Watching the Baseball Playoffs Better than a Billionaire

Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Before getting into the substance of this post, let me remind you of your last chance this month to take a course with me in the Boston area:

In Brookline, Massachusetts (617-730-2700)

Course V268: Franchising Opportunities to Start a New Business on September 21 and 28 (this is a new course to help you find the right franchise operation for you)

I also offer individual tutorials and seminars on this and other subjects year around.

Introduction

Many billionaires are busy shifting their portfolios, getting their yachts away from the next hurricane and working out the details of their next pre-nuptial agreement.

Will they be ready for the baseball playoffs? Probably not.

To some the playoffs seem far off in seemingly distant October when the air is crisper and the leaves start to turn in New England.

But September is the key month for enjoying October's baseball playoffs.

Observations

Announcers just don't seem to know as much about baseball any more. Despite longer and longer games, the "color" discussions are more entertainment than baseball.

As a result, when the playoffs start, you won't be able to find out very much about the players on any teams you haven't been following.

Recommendations

If the television announcers for the playoffs act as though they haven't yet been introduced to the players, managers and to the game of baseball, what can you do?

1. Watch as many games among the contenders as you can before the playoffs.

This will give you a chance to develop your own sense of the players. Take notes as you do. The television announcers are probably not going to have done any homework, so your notes will be better "color" than you will receive from watching the long games.

2. Check out the radio announcers that you can access for these games.

Radio announcers know that if they don't make the game interesting from a baseball perspective, they won't have an audience. They also are chosen for their voices, not their looks, so they are often easier on the ears. Try watching television with the sound off and the radio broadcast on. See if you like it better than listening to the television broadcast.

3. Watch the box scores as the games are played on the Internet during the stretch drive.

Major league baseball teams update the scores during the games, show the location of pitches and put on brief video clips after the game. While not as good as watching on television, these information snippets will still add depth to your understanding.

4. Go see a contender's game.

I was reminded of how easy it is to get tickets when a contender plays a cellar dweller last night as I tuned into the Red Sox-Devil Rays game in St. Pete. With a cheap air fare, you could have flown down from Boston, gone to the game and flown back for less than a ticket agency would charge you for a late season game in Fenway Park.

5. Call your friends in the cities with contenders and pick their brains.

If you have tickets for your team's playoffs, you may be able to do a swap for tickets to away games in the same series. And you'll have a chance to renew an old friendship.

6. Make ESPN your friend.

Unless you are a die-hard fantasy baseball player, you probably don't take the time to watch all of the replays of all the home runs and good catches that ESPN likes to endlessly feature. But this time of the year, ESPN does a good job of sprinkling in little tid-bits about each player they feature. Jot those down for the contenders and you'll pick up valuable insights for the playoffs.

7. Read the national sports papers and magazines.

This time of the year, their stories begin to foreshadow the playoffs. They will also begin to offer summary boxes with different perspectives that you'll enjoy. Chances are that your local library will have everything you need. If they don't, check out your local Barnes & Noble or Borders newsstand.

Get ready to play ball!

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N.B. As you can tell, I'm experimenting with color. Let me know what you like and what I should change about my use of color.

Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.

Here are some upcoming subjects:

Tomorrow, check by to read about how to become a frequent guest on television and radio programs for less than five dollars a day.

Thursday, get advice for growing your wealth faster than a billionaire.

Friday, we'll look at how to visit your relatives (including those you don't like) and have a ball!

Saturday, you'll find out ways to buy real estate better than a billionaire.

On Sunday, we'll look at the fascinating opportunities to attend on-line church services to improve your soul better than a billionaire.

Monday, I will share with you billionaire secrets for visiting mansions and seeing what most people miss.

On Tuesday, you and I will look at the best ways to party with the stars.

If you are new to this blog, be sure to check out the updated table of contents entry that I posted on September 14. It will help you find earlier entries that may be of interest. I'll update this table of contents every week or so for your convenience.

August 31 was the most frequently read blog entry to date. Be sure to check it out!

Thanks so much for your support of this blog. I'm delighted that so many tens of thousands of people have made this blog part of their regular reading habit!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea. My post on saving money on heating costs this winter is a good choice. You can find it at http://livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars.blogspot.com/2005_08_30_livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars_archive.html/.

Thank you to my many friends, students, clients and blog readers who are spreading the good word about this blog.

If you are visiting today because someone invited you, I'm delighted to meet you! Let's stay in touch.

Remember to check out

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Enjoy Mansions Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoymansionsbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Enjoy Football Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoyfootballbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/ and

Be a World Hero Better than a Billionaire at http://beaworldherobetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/.

May God bless you.

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell