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Passion is hard to measure. Most of the time we see passion as the "pure energy" and zeal that overflows from the teenagers involved in most college contests. Most adults display passion in a different way, especially men. We are taught to keep a handle on our emotions. NFL referees now penalize "excessive celebration" and "taunting" as unsportsmanlike conduct or similarly named penalties. How can professional male athletes be expected to show passion in the same way as there college counterparts when they are taught and judged for doing so?

Passion is displayed by these men in their dedication to high performance on the field. By work ethic and drive to win. By attitude toward the game and acting as role models for the future generations. When we seek perfection in our jobs and lives, that is passion. When players "take plays off" or come out of games at the first chance they get, that shows a lack of passion and commitment to the profession they have chosen. So the next time we discuss passion in sports let's remember the boundaries that are in place between college and professional athletes. One set are expected to be emotional and energetic, the other gets blackballed or penalized for equally ecstatic behavior. Before we can say who is most passionate we have to define it. I would argue that you see plenty more pros who fit the description I have given for professional passion then you do college kids showing their type of passion. Professionals understand passion and when to make it known or keep it inside. The best pros keep their passionate drive inside until the crucial moments when they need it to be displayed, college athletes are much less in tune with themselves and tend to let it out all the time. Passion is much deeper then emotions.

Learn more about this author, Paul Craft.
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