One of my favorite parts of elementary school was Independence Day. The week of, my school dedicated a day’s worth to the United States of America – a country that means a lot to me.
Every student – and I mean, every student – tie-dyed shirts red, white, and blue, made cookies in the shapes of stars, and sang patriotic songs. Even our nurse dressed up as the Statue of Liberty.
All that said, and since The Fourth will be long and gone by next week’s column, I thought I’d combine two of my favorite things: America and sports.
From real events to fictional fantasies, I’ve got some of my favorite patriotic sports moments in mind.
Did you read that? Favorite, not best, so don’t email me saying I missed something. Or leave a five-minute voicemail. Yes, that happens.
You guessed it. Kicking things off are the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Miracle on Ice. We upset the Soviet Union, did so with a bunch of kids putting their bodies on the line, and elevated the country’s global status during a difficult time.
And the call. My goodness, the call: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”
That is – without a doubt – the greatest call in the history of sports. It always will be. Thanks, Al.
Love him or hate him, President George W. Bush throwing the ceremonial first pitch in Game 3 of the World Series after 9/11 gives me chills every time.
The walk, the wave, the accuracy. Everything about it provided a sense of assurance and hope. I’m not saying it fixed everything, but it made a lot of people smile that night – people who really needed it.
That’s how I see it, anyway.
Fact-check me all you want, but in the world of basketball, there are no two better teams than the 1992 and 2008 U.S. Olympic Teams.
Many of you grew up with the 1992 team of Michael, Magic, Larry, Barkley, and so on. I, however, grew up with the 2008 roster of Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Carmelo, and Dwight Howard.
I was 9 years old when those superstars – almost all in their prime – brought home the gold from Beijing. That was the first year I really got into the sport, and seeing the jerseys, hearing the Anthem, and witnessing the country rallying behind these 12 players did something to me.
I still remember Kobe draining a dagger three in the title game, a 118–107 win against Pau Gasol-led Spain.
He was my favorite player, and one of my best friends, Billy, loved LeBron. He and I used to watch every play on the computer, then bolt to the driveway and reenact our heroes.
Though fiction, Rocky Balboa knocking out Ivan Drago in round 15 was goosebump-worthy when I watched it the first time, and, now that I think about it, I might watch it after work tonight.
That was a movie that, again, proved important during a tense time. I still smile thinking of President Reagan saying it “had a happy ending.”
I have a question. Can anyone listen to “Boys of Fall” by Kenny Chesney and not ask someone to play catch? The country song is six minutes and 32 seconds long, capturing high school football in America to perfection.
The chorus saying it’s time for players to “turn and face the stars and stripes” gets me every time. It must get Coach Belichick, too, as I heard that song at a training camp a few years ago.
Happy Fourth Week.
