I shared this with some people today. Some don't know that much about NFL so apologies for explaining who the players are. But thought this was good and worth sharing.
******
Here's what I sent:
Video here: https://twitter.com/MikeGiardi/status/1483457229240078337?s=20
Wanted to share this. You know me, I'm usually way more interested in all the "side" angles of a football game than I am in the actual game.
Great example this week.
This past week, Buffalo destroyed the Patriots. Wasn't close.
Christian Barmore is a rookie defensive lineman for New England.
He was standing on the field after the game alone watching Buffalo celebrate. His season is now over for this year. He's a great young player with tons of promise.
Mitch Morse is a veteran center for Buffalo. He's an excellent player too. He and Barmore had been battling for the whole game.
After the game, he made a point to encourage Barmore.
There's so much awesomeness to unpack.
I don't think Barmore was pouting. He was looking to see what a future goal looked like. He wants to be in the position the Bills are in doing what they were doing celebrating a playoff win and moving to the next round.
It's painful sometimes to see the goal when you're not there. Barmore won't get that opportunity for another 12 months. But he'll likely have that opportunity. He's a great young player. And looking to see what success feels/looks/sounds like is important.
It's also important not to obsess over it. Or wallow in where you are now and beat yourself up because you're not where you want to be. Do something about it. My guess is he'll go to work doing the things he needs to do to get himself and his team advancing toward the goal.
But I'm honestly more interested in Mitch Morse here. He's an excellent player too. But I put an infinitely higher value on what he did here than anything he'll ever do on the field. He took the time to encourage Barmore at a time when he likely needed it most.
A few points:
- Return on Investment. This cost Morse nothing. He took 30 seconds and the cost to him was literally zero. The benefit to Barmore is likely off the charts.
- Aware. I don't know if he was actively looking for Barmore but you can see how once he saw him, he went straight for him. Nobody would have faulted Morse in the least if he'd walked straight to the locker room. But as my friend Andy Holt says, he "had his antenna up" and was aware of the situation. I'm sure Morse has lost tough games before and he likely knew some of what Barmore felt like.
- Intentional. Once he saw Barmore, he didn't hesitate. He knew what he should do and did it. He knows he's in a position of influence as a respected veteran. He was not shy in doing something few people on earth could have done there.
- Sincere. Watch how Morse stays with it here. Post-game handshakes are often quick and not too meaningful. You'll hear lots of "Stay Healthy" and maybe old friends or teammates catching up. You can tell Morse said something that pulled Barmore in. Morse kept on it. Emphatically and repeatedly putting his hand to Barmore's chest. Granted, these guys had just spent an entire game hitting each other so that may not be appropriate in other situations. But the point is Morse seemed emphatic in making his point to the young player. This was tons more than just saying "good game".
And that's a lesson for us. We're not NFL players. But I think we so often underestimate the impact we can have on other people not quite as far along the road as we are.
Love you Folks. Rock on. And know I'm with you.
J
******
Here's what I sent:
Video here: https://twitter.com/MikeGiardi/status/1483457229240078337?s=20
Wanted to share this. You know me, I'm usually way more interested in all the "side" angles of a football game than I am in the actual game.
Great example this week.
This past week, Buffalo destroyed the Patriots. Wasn't close.
Christian Barmore is a rookie defensive lineman for New England.
He was standing on the field after the game alone watching Buffalo celebrate. His season is now over for this year. He's a great young player with tons of promise.
Mitch Morse is a veteran center for Buffalo. He's an excellent player too. He and Barmore had been battling for the whole game.
After the game, he made a point to encourage Barmore.
There's so much awesomeness to unpack.
I don't think Barmore was pouting. He was looking to see what a future goal looked like. He wants to be in the position the Bills are in doing what they were doing celebrating a playoff win and moving to the next round.
It's painful sometimes to see the goal when you're not there. Barmore won't get that opportunity for another 12 months. But he'll likely have that opportunity. He's a great young player. And looking to see what success feels/looks/sounds like is important.
It's also important not to obsess over it. Or wallow in where you are now and beat yourself up because you're not where you want to be. Do something about it. My guess is he'll go to work doing the things he needs to do to get himself and his team advancing toward the goal.
But I'm honestly more interested in Mitch Morse here. He's an excellent player too. But I put an infinitely higher value on what he did here than anything he'll ever do on the field. He took the time to encourage Barmore at a time when he likely needed it most.
A few points:
- Return on Investment. This cost Morse nothing. He took 30 seconds and the cost to him was literally zero. The benefit to Barmore is likely off the charts.
- Aware. I don't know if he was actively looking for Barmore but you can see how once he saw him, he went straight for him. Nobody would have faulted Morse in the least if he'd walked straight to the locker room. But as my friend Andy Holt says, he "had his antenna up" and was aware of the situation. I'm sure Morse has lost tough games before and he likely knew some of what Barmore felt like.
- Intentional. Once he saw Barmore, he didn't hesitate. He knew what he should do and did it. He knows he's in a position of influence as a respected veteran. He was not shy in doing something few people on earth could have done there.
- Sincere. Watch how Morse stays with it here. Post-game handshakes are often quick and not too meaningful. You'll hear lots of "Stay Healthy" and maybe old friends or teammates catching up. You can tell Morse said something that pulled Barmore in. Morse kept on it. Emphatically and repeatedly putting his hand to Barmore's chest. Granted, these guys had just spent an entire game hitting each other so that may not be appropriate in other situations. But the point is Morse seemed emphatic in making his point to the young player. This was tons more than just saying "good game".
And that's a lesson for us. We're not NFL players. But I think we so often underestimate the impact we can have on other people not quite as far along the road as we are.
Love you Folks. Rock on. And know I'm with you.
J
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