Going in, I knew I wasn't one of the top ones, because I didn't even make the pre-season All-American team. That shows you what people thought of me right there, so I knew I had to go to work.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I knew I'd never make it back to the major leagues as a player. Lee MacPhail came to me and asked if I wanted to manage the Yankees' Fort Lauderdale club. I thought about it for a day or two and decided to take the job. That was the turning point. I knew it was what I wanted to do.
I feel as though I've proved myself these last five years that I can be one of the top players in the league.
All I ever wanted to be was president of the American League.
The Oakland A's, I loved all my teammates there. I loved all the coaches. They gave me the opportunity to play in the big leagues. And for that, I thank them. I mean it was a dream come true for me.
There were a lot of players who worked just as hard as I did, and if you didn't, you didn't stay in the big leagues.
I was a defensive lineman coming out of high school who was considered amongst the top... maybe the top six guys, top five guys, and wanted to prove to my team that I was going to be a top guy going into college.
Even when I was playing, I never thought much about the individual honors. I wanted to go to the Super Bowl.
As soon as I started to realize that I could make a living playing professional soccer, I went to that place where I could torture myself because I knew it would make me better for the championship game.
I'm not a top-five player yet. Maybe I'm close to it, but I still have to work on some aspects. You can only be part of that group if you are decisive in the top games.
I've been real fortunate to be on a lot of great teams.