Page 45 of The Backup Plan

Cameron

What’s the official seminar about here?

Cory

We are gathered here today to learn how to be better losers.

Hayden

I didn’t lose this week.

Cory

You have lost, and you will again.

This is my playlist of hype speeches for losing. Quarterbacks, coaches, everybody.

It starts with sideline stuff to get a rally going and goes into locker room post game for when the rally doesn’t work. The rest are press conferences and on-field interviews.

Ethan

Hey, guys. Cory’s in Dad mode, but don’t write this off.

We have eighteen people on the chat right now, and I know twelve of you have had a loss already this year. The rest of you almost certainly will, and if you don’t, advance congrats on the national championship.

Cory

Your friendly admins go back and read a lot of what they missed, and this has been a hot topic. What do I say to my guys when we lost? What do I say when I think it was my fault?

Ethan

And what do I say when I’m pretty damn sure it was some other guy’s fault?

Hayden

We never call that guy out. I’ve never won a sportsmanship award, but even I know that.

Dale

Good boy. Sit.

Ethan

You don’t call the guy out in front of everyone, but what do you say when he apologizes and says yeah, it’s on me?

Hayden

You say it’s okay and move on?

Cameron

You say it’s on all of us. Then everyone around you says yeah, man, it’s on all of us. Then you hug.

Hayden

Show-off.