Adele, Beyoncé and the Code

At the Grammy Awards on Sunday night Adele won every major award: Song of the Year, Record of Year and finally Album of the Year.  However, she stunned everyone when she came to receive her final Grammy and said (looking at Beyoncé),  “I can’t possibly accept this award.  The Lemonade album was just so monumental, Beyoncé. It was so monumental and well thought-out and beautiful and soul-baring… we appreciate that. All of us artists here adore you. You are our light.”   What does the Code say about this?  The Code says, “I will display caring and honorable behavior off the field…”  In all competition we want to win, but how we conduct ourselves whether we win or lose is a measure of our inner character.  It is certainly true that Adele wanted to win, but in winning she had the honesty and the integrity to say the words above first, rather than celebrate and thank those who helped her achieve her success. When are the times when you have seen people most gracious in victory?  Are there other occasions of victory or loss where the behavior has been less gracious?