1/09/17
What a game. Clemson played a game with Coach Dabo Swinney’s proclamation of belief, love, and guts, and prevailed against the great Alabama Crimson Tide, 35-31. In the post-game interviews, Alabama’s Head Coach, Nick Saban, one of the greatest coaches of all time, attributed Clemson’s win to a very simple factor.
“They made the plays, and we didn’t,” Saban said.
Every endeavor has its own plays to be made. You either make them or you miss them. The more plays you understand how to make, the more plays you will make consistently. The more plays you make, the greater your chance of winning.
Too often we get lulled into thinking that the conditions (situations) dictate our response. To be a play maker we need to be open to the idea that no matter what the situation, we have influence.
In a battle that is weighed on a scoreboard, games aren’t determined by one play, even though the last play sometimes matters in the outcome. Each play counts equally. Often, it seems that games are determined by 3 or 4 big plays, but it simply seems that way because the plays made during the rest of the game balance each other. Each play, each moment, is an opportunity to make a play that tips the balance of the scales.
Sports are simply an extension of a greater life, and every situation in life presents a play to made, a moment to be seized. The best playmakers understand that no matter how favorable or unfavorable the situation appears, it is full of wide open potential, and in this invitation to possibility, the playmaker does what he can to influence the world in front of him.
Last night, Clemson made a few more plays than Alabama, but in such a great game, both sides made plays all night long. Some were easily noticed, others were subtle and more easily glossed over, but each counted. And according to Coach Dabo Swinney’s proclamation, Clemson’s belief, love, and guts made the difference in making a few more plays than their opponents made. They made the plays that needed to be made to win.
If you desire to make plays in your life, I aim to help. There are certain keys that will help you make plays consistently. This blog is dedicated to those keys. I hope you enjoy it and make plays in your life.
My Best to You,
Jared Wood
Making the Play 