I’m a big fan of college football. During the season, each Saturday is devoted to watching my favorite games. But you don’t have to be a football fanatic like me to see why certain teams make it to BCS title games, while others struggle all season long.

Consider the University of Notre Dame. With an arsenal of blue chip talent from the likes of Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, and Michael Floyd, the seasoned Irish had every opportunity to succeed in 2009. Offensively speaking, many fans would say they did… After all, Clausen is projected to be the first QB pick in the 2010 draft, and possibly the first overall pick, which could earn him an estimated $45-million dollar contract.

Unfortunately, Notre Dame won’t be going to the National Championship Game. In fact, they’re not going to any bowl game this season. Despite their outstanding offensive achievements, their defensive skills were atrocious. They finished the season 6-6.

On the other hand, the two teams that are going to compete in this year’s Rose Bowl, Alabama and Texas, have one critical thing in common… Great defense. As a result, each team stands 13-0 this season, and have won their respective conference titles.

There’s an old football saying, “Offense wins games, but defense wins championships.” Adding points to the scoreboard is important, but it’s the number of points you keep off the board that really matters.

In some ways, the same thing can be said about Upper Cervical Care. The doctor and patient are like a team. A chiropractor’s role can be seen as offense. We restore balance to the spine and nervous system, allowing your body to function at a more optimal level. It’s up to the patient to play defense. It’s their responsibility to hold the adjustment and maintain their correction.

I’ve always felt that the longer someone can hold their correction, the better off they are… But when a person is continuously exposed to physical, chemical or emotional stress, their body pays the price and ultimately their will health suffer.

That’s why it’s so important for patients to protect their progress by playing draft-worthy defense. If you do, you have a much better chance of bringing home Health and Wellness trophy.