Don't Count Me Out Yet

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most of the beginning of this entry is on sport. You can skip all this sport talk and start reading from the big red and all caps "ENOUGH" still take time to read what has happened in sports anyway.
So is another superbowl coming up, fans are excited, everybody is expecting to see an amazing show. However, weeks ago that wasn't the story, in fact New York fans lost hope of any playoff. To make matters worse both teams the Jets and the Giants who were looking for a spot in the playoff had to face each other obviously destroying the other team's chances of playoff. The NY Giants were struggling most of the season, sometimes they would win games, they would stump the opponent or get stumped. Well the Giants won that game. In their division they had the Philadelphia Eagles who were playing a very hot football in the past few weeks (four wins in a row). The last thing the Giants wanted was face the Eagles on a extended season game. They had to win the next game against the Dallas Cowboys which they did eliminating any hopes for the Eagles.
They were counted out, in fact the coach's job was in jeopardy. Yet they are in the playoffs. On January 22 the no so favorite to win Giants (9-8) faced the San Francisco 49ers (13-4) surprisingly the game was a battle, going to a ridiculously low score 17-17 after the fourth quarter. Giants won on overtime 20-17. It was a shocker, the team everybody counted out took out one of the hottest team in the National Conference. Some fans probably don't believe this happened. But happened.
Ironically San Francisco also have a great sport story to talk about. To add more to the irony that team used to be called New York Giants too. Yes I talk about 2010 World Series Champions San Francisco Giants. When you have two teams like the Philadephia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves playing in the same division where clearly one of the two will have to take the division and the other fight a wild card spot, winning 90 games that season would not be enough to go to the playoff. The Giants found themselves in a fierce battle with Adrian Gonzales and the San Diego Padres for that playoff spot until the final game of the season. Ironically they faced each other. The Giants needed just one win to clinch the playoffs. However they lost their first two games against San Diego, they got it right on the third game and that was game number 162 of the season. They were the last team to classify for a playoff spot. They barely made it but they fought to the end. On the other side the Yankees would not face the Red Sox (89-73) they have a new nemesis TB Devil Rays who won 96 games Yanks took the wild card with 95. Minesota Twins (95 wins), Texas Rangers (90 wins), Yankees and the Rays would represent the American league that season. Yankees took care of the Twins, the Rangers took down the Devil Rays and the Rangers well they disrespected the Yankees in their own stadium to the point that nearly 90% of the "fans" left the stadium. Philadelphia Phillies the hottest team in the National league to the day (2012) was also the winningest team in the major leagues baseball they took home 97 wins, Atlanta Braves 91, Cincinati Reds 91 and Giants 92. This is how it went down. Philadelphia swept the Reds out of the playoff, Giants took care of the Braves to face the Phillies on a 7 games series they took the National leagues championship on 6 games. Texas who defeated the Yankees with "this is to hurt you deep" scores was the favorite to take the championship. The Giants didn't have that many big name players Tim Lincecum and closer Brian Wilson were perhaps the biggest name on that team at the time. Rangers had Nelson Cruz, Cliff Lee, rookie closer Neftali Feliz, Josh Hamilton, Mike Young, Ian Kinsler, Vlad Guerrero. This team was danger from the distance. For some unknown reasons they just couldn't stop the Giants, they got back all the insults they gave to the Yankees with one game in  particular ending 9-0 Giants. They barely made it to the playoff, yet they won the championship. Another story is that of Edgar Renterias  a pretty good short stop for many years. The 34 years old had lost much of the skills that made him a good to watch player. He was limited to 72 of 162 games. Ending with AVG 276 3HR 22RBI 332OBP. However in the World Series he hit 412 in 5 games 2HR 6RBI including two game winning hits including a 3 run homeruns the only runs of the team  making him just the 4th player to have two series winning hits in the history of MLB. The others are Yogi Berra, Lou Gehrig and Joe Dimaggio.
Boston Red Sox have their own story too in fact this one go down to history books, they did something that is hard to repeat. 2004 the wild card Red Sox faced the Yankees for the American League championship. Boston who lost the previous year, same series, same team lost game one (10-7), game 2  (3-1) game 3 (19-8). Everything was set for the Yankees to take the series. In fact on game four with one run lead they brought in their closer Mariano Rivera who allowed a tie, then a relief pitcher in allowed a walk off homerun in extra innings (12 innings) to David Ortiz. This followed a marathon (14 innings) game 5, then they struck hard on game 6. They were the only 0-3 team to reach game 6 but became the only team out of 26 to force a game 7. They went on to kill the Yankees on their own house with score 10-5. They scored 2 in the first, 4 in the second. They went on to sweep Albert Pujols' St Louis Cardinals also becoming the first team to have a 8 wins streak in the same postseason. They won their first World Series since 1918

