Man, That Has To Be Tough
As I watched Memphis give their National Championship away last night (blowing a 9 pt. lead in 2 minutes), I definitely questioned the “smarts” of the Memphis players and coaching staff. That said, the post game comments I listened to from a variety of players as well as Coach Cal completely got my attention away from basketball all together, and on what life is really about.
Can you imagine how hard it must be for anyone to sit at a podium and have the media ask why/ how he/ she missed a free throw that could’ve not only won a ball game, but earned a National Championship? Not to mention a 20 year old kid? Being highly involved with high school athletics (basketball and football) and around college athletics for the past four years, I have somewhat of an idea of some of the questions athletes can be drilled by the media. That said, I’ve had to answer questions about offensive line play or blocking linebackers, picking up defensive ends…that kind of thing. I simply cannot imagine how hard it must be to have been on that podium last night, just moments after losing what at one point was only 12 seconds aways in regulation…a national championship.
That said, despite the unbelievably tough conditions, when the media asked Douglas-Roberts how he could’ve missed those free throws to win the game, DR simply replied with (Sir, I’m not sure. I can’t tell you why I missed ‘em. It just happened.) That answer right there was worth more than anything I’d heard all year in the sport events press conferences. (That particular member of the media that asked that question should be banned from sporting event press conferences for the rest of his career, btw).
Then you have Coach Cal and his post game interview which included comments saying how if DR missed the free throws then it was God’s way of telling him it wasn’t meant to be for Memphis and if he made the free throws then it was God’s way of telling him that it was meant for them to be National Champions.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a die hard Memphis fan by any means. That said, after hearing all season about what a “thuggish” team this was, I found it to simply be the exact opposite Monday night…a night that was quite honestly the hardest to swallow for any player (or coach) on the floor decked out in Memphis white and blue. I actually think more of this Memphis team after they let their National Championship slip through their hands than should they have won the National Championship. The fine fans and folks of Memphis should be even prouder of their team after Monday night.
Oh yeah, bringing weather into this, it was in the 60s with low clouds after the game!
