Dig this poem written about a real baseball manager, who players respected and won for.
The bold is mine, for emphasis.
Ode to Dick Howser
He wore highway patrol sunglasses
shades for day games
shadows for his eyes
helped him distance
from us players
peered at us if
looking over a wall
as season
heat
games
compressed
for pitchers' meetings
he wore little half glasses
glanced over his nose
gazed at papers
said the same things
every time
"up and in, down and away"
"don't throw fastballs for strikes to their
hot hitter with the game on the line"
"if you pitch in, make it WAY in"
played the same nine guys
same line-up
same seven or eight pitchers
not a chess master
no computer print-outs
hated bunting
disdained the hit and run
told us in his sparse meetings
he said
"we're as good as anybody,
season's gonna get tough
we're gonna get sick of each other
it's gonna get hot
we're gonna get tired
have bad calls
and we'll have injuries
but PISS ON IT!
LET'S GO GET IT DONE!
get ourselves in position
make a run at it in September"
it became our motto
PISS ON IT! LET'S GET IT DONE!
and when it all came
heat
injuries
bad calls
fatigue
as it was prophesied
we also recognized
our position in september
when he was gone
they had a night for him
a salute
speeches
banners
silence
all I could think was
something's missing
the wrong signs are up
where was Dick's message?
PISS ON IT
LET'S GET IT DONE
and I remember
in Fort Myers spring-training field
we sat dripping sweat
Dick's last speech
the last supper
he was no longer
a feisty distant general
Dick said he was tired
go on without him
baseball's just a game
try to win
but go on if you don't
no more piss on it
no more let's get it done
this small man
who fought big
now looked us in the eyes
just a man
who no longer talked of winning
but hinted at life beyond champagne
now is the 10th anniversary
of the series championship team
and Dick is nearly ten years gone
we mix and mingle
laugh and tell stories
eat good food and drink fine wine
what would he say?
would he be looser?
warmer? more open?
or closed and hidden
still with weighted shoulders?
oh we'll laugh and tell stories
it will border on mythology
and we'll tell reporters
we were so good
such a close knit team
we had such heart and character
some of us will remember
our leader who said
PISS ON IT
LET'S GET IT DONE
who didn't over-manage
let us play
let veterans police the team
and always saved
that pat on the back