1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: They're interested in what kind of individual you are. Are 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: you kicking up your teammates? Because ultimately there's a lot 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: of really good baseball players out there and coaches have 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: an opportunity to pick amongst a lot of talent. But 5 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: there's so much more to that. You know. Where does 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: the team really believe that? What does it matter to 7 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 1: be on this team? This is the reformed sports project, 8 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: a podcast about restoring healthy balance and perspective in all 9 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: areas of sports through education and advocacy. Hi, this is 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: Nick Bonacor from the Reformed Sports Project PODCAST. Today I'm 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: speaking with Mark Polly Moropolis, highly decorated former CIA senior 12 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: intelligence officer. Having retired in two thousand nineteen after twenty 13 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 1: six years at the CIA, Mark now serves as a 14 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and as a 15 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 1: sought after speaker for his unique expertise on leadership, decision 16 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: making and collaboration. Mark and I discussed the importance of 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: building cohesive teams, how to succeed in high pressure situations 18 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: and what it means to be the glue guy or 19 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: a Glue Gal. Let's go. I'm in the fight. I 20 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: have a freaking legend on. I'm fired up, always fired up, 21 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: but even more so today. He's someone that has helped 22 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: all of us here in the United States sleep better 23 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: at night for the past thirty plus years. Retired senior 24 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: CIA officer. Guy's a freaking stud and tickled to have him. 25 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: Mark Polymeropolis, thank you so much for hopping on. Man. 26 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: Did I do? What did I do? The last name 27 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: Justice Nick. Thank you very much. Great to bear. You 28 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: did do it justice. I'll tell a quick story on that. 29 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: I was the deputy station chief in the Middle East 30 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: couple of years ago, many years ago in fact, and 31 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: it was when George W Bush was president and his 32 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: briefers called me on the phone and they wanted my 33 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: take on a breaking situation. They went down to the 34 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: whole office. They told me they would call me later 35 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,559 Speaker 1: that night. You know, we're about a seven eight hour difference. 36 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: I was waiting by the secure phone and they called 37 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: back and I said how the briefing go to the President? 38 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: You know, what did you think about what I had 39 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: to say about the situation? And they said, well, W 40 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: spent the whole time in the oval trying to pronounce 41 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: your last name. So we think it went great. So 42 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: I am not. I am I'm not alone company think 43 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: fair enough. I being Italian. Bonacre is my last name. 44 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: But I mean when I first came down to go 45 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: to college down here, uh, you know, twenty five years ago, 46 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: I would go, you know, you you're traveling sometimes, you 47 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: play in the middle of nowhere, and people would just 48 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: I mean the things they would say when they'd announced 49 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: me coming to the plate, my last name, and we 50 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: all just we'd all just laugh. But you get it 51 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: being great. I mean that's one of those things that's hilarious. 52 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: You just kind of take what's commingto every once in 53 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: a while. But the key thing is nobody will ever 54 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: forget you. What kind of a crazy last name of 55 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: fourteen letters. I love it. I need all that. I 56 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: need all the help I can get in that regard. 57 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: You don't and I'm pumped to have you. So listen. 58 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: We connect on social media. I saw you spoke at 59 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: the A B C, a national convention, I believe, back 60 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: in you're a big baseball guy. You're a sports parent, 61 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 1: aside from keeping US safe for the last thirty five 62 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: plus years. Tell me this about your background, right. How 63 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: do you end up as a as as a senior 64 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: level C I a stud like you were. So well, 65 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: you know, first of all get you're you're being very 66 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: kind of me, but to be honest, you know I'm 67 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: just one of many kind of heroes in the shadows. 68 00:02:58,200 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: I wouldn't call it myself a hero as well, but 69 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: colleagues I served with ours. So a lot of us, 70 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: you know, just kind of toil in the shadows helping 71 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: tect America. You know, you certainly don't get any public 72 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: paths on the back Um. But but I was no 73 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: better than than than folks that I served with in 74 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: places like a rock an Afghanistan. So you're being very 75 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: kind to me, but you know, you'll see from the 76 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: chat I have a pretty big dose of humility. But ultimately, 77 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: so you know, I grew up in New Jersey Um 78 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: and you know, my dad was a college professor, so 79 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: in the summers we were able to travel a lot. 80 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: I was actually born in Greece, so my dad was 81 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: greet my mom was was was American, but I was 82 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: born in Greece, so we can't we went back every 83 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: summer to Greece. So already then I had this kind 84 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: of view of the world. We traveled a lot. Then 85 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: when I was ten years old, Um my dad did 86 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: a sabbatical and in the north African country of Algeria. 