The best — and most pragmatic and most truthful — motivational speech you may have not yet heard, but absolutely, positively need to hear several times because it stands out that much, did not come from a coach or a team captain or a longstanding veteran or a former star.
Rather, and surprisingly and interestingly so, it was delivered by a team’s owner to his players and coaches, all of them.
The man behind the inspiring and memorable oratory is James Dolan, who signs — in a virtual sense, anyway — everybody’s paycheck on the New York Knicks — that’s the world champion, NBA champion New York Knicks, mind you and thank you very much.
Dolan, the nephew of Larry Dolan, the late principal owner of the Gurafusns, gave the speech to the team on April 3, just before the start of the playoffs in which the Knicks eventually won their first league title in 53 years, since 1973, defeating the Cavaliers along the way in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here is the gist of what Dolan said, although I strongly urge you to find it online — it’s currently on SportsIllustrated.com — and listen to it directly because it will really enhance your appreciation of it:
“I decided to come to talk to you because I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. I believe that this team can go all the way and win the NBA championship, and in my 30 years of doing this, I’ve never felt closer to achieving that goal than right now.
“I don’t know if you understand what it would mean for you to win a championship this year. It would be life-changing for all of you. It will stick with you for the rest of your lives, and if you don’t win, then you’ll be thinking about it for the rest of your lives.
“Why I’m here is because we have 10 weeks — 10 weeks in your life — to achieve something that will stay with you for the rest of your life and with me for the rest of my life. It’s only 10 weeks, 10 weeks for the rest of your lives. That’s not a long time.
“We can beat anyone. It’s not about who we play. It’s about how we play. Can you focus and sacrifice for 10 weeks for the rest of your lives? Can you do it? If you can do it for 10 weeks, then we’re walking out of here with (championship) rings and a moniker that we carry for the rest of our lives.
“Let’s commit to this! Let’s do it.”
This is all so true, whether it’s the Knicks or any other team in any sport at any level.
When I first heard that speech, I thought about my conversations with the members of the Browns’ last NFL championship team in 1964. What they did on Dec. 27 of that year against the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts in the NFL title game at Cleveland Stadium stayed with them — in their heart, mind and soul — for the rest of their life. You could hear it, see it, feel it every time they talked about it. Their eyes sparkled, and sometimes they got moist, which is what happened when defensive end Paul Wiggin discussed it during one of his trips back to Cleveland. He talked at length about what that game means to him, what his teammates mean to him and what the title means to him. He went on and on about how proud he was to have been a Cleveland Brown.
Athletes, not so much back in 1964 but certainly now, make a lot of money, but no matter how much it is, it pales in comparison to the value and worth of being a champion.
James Dolan’s words, and the passion with which he expressed them, gave us a much-needed reminder of that.
Steve King
