I know, I know. You can save your emails about respecting summer starting at home. That is true. I'm not here to say that there isn't work to do on that front. There is, but it doesn’t mean the fight can't be fought abroad too.
It can. It is. It must.
We've had others in the sports world join the fight from elsewhere before. Most recently golfer Charley Hull, who calls England home, did so. On Sunday, it was Olympic runner Alica Schmidt's turn.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
It's been awhile since the 27-year-old made a blip on the content radar. Once referred to as the "World's Sexiest Athlete," I don't know where she ranks now.
I don't believe the advanced analytics have been reviewed lately. At least not in the past few months, possibly longer. I don't know where Schmidt currently stacks up on the track and field rankings either.
There's a lot I don't know. What I do know is the work and the content haven’t stopped. She's been busy, but she hasn't been too busy. She made sure there was time for showing summer the proper respect it deserves.
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Respecting summer didn't show up on her list of "6 things sport taught me," which she shared back in July, but the respect is there nonetheless.
Here's what did make the cut:
After reading through that list, I think you can agree that while Alica Schmidt doesn't specifically call for the respect of summer, each of her points makes respecting summer easier to do.
It's a step-by-step guide for staying focused on the task at hand and controlling what you can control. Things like refusing to take home anything pumpkin related. There's a time and place for that.
It's still sunny and hot outside. You're not going to cause the leaves to change by disrespecting summer and pulling out your fall decorations in late August or early September.
That's not how it works. Follow the lead of those who stay strong in the face of the gimmicks on display all around us this time of year, leaders like Alica Schmidt.