Shane Victorino’s Wonderful Opportunity

Ever since he burst onto the scene in the 2008 playoffs, Shane Victorino has had a number of wonderful opportunities come his way. He’s got a super-cool nickname. He’s one of the most well-known sports figures in Philadelphia. He hosts a popular fashion show every year. He even appeared on the CBS television show “Hawaii Five-0.”

But on Friday, Charlie Manuel provided Shane with perhaps the most exciting and wonderful opportunity of his career.

Victorino was given the “opportunity to rest.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “Hey, dummie, this isn’t a rest. This is a benching. Shane is getting benched for a game because he’s not hitting well and because he appeared to get frustrated with reporters after Thursday night’s loss to Colorado. Why don’t you get your friggin’ facts straight before I come to your house and leave a flaming paper bag full of dog poop on your doorstep, hippie!”

Well, you say potato, I say “opportunity.”

As someone who has been overworked at various points in my professional life, I have always appreciated the “opportunities” for breaks when they came along.

For instance, in my first radio job, when my radio station decided to flip formats and management laid off the entire staff without warning, I was given the “opportunity” to rest for a period of a few months until I could find another gig. When I make a mistake at work and my bosses come down on me, it’s really just an “opportunity” for me to understand the dynamics of the employer-employee relationship. And when one of my employees quits or calls out sick and I have to fill in on a weekend shift without getting paid, that’s not a hardship. That’s merely an “opportunity” for me to further hone my craft and for my wife to better learn independence, by taking care of a 16-month-old boy on her own.

Life is filled with many “opportunities.” Sometimes, we’re drowning in them. And knowing Shane the way I do (I follow him on Twitter, so we’re super-close), I know that he’s a guy who is always stressing the positives in life.

See that? Every one of Victorino’s tweets has a positive message to them. So, I’m sure Shane sees this “opportunity” the same way Jake Kaplan from MLB.com does.

Wouldn’t you?