INTEGRITY

[kdsmith27 14]

What does it take to be a champion? Countless athletes take to the field, court, rink, pool and mat each year - all hoping to be crowned a champion. But, few actually achieve their goals.

Athletic Performance Principles for Life are the keys to being a champion - not only in athletics, but in life as well. Study these areas and plug this wisdom into your own life...you'll be glad you did! Each issue we will focus on one important element in the development of a champion!

Integrity

by Coach Doug Reese

"The integrity of the game is everything." - Peter Ueberroth, Former MLB Commissioner

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Competition is defined as a struggle, a rivalry, a contest for some prize, honor, or advantage. There are a number of ways to give yourself an advantage, or an edge on the athletic field - one is by out working your opponent; being in great physical shape, being as strong as possible, and by being technically sharp. There are other methods to gain an edge over the competition such as developing tactics and strategies, strong mental skills, and self-confidence in your abilities. Competition is not just playing a game any more; it has now evolved into a technical science.

Yet, there are still athletes who look for an edge in all of the wrong places - and will sacrifice their integrity in the process.

The beloved Chicago Cub slugger Sammy Sosa was caught with a corked bat in a game during the 2003 baseball season - a clear violation of the rules. Why would anyone cork a bat? To gain an advantage - a hitter with the density of a heavier bat while maintaining the speed of a lighter bat has in fact a weapon that will propel the ball faster, and farther.

Unfortunately baseball has a history of cheating. Pitchers throw spitballs, scuff balls with thumbtacks, or rub them with sandpaper. One Yankee player admitted to putting "super balls" inside his bat. There was the Black Sox scandal to "throw" the World Series in 1919, and teams have been known to steal signs with cameras from the outfield bleachers or scoreboards. Yes, the American past time is looking more like corporate America all the time.

One former big leaguer, now in the front office of a major league team said, "All the players are looking for an edge. It's the same now as when I played. It is all about getting an edge, which is why guys use things like steroids, amphetamines, or corked bats."

In a post-game news conference, Sosa immediately began the task of regaining favor with the fans, in hopes of reclaiming his tarnished image. "I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I just picked the wrong bat," Sosa said.

As for even why Sammy Sosa even had a bat that was corked, he said, "Just to put on a show for the fans (in batting practice). I like to make people happy."

It is easy to see why Sosa might have resorted to cheating. Sosa was struggling at the plate. He was failing to play up to his potential and his average, RBIs, and home run totals were behind his normal production. It is not a huge leap in logic to believe Sosa could, or would stretch the rules to improve his struggling performance.

Whether Sosa's actions were an accident or cold-hearted cheating - he compromised his integrity. Now everybody looks at the smiling, fun-loving Sammy Sosa in a different light.

Questions abound in the minds of players, fans, and sportswriters - how many of Sosa's 292 home runs in the last five seasons were hit with a corked bat? How many were the result of a steroid juiced body?

We can believe Sammy, forgive him, or just rest on the facts that he was caught red-handed in a game on camera!

For many the doubts will never go away. Sammy's integrity is gone forever.

Athletic Principle

"If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." - Alan Simpson

Integrity is defined simply as, "moral uprightness; honesty." There are many good and solid reasons why one should live an honest life, much of what we read in the newspaper and hear on ESPN Sports Center is really about athletes who lack integrity and moral uprightness which affects their life on and off the field.

Many can argue and make the case for the need of integrity in sports today, but in fact integrity is actually a shield of protection which guards those who walk in honesty and truth. The athlete who embraces integrity can walk securely. Those athletes will not be the topic of scandals, rumors, and gossip. But the athletes who decides to cut corners, the ones who takes the crooked path will not only be found out, but will pay a price for his lack of integrity. Consider for a moment the life of Lyle Alzado:

Lyle Alzado was a man's man. He was tough, talented, and physical. In the 1970s and into the mid-1980s, Alzado proved himself as a premier threat in the National Football League.

Alzado played for the Denver Broncos, the Cleveland Browns, and the Los Angles Raiders. He was a true defensive standout who was versatile; he could play both defensive end and tackle, and he could pass rush with the very best in the game. In fact, Alzado was recognized by his peers as one of the best, being named to the NFL All-Pro team.

Alzado was known for his quickness, speed and strength, not to mention his fierce intensity. Alzado once ran a 4.75 forty-yard dash when his playing weight was over 300 pounds. This coupled with his tremendous strength made him a force in the National Football League.

