Funny how life works out sometimes, isn’t it? The New England Patriots were crowned the best team in the league…the best team of the decade…maybe even the best team EVER midway through the season. They had the golden boy, Tom Brady. They had the revitalized all-pro Randy Moss. They had the genius coach wearing the ugly hoodie. Their destiny would be 19-0 and their claim to the greatest team ever was inevitable.
The only problem was that no one bothered to tell the New York Giants. Even if they did, it wouldn’t have mattered. The Giants were a team that started 0-2. The coach was on the hot seat. The quarterback couldn’t lead. They couldn’t play as a team.
As it turned out, all those assumptions were wrong and they proved themselves the best team in the world on Sunday. Why? Becasue more than the Patriots, they played as a team. They overcame adversity. They didn’t listen to their critics. They believed in themselves when no one else would. In the end, they stand on top of the mountains as champions.
What about you? How does it respond to adversity? Are you prepared to fight in your Super Bowl, whatever that might be for you? Maybe it’s your career, maybe it’s your family, maybe it’s your spiritual life. Do you believe your critics or do you believe in yourself?
You don’t have to be an NFL team to show true character and great teamwork. You don’t even have to win the Lombardi Trophy to walk away as a winner. To play the game and live your life as a true champion, you must exhibit all the traits that the Giants showed the world last night – teamwork, passion, confidence, and commitment. And…as Nike so concisely says, “Leave Nothing”!
Dan
