Along with many other Sox fans, I have had to endure watching a White Sox team for the past few weeks that seems to have given up on this season. I have no doubt that they are trying as hard as they say they are. But still the fire, intensity and excitement that comes with being in the middle of a divisional race seem to be lacking. Instead the players seem tired and unfocused.
Yes, they won today with some late-inning heroics by Paul Konerko after a two-hour rain delay, but is it enough? The Sox need to run the table and hope for help from other teams playing the Twins and the Tigers.
When you watch a team or athlete, you can tell when they're just running through the motions and when they're giving it their all. The Sox seem to be doing the former when they should be doing the latter.
This season's version of the White Sox have forgotten the grinder rules, the rules made popular last season and with best describes the style of play and winning attitude that typified the 2005 team. Someone should remind the 2006 players of the following three grinder rules:
* Rule #5: Play as if every pitch is a full count. Every inning, the ninth. Every game, game seven.
* Rule #23: When all is said and done, make sure you've "done" more than you said.
And the most important one:
* Rule #61: There is no "i" in team, but there is one in quit.
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