bcg blog

Some Things Never Change

Twenty million dollars is the estimated NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) compensation for Ohio State’s football team of players and coaches this season. It’s a lot. And, to be fair, they were not alone in that spending bracket. Arkansas Men’s Basketball program has NIL estimations upwards of five million dollars to fund this winter’s team, also among the top in college hoops allotments.

While both are among the highest budgets in their respective sports, the results (at least to date) are quite different.

Of course, the assumption (and hope) is that more money means more talent and more talent means more wins. More wins and, well, that means: even more money to get even more talent leading to even more wins. Finally, the shortcut to success - we’ve found the system!

The national championship football game this year was between Ohio State and Notre Dame, two of the most well endowed programs in the country. Yet, with all that talent, both teams dropped games during the year to mediocre 8-5 teams. But, what about the talent you may ask? Good question.

Arkansas’ Men’s basketball team is 12-7 and 1-5 in their conference. They’ve looked like anything but the national championship contender they were paid to be. They still have time left in their season to turn things around. I wouldn’t bet my house on it; but, as they say, time will tell.

While all the talk in college sports is about NIL money, and it certainly matters, there is an extent to how much it matters. As games are played and seasons reveal the truth, it’s becoming increasingly clear that something else is also at play. The highest budget doesn’t automatically equal the best team.

And that … will never change.

Why Should We Care?
Society grows and evolves. Thankfully, life in 2025 is not the same as life in 1925 or even 2000. Nor would anyone expect, or want, it to be. We are meant to advance ourselves and the world around us. 

However, there are some societal truths that demand acknowledgement and will not bend. There are dynamics that will always supersede technology, money, or talent. 

Yes, crazy to imagine isn’t it - something being more valuable than money or more prized than talent? The audacity to even suggest it is disturbing. It’s hard to see, but it’s also undeniable.

Those grossly well compensated college football players at Ohio State and Notre Dame still have to block and tackle. If they don’t they lose - ask Michigan or Northern Illinois. No amount of money can hide the need to block and tackle. It’s football. It’s what you have to do to win - regardless of your NIL budget. Despite their check, those wealthy twenty-somethings are not above that reality.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re fairly well compensated too. And, although you’re probably not playing football, there are some things you have to do (like block and tackle) in order to win in life. Your salary only matters to an extent. Same with your talent. You still have to block and tackle if you want to win.

For example, deep meaningful relationships are one of the ways we ‘win’ in life. They provide fulfillment, joy, and meaning that are impossible to experience without them. Money without relationships is lonely. Talent without relationships is empty. We ‘win’ through wholesome relationships regardless of the money or talent we possess.

Trust, work ethic, resiliency, integrity, discipline, accountability, purpose … always have, and always will be, critical to life - not to mention leadership and team performance.

REAL TALK - Action Steps
Some things never change, nor should they. They work - like blocking and tackling. Here are a few thoughts to help you consider other aspects of life that should never change.

• New isn’t always better than old. 
  
  • Cool, maybe. Better, we’ll see. 
    
• Shiny isn’t always better than dull.
  
  • Plain and simple day after day is where the real brilliance lies.
    
• Bigger isn’t always better than smaller.
  
  • The size of the heart is always more important than the size of the body.
    
• Loud isn’t always better than quiet.
  
  • Bravado can never endure what quiet resolve can.
    
• More isn’t always better than less.
  
  • As a matter of fact, it’s almost always not. 
    
• Now isn’t always better than later.
  
  • The ability to wait is better than whatever you get at either.
    

Be grateful for those things that never change. They are the things in life we should cling to. And, no amount of money, or talent, can change that. Thankfully, sport and life will honor that in the long run.

Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!