That might be the best way to describe Navarre’s football team after its loss to Escambia a couple of weeks ago in a showdown featuring two state-ranked teams.
The Raiders ended up on the wrong end of a 37-27 score at Emmitt Smith Field.
The loss didn’t signal the end of the world and no one acted as if it had.
And keep in mind, Navarre doesn’t lose games often. The Raiders have lost only six times since the 2015 season began.
On that note, it would have been understandable for the Raiders to have a hard time digesting the loss. Believe me, they weren’t happy about losing, but they also know one loss doesn’t define their season.
Navarre showed a great deal of a character in the wake of defeat, and that speaks volumes about the team.
Take for instance the way Jacobi Smith handled a post-game interview with me late Friday night.
I wasn’t planning to have the interview recorded because you never know how well that will turn out after a loss, but my girlfriend Meighan – she does video for me every week — had the camera on the phone rolling as I asked Smith about the loss.
Already into the interview, it was too late to tell her cut, so we went with it and hoped for the best. I was impressed with the way Smith handled the entire interview. The reaction to it on social media was all positive.
Like a pro, Smith answered every question, speaking about the unity of this team and the work that needs to be done for this team to bounce back.
For a senior in high school, he was unbelievably mature and a class act from start to finish. I’m willing to say with confidence his teammates would have handled that interview the same way.
Smith had every reason to decline the interview. Politicians do it all the time to the media. I’ve seen coaches do it as well.
Smith acted well beyond his age and if you are surprised by the way he handled that loss, don’t be.
It’s a credit to head coach Jay Walls and his staff. Those guys are true leaders and the example they set is one the players follow to a T.
This is a season of high expectations for the Raiders and they plan to achieve the goals they have set for themselves, determined to put in the work to make it happen.
Winning is something Raider fans have become accustomed to and it’s great to cheer for a winning team. It’s great to cover a winning team.
But the wins and losses don’t matter nearly as much if you aren’t doing things right in every other aspect of the game. And that starts with having good character and having respect for others.
The Raiders have both.
And that’s a sure sign they are always going to win in life. And despite that loss to the Gators, expect the Raiders to win more often than not on the field as well.
