Victories?
How many of us fail at learning what our true victories are? I was one of those people for many years. I misidentified my victories as failures many times. How so? When I characterized my effort to achieve a goal as a failure when actually it was a victory in the fact that I learned my efforts were woefully inadequate to achieve said goal. When I mistakenly believed I deserved a top grade even though I engaged in poor study habits. Thirdly, in arrogance, I believed I would still be able to complete a 16 minute two mile run 10 years after leaving the military.
That’s why I’m writing this post to all National Football League coaches. According to Sun Tzu, The Art of War, ‘The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand’. On Sunday 7 September 2025, that’s what Coach Harbaugh did when his Ravens were up 40 to 25 on the Bills. The Ravens were cruising, even though they should have stayed sharp, when the Bills, who have extraordinary talent at quarterback, took advantage of the Ravens’ belief that the game was over.
In warfare, the general that includes mistakes and possible defeat in his or her planning, is always the general that more than not emerges victorious in the end. This is my point Coach Harbaugh. Whether your opponent is as skilled or not as skilled, assume your men will lose faith if you don’t make decisions. There is no one above you Coach Harbaugh. That should always be your thought pattern.
When King David was uncertain after all the people turned against him. King David separated himself (Crucial point there). He asked God (God gave a one word response. ‘Pursue’). Let me stop you right there. There was no need for a long drawn out discussion. I’ll answer David in the way a Black man or woman would. ‘Are you seriously asking me what the fuck you should do?’
When things fall apart, and they will, Coach Harbaugh you have to restore confidence by making gutsy decisions. Punting the ball at your own 40 yard line was weak. Coach, you may already be a world champion, but all your players are not. You have to pull them into that energy. Once they feel it crackling and bristling over their flesh and bones, you will have a team that would run through a field of blazing fire with gasoline draws on!
‘Victories are taken. They are not given. Bring me the opponent. I will defeat them all!’