Liar!

[DOUGHBOYS]

We're all liars. Every one of us.
Worse, we lie to ourselves too.
Outwardly, we'll tell others about the awesome, great, almost unbeatable opponents in our league. We'll say our draft spot was given to us as punishment for not attending Church more often. That we have no chance.
We know better. We do.
We know that each one of us firmly believes that we have a chance to be Champion. If we didn't believe it, I wouldn't be writing this and you, my friend, wouldn't be reading this.
Inwardly, we KNOW we're one of the best.

The extent of our lies are boundless. It doesn't stop with telling anybody who will listen that there are former Champs in our draft and we don't have a chance. It goes much further.
I lie everyday to myself.
Here's an example...
I firmly believe that Billy Hamilton will be sent to the Minors when it is discovered that Major League pitchers knock the bat out of his hands.
FIRMLY believe that.
So, there is no way I would take Hamilton in the fifth. What a waste of a pick.
No way I would take him in the sixth. Still a waste.
In the seventh...ok he becomes a thought. A little.
In the eighth...ok more than a thought, I may consider even drafting him.
In the ninth..I'll take him.
So, let's review.
I firmly believe a player will be in the minors, yet I will take him in the ninth.
I'm such a liar. FIRMLY, my ass.
A part of me HAS to believe that Hamilton may survive Big League pitching. It's a small part. Still, the word 'firmly' becomes pretty wimpy when it comes to four rounds of separation.

Same thing happens all the time. We say we will never take a player. At the same time, it is hard to pass on a bargain. And we take that player.
We'll map out a strategy for a draft and shortly after it begins, we're already saying, 'Aw, screw it!'
We don't call bullshit on ourselves. In fact, we'll backslap ourself and say 'we adjusted' or that we zigged while others zagged.
What a load.

We say we'll never get caught short on Saves or steals again. Then comes that last choice between Veras, Revere, and Lincecum....and we take Lincecum.
Why do we do it?
Don't we listen to ourselves?
Don't we hear ourselves?
Our wives accuse us of not listening to them. They would find it amusing that we don't even listen to ourselves.

We'll make a promise to ourselves and say, "We'll never start that player again!"
And then we do.
And we'll say it again the next week.
And do it again.
And when we don't play him, that player we'll go off and have a great day.
We'll then say we're 'jinxed'.
Uh huh.

[Money]

We're all liars. Every one of us.
Worse, we lie to ourselves too.
Outwardly, we'll tell others about the awesome, great, almost unbeatable opponents in our league. We'll say our draft spot was given to us as punishment for not attending Church more often. That we have no chance.

I believe this is the intrduction to the Glen Lowy Autobiography.