Showing the Way

"Win one for the Gipper."

You won't hear a Harvard captain say this.

First of all. George Gipp (former Notre Dame football star) has been dead for half a century. Besides, he got his victory.

Second of all, Harvard captains--or. at least most of them--aren't the rah-rah types. They don't tend to give speeches, chew guys (or gals) out or spit in their teammates' faces to get them riled up.

No, Harvard captains are usually a sedate lot. They practice the other style of leadership. It's called leadership by example.

For some captains, that may mean scoring a lot of goals. Scott Fusco, the 1985-'86 Harvard hockey captain, finished his career as the Crimson's all-time leading scorer. Kelly McBride, last year's lacrosse captain, accumluated goals the way the U.S. accumlates foreign trade debts.

The message these captains gave their teammates was simple: here's the way you do it, folks. Follow me.

Other captains, those who are not scorers by nature, lead by working hard. In the off-season, they pump the most iron and run the most miles. They eat the right food. They floss their teeth twice a day.

Harvard captains can't be rah-rah types because their teammates wouldn't respond. As Harvard hockey Captain Steve Armstrong says, you can't tell a 20 or 21-year old, especially a 20 or 21-year old who goes to Harvard, something he doesn't already know.

It's a big game, kid.

"I know."

It means a lot, kid.

"I know."

All of us have to do our part, kid.

"I know."

You're pretty smart, aren't you kid?

"Got 1400 on my SATs."

Harvard coaches have a similar problem employing a rah-rah type of leadership. Imagine Bobby Knight, Indiana coach and Hoosier bad boy, coaching the Harvard basketball team. Throwing chairs. Cursing. Telling his players that they should send their games to a laundromat for a complete wash.

The team might respond to such behavior. By laughing.

Harvard captains and coaches have to be more subtle than Knight. Every few years, it's said. Harvard hockey Coach Bill Cleary will show his team the films of the 1960 Olympics.

The U.S. won the gold medal that year. Cleary was the team's leading scorer.

Enough said.