By JAMES GROB, Courier sports writer
September 06, 2007 05:05 pm
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Appalachian State gave the world of sports a gift on Saturday.
Never mind that no one got to see it happen live thanks to the brilliance (I’m using this word ironically) of the Big Ten Network and the collective cable television industry.
With perhaps the most incredible upset in college football history, little Appalachian State gave sports fans everywhere a little medicine to soothe their souls. The defeat of the Michigan Wolverines — on their home field, no less — reminds all of us why we fell in love with sports in the first place. The joy, the flying colors, the grit and determination of motivated individuals working together — in the largely unscripted world of sports, anything can happen.
In this case, the little shepherd slew the giant.
Remember Sunday school? Remember that story about David and Goliath? That was a good one. A young boy with just a slingshot found a hole in the king’s armor, and a giant fell. That was an upset so huge that no one even knew to call it an upset until a few thousand years later.
According to popular legend, the phrase “upset” was coined because it was the name of a little horse — “Upset” — a 100-1 shot who managed to hand the great “Man o’ War” the only loss of his career in 1919.
Researchers dispute this claim — some say the noun “upset” was used in this context nearly half a century before “Man o’ War” was even born. Still, it’s a great story that I like to believe, even if it’s not true.
So Appalachian State belongs up there in the top three, with David and “Upset”. You might want to include Chaminade’s 1982 college basketball victory over Ralph Sampson’s Virginia team up there somewhere, too. Armor or not, David’s got nothing on Chaminade.
Sports fans have suffered through a summer of an indignant Barry Bonds, breaking baseball’s most revered record while allegedly using banned substances that make him, literally, larger than life. That, followed by the actions of Michael Vick, who liked to entertain friends and family members by abusing, torturing and murdering dogs.
Hey, aren’t dogs supposed to be man’s best friend?
With a best friend like Vick, dogs everywhere are certain to reopen negotiations with cats. If this guy ever plays another down in the NFL, it will be too soon.
Here in Iowa, where we’re supposed to be better than that, we have to listen to stories of Hawkeye wide receivers playing “gangsta” and charging up merchandise on other people’s credit cards. Of course, these guys are innocent until proven guilty. And if you believe that, I know a guy from Nigeria who wants to send you an e-mail. He needs your help. Give him your bank account numbers and he’ll make you a millionaire.
All these stories — along with the aforementioned greed wars between the cable companies and the new Big Ten Network — are enough to make the most dedicated sports enthusiast sick to his or her stomach.
But Appalachian State eases some of that pain. Tums helps too. Or maybe Rolaids.
Sports don’t always have to be about all the scandals, greed and corruption — even though ESPN seems to think they do. Sometimes they can be about the pure joy of a college football upset. Sometimes a team comes along and reminds us why they play the games.
And why we watch them.
On Tuesday, I sat in a hot, packed gym and watched a couple high school volleyball teams give it their best shot. I watched their classmates chant and cheer. I watched their teachers and parents and brothers and sisters all stand and applaud. I even watched a local minister get a little bit rowdy. That’s what sports are all about.
Last Friday, I recognized the scent of hot dogs and popcorn drifting from a stadium. The sweet odor brought with it a strong dose of nostalgia — for a few seconds, the hair stood up on the back of my neck.
The ghosts of a hundred high school football games from the past tickled my senses.
This week, I drove past a practice field and watched a small group of tired defensive lineman work on pass rushing drills — after practice. Their teammates had already hit the showers, but these kids wanted to spend a few extra minutes to get it right. Later, I saw a squad of cheerleaders smiling as they worked on a routine near a football field. I know, you’ll tell me that cheerleaders are always supposed to be smiling — but I just think it’s nice that they do. A half dozen cross country runners plodded past. Most of them smiled, too.
Yesterday morning, I heard the catchy cadence of a distant marching band. The song was familiar, but I couldn’t quite identify it. For a few minutes, I tried to figure out exactly where the music was coming from.
I wanted to go watch and listen to them practice for a while, but I couldn’t zero in on the exact location.
For all I know, the sounds were all in my mind.
That’s what sports are all about. Sometimes they spark our imaginations.
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Courier sports editor James Grob can be reached at sports@ottumwacourier.com
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