Winning - Even When the Scoreboard Says Otherwise
Some of my teammates tried to hide their tears. We had just lost the state championship by two points to Lake Travis High School. As our team lined up to shake hands with the new Texas State Champions, the Lake Travis fans stormed the field. The winning players were too busy celebrating to shake hands with the losing team. All except one Lake Travis player, the quarterback Garrett Gilbert. He shook the hand of every losing player and expressed appreciation for the efforts of the competition.
Garrett Gilbert’s character was on display with that state championship game in 2007, and it was on display when he finally had the opportunity to start a game in the NFL in 2020. Garrett could have celebrated with his fans and team, but instead he showed respect to his opponent and shook every players’ hand. His magnanimity in victory left a positive impression in the mind of myself and my teammates.
Garrett went on to play at the University of Texas and then at SMU. His college career did not go like he would have planned and after being drafted initially, Garrett found himself playing arena football. Most people would have given up, but Garrett stuck with his dream. The Dallas Cowboys gave him a shot after losing their first and second string quarterbacks. Going up against the only undefeated team left in the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cowboys decided to start Garrett. What did he and they have to lose?
In Garrett’s first game as a starting NFL quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys he played like it was his last time on a football field. Many people would get inside their head, and blow their opportunity to live their dream as millions of fans watched from home. But not Garrett. Instead of playing conservatively and worrying about his performance, Garrett put it all on the line, making throw after throw, barely avoiding the Steelers defenders.
As the game neared a close, the Cowboys got the ball back with time running out and needing a score to win. Garrett slung the ball down the field, putting the Cowboys in a spot to take one final shot at the end zone. As time expired, Garrett heaved the ball into the end zone. The ball fell to the ground. Despite Garrett’s best efforts, the Cowboys had lost.
Most people look at the two games, Garrett’s state championship and the Cowboys game, and see two very different outcomes. They think since one game was a win, and the other a loss, the second game must’ve been a failure. But I don’t see it that way at all.
The real win was the second Garrett stepped onto that field, the second he stared across the line at the defense, the second he took the snap, put all of his fear aside, and threw the ball like he had nothing to lose.
We can all learn from how Garrett played that Cowboy’s game. We may face formidable obstacles, but by living our lives like we have nothing to lose we can hold our heads up high, proud of the fear free effort we’ve put forth, and knowing we gave it our best, no matter the outcome.