87 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: So he was. He was there for a year. So 88 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: my mom, you know, and anyone who knows you know 89 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: the New York, New Jersey area. So she puts me 90 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: on an airplane by myself at ten at JFK airport 91 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: in New York City and off I fly by myself 92 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: through Paris and I eat my dad in Algeria and 93 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: him and I spend one month driving two thousand miles 94 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: in the Sahara desert in an old folks wagon, many 95 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: us and you know, I thought I was Laurence of Arabia. 96 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: So I you know, I say all these things, but 97 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: this it really matters, because I wanted to do something different. 98 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: I became very instudent national security and frankly, you know 99 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: I was. I went to Cornell University for Undergrad and 100 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: Grad School and I was recruited out of there by 101 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: the C I. It was the only job I've ever had, 102 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: which makes me, you know, uh, not qualified to do 103 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: much else other than talk things like like leadership, which 104 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: is uh, which is what I do now. Well, that 105 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: and that's, you know, such a great segue, Marcus, because 106 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: you know your sports parent right. You have a son 107 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: that's playing ball at a juice right now, which we'll 108 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: get into. So you've been in that process, you've been 109 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: in that game, the whole travel scene and such. But 110 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: one thing that really is important Um, for me as 111 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: a father six times over and a coach, is leadership. Right, 112 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: it's the lessons and things that you extract as a 113 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 1: human being from your sport experience. Right, everyone wants to 114 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: chase scholarships and pro contracts and such, but, like we 115 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: talked about before, only seven eight percent, roughly, of all 116 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: high school athletes will play college sports at any level. 117 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: So there's things like leadership, courage, all these things that 118 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: you take with you into your life. One of the 119 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: things that in your profession, you know, working with the CIA, 120 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: why did leadership come in so handy and how can 121 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: sports provide that? Well, you know, it's it's interesting. So 122 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: I retired in July of two thousand nineteen after twenty 123 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 1: six years, and I had this incredible career and I 124 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: have you know, if you come over and you know, 125 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: take you down to the basement of a bourbon and 126 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: look at the look at all the medals on my wall. 127 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: You know, I received multiple kind of decorations from the CIA. 128 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: But I also failed a lot as well. Um, and ultimately, 129 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: when I retired, I realized that I only was a 130 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 1: good leader at the end of my career. Um, and 131 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: there were reasons why it kind of there were some 132 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: principles I came up and then I wrote a book 133 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: on it called clarity and crisis leadership lessons from the CIA. See, 134 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: that's my book plug right now for your listeners. Um. 135 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: But but ultimately, Um, it was the notion of you know, how, 136 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: you know, how was I going to lead or how 137 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: did I leave? Well, Um, in crisis situations, you know, 138 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 1: when you have a lack of situational awareness. I'm talking 139 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: about places like Iraq and Afghanistan. But then unpacking it 140 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: more and when I wrote the book, the book is 141 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 1: also an homage to baseball, because there's a lot of 142 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: similarities in the baseball world and on the baseball field 143 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: and in the clubhouse and team dynamics to my role 144 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: as a CI operations officer, particularly, you know, leading small 145 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: kind of elite teams overseas in some tough situations. So 146 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: so there is there. You know, there were these incredible similarities, 147 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: you know, in terms of you know, how you know, 148 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: what does adversity mean to you? You know, one of 149 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: the principles I talked about is I call it adversity, 150 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: is the is the PD for success. I'm not advocating 151 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: performance answing drugs, but it's the idea that at first 152 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 1: he has got to be your super fuel. You know, 153 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: it's gotta be. That's something that's gotta drive you. Now, 154 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: you know, you're a baseball player. You know, if you 155 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: can't handle that mentally, if you can't handle failing, you know, 156 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: go play football. I mean, I mean that seriously, because 157 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: you're gonna fail seven out of ten times and make 158 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: all conference in high school hitting three hundred. And so 159 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: it's being able to understand what does adversity mean to you? 160 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: How does that drive you? And then things like, you know, 161 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: teamwork and kind of the family values, how to how 162 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: to build these cohesive teams, what that means, you know. 163 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: So whether it's, you know, if I'm an Afghanistan lunger 164 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: pack after game border, you know, in fireflights at Al Kinda, 165 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 1: or if you're in a baseball dugout and it's the 166 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: you know, at the bottom of the seventh in high 167 