If there's one quality I want in my sports heroes, it's The Fire. I mentioned it in my (maybe) slightly over-critical critique of Manning and Fox following the Broncos playoff loss to Baltimore last week. How in the late 90s there was more to John Elway than just quarterback rating and completion percentage. He had The Fire. By it's very nature, I think The Fire can't be explained without seeing it. So here are a few clips that jumped to mind when I was trying to think of times I'd seen it.
1) Eddie Johnson scores vs the Colorado Rapids.
Context: Seattle was on a franchise record, nine game winless streak. We were desperate for a win. After going up 1-0 over Colorado, Johnson had a handful of questionable calls not go his way. It really felt like even the ref was going to do everything he could to keep Johnson from scoring. Yeah, that's a totally homer biased view, but I that's what it felt like in the stadium. In a season where we lost too many coin flips to count -- both figuratively and literally -- it was hard not to wonder if maybe we were going to get screwed yet again. But at the same time Eddie was playing with a inspiring intensity. Our pessimistic view of inevitable disappointment was contradicted by this unshakable feeling that a Johnson goal was inevitable. That nothing was going to stop him.
Finally in the 64th minute the goal came. With an eff you jersey toss and crazed took on his face, there's no question. He had The Fire. The goal would end up being a game winning one.
2) Chris Wondolowski leads San Jose to an amazing comeback vs Portland
Context: Now, keep in mind these are two of my five most hated teams of any sport. But The Fire of Chris Wondolowski is undeniable here (and most of the season, really). San Jose was down 0-2 vs Portland in the 73rd minute. They'd had a handful of scoring opportunities but just hadn't quite put the ball in the net. After Wondolowski scored in the 73rd minute there seemed to be no way Portland would hold on to the win. I think that inevitability is a key feature of The Fire. Things don't always work out (for instance, Russel Wilson clearly had The Fire on Saturday and a Seattle comeback seemed inevitable, but we all know how that turned out). But seriously, just look at Wondo's body language after that first goal, and again after the second. He was going to do everything humanly possible, and maybe even a more, to bring his team back. I was actually shocked they only managed to tie it, if they'd had a couple extra minutes there's no doubt they would have won 3-2.
3) John Elway "The Dive"
Context: John Elway was 37 years old, 0-3 in the Super Bowl and finally had a chance at getting the monkey off his back in Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers. This drive, and this play optimize what I'm talking. When a player's desire to win overshadows everything else in the game. This was a key 3rd down play during a 92 yard touchdown drive. Elway needed to make the play with his feet and then his whole body as he dove for the first down. What 37 year old quarterback could you imagine doing that? Manning? Never. Maybe Favre toward the end, but odds are he'd opt for the game-ending interception instead. But seriously, just watch this play and look at Elway after he picks up the first down. That's what I'm talking about. I still get goosebumps watching this play.
My point here is that there's more to sports than the stat sheets and you need to see it to understand. That's not to say Tebow will end up being am amazing NFL quarterback because he has all these intangibles that overshadow a complete lack of fundamental talent. No, you need to be talented for sure. But not all goals are created equal. And some eight yard runs are a bigger deal than others. There's a reason sports (and The Bachelor) are the only thing left that's worth watching live. Because to really understand what happened, you need to see it and experience it. Even retrospectively it loses something.
2) Chris Wondolowski leads San Jose to an amazing comeback vs Portland
Context: Now, keep in mind these are two of my five most hated teams of any sport. But The Fire of Chris Wondolowski is undeniable here (and most of the season, really). San Jose was down 0-2 vs Portland in the 73rd minute. They'd had a handful of scoring opportunities but just hadn't quite put the ball in the net. After Wondolowski scored in the 73rd minute there seemed to be no way Portland would hold on to the win. I think that inevitability is a key feature of The Fire. Things don't always work out (for instance, Russel Wilson clearly had The Fire on Saturday and a Seattle comeback seemed inevitable, but we all know how that turned out). But seriously, just look at Wondo's body language after that first goal, and again after the second. He was going to do everything humanly possible, and maybe even a more, to bring his team back. I was actually shocked they only managed to tie it, if they'd had a couple extra minutes there's no doubt they would have won 3-2.
3) John Elway "The Dive"
Context: John Elway was 37 years old, 0-3 in the Super Bowl and finally had a chance at getting the monkey off his back in Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers. This drive, and this play optimize what I'm talking. When a player's desire to win overshadows everything else in the game. This was a key 3rd down play during a 92 yard touchdown drive. Elway needed to make the play with his feet and then his whole body as he dove for the first down. What 37 year old quarterback could you imagine doing that? Manning? Never. Maybe Favre toward the end, but odds are he'd opt for the game-ending interception instead. But seriously, just watch this play and look at Elway after he picks up the first down. That's what I'm talking about. I still get goosebumps watching this play.
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