Playoff Attitude

Major League Baseball decided to change the playoff format to bring more excitement throughout the year. The change allows one more wild card team to make the playoffs. The two wild card teams will then have a one game play off. The winner gets to play in the divisional play offs and the loser goes home.

With this new format of course, you have some players that love it and others that, shall we say just aren't fond of it. This year the Atlanta Braves earned one of the wild card playoff spots with a couple weeks still to play in the regular season. With only a few days left in the season the other wild card spot was earned by the St. Louis Cardinals.

The media asked the players what they thought of the new playoff format. Chipper Jones, one of the greatest Atlanta Braves players to ever play for the organization was one of those players asked. He said he was not a fan of the changes. In one game too many things can go wrong. The ball can take a bad bounce and the better team could lose. There is too much riding on a one game playoff. When the St. Louis Cardinals manager, Mike Matheny, was asked the same question here is how he answered. "We are ecstatic with the new format. If it wasn't for the new format we would be packing to go home right now. We love it!"

Can you guess who won the one game playoff between the Braves and Cardinals? To be honest, I wasn't surprised. Chipper wasn't the only Atlanta player to share his opinion of unhappiness before the game. The St. Louis manager wasn't the only Cardinal to share his opinion of excitement with the new format. I believe the "playoff" attitude had everything to do with the outcome of the Braves losing. The Braves players didn't have a positive attitude going into the game. They were down and unhappy with the situation they were in. On the other hand, the opposition was excited and had a great attitude going into the game.

Attitude has a great deal to do with success or lack of it. What is your attitude when it comes to your success? Are you in a situation that is unfair? Did you lose a job, not get the promotion you wanted, or lose the game because of a bad call? I recommend that you start with your attitude if you want to change the outcome. Don't get caught up in the unfairness of the situation. Life happens and we are all in different places. Where the attitude goes so do you.