1
‘Better Never Rests’: How the All Blacks are inspiring college football champions
The Georgia Bulldogs have been the best team in College Football over the last two years, and they’re preparing to begin their quest for a historic three-peat.
ADVERTISEMENT
But, with legendary coach Kirby Smart at the helm, the ‘Dawgs’ looked beyond American Football in order to get better.
The National Collegiate Champions “studied” the All Blacks for six weeks.
Looking to manage complacency during the upcoming season, Kirby and the Bulldogs adopted the All Blacks’ mantra of “Better Never Rests.”
“This year we studied the New Zealand All Blacks, the most successful sports team in the history of teams,” Smart top reporters at a recent media opportunity in Nashville.
“Over 100 years, they have had the highest winning percentage.
“We took a deep dive, we took six weeks. We took a title and a mantra from them and studied those things for six weeks because we don’t want complacency. They’ve done it better than anyone else.
“One of their big mantras is ‘Better Never Rests.’”
Georgia won their first of two National Collegiate Football Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium last year when they ended Alabama’s pursuit of consecutive crowns.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 33-18 win at the home of the Indianapolis Colts was the start of something special. The following year, the Bulldogs beat the TCU Horned Frogs by a staggering 58 points.
In front of more than 72,000 supporters, the Dawgs had etched their name into collegiate football history.
But they want more. Better Never Rests.
“We believe that. Those are strong words now when you think about them. Think deeply about it. Better Never Rests. Our kids understand it, our kids have learned it,” he added, as reported by allblacks.com.
“What drives us for this season is intrinsic motivation. We’re not going to be controlled by outside narratives and what people say, and who is going to be the quarterback.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The intrinsic motivation comes from within and what we decide we want to do. This team is still defining itself.”
This isn’t the first time that a successful American Football side has turned to the All Blacks for guidance, either.
Back in 2017, Super Bowl coach Dan Quinn – who had taken the Atlanta Falcons to one of the biggest games in team sports – revealed that he’d been inspired by the book “Legacy.”
Author James Kerr takes the reader deep into the ethos of the All Blacks – looking at various mantras including sweeping the sheds.
The benchmark that the All Blacks set during their dynastic period of success, clearly, goes well beyond the world of rugby union.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
2 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
2 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
2 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
2 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to commentsWell done guys both teams will be ready to play knockout rugby.
1 Go to commentsSurprised that Ramos isn't starting at 15. But what a squad of galacticos!
2 Go to commentsWhy is it a snub? What journalistic garbage is that? Sure the guy is a great player, but there are plenty of loose forwards and not all of them can be Springboks. Also, I know of no-one who doubts Rassie’s judgment. South Africa has a conveyor belt of loose forwards that just keeps producing, so the competition is intense. I certainly wish him well, but there is no entitlement and there is no snub.
17 Go to commentsSkelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
6 Go to comments