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CEO, Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association
“Are you all-in?” As I watched another season of college football, that is a phrase that seems to frequently be spoken by the coaches and players to demonstrate their commitment to the game and to their teams. For some, it means a total commitment to win. Period. End of story. At all costs. To the exclusion of everything else.
For others, being “all-in” might refer to each person’s adherence to a plan in which they play a particular role. College football legend Dabo Swinney was speaking of this during his very first press conference after being named the head coach at Clemson University in 2008. “My job is to lead these guys, love these guys, to get ’em to love each other … to believe in each other … and circle the wagons and believe in one another,” he said. As he continued to describe his philosophy toward building a team, he concluded, “We’re gonna play as one, one heartbeat, everybody playing as one … and (our players) better be all-in.”
I think Coach Swinney was challenging his players to commit to their roles on the team, not just individual success. Because the way to accomplish individual success in a team sport is to embrace the role you’ve been given and focus on the next play. Clemson’s success since that time speaks to how powerful a philosophy “all-in” can be. His teams have gone 174-44, won two national championships, placed countless players into the NFL and been a model for integrity.
What does this mean to you and me? We are the folks watching the coaches and players from the comfort of our living rooms. We don’t have the responsibility or the talent to be on the field, so none of this really applies to us. Right?
I disagree. Sports can be an amazing demonstration of principles and actions that you can apply to your own life and responsibilities. It’s why I have encouraged my own boys to play sports. Other group activities like band, chorus, debate team, student government and many more provide the same experience for young people of all likes and abilities.
But what about as adults? I challenge you to consider the roles you play in your life. With your family, in your workplace, as a member of your community, at your place of worship — these are all not unlike a football team. These groups are made up of many people who contribute to the group in different ways. Do you contribute positively? Did you serve others in a way that focused your efforts on the success of the group, rather than just your own recognition or rewards? In any given week, for what purpose are you “all-in”?
Those are tough questions, so don’t be discouraged if the answer isn’t apparent. I know I can get so focused on accomplishing what I need to do every day that I might not focus on the things that truly matter. I fail. I worry. I let people down. And you do, too. But rather than focusing on our failures, being all-in means that we think about the next thing we can do that moves us closer to where we want to be. When a quarterback throws an interception that’s returned for a touchdown, he has to go right back out on the field and try again.
As Tennesseans, we should definitely take a moment to celebrate the 2024 college football season. The University of Memphis finished in the Top 25 and won a bowl game. The University of Tennessee made the College Football Playoff field as one of the 12 best teams in country. Vanderbilt had a winning season and beat Georgia Tech in a bowl game. And, more importantly, Alabama and Auburn were 0-3 against teams from Tennessee.