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I think what defines a competitor is not the will to win.

Many often think that winning is everything -- it is the only thing that it should be strived for, literally all of your efforts is going toward all that one can do to win.

You heard it here first -- whoever thought that has got it all wrong. More than wanting to win, we just simply hate to lose.

You see, winning in this program is one of those expected things. It's a given -- when we win everything is normal, business-like and just another day in the park.

It's losing that turns that walk into a marathon of emotions and a crawl of self-pity.

Losing is unlike anything else, and cannot be described in simple emotions. It's not simply 'gut wrenching,' not only 'tough to swallow.' It's an upset stomach without Pepto-Bismol. It's being hungry but not being able to eat. It's standing in the shower for 15 minutes thinking that the water could somehow make it all better, only to towel off and remember that lingering feeling. It's watching from the bus window, as if a car wreck is occurring, the family and friends of Arizona State greet their praised heroes as we despise them for feeling any happiness. It's sitting on a silent bus, wanting to say anything to the teammate next to you to make it feel better, but knowing nothing could ever suffice.

Losing does not leave you -- if you talk about this past game a year from now, even if we never lose another one, the disgust will still be there.

It is the single thing that drives early morning workouts and running that extra sprint.

It's not about being good enough to win, it's being good enough so you can never lose.

Which brings us full circle -- may we be thankful that this is a double-elimination tournament. We can hold onto the hope that we do not have to have that feeling ever again.

Or, at least the rest of this season.