Let’s get right to it.

1. First up, a few quick congratulations are in order for some Cressey Performance ballplayers.  Justin Quinn (Lincoln-Sudbury) and Sahil Bloom (Weston) were named Dual County League Large and Small Players of the Year, respectively.  They are also two of the three finalists for the MA Gatorade Player of the Year award.  LS won the DCL Large, and Weston won the DCL – thanks in large part to the efforts of these two guys.  Both were selected as league all-stars, as were CP athletes Garrett Moore (LS), Ryan Wood (LS), Derek Lowe (LS), Chris Conlon (Weston), Reed Chapman (Weston), Alex Hill (Wayland), and Scott Lueders (Newton-South).  Congratulations, guys!

2. Padres prospect and CP athlete Will Inman jumped up to AAA from AA on Wednesday.  If you’re anywhere near Portland, OR, get out to watch him make his first start tonight (Friday) at 7PM.  Will is 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA in eight starts on the year, having given up only 33 hits and eight walks in 44.1 innings pitched. Congratulations to Will on taking the next step in his baseball journey.

3. Check out this great video content today from Dr. John Berardi about The Key to Accidental Fitness.  I can tell you that this is 100% spot on from my own experiences – and the thousands of clients and athletes I’ve seen over the years.

4. I got a question the other day about who I thought were the most important individuals to add to one’s network in the field of strength and conditioning.  My first response was “anyone who is smart, openminded, and willing to share ideas.”

That said, I realize this individual was probably looking for a list of occupations in this regard, so here goes: doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, athletic trainers, other strength coaches/trainers, radiologists, sports coaches, researchers, sports psychologists, equipment manufacturers/distributors, and loads others that I have probably forgotten.  Basically, you’re just trying to find people who have different areas of specialization to either add to, refute, or confirm your existing knowledge.

5. Had some car and computer issues earlier this week, so I got a bit sidetracked on the writing side of things this week.  I submitted the third installment of Lower Back Savers a bit late, so it didn’t run this week.  For those who missed Parts 1 and 2, you can check them out HERE and HERE.

6. Just finished up my powerpoint for the Distinguished Lecture Series in Sports Medicine at Northeastern on June 5-6.  This is an awesome event featuring guys like Dr. Stuart McGill, Mike Boyle, Dr. David Tiberio, and others (including some schmuck named Cressey).  It’s very affordable, and I can tell you that the last two years have been fantastic.  Check it out HERE for more details.

7. Can we please get over this swine flu stuff, people? They are closing schools left and right in Boston – and as a result, ASYMPTOMATIC kids are having to FORFEIT games/matches – and now, potentially playoff games.

8. I’m most likely getting a new car tonight.  I’ve never been a “car guy,” so it’s more of a chore than anything.  Let’s hear some of your favorite strategies for bargaining with car dealers (particularly when you’ve got a trade-in)…