| It’s knowing that the best team doesn’t always win, but the team that plays the best that day, always does. It’s knowing that it’s OK to lose, strike out, make an error, or get shelled (as long as you learn from it). It’s putting your arm around a teammate that had a bad game (or didn’t get in) and sharing a similar past experience. It’s leading by effort. It’s dodging the credit and limelight occasionally. It’s other people talking about how good you are. It’s when you beat another team and they still talk highly of you. It’s when umpires and other teams are happy to see you succeed. It’s respecting everyone. It’s delivering a hard, clean hit on a running back and then helping him up. It’s calling a two-shot penalty on yourself. It’s sincerely shaking hands with the umpires after the game that they cost you. It’s keeping your composure when you are pitching a no-hitter. It’s keeping your composure when you are getting shelled and walking batters. It’s reminding yourself to stay positive when you realize your team is about to lose. It’s showing class regardless of the outcome of the game. It’s business as usual after making another great play. It’s a conscious effort not to show someone up. It’s never making excuses or blaming coaches, teammates, the mound, umpires, the ball, fans, etc, even if it’s their fault. It’s the joy of competing, not just winning. It’s just after the Army-Navy football game. It’s a youth coach that provides his discipline in a fair and consistent manner. It’s a youth coach that provides constructive criticism through positive reinforcement. It’s never criticizing, complaining, or condemning. It’s an attitude of “I will just have to give a little bit more” since my teammate committed a costly error. It’s feeling great after playing well and beating a better team 2-1. It’s feeling great after playing well and losing to a better team 2-1. It’s what you can give to your team, not what your team can give to you. It’s NOT John Rocker, Randy Moss, Dennis Rodman, Mike Tyson, or WWF SmackDown Wrestling. |