ENOUGH NUMBERS. I  used sports because is something that you can read, something you can see a difference was made. I was having this conversation with Jenn the other night, yes we have some strange conversations. We were talking randomly and ended up talkign about how some people are invincible when things are going well. I pointed out that some people who get to that "invincible status" are not usually the ones who achieve it. For example in sports I have noticed that in most cases the ones who play harder are not exactly the stars. Some stars do play hard all game long don't get me wrong. But a big majority of them get too much credit for just putting a game out of reach. Sure the boss makes a lot of money. But who is the one who have to sort his/her mail? write his her reports, call clients, etc. They pay other people to do that work for them, to facilitate the work to him/her. But then we have to look at how much they had to do to get to that position. No position is just earned. You have to go through a lot of work and drama in order to reach it. How you reach it? by refusing to fall.
The Boston Red Sox of 2004 saw themselves about to be sent home every night after game 3 of the American League championship, in fact they were down on the 8th inning of game 4. But they never let down. This my friend this is what make the difference between being an embarrasing loss or a glorious win. I believe I made a reference about this in an early entry I think had to do with giving up. But there was a quote there talking about how some people are faced with adversity and let themselve go on a free fall. Others are faced with adversity and act like a bouncing ball. They get up fast and stronger than ever. Look at the Boston Red Sox of 2004. Everything was going terrible for them, but they didn't want to see the Yankees celebrating on their stadium. Mariano Rivera is a great closer, one of my favorite players for his demeanor and how serious he works. They stood up to him and made him blow a save. That was the last time the Yankees held the lead the entire season. They got fired up and just swept through the next team. Any team reaching post-season is a good team, specially that one reaching the world series. Yet they made it look easy because when you work hard, things are going your way, the day looks like a walk in the park. "Victor I work hard and I'm tired I don't see results? are you working hard or hardly working? let me tell you, complaining will not help your cause but drain energy away not letting you see what you are achieving. Keep on the hard work, nobody assured that results will be instantly and if someone assure instant results, there has to be something wrong.
It's tough to be against the wall, but you have to understand that this is when you have to show what you are made of, this is when you have to make things happen, this is when you have to prove yourself. If you can succeed in adversity, you surely will succeed everyday after when things are good. I know of a man by the name Jim Myers who can't feel any comfortable if he's not in an uncomfortable situation. I saw him speak one day, he has a very successful business netting him 2.3+ millions a year. Business runs itself he has couple of people making a million and a few more getting close to a million. Yet when I last saw him speaking he was thinking of restarting the business, forget this one, that monster has a life of it own, how about starting all over again and see if he can do the same. Crazy? yeah maybe, but if he succeeds he would be crazy rich well double of what he is.
I am one who thinks that when things are going too smooth, there have to be something wrong somewhere. I know that life will always give me a slap in the face, there's always going to be some difficulty somewhere. You have to be prepared for the difficulties because they are going to be there. If you are expecting everything to be easy, you chose the wrong program (life).
Even when everything seems to be a lost cause you still have to give it your all. Let's take a look at sports for example. How many baseball games have been won in a comeback on the last inning, walk-off hits? How many basketball games have been won on a final shot? I bet you can't count them, is far too many. Because the game is not over until one side give away just make sure you are not the side giving away. You can't expect to win if you are thinking of defeat. If you think you are not going to win, that's the first step to losing, you have programmed yourself to lose.

I will be back pretty soon

Weird MLB Season yet?

