Do you have 52+ friends that you can truly trust with the biggest secret of your life? Do you have at least one? Do you have a friend that will be by your side in your most uncomfortable setting? Will that friend save you when you’re sinking?
Football teams share a special bond. They may be friends, but above all they are teammates. We may talk about what we would do for our friends. Teammates practice this everyday. Almost like soldiers, they cover each other, they protect each other. They put their bodies on the line for one another. They do this because they have a genuine respect for the others talent and a common desire to win. Teammates understand a fundamental principle of life. No one accomplishes anything alone.
This week, NFL prospect- Michael Sam, shared with the world a personal truth he had already shared with his teammates, a year ago. For a year, at least 53 men kept a secret from the press, that sent shock waves across the sports world. A few weeks ago, we watched as Marshawn Lynch painfully struggled through a press conference until his teammate, Michael Robinson, interjected. (If you missed it, click the youtube link below.) Lynch was visibly shaking until Robinson playfully took over and fielded questions for him. These teammates silently and publicly displayed the characteristics of true friendship. They protected each other without seeking anything for themselves.
I hope that as Valentine’s Day approaches, we celebrate all those we love, including our true friends, our teammates.
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