It has been a very frustrating year in Chad's SportsWorld. We have had huge ups that ultimately led to epic downs. I will start with the most obvious:
SUPER BOWL XLV
The Steelers could have been at a "dynasty" level with a win in this game. The way I like to describe it to my friends when they ask me about the game is this: "We played our worst game of the season and still almost won." The keyword sadly is "almost". For about three weeks I did not watch SportsCenter and I ate so many Reeses' Cups that I probably was in a mild diabetic coma. I watched the highlights of the game for the first time a few weeks ago, something I will never do again.
THE 2011 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
In December, the Penguins were racking up wins like I have never seen before. It looked like maybe they could go on another epic run in the playoffs and possibly bring home the Stanley Cup. Then they were hit with a plague of injuries. Our two best players, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, were both basically put out for the season along with half of our team being hurt for weeks and weeks. We were calling up guys from the minors and probably the streets of Pittsburgh to come play. The Pens held it together till the playoffs and even though two of our best were gone, the Fan in me still wanted to believe. We took Tampa Bay all the way to a Game 7 and lost, 1-0.
The list goes on and on: WVU barely losing to LSU at Death Valley in football, Losing to Pitt twice in basketball, and of course about 75% of the Pirates games I watch.
I could sit here and complain for hours about the "ifs" and "how we could have won this game" and such. It would not be worth it because there are much bigger things going on. What happened across Alabama (a place I proudly call my home state) last week can easily put things into perspective for anyone that has simple daily complaints. My complaints about my team's failures and final exams tomorrow are nowhere in comparison to the devastation that hit cities like Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. Violent tornados destroyed homes, businesses and most of all- it took lives. Lives of people who were loved by others that still walk this earth and now get to wonder "what if?"
"What if we went to the bathroom instead of staying in the living room?"
"What if he just pulled over in a ditch and stayed till things calmed down?"
What if : Two words that take undeserved power in times of crisis. "What if" is no longer an option and it sadly never was for the people affected by these tragic events. Now there has to be a new plan.
Just like all of my teams, (but on a much larger scale of course) it is time to literally pick up the pieces and try to move in a positive direction for the future. Whether you have something you believe in or not, there is one thing that I believe stands true for each and every one of us: We will never be given too much to handle. Joining together and fighting this will prove that even though we are usually a state divided by the words like "War Eagle" and "Roll Tide", we can join in the name of compassion for one another.
On the way home from church today I passed a Winn-Dixie. There was a huge 18-wheeler getting filled with supplies being sent to families who have been devastated by the storm. The same thing was going on at a Bruno's in Hoover and I assume this is happening in a lot of places.
It made me realize that my problems and complaints are very small compared to what some people are having to go through just 45 minutes away. It is healthy to be reminded that things could always be worse. So as I sit here on a Sunday afternoon typing from the comfort of my room with most of my teams eliminated from the playoffs or in the off-season, It is easy to say that it could be a lot worse.
A whole lot worse.
This column is dedicated to all those hurt and affected by the tornados. God bless you and I hope you can all find the power to move forward.
0 comments:
Post a Comment