know they have the talent, they are just not producing. The Eagles should have won both of their losses, and easily at that. However, mistakes and dropped passes loomed large and there is only so much a team can take before they start to doubt themselves. A win tonight would be HUGE. Not only would it boost the confidence of the team (and the fans) but it would bring their record to 2-2 and knock off a 3-0 competitor. Winning tonight would also show the rest of the league that a slow start will not define this Eagles team.

The rest of the NFC East has their work cut out for them as well. The Cowboys will be taking on the Saints on Sunday Night Football. I expect this to be a well fought battle and the toughest challenge the 'Boys have faced all year. The Giants will take on the Redskins at MetLife in what is sure to be a crap shoot. I'm looking to see the Giants move to 2-2 and the 'Skins to fall to 0-4.

What's the Word: Week 2 was rough for the Eagles but we did learn one thing, Week 3 NFC East preview

As an Eagles fan, Week 2 was a rough one. In fact, it hurt so bad that I am just now able to write about it...four days later. The 24-20 loss to the Falcons stung, but what hurt the most was the incredible amount of injuries to key pieces of the Eagles offense. By the second half, Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, and Dallas Goedert were all down for the count, leaving Carson Wentz with limited receiving options. To add to the list of injuries, Wentz got rocked, play after play after play. The QB took multiple, cringe worthy, shots to the ribs, and underwent a concussion test mid-game.

There's no doubt Week 2 took its toll on the Eagles offense, however, there was one thing we learned from the loss that should give Eagles fans everywhere hope heading into Week 3.

Carson Wentz is resilient and is playing like he has something to prove.

Because of his injury ridden career thus far, we haven't gotten to see much of what Wentz can do on the field. Apart from his MVP caliber run in 2017, before going down with a torn ACL, the Eagles QB hasn't played more than 10 games in a season. This has left some Eagles fans, and certainly the mainstream media, questioning whether or not Carson has what it takes to be a franchise QB. If you ask me, Week 2 proved all the doubters wrong. As mentioned earlier, Wentz took MULTIPLE big hits, however he remained in the game. He lost the majority of his offensive weapons, however he only lost by four on the road. He was under defensive pressure the entire game, however he was able to get the ball off and make big plays when he need to. Had one of Wentz's few remaining receivers, Nelson Agholor, made the catch late in the fourth quarter, the game would have mostly likely resulted in an Eagles victory. Just by watching Wentz, you could tell he was putting everything he had into game. There was no questioning whether or not he wanted to walk off the field with a win. Wentz wants to, and will, lead this team through doubtful wins and dominate in likely-to-win games.

Heading in to Week 3 against Detroit, the Eagles can expect less of a challenge than the Falcons but are still missing key pieces of their offense. Watch for Doug Pederson to heavily rely on TE Zach Etrz as Carson's main offensive target, as well as the run game.

The Cowboys look to move to 3-0 as they take on the Dolphins at home. This season the 'phins have struggled offensively and I expect the Cowboys to win this week in a blowout.

The Giants will take on the Bucs, and the Redskins will face the Bears. Unfortunately for both of these teams, I expect their records to move to 0-3. The Giants recently named Daniel Jones as the starting QB over Eli Manning. This will be his first career start and I do not expect the Bucs to take it easy on him. As for the Redskins, their opponents are desperate to move to 2-1 after two rocky weeks of football.

Book Review: Brands Win Championships by Jeremy Darlow

Before you read my first review, here's some things you should keep in mind:
     Those of you that know me know I am NOT a reader. Getting me to read a book for class was hard enough so the thought of me voluntarily cracking open a crisp new book (instead of a Bud Light) is difficult to believe. But here I am, reading books AND writing reviews. Shockingly enough, I'm not straying too far off the path because all of the books I review on Caitlins Commentary will be sports related or written by current or former athletes and coaches. Since July, my goal is to read one book a month and, surprisingly, I am still on pace. I am new to book reviews so I'm sure the first few will be far from perfect, but I think it will keep me motivated to read by sharing my thoughts to my fellow sports enthusiasts and, hopefully, give them some new reading material as well.

PC: Amazon

So, here goes nothing.

Brands Win Championships is interesting from start to finish. I read this book rather quickly (could be because the font was big and there wasn't much on each page) and found myself wanting to read more of Darlow's work by the time I flipped the last page.

The book focuses on the do's and don'ts (but mostly do's) of marketing a college athletic department. He stands firmly on the positioning that in order to win a championship at the college level, you must have an excellent and extremely creative marketing department. It is a very bold statement, sparking immediate interest, however Darlow proves his point by using his own experiences with college athletics and what he has observed since working as a top dog on Adidas's marketing team.

By the end of the book I was fully convinced that marketing an athletic department properly, has the power to increase the number of highly skilled recruits, grow a massive fan base across the country, and bring home a championship title to any university that follows his blueprint. 

If you are someone who is interested in college sport, sport marketing, or even traditional marketing, I would suggest this book. The book did have some "well duh" moments, but overall provided fresh ideas and real world examples on how the power marketing can affect a college athletic department.

Here is a link to the book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Brands-Championships-Jeremy-Allen-Darlow/dp/0990562204/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22SOOJ1P0PN63&keywords=brands+win+championships&qid=1568320665&sprefix=brands+win+%2Caps%2C209&sr=8-1