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: school game, you're gone three one, you look to the 168 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: left and right of you and you're like these are 169 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 1: my brothers. We got this Um. And then just kind 170 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: of more more simple things about processes that you know, 171 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: of fundamentals that you you kind of go through in 172 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: terms of running these elite teams. So you know, in 173 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 1: my role as a CIO officer or if you're in 174 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: the special operations community, you know it's kind of fundamentals 175 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: on maybe you gotta be able to shoot, you know, 176 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: a weapon well or do things like, you know, we 177 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: were to meet, you know, agents on the street. But 178 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: for baseball it would be do you take pp every 179 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: day or your pictures throwing bullpens? What about stretching? What 180 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: about nutrition and hydrating? And so there were there were 181 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: all these principles that I found similar and it just 182 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: applies to the baseball world. So you know what I 183 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: do not I actually go around. I talked to tons 184 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: of high school and College Baseball teams about my leadership 185 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: principles because it just works, you know, for for a 186 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: baseball team at any level, from you know, from high 187 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: school um on up to pro now I have talked 188 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: to little league teams. Eleven and twelve gir olds are 189 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: a little young to do this, so I think that's 190 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: a that that didn't work out as well. Their kids 191 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: are running around, but but on a level where you're 192 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: talking any kind of you know, and I call them 193 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: on calling boys. I call them young men, and this 194 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: would work for a softball team as well, young women. Um. 195 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: You know, some of these leadership principles are are really 196 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: relevant on how you succeed in high pressure situations. You know, 197 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: as you're talking, I'm thinking back and one of my 198 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: I you know like, as I mentioned, six kids and Um, 199 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: my three oldest are sophomore, junior and senior in high school. 200 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: And it made me as you're talking about leadership and 201 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: I'm thinking back to my own experience and some of 202 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: the things I hear my kids said, and I can 203 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: only speak for myself in this regard and I've heard 204 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: my kids say it as well. It's not easy to 205 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: be a leader, even when you're a good player, when 206 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: you're a younger athlete, at least in my experience, like 207 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: if I'm a freshman or sophomore surrounded by juniors and 208 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: seniors even though it might be a starter, you know 209 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: it's it's still uncomfortable at times to be a voice. 210 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: You know, how do you get over that insecure like 211 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: because you mentioned you're better leader later in your career, 212 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: right you? So how can you maybe get over that stuff? Yeah, 213 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: it all goes to keen culture. So, so this is where, 214 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: you know, some teams have the right kind of culture, 215 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: meeting that every single individual, every player in that field's 216 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 1: your soft call player, of baseball player, football player, you 217 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: can you know you're a leader. Um, so the juniors 218 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 1: and the seniors, when they get that, something happens that's 219 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: really magical because you know they're not hazing the younger players. 220 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: What they're thinking about, as we have to treat everyone 221 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: as as leaders in and of themselves, is it's time 222 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: to pass the torch, or there's going to be a 223 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: time to pass the torch. So if you're a junior 224 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: or senior, you know, what are you thinking about on 225 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: your high school or your college team? Well, I got 226 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 1: one or two years left. You know, what's my legacy 227 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: going to be? Well, maybe we'll win that conference title, 228 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: but you know what, the most important thing I have 229 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 1: to do is pass on to the next generation pass 230 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: that torch. You know, I'll never forget it's it's a 231 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: it's a great story. My son played for, you know, 232 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 1: James Madison High School and if the end of Virginia. 233 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,599 Speaker 1: It's one of the top Um high school programs in 234 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: the mid Atlantic that ranked in the top twenty in 235 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 1: the country every year. And I remember as a freshman 236 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: he had made varsity and he didn't play much, but 237 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: it was okay because at the at the team bank 238 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 1: at the end of the year, the senior catchers graduating 239 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: literally got up and said, Hey, I just want to 240 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: tell Chris Pon Rablas I passed the torch to you. 241 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: Now you're the start of the next three years, you know, 242 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: and I remember having chills thinking about that. But more importantly, 243 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: later on I realized well, that that team had the 244 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: right kind of culture. Um. You know, how are you 245 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: going to be remembered? You know you're gonna be remembered 246 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: how you teach and educate and get the next, you know, 247 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,319 Speaker 1: crop of players after you ready much more or so that, 248 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 1: I think, your wins and losses and that's something that 249 