Sacrifice for Success -- UConn do it.

Last night the University of Connecticut (UConn) women’s basketball team dismantled Louisville to claim the National Championship.  In so doing, UConn head coach, Geno Auriemma tied legendary former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit for the most-ever titles with eight.  

The Huskies’ 33-point win (93-60) over the Cardinals -- the largest ever in a championship game -- was actually 2 points below their average margin of victory throughout the NCAA Tournament (35).  Anyone familiar with women’s basketball may read these things and not be surprised.  UConn is a perennial powerhouse.  Most people would just assume they were championship favorites all along.  But, this UConn team entered the Tournament without having won its conference (Big East)’s regular season title OR post-season tournament crown. 

In fact, Auriemma called this season the “worst coaching (he’s) ever done”.  

Must be nice...do the worst job ever and still cruise through the NCAA tournament to a record-tying eighth championship winning by 35 points per game.

In a post-game on-court interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, the Huskies’ head man explained his statement and its connection to the team’s success.

“At that point we were not championship-caliber. I didn’t really have the pulse of the team,” he said.  “More than that, we weren’t really willing to sacrifice for each other.”

Auriemma went on to explain how prior to the beginning of the NCAA tournament, his players, “...looked each other in the eye and decided just exactly what they were willing to ‘give up’ so we could turn this season around.”

With highly-sought-after recruits on his roster, Auriemma found his team filled with “stars” who each possessed more than the requisite skill set to be a successful player.  “We needed to decide, ‘I can do this or that...but is it necessary for us to win?’  Once we figured out what we could give up of our own, we went from being a ‘good’ team with ‘good’ players who played with each other to being a ‘great’ team with players who played for each other,” he explains.

When I heard that I immediately thought of all the “teams” I am (and have been) on -- family, marriage, church, business, community, ministry, friendships, etc.  

I wonder how many “championships” I have missed out on because I never did what Auriemma’s team did (or what Philippians 2:3,4 and Romans 12:3 says).  What personal feats deserve to be forfeited, not focused upon?  What rights can I relinquish in order to better position my “team(s)” for ultimate success?  Who must I look in the eye and for whom should I be willing to set myself aside?

I can’t argue with UConn’s results.  I also can’t argue with the fact that Jesus carried that same mindset:  

Philippians 2:7 But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.
    He was born as a man
    and became like a servant.

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And when he was living as a man,
    he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God,
    even when that caused his death—death on a cross.

 ...and HIS results were even more remarkable:  

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So God raised him to the highest place.
    God made his name greater than every other name

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so that every knee will bow to the name of Jesus—
    everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

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And everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
    and bring glory to God the Father.

As well as I am able, I want to be willing to make the sacrifices which may not make me a star but may lead to success -- yours, mine, ours, HIS.