During last season's Chicago Cubs run to their first World Series title in 108 years, the team appeared to have everything working for them as they secured the most sought-after title in baseball by defeating the Cleveland Indians.

A strong lineup, fantastic coaching, and a great front office all helped contribute to this feat, but perhaps their secret weapon was Anthony Rizzo's weird way of delivering motivational speeches.

The 27-year-old first baseman apparently tried to motivate his teammates with naked speeches, according to Tom Verducci's book "The Cubs Way: The Zen Of Building The Best Team In Baseball And Breaking The Curse."

"An hour before the seventh game of the World Series, Rizzo stripped off all his clothes, cranked the theme from Rocky on the clubhouse stereo one more time, jumped on top of a coffee table, and began quoting lines from the movie and throwing his best shadow-boxing punches. Pitcher Hector Rondon, joining in on the hijinks, picked up an aerosol can of shoe cleaner and sprayed it in the direction of Rizzo’s groin.



Startled and angered, Rizzo stopped and yelled, “What the heck, man!” He cut the music and stormed off toward the showers to clean off the spray. “I’m thinking, Dang, what’s he doing?” Ross said. “We can’t have this negative vibe right before the game. I go by there. I can tell he’s a little irritated.”



Ten minutes went by. Rizzo finally emerged from the shower. He walked back silently to his locker with a towel around this waist. The room was quiet and uneasy.



Ross walked up to Rizzo and broke the silence.



“Hey! It’s not how many times you get knocked down ... it’s how many times you get up!”



Rizzo chuckled. “You know what?” he said. “You’re right!” Said Ross, “He rips the towel off, runs up, turns the music on again, and he jumps back on the coffee table and starts doing the Rocky motions again.”

Whatever works for you, Cubs, although this may be taking clubhouse speeches a little too far.