Editor’s Note: This column uses quotes adapted from the following sports movies: “Any Given Sunday,” “Miracle,” “The Replacements,” “The Sandlot,” “Remember the Titans,” “Rocky IV,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Gridiron Gang,” “Rudy” and “Varsity Blues.”

I don’t know what to say really.

I know you’re tired, I know you’re hurting and I wish I could say something that’s classy and inspirational, but that just wouldn’t be my style.

You’re in hell right now, believe me. And you can stay here, get the shit kicked out of you, or you can fight your way back, into the light. You can climb outta hell. One inch at a time.

Now I can’t do it for you, I’m too old.

But listen up. This is your time now.

You’re the one that’s gonna keep my spirit alive. You’re the one that’s gonna make sure I didn’t do this for nothing.

Great moments are born from great opportunity. And that’s what you have here tonight. That’s what you earned here tonight.

Everybody gets one chance to do something great. Most people don’t take the chance, either because they’re scared or they don’t recognize it when it spits on their shoes.

You shouldn’t have any doubt in your mind about what you are supposed to do tonight, and about how you are supposed to do it. 

You got the rest of your life to be mediocre, but you have the opportunity to be like a god right now. But you can’t be afraid to lose. There’s no room for fear in the world.

I want you to go out there and think about those who don’t have your opportunity. Those who’d die to be out there with you. I want you to put that in your heart.

For a long time you’ve heard me talk about being perfect. Now I want you to understand something. To me, being perfect is not about winning. It’s about you and your relationship to yourself, and your family, and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth.

I know it might seem like you’re alone out there. But you know I’ll be with you.

You’re five-feet-nothing, 100-and-nothing, and you got hardly a speck of athletic ability. In this lifetime you don’t have to prove nothing to nobody except yourself. And after what you’ve gone through, if you haven’t done that by now, it ain’t ever gonna happen.

You are worthy of something, and you are able to do something special that no one else in the world can do.

I’ll ask you, one last time, to be the best that you could be. Play like a champion. Win.

Now, what are you gonna do?

Thanks for reading #MarchMovieMadness all month long. If you ever need to get inspired, watch a sports movie. Now go do something, yo.

Emily can be reached at [email protected] and @emilybayci. But she gave up Twitter for Lent, so email her.