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1 18
september
october 201 3
Winning at Losing
By James A.H. Bell
For athletes, winning is the top of theworld. But the true test ofmetal
comeswhen people accustomed towinning are forced to deal with loss.
P
articipating in athletics’Äîpar-
ticularly professional sports’Äî
can be a great, character-
building experience for many
individuals, male and female alike. In
fact, playing for a college or pro sports
teamcan be the foundation for a great
second career
after
an athletic career
is over’Äîbecause no one can be an
athlete forever.’ÄúPro athlete’Äù as a job
description has a very definite’Äîand
often early’Äîexpiration date.
For instance, we have several former
athletes in the legal community here
in Knoxville. To be sure, attorney Tim
Priest is one, and JudgeTim Irwin is
another. There are other such individu-
als, but we single out TimPriest for one
of three things: as an SEC Champion
Volunteer football player, as theVol
Network ColorAnalyst, or for his work
as a lawyer.And he’Äôs been a great
success and a champion at all three.
Tim Irwin played for theVolunteers
and then in the NFL for theMinnesota
Vikings. In themidst of his time in
the NFL, Irwin earned his lawdegree,
and after leaving football behind, he
became a lawyer and thenwas ap-
pointed juvenile judge. He also plays in
commun i t y re source gu i de