Things You'll Need:
- Humility
- Respect
- A Good Sense of Humor
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Step 1
Lose. Despite your team's best efforts (and a fair amount of trash talking), the final score is 54-0, and not in your favor. These are the times that try men's souls, and how you handle yourself after a drubbing will tell others all they need to know about you.
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Step 2
Whether on the field, court, or ice, show a little class and sportsmanship by not storming off to the locker room. Line up with the rest of your team and shake hands with your opponents. Resist the urge to spout moronic phrases like "You got lucky," or "Wait until next time." If the beating you received was a sound one, there's no point in giving your opponents even more motivation to do it again.
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Step 3
Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner lets a slow roller go between his legs, handing the Mets Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.Don't point fingers. Most sports are a team effort, and the winning team is usually the one that made the fewest mistakes. That said, refrain from blaming teammates for the loss; at no place is karma more prevalent than in the world of sports, and it might just be you on the hot seat after the next game.
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Step 4
If you're fortunate enough to play a sport at a level where post-game press conferences are the norm, be humble. Admit that your opponents were the better team that day, congratulate the winning coach, and shift your focus to the next game. Don't let a member of the press bait you into saying something negative about your teammates or the coaching staff; there's nothing more awkward then spending a day watching game film with a bunch of guys you trashed in the papers the day before.
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Step 5
Laugh it off. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to prepare for a game, but don't lose sight of the fact that it's just that: A game. The sooner you can put the loss behind you, the better you'll be able to focus on the task that lies ahead.