Clockwise Wilson Valdez, Derek Jeter, Vladimir Guerrero and Mariano Rivera

This blog focuses on many other topic rarely on sports or anything else. Regular season for Major League Baseball finished last Wednesday and it was the weirdest season I have in memory, also was a season of milestones for many other players as well. Starting with the weird.
May 25 Phillie's Second Baseman Wilson Valdez recorded a win while pitching a perfect top of the 19th inning and got the win. This is not so rare because Colorado catcher Brent Mayne became the last position player to record a win back in August 22, 2000. This game started on May 25th 2011 at 8:00PM ET and concluded somewhere around 2AM on May 26th.
I don't remember what game was it I was just shuffling around channels and didn't see this clearly I couldn't find the information online neither but an umpire got injured during a game. This is weird because umpires get hurt but not this way. Umpires specially home plate umpires get hurt by foul balls, missed pitches but this umpire in particular suffered a right knee sprain.

Dexter Fowler suffering a knee injury couldn't finish the at bat (yahoo news)

Tuesday May 10, 2011 Usually when rain pours into a game the umpire wait for the at bat to be over, an at bat is never stopped. Only that this particular day was supposed to happen in Coors field Colorado. With two outs nobody on base no offense was expected so let's finish this inning shall we? As Dexter Fowler went through his at bat the rain and lighting got stronger to the point that the game had to be stopped 2 balls, 2 strikes 2 outs Mets leading 4-3 in the bottom of the 7th inning this could be a pretty long seventh inning stretch. The game was stopped after Fowler refused to strike out fouling a couple of pitches. The game resumed 50 minutes later with a new pitcher Jason Isringhausen. In Isringhausen first pitch Fowler fouled another one this time off his own left knee and couldn't finish the at bat. So time to bring a new batter and Ryan Spilborghs was walked three pitches later. This is the first time this ever happened. To get this at bat even weirder one of the members of the ground crew got trapped under the tarp.
The highest offensive team this season was Boston Red Sox led the led the American league in most stats run scored, hits, double, second in batting average, second in homeruns (Jacobi Ellsbury increased from 8 homeruns two years ago, broken rib played 18 games in 2010 to 32 HR in 2011) Red Sox also had 2 hitters leading the league in hits, five batters hitting over 300, and two batters among the top 10 in RBI. You could say this team would this team would win it all. Really? (see team stats here ESPN)
September 28, 2011 the final day of the regular season saw four teams fighting for the final remaining spot for the playoff. Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay devil Rays in the american league. Tampa facing AL east winners Yankees, Offensive machine Boston facing AL east basement Baltimore Orioles. You could say Red Sox won? wrong. Many rumors go around that the Yankees gave up the games so they don't face their nemesis (Yankees lost season series to Red Sox 9-3). In the national league Atlanta and St Louis were also looking for a playoff spot. What would make this season more than weird would be a game number 163 featuring Devil Rays vs Red Sox and St Louis Vs Atlanta.
September 26 I have heard about player trade but manager trade? Ozzie Guillén left the white sox with two days remaining in the season and one year remaining in his contract. He opted out of his contract with the White Sox, team that he led to become the world champions of 2005. September 27 he signed with the Marlins to become their manager in 2012. The marlins sent two minor league pitchers to White Sox. Ozzie played 12 years for the White Sox and managed the team since 2004.

ACHIEVEMENTS
This season was a season of achievements for many other players as well let see some of those
July 9, 2011 Well liked Athlete Derek Jeter became the #28 player in the history to accumulate 3000 on his first at bat on a full count he went deep at Yankee Stadium off Tampa Bay ace David Price. All his hits are with the Yankees he's also Yankee's all time leader in hits, and first Yankee ever to get 3000 hits. Jeter is a low key player rarely on controversy, hardworking, good leader and this is why he's among my favorite athletes.
September 14 Perhaps the most unlucky pitcher Tim Wakefield reached win #200 the 44 years old finally did it. Every time he pitches either his knuckeball get deciphered and smashed around the stadium or the relief pitcher destroy his game.
September 4 Adrian Beltré collected hit #2000 off former team Boston Red Sox (picture is from last year when he played for Boston he wears #29 for Texa Rangers)
August 8 Michael Young collect hit number 2000 all of them with Texas Rangers
September 19 Mariano Rivera 602nd save surpasses Trevor Hoffman (601) Not lying but at some point Yankees and Mets were my favorite teams still hold two of those good Yankees Mariano is one of them.
September 27 Apparently was a month for milestones Vlad Guerrero became the number one in hits among Dominican players collecting hit #2587 in 16 seasons passing Julio Franco (who also played in the Mexican League, Japan league) hits in those leagues don't count in the MLB. Looking for 3000 within the next 2 years? we have to wait and see.
September 28 closed the season and José Valverde saved 49 games in 49 attempts for Detroit Tigers
September 28 Jose Reyes of the New York Mets closed the batting title with a bunt single in the bottom of the first inning. Reyes increased his batting average from 282 the previous year to 337. In fact Reyes was batting 351 when he went down with injury he was #1 in MLB in hits and #2 in BA behind Adrian Gonzalez (359) both of these players struggled big time to a point that Reyes hit 330. Reyes increased his batting avg 55 points to become the first Mets ever to win a batting title in 49 years of existence of the franchise.

