Unless you've been living under a really big rock, you know that (my hometown) Butler Bulldogs are playing (in my hometown) for the NCAA Championship. Talk about crazy fun! But more than just being an awesome experience for me and my family, Butler University, their fans and the residents of Indianapolis - this is also an awesome learning experience for the proverbial underdog/David versus Goliath morality thing.
For proof, check out this stat: Duke University, who Butler plays tonight for the championship, is the No. 1 in the nation with a basketball budget of almost $14M. Butler is No. 142 at $1.7M. (BTW: Butler's total budget is less than half of what Duke's coach K makes in annual salary; go figure). That statistic alone, is staggering - let alone all of the other empiricals that separate the big dog Blue Devils, from the underdog Bulldogs. And don't forget that before Butler got here - it won 25 games in a row, and beat other big dogs Syracuse, Kansas State and Michigan State.
So just what exactly is it that Butler does, and what do they have, to make itself the underdog that can? Simply put, they have those important "fundamentals" that most people (and businesses) take for granted, like: genuine passion, sincere teamwork, absolute commitment, good manners, calm temperament, exceptional work ethic, positive pragmatism, effective execution, gracious attitudes, forward thinking, mindful preparation, intestinal fortitude, gritty determination, and humble confidence.
Granted, I like my Dawgs. I dig their game, and their style. It's what they call, "The Butler Way." And I'd argue that if more people and companies subscribed to the same fundamentals that make Butler the underdog that can - than more underdog people and companies CAN, and will, succeed as well.
They say luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
You prepared?
Preparation is Good.
(PS: While the above blog was written hours before the championship game, this post script is written the morning after. WOW - what a game. And although Butler came up just short, two points and one possession to be exact, they are winners. In this case, close counts. Big time. Regardless of the score, they taught us some real lessons from the underdog. Thanks Butler.)
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