Are you ready when you get your shot? Are you always in BETA?
One of my greatest mentors in life, Kevin Carroll, asked me a question a decade ago: “Yogi, are you always in Beta?” Over a coffee in Portland, he shared his rationale. If your life was an app, are you always updating it? Are you always working on your craft? And when you get your shot, will you be ready to take it?
Eileen Gu took that a step further this past week when she said, “I train like I’ve never won and I compete like I’ve never lost.”
I thought a lot about that on Saturday while calling Notre Dame at Purdue on NBC, and I witnessed it while watching incredible finishes late on the East Coast.
The big picture in college football yesterday was that road teams had the composure to win, and win late. The Ducks winning late vs USC, Iowa winning on the literal final snap, Boise State dominating Western Michigan, Nebraska winning in East Lansing, UCLA running away with a win against Maryland, P.J. Fleck’s Gophers winning late at Washington, and more.
While flying back West, my mind keeps going to that quote: “I train like I’ve never won and compete like I’ve never lost.”
That’s the mentality Iowa’s offense had to have with two seconds left to win in the Big House. That’s the approach Drake Lindsey had to have across the country in Husky Stadium. And that’s how the entire Oregon team had to walk into the Coliseum last night against USC.
Which leads me to Dylan Raiola. Since he arrived in Eugene, he’s seemingly been in Beta, working on his craft and preparing for if and when his name was called.
I have a soft spot for QBs, especially 5-Star QBs. It led to authoring the book with Joey Roberts. My favorite line in the book is from Chip Kelly. He wrote, “It doesn’t matter if the virtual world is criticizing you or praising you. Praise and blame are all the same. That door swings both ways. Better to keep it closed.”
It’s easier said than done.
Dylan Raiola arrived at Nebraska with acclaim and expectations. Praise came from everywhere, and when things were challenging, blame did as well. It’s part of the deal when you play QB in any era, let alone the NIL one.
I’d argue it’s even harder now than before. While the bank account grows, the capacity to manage pressure may not. In fact, sometimes QBs need to take a break, or a breath, more than anything.
After being injured against USC last fall, Raiola got that. In the months that passed, he found himself in a new environment in Eugene, and as we’ve shared here dozens of times, Dan Lanning front-loads the principles of his program: Connection, Growth, Toughness and Sacrifice. Last night, those were tested, and on display.
Look, managing adversity is what college football is all about. And ironically, so is life.
As I land in LA, I find myself smiling wide at what Dylan Raiola has had to navigate, and that when his name was called, he didn’t flinch.
And I’d bet he’s navigating praise in a newfound way this Sunday. As he should.
For the teams that lost this weekend, it’s all about recovery. Mentally, emotionally and physically. After being on the road for the past nine weeks, it’s the same on this end. Which is why we’ve loved partnering with Recovery for Athletes here at Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth. Recovery for Athletes is the #1 online retailer for athlete recovery and wellness products, and they have it all. From saunas and cold plunges to nutritional supplements and fitness equipment, they’re the one-stop shop for all the best brands in the game. When I’m traveling across the country, recovery comes before film study, every time, on both the front end and the back end of the week. Be sure to check them out at RecoveryForAthletes.com.
Lastly, calling Notre Dame vs. Purdue felt no different than the 200+ games I’ve called in the past, but the lead-up and postgame are always different when calling an ND game.
As a kid, I was a massive ND fan and like many high school athletes in Pennsylvania, dreamt of playing in that stadium. So much so that in every high school game, I wore a Ron Powlus summer camp t-shirt under my pads.
Seeing Ron in pregame brought me right back to being a kid in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Growing up there, most football fans had two choices: Penn State or Notre Dame. So hearing from so many old friends who I would play backyard football back in the 80s and 90s after the game was amazing. It served as a powerful reminder that sports are the ultimate connector in life. They allow bonds to be formed, conversations to be had and memories to be made.
Walking out of the broadcast booth yesterday I kept thinking that this years ND team is as complete as any they have had under Marcus Freeman and the expectations for them are legit.
With that said, we’re about to land, and I’m hoping to make some memories with our two sons today as we soak up some sunshine and sand on the final Sunday in September.
Time is flying. Thanks for the community here, and I hope your weekend was just as you envisioned it… and that you, too, are staying in Beta.
Much love and stay steady,
Yogi
Not so long ago, after a tough loss, Coach Lanning met with the press & explained what went wrong. There wasn't a trace of mean spiritedness in his voice. He still had that twinkle in his eye.
Why? Cuz Lanning is a mentally healthy guy. I watched USC's de facto Offensive Coordinator, Lincoln Riley, meet with the press after his own tough loss yesterday. He was asked ONE tough question. And --just as he did after last year's loss to Oregon--- he responded in a way that brought back unwanted memories of Faye Dunaway's "I'm crazy just under the surface" performance in "Network" ....
In the old Warner Brothers' cartoons the mice would tease a cat until a trapdoor would open on the cat's forehead and a little cuckoo bird would emerge. It's funny to watch in a cartoon...it's not funny to watch in a post game presser. Teams play better when their coach gives concrete evidence of being able to deal with honest criticism and has the decency & sportsmanship to acknowledge someone has just bested him.