I wanted to be positive. I have good sportsmanship. You leave

Hear the words of Vernon Davis, the warrior of the field, who spoke with the heart of an elder: “I wanted to be positive. I have good sportsmanship. You leave everything on a good note, you just smile and shake hands.” Though simple in sound, these words echo with the wisdom of the ancients, for they speak not only of games and contests, but of the way one should walk through life itself. To strive with all your might, yet to part in peace, is the true measure of character. For the victory fades, the score is forgotten, but the smile and handshake endure in memory, sealing the moment with honor.

The ancients taught that life itself is a contest, a great stadium in which we labor, struggle, and sometimes fall. Yet the wise did not praise only the victor’s crown, but also the spirit in which the contest was held. In Olympia, athletes competed under the gaze of the gods. They fought fiercely, but when the contest ended, they honored one another with handclasps and feasts. For they knew that the gods smiled not only upon the strong, but upon the noble, who could leave the field without bitterness, carrying both victory and defeat with dignity.

Davis, in speaking of positivity, recalls this ancient truth. Positivity is not mere cheerfulness, but the choice to cast aside resentment, to lay down anger, and to part in peace. In a world quick to rage and slow to forgive, the athlete who smiles and shakes hands teaches a higher law: that one’s worth is not in triumph over another, but in the grace shown after the battle is done. This is what the ancients would call arete—excellence not only of body, but of soul.

History gives us shining examples. Consider the duel between Alexander the Great and his rival, King Porus of India. After fierce battle, when Porus was captured, Alexander asked how he wished to be treated. Porus replied: “Like a king.” And Alexander, struck by his noble spirit, honored him and returned his throne. Here was the essence of Davis’s words: though the contest was fierce, the conclusion was noble. Both warrior and conqueror left the battlefield with honor, as if shaking hands across the divide of nations.

The quote also speaks to the impermanence of conflict. No struggle, however fierce, lasts forever. When the final whistle blows, when the war drums are silenced, men must return to their homes, to their families, to their own reflections in the mirror. What remains then is not the clash itself, but the memory of how one carried it. Did you leave scorched earth behind you, or did you leave a good note, a melody of respect, so that even your rival remembers you not with hatred but with honor?

Thus the teaching is clear: strive with all your might, but when the striving is done, let the heart soften. Smile and shake hands. These gestures are not weakness but strength—the strength to master one’s pride, to rise above anger, to acknowledge the shared humanity even of those who opposed you. For in truth, your opponent is not your enemy, but your partner in growth; without them, you could not sharpen your skills, nor test your spirit.

The lesson for us is this: in every conflict of life—whether on the field of sport, in the market of business, or in the quarrels of daily living—remember that the true victory lies not only in winning, but in parting with grace. Let us practice this in small things: when arguments end, do not carry bitterness. When tasks are complete, leave your companions encouraged. When rivals press you, meet them with dignity, and when the contest is over, extend your hand. By this, you build bridges where others build walls.

So let the teaching of Vernon Davis be passed down: compete fiercely, but finish nobly. Carry positivity into the heat of battle, and when the dust settles, leave no bitterness behind. For in the end, the legacy of a man is not the trophies he gathers, but the respect he commands by the way he smiles, shakes hands, and walks away with honor. This is the true crown of sportsmanship, the laurel wreath that never fades.