Tuesday, April 02, 2013
The end of the Griner era
On Sunday night, the Baylor Lady Bears lost to Louisville by one point (82-81) in the Sweet Sixteen. It was the last college game for Baylor's remarkable post player, Brittney Griner. Griner closed out her career as the second-leading scorer in NCAA history, the leader in blocked shots, and one of the most memorable college athletes in any sport.
They lost to a Louisville team that played an amazing game, but the sting was still sharp for Baylor.
I wondered, at the end, how hard it must be to meet the expectations that were placed on this team. They were defending champions, with all their key players back, but something was a little off this year. They lost an early game to Stanford, and then did not make it past the round of 16 in the only tournament that counts.
But... they are 19 and 20 year-olds, kids. They played remarkably well for months. They made a lot of Baylor fans very happy, and years from now they will still be remembered for the perfect season they enjoyed last year, rather than for the loss they suffered this week.
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I'm recovering, too. That was a remarkable group of seniors, and it's sad that the nation was denied a chance to see them at the Final Four.
Their coach is remarkable, not for her coaching gifts, but for her wisdom and compassion, on full display in this radio interview where she talks about culture, kids, double standards, her own introspection....it's really interesting, if you have 45 minutes to listen. Here's the link: http://www.foxsportsradio.com/player/?station=FSR-PR&program_name=podcast&program_id=jasonwhitlock_podcast.xml&mid=23049473
Their coach is remarkable, not for her coaching gