Sports can be cruel (OT)

[Tommy Williamsen]

Sports can be cruel.
Fred Merkle had a long and successful life, but his obituary noted his famous ”boner.”
Jean Van de Velde will not outlive his self-inflicted wound.
Bill Buckner was hounded out of Boston.
Poor Andrés Escobar was murdered following his mistake.
I hit a ball OB to lose our club's father/son tournament. It still hurts.
I won’t say his name. It will be difficult enough for him to live with. Fumbling on the goal line in overtime of the Army/Navy game is the unkindest cut of all. As an Army brat, I grew up rooting for Army. After living in Annapolis for 34 years, my wife and kids root for Navy. I’d much rather have lost the game than have that young Midshipman fumble on the goal line. I hope he has a long and successful naval career, but whenever his name is mentioned, someone will undoubtedly have a long memory.

[Kevin_Reilly]

I have a son in the Navy, so I was rooting for them.  Yes, sports can be cruel...look at Harry Kane's PK yesterday.  I also hope the young man puts this behind him.

[Joe_Tucholski]

It is crazy how something as meaningless as dropping a ball can be so meaningful to so many.  I promise the navy kid will go on and have much more impact on people's real lives and think nothing of it.


I know how trivial sport is but still my emotions are often uncontrollable and the results of a game or day on the course can dramatically impact my mood for way to long.


Far weirder when I'm not playing and have never represented the team myself.  My brother is a Notre Dame nut and has no real affiliation to the school.


Not sure if it's due to our tribal nature and seeing the competitors as extensions of ourselves or what.

[Tim Leahy]

Fellow ND nut, but my name is Leahy so there is that. Still haunted by Anthony Davis nightmares from when I was a kid. Can't stand UOJ. 

[Rob Marshall]

My Son was a really good basketball player. Good enough to make his D3 college team at 5' 9". He was a great free throw shooter. Averaged around 90% as a senior in high school. When the game was tight at the end and the other team was fouling he ALWAYS wanted the ball. In one game in the 4th qtr he was 13 for 13. In watching him play hundreds of games from Youth basketball to the end of his playing career he never missed a free throw he had to make.


The year after he graduated his high school team was in the sectional finals and one of his old teammates had a 1 and 1  to win the game and he missed. I remember thinking to myself that I was glad my son wasn't in that position. The pressure had to be incredible. After the game a reporter interviewed the kid who missed and he said ..."I wanted to make those shots but I'm glad it was me that missed because I know I can handle it". Great kid.