SAX IN THE MORNING
Steve Sax, known by many for his phenomenal 14 year career as a major league baseball player where he was a 5-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year and 2-time World Series champion, hosts his podcast with the familiarity and experience that comes from playing on such great teams as the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Oakland A’s. In addition, playing under such iconic coaches as Tony LaRussa and Tommy Lasorda, Steve gained invaluable life lessons through sports. After his playing career he found success not only as a coach and broadcaster but also as a financial consultant, author, motivational speaker and executive/life coach. You’ll find “Sax in the Morning” shorts, weekly, that will focus on the motivation necessary to get your game plan for the day set with the right tone to accomplish those goals you have for success. Let each episode start your day with the right mindset, and help you make the shift to persevere through the challenges and to follow your emotional heart to reach your dreams.
SAX IN THE MORNING
Thomas Perry Inspires With Grit, Gratitude and the Power of Positivity.
I would love to hear from you, just send me text and let me know what you think of the podcast.
Growing up, my son was captivated by Thomas the Tank Engine, but today, I'm here to talk about a different kind of "Thomas the Tank." Meet Thomas Perry, a powerhouse from a small Division III school who is making waves as a top NFL offensive line prospect. Forget the stereotypes of today's youth; Thomas is redefining them with his grit, strength, and a mindset full of optimism and gratitude. One of the standout stories about Thomas is his unique request for a truck tire as a birthday gift at age 16—just so he could flip it for strength training. And trust me, this is just the beginning of what makes Thomas an extraordinary individual.
Join us as we explore Thomas's remarkable journey from dominating high school football in Connecticut to becoming Middlebury College's first invitee to the Senior Bowl. Despite challenges like playing at a smaller school and losing his senior year to COVID, Thomas's relentless positivity has been his guiding star. His ability to uplift those around him, along with his impressive stats and near-perfect GPA in molecular biology and mathematics, have earned him the moniker "Thomas the Total Package." His story is a testament to how hard work and a positive outlook can shape not just your path, but also inspire those around you.
Remember, Sax in the Morning swag is now available on my Instagram site. Go to "Sax in the Morning" underscore podcast. (saxinthemorning_podcast)You'll see it right there on the Instagram and just hit the link. Everything's there Mugs, hats, tumblers you name it.
00:04 - Steve Sax (Host)
Your daily game plan for success. It's Sax in the morning. Hi, Steve Sax here with Sax in the morning, your weekly dose of motivation, inspirational stories and tips for personal empowerment. This week I wanted to talk about Thomas the tank and no, I'm not talking about Thomas the Tank Engine. You know where Ringo Starr is the narrator. My son used to love that. We'll do that another day.
00:30
I'm talking about a story that I read by Nick Bumgardner in the Athletic, about a kid from a tiny little Division III college who may be the strongest offensive line prospect in this year's NFL draft and if he is man, I hope the 49ers get him in this year's NFL draft. And if he is man, I hope the 49ers get him. They could use him. I want to share this story because the kid's mindset is incredible. It really is, and it's often easy for us to accuse the young generation to be soft and lazy, but not this Thomas Perry. Not only is he an absolute grinder, but he is full of optimism and gratitude, and that's two reasons why he's going to be a great leader someday. One example of this story about Thomas is when he was 16, he asked his parents for a very special, pretty simple birthday present. I guess it wasn't DoorDash gift cards or a meta virtual reality headset. You know what it was it was a truck tire, a truck tire, one single giant truck tire. And why did he want such a strange gift? The reason is so he could flip it over and over and push it up and down hills. How many kids would ask for a truck tire for a birthday present? He did. Now today, thomas is a force in the weight room and on the football field. He's done 28 reps of 250 pounds, 12 reps of 380 pounds on the bench, has a near 600 pound squat, a 715 pound deadlift and explosion numbers in the 98th percentile in his offensive line position. That's incredible. The story reports that he can also do the splits. That's just ridiculous.
02:05
Thomas has spent his college career at Middlebury, a small Division III school, absolutely road grading the competition and becoming the first player from his college to be invited to the Senior Bowl. Pretty good stuff. And his friends call him Thomas the Tank Perry or TP. Now TP are his initials, but they call him that because he's also the total package. Now Middlebury is a small football school but an elite academic university, and Thomas has a 3.92 GPA studying molecular biology and mathematics, because when football is all finished and done with him, he's going to become a doctor.
02:41
Thomas was a standout in high school, dominating the competition at his small high school in Connecticut. While his strength and agility stats would have made him a top recruit, the combination of playing at a small school and the loss of his senior year because of COVID left him with not a lot of options to play college and football. So here he is at Middlebury. They offered him a place and he went and did it. Why am I not getting other opportunities? He didn't say that. He instead jumped at this one and he made the most of it. In fact, thomas's attitude was the exact opposite, saying this has been amazing. I'm majoring in molecular biology and biochemistry with a math minor and I get to look out of my window every day and see the beautiful green mountains of Vermont. I love it here. So he was always looking on the positive side of things.
03:27
Thomas also became known for his unrelenting work ethic, often showing up an hour before his trainers even got to the pre-workout During COVID. When the gyms closed, he hopped on his mountain bike and he rode for 100 miles or went on a 30-mile hike by himself, but it's also his treatment of those around him that makes him Thomas, the total package. His college coach is quoted in the story by saying he's elevated the guys around him and the way they think of themselves as students and football players, because he's so accomplished and he's just such a great human being. He's just the kind of person you want to be associated with At the Senior Bowl. He took the time after every practice to find the coach that he worked with to shake their hand and thank them for their time.
04:11
Thomas's lack of exposure makes him being drafted a long shot, but his attitude is one of grace and perspective. He says in the story I'm very thankful for this opportunity. I hope to make the most of it. That's it. Nothing but hard work and gratitude. He knows when football is over it will be time to throw himself at being the best doctor that he can be, but for now he's happy to be focusing on his training.
04:34
When asked why he likes to show up early and endure the grueling workouts two or three times a day, he laughed at his own response, realizing that it may not make sense for some people. He said because it's hard. So find your inner Thomas the Tank, push through that temptation to do what's easy and comfortable and find the joy of doing what's hard. And that is my short for today. If you like what you heard, give us a positive review, subscribe and share. Also, remember that the Sax in the Morning swag is now available on my Instagram site. Go to sax in the morning underscore podcast. You'll see it right there on the Instagram and just hit the link. Everything's there Mugs, hats, tumblers you name it.