BELIEF IN THE GAME

When people think of legendary football coaches, they nearly always mention Vince Lombardi. When he took over the Green Bay Packers in 1959, they were at the bottom of the standings. The previous year they had lost ten out of their twelve games, tied one and won just one.
Lombardi stood before his players and announced, "Gentlemen, we're going to have a football team. We are going to win some games. Get that!"
What was the game plan? Lombardi looked at his men and said, "You are going to learn to block, run, and tackle. You are going to outplay all the teams that come up against you." Then he threw in the clincher! With more of a command than a suggestion, he ordered, "You are to have confidence in me and enthusiasm for my system. Hereafter, I want you to think of only three things: your home, your religion, and the Green Bay Packers. Let enthusiasm take hold of you!"
He drilled one message into his players before every game until they could hear the words ringing in their helmets. "If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm!"
They got the message.

- Neil Eskelin