What is takes to be in the Middle

In light of Senator Obama's speech last night, which was an excellent speech, I thought I would post something about the Middle Class. This is to poke fun at Vince Lomabrdi's famous speech. Nothing wrong with it, but honestly, if only one person can be number one, then what do you do with the rest of us. I don't think shooting first is bad, but if you don't make it, at least be happy about the fact that you still have modest possesions, and you actually paid for said possesions.

"Mediocrity is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't just do enough once in a while; you don't do things poorly once in a while; you do them half-way all the time. Mediocrity is a habit. Unfortunately, so is overachieving.
There is plenty of room for second place, third place and so forth. There is only one place in my game, and that's in the middle. I have finished at the top twice in my time, and I don't ever remember feeling any more special. There is a first place game, but it is a game for newbie’s who think there is some pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is and always has been an American zeal to be average in anything we do, and to do just enough, and to do just enough.
Every time a person goes to play his trade he's got to pace himself—from the moment he walks in 2 minutes late, to the moment he turns in his work at the last minute. Every inch of him has to be consistent. Some guys come in 5 minutes early. That's O.K. You've got to be early to get that engraved on your tombstone. But more importantly, you've got to go with your heart, with only a few fibers of your body, because one day you will be out of fiber and you will be reduced to eating yogurt through a straw, because you have no teeth. If you're lucky enough to find a guy with an average work ethic and a lot of baggage, he's never going to try and take your job.
Running a monopoly is no different than running any other kind of organization—an army, a political party or a public school. The principles are the same. The object is to stick around for 30 years—to collect a huge pension. Maybe that sounds easy or time consuming. It probably is.
It is a reality of life that average Joe’s are willing to procrastinate and the most competitive markets attract a bunch a yahoos. That's why we are there—to relax; to know the rules and objectives when we get in the game. The object is to goof off fairly, squarely, by the rules—but to get a few things done.
And in truth, I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate wearing flip-flops to work, the flexibility. There is something in good men that really yearns for flexibility and the harsh reality that while others duke it out, you can get your eight hours of sleep.
I don't say these things because I believe in the “averageness” nature of man or that man must be average to be happy. I believe in Steve Jobs, and I believe in dominating the market place with a product that constantly needs upgrades. But I firmly believe that any man's finest hour—his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear—is that moment when he sits back and watches others work their hearts out in a good cause and they are exhausted, and he collects a higher paycheck.”