There Is No "I" In Teamwork

The Colorado Rockies won the National League Pennant last night and in doing so earned their first trip to the World Series. The game wasn't over until just before midnight Mountain Time, so it was pretty late when they started giving out the hardware. As the team accpeted the National League Championship trophy and as Matt Holliday accepted the trophy for Nationa League MVP, I couldn't help but be sickened by the lack of pride each player, coach or executive had for himself. It was all about the team. Matt Holliday even went so far as to accept his trophy on behalf of his 24 other teammates. Ugh! You know what makes a good team? When each individual player plays to his highest potential, and that's exactly what the Rockies have done the past month or so. Each game, a different player or players has stepped up to make the game-winning difference. By each player playing his best at different times, they caused a good team effort, but it was the excellence of individuals that brought them their success. How distorted is our society when a man cannot even accept an MVP award in recognition of his own acheivements without shying away from the camera and changing an individual award into a team award? Would it have been so horrible for any of the players, coaches or owners to come out and admit that they worked really hard for this recognition? Now I can see them thanking the other members of the team for helping them to be the best they could be, but to shun the praise that the indivdiual rightly deserved is just ridiculous. If I had been Matt Holliday last night, I would have accepted the trophy with a proud smile on my face, told everyone how hard I worked for it, how much I appreciated being recognized for my hard work and how proud I was to be a part of a team full of individuals who constantly strive to do their best. Hard work, determination and intelligence are rewarded in this great nation of ours and we shouldn't be ashamed of it. I think it's time to put the "I" back in teamwork!