The Best

Jim Brown is widely thought to be not only the best fullback to ever play football, but also to be the best football player of all-time.

In a panel discussion today on television, Jim Brown along with other Hall of Fame football players discussed what it means to be the best. Jim Brown claimed that he didn't think he or anyone could be considered the best of all-time, and that it isn't even worth talking about. What really matters is looking at the characteristics of individuals, and then we have something we can talk about.

When Jim was asked, "Who is the best of all-time?" it struck me that our society has sickness based in being the best. Everyone has to be the best; and being less than the best is nothing. Of course, once you're the best you are hypersensitive to your position and have to defend it with intensive care.

There is no room for people who are just good at some things. As a soccer coach, I spend a lot of time evaluating my players by trying to find the right combonation that allows for us to get the most scoring opportunities, the best defense that keeps the ball away from the goal, the best arrangement of midfielders to win balls and to keep possession of the ball, and the forwards that work the best together to finish on scoring opportunities. Not only am I looking at team chemisty on the field, but I also try to give every player an opportunity to succeed. This means that everyone gets some playing time, even if they aren't as good.

In the end, managing positions and rotating substitutes into the game can be a nightmare. Ultimately, I have to judge each individual on their own merits and how they work with other team members. The interesting thing is that each player has something good to bring to the field. I have a very skilled offensive player who is quick and usually finds the back of the net on his shots. I have a very skilled defensive player that never lets an offensive player beat him on his backside and has a very clear understanding of where he belongs in the backfield. I have a player who is incredibly slow, but can hit shots from deeper in the field than everyone else. I have players who play hard and want to help their team, but struggle, and I have players that do well in most any position. I have strong, tall players, and short players that aren't developed yet. Despite all of this, I find that there is only one thing that really matters when I put any player on the field - do they play their position correctly?

I see it on my team, and I see it on the varisty team, and I see it on other teams, pro teams, and pee wee league teams in all sports. We over-emphasize the feats of individuals, and forget that everyone has something to offer.

So what is the best really? Someone who knows how to fit in just right in whatever situation he or she puts herself into. That doesn't mean the best is someone who is faster, smarter, more talented, more skilled, more determined, etc. It simply means that this person knows their role, and strives well to make the most of it.

In music, I was called the best in high school because I could always play my part well, play out on solos with good tone, and help the players around me. I knew my role, and it made everyone better.

In soccer, I was called the best player on the team as a defender because I played hard on every play, was the fastest player on the field, kicked the ball very hard, and never let anyone past me - it made the whole team better. I never once scored a goal in a high school game, and I lost a tie-breaker in a vote to be the best player in the conference.

These are situations where I started with some talent and worked incredibly hard to push myself to be my best... but truthfully, the enjoyment I really got out of the experiences were found in the collective experiences I had. I was my best, and my best rubbed off on everyone.

This is perhaps the biggest life lesson I've ever learned:


Working to the best of your ability in all that you do is the most important thing you can do for yourself and others.


Never be afraid of the challenge, but never make it about being better than others. Be better for others; or more importantly, be better for yourself.

My guess is that when Jim Brown retired at the young age of 29-years-old as the MVP of the league and superbowl champion, he knew this in his heart. He loved pushing himself, the challenge of competition that made him better (not proving others than they were worse than he), and helping his team out.

This attitude needs to be re-embraced in our society. Forget arguing who the #1 of all-time is, forget arguing about who is better than you and who you are better than. Just look for inspiration, what are the good qualities in everyone - from the greats, to the most awkward among us that continue to try despite knowing that the lack that which comes easy to others. Look for inspiration in yourself, and always find ways to find new challenges that force you to find new ways to awaken the best in yourself.

This is the spirit that gives life its vigor, the spirit my 90-year-old great grandmother in Wisconsin has that she's kept all of her life as she takes care of endless tasks in the house and garden with wicked determination. This is the spirit I wish to have well into the future into the later years of my life.