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With the Super Bowl match up between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers taking center stage, it's a good time to reflect on the coach who put Green Bay on the map: Vince Lombardi.
He won five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowl victories. The Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor.
But what he is perhaps most remembered for is the quote, "Winning isn't everything; It's the only thing." It's actually attributed to UCLA's coach Henry Russell Sanders, meant to counter the sentiment that, "it's not whether you win or lose, but how you played the game."
A lot of people have a big problem with Lombardi's focus on winning. Frankly, they're wrong.
He won five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowl victories. The Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor.
But what he is perhaps most remembered for is the quote, "Winning isn't everything; It's the only thing." It's actually attributed to UCLA's coach Henry Russell Sanders, meant to counter the sentiment that, "it's not whether you win or lose, but how you played the game."
A lot of people have a big problem with Lombardi's focus on winning. Frankly, they're wrong.
Of course, there are other things in life besides football. No one suggests you cheat to win. But as long as the game is underway, as long as the scoreboard is turned on, as long as there's more time on the clock, the only thing that should matter to anyone playing the game, is winning.
In other words, don't go out on the field or take part in competition if winning isn't your number one objective. It may not happen, the other team may be better, but at least you made every effort to win. Why is that important? Because it's truly the only way to play your best, to give everything you've got.
The same is true in life. In fact, the Apostle Paul said something quite similar: "Run in such a way as to win the prize." (i Corinthians 9:24). If you're going to compete, compete.
True, there will only be one winner on Sunday. Life will go on for the loser. But as long as the game is underway, the possibility of victory should motivate each team to view the Lombardi trophy as the only thing that matters.
In other words, don't go out on the field or take part in competition if winning isn't your number one objective. It may not happen, the other team may be better, but at least you made every effort to win. Why is that important? Because it's truly the only way to play your best, to give everything you've got.
The same is true in life. In fact, the Apostle Paul said something quite similar: "Run in such a way as to win the prize." (i Corinthians 9:24). If you're going to compete, compete.
True, there will only be one winner on Sunday. Life will go on for the loser. But as long as the game is underway, the possibility of victory should motivate each team to view the Lombardi trophy as the only thing that matters.
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