I have always been of the mindset that you can judge the character or class of an athlete best in defeat rather than in victory. The ability to lift your head in the face of failure will tell you more about the fiber of an athlete than the glory and exaltation of triumph.
Hockey has one of the greatest traditions in all of sports. To some it is the ultimate salt in the wound, but to most it is the consummate display of sportsmanship.
The handshake line at the conclusion of an often brutal playoff series requires humility from both victor and loser. The graciousness on either side of that line may not be as sincere as we'd like it to be, but it probably is more often than not. It reminds us that hockey is a team sport. We win as a team, and we lose as a team.
Class is difficult to define in an athlete, but it tends to reflect how a player carries himself on and off the ice. Conducting oneself with a certain grace and distinction sounds a bit out of place given the often barbaric nature of the sport. That is the beauty of hockey.
The most humble and grounded athletes in the world are found in the NHL. Even with the 24-hour-a-day news cycle ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Rob Kirk
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