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: you take with you. You know, it's just so funny 250 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: because you talk about. People don't understand often the translation 251 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: between being and the Dugout, being in the clubhouse, you know, 252 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: being on the sidelines, that Camaraderie, that bomb that's forged 253 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: in the fight with your teammates. And how I hear 254 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: college coaches. I've interviewed hundreds and hundreds of college coaches 255 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,079 Speaker 1: and they put a premium when it comes to recruiting 256 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: on being a good teammate like no other. I mean 257 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: that is the best way to get yourself recruited. It's 258 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: the best way to get yourself cross office to be 259 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: a terrible teammate. How did that translate to your life 260 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: and your professional life, and what have you seen from 261 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: your kid? It's I mean it's so funny. You say 262 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: that and and and again. You Talk to college coaches, 263 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: but of course parents and players don't understand this because 264 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: they're all obsessed with statistics, they're obsessed with going to 265 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 1: a showcase, they're obsessed with, you know, how do they 266 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: look on the field? College coaches, on the other hand, 267 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 1: Um look for the other things I remember. I'll give 268 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: I'll give a couple of examples. Of course, this was 269 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: this is a leadership talk that I myself and Tim 270 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: Corbytt for Vanderbilt. We're giving a leadership talk to a 271 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: Joint Special Operations Command, your unit. I remember that the 272 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: army unit called me up and said Hey, you and 273 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: Tim Corbyn is speaking. I was like, Oh, great, like 274 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 1: you know, this is awesome, but ultimately I think I 275 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: went before him, thank God, because I didn't want to 276 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: be following it. You know, Corbyn Corbin always presses that 277 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: idea of culture, what they're looking for. I remember coach 278 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: O'connor from Virginia. I remember he came and my son 279 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: was at a catching camp one time and he said 280 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 1: that what he would do is held go to a 281 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: high school game. He wouldn't watch the game, he would 282 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: sit out in the ripe, you know, in the outfield. 283 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: He'd see how the players he was interested would walk 284 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: onto the field and what was going on in batter 285 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:30,199 Speaker 1: credit and look at them in the dugout and then 286 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: you know by the first or second ending he's gone. Well, 287 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: what does that tell you? You know they're interested in 288 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: what kind of individual you are. Are you kicking up 289 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: your teammates Um, because ultimately there's a lot of really 290 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,479 Speaker 1: good baseball players out there and coaches have an opportunity 291 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: to pick amongst a lot of talent. But there's so 292 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: much more to that. You know what? What does the 293 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: team really believe it? You know, what does it matter 294 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: to be on this team? And you know, one of 295 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: the principles I talked about, and I love this one 296 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 1: because it really I really believe in it from my 297 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: time at the agency, is the concept of the glue 298 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: guy or the Glue Gal, and that's that indispensable, you know, 299 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: person behind the scene, Um, that makes or breaks teams. 300 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: They're not M VPS, you know, they're not all state, 301 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,959 Speaker 1: they're not superstars, um, but they're they're utility players. You know, 302 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: it's it's the backup catcher or it's the you know 303 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: it's the fourth outfielder. Um. But on championship teams they're 304 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: absolutely critical because they know you actually practice more than 305 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: you play. Um. Great teams have insane scrimmages. You know 306 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,839 Speaker 1: that's where you're gonna see kind of the best competition 307 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 1: come out. Um. But guess what happens? Those glue guys 308 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 1: and Blue Guys also get recruited. Coaches want them. They 309 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: want those who have a kind of a team first attitude. Uh. 310 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: You know, one of the things I'll never forget a 311 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: conversation I had with mail and I can gray to 312 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,439 Speaker 1: coach at James Maddison University. I think he told me 313 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: that he had around to fifty or under every year 314 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,319 Speaker 1: he ever played baseball. He's a Catcher, high school, travel, college, everything, Um, 315 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: but he was a great team player. He was kind 316 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: of that utility player, that that Glue Guy, uh and 317 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: he had a very successful baseball career and it's okay 318 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: to be that that that player, because coaches are going 319 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: to want you, Um, for that kind of role as 320 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: a team leader in terms of of team cohesion. And 321 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: for me, you know, running teams in Afghanistan. Ran a 322 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,719 Speaker 1: paramilitary base in the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan for 323 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: entire year. That's what I had. I had those glue 324 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: guys and Blue Gals who kind of did stuff behind 325 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: the scenes. Maybe they were not, you know, the tip 326 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: of the spear. Um, you know, the officers gonna kick 327 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:14,679 Speaker 1: down our door and capture a high value target, but 328 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: they do a lot of other things that are critical, 329 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: like even our medical staff. You know, our docs. You 330 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: know that to me, that that concept of that unsung 331 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,839 Speaker 1: hero behind the scenes is always really I was really motivating. 