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What do Lance Armstrong, Ronaldo and LeBron James have in common?
Aside from being the most celebrated athletes of their own leagues (and having names synonymous to Nike), they are about every dreamer’s idea of smashing success. They have broken records, shamed their peers with their handiwork, and brought it home each time it mattered so much so that they have become household names.
But see, when you look more closely at their careers and journey to rock star status, it would be foolish to ignore the part they have been served their fair share of drawbacks. Lance and all his 7 Tour de France titles did not come without winning the more important battle which is against cancer; Ronaldo’s career was threatened to be cut short because of his knee injury; and LeBron, well, the 2-time league MVP has yet to win a ring to silence his haters.
Be it in the form of personal struggles, test of character or challenges as a pro athlete, bottom line is: Shit happens. Point-blank. And even after they have hurdled past the shit, they did not hang the gloves just yet. Lance Armstrong will forever be known as the cancer survivor who came back to feed younger riders his dust. Ronaldo played on from an injury-laden career to win 2 World Cup titles for Brazil. LeBron is the epitome of having a path full of professional debacles that will inevitably happen. And in the end, it’s all about rising above the challenges and coming to fight another season.
It has not been an ideal 2 years for (name of company). Hey, shit happens. But we get on with business and we stay the course. We’re just about to rock it out here.
You must have preempted the parallelism already because clichés are clichés because they always ring so true. That’s the whole idea, by the end of the Conference, we’d like you guys to feel like you’re the world’s greatest… That nothing and no one, not even the unfavorable position you’re in, can put a halt to such a force that has gathered strong momentum. This is especially truen when your team rallies behind you-- a team that is competent and one that you can trust with your life. Yes, we have go-to guys and clutch players but come on, one-man teams are, much like the Loch Ness monster, a myth.
“Anyone who imagines they can work alone winds up surrounded by nothing but rivals, without companions. The fact is, no one ascends alone.” Lance said. He may be known for his accolades as an individual but even he acknowledges the shining moments of each of the other 9 people in his team as they surge to the top.
There cannot be a better jump off point in this journey to unity than a brand we can all take pride in. Growing up, surely you guys, with the exception of none, have been exposed to all sorts of products (name of company) proudly carries. Brand recall, check. Being equated to quality, check. Being a trusted name, check. This weekend is all about reminding us of that fact, and of course, about dreaming and achieving as a single unit. In as much as we want you to shine like Lance, Ronaldo and LeBron, ultimately we must come out as Team US Postal (or Radio Shack), or Brazil, or The Miami Heat. YOU ARE GREAT. You already know that. But you cannot do it alone. You are at your greatest when you are with your team.
Finally, a notable pro sport coach once said, “The strength of the pack is the wolf. The strength of the wolf is the pack”. LeBron cannot win the O’Brien trophy by himself. We need the Wades and Boshes and the rest of the guys. That is why we dream as a team. And that is why we are THE Dream Team.
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I love writing and I love selling ideas. This particular brief is the most fun I've had in a long time. Still crossing my fingers it flies, though! =)
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