Anything is Possible
I was in Washington last week when the NBA Finals concluded with Boston beating Los Angeles in six games. I didn't see it live, but ESPN showed me what happened. After the game, on the parquet floor in Boston, Kevin Garnett said how hype he was. He paused and then screamed an exhilarating, “Anything is Possible….!!!” The sinewy seven-footer held the last syllable as long as his breath would allow.
His celebration was the culmination of a 12 year journey in the league. He always played with the passion of a lion, which I enjoyed watching, but he had never been to the Finals before, better yet win it. He was at the pinnacle of his career.
When I got home form the innovation house tonight, I sat on the beach with my aunt, uncle and cousin. It was my aunt and uncle’s 31st anniversary. They headed off to dinner and Kyle and I battled in a game of Ladderball, a new beach game with a slight horseshoe spin to it. This matters because I ate a late dinner, finishing at 10ish. After washing my plates, I cozied into the recliner and flipped. I stopped at ESPN and the 9th inning of the College Baseball National Championship Game. It was Game 3 of the series, the deciding game, between Georgia and Fresno State.
I can get into baseball in person, when my peeps are playing, or when my buddy Josh Whetzel is doing the radio play by play (someone get this talent a MLB gig already). But on TV, I can't do it. I flip between pitches. I forget about it between innings and pitcher changes. But I had read about Fresno State making it to the Championship Series. They said it was like a 16 seed in March Madness making to the finals, so I was interested. I knew Fresno State had blown a lead in Game 1 to lose 7-6 and then roared back from a 5-0 deficit in Game 2 to win 19-10.
So it is the 9th inning of Game 3 and most of the drama had occurred. Fresno was up 6-1. One guy had driven in all 6 runs for the Bulldogs. Both teams are Bulldogs, but one guy did in fact drive all 6 in for Fresno State. The point is, Fresno State did it. They won.
The TV said they were the lowest seed ever to win a national championship in any sport. The underdog of underdogs won the NCAA baseball title. I watched the college kids pour onto the field in euphoria, jumping into a huge pile. I watched the favored Georgia team with stunned looks from the dugout. I also watched Erin Andrews interview some of the players. That distracted me for a moment, but then the mix of KG (Garnett) and the Bulldogs played in my brain.
Garnett was on the best team throughout the year. They had the best record. They were somewhat favored to win it all.
Fresno State started the season 8-12. Fresno State has the most losses of any baseball champion. They were the first No. 4 regional seed to reach the CWS since the tournament expanded in 1999 (I don’t really know what that means, but it is a first.) And what paints the picture the most is they would equate to a 16 seed in March Madness.
This is why sports can be so great. You don’t have to be the best, possess the most talent, or carry the ideal skill. If you have a team that bands together, your chemistry, momentum and passion can propel you to uncharted accomplishments.
Many times we try and Terrell Owens it. Meaning, we try and do it in our own. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a student, part of a work group, or part of an athletic group, this shows the power of team. Are you solo on the road? Find some teammates to maximize your strengths and leverage your weaknesses. Find some teammates to push you when the going gets tough. Find people to help you when your passion cell is spent and needs a recharge.
Lesson Three in my book says you are the one that will make it happen. This is true, but you can make it happen faster with a team. And the celebration will be that much sweeter.
Congrats to Fresno State. This will go down in the record books. Learn from their championship. Not this game, but the run up to get to this game. Awesome stuff. And in my final sports mix of the evening, as they said in the rerun of Hoosiers I watched last night, “Team!”
His celebration was the culmination of a 12 year journey in the league. He always played with the passion of a lion, which I enjoyed watching, but he had never been to the Finals before, better yet win it. He was at the pinnacle of his career.
When I got home form the innovation house tonight, I sat on the beach with my aunt, uncle and cousin. It was my aunt and uncle’s 31st anniversary. They headed off to dinner and Kyle and I battled in a game of Ladderball, a new beach game with a slight horseshoe spin to it. This matters because I ate a late dinner, finishing at 10ish. After washing my plates, I cozied into the recliner and flipped. I stopped at ESPN and the 9th inning of the College Baseball National Championship Game. It was Game 3 of the series, the deciding game, between Georgia and Fresno State.
I can get into baseball in person, when my peeps are playing, or when my buddy Josh Whetzel is doing the radio play by play (someone get this talent a MLB gig already). But on TV, I can't do it. I flip between pitches. I forget about it between innings and pitcher changes. But I had read about Fresno State making it to the Championship Series. They said it was like a 16 seed in March Madness making to the finals, so I was interested. I knew Fresno State had blown a lead in Game 1 to lose 7-6 and then roared back from a 5-0 deficit in Game 2 to win 19-10.
So it is the 9th inning of Game 3 and most of the drama had occurred. Fresno was up 6-1. One guy had driven in all 6 runs for the Bulldogs. Both teams are Bulldogs, but one guy did in fact drive all 6 in for Fresno State. The point is, Fresno State did it. They won.
The TV said they were the lowest seed ever to win a national championship in any sport. The underdog of underdogs won the NCAA baseball title. I watched the college kids pour onto the field in euphoria, jumping into a huge pile. I watched the favored Georgia team with stunned looks from the dugout. I also watched Erin Andrews interview some of the players. That distracted me for a moment, but then the mix of KG (Garnett) and the Bulldogs played in my brain.
Garnett was on the best team throughout the year. They had the best record. They were somewhat favored to win it all.
Fresno State started the season 8-12. Fresno State has the most losses of any baseball champion. They were the first No. 4 regional seed to reach the CWS since the tournament expanded in 1999 (I don’t really know what that means, but it is a first.) And what paints the picture the most is they would equate to a 16 seed in March Madness.
This is why sports can be so great. You don’t have to be the best, possess the most talent, or carry the ideal skill. If you have a team that bands together, your chemistry, momentum and passion can propel you to uncharted accomplishments.
Many times we try and Terrell Owens it. Meaning, we try and do it in our own. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a student, part of a work group, or part of an athletic group, this shows the power of team. Are you solo on the road? Find some teammates to maximize your strengths and leverage your weaknesses. Find some teammates to push you when the going gets tough. Find people to help you when your passion cell is spent and needs a recharge.
Lesson Three in my book says you are the one that will make it happen. This is true, but you can make it happen faster with a team. And the celebration will be that much sweeter.
Congrats to Fresno State. This will go down in the record books. Learn from their championship. Not this game, but the run up to get to this game. Awesome stuff. And in my final sports mix of the evening, as they said in the rerun of Hoosiers I watched last night, “Team!”
posted by Andrew Harrison at
11:34 PM
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