If you know anything about me, you know that I love football. If you know lots of things about me, you know I am a die-hard Patriots fan, and have been since 1997. Given these two facts, I am sure you can understand how exciting the last 6 days have been. Last night was particularly exciting. I watched the first Patriots game of the season in the privacy of my own home, and loved every minute of it. Not only did the Patriots win, which in itself is cause for celebration. Records were broken. Even better, records were broken in Miami, which I think is sometimes the Patriots’ kryptonite. Brady threw for 517 yards, the 5th best record in NFL history. The most pass yards in the history of the Patriots’ franchise. Last night, Brady made Monday Night Football history.
As if the game weren’t enough, I had to watch SportsCenter for the hour following, listening to the announcers and to Brady and Welker. And listening to the post-game show, I thought about how football and building a brand have so much in common.
– It’s first and foremost about hard work
– Learning everything you can about your opponent (aka your competition) makes you better
– Everything matters and details are important
– It’s also a bit about magic (aka luck?)
– It’s a lot about the absolute will to make something happen, the determination and strength to never give up
– It’s a team sport and sharing the victories is key
– Great communication is essential to success
– A great coach (aka mentor) is invaluable
– Sometimes 4 hours feel “like a 6 hour game” (as 4 years sometimes feel like 6 decades)
What a game. What a Monday night. What a start to the football season.