El Bat Nu? What is That??
Here’s a hint . . . It’s the group of letters at the end of a very important word.
Here’s another hint . . . The word can make-or-break a team depending on whether or not all players and coaches hold themselves to be . . .
Accountable.
El Bat Nu.
The New Bat.
Yes, I did come close to over-analyzing the word; however, I have the power to blog like I own the place. And, I’m always confident that I posses hidden talents to predict and explain the past, present, and occasionally the future.
Accountable can be found in the dictionary with several definitions and possible spelling options. Needless to say, the noun, adverb, and adjective all end-up resting on the players and coaches.
I don’t care about all the explanations and translations, because a well-directed, emotion-on-sleeve-wearing team focuses on simplicity; therefore, all that’s needed is found between the following quotation marks:
“Responsibility to someone or for some activity.”
The simple breakdown for Upper Management, Willie, and his Metropolitans; Omar and the Wilpon’s are accountable for resource support and leadership of Willie; and Willie is held accountable for leadership, guidance, support, understanding, emotion, production, and a lead-by-example attitude for his players; finally, all players—youngens and veterans respectively—are accountable for leadership, emotion, production, lead-by-example veteran leadership, teamwork, and a strong desire to win for themselves and for the most passionate fans in the world!
The New Bat tells us that the accountability level has been too low, and it’s time for a new page to turn. The players and their manager have the most control day-in and day-out to display responsibility and effort, thus, we all deserve better than what we’ve seen.
Willie has been too quiet for too long, and is just now—two-months later—showing an emotional pulse. We all know how Randolph has been the poster-man for New York coolness, calmness, and collectiveness; he seemed to have played The Invisible Man during a NY Yankees era where everyone other than Randolph made newspaper headlines and a relationship with controversy. Not Willie.
Moreover, times have changed, and I hope Willie can understand enough that it’s not all about him these days, and you cannot run from New York fans and media. Yes, he is Willie Randolph, having said that, when New York fans expect excellence and winning, you better put that ego in a back pocket and make a difference. The team remains a .500 ball club. That is unacceptable.
Further, I do believe Randolph has a spark inside him; I mean c’mon—he did play the sport for quite some time—so I know he does not enjoy losing. Additionally, we know about Delgado’s “break” for a few-days that now has Delgado jogging off the field with a dirty jersey.
I want to see Willie take-one-for-the-team by first accepting the fact that criticism directed his way is nothing personal. The fans want and deserve the best. And, these same fans do not give free-passes to players and coaches just because they’re considered a New Yorker. A championship must be earned, preceded with year-in and year-out expectations of being a contender.
Mark Messier will always have partial ownership of New York since he brought a Stanley Cup to New York for the first-time in 54-years. Mark Messier – The Messiah – will always be a New Yorker. Randolph hasn’t proved anything as a manager, and his work continues to be an upward battle. A championship must be within grasp, with consistent, year-in and year-out expectations of being a contender.
Finally, as I’ve said all along, each-and-every player, coach, and personnel must be held accountable. The youngens need to learn, produce, communicate, and earn respect. The veterans need to guide, teach, produce, communicate, and lead-by-example. The coaches and personnel need to support, guide, communicate, teach, lead, manage, and provide resources.
A good team takes pride in their work. A good team remains accountable.
