Be Bulldogs!
What a game Monday night! With a 9:21 tip-off time, I had no intention of staying up to watch the
whole game, but I simply couldn’t pull myself away. Much has already been written about the teams, the players, the coaches, and the game’s place in the history of the NCAA tournament. However, I want to draw attention to something that I hope won’t get lost in the afterglow of such a great game; the wisdom that was shared before the game.
Butler coach Brad Stevens addressed his players in the locker room with these words:
Your entire season has been built on being a team first and being accountable on that next possession, on the next possession. Our only focus right now is winning the next possession.
Be a great teammate, be accountable. If you do tough things, you’ll not only attract that what you want, but you’ll attract that which you are. OK?
Be Bulldogs!
Doesn’t this apply to far more than just this basketball game? What if we applied these words to our lives, to our work? Imagine the possibilities!
Be a good teammate. Be accountable. Do the tough things and attract not only what you want but also that which you are.
What about the final instruction to “Be Bulldogs!” What is that all about?
I did a little research about the temperament of a bulldog. Not being an animal lover, I didn’t really have a sense of what that might mean. Here is some of what I found at bulldogbreeds.com:
English Bulldog: Gentle, friendly, and adoring, with a mischievous dose of stubbornness, the English Bulldog is incessantly loyal. It usually gets along well with other animals…Highly spirited as a puppy, the English Bulldog grows up to be a calm adult.
American Bulldog: True grit. True devotion. True love. These tributes are used often to describe the American Bulldog — a hardy, athletic, all-purpose working dog. The American Bulldog is a loving family companion, good with children and other pets, yet at the same time, fearlessly determined. It has been known to display heroic acts of courage in protecting its master.
Think of these bulldog qualities in relation to an up-and-coming college basketball team. Almost no one gave Butler a shot. True grit was needed and true grit was shown. They were fearlessly determined in the game. They worked hard.
Now think of these qualities in relation to Coach Stevens’ words. Their success was due to being a team first; loyal and devoted like bulldogs. He asked them to be accountable as teammates; heroic in protecting each other like bulldogs to their masters. Coach asked the players to do the tough things; show the hardiness, stubborness and spirit of a bulldog. Stevens also asked them repeatedly to focus on winning the next possession; be athletic and determined, like the bulldog.
Is it any wonder that the Butler team came within one possession of winning the national championship? They were being bulldogs!
Did you watch the game? What did you think about the match-up, the performance, the outcome?
Tags: Attitude, Culture, Sports
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