"Win, at all Costs"

A lot of criticism falls on sports for being too competitive. In some instances, I can understand why people may think this. One of the building blocks for competition is to "win at all costs". This is true, most of the time. Viewers outside of competition see this statement and cringe, because "at all costs" covers a very wide range of action. They think this may create a free pass for dirty play and unsportsmanlike behavior. However, for those inside the sporting arena, there is a different set of rules, but by the same standard. (Confusing, I know.) For those inside the actual competition, we still adhere to the statement "win at all costs". However, we take into account a different definition for "at all costs". Most of us inside the arena (sadly, most) can comprehend why people view the competition the way that they do. It's dangerous. But athletes flip the meaning. Instead of "at all costs" to opponents, and possibly their own teammates, they turn it on themselves. This is to be taken as a challenge saying, "How far can I push myself?" or "Where is my breaking point?" It is an internal statement for athletes meaning he or she is going to push every physical limit that his or her body bounds them to. It is found in many instances in my recent memory.

In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan, arguably the best basketball player to ever walk the face of the Earth, overcame a stomach virus and food poisoning to win one of the most crucial and memorable games of his entire career. He played sparingly, but when he was on the court, he pushed his limits. He ended the game with 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, an incredible statline for a player at 100%. He went on to win the NBA Finals MVP.

The 1988 MLB World Series starred the Los Angeles Dodgers and the overwhelming Oakland A's. The Dodgers had been underdogs throughout the entire playoffs, and once again faced Goliath in the A's. (Literally giants, both Canseco and McGwire tested positive for steroids.) In the NLCS victory over the New York Mets, Kirk Gibson had injured both legs and was scratched for the lineup until further notice. With a runner on base and down 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers turned to their veteran. Kirk Gibson appeared from the clubhouse, took 3 practice swings, and stepped to the plate. He was to face a menacing closer by the name of Dennis Eckersley. Eckersley was one of the best closers in the game of baseball at this point. Gibson took a 3-2, backdoor breaking ball nearly 400 feet and into the right field bleachers. A walk off home run by a man with two injured legs, who wouldn't take another swing in the entire series.

My most recent example, however, comes from NCAA football. The name is Mark Herzlich. A unanimous All-State linebacker in Pennsylvania, he signed to play for Boston College. He went on to earn Freshman All-American honors, All-Conference as a sophomore, first team All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year as only a junior. He was bound to be a top draft pick after his senior season. In 2009, he was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. He didn't even blink. He overcame his bout with cancer to return to the gridiron for the 2010 season. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants and started his first professional game in November, 2011.

There are many things in sports that athletes say: taglines, quotes to remember, and chants. Most of these, however, are never meant to be threatening to the opponents. Most are meant for internal purposes to drive the athlete past the point of exhaustion, past the point of weakness, to strive for victory.