Catching team spirit

"Do you believe in miracles?!" That phrase was all sportscaster Al Michaels could shout 30 years ago when the United States ice hockey team upset Russia during the winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Somehow it seems fitting that, during a weekend where Michaels and some of the members of that gold-medal-winning team reflected on the experience, the United States ice hockey team pulled another upset, this time upending Canada 5-3 in an early round game Sunday.

Of course the win over Canada, though unexpected, wasn't as shocking as the win 30 years ago. It also isn't the big win, in fact it didn't even eliminate Canada from gold-medal contention. But it did deflate a nation. The Canadian team — filled with National Hockey League All-Stars like captain Sydney Crosby — is a heavy favorite to win the gold. The U.S. team, on the other hand, is known for its youth and inexperience.

But the U.S. group played as a team and earned the victory. That's the way it goes in sports. Individual talent can get you to a certain point, but it takes more than that to grab the gold.

Take Michael Phelps, for example. Phelps is the greatest Olympian in history, capturing eight gold medals in the Bejing Olympics alone. While much of that work was the result of a great individual effort, Phelps couldn't get all eight without some help. For as great as he is, Michael Phelps had to stand on the pool deck and cheer at his teammate, Jason Leesac, outswam the French team to earn gold in the 4x100 relay.

Even in the individual races, Phelps was fueled by others. Talking to Bob Costas Monday night, he talked about how it feels to be part of Team USA, how it feels to be in the Olympic village and how is contact with fellow swimmers — whether teammates, friends or rivals — helps give him the context and intensity he needs to succeed.

Even great individual athletes can't win the gold alone. Michael Jordan is perhaps the greatest basketball player in history, but he wasn't a champion until he got some help. Scottie Pippen, John Paxton, Horace Grant, Tony Kukoc and Phil Jackson were among those supporting and role players that helped Jordan to six NBA titles. Even in the most individual of all team sports, you can't do it alone.

Sometimes, though, it's a hard lesson to learn. After winning three NBA titles, Kobe Bryant thought he was all the Lakers needed. He pushed the team into trading his All-Star teammate, Shaq, dumping his coach, Phil Jackson, and blowing up the nucleus of that championship team. After a few lean years killing himself in an effort to win on his own, Bryant finally realized he needed that supporting cast. When Jackson and Derek Fisher returned and the Lakers added new talent in Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, the team was able to take the title again.

Even recently we've seen that on display. Peyton Manning was the best player on Super Bowl Sunday, but the New Orleans Saints were the best team.

The same is true of our spiritual life. We can't achieve what we want to achieve on our own, but more importantly we can't overcome the low points when we try to do it on our own. We need the love and support that comes from being part of a team.

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:16