Das Team » ted pass-catcher, but he can only do so

The influence of manager Joe Maddon has spread well beyond Wrigley Field now that he has pulled off what many Cubs fans thought theyd never see and led the team to the World Series.In a city where Jordan is still revered, the mantra of wanna be like Mike might soon be replaced by Joe Knows.At Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Business, where an MBA will cost you well over $100,000, theyre teaching Maddon. Harry Kraemer is a professor of strategy, the former CEO of pharmaceutical firm Baxter International Inc., and a Cubs fan. He can fill an hour with animated talk about Maddon.My whole lecture the other night was literally on how Joe Maddon is a perfect example of a value-based leader, Kraemer said. Ive got 80 students who are into this in a big way.Going back to his Tampa Bay Ray days, Maddons reputation as an off-beat leader has gotten a lot of headlines. Hes a no worries kind of guy who shrugs off any trips to negative town.During last seasons pennant race, when the Cubs ultimately fell short, he was a leader trying to keep a very young team loose. There was Maddon on the field petting a flamingo named Warren , one of the zoo animals he had brought to Wrigley in August 2015 for the Cubs and their families. A few weeks later, the Cubs wore onesie pajamas home on an overnight flight from Los Angeles. Every player was part of it and, if the team photo of the odd moment is proof, most if not all had fun.There are also the Maddon-coined slogans, like Try not to suck, that have found their way to T-shirts seen around town.`Control the controllable, that has been my mantra ever since he said it a few weeks ago, said Elaine Maimon, Cubs fan and Governors State University president who wrote an article in early October on Maddons managerial gifts.Its not just the sloganeering and the funny stuff that Maddon gets right, admirers say. He trusts his players and assistants to do their job, understands how they fit into the team and finds a way to get value out of a guy like light-hitting, 39-year-old catcher David Ross.Maddon himself couldnt play it straight when asked about his management style and who he has learned from.Michael Scott, probably the biggest influence, Maddon said Friday before Game 3 against the Indians, referring to the less-than-gifted manager from The Office portrayed by actor Steve Carell.Tom Gimbel, the CEO of the recruiting firm LaSalle Network and a Cubs fan, said the Series is a showcase for good management -- Maddon, well-respected Indians boss Terry Francona and the man who at different times has hired both. Cubs executive Theo Epstein hired Maddon, and he hired Francona in Boston when he was with the Red Sox.Its in the off-beat gestures where a lot of managers and business leaders hope theyre a little like Maddon. During one bad stretch of business at LaSalle, Gimbel said, he decided on a particularly miserable day that everyone needed a milk shake.It was crappy weather in Chicago and things were terrible, he said. Youve got to get people out of their own heads.Kraemer knows the value of such gestures. He said he spent hours sitting above dunk tanks at carnivals for Baxter employees so their kids could drop him in the water again and again. Nothing like dunking the boss.You end up finding ways to relate to people so you can influence them, Kraemer said. Hey, hes kind of crazy, too. Youre human like everybody else.Maddon worked in the shadows for years, first as a minor league player who never made the majors, then as a scout, coach and in other roles for 31 years before he became the Tampa Bay Rays manager in 2006.They dont see the amount of work (he) put in, Gimbel said. He wasnt a good professional player, he was a good student of the game.And without wins, the managerial tricks would soon look a whole lot less fun to the people he works for.If youve got a boss, and youre not delivering and your people are running around in pajamas, youve got a bigger problem, Kraemer said. Youre going to be fired.Not this year, and Maddon is quick to credit his former coaches for imparting common sense wisdom over the yearsAnd then beyond that, I think you take bits and pieces away from all the guys that you had, but theres a lot of guys you had that you thought did poorly, and you take a lot from them, also, because you never want to be that way, Maddon said. You gain experience, and you gain your ability or your ways in regards to doing things from those that are good, but you can really learn from the guys that you think do it poorly, too.---AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report.---Follow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAP Air VaporMax 2018 All Black . PETERSBURG, Fla. Air VaporMax 2018 Black and White . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. http://www.cheapairvapormaxdiscount.com/ . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Cheap Grey Air VaporMax . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. Womens Air VaporMax 2018 Sale . LOUIS -- St. BALTIMORE -- Wide receiver Antonio Brown knows what the Pittsburgh Steelers must do to combat the constant double-teams he is facing.Others have to step up, said Brown from his locker after Sundays 21-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.Brown didnt say this as an indictment on his teammates, but matter-of-factly when discussing the attention he gets from defenders. Brown said the Ravens sometimes shaded a third defender, a linebacker, on him during routes. This setup begs other playmakers to win one-on-ones.Brown finished the game with 7 catches for 85 yards and 1 touchdown, but much of that production came in the fourth quarter as the Steelers (4-4) battled back from a 21-0 deficit.The Steelers offense has struggled in three straight road games, leaving an uphill climb to the playoffs. Pittsburgh had 69 yards of total offense through the first three quarters. With 55 catches for 677 yards and 6 touchdowns, Brown is having a fine season but not producing at the otherworldly level of the past two years.After Brown said the Ravens used a lot of guys to take me away, he was asked whats required of the Steelers other receivers when that happens.They need to find a way to step in, step up and make plays, Brown said. Its been about eight weeks so far, and thats what weve been seeing -- double coverage. Today it was triiple coverage with a linebacker coming over, and we just have to find ways to win.dddddddddddd Other guys have to step up. It just shows that people got respect for me, but we have to find a way to win no matter what they do. Its all about what we do.Steelers quarterback?Ben Roethlisberger took ownership of the loss Sunday, saying after the game, I didnt make plays, I didnt convert third downs.But the Steelers have struggled to find a reliable No. 2 receiver behind Brown, who benefited from?Martavis Bryants playmaking last year. Bryant is suspended, and though Sammie Coates produced 421 yards through the first five games, he has been quiet in his past three outings while coming back from a finger injury.Eli Rogers led the team with 103 receiving yards Sunday, most of which came late in the game, but he didnt play the previous game against the New England Patriots because of what he called a coachs decision.Running back?LeVeon Bell?is a talented pass-catcher, but he can only do so much from the backfield.We cant make any excuses, said Brown about being 4-4. Weve got to find a way to continue to get better, and we get a fresh start next week. Weve got to get things on the right side. 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