Blog

COACH: Willie Lanier

This month’s “C” word is COACH, which, in the “C” You In The Major Leagues lexicon means that a person understands the game; is an independent thinker; is a good self-evaluator; and offers enthusiasm. With the NFL season underway, there’s a Kansas City Chiefs’ legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer who’s a great fit for COACH: Willie Lanier. The story might be one of the greatest in Chiefs history. Even among the players of … Read more

COACH: Raul Ibanez

This month’s “C” word is COACH, which, in the “C” You In The Major Leagues lexicon means that a person understands the game; is an independent thinker; is a good self-evaluator; and offers enthusiasm. As the Royals hit September, the last full month of the regular season, it’s a good time to look at a player from 2014 who fits the term COACH perfectly: Raul Ibanez. Raul Ibanez had been a productive player for the … Read more

COMPOSURE: Fred Patek

This month’s “C” word has been COMPOSURE, which, in the “C” You In The Major Leagues lexicon, means that a person is calm in the eye of the storm; slows the game down; poised; and shows self-control. That usually described Royals Hall of Fame shortstop Fred Patek. With Patek being the August “Coaches with Character” honoree, we thought this would be a good time to remember more of Patek’s story, leading off with one when … Read more

COMPOSURE: Ed Temple

This month’s “C” word is COMPOSURE, which, in the “C” You In The Major Leagues lexicon means that a person is calm in the eye of the storm; slows the game down; poised; and shows self-control. With all that’s going on in the world today, the late Ed Temple comes to mind as a coach who embodied COMPOSURE (along with each of our other “C” words). The following is from interviews he did with our … Read more

COMPOSURE: Len Dawson

This month, our focus is on our “C” word, COMPOSURE, which includes: Being calm in the eye of the storm; Ability to slow the game down; Poise; Self-Control. All wonderful descriptions of Len Dawson, whom the Kansas City Chiefs announced Wednesday will be on the team’s radio broadcasts for one more season. With Wednesday’s announcement, our focus on the word COMPOSURE, and Dawson’s deserved nickname of “Lenny the Cool,” it seems fitting to feature him … Read more

Wiffle Ball at the Hollow a perfect success … almost

It’s safe to say our inaugural “Wiffle Ball at the Hollow” was a great success. People had fun in spite of the heat. There was free ice cream and coffee. And we exceeded our announced fundraising goal (more on that in the coming days). Perfect, right? Well, almost. During the lunch part, after our Founder and Executive Director Dayton Moore finished the Q&A, I got back up to thank our sponsors and announce the results … Read more

COMPETITOR: Jeff Montgomery

This month, our focus is on our “C” word, COMPETITOR, which includes: Desire & ability to compete; High expectations; Tough minded – ability to overcome; Brings the best out of teammates. On one hand, this might be the easiest categories to fill. After all, one doesn’t reach the major-league level without being a great competitor. However, perhaps no position exemplifies COMPETITOR as well as a great closer. In this case, it’s the Royals’ all-time saves … Read more

CONCENTRATION: Steve Busby and the Royals’ first no-hitter

This month, our focus has been on our “C” word, CONCENTRATION, which includes: Ability to focus; Hones instincts; Prepares with a purpose. One of the biggest accomplishments in baseball, the no-hitter, obviously has a lot to do with concentration. The following is a previously published piece by our Director, Matt Fulks, on Steve Busby’s first no-hitter, which happened to be the first in Royals’ history. And it happened to be 44 years ago today.   It takes … Read more

CONCENTRATION: Mark Gubicza

Throughout 2017, we’re focusing on people who embody one of our “C” traits. This month, it’s CONCENTRATION. The characteristics of leaders, in whatever field, who have CONCENTRATION include Ability to focus; Hones instincts; Prepares with a purpose. Many of the people we’re featuring could fit perfectly with our other “C” words, including Royals Hall of Fame player and Angels broadcaster Mark Gubicza. In case you haven’t heard about it, Gubicza had what his teammates called … Read more

How Herb Brooks took a bunch of kids, beat the Soviets and struck gold in ’80

During each of the remaining months in 2017, we’re going to focus on one of the “C” words that make the foundation of “C” You In The Major Leagues. So, starting in March, that leaves 10 months to go with 10 “C” words. Today, though, based on timing, we’re featuring a coach who, as we’ve learned since 1980, embodied each of the 10 words: Care, Character, Coach, Commitment, Competitor, Composure, Comprehension, Concentration, Confidence, and Courage. … Read more

“C” You At The “K” was a great success

The young man sheepishly walked up to me on his way to the buffet. He almost whispered when he asked, “Mr. Fulks, are we able to go through the line only one time or can I eat a little more food?” “Yes, please, go through as many times as you like! We want you guys to eat until the food is gone.” That may seem like a very basic conversation to many, but it’s one … Read more

Temple was a “C” leader through tumultuous times

  A sprinter’s success is measured in hundredths of a second. Therefore, a track coach’s success is dependent upon his runner’s ability to lean a little more at the tape, or an opponent’s brief slip out of the starting blocks, or some other cruel act of fate. As fate would have it, Ed Temple was a successful track coach. Some would say he was the best women’s track coach in the world. Maybe more accurately, … Read more

Summitt embodied “C” leadership

  The coach looked at his star player during the timeout, knowing that, if she could steal the ball, it would help cut the opponent’s five-point lead in the last couple of minutes. He still had four timeouts. “OK, you’re on defense,” the coach roared out to his star. The horn sounded, and the do-it-all player went back on the court on defense. As had been mapped out, she stole the ball from the bigger … Read more

Monday’s act of courage is a lesson to all of us

Forty years ago today, on April 25, 1976, Rick Monday had one of the best plays in the history of baseball. And it didn’t involve a bat or a ball or a glove. The following is a reprint of an article that Matt Fulks, Director of the “C” You In The Major Leagues Foundation and Dayton Moore’s co-author on “More Than A Season,” wrote for Kansas City’s Metro Sports in 2006 about that incredible moment. The … Read more

MTAS 2.0 is here!

Occasionally, I’m asked for “secrets” of writing a book. Although this isn’t necessarily what people are looking for, here’s a trade secret: most authors don’t go into a book project, particularly nonfiction, with the idea of adding new chapters and updating it for a re-release. On the contrary, speaking for myself, writing a book is usually so draining, mentally and physically, that I don’t even want to think about the subject again until the book … Read more

The leadership of Herb Brooks

  There aren’t many sporting events that have stuck with Americans as the U.S. Olympic hockey team’s win over the Soviet Union in 1980, and then subsequent gold medal win over Finland two days later. There are few people I’ve interviewed over the years as much as Kansas Citian Ken Morrow, who was a defenseman on that 1980 team. After all, the 1980 Olympic hockey win was one of my earliest non-KC-related sports memories. The … Read more

20 ideas for fathers and sons

This past weekend, as I was rummaging through some photos, I came across a few from a trip to Chicago that my oldest son and I took last year. See, my wife and I decided about 10 years ago that when each of our three children turned 13, we would take each on a trip of their choice — within the continental United States. My wife took our daughter to see some boy band in … Read more