I learned that defense wins championships from the Chuck Noll-coached Steelers of my childhood. Supported by a pounding running game, you can control a high-powered opponent by keeping them off the field and your defense well rested. You just have to be disciplined enough to stay with it, even when the fans want you to throw the ball.
My father was the hardest working man I have ever encountered. He taught me the value of deliberate effort, and the necessity of completion and accomplishment. I can still hear him saying "it doesn't take me all day to do half a day's work."
As for my mother, I learned the importance of composure. After striking out in a little league game, I sent the bat from my hands, with brisk pace, toward the dugout. After the game, I got into the back seat of the car, dejected about the loss. Mom very quietly, and with certainty of unspoken fate, stated that she would never see me act that way again. No lecture or drawn-out speech—but profoundly powerful in its simplicity. I believed her, and it shaped my passion for many pursuits in life. My mother, father and Chuck Noll had much in common.