SPORTS October 12, 2009 Issue

WHICH TEAM ARE YOU ROOTING FOR?

MARK SWINNEY

RECENTLY, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES pitcher Jamie Moyer told me that instead of working to be better than others, he just focuses on being a bit better than he was in his last game. No wonder he's enjoyed such an extraordinarily long and successful career!

Now, that's an approach I'd recommend to all the participants in this year's best-of-seven World Series baseball playoff between the champions of the American and National Leagues, which begins later this month. Especially, I might add, since players from Korea, Australia, Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan, Venezuela, and many other countries now compete on American teams, so that the World Series really is beginning to live up to its name.

I don't just like watching the championship games on TV. I love watching them! And because my friends know I once had a baseball career, they often ask which team I'm rooting for. Ever since my college days, that's been a difficult question to answer. Don't get me wrong. I'm a very competitive person, in that I believe in giving only my absolute best effort. But I also believe that an athlete's real competition lies only within himself or herself.