IT'S WHY BYB IS DIFFERENT

It's not about clicks... it's about making the audience happy.  It's not about being robots over here. It's letting you feel the emotion about what we write and we try our best to present it differently and originally to all of you, every day, every way... all the time.   That's it... that's why we're here.

It didn't start that way.  I mean, it started with me screaming at the TV because they Yankees lost and Joe Girardi was 'bindering the crap' out of the Yankee relief.  We lost, and BYB was born. (Read WHY LAST NIGHT WAS IMPORTANT).

We don't just write about the New York Yankees anymore.  We write about baseball in general.  We write about what we're thinking about.  If there's a confrontation, opinion or decision about something... we tell you why we like it or don't like it.  Not only that, we don't all toe the same line.  Some of us LOVE Mark Teixeira.  Others think maybe his time is up.  Is that wrong? Nope.  Do we all still get along at BYB? Yup.

We won't ignore life stories.  We never have. All the other blogs? They will.  That's because we're BYB.  I personally wrote about Tanner Huddleston in SENDING PRAYERS TO THE BIGGEST YANKEE FAN EVER! because his story and struggle was important for people to know about. That God for good friends in Marci and Ty Hensley for bringing that story to life here at BYB. 

Dan Lucia threw all his emotion into WHAT KEEPS ME GOING, a story about his cousin Michael.  When Dan told me his story, it was crystal clear to me, there was no need to ignore something like that in my editorial process.  It's a definite story that needs to be told.  No question... no worry. "Do it!", I said.

We're written about Shane Varga here.  Another cancer victim who fought all the way back.  Read THE FIGHTER, a story about a man and his support system family that never thought of death as an option.  As Shane said to us in our interview with him "I don't have the option to be negative.  With negativity comes weakness and my body will always be in a fight to survive.  I can't let my guard down.  To sum this all up for you; I refuse to die. I want to live for my family, and now especially for my son.  I won’t put them through that."

We celebrate Jack DiSalvo here, a former coach who's name now lives on in Hawthorne, New Jersey because he was so inspirational and motivational to the kids he coached. Despite losing his life... his name is now a Scholarship and run through his son Brian.  (Read STRIVE TO COACH THE JACK DISALVO WAY!)

And so in a nutshell, what other blogs would every write about guys like these? None of them.  That's what makes BYB different.  We serve you with Yankee news.  We try to make you laugh and think about strategy and the handling of a bullpen. But we all live our lives differently and when something important comes down the pike, we refuse to ignore it.  Look, our writers have developed into pretty significant voices in the blog world.  That's because they work at this every day.  If they have an important story, it's got to be shared.

(In Photo: BYB Reader and Friend, Charles Moses)
We care about our audience and what we present.  That's because you all support us and have since we arrived in 2010.  That's why I put together unique merchandise for you all.  You asked to shirts, you asked for tank tops, for sports performance clothes, underwear and we made them for you.

Do you know how cute it is to see kids and babies wearing our stuff?

These new shirts are selling pretty well.  That's because they aren't cotton, but instead, a Dri-fit type material that, in a workout, or hanging watching a ball game, they won't sweat your pits off!

And of course, the ever popular BYB T-shirt is getting a lot of play this year.  Someone told me to put my name on the back and we'll sell a few.  While we're not making a HUGE dent in sales, I hope you all understand that my hearts in this, and we did it because we dare to be different, and dare to share our BYB product with all of you.

You can buy all of those products HERE.  Just click and go.  Our products are top quality and all prices are reduced!

What's my point to all of this?  Life.  Life's valuable and every single thing you do determines your path.  I'm not about to get all God on you, that's not the purpose of this.  I am here to tell you that BYB will never shy away from the hard times and glorious times of peoples lives, and if that means we celebrate an achievement in one my writers lives or we talk about the fight of someone that is close to us, that will never EVER be overshadowed by a Yankee score or home run.

That's because ultimately it's about the struggle within each of us and our families and how we operate day to day, week to week.

I have personally got to know all of you in some capacity over the years.  I like many of you. I like what my writers present every day and I adore watching their children grow up and achieve great things too.  Values are important and I surrounded myself with pretty wonderful people.  We've had babies here, we've watched our kids hit home runs in their little league games, and we've seen family members fight disease and rise above the hardships of life.  And in a nutshell.... that's what's most important to me.  Yes, the Yankees winning every game and going to the World Series is amazing.

I'm a fan, I always will be.  But if a guy like Tanner or cousin Michael is fighting to survive and they put on their best game face and give every ounce of life... I want every single one of you to know about it, to support it and to fight with them. Even if you don't know them.  Ultimately I want you to feel our emotion and feel like you you've known them for years!

(In Photo: Dan Lucia's cousin Michael and his family)
I was personally touched by Dan Lucia's story about his cousin yesterday.  It effected me the way it did when I met Shane Varga a few years ago.  You just want to grab the guy and his family and tell them you can fix it, even if you're not sure how.  It's the emotion of that, that really has catapulted BYB to the forefront.  It's what makes what we do here so different, so important, that on the days I get frustrated and want to pack up because I writers block... I stop and think differently and write something like this.