Weird things happened and many milestones also happened. By the way, every Mets fan like me know of  the  black cat game. I don't know if was some Mets fan who brought a black cat to the game vs Marlins and let it loose to create buzz but a black cat ran into the game at sun life stadium this September and back into the stands. On the original black cat game the Mets came from a deficit to become the world series champions in 1969. These Mets we have right now? Honestly all they miss is homerun power this year they only had 108 homeruns Ranking them 13 of 16 David Wright diminished from 29 last year to 12, Jason Bay if he returns healthy next year will be interesting he had 12 this year vs 6 last year and 44 the previous year with Red Sox, Ike Davis hit 7 HR this year he was 5th in the league before going down with injuries. The Mets tied first in doubles, 3rd in triples, first in hits, 2nd in Batting average, but struggled badly in games saved, ERA, too many blown saves, and HR. If the Mets stay healthy, sign Reyes, lock Wright next season, improve pitching and bring a closer to help Isringhausen it will be an interesting 2012 season for the Mets. Orioles just need to be consistent, KC as well. It got to the point that I though I would see Orioles, KC and Pirates in the playoff just to make the season more strange but they lost far too many consecutive games and saw themselves in familiar territories.
Ok I don't want to bring politics to my blog but I already expressed the Yanks are not my favorite team. The Yankees have a fine closer in Mariano Rivera a great second baseman in Cano and a good short stop in Jeter. Very professional guys not controversial. They will go down just as Bernie Williams no problem just a good athlete. Currently the Yanks are just a team collecting cleanup hitters they have in the lineup Texeira from Texas, (previous #25 was Oakland's Jason Giambi) Swisher from white Sox, Granderson (hybrid lead-off and cleanup) from Detroit. But they couldn't buy Lee who destroyed them on the playoff of 2010 haha. Talking about that playoff Yanks have the worst fans in sports. While Texas was mopping Yankee Stadium with their beloved Yankees all *fans ran away like roaches rather than stick by their team to the end. I though I was seeing a game from Arlington Park most fans were Rangers' and even the seats are blue (they are there when the team is winning only don't fully trust their team). Mets on the other hand are not that successful but it fans have learned to see their team either crash hard after almost winning to see the team escaping from a sure beat down to win the game. This is what you see when you stay the whole 27 outs didn't Yanks fans learned their lessons from the 2004 ALCS? Boston Red Sox were losing after losing all of the first 3 games just one out away from losing they came back and won the game and all other 3 to take the series 4-3. Boston Red Sox 2004 showed is possible if you believe and you truly battle. By the way the Yankees became the first team to lose 4 games in a row after winning the first 3.
The Yankees are also a bunch of cheap shot cheap win team. There was another weird event this season and was VS the orioles. They resumed play at 2:15 AM under a rainy muddy Yankees Stadium September 6. Then played again in the mud and more rain on September 7 less than 18 hours after the start of the previous game. They expected their already "superior" team would take an easy win but wasn't that way the Orioles lost the first game in a very long battle, then took the second game despite both teams being very tired. Baseball rules for all those who don't know baseball, if a game starts and for any reason (snow, rain, or other) get suspended after the bottom of the fifth inning, any team that is winning wins, if the home team is in losing but batting in the fifth inning they should wait for the home team to take the lead or the game should be resumed later. Was the plan for both games but didn't work. The Yankees were looking for a quick win which made me dislike the team more. (don't judge me is my point of view and I'm not looking to offend nobody)

