The Art Of Winning Is Everything... Right? Wrong-Oh!
As one final came to an end and another saw itself hit another minor snag that will inevitably prolong it (but they called it "an emotional win" for Derek Fisher, that most notable of "winners" too, who "led" his team even though they are supposed to have two "dominating superstars" to do that on that team's roster - that being the Lakers team. And they called it that on the worthier team's website too; the Boston Celtics' website! Ah - the wonders of journalism, sometimes; but that is another story!) we, here, at SASAOA pause to marvel about the definitive concept of "winning" and whether it is truly close to being "everything" at all...!
Take the case of a Chris Pronger - that big bully of a guy! He threads on thin ice all year long, making enemies in every town he plays in, except those towns he happens to being playing for at any given time; he doesn't do much else, but he was labeled a "winner" too, due to the fact that he was well-surrounded on that Anaheim team that won it all and then happened to figure prominently (being the tallest goofball\douchebag on a team of ruffians that emulated rather well their BroadStreet Bulliying forefathers of yesteryear...)
And yet, Pronger was the focus of the camera as THE most notable LOSER, when the Chicago Blackhawks stunned "a sea of orange" Philly fans, Pronger's team of the moment -the Philadelphia Flyers- and their motivational speaker-coach, Peter Laviolette, with a great goal in overtime that ended their cinderella run that was far more than merely "improbable"... The silly Philly rag-tag bunch (that oftentimes reminded me of a modern-day Slap Shot remake) revived their orange-clad fans' interest (only to have it crushed in the most bitter way of all - with a Finals loss on their home ice - ugh!) with a very improbable domination of the New Jersey Devils in the first round, an even more improbable comeback-from-the-edge-of-abyss snatching of victory-from-the-jaws-of-defeat versus the Boston Bruins and then an easy march all over the measly Montreal Canadiens who had (VERY improbably too) helped the Flyers look so good in the semi-finals by ousting the two teams that should have made it there; either the Washington Capitals or the Pittsburgh Penguins! The latter team being the previous year's defending champ, a state neighbour and equally full of itself made it so much more enjoyable for the sea of orange to BELIEVE - beieve that it was their turn, this year, to rejoice in the WINNING! And then they meet a team that truly BELONGED in the Finals - and it was over in six games (and could have been over in four, believe you me...!)
Chapeau to the Chicago upstarts; for, though Byfuglien, Kane and Toews are still wet behind the ears and all, their gutsy victory in game six overtime, and subsequent parading around the ice rink, reminded much of the Stanley Cup clinching victory of the mighty Boston Bruins of 1972 over a hapless bunch of New York Rangers and their fans! The fans, specifically, were so much the same mass of unhappy, shocked and humiliated faces; my, you could have sworn they were the same people...! They got to celebrate the victory on enemy soil and then they will get to bring the trophy back to "sweet home Chicago" - for the first time in 49 years...! Bobby Hull's fossilized remains will be proud...
But for the life of us here at SASAAOA, it is all about the anguished look on the face of Chris Pronger - one who reeks of the fact that the man there has yet to learn that winning cannot be everything because winning is so elusive, so fleeting; and then it's gone. And besides, no so-called "winner" with good sense will ever claim to have done "everything" - just ask the Boston Celtics' fans who, despite all the banners, still hunger for more: banner 18... 19... 20...
Winning cannot be everything but nothing lasts forever either; after the celebrations subside, they will realize that too, in Chicago. A whole new season starts with training camp in September and the accomplishments of the previous playoff run are but a dim memory in the fickle mind of the average fan; for you are only as good as your most recent performance! Pronger should at least know THAT by now...
Enjoy your summer golf, Chris!
:)
Take the case of a Chris Pronger - that big bully of a guy! He threads on thin ice all year long, making enemies in every town he plays in, except those towns he happens to being playing for at any given time; he doesn't do much else, but he was labeled a "winner" too, due to the fact that he was well-surrounded on that Anaheim team that won it all and then happened to figure prominently (being the tallest goofball\douchebag on a team of ruffians that emulated rather well their BroadStreet Bulliying forefathers of yesteryear...)
And yet, Pronger was the focus of the camera as THE most notable LOSER, when the Chicago Blackhawks stunned "a sea of orange" Philly fans, Pronger's team of the moment -the Philadelphia Flyers- and their motivational speaker-coach, Peter Laviolette, with a great goal in overtime that ended their cinderella run that was far more than merely "improbable"... The silly Philly rag-tag bunch (that oftentimes reminded me of a modern-day Slap Shot remake) revived their orange-clad fans' interest (only to have it crushed in the most bitter way of all - with a Finals loss on their home ice - ugh!) with a very improbable domination of the New Jersey Devils in the first round, an even more improbable comeback-from-the-edge-of-abyss snatching of victory-from-the-jaws-of-defeat versus the Boston Bruins and then an easy march all over the measly Montreal Canadiens who had (VERY improbably too) helped the Flyers look so good in the semi-finals by ousting the two teams that should have made it there; either the Washington Capitals or the Pittsburgh Penguins! The latter team being the previous year's defending champ, a state neighbour and equally full of itself made it so much more enjoyable for the sea of orange to BELIEVE - beieve that it was their turn, this year, to rejoice in the WINNING! And then they meet a team that truly BELONGED in the Finals - and it was over in six games (and could have been over in four, believe you me...!)
Chapeau to the Chicago upstarts; for, though Byfuglien, Kane and Toews are still wet behind the ears and all, their gutsy victory in game six overtime, and subsequent parading around the ice rink, reminded much of the Stanley Cup clinching victory of the mighty Boston Bruins of 1972 over a hapless bunch of New York Rangers and their fans! The fans, specifically, were so much the same mass of unhappy, shocked and humiliated faces; my, you could have sworn they were the same people...! They got to celebrate the victory on enemy soil and then they will get to bring the trophy back to "sweet home Chicago" - for the first time in 49 years...! Bobby Hull's fossilized remains will be proud...
But for the life of us here at SASAAOA, it is all about the anguished look on the face of Chris Pronger - one who reeks of the fact that the man there has yet to learn that winning cannot be everything because winning is so elusive, so fleeting; and then it's gone. And besides, no so-called "winner" with good sense will ever claim to have done "everything" - just ask the Boston Celtics' fans who, despite all the banners, still hunger for more: banner 18... 19... 20...
Winning cannot be everything but nothing lasts forever either; after the celebrations subside, they will realize that too, in Chicago. A whole new season starts with training camp in September and the accomplishments of the previous playoff run are but a dim memory in the fickle mind of the average fan; for you are only as good as your most recent performance! Pronger should at least know THAT by now...
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| (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) |
Enjoy your summer golf, Chris!
:)
posted by Luminous (\ô/) Luciano™ at 9:52 PM
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