it's just a game

"Hey, you know, you don't have to do this anymore. You could give it up and that's alright with me...in fact...I want you to."

"How could I do that?'

"What do you mean? You just do it."

"But I have to win."

"No, that's what I'm saying. You don't."

"But you told me I did."

"Well, I'm telling you now that you don't."

"But I do...I do."

"Why?"

"Because I have to."

"Why? It doesn't mean anything. It's just a game."

"No. It isn't."

-Searching for Bobby Fischer - when Josh's father finally gets a clue.

Why is it that after all the emphasis and pressure on winning and achieving potential, and aiming for nothing less than gold - is it that once it DOES matter, it suddenly becomes "just a game"? Suddenly, "it's not the end of the world"...

Why is it that when you need the person (or people) who you need the most to support you - they decide to trivialize that which matters most to you?

"There's only 4 weeks left. What if my knee doesn't get better in time?"

"If it doesn't get better, then it doesn't get better. It's not the end of the world. There will be other tournaments."

"You don't know that."