The same day I visited the Jets I had another important stop to make. When I left the Jets’ practice facility I went straight to Yankee Stadium to meet with the Yankees’ players and coaches. I had been invited by their manager, Joe Girardi. He wanted me to talk to his players about coming down the home stretch and keeping focus going into the playoffs. The Yankees have so many veteran players and coaches who have been in this situation before that I was sure that wasn’t the real reason Joe wanted me to speak to the team. They know how to handle anything that comes up on the baseball field — including pressurized pennant races. We ended up talking more about what it means to be a good teammate, a good parent and a person in the limelight who gives back to the community. The Yankees have a lot of guys who do that very well and it was a thrill for me to be with them.
Another bonus from that trip was getting to see the new Yankee Stadium first-hand. Joe gave me a tour of their locker room and offices, which stretch from home plate all the way to the right field foul pole. Their facility is really first class. I got to watch batting practice and see some old friends like Reggie Jackson and Tony Peña who are now on the Yankees’ staff. It really was a great experience for me, but it didn’t turn out so well for the Yankees. They lost to Boston that day—so I’m not sure they’ll invite me back anytime soon.
