The "love of the game" clause

Not too long ago, I mentioned a strange clause that the rock-n-roll group Van Halen placed in one of their concert tour contracts (see "The way a person does one thing is the way they do everything...").  I came across another contract clause that, at least at first glance, was equally as strange.  Apparently, the NBA basketball player, Michael Jordan (hands down, at least in my opinion, the greatest player to ever play the game) inserted a clause into one of his early contracts known as the "love of the game" clause.  The clause allowed Michael to play any pick-up basketball game at any time, with anyone, and anywhere. 


Think of this way.  How many NBA team owners, general managers, and coaches (actually, pick any professional sport, not just basketball) would be content with having their superstar, who they pay millions of dollars to win games and championships, risk an injury by playing a game that doesn't matter?  The baseball player, Babe Ruth, famously played baseball games in the offseason in order to make "a little extra money on the side", but this was in the days when professional sports players weren't paid anywhere close to what they are paid now.  Most team owners now would never even think to allow their superstars to do that - think of it in terms of risk/benefit ratios.  Playing a pick-up game in the offseason has almost no benefit to the team owner, but there is certainly a better-than-average risk that a player will suffer an injury.


Why did Michael Jordan want to have this clause inserted into his contract?  The name of the clause says it all - for the "love of the game."  Michael Jordan simply loved playing the game of basketball.  While there is no question that he benefited tremendously from playing in the NBA, I think it is safe to say that there are few players today that loved the game as much as Michael Jordan did - and I believe that is one of the reasons why he was so great.  He loved the game so much that he would practice, practice, practice.  There are stories of how he would practice free throws or other shots long into the night after games in the regular season.  Michael Jordan's "love of the game" turned into an incredible work ethic that rubbed off on his teammates.  There is no question that Jordan was competitive, but regardless of how competitive someone is, there is no way that he or she would spend the amount of time that Jordan spent practicing every facet of his game unless he or she truly loved the game.


Engagement like Michael Jordan's is truly a rare gift.  It is hard to find - so when we as leaders find examples of this level of engagement, this "love of the game" in our teams, we need to fully leverage it and celebrate it.  Our response to someone with this level of engagement can make all the difference - with the right kind of response, it can become infectious!  Embrace the "love of the game." 


As the soccer great, Mia Hamm once said to her teammates, "Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back...play for her."