Jordan Bigger; a former player of mine, called me out on my post about Swag and how I am sick of it. At first I thought, how stupid, doesn’t he get it. Then my coaching instincts kicked in, and I realized that it was my fault.

It was my fault, because I failed to clearly explain what I was saying. This happens a lot with coaches, but most coaches just say the same thing again, simply louder. So in an effort to coach a little, I will do a better job explaining myself.

Swagger: A quiet confidence that is exuded through body language and work ethic. Swagger is a key element to success, although you may not call it swagger, it is all the same. Swagger is when you know you are going to be successful because you have worked hard. Your confidence shines through bordering on cocky, and that is OK, as long as your teammates respect the work you have put in. Simply put, if you carry yourself in this fashion you have better put the work in. Swagger is your belief in yourself, and if you have worked hard you should believe in yourself.

Swag: Flash, plain and simple. Swag is when a person tries to stand out, tries to bring attention to themselves. They do this in many different ways, but all of them are counterproductive and not in the best interest of the team. Showing up the pitcher on a HR when your team is down by 10 runs is an example of this. It shows that you think you and your accomplishments are more important than the team.

A former college teammate of mine; Adam Rosales was once called out on ESPN for running too fast around the bases after he hit a HR. I thought this was so stupid. People thought because he was hustling, and playing the game hard, he was doing something wrong. That is because these days we are used to watching people walk to 1st base and then jog as slow as possible in order to maximize their camera time.

Make sure you have Swagger, but leave the Swag at home.