What It Takes to be Number 1

Champions

This past Sunday, I was able to go to the Missouri Valley Conference Season Finale game as the Bradley Braves were playing the Drake Bulldogs in their home court.

It was a sold out crowd (which hasn’t happened in years), and the excitement in the arena was palpable. From the moment of tipoff, the crowd was on their feet the majority of the game.

It was a phenomenal game.

The Bradley Braves pulled ahead and stayed ahead through the first half. At halftime, the Bulldogs coach must have really given a pep talk as they came out blazing in the second half.

You could hear the fans groaning and shouting at the referees as the Bulldogs played aggressively, pounding towards the net time after time, and they quickly pulled ahead by a few points.

Bradley called a timeout, and you could see an animated coach talking to the players. We were sitting close to the court, so I could catch a bit of the huddle. He was intense, fiery, but you could also also tell that he was inspiring the players by the looks on their faces.

Their faces were set with resolve, and as they broke to continue the game, I could tell something was shifting. They pulled together, played as one team unit, and started fighting back.

From that moment on, Bradley pulled ahead.

They relentlessly pushed offense, scoring time after time, held their defensive ground, and stayed ahead to win the Missouri Valley Conference Season championship title - the first time in 27 years.

It was a great feeling to be a fan at this game, and I was on a high this week as I talked with friends who were at the game, and relived the excitement.

As I’ve reflected on the game and the champion mentality this week, I’ve thought about another champion sports coach - Vince Lombardi.

What It Takes to be Number 1

Vince Lombardi (1913-1970) was an American football player and coach who is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Football League (NFL).

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lombardi played college football at Fordham University before beginning his coaching career at the high school level.

He eventually became an assistant coach in the NFL and in 1959, he was hired as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. Over the next nine seasons, Lombardi transformed the Packers into one of the most dominant teams in NFL history, winning five championships, including the first two Super Bowls.

Lombardi was known for his strict discipline and emphasis on fundamentals, which he instilled in his players. His leadership and coaching style helped create a winning culture in Green Bay, and his teams were known for their toughness and resilience.

Lombardi's success as a coach earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Super Bowl trophy is named after him.

One of my first mentors (my father) for as long as I can remember had a print in his office with Vince Lombardi’s famous speech printed out - What It Takes to be Number 1.

If you’ve never read that speech, I encourage you to read it today.

What does it take to be number 1?

There are many things, but in my mind, it boils down to developing a champion mentality.

And it’s not exclusive to sports - according to Vince Lombardi, this mindset applies to any leader trying to build a champion team.

We’ll delve into this as we go along with this newsletter…AND also get into the fun strategies, tactics, etc. of what it takes to be a Champion Marketer & eCommerce Leader.

So today, I’ll leave you with this quote from Vince Lombardi’s famous speech:

Have a great weekend!