The dogs

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There is something that Villanova, Appalachian State, North Carolina State, Boise State and yours truly have in common.

We are underdogs. Or, as I am starting to call it, believers.

We believe in the possible, and the impossible. We have been down in the mud before, caked in dirt, hands on hips, wondering why on God's green earth I land here. And with a deep breath, summoning all the determination that exists, we rise again. Slowly to both feet we rise. Ready for action. Ready to push the limits of possible.

Fall down seven times, get up eight.--Japanese proverb

We sacrifice so much of ourselves, us underdogs. Why pour body, soul, spirit into something where all three may be broken? Because the sacrifice we make in giving ourselves will be repaid. We know this innately. We welcome this chance to show our truest selves, the marrow of our being. We know that we are being greater than ourselves, our truest calling. We believe in the project. We believe in the reward.

Is it stubbornness that makes us get up from the mud? Possibly. Is it a refusal to accept less? Possibly. What makes us get up is knowing that the eyes of the world are on us. They look and wonder if we can make it up one more time. And when they see us rise, one more time, they cheer, tears in their eyes, saying silently, you are amazing.

We see walls before us. Some look and see no way to the other side. We search for ways to overcome barriers. We take the impossible, go beyond its limits, and transform it into the possible.

It is not easy being an underdog. We have to work harder, be more all the time. Be ready all the time. We can't be afraid of getting dirty, getting hurt. Our storehouses of will, heart, spirit, determination must always be greater. We are always on call. The spotlight is always on us. Our hardiness must be harder. Our strength has to be stronger.

And an underdog doesn't mind one iota. The underdog knows all of this already. If he or she didn't, how could they be their best? We are not afraid of going just one more step. We know they have to. We persevere.

All the while, us underdogs maintain humility, knowing that we may be called upon at any moment. We may find ourselves in the mud. We must always be ready.

And we have pride. We don't shout it from the mountaintops, but our actions, our intent, our words, our deeds--our presence--speak it. Our actions, our intent, our words, our deeds, our presence--we live pride. We inhabit pride.

Underdogs have to be more. More of the intangibles. More heart, more soul, more spirit, more love, more passion. All five will be tested. Are they strong enough to withstand the fires, the mud, the water? Underdogs learn to inhabit fire, water, mud. Become them, so their heart, soul, spirit, love, passion becomes stronger.

Underdogs understand mistakes. Underdogs understand they are not perfect. But part of what makes an underdog special is the ability to overcome mistakes, make up for what they lack. In their striving to overcome, they become better than they could have been otherwise.

Underdogs have courage. You may never meet a more courageous person. Fear, sadness, disappointment constantly nip at the heels of the underdog. We could sit still and allow them to devour us. We could run as fast as we could, hoping they couldn't keep up.

Instead we summon them to us. Come with me, the underdog says. Let me show you something special, something amazing.

Our heart. The greatest thing we possess, the greatest gift we can give.