Remember When Sports were about ‘The Love of the Game?’

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Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy and he gave one of the most heartfelt speeches, as a young football player, without notes, to millions of viewers on ESPN.   Watch:

I know he just won a Heisman, but man, he was obviously humbled by the reception, humbled by the crowd, humbled by the award and humbled by his love for the game.  He played with a passion this year, and if you missed it, you really missed watching a tough kid play football.  I am more impressed, however, with his respect of the award he was given and the humility with which he spoke.

Recently, another sports star sat wet-eyed and humbled in front of ESPN cameras.  Allen Iverson was the topic of conversation as he came back to the 76ers, the team that drafted him, the team he took to the NBA Finals, the team he loves.  His press conference:

Allen Iverson’s return to 76ers press conference

Of course people think of Iverson as the guy who questioned, “Practice, practice, we talkin bout practice?  We’re not talkin bout a game.  Not a game.  Not a game.  We talkin bout practice, man!” when his then coach, Larry Brown, disciplined him for skipping a team shoot-around.  But, here is AI, 34 years old, off of a couple so-so years in Denver, one off the bench in Detroit and a game in Memphis, looking at a fresh start to do what he loves to do.  Now I know his story is not Disney-themed, his road to riches not paved with yellow bricks, but AI’s story is great for sports.  AI is no saint, but sports has given him a way in this world like nothing else would, and when all’s said and done, when the fame is gone, when the money is sunk, when the game is stripped away from him, Allen Iverson learned to appreciate basketball that much more.

Love something as passionately as Mark Ingram loves football.  Master your craft as AI patented his crossover and jump shot.  Most importantly, learn from each moment while living in each moment… or like a smarter, wiser, more successful coach said:

“Learn as if you were to live forever, live as if you were to die tomorrow” – John Wooden

udothedishes…