My Favorite Moments in Sports, Part Two
Earlier I set out to try to discuss some of my all-time favorite moments in sports. The problem was, I thought I could squeeze them all into one blog post. That simply is not possible. So I have decided to make this a bit of a series, if you will. Each part can be dedicated to a different moment.
This time I will discuss how I have become a lifelong fan of numerous sports figures, simply because they have moved me because of a shared experience. Part of it is inspiring, part of it is because I can relate, but some of the most inspiring and moving moments I've ever witnessed is sports is when someone perseveres through the loss of a loved one.
Sometimes we can forget that the sports figures we see on TV are human. When we hear news such as when Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas was told of the death of his sister, just one day before the start of Boston's first round series against the Chicago Bulls, it is a sobering reminder that the heroes we see are in fact just like us.
Yet, they are still heroes. To some, the ability to perform at the highest level while dealing with that kind of emotion can be inspiring. I myself was moved when, during the 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the Wisconsin Badgers advanced to the Final Four. Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan found himself choked up after the game after the late, great Craig Sager mentioned Ryan's father, Butch.
For most of his life, Bo Ryan had gone to the Final Four, as a spectator, along with his father. This year would be different. Just a few months prior to Wisconsin's Elite Eight victory, Butch Ryan passed away.
In Bo Ryan's first Final Four after the loss of his father, he would be coaching instead of watching. At the end of his interview, Ryan points to the sky and says "This is for Butch."
My own father passed away in 2012. I was just 17. However, it's something I'm comfortable speaking about because it has become a huge part of who I am. Seeing Bo Ryan get choked up when asked about his dad was something I could relate to. To this day, I still get chocked up every time I watch it.
Another example is when Justin Rose won the 2013 U.S. Open, dedicating the win to his late father. My dad and I used to play a lot of golf together, even if we gave each other headaches the entire time. This was the first U.S. Open after my dad passed away. Watching Justin Rose win his first career major that day, and watching him also fight back emotion, that was a sports moment that moved me.
That may sound weird, but to me it's a big part of what makes sports so great. Seeing such heavy emotion in sports is a sobering reminder that the people we look up to are just like us. You can watch someone have success in the face of tragedy and adversity, and that can trigger emotion out of you as a viewer. These are real people, and their stories can be inspiring for so many different reasons.
Moments like these may be sad, but they're why I love sports.
