Big as the Super Bowl
The Eagles overcame the Chiefs last night in the Super Bowl. Some fans left very happy, some left... meh.
When you are a team like the Chiefs trying to win something three times in a row, you'll be disappointed, but not devastated in a loss like this.
Philly, on the other hand, is on fire.
They avenged their loss from two years ago and got the added satisfaction of turning up their noses (again) at the current president. Some may remember that when the Eagles won the big game in 2018, they never went to the White House for the ceremonial anointment as champions. All signs point to history repeating itself once again.
The other radical act that happened last night was Kendrick Lamar's Halftime show.
The halftime show is typically a way for artist to play all of the "hits" to appeal to the broadest possible audience. Kendrick didn't do that. His set list was only for those who have been tuned him to his (metaphorical) burial of Drake given their beef throughout 2024.
This was his version of a jazz funeral. The processional started with an extended version of an unreleased song. Let me say that again, he performed an unreleased song first on the biggest stage in the world to 195 countries and 120+ million people. Bold choice.
The addition of Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam was genius.
The set included mostly disses to Drake (and the idea of Drake) and songs from the new album GNX. No tv producer in their right mind would ever do this, given the type of audience the Super Bowl attracts.
The headline will be that Kendrick actually played Not Like Us at the Super Bowl with the threat of a lawsuit from Drake pending. We haven't seen a beating this vicious since Achellis dragged Hector's dead body through the streets of Troy.
I loved it (and so did Serena).
Others will not love it.
And that's the point. He didn't want to please the "masses" but rather welcome the "masses" into his current reality. He delivered a very specific message, one that only die-hard Kendrick fans were meant to get.
Be prepared for a TON of think pieces breaking down this performance, the symbology, and the context of it all. Opinions will be all over the place on this one. My only recommendation is to watch it again. The performance gets better with each rewatch.
Shoutout to Jalen Hurts, Nick Siranni, Howie Roseman, and especially Saquan Barkley who reminded the world of the value of an elite running back. Fly Eagles Fly.
If there is a deeper message that I can pull from last night that might apply to your life it's this:
Teams win championships.
So,... who's on your team? Who's helping you bring your vision to life? Who is holding you accountable to become the best version of yourself?
Most people think they’re supposed to be the main player in their own life—but they aren’t. They’re the owner. And when owners act like players, things fall apart. Your job is to steward the talents in you and around you. The buck always stops with you, even though it may never start or end with you.
And that’s what makes life hard. It feels more fun to be a player in the game. But your job in life isn’t to be a character in the game—it’s to play the game. Rather, play your game. If you’re only a character, you’re always at the mercy of someone else, instead of being at the source of the outcomes in your life.
The best outcomes in life will always involve other people. Let me say that again—the best outcomes in life will always involve other people. There is nothing—and I mean nothing—worth doing that doesn’t require the ingenuity, effort, and brilliance of others. Life isn’t a solo mission. And when you treat it like one, you end up alone with empty victories.
Build a team. Bring people into the journey. That’s what makes winning truly worth it.
Because in the end, the real prize isn’t the trophy – it’s the memories, it's the shared stories, it's the feeling of pride after doing something hard.
That’s the real win.
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✌🏽. ❤️. 📈 . 🤲🏾