The Jedburgh Podcast #003: The Boston Red Sox Second Baseman and Broadcaster – Jerry Remy
In loving memory of our friend, mentor and member of our Jedburgh Team - Jerry Remy (1952-2021). We will miss you.
In Major League Baseball the glory you see on the field is a very small part of the whole story. As a player, there must exist a dedication to greatness and a commitment to excellence that transcends the field; even at the end of a baseball career. Second Baseman Jerry Remy became a legend in the game and in the broadcasting booth having been inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame, elected President of Red Sox Nation, and his 32 years as the NESN color analyst for the Red Sox.
In one of his last full length interviews, Jerry shows us how to overcome inexperience and lack of skill by focusing on our core strengths and dedicating ourselves to perfecting the fundamentals. He shares the mentality required to perform in the moment and under extreme pressure, and how we can overcome devastating injury, depression and anxiety. Jerry also explains why the 2004 Red Sox team is the best team in history, how managers have been forced to evolve to coach a younger generation of athletes, and the importance of mentors in our professional and personal lives.
Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website.
Highlights:
-Jerry shares how nearly being released in his first spring training after being drafted in 1971 forced him to realize how much work was required to be competitive at an elite level and how a dedication to preparation is required to improving his personal skills on the field and in the broadcasting booth.
-Analysis of playing in an environment like Boston where winning and perfection is an expectation; how do we as leaders consistently rise to the challenge and not be overcome by the moment.
-As a five-time cancer survivor, Jerry shows us how to take life’s challenges one day at a time and apply focus to small victories that compound to achieve a goal and overcome extreme adversity.
-Hire for character, train for skill is a fundamental aspect of building elite teams; a challenge NESN accepted when it hired Jerry as the color analyst. -Despite a rough start and inexperience, Jerry explains how we apply our previous knowledge to new tasks and demonstrate effective intelligence.
-Depression affects even the most elite performers. Jerry provides his lessons on overcoming depression and anxiety when your life is on camera and in the spotlight every day.
-Based on 50 years of MLB experience, Jerry gives us the inside baseball on the best Red Sox leaders like Jason Varitek and David Ortiz, the best teams, mentors, and the advice he has for the recently retired Dustin Pedroia.
Quotes:
-”I had so far to go. My talent was so far below all these other guys.”
-”If these guys can play there, I can play there. I just have to work harder. I have to do more work. It will all pay off in the end.”
-”You had to have a short memory because you could really dislike a lot of these guys who wrote some bad stuff about you. You win them over by playing better.”
-“I was terrible. I was awful. And I wanted to drop it. But I never quit anything in my life.”
-“They felt like they had nothing to lose and they go on to win this thing.”
Jerry’s Three Daily Foundations of Success:
-Preparation
-A love for the game
-Be yourself and don’t be afraid to be wrong