SPORT HEROES FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME

Sport heroes take root from the year you were born. The key is catching up once you learn how to read.

Being born in the mid-50’s was a stroke of luck.

The Yankees were in the World Series eight out of ten years, winning six.

They had Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford, but I was a Willie Mays fan.

That was it for the 1950’s, and then . . .

Joe Namath was the big deal in the 1960’s, an Alabama quarterback who spurned the NFL for the new AFL, grew his hair out, and wore low cut white shoes.

Johnny Unitas was the opposite.

The NFL spurned him, he wore a tight crew cut, and black high tops.

Muhammad Ali, the Boston Celtics, UCLA Bruin basketball, and Sandy Koufax all lit the sky like sport heroes do.

The 70’s were all Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys.

The 80’s were Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and the 49ers of Joe Montana.

Michael Jordan hit the 90’s and the Cowboys won three out of four Super Bowls early; the Yankees won three out of four late in the decade.

 

And Then?

The 2000’s were all about my kids’ sports, college football in the teens, and now in the 2020s?

It feels like sports betting is the most important part of being a fan now, that and fantasy leagues.

The giant Klitschko brothers with their PhDs didn’t help boxing.

Lebron is still carrying the NBA with Shohei Ohtani channeling his inner Babe Ruth in baseball.

Looking forward means the Cowboys will never be good again after a run of Danny White, Romo, and Dak, and struggling to find the next Troy.

Looking forward means the Oregon Ducks will be almost good enough to challenge for a championship.

Will sports ever be the same again?

Who is the current heavyweight boxing champ?

Who won the last Indy 500?

If I were a betting man I’d be more up to date.

If I were a fantasy sportsman I’d know the players better.

But, I’m neither a bettor or a fantasy man.

 

Sport Heroes Survey

Today my heroes are the players and teams that don’t fade in the stretch, that don’t back down from the big moment.

Catch, shoot, and score, in the last second of a big game.

Tap the plate, the cleats, then take one out at the bottom of the ninth inning.

Take to the air at the goal line.

Those are the guys in the moment, then it becomes a memory, a faded memory, the latest to strike a nerve.

You never know what you’ll remember, and for how long.

Willie Mays catching a long fly ball over his shoulder.

Mickey Mantle hitting from both sides of the plate and running to first as fast as Bo Jackson.

Wilt Chamberlain and his underhanded free throws.

Andy Granatelli smooching Mario Andretti.

The Ali shuffle.

Jerry Rice running after a catch.

 

PS:

Learn more about your sport heroes and apply what you do know about them, about their character, to your judgment of others.

PSS:

What if you learn your idols were real jackasses off the field, off the court?

Then maybe you can learn not to judge others so harshly? Make that a sport.

Be a winner.