332 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: But it's really kind of applicable in life and it 333 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 1: would be applicable for any anyone playing athletics. You know 334 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: what else it is? It's controllable. I mean like we 335 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,959 Speaker 1: can't control our genetics, right, but we can control our 336 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: work ethic. You know, how we treat our bodies. We 337 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,199 Speaker 1: can control the people we hang around with. So can 338 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: you talk a little bit about the controllables versus non 339 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: controllables and how those impact, you know, not just athletics, 340 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: but you know, your life beyond? I love that. This 341 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 1: is such a great leadership principle. You know. So let 342 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: me tell you. You know when I when I get 343 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: up in the morning, what I did as the CIA officer. 344 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: So you get in the morning, you know, you can 345 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 1: have a cup of coffee, captains, not bad for you. Um, 346 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: you kind of can do a little stretch thing. You 347 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: see how you're doing. So what's what's your job to 348 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: do today? I gotta hydrate, Um, because I'm in rock 349 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: or Afghanistan and it's a hundred, you know, freaking degrees. Um. 350 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: So hydrate. I gotta eat right, I gotta get my 351 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: exercise and get, you know, get my lift. In and 352 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 1: so you're sticking yourself. Right, I've done all these things 353 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: to prepare myself today and then you jump into the 354 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: day where there's all the unknowns, but there's those controllable 355 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: factors are really important. So when the crap hits the 356 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: fan several hours later, maybe I'm on patrol somewhere, there's 357 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: a firefight, I'm like, all right, well, you know what, 358 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: I'm rested, I got I'm hydrated, ate well, I lifted today, 359 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: so my body is ready for whatever's gonna Happen. That's 360 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: the same thing in in baseball and kind of that 361 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: that perposees. What can you control as a as a 362 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: baseball player? So if you're down three one in the 363 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 1: bottom of the seventh, you know there's there's run on 364 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: second and third. You're up to play. Right, your heart's pounding. 365 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: It's always gonna be pounding. No, no doubt. But what 366 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: do you stay on yourself? Well, you know what, all 367 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: season long I've been taking care of my body. You 368 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: know I've been. I've been doing the right thing every day. 369 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: I've been eating right, haven't been going out partying with 370 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: my friends, or so you know. So because some of 371 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: the other players, Um, I hit the weight room religiously. 372 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: I hit every day. You know, never missed a cage 373 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: session and you know whats so whatever happens right now, 374 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: you know because because I don't know, maybe you know, 375 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: maybe the picture is gonna be thrown, you know, a 376 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: hundred one miles an hour. But but ultimately I've done 377 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: everything possible to prepare myself for this moment and there's 378 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: a comfort in that. So you sit back and you say, look, 379 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: you know, this is gonna be okay. I did everything 380 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: possible I can to prepare myself and just you know. 381 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: That kind of attitude, I think, is really important. I'll 382 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: tell you one one final story. My son and I 383 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: were down shark fishing down in the Outer Banks in 384 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: North Carolina a couple of weeks ago and we were 385 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: gone all day and it was a lifting day. He 386 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: just missed it and I said Hey, man, Chris, you 387 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: know what kind of day was this? He was dad, 388 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: this is an awesome day, but you know what, I 389 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: missed my lift today. And I said okay, and he 390 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: said other catchers on my team didn't you know. It's 391 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: it's that kind of Derek jeter or Tom Brady mentality, 392 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: like you know if I'm in the weight room or 393 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: my you know, my my teammates in the weight room 394 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: for two hours, I better be in there for three hours. 395 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: And so it's just it's that process of preparing yourself. 396 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: It's what I learned, it's CIA and it's what certainly 397 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: athletes can take uh into kind of high pressure situations. 398 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: There are things you can control, do the best you 399 00:15:58,000 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: can and then you know, chips will fall when they may, 400 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: where they made, but you'll walk away knowing that you 401 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: were ready. When we come back, mark and I discussed 402 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: whether leadership can be taught and learned. Welcome back where 403 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: we left off. Mark and I were about to talk 404 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 1: about the importance of teaching kids leadership at a young 405 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: age and how to handle the college recruiting process. People 406 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: will often say like Oh, there's natural born leaders. And 407 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: you know something I've actually had someone asked me and 408 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: I never really thought about it when he asked me. 409 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: He's like, can you teach kids to be coachable, to be, 410 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 1: you know, to be great teammates? And I'm thinking, well, hell, yeah, 411 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: you can't. Yeah, absolutely, you game. Matter of fact, I 412 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: must feel like naturally, I know for me and I'm 413 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: being honest, when I was younger I was definitely more selfish. 