Sunday Redemption
Sorry Giants fans, this is not about you. As nice as their win over the Patriots was, it looked like a repeat of their regular season game.
Drama, yes, but redemption no. For that you’d have had to have seen the Phoenix Open. Kyle Stanley, of last weeks famous meltdown at Torrey Pines where he squandered a four stroke lead on the last hole, rebounded one week later to come from five strokes back on Sunday to win in Scottsdale. Now that’s redemption.
There’s not a big difference between being a goat or a hero. When the big moment comes, sometimes we succeed and sometimes we don’t. Sports writers are quick to point to the choke factor. I’m not so sure about that. I think there’s a lot more to chance than meets the eye. It’s as if fate owns a big wheel of fortune.
Will you or won’t you make the clutch putt, foul shot or home run? Let’s spin the wheel and see. Blessed is the athlete who gets the good results the first time because it builds a lot of confidence. Cursed is the one who draws the snowman on a par four that will happen once in a thousand chances.
True greatness shows itself when the failed sportsman is willing to get right back on the horse that has thrown them, look fate in the eye and say ‘Spin that wheel again, I’m willing to take my chances’. Kyle Stanley could have spent half a season or more licking his wounds or beating himself up over one hole, one tournament. But he didn’t and how much more confidence does he have now than if he’d won at Torrey Pines? I’d say a lot.
So let that be a lesson for all of us. Sometimes you’re going to make that 4 footer to win and sometimes you’re not. It’s more about the wheel of fortune than your character. Character is when you get right back out there, when you don’t let one instant ruin all the good play.
Wes Welker feels bad about his missed catch in the final minutes of yesterday’s Super Bowl. Wes, all you could do was train, prepare, and give it your all. Fate will always have the right to play the last card!
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I was so impressed with how Stanley bounced back after the previous week. So many a player would have got down on himself and just given up. But Stanley stuck by his game and came back stronger.
This might be a career defining moment for him.