In 1984, Alzado made it to the top when his team the Los Angles Raiders won the Super Bowl. Alzado owned a restaurant in West Hollywood and had embarked on a career as a movie actor, playing roles in nine motion pictures. Alzado's life and his future career looked awful bright. Then in 1992, Alzado announced to the world that he had brain cancer.

"I started taking anabolic steroids in 1969, and I never stopped," he admitted during his pain-racked final days. "We're not born to be 300 pounds, or jump 30 feet. All the time I was taking steroids, I knew they were making me play better. Now look at me. My hair's gone, I wobble when I walk and have to hold on to someone for support, and I have trouble remembering things. My last wish? That no one ever dies this way."

Many times we see what appears to be a short cut, a quicker route, and we leave the straight path, for a crooked one. The crooked path may look enticing, look easy, and much faster than the one we were on, but this perceived shortcut will be filled with obstacles that entangle us and knock us down to our knees.

We must at all costs remain on the straight path. We must make wise decisions. If we are unsure what to do when we come to the crossroads of life, we then must seek out wise counsel from parents, coaches, or teammates.

Staying on the straight path and staying free of obstacles requires commitment, perseverance, discipline, and a strong reminder that in life or sport - there are no shortcuts!

Life Principle

"If you say you are a man of character, then you do the right thing on purpose - not by accident." - Herman Edwards, Head Coach, New York Jets

The value of integrity is greater than any amount of speed, strength, or skill you could develop. Here is a number of reasons why you should strive to develop integrity into your character:

Trust - to be successful in sport and in life requires a reputation for honesty. When people trust you the doors open to greater opportunity.

Less Stress - people who tell the truth have less concern, less stress, and feel better about themselves.

Pride - you have pride when you do the right thing. You have pride when you pay a price, work hard, and sacrifice. Pride is a result of diligent effort, not shortcuts.

Relationships - are the jewels of our lives. Some would argue that relationships ARE our lives. Breeches in trust can be the death blow of friendships When trust is gone, there is no foundation upon to build. Relationships lacking in trust will be hollow and shallow..

The right thing to do is seldom the easy thing to do - but it is well worth the effort.

"As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given." - Mary Lou Retton, Olympic Gold Medalist, Gymnastics

There was a story of a young athlete who attended a university in the southeastern United States. He was on the football team as the starting wide receiver. The athlete was continually striving to shape and mold his own character by doing the right thing. It was his hope and desire to do the right thing no matter what the cost.

A cross-state rival came into town that season for the homecoming game. During the closing minutes of a very tight and exciting game, the wide receiver ran his pass route across the goal line and into the end zone. The quarterback rolled out to the right hash marks and drilled a pass that was low and off target. The receiver slide and reached out at shoe top level to pull the ball into his chest. The referee in the corner of the end zone raised his arms and signaled a touchdown! But the receiver knew otherwise, he had trapped the ball. He hadn't caught the pass at all, his body all but blocked the view of the referee.

The stadium crowd was cheering wildly for the hero of the game. The receiver got up tossed the ball to the referee and said, "Ref, wait a minute"...

He jogged over to the official and shook his head, "I trapped it." The official wiped out the touchdown, and the home team lost the game by four points.

The receiver stood there alone, not only against his teammates that said, "What does it matter, man?" but also against a stadium full of people.

The receiver said, "I can't take the credit. I did not catch it."

This athlete showed his true character - he played fair, by the rules, and stood strong and alone for the truth. He showed sportsmanship - for that is what integrity is.

Not everyone will honor integrity as noted in the above story. It is a sad statement when the prevailing attitude of the day is to "win at all costs" and "whatever it takes." Today I hope that you did in and respond to a higher standard of conduct. It is our charge to compete with sportsmanship, true to the rules, honestly, fully seasoned with class and integrity. That is the true ideal of what sport is really about.

[Eliga08 1]

It is when someone lives up to a certain code or a certain standard of behavior, whether or not people will know what they have done. Simple examples of this would be someone who doesn't steal even if they know they won't get caught, or someone who will not cheat on a test even if the teacher will never find out. They do things because they are the right thing to do, not because of what punishment they will receive for doing wrong.

[mommaswatching 8]

It is a real shame that ther are not more replies to this topic. We as adults should be fostering this kind of message and ignoring those that are so full of Drama. Thank you for starting this post maybe one wrestler will have a change of heart after reading this.

[tiltfor3 20]

“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.”

Alan K. Simpson quotes