414 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: I mean you're more concerned. So I feel like you 415 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: have to learn how to become part of, part of something, 416 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: you know, bigger than just yourself. How do you do that? 417 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: What a great question, nick as I actually really I 418 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: can't stand that notion of natural born leadership. I think leadership, 419 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: you know, is taught and learned. You kind of learned 420 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: it along the way. Um. So that's why, and this 421 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: is a perfect you know, Promo for this, for this 422 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 1: talk right now. And what you do is so young 423 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: kids are going to be influenced by their first coaches, 424 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: certainly by their parents, but their first coaches. So what 425 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: you know? Why does that matter? Well, you can teach 426 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: leadership at a young age. So so, you know, one 427 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: of the things that drives me crazy about kind of 428 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: the you know, youth baseball world is kind of this 429 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: obsession with statistics, Um, with showcases. You know, I'll never 430 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: forget Um, my my son and I wa I paid 431 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,640 Speaker 1: thousand dollars to go to a showcase up in Long Island. 432 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: I live in Virginia. We drove up there right thousand bucks, 433 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: first wing. He takes thousand dollars showcase. He tears his 434 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 1: uh tears a muscle and his shoulder. We never got 435 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,400 Speaker 1: a refund. WHOL thing a total waste of money. Um 436 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: and the irony is the coaches who are actually up 437 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 1: there to see him along isn't have the same coaches 438 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,959 Speaker 1: from Virginia. They just traveled up there. So, you know, 439 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: I mean that's the the obsession over over statistics and 440 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 1: things like that. Um is something that kind of drives 441 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: me nuts and I think that's a problem to baseball. Well, 442 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 1: one of the things when I talked to and I 443 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: do some I did in the past. I haven't done 444 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: it as much. I do a lot more leadership training 445 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: for team. But when I was to talk to parents 446 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: about kind of I called it the recruiting wars, one 447 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: of the things that I would I would tell them 448 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: is just, you know, you gotta enjoy baseball. And maybe 449 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 1: I don't know if you agree with me or not 450 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: in this, but the high school baseball to me is 451 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: is still the kind of the purest form of sport. 452 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: Um and and my son played travel ball. I played 453 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: for a great organization was from braves, Um and travel 454 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 1: but but still, but going back to high school because 455 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: that's where you're looking to the left and right. You 456 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:24,399 Speaker 1: got your brothers in the field and that's where winning 457 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: really matters the most. And and and there are really 458 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:28,919 Speaker 1: outstanding high school baseball coaches, at least where I am 459 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: in Virginia, Um. But that's when they teach you that. 460 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: You know because I tell you, because you know, you 461 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: know you got you gotta blunt a runner over. In 462 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: travel ball you never see anyone bunt. In high school 463 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 1: you see people bunt all the time. And, by the way, 464 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: if a college coaches watching you and they see a 465 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: kid who can bunt, nobody can blunt anymore. So you 466 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: know they're writing something down right there that that kid 467 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,120 Speaker 1: can bunt a runner over or you know it would 468 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: just you know, would be willing to do anything for 469 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: the team, sack fly or anything like that. So so, 470 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: ultimately it's uh, you know, to me it's this obsession 471 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: over statistics that drives me nuts. You know, I we 472 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,919 Speaker 1: can teach leadership um it it comes, you know, for 473 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: Um from kind of a young age of having the 474 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 1: right kind of parents, really the right kind of coaches. 475 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: So you at the end of the day, you know, 476 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 1: as as you've watched your son go through the recruiting process. 477 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: He's still playing. Like, what was that like? What was 478 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,199 Speaker 1: juggling and how did you navigate kind of because, as 479 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: you said, here you are, he spent a grant to 480 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 1: go up to Long Island. Like where did you find? 481 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: Where did you find like the most value versus the 482 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 1: things like, Hey, it might have been a money grab. 483 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: So so well. Well, first and foremost, you know, I 484 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 1: mean I called it, you know, surviving and recruiting wars. 485 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: I mean it was. It was a terrible experience for 486 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: myself but, more importantly, for my son who started, you know, 487 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 1: by his junior year. As we're down at, you know, 488 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: a perfect game down in Atlanta, Um, and you know, 489 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: for whatever it was, you get a terrible tournament. He 490 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: was hurt. Um, you know, he's you could see some 491 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: schools kind of drop off, you know, or he's dropping 492 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: off their list other schools or not. But but ultimately 493 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 1: it was it was getting to be a grind and 494 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: he actually told me, I remember driving home Um and, 495 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: you know, told me because Dad, this isn't fun anymore. 