I saw that the Rochester Ravens picked up a win in their first game. I will be rooting for them in their next two games despite the players on the other team that they will be playing. As always I root for goalies, even over players in my major.
Anyway I think it's much harder than people realize for new teams to win. Usually expansion teams struggle their first few years and have a culture of losing based on the fact that they haven't had time to develop players, to acquire players etc. Look at the Houston Texans who still haven't made the NFL playoffs. Look at the Charlotte Bobcats and their transition to the NBA. The Rays were controlled by the Devil until Devil was taken out of their name.
It's not easy to join a league and all of a sudden win. It happens, but it's rare. What's important is that teams make progress and that everyday they improve. Too often people just worry about outcomes. The process and the process of continuous improvement is what leads to greatness. By winning their first game of the season and beating a team that went 7-2-3 last season the Ravens are making progress, and that's all that matters.
To me one of the best examples of a franchises rise to greatness is the Dallas Cowboys under Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones. Every year the team got better and better after a 1-15 first season. Then they got to 7-9 in 1990. In 1991 they made the next step by making it to the playoffs before their breakout year of 1992 in which they won the Super Bowl 52-17 (and if Leon Lett was a little bit faster 59-17)
Small progress everyday is what leads to improvement. It's often hard for people to realize how small actions each and every day build up over time.
I'm not here to predict the W-League season or standings, but what I am saying is that the Ravens are certainly making progress and that should give them confidence that they are doing something right and should keep doing what they are doing.
While I am on the subject of improvement, I will say that I think the most important award that someone can get is the Most Improved Player Award. I believe that this award is so important and so valuable because it takes personal sacrifice to earn that award. You truly have to work hard to earn that award. To me if you are improving and are constantly trying to do so you are being the ultimate teammate because continuous improvement shows that you care about yourself and adding more to the team.
If you are trying to improve than mistakes don't matter. Mistakes can be discouraging but you have to take them in stride and not worry about them. If you are constantly improving then mistakes are just part of the learning process. Because you are working hard to improve you will eventually eliminate mistakes. Mistakes only become a problem when you no longer care to fix them in the future.
I think that the ultimate goal for every athlete each season in terms of winning a personal award (not a team award that all athletes strive for, like a championship) is to be the Team's Most Improved Player and Team's Most Valuable Player. You always want to strive to be the best, and the best always strive to improve and be better. The MVP award is nice, cool and important, but to me it would be much more special to win that award if I also won the most improved award. I would take the most pride in giving out or receiving the most improved award.
You have to respect most improved players for all of the sacrifices that they have put in to improve themselves.
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