In sports, the mental game is half the battle of any victory. You can train all you want, practice all you want, and run through every single play, but you still won't come out with the win if you and your teammates aren't mentally prepared. Great coaches all know this, from guys like Vince Lombardi to Jim Valvano. Being a great coach isn't just about managing personalities and laying out schemes, it's also about being a master motivator.
Of course, moments of great motivation in sports don't have to just come before, during, or after a game. They can happen in moments of honor or awards or vulnerability. As Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech proved to us last week, an individual award can also be a platform for recognizing an entire team, and the sacrifices made by loved ones for the good of another human being. It's times like these that sports inspire, motivate, and energize all of us.
So, since it's Ray Lewis' birthday today, and the former Baltimore Ravens All-Pro linebacker is one of the greatest emotional leaders in all of sports, we put together The Greatest Motivational Speeches in Sports History for you to sit through and enjoy. Feeling like you need an extra push to get to the weekend? Sit back, and take a listen. After hearing one of these, you'll feel like you can climb Everest.
15. "I'm Hurt, Dawg."
14. Who Am I?
13. We Are BC
12. Pissed Off For Greatness
11. I Know Your Heart
10. Manic Aggression
9. We Got 30 Minutes For the Rest of Our Lives
8. It's Not Going to Come Easy
7. It's About Us
6. This Is Your Everest
Speaker: Jim Telfer
Date: 6/21/1997
Team: British & Irish Lions
Situation: Pre-game address for test against the Springboks
With the British & Irish Lions playing the underdog during their 1997 tour in South Africa, assistant coach Jim Telfer knew that he needed a way to properly inspire his Lions players to victory. And as they were readying for their first test against the Springboks, Telfer succeeded in his mission.
"You have an awesome responsibility on these eight individual forward's shoulders, an awesome responsibility," Telfer began. "This your f***ing Everest boys. Very few ever get the chance in rugby terms to get to Everest, the top of Everest. You have the chance." The Lions would seize the opportunity, winning their test series 2-1 in a considerable upset.