496 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: I don't know if I want to play in college. 497 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: And I was like what a shame this is. Again 498 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: because this is a kid who loves me school, loves 499 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: to compete as great leaders when the captain of every team. 500 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 1: And he's also, you know, he's also five five eight, 501 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 1: you know, hundred seventy five pounds. So He's you know, 502 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: he's not going to a power of five school. Um. 503 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: But but ultimately it's just it's the idea of just 504 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: eight percent of kids. High School baseball players, Um, will 505 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: go off and playing college. Every level has great baseball. 506 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: So whether it's obviously d one does, but down to Juco, 507 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: he's playing for a Juco. Now we guys see guys 508 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: throwing nine d all the time. Um, guys getting drafted. UH, 509 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: they're there for a certain reason. Maybe it's maybe it's 510 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 1: because of money, maybe it's because of academics. Uh, maybe 511 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: they need a second, second chance. But every level, you know, 512 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 1: in d three d three closers of Yodak are all throwing, 513 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: you know, a little mid nineties. That's pretty damn good. 514 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: And so I think that the suggestion I would have is, 515 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,160 Speaker 1: you know, especially for kids, is, you know, don't big 516 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 1: time any coach. Um. And you know, we were talking 517 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 1: before a great story and my son was being recruited 518 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: by Division One team. Um, they ended up not taking 519 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: him and he was really, it was really bummed. Um, 520 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: he ended up going to a D three school. Uh, 521 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: you know, before he end he's ad to going out 522 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: but a D three school. But what happened was that 523 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 1: d one team actually passed all the recruiting notes to 524 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 1: the d three schoo we didn't even know it. And 525 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 1: so one of the other things that that parents and 526 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: players have to understand is all the coaches know each other. 527 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 1: They talk to each other. So, as a parent, and 528 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: especially as a player, you know, be polite, respectful to anyone. 529 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: Don't don't big time anybody. Um, these coaching staff turn over. 530 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:16,880 Speaker 1: So a Juco coach or a d three coach might 531 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: be recruiting you and you're like, I don't feel like 532 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:20,120 Speaker 1: going there and you're gonna blow them off. Well, don't 533 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 1: do that, because that that coach might be the recruiting 534 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: coordinator for a d one school next year. So it's 535 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: the idea of being polite and being respectful and again 536 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 1: just having that appreciation wherever I go, playing college on 537 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: the eight percent and that to me is extraordinary and 538 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 1: there's great baseball everywhere. The last piece on this too 539 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: is what I what I tell folks is, you know, 540 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: you want to wear the hat of a of a 541 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: power five school. You want to play and one of 542 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: the great things that a d three and Juco is 543 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 1: fresh when we walk in and play and and and 544 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: sometimes they don't for really good teams and H we're 545 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: well on a d one program, you're gonna sit for 546 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: a while. So you know, I talked about kind of 547 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: three things you look for in a college. Obviously, academics, 548 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 1: um can your can your parents afforded? And then playing time, 549 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: and and playing time is a really big deal because 550 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: the last kind of my last plug. You're a college base. Well, 551 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: at every level you're on the field for three or 552 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: four hours every day. It's a job and it starts 553 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: to the second you get there on the fall and 554 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 1: it ends in the spring the last game of the season. Uh. 555 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: And as a parent you have to have that that 556 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: talk with your kids, sayings you want to put that 557 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,679 Speaker 1: commitment in, because there's not a lot of there's partying, 558 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:15,439 Speaker 1: of course there in college, but a lot of weekend 559 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: games and jug there's bus trips, you know, four hours 560 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: away in the middle of the week. They're coming home 561 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: with two in the morning out of bus Um and so, 562 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: you know, three or four hours every single day is 563 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: nothing like what they've experienced and travel in high school. 