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‘The gauntlet is laid down’ and challenge becomes their life. The sports person does not want to be just a participant, they will not be satisfied with being another contender, their only desire is to win.
As The Great American football coach Vince Lombardi once said,
“But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfilment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious”
Please embrace yourself for The Positive Energy of Madness, Top Five moments of sporting passion
It must be every schoolboy’s dream is to score a goal in the World Cup Final. Moreover for a few great players, this dream has come true.
After a slow and tedious start in the first round of the 1982 World Cup. Italy did not show any sign of winning the World Cup.
In the next round, Italy was drawn against Argentina and Brazil in a mini league quarterfinal. Few fancied their chances and even the Italian national press felt the ‘Azzurri’ were like lamb going to the slaughter. But something happened, Italian manager Enzo Bearzot must have given the players some amazing training in self belief.
Italy silenced all their critics. They beat Argentina then knocked out the tournaments favourites Brazil. Italy had reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. Now the whole world was watching. Italy waltzed through the semi-final against Poland, to face their old European foe West Germany in the final.
The first half of the World Cup final ended nil nil, with Macro Tardelli missing a penalty. The second half started and Paolo Rossi opened up the game with a goal on the 57th minute. On the 68th minute Tardelli shot from outside the penalty box and it crossed the line.
Tardelli’s celebration of the goal was overwhelming. He went berserk, running across the pitch towards the bench and his mentor Enzo Bearzot. He was screaming, crying with joy unable to contain his emotion, his passion was running wild. He thanked the heavens. Marco Tardelli had fulfilled his schoolboy dream.
David Beckham – England
vs. Greece. World cup Qualify 2001
This goal could have been in the comic strip ‘Roy
of Rovers’. The whole weight of the country is on your shoulders.
The clock hands are ticking away and unless your teams scores, then it
is an early exit.
Greece leads England by two goals to one. England seem certain to make
the play offs for the 2002 World Cup, and the play offs does not guarantee
a place in the finals.
In the dying seconds of the game, England are awarded a free kick. One
last onslaught, before the referee blows the final whistle. England will
leave the pitch as losers.
David Beckham decides he will take the free kick. There are screams in
every pub in England. Families are joining in prayers they had forgotten
as children. Couples are ready to file for divorce. Some shout out ‘Let
Teddy Sheringham take it’. Beckham had failed to impress with previous
efforts.
‘Becks’ calmly strolls up to the dead ball situation and takes
aim. He knows that everyone in England is in suspended animation. One,
two, three, he kicks the balls and it swings into the right hand corner.
The nervous silence around the land roars in a clamour of elation. England
is going to the World Cup.
Who needs to read ‘Roy of Rovers’, when David Beckeham is
the real thing.
John McEnroe - Wimbledon
Early 80’s
John McEnroe enters into our Top five for his dynamic attitude on the
tennis court. Especially with the way he singled handley took on the ‘old
boy’ network of Wimbledon.
John McEnroe, otherwise known as ‘Mac’ treated the world to
some great tennis in the late Seventies and early Eighties. Not only was
he a highly talented player, he was also outspoken and did not suffer
fools gladly.
He dared to challenge the tennis hierarchy, when he felt a decision was
not fair. The immortal line “you can not be serious”
was genius. The infamous labelling of the Wimbledon umpire Tom Gullikson
as the “pits of the world” was brilliant.
He took on the establishment for the entire world to see. ‘Mac’
won many admirers and helped to change the way tennis was governed.
McEnroe is a living-breathing example of The Positive Energy of Madness.
Harvey Smith –
Hickstead Derby 1971
Harvey Smith, the son of a Yorkshire Builder, who caused a big shake up
in the world of Show Jumping. Nicknamed by the British press as ‘Heathcliff
on horseback’. Harvey Smith was an outsider, possessed a rebellious
attitude and was always at loggerheads with the British Show Jumping Associations.
This in turn, made Harvey, the people’s champion.
In 1971 Harvey Smith entered the Hickstead Derby which he had won the
year before. He was so confident that he would retain his title that he
left the trophy at home. This outraged the vice president of BSJA and
owner of Hickstead, Douglas Bunn. A man whom Smith never saw eye-to-eye
with.
Smith’s buoyancy paid off and he won the Hickstead Derby again.
In his victory ride Harvey Smith thrusted two fingers vigorously towards
the judges, which caused a media frenzy. Smith claimed that “It
was a straight forward V for victory, Churchill used it throughout the
war.” Not an offensive gesture.
Harvey Smith was stripped of the title and then high prize money of £2000
. However due to mass publicity and public backing, the BSJA reversed
their decisions. Two days later Smith retained the trophy and the money.
Years laters Smith admitted that his gesture was in fact the opposite
of Winston Churchill’s victory sign. But we all knew that Mr Smith
Dame Kelly Holmes –
Athens 2004 Olympic games 800 metres
Her ecstatic face crossing the winning line says it all.
The
will to win among our top five is tremendous. Entering the playing field,
with only one aim, to be the best. Failure is not an option.
The winners know that in the morning, they going to be every ones’
darling. Children will be want to be them in the playground and their
glory will be seen as a source of inspiration for years to come. Pure
ardour.
Matteo
Sedazzari