TWTW (The Will To Win)
Ken “The Hawk” Harrelson, the television broadcast announcer for the Chicago White Sox, was interviewed by MLB network host Brian Kenny on April 25, 2013. Harrelson said that he didn’t care for the numbers of baseball “sabermetrics.” “TWTW. The will to win. You can’t put numbers on those things,” said Harrelson. “TWTW is going to supersede anything sabermetrics brings in.”
T-shirts reading “TWTW” appeared in Chicago the next day. While “the will to win” is an old saying, “TWTW” is a new acronym.
Wikipedia: Ken Harrelson
Kenneth Smith Harrelson (born September 4, 1941), nicknamed “The Hawk” due to his distinctive profile, and also nicknamed “Yox” because of his facial expressions, is a former All-Star first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball. He currently serves as a television broadcast announcer for the Chicago White Sox.
ESPN—Chicago White Sox Report
April, 25, 2013
6:32 PM CT
Sabermetrics? Hawk prefers TWTW
By Bruce Levine | ESPNChicago.com
Chicago White Sox announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson may have started a new ad campaign for the team when he offered “the will to win”—TWTW—as an alternative to sabermetrics.
Harrelson engaged in an animated live TV discussion with MLB network host Brian Kenny on Thursday. The argument was over the use of sabermetrics and the intrinsic value of stats as the final determination for evaluating players.
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Some of the highlights included Harrelson quotes:
. “TWTW. The will to win. You can’t put numbers on those things.”
. “TWTW is going to supersede anything sabermetrics brings in.”
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As far as “TWTW,” Sox outfielder Alex Rios tweeted it after the interview, and the Sox made up T-shirts with the slogan and sold them at U.S. Cellular Field on Thursday.
Chicago (IL) Tribune
Harrelson gives Sox new slogan: ‘TWTW’
Broadcaster defends old-school baseball, rips sabermetrics during MLB Network appearance
April 26, 2013|By Phil Rogers, Chicago Tribune reporter
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Manager Robin Ventura said before Friday’s game against the Rays that T-shirts reading “TWTW’’ are being printed for the clubhouse, although he declined to reveal who is springing for the gear.
Harrelson championed old-school baseball mentality during his appearance on the “MLB Now’’ show, telling Kenny that sabermetrics are “the most overrated thing in baseball.’’ His takeaway line was touting an intangible he called TWTW — The Will To Win.
CBS—Chicago
Ofman: What Really Is TWTW?
April 29, 2013 11:35 AM
By George Ofman-
(CBS) The will to win.
“TWTW.” Once again, Ken ‘The Hawk’ Harrelson comes to the rescue. Just when baseball is about to become an afterthought in our town before it became forethought, the venerable, colorful, controversial voice of the White Sox has made his presence known… again.
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I’m just wondering: does every winning team have TWTW? Does every player on every winning team have it? How about the teams that aren’t winning: Do the Cubs and Astros not have the will to win?