One word was mentioned repeatedly during post game interviews last night and it may surprise you. It's not uncommon for athletes to toss around words like faith, belief and God, but it was interesting to hear these words from so many players following the game.

After the game, Shaquille O'Neal called Pat Riley the best coach he has ever had and sited his faith and motivational tactics. If there was one thing that baffled the media during the NBA finals, it was the bowl. The theme of the bowl was "15 Strong." The idea of using this bowl as a motivating factor worked because the media learned what Riley has known all along. This Heat team is composed of athletes as evidenced tonight that are quick to point to faith. Pat Riley, Dwayne Wade and Antoine Walker made a point in their post game responses to thank God. Probably the most poignant comments came from Alonzo Mourning who after the game spoke about how thankful he was for the opportunity to play and share in this experience.

I’m human and what drives me is my faith and knowing that I’m going to be alright," Zo told reporters. ESPN's Rachael Nichols asked Alonzo Mourning about his battle to get to this point and he shared some personal stories about his kidney transplant. He also made a point to thank Lance Armstrong for his inspiration. "After my surgery I read both of his books. I think about what he had to go through. I said to myself if he can do it, I can. A lot of you don’t know this but Lance Armstrong is a huge inspiration for me. I know there are thousands of people that do the same with me." Interesting comments from a man and a team who seem to be grounded in faith and a will to win.