This offseason when University of Toledo defensive end Jamal Hines and the rest of the football team were forced to train away from campus due to the coronavirus pandemic, he tried his best to get into a routine.
He bought exercise bands to stay in shape, would work out with his teammates when he could, and most mornings, would put on a weight jacket and jog with his pit bull terrier, Kobe (yes, named after Kobe Bryant).
“I'm faster than my dog,” Hines said with a laugh, setting the record straight. “Gotta have that mamba mentality.”
Mamba mentality references the late Bryant’s mantra surrounding competition, and involves not just going 100 percent in games, but also in the behind the scenes work.