Attitude of a Champion

Yesterday, Philip and I, went to the Duke verses UNC-Asheville basketball game.  It was a lot of fun.  After finding our parking spot (just one wrong turn), we made our way to our seats and watched both teams warm up.  The game was close and a little sloppy at first but Duke began to get hot from the outside and hit some three pointers to start to pull away. 

There was a series in the game where a player from Duke stole the ball and hit a layup, he followed that up with an emphatic dunk and then he nailed a three pointer.  It was an awesome display of his abilities but here is where the problem lies.  After he slammed the ball, he got cocky and did a macho walk toward the crowd under the basket. After hitting the three pointer he put his hands out in the shapes of guns and started shooting at the crowd who of course got loud and excited and shot right back at him.  All this happened with Duke up 25 points on Asheville. 

I understand that these are college kids and they get excited but I have never been a fan of a boastful athlete.  I don't think there is a need for that cocky attitude and swagger after you dunk a basketball or hit a three pointer.  I mean, aren't they supposed to be able to be able to do that?  If he plays for Duke he should be able to hit those shots every game!

Tony Dungy says in his book Uncommon Life: Daily Challenge:

"Be confident in your God-given gifts and abilities, but always avoid pride.  Trying to build yourself up will eventually bring you down.  If you catch yourself with a "big head" today, deflate it by confessing your sin of pride to God."

I agree that you should be very confident in your God-given abilities but remember that they are God-given abilities.  I know that you work hard to be the athlete that you are but you have been given the talents in that area  (basketball, football, baseball, etc.) from God.  He has blessed you and it is up to you use them to glorify him. 

I know that Duke is going to have a great season and rightfully so because they have a great team.  I wish them luck and I hope that Coach K can get some of that showboating under control because if he doesn't they are going to come across the wrong team that won't put up with it and the game could get ugly.

God doesn't sit up in heaven and have a cocky attitude or a swagger about him because he created the world.  If anyone deserves to showboat it is God creator of all.  Let's be humble, let's hit three pointers and dunk basketballs, but lets remember who gave us that ability and act accordingly!