Championships or Champions?

The University of Michigan and the University of Notre Dame are the two winingest major college football programs in the history of the sport. The two schools are linked throughout their storied histories. The Wolverines taught the sport to the Irish way back in the 1887.  Notre Dame stadium is modeled after Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines colors are Maize and Blue while the Irish colors are Gold and Blue.  What does this have to do with soccer?

The two universities also share similar ideas about champions and championships that have served them well through the years.

At Michigan, "Those who stay will be Champions"

At Notre Dame, "Play like a Champion"

It is important to note that neither schools key slogan mentions championships, only Champions.

Both sayings deal with the process rather than the outcome or goal of the process.  How to become a champion must be discussed on a regular basis. The details of the process adhered to, nurtured and grown. Sometimes what was once an admired detail must be tweaked, modified or perhaps even stored away as a cherished memory of a tradition of yore replaced by a more pertinent or relevant new tradition.

At Michigan it is believed that Defense wins Championships and I will not dispute that point. However, it is the process of building a champion, a team's culture that puts players in position to compete for championships.

Just as we must win first, then play the game, 

we must become champions before 

we can win a championship.