If Winning Isn’t Important, Then Why Bother?
I think most of us have heard this famous phrase by Grantland Rice, the great sports writer, “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.” It sounds so pithy and wise, but I have a confession to make to you: I hate it! Legendary Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi, once said, “If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?” Hmmm, good point Vince!
Let me ask you something. How many teams won the Super Bowl? How many won the World Series? The Stanley Cup? How many people would watch the Olympics if everyone was a winner? You know, just thank them all for showing up, give a pat on the back as you hand each athlete the exact same participant ribbon, and then send the gold, silver, and bronze medals to Fort Knox. Sheesh! Athletes have doped their blood to get one of those medals (note: I absolutely condemn such action, but I’m making a point here). You don’t burn 4 years of your life and train 8 hours a day to get a “You did it!” ribbon at the end of it all.
As a track athlete in high school, competing in the 800m and 1500m running events, I learned a valuable lesson that completely changed my approach to training. I finished dead last in every single race in those 2 events in my grade 9 year. My coach did not give me a pat on the back or a participant ribbon. What he did give me was a pep talk. “You’re better than this, Brian. If you’re sick and tired of watching the race from the rear then I suggest you step it up a bit.” Believe me, losing every race was plenty of motivation for me to step it up a bit. By my grade 13 year (ok, so I’m a dinosaur and I actually went to school when this grade still existed!) I was winning races. Awarding the winner does not take away from sportsmanship. What it does do is recognize achievement and raise the bar to help others aspire to come up higher.
Did you know that the Bible teaches the importance of striving to win? In 1 Corinthians 9:24 it says, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” Did you catch that? Run in such a way that you may win. I wasn’t alive when Grantland Rice made his famous quote, but if I were a gambler I’d bet the house that this guy was a back-of-the-pack-er. I have coached for a number of years, and I always applaud effort, always. But, I also believe in rewarding achievement because it sets the bar for everyone else and helps them strive to do better. Businesses do it when they hand out bonuses. Sports teams do it when they hand out awards. Companies do it when they make promotions. Cheer on the underdog, encourage the fainthearted, but also point them in the direction of the lead runner.
I like what U.S. soccer standout, Mia Hamm, once said: “Every single day I wake up and commit to myself to becoming a better player.” When my youngest daughter, Beth, was in the seventh grade she finished third in the final cross-country running race. After the race I told her, “Beth, the two girls in front of you are in grade 8 and will graduate this year. Other runners are moving up to this race next year but it’s yours to win. You decide if you want it bad enough.” Let me tell you, she poured on the effort in her training and the next year, while in grade 8, she won her race by over 400m.
Everything we do in life should be done with an attitude of excellence. Don’t give half an effort. If you’re part of a business or sports team then others are depending on your best effort. Don’t let them down! Run in such a way that you may win!
I Corinthians 9:24 it says, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
Brian, I do not dispute your emphasis on performing at your best in athletics. Anyone who knows me will comment on my elevated sense of competitiveness. I love athletics and certainly enjoy it when a victory comes my way.
However, the Bible verse you quote in support of “running to get the prize” is used improperly. The apostle Paul here was not writing about athletic races – he was writing about running the race of life, specifically about running the race of your faith life. Paul encouraged us to not focus on the temporal things that matter little (and here he included victories in athletic pursuits), but to focus on what matters – living a life that is focused on the eternal.
Play hard, run your best, compete at your highest level – I get it, I agree, I do it. But know that it really does not matter whether you win or lose the race in the end; it matters only how you run for God in your race of life. In that race – are you going to run like one who competes for the prize?
Roger i think you’re misinterpreting Pastor Horrobin’s point. To me he is saying you should aim to improve every game and you should be trying to “win” in life.
Sports is where that lesson is taught. If the Bible verse quoted is meant to represent life, then it also represents sport. what is good and Godly in life must also be in sport, because sports are a part of life.
Just because you can’t win does mean you shouldn’t participate, but it also doesn’t mean you should try to win and get better.
Bobber, I agree with the substance of Pastor Horrobin’s point and what you repeat here.
My point point of contention is using a Bible verse to “proof-text” a point of view. The passage quoted (read the WHOLE thing) does NOT say to the effect “go and compete hard in athletics because winning is good”. Rather is says the opposite – that athletic victory and the “wins” in this life are short and fleeting – set your goal for victory in living a pure an holy life pleasing to God (which includes athletics and EVERYTHING we do).