564 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: So you know they gotta want it Um. But again 565 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 1: it's a, you know, the greatest game in the world 566 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: and I think it just teaches you so much about 567 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: life because again, teaches you about overcoming adversity, teaches you 568 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: about humility. That's what life is all about. Mark. One 569 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: last thing I want to ask is, you know, having 570 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: had a front row seat through the recruiting process and 571 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: as a sports parent, what are some of the things 572 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 1: that you've seen parents do that have gotten their kids 573 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,919 Speaker 1: cross stuff at or, you know, like yelling at Umpires, 574 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: being that parents like like, have you heard, you know, 575 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: you've been intimitting conversations with these coaches. Are there things 576 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: that parents can do, can to get their kids scratched 577 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: off list? What a great question. So, so one of 578 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: the one of the neat things now in my kind 579 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: of strange world of doing this leadership talk is now 580 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: we've actually gotten to be friends with a lot of 581 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,880 Speaker 1: the coaches Um and especially in the Virginia College Um 582 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: World here, and so I do. I definitely here and 583 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: see stories but I saw it as a as a 584 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: parent of a of a high school athlete and travel, 585 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: travel baseball athletes. So what literally I would see happen? 586 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: Parents who will go up and talk to their kids 587 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: during the game. Um, go up to the DUGOUT, go 588 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: in the DUGOUT, given gatorade. Like. I mean this is 589 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: I've said this a million times to every parents group 590 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: I ever talked to. Is Uh, you know, if your kid, 591 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: at fifteen years old on, can't handle themselves and getting, 592 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: you know, getting hydrated, bring water or their gatorade on 593 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: their own. Um, don't carry your kids baseball bag. I 594 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: mean a parents should sit there literally and say nothing 595 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: or a cheer for everybody. Um, but no contact with 596 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: your kid, no going into the dugout. Definitely don't heckle 597 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,439 Speaker 1: any UMPIRES, because every single coach will tell you in 598 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: high school, travel in college, the last thing they ever 599 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: want to do is talk or even see a parent. Um, 600 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,119 Speaker 1: they'll do it in the recruiting process, you know when 601 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 1: you're talking about money, but at the end of the 602 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: day it's all about the kid. It's relationship they build 603 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: with the kids and and the whole idea is is 604 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: to you know how do we grow young men and 605 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: young women? Um Uh, you know, into productive members of 606 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: society where athletics can really help. But you know, you 607 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: gotta cut that in Biblical Cord with your kid, Um. 608 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: And so so it's really it's the parents being as 609 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: hands off as possible. And then I think that, you know, 610 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: the last thing too, is, and I see this all 611 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 1: the time, this is a little more controversial, is, you know, 612 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: careful on social media, uh, you know, for for parents too, 613 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,120 Speaker 1: and how they're how they're pushing their kids, promoting their kids. 614 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:32,920 Speaker 1: Let your kids do whatever they do. I don't even 615 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 1: like when kids actually, you know, throw their stats out, 616 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,200 Speaker 1: the stats out there. The only person on social media, 617 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,199 Speaker 1: on twitter, instagram, should be talking about a player is 618 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: that is their coach, Um. Because again, ultimately that things 619 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: become too to statistically focused. At the end of the day. 620 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: What I tell it's your kids good, he's gonna go 621 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: playing college. No kid is not going to get a chance. 622 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:52,439 Speaker 1: If your kids is good enough to play college baseball, 623 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: as someone will find them. Um. And so just take 624 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: a deep breath, try to enjoy the ride and enjoy 625 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: high school as much as you can. Um Uh. You know, 626 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: have to have an honest conversation. Look your kids in 627 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: the eye and you're she has to say the same thing. 628 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: And my good enough to go play a parify schoolers. 629 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 1: So I do. I belong in a D three school, 630 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: which is fantastic. Um, and so you know, that's kind 631 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: of my my two cents and all these things. But 632 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 1: parents can never do any good, they can only do 633 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: harm to a kid. Let let the kids do this 634 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: all themselves. That's my my biggest, biggest piece of advice. 635 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 1: I love it. Mark polly Miropolis, I had anxiety, I 636 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: was couldn't sleep getting ready to say the name, and 637 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm crushing the name Poly Morocois. I 638 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: could say it in my sleep now. Thank you so 639 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: much for coming on sharing your insight, your wisdom. Thank 640 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: you for you know, like I said a few times, 641 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: and helping us, you know, be a safer country and 642 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: and Love, love everything that you're sharing, especially this, uh, 643 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: this leadership stuff. It's it's so vital and so important 644 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 1: and you're gonna have you'd certainly helped me today, gonna 645 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: help a lot of people. Keep doing the work you're doing. Man. 646 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 1: Thanks Nick, appreciate it's a great, great chat today. That's 647 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: mark polly Miropolis former C I, a senior intelligence officer 648 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:00,200 Speaker 1: and leadership expert. Thanks for listening to the Reform Orm 649 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,199 Speaker 1: Sports Project PODCAST. Dominic boncourt and our goal is to 650 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: restore a healthy balance and perspective in all areas of 651 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 1: sports through education and advocacy. FOR UPDATES, please follow us 652 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 1: on Facebook, twitter and Instagram, or check out our website 653 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: by searching for the reform sports project.