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Maddon's baseball advice good for everyone

I believe Len Casper's Oct. 4 front page article, "Why players don't feel pressure like the fans do" did not give nearly enough credit to manager Joe Maddon for fostering that calm confidence.

In my 60 years as a fan, I believe the Cubs have had four "A" level managers - Leo Durocher, Dallas Green, Rusty Baker and Lou Piniella. Each was good; each had a degree of success. But in my opinion, each allowed his ego to get in the way, fancying himself to be the savior of the poor, suffering Cub fans.

Each pressured his team into eventual failure.

Maddon, I feel, is grade "A-plus-plus."

The others seemed to say, "World championship or bust" (and we've had 108 years of bust). Maddon says "Embrace the target," a delightful double-entendre, realizing the target other players see on the Cubs' collective back.

More importantly, he says "Don't let the pressure exceed the pleasure." That's not just good advice for the Cubs. It's a pearl for us all, in so many endeavors of life.

Bruce Bedingfield

Hoffman Estates

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