Unless you have been transported back in time or launched to another planet, it would be difficult to imagine one not tuning into some aspect of the Winter Olympics from Sochi.
The media coverage is everywhere. It is hard to avoid and it most certainly captures one’s attention.
In an alleged match-up between “Winter Olympics” vs. “Summer Olympics”, the snowy, frozen version of the O-games wins hands down – at least in my opinion.
You might differ, fair enough.
The pace is fast and the various events have the appeal of a winter sports smorgasbord to the novice as well as seasoned sports nut.
Days, weeks, months, and years of training and sacrifice are expended by the athletes involved – no matter the event, be it skiing, bobsled, figure skating, ski jump, luge, hockey, and the crazy fly-through-the-air-backwards-forwards-upside down events that defy logic.
Back in the 1970’s (here I go again dating myself!) late Saturday afternoons were occupied with ABC’s Wide World of Sports™ introduced by its infamous tag line – “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”!
The gap between the “thrill” of victory and the “agony” of defeat was then and is now, ever so slim.
Let’s look at the first five finishers in the Alpine Skiing Men’s Giant Slalom event standings to shed some light on “how” slim:
- Ligety (USA) = 2:45:29 (as in two minutes, 45 and 29/100’s of a second)
- Missillier (France) = 2:45:77
- Pinturault (France) = 2:45:93
- Hirscher (Austria) = 2:46:23
- Bank (Czechoslovakia) = 2:46:29
The gold medal went to Ligety, with the French pair of Missillier and Pinturault securing silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The time difference between 1st place and 3rd place – 64 one hundredths of a second!
For Hirsch and Bank, who finished out of medal contention, the difference was 30 one hundredths and 36 one hundredths, respectively. No medal for either of them.
So close!
If my time to type the word “second” was part of the field of skiers, I would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 100th place (or worse)!
The dudes recorded those time while flying down a mountain at speeds reaching approximately 70 mph, in and out of gates, and hoping not to veer off into the forest or off the mountain altogether!
If you want a modern day definition of the “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” look no further than the result of the USA vs. Canada Women’s Hockey final game played earlier today.
I happened to get home from work earlier than normal as I traveled today. I turned the TV on at the exact moment the medals ceremony was taking place.
“The agony of defeat” was written on the faces of the American gals as they received their silver medals, tears streaming down many of their faces.
In contrast, “the thrill of victory” was etched on every Canadian players face as gold medals adorned their necks and tears of joy and elation beamed from each of them.
The difference – the USA team was winning 2-0 until the last 3:29 of the 3rd and final period. Canada made a furious comeback to tie the game in regulation time, sending the game into overtime. With a one player advantage due to a penalty, the Canadians zipped home the winning goal for a 3-2 victory and the right to claim gold for the 4th consecutive Olympics.
Again, so close! What’s the point in all of this Olympic talk?
Being an avid sports fan all of my life there are times I tell my lovely wife, “Sports is life”. She heartily disagrees. I see her point too, but I chide on.
However, there is much to be learned via sports and the drama it gives us.
It is a microcosm of the ups and downs we all face.
Most of the time it is not the big stuff, like losing a basketball game 72-8 or 61-3 (yes, I repeatedly experienced scores like this while coaching girls high school basketball many moons ago!).
It is the missed-it- by- a- hair, just- fell- short, “so close” stuff that seems to hurt the most.
We can taste the victory only to have the ice cream cone fall out of our hands.
We go down the “if only”, “shoulda-coulda-woulda” route, all along kicking ourselves in the proverbial pants while replaying the disappointing moment(s) over and over and over.
Suggestion – Stop beating the drum of regret and glean something of value to help yourself the next time.
Most certainly disappointments sting. Allow some time to reflect and re-group.
However, pick yourself up, learn the lesson, and move on.
By the way – Here’s to you, Team USA! Thanks for representing your country well!
What lessons in sports or life have you tasted defeat only for that experience to serve you for a better moment in the future?
I would love to hear your feedback. Feel free to use the COMMENT button and join in the conversation.
Photo Credit – Brittany Castillejo
Wonderful illustrations Bruce. My sons both played baseball all through Little League and High School and my son Matt played in college. I can honestly say I learned many lessons even just being a fan and spectator! It truly is a microcosm of life itself and spiritually, there were opportunities at every single game to either respond in a God-glorifying way or not. It was a wonderful time – I miss watching them play and it was a rich time of putting feet to my words and beliefs and what I was trying to model for my children.