Harbaugh's past use of the "third base" analogy

Submitted by FrankMurphy on December 1st, 2021 at 8:51 PM

The "stand on third base and think they hit a triple" analogy is actually one of Harbaugh's pet phrases. He used the analogy at Stanford in an effort to instill humility and a blue-collar mindset into his players. He even went so far as to get them blue-collar shirts with name patches to remind them of the elders' sacrifices that got them to third base. Here he is describing the idea.  

mGrowOld

December 1st, 2021 at 8:56 PM ^

While it's not Harbaugh's original quote (most attribute it to Barry Switzer of all people), NEVER has it been more appropriately used than when referring to Ryan Day at OSU.

Sorry Day, everything you have was built by Urbz, not you.

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bsand2053

December 1st, 2021 at 9:27 PM ^

And Urbz built on Tressel.  He’s the one who started this insane machine that’s been the most consistent program in football since the early 00’s.  If you’re an OSU fan that’s the guy you should be thanking God for everyday.  Yeah he was a sanctimonious cheater but that’s what plays down in Columbus 

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WindyCityBlue

December 1st, 2021 at 9:33 PM ^

Disagree. Meyer took things in a very different direction at OSU, something that Tressel could never achieve. There was a decent base when Meyer came in, but he started somewhat fresh in building the team/program he wanted.
 

Just look at how that Tressel 2006 OSU team fared against Meyer’s 2006 Florida team. At the time, many thought that OSU team was one to the best they’ve had ever, and they were going to trounce Florida. Well, quite the opposite happened. 

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CompleteLunacy

December 2nd, 2021 at 10:00 AM ^

Sure, it's indisputable that Meyer took the program to another level (nationally recruiting like an SEC powerhouse).

But under Tressel they were among the best in the country every year too. Their streak of success over Michigan started with him. Meyer wasn't starting his tenure with a bunch of scrubs, that roster had the talent to compete for a national title immediately. In fact, if not for sanctions (LOL) they would have been in the national championship his first year coaching there.

Day has continued that line of success, but he was in an even easier position than Meyer was.

 

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Yooper

December 1st, 2021 at 9:47 PM ^

I think the quote is attributed to Ann Richards, the former Democratic (imagine that!) governor of Texas.  She was dissing George W Bush during her speech at the Democratic convention where Gore was nominated.

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M-Dog

December 2nd, 2021 at 9:25 AM ^

I love his point that if you are successful today, even if you are not a blue collar worker now, somebody in your family somewhere down the line did the blue collar work to get you where you are.  It is so true.

I have a copy of my father's birth certificate.  On it, it states the occupation of his father - my grandfather - an Ellis Island immigrant from Italy.  It states:  "Laborer". 

That's it,  Laborer. 

The man didn't even get a job title.  He did whatever they told him to do when he showed up for work.

Just about everybody has a story like this somewhere along the line. 

That we can spend time concerning ourselves with things like college football is a blessing brought to us by the sacrifices of others down the line.  It's cool that Jim Harbaugh never got so full of himself to not recognize and honor this.     

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MGlobules

December 2nd, 2021 at 1:11 PM ^

Not his idea, though, maybe obviously. Been around for decades. Jim Hightower, the Texas Democrat, made it really popular several decades ago in regard to Shrub Bush, saying that HE had been born on third, thought that he hit a triple. The truth is that Bush had a huge inferiority complex, but it stung and stuck. 

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