THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Perhaps that self-help book could help Zags, too

Finally, a way to deal with the craziness of sport. 

Here is a method to calm yourself when the world seems unfair — like when you’re watching Gonzaga come apart at the seams in one overtime after another. 

The Zags have 14 victories, none of which was particularly close. 

That is offset by five losses, ALL of which came down to the final minute, with three in overtime. 

The latest case was that 97-89 OT disaster on Thursday night at Oregon State. 

The Zags seem to become paralyzed in all those tight games, missing open shots and routine defensive assignments — and they’ve lost them all. 

Madness. 

So, how do you handle it?

More important, how should THEY handle it? 

That second question is, yes, a nod toward preventing these late-game car crashes in the future. 

Zags coach Mark Few has no real history with such routine collapses, so this current team obviously has a unique problem. 

Perhaps the players and staff should all get a copy of “Inner Excellence.” 

In case you’re not familiar with the sudden explosion surrounding this book, it’s the self-help manual that Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown was photographed reading on the sidelines during Philly’s wildcard win over Green Bay. 

IT WAS a strange sight, indeed. 

There was Brown, sitting among his teammates, lost in a book that is filled with dog-eared pages and underlined passages. 

Brown, however, is among a growing cadre of athletes (and others in high-pressure professions) who have found both peace and success by taking the book’s lessons to heart. 

Even during the action. 

It's almost impossible to deliver a quick summary of “Inner Excellence,” but your heart has a lot to do with it. 

Here’s a look at the book’s history, courtesy of The Athletic. 

“Jim Murphy wrote ‘Inner Excellence’ way back in 2009, a 300-page book that had moderate success.  

“Murphy was nearly $100,000 in debt when the book hit shelves. 

“For years, he has not made his living as an author, but as a ‘mental skills guru’ working with pro golfers (and a few other athletes).  

“The book allowed him entry into the field. It was a solid career path. 

“Then it popped up on FOX cameras over the weekend, and his legacy changed instantly.  

“As of last Wednesday, nearly 5,000 people had the overnight No. 1 Amazon best-seller on their Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list. “That number had been nearly zero before Sunday.” 

Allow me to add that the Amazon sales numbers are rising quickly, all because of a quick look at A.J. Brown reading the book during a football game. 

You’d guess, from this phenomenon, that most sports fans are searching for a way to handle the slings and arrows of these games we watch. 

And life beyond, probably. 

But also, that athletes at the highest level are hunting for ways to calm themselves, and thus extract maximum performance. 

Brown wasn’t reading “Inner Excellence” so he could do several hours of meditation on the sideline. 

AS A matter of fact, Brown caught just one pass in that game, but the Eagles won. 

Mission accomplished? 

Sure. 

Brown offered an obvious reply when he was questioned about reading the book during an actual game. 

"If I score a touchdown or drop a pass, it's something (I do to) refocus," he said.  

"I always revert back to the beginning of the book. It states if you can just have a clear mind that nothing else matters.” 

Amen. 

There is an unusual story behind Jim Murphy and his now-famous book. 

We can even find a connection to the Mariners, too. 

Remember Bucky Jacobsen? 

Sometime in the early 2000s, Jacobsen met Murphy (also a minor league ballplayer) at a sports training facility in Tucson. 

Murphy didn’t have actual clients then, but they talked informally. 

Jacobsen realized that Murphy was giving him tips that would help him make a breakthrough. 

Little light bulbs, Jacobsen called them. 

“Being a professional athlete, you know that you’re good, but you’re constantly scared of not being good enough,” Jacobsen said in an interview.  

“I think that inner turmoil stops 99 percent of athletes. And he kind of opened up my eyes.” 

The next season (2004), Jacobsen reached the majors and hit nine homers in 42 games. 

Bucky became a short-term cult hero among Mariners fans. 

Jacobsen’s success proved to Murphy that his concept was correct. 

He promptly went to work on “Inner Excellence.” 

The rest is history. 

Starring A.J. Brown. 

Email: scameron@cdapress.com 

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday unless, you know, stuff happens. 

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”