BYB is now a movement.  BYB is different than any other blog out there.  And we're damn proud of that.  More importantly... we're damn proud to serve you and we're very proud to tell the stories of all of these people who fight for themselves and their families every single day.    It's not always about a Yankee win folks.  Sometimes it's about life wins.

Happy Sunday.  Never lose hope. Never lose fight... always love each other. I really hope you read this post today and share it.  That's very important to me.

I leave you with this inspiring tweet from Lisa Varga, Shane sister and my friend:

Always be kind to everyone. Even if you think they don't deserve it 💕 You never know what's going on in someone's life. #Love #Kindness

— Lisa Varga (@TheLisaVarga) May 15, 2016

- Robert Casey, Founder & Chief of BleedingYankeeBlue.com
Twitter: @BleednYankeeBlu

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TEAM DISALVO FOLLOWS THROUGH BIG TIME!

 

(In Photo: Augustine Graziano, scholarship recipient, center, Jack DiSalvo's son, Brian, left,  Salvatore Biondo Jr., Distinguished Board Member, right)

Earlier in the year we brought you the story about a well respected coach named Jack DiSalvo. Jack believed in his kids and trained and educated them and had the drive to motivate and inspire. He was a great man and was loved by many. I was taken by his story and the love around him.  When he passed away late last year, the Jack DiSalvo foundation was born and with it, the goal of presenting a scholarship providing funds and other community type resources for the growth and development of kids in New Jersey. It also focuses on supporting and improving cancer research, awareness and prevention.

On Wednesday, May 14th, the Scholarship Ceremony took place at Hawthorne High School. The Jack DiSalvo Foundation presented their scholarship to Augustine Graziano, a senior at Hawthorne High School who is going on to pursue an education in medicine. He is currently ranked 3rd in his class with a 4.3 GPA and is a Varsity Athlete, having played baseball since the age of 5.

Brian DiSalvo, Founder and Co-Chairman along with Salvatore Biondo Jr., Distinguished Board Member, presented Augustine Graziano with a Scholarship Certificate and Plaque along with a Commemorative Bat donated by Akadema.

The funds provided were a direct result of individual donations received from local residents and corporate sponsors from the First Annual “Jack DiSalvo” Charity baseball game. Just do you know, that's significant, meaning, it's not from 1 large donation... it's a community coming together.

Community driven. Pretty incredible. Read TEAM DISALVO: COMING TOGETHER FOR A GREAT CAUSE.

So what does it all mean? It means Jack would have loved to have seen this happen.  This is exactly what a guy like Jack DiSalvo would have gotten on board with, because not only was he a coach that cared about the kids, he was an educator as well.  He fought for the underdog, he helped the less confident... he believed in the kids he coached.  He was a great man and luckily for the Hawthorne community, and all of us who believe in great things, DiSalvo's name lives on with the Jack DiSalvo Foundation.  I applaud Jack's family, Brian DiSalvo and Sal Biondo and everyone involved.  A job well done. 

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

TEAM DISALVO: COMING TOGETHER FOR A GREAT CAUSE

I wrote about Jack DiSalvo recently.  He was a great coach in the North Jersey area and someone that many could learn from. In this day and age, some coaches are out there doing for themselves and NOT for the kids. Sure, the idea is to help and teach kids, but that almost seems like a thing of the past. These days, there are too many coaches out there in it, not for the kids, but to bring the championship trophy home to their own living room. Jack DiSalvo was different.  Jack believed in his kids and trained and educated them and had the drive to motivate and inspire. He was a great man and was loved by many.

He passed away late last year and shortly after, the Jack DiSalvo Foundation was born in hopes to continue his legacy.  Read STRIVE TO COACH THE JACK DISALVO WAY! for more on that. Trust me, you will be blown away.

Yesterday, the first annual Jack DiSalvo Foundation Charity baseball game took place.  Hundreds of baseball fans, DiSalvo supporters and charity givers honored Jack and offered their time and services to this very special event.  The irony here is Jack DiSalvo took the time out of his busy life to give back, and yesterday, hundreds of others did the same, be it with their checkbooks, their aprons or their baseball bats. A community came together. You gotta love humanity some times... it makes the world go 'round.

At Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, New Jersey, there were a ton of players that showed up for a great game. The support was overwhelming, and New Jersey Amateur Baseball League really handled the game well, bringing in a bunch of great players with a lot of heart and a lot of talent. Oh, and there were a ton of laughs too. That's what happens when great causes are executed... you enjoy yourself alittle more.  It's not every day that a bunch of strangers can get together to support a great cause. But on a gorgeous day in North Jersey, that's exactly what happened. 

Chef Anton was on hand cooking up a storm for many of the patrons. Now, I observe alot when I'm in a space filled with people. I watch everyone.  I will tell you something... and it won't traction anywhere else, but I understand commitment and determination and that's why I'm mentioning it;  This cat never slowed down. Anton never took a break and made sure everyone was fed.  If you've never had the Pesto Burger... you are missing out on the most incredible meal this side of the Mississippi.  I tip my cap to Anton, he is the man!