If anyone is looking to prove a point, it is not a difficult task to find a small section or sentence in a Bible text to support your view. However, to do is absolutely a false interpretation of the Bible. The context surroudnig the section (and the book as a whole) needs to inform our understanding of the small piece. Pastor Horrobin, of all people, should know better than to misue and misapply a small section to support a “win at sport is good” point of view. The Bible passage quoted simply does not say what he claims it does.
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Here is a larger chunk of the passage. I would highly doubt Pastor Horrobin is “misusing” the text. Anyone that knows him would never argue that.
The problem Roger, is everyone interprets the Bible differently and no one can be sure their interpretation is the truth. To me this verse reads exactly as Pastor Horrobin has said. It is about self discipline to become better and the references to athletics are blatantly obvious. Does is say “win at all costs?” Not exactly, but it also says strive to win and improve your body .
To me it reads exactly as Brian has used it. Sorry, again, the only one who knows exactly how the text is to be used, and its definitive meaning is the Lord, the rest of us are just doing our best to understand.
Read the first 11 chapters of Hebrews and then consider the urging sentences of chapter twelve. The word “Therefore” implies that it relies or all that comes prior – i.e. the first eleven chapters bulid to this point and serve as foundational text.
Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
The epistle uses the imagry of a stadium filled with spectators and the Christian as a “runner” in the race. But this is NOT about athletics, nor is it about running or winning. It about what prize you will run to in your life and what you set as your goal. A person sets their eyes on prizes in this life – or the much more valuable prize of eternal life. The passage urges the latter, with examples of many spiritual heroes who have gone before.
My point is that Hebrew 12 and other passages use the image of a running race to instruct readers of matters of faith. It was not about running at all. And likewise, I Cor. 9:24 and the surrouding text is not at all about running races (athletics). The text is using the image of a race/runner as a methaphor for a much deeper and spiritual message.
Subjective point of view – agreed, there is no such space as neutrality. But I stress that Scripture must be read, understood, believed, and lived out in its fullest and deepest sense so that we do not bless our own ideas with a short sentence or two from the Bible that on a surface reading suggests that our idea is sanctioned by God.
And then (after considering the totality of Biblical instruction) – we must conclude in the end that a faithful Christian must believe that in athletic pursuits, IT IS really not whether we win or lose, it is how we play the game that matters.
I like winning as much as the next guy, but I also want to see athletes enjoy the game/event they participate in.
Much of what you said is geared to winning at all costs, especially if you consider professional sports. But how many amateur athletes give up and leave sport because of the “winning is everything” pressure applied by coaches and parents.
Balance between excellence and victory is the key, and lifetime participation in sport should be the goal. This is what Long Term Athletic Development strives to do.
“Mia Hamm, once said: “Every single day I wake up and commit to myself to becoming a better player.””
Mia Hamm said she wanted to be a better player, not that she wanted to win. Winning is the outcome of creating and nurturing players so that they can be better. Good coaches push athletes to reach their potential, with winning as simply the tool we have accepted to measure success.
Couldn’t agree more. Athletics need to be fun, but there are recreational programs away from competitive sport for people who aren’t there to win and improve.
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
I get what you’re saying Roger, and I’m sure when Brian is able to respond he’ll have a justification for you.
I also disagree that a true Christian needs to believe it’s only how you play the game. A true Christian will play the game fairly but will also strive to win the game, just like other dedicated athletes do. True Christian’s will play the game fairly, but that does not mean they won’t try to win and improve in everything they do, including sport.
A faithful Christian will be as upset by losing, and will strive to improve and win, albeit fairly, and that constant improvement of mind, body, and spirit is what we are supposed to be doing.
Interesting debate on here, I’m finding it very valuable. Brian where are you?
I appreciate the comments so far, and I want to especially acknowledge Roger’s argument. He makes a very good point, but I am not preaching a sermon here and using a sports metaphor for an illustration. Instead, I am discussing a sports issue and using a principle of Scripture to reinforce my point. My main issue in the article (and the jury is still out as to whether I did this effectively or not) is the attitude of striving for excellence. Not every great effort results in a win, but that particular “great” effort should be applauded, exactly because it was made. Similarly, when great effort actually does result in winning, that should be recognized and rewarded. If a reward is dangled as a promise to the victor, it raises the bar and encourages better effort, as opposed to rewarding someone just because they showed up but didn’t give the effort. Mia Hamm committed to being a better player, surely, so that it would enable her to help her team win. In the Christian life, of course, temporal rewards are nothing compared to a life consecrated to God, but that is not the point I am trying to make in my article. I apologize, Roger, for any misunderstanding on my part. You do make a good point.
I’ll keep striving to win but not because the Bible teaches us so.
Surely a better argument can come from evolution and the primal need to beat everyone else to survive. (If you wanted to go that path)