One of the great things about the NCAA tournament is that it is full of story lines. We are exposed to schools, coaches, players that we may not normally watch, and get to enjoy their moments in the spotlight. The unfortunate thing about the tournament is also what makes it so thrilling – 64 teams enter, but there can be only one winner.
What I personally enjoy about the tournament each year is the idea that it becomes about more than just basketball. Yes, there are the story lines about how teams reached the tournament, or advanced in the bracket, but there are individual stories of trial and failure, success – examples of young men and their families showing Real Strength.
The Dove Men+Care campaign title of “Real Strength” is not accidental. It is a conversation that began during the Super Bowl (another competition rich with stories of strength) and continues on now through the tournament. And what better way to examine that discussion than a roundtable with guys that have “been there”? This particular discussion took place during an SXSW Interactive called “Real Strength Tournament Tales”. It was moderated by Ben Lyons (of The Player’s Tribune) and includes tournament greats Alonzo Mourning (Dove Men+Care spokesperson), Jason Collins, and Bo Kimble.
The discussion is interesting and worth a peek. These gentlemen, while all former basketball players, spend more time talking about what Real Strength has meant to them as men than what it meant on the court. From finding the strength to recover from a debilitating illness to finding your true “authentic self” to honoring the needs of your children rather than pushing your dreams and goals on them, this short talk covers a great deal and is worth the view.
So enjoy the rest of the tournament and witness the other “Real Strength” moments that are yet to come. The games are entertaining, but remember that the stories of strength and determination extend beyond the sidelines and into all of our lives. The strength to care is what “Real Strength” is about.
Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I am happily sharing the Dove Men+Care campaign because I appreciate the support they have shown dads and families as a whole. My thoughts and my words are my own.
I love to see men sharing with other men what real strength is actually about, and it’s not just defined by muscles and aggression. The strongest men I know are the patient and caring fathers that use their strength for the good of their families, and teach other young men (and women) what kind of strength really matters most. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for your kind words, Hannah!