Inside the Frattohouse   by Novi's own Bernie Fratto

The Penguins March…
211+1

June 15, 2009

This will be my last column until August 24th, so while on hiatus I wanted to leave some thoughts that would linger over the summer. While admiring the Red Wings, I became a Pittsburgh Penguins fan.

Remember all the numbers we heard? Teams that started 0-2 in the series, were only 1-31 when it came to winning it all? Game 7 teams were 18-0 at home? No NHL team had closed the deal on the road in Game 7 in 54 years?

Well there is only one number the Penguins paid attention to…. That number is 212, and here’s why… Both teams were ‘hot’ going into the Finals. At 211 degrees water is hot, very hot. But at 212 degrees water boils, which produces steam. And, steam can power a locomotive!

From Coach Dan Bylsma all the way down to the trainers, every member of the Pittsburgh Penguins found a way to give 1 more degree of effort, and it resulted in winning 4 of the last 5 games, something everybody also said couldn’t be done.

This isn’t easy to do in sports or in life, and although everyone is capable, very few are willing to reach back that far.

However when it comes to giving that extra degree of effort, one such athlete that comes to mind in our area was Novi’s own Robby Overfield.

A 2002 graduate, and All-State Hockey player, Overfield’s skill and ability was only exceeded by his drive, determination and willingness to put forth that extra degree, the one that can produce enough steam to power an engine that can generate enough force to move a 10-ton hunk of metal across country…or, to inspire a 4-year old hockey program to heights it didn’t know it could reach.

Today, Overfield, an MSU graduate, is making music in Durango, Colorado where he resides, and his intensity is still prevalent, as it shows in his performances and reviews.

Congratulations are in order to both Robby Overfield, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, I think they’ll both be enjoying their summer, for all the right reasons…

I hope you enjoy your summer, too. In the meantime, remember, just one more degree of effort can make all the difference in the world.

See you in August…

Other Recent Columns:
Fields of Green
T.E.A.M.
Working for Scales
The Extra Mile
You can always come back
Finding the right Mark
Charlie Manuel… Manuel Labor


Previous Columns

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Bernie Fratto's column appears right here each week. Bernie is a member of the Minor League Baseball Alumni Association and in his former life, he spent time in the Cincinnati Reds Farm System. He is an accomplished Freelance writer, and sought after keynote speaker, appearing often at Award Ceremonies, Athletic Banquets, and Company functions. He is passionate about sports and the life-lessons they teach. "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real human beings," Fratto said..."And these athletic endeavors often serve as a metaphor for the game we call life."

Bernie is also on the broadcast team at Live 97.1FM talk-radio, and is a frequent co-host on the popular "Parker & The Man Show," a nightly sportstalk show which airs Monday-Friday from 7-11pm. You can also catch Bernie co-hosting the Detroit Lions postgame shows following Lion games on 97.1Free FM, the official flagship station of the Detroit Lion Football