For Valentine's Day 2019, I thought I'd put together a list of the things I love about sports. (Those who know me can insert the joke here: "I didn't think you liked anything.")
Upon closer inspection, however, I found that there were indeed a lot of thing about sports to love. Take the above photo, for instance. Kenyan Drake scores the winning touchdown to cap the triple-lateral Miracle In Miami, defeating the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. That's great about sports.
You just never know what's going to happen. Over all these years, we've all practically just learned to expect the unexpected. And it's great when we get it. The great play by the Dolphins was hardly the only time in sports history something surprising, amazing, or out of this world has happened at the end of a game.
Walk-off grand slams by .250 hitters. Half-court buzzer beaters. Buster Douglas at 42-to-1 over Mike Tyson. The Miracle on Ice in 1980 still might be America's greatest sports moment. Nobody, of course, ever expected that.
The simple fact that we just don't know what's going to happen is something I love about sports.
I also love the rare times that we get to see greatness. Secretariat ran his smashing Belmont to win the Triple Crown 45 years ago. I still get chills every time he starts pulling away from the pack on the backstretch and announcer Chip Anderson screams, "he's moving like a tremendous machine!" en route to his amazing 31-length victory.
Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal, when both are at the top of their games going five grueling sets at Wimbledon. Tiger Woods, when he was at the top of his and chipped in for a birdie on the 16th hole in the final round of The Masters, the ball lofted 25 feet past the cup, then changing directions and rolling back down the hill, pausing for just a second on the lip of the cup -- and then falling in. You didn't even need to be a Tiger Woods fan (I'm not) to jump out of your seat on that one.
Usain Bolt breaking away from the pack in the 100-meters, or Michael Phelps out-touching his Olympic rivals at the last second to win yet another gold medal. There's team greatness, too. In current terms, that would be watching the Golden State Warriors when all their shots are falling. Or (though I know it's tough) appreciating the brillliance of Bill Belichick's defense as it shuts down the Rams to win another Super Bowl.
There are many other things to love: how about the NFL game these days that's played in a driving snowstorm? Nothing like sitting back in your warm living room and watching the players battle the elements. I never cared much about the famous Tuck Rule game in New England, but I loved it because of all the snow. For pure fun, watch a clip of the 1977 NFC Divisional Playoff between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams at the Coliseum.
I was there that day, in a driving rainstorm so powerful that the field immediately turned to mud, and by the end of the first quarter, you could no longer see the numbers on the player's uniforms. Both teams looked like they were simply wearing black jerseys.
The Stanley Cup. Just seeing it presented each season is something to love about sports.
A bases loaded triple in baseball, with every player on the diamond running somewhere while the crowd roars. The perfectly executed backdoor cut and a bounce pass that leads to layup almost looks better when done correctly than does Kate Upton in a photo shoot.
The sight, and sometimes in an empty gym the sound, of a ball swishing through the net. Sweet. Believe it or not, I could keep going. But I'll stop now, and leave it to you to think of some your own.
Sports. Love.
Happy Valentine's Day.
