Lessons from Super Bowl XLVIII

I'm not usually a football fan but with all the hype leading up to the Super Bowl, I couldn't help getting sucked into the excitement.  By excitement, I mean settling down on the couch, laptop in lap, checking out the latest on Pinterest and FB, tuning in and out while the game was being played.  :)  Oh, and in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a Seahawks fan, from the great state of Washington.

What really impressed me were the comments made by the players afterwards.  If kids who played sports could develop some of these attitudes, their games would be a lot more fun, they'd make more friends and they'd develop a few useful character traits as well.

Focus and determination -
"You only want to surround yourself with people that want to see you succeed.  The ones that don't, and want to pull you down to their level, walk away from them."  Derrick Coleman, deaf fullback.
"I think it was a total effort.  It took a lot of discipline and hard work."  Richard Sherman, cornerback.

Humility -
"It's very humbling.  Everybody doesn't get a chance to do this."  KJ Wright, linebacker
"I just want to be a normal guy on the team."  Percy Harvin, wide receiver
"One day I want to be like him in terms of the way he thinks.  He's just a master of the game.  I'm working to get there; I'm on a constant quest for knowledge."  Russell Wilson, quarterback, on Peyton Manning

Teamwork -
"It shows that hard work pays off.  It's a testament to hard work and pushing one another, holding each other accountable.  We always got each others back."  Kam Chancellor, strong safety
"Unity.  They are constantly high-fiving each other, picking each other up off a pile."  Peyton Manning on Seahawk defense

Gratitude -
"It's a true, true blessing.  God is so good.  We believed we would get here."  Russell Wilson, quarterback
Percy Harvin, wide receiver, on one person who has helped him to this level..."I would definitely say, without a question, my mom.   She has played a big part in just helping me out this season and staying focused and controlling the things that I can control.  It would be no question, my mom."

Attitude -
"It doesn't matter what you look like.  It doesn't matter if you're black, white, Latino, Asian.  It doesn't matter if you're 5 feet 11.  It doesn't matter how many people tell you no.  It's the heart that you have.  That's what I try to prove every day."  Russell Wilson, quarterback

Sure, football (and all sports) is about wanting to win.  More important though, it's also about having a good attitude, recognizing the contribution of the entire team, working together, not getting too cocky and being gracious to the other team.

Yay Seahawks!  :)