In the end, over $2400 was raised for St. Joseph's Children's Hospital on behalf of the Jack DiSalvo Foundation.  Job well done.  In life, you meet many different types of people.  Yesterday, in Hawthorne, the inspired and motivated came together and made a change.  I applaud this event and am proud to say that for me personally... it wasn't about writing something provocative for my BYB audience to get readership clicks, it was about this important cause.

When I first wrote about Jack DiSalvo on April 9th, I believed in the man enough to post his incredible story.  This morning, I'm doing it again, because it's damn important to give back. 

I applaud all who participated, all who donated and all who believe in a positive force for our children.  Be inspired today ladies and gentlemen... Strive to coach the Jack DiSalvo way.  Be a leader.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

STRIVE TO COACH THE JACK DISALVO WAY!

Coaching kids in baseball is something that I truly enjoy.  There is nothing better for me personally than explaining the fundamentals, watching the child grasp it, learn it and then master it on the field.  It’s the most gratifying part of being a coach.  The rest of it, the smiles, the upset player on a bad day, the wins and the losses… that’s part of the game.  But it’s the mentoring and teaching, and the learning on their end that I truly love to see blossom.  Sure, everyone wants to win, but baseball is a game of failure, and the sooner you understand that as a kid, the better off you will be.  You grow through baseball, knowing that over time, with practice, you can be the best.  Knowing a coach cares… well, that just gives you the extra confidence and drive you need. 

There aren’t too many good coaches anymore.  Let me rephrase that; There are many good coaches, but what’s happened in this culture is that coaches are forgetting why they’re there.  The focus of some, is only about them winning. The teaching, for some of them, has disappeared. It’s about them… not the kid.  That needs to stop.

I only bring this up because I was recently reading and reminded of a coach named Jack DiSalvo.  Jack was known as Coach “D" in the Northern part of New Jersey.  He had a passion for coaching like no other and not only that, he was great at it.

Jack started out in Paterson Catholic and spent 35 years as a teacher and coach for both football and baseball.  He was inducted into the New Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame in 1996. He won 9 League State Championships, as well as winning the Coach of the Year award multiple times.

But he wouldn’t have had any of that, if the kids didn’t want to play for him. The truth is, they did and it’s because of him, and so many like him, that I realized when my 11 year old was only 3, that it may be a good idea to bring my knowledge of baseball to children in Little League.  Jack inspired me and inspired many. He volunteered his time, because he wanted to make kids better in baseball and in football. 

He wanted to teach, he wanted them to shine and believe in themselves.  It’s an attribute that I don’t see much anymore on the field, but DiSalvo had it. He was unique.

I bring this up because recently Jack DiSalvo passed away.  He was 67 years old.  His family has started the Jack DiSalvo Foundation and with it, they are providing scholarship funds and other community type resources for the growth and development of kids in New Jersey. It also focuses on supporting and improving cancer research, awareness and prevention.  In a nutshell, DiSalvo’s mission have been carried on, and I applaud the DiSalvo’s for their hard work and dedication to keep his message going. These are good people.  Luckily they kept the line moving, and maybe, just maybe, it will open the eyes of other aspiring coaches out there, as well as help existing coaches to see the big picture. 

Coaches need to realize 1 thing;  It’s never about them, it always about the kids.  I encourage you all to check out the JackDiSalvo Foundation website.  Just click on the link and read all about it.  Also, be sure to see their Facebook page as well. The link is HERE.  On April 19^th, the Jack DiSalvo Foundation is hosting it’s first Charity Baseball Game.

The proceeds go towards a scholarship fund for New Jersey student athletes who demonstrate strong athletic abilities as well as academic excellence. In other words, I always talk about working hard here at BYB. If you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything, right? Well, it’s how dreams come true and the DiSalvo Foundation recognizes that.

The game will be open to the public. You will receive 2 FREE Tickets w/Meal Voucher for any Donation made between now and Game Day (Suggested Donation: $25).

Celebrity Chef Anton Testino of Hell's Kitchen will be preparing a special "Ball Park Style" Menu and will also be at the game taking photos and signing autographs!

Now, full disclosure; I’m a sponsor of the Jack DiSalvo Foundation, but I’m merely the messenger here in this BYB venue today. I want everyone to understand to importance of a coach like Jack DiSalvo.  He was a great man, and I’m happy to be apart of what the foundation is trying to accomplish. I hope you are too.

You should think about checking out their even on April 19th.  You should think about being a coach.  And once you do, as yourself this; Are you a good mentor? Are you a great coach? Now ask yourself this? Do your players want to play for you? Do they believe in themselves because of you? That’s the sign of a really great coach.  Do it the Jack DiSalvo way!  Be sure to check out this great cause and scholarship fund opportunity.

Sorry this isn't a Yankee thing, but more importantly, it's a life thing, and I hope you check it out!

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!