I will be back soon with a brand new entry.
*Fan= someone who show devotion to something or someone no matter what happens

It's not over until is over

To be honest I wasn't ready for this article, my focus was toward 1 particular topic. That article will be out next week.
When you are a baseball fan, this is a familiar phrase. This week has proven this phrase and I'm not talking about baseball I'm not talking about the Texas Rangers finally in the ALCS. While I'm typing this, rescuers in Chile have put hours trying to bring back to surface 33 miners. Guys honestly, this is news worth watching. I don't know what religion you might practice if any but I'm a Cristian and every time I saw one person coming out successfully I would say thanks God. I fell asleep with the TV on, I woke up this morning and Telemundo 47 New York said in it screen obviously in Spanish 11 miners rescued 22 to go. Again I said thanks God.

Screen Shot MSNBC broadcast of the rescue in Chile 10/13/10

But the biggest news here is not them coming out, thanks to technology and a lot of work there's not doubt they will come out. When I heard of the plans of a capsule going to pick them up one by one. I knew it was going to be a success because they won't put people's life in the line like that. I was worried that they would start a fight wanting to be the first in the capsule survival of the fittest. But it wasn't that way, these guys worked as a team. I though I would see them low spirited but what I got was some guys looking all happy and in perfect conditions and to what TV show me, they seem like coming out of a vacation or something like that.Sometimes we have to get to work as a team, they all wanted to be the last to leave, my team first then me. That should be the attitude people like to feel special. Help someone and help yourself.

Screen shot the Today's show Mario Sepulveda get out with great spirit bringing souvenirs, and crying victory to fellow miners awaiting outside. 

 These 33 names and faces would be remembered for many specially in Chile and Bolivia (1 miner was from Bolivia the only foreign) But no one like Mario Sepulveda. He showed all a lesson of keeping hopes alive, he showed us all to remain ourselves keep out composure regardless of what's going on around you. It's not over until is over, it is not over until I can breathe and turn things around. And if you think people don't get inspired by that, how come everybody remember Mario or Super Mario as I heard someone I forgot her name referred him by on the Today's Show? Man I saw that guy's actions I though he was a Texas Rangers fan. I was watching the ALDS while watching the first few rescues. I saw the Texas Rangers win and celebrate, I switch channels and I see this guy celebrating jumping all over the places. I though I didn't change channels at all. If I don't explain the picture to you, you might think was a singer in front of his crowd, that's not the kind of scene you expect in a rescue site. Emotive yes, euphoric well maybe but not that much. When her sister was interviewed, she said it wasn't a surprise that's how Mario is, all she expects is that this didn't affected his attitude that don't change him at all. God I hope the same we need people like that in this world.
Faced with the biggest lost this guy didn't lose hope, he can't do nothing but stay alive. He even picked souvenirs from the undeserved prison. He, faced the loss of his life yet he didn't lose his composure, he didn't lose hope he would not lose. The question here is why do you? why do you give up when everything come out wrong? Why do you? There's only one person who can keep you from losing, there's only one person that can take you out of the defeat and that's you. I heard a couple of years ago from one speaker in the business I'm in that you don't talk down to yourself you never tell defeat in your cause or you will be killing your success. You are killing yourself before the big game.

Raul Bustos Jr Abc Español

In order to succeed you have to fall many times and if you are familiar with my blogs you can tell I showed you many examples already in previous postings. Another thing you shouldn't have in mind is fear, fear to face adversity fear to stand up for what you believe, fear to just do what you do. Raúl Bustos Jr. Is a survivor to an earthquake and a tsunami that shook Chile Earlier this year. After surviving the fury of nature the last place you want to be is underground. He is a hydraulic mechanic and he accepted a job offer to work in the mine. If he's part of this article you guessed right, he's one of the miners trapped. He survived the Tsunami and the Earthquake, and is set to survive this other disaster. Bad luck? maybe no, see nobody want to test how much they want to live nobody want to test nothing about how much they want something, but maybe is an opportunity for him to look at his life and say I was given 4 opportunities to live, what I have done with my life so far? what do I have to do? Do I feel happy in my current situation? Lucky Raul he got four chances is like playing video games or something like that. But many of us get one chance and that's it. So I would sit down and analyze those questions Raul might ask himself later, I want you to sit down and ask yourself those questions. Life is precious and we better make out time here well worth it.
Everyday just thank for all you got and what you are going to get, have clear where you are going and always be excited.

