LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - As you head out to work this morning, THV's Craig O'Neill has a little pep talk for you.
The Olympics in London begin in 9 days. Who knows what excitement, and new stars we'll see.
But it's the Olympics of 2008, the ones in Beijing, that I focus on this morning.
Prior to 2008, the men's basketball team from the U.S. had been roughed up pretty badly in the world games. This, despite, elite professisonal players on the roster. This country's international standing in what was once considered our game, had taken a giant hit.
The coach of the 2008 Olympic team was legendary Duke coach Mike Kyrysziewcki. Before practice began, he gathered these incredible NBA stars around him, and told his team to honor the competition.
The rest of the world had caught up to the U.S. It was imperative that they honor their competition and realize that their celebrity status and multi-million dollar salaries would not carry them. That they would have to bring their best to every play to get gold.
And they did, and in the process taught us all a lesson.
Everyday we all face competition, and though it may sound counterintuitive, the best way to get a leg up, is to honor those you face.
The ones you have to outperform, to outbid, to out hustle.
This is contrary to the time honored tradition of slamming your opponents as a way to lift yourself up, but that doesn't work as well as kycheczki, who taught us all that competition is your biggest ally because it produces your best game.
Honor it.