Give up or Try again? Quit or continue?

I think many of us are faced with this question everyday of our life. The question is what would you do? What do you do when every odd seems to be against you, when the universe seem to confabulate against you?
I am a strong believer that all of us have a purpose in life and all of us have the opportunity to either find that purpose or give up and end up a loser. See I also believe that there's enough riches in the country, there's enough riches in the world for each of us to live good. But haven't you ask yourself why do we have guys like Donald Thrump, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs. Three extremely rich guys who obviously have a system to put people to work for them. Then we have Art Williams compared to these guys why is this guy special? Well just a football coach, who saw the need to create a company to help people who were overlooked by those big financial institutions, he is not as rich as those mentioned before but definitely a big name. He gave away his football for a new passion.
However these guys all have something in common, something that not many of us have; and that, is attitude I'm not talking about the attitude of being rude to people no, is the thirst to do something great, is the attitude of saying this is my ground I'm doing my thing I don't care how many times I fail, is the faith of doing what you believe in despite all difficulties remaining grounded to what you believe in.
I had the opportunity of reading the book "Thrump 101" where Donald Thrump talks about how much in debt he got I believe was several billions while you worry about couple of thousands. He believed he could make profits from his business, and he did he is one of the greatest name when it comes to real state. Steve Jobs started a great company Apples computers, however he got fired from his own company. How in heaven can you get fired from your own company? See, he had two choices try again hopefully he gets fired from the new company he creates next or sit down and be a loser tell everyone how close he was from making it to the big leagues and got bumped. What did he do? According to an article published in success magazine couple of months ago he created a new company, then created Pixar, pixar was so huge that bough apple computers when it was about to crash down. Well after the first Ipod you guys know how big apple became. I had no idea what apple computers was until I saw an Ipod. Now I believe they do everything with I including Igo, Idid nah just joking. But are you seeing the trend? These people don't give up they just come back stronger every time they fall. Gates? well if you are a windows user like me, you already know he left college to start Microsoft computers. Why? well maybe he though now was his time he couldn't wait, he had faith in what he wanted to accomplish.
Williams he saw himself in a tough spot when his father died leaving his mother with little life insurance benefits, he found out his family could have done better if they knew a little secret shared only by those with money. He found a company that did exactly that and since he couldn't do it for his family, he did say it to other families. He though of a system he developed that system on that company but the company failed, moved to another one but he found out his system wasn't a fit there and others were making money based on his and his people's efforts. Learning he had a strong passion powered by what happened to his family about 12 years before and noticing his passion didn't diminished a bit after going through so much in other companies he started his own company with his own system, his ideas, his people his personal experiences and very importantly his drive, determination and passion. Obviously he had faith in what he was doing, he though he was doing the best for others, but the other companies were pissed because their clients were running to Mr. Williams. He got a bunch of lawsuits from these others but guess what? He kept on going, his purpose was stronger than what was going on around.
John C. Maxwell in a recent issue of Success Magazine talks about two kinds of people the splatters and the bouncers which one are you. The splatter that when something wrong happen you stay down afraid of going back up, afraid of doing it again. Or the bouncer that no matter what happens you will always always look for a way to go back on top, have a burning desire to try it again.

And by the way if you are worrying about failing, Check what one of the most outstanding athletes had to say.

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Many of you know Michael Jordan for his sneakers, but for those old enough to remember him playing the guy was an ace, some kind like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony well you get the idea. Yet he knows that missing shots is part of the game. Ted Williams hit over 400 3 of his 19 seasons 344 for his career. He's is considered one of the best hitters in baseball. Yet he failed more than what he succeeded. If he took a thousand turns at bat he only hit 344 of them which mean he failed 656 times. Coloner Sanders was turned down by 1009 restaurants before one last restaurant accepted and became the KFC we know, We might not know of the light bulb if Thomas Edison gave up after losing most of his fortune in a bunch of inventions that failed. I can tell you of so many almost defeat then super success that I read about I can write a whole 10 pages on that.
What I'm saying is, if there's possibility of success after near failure, what is stopping you? Why don't you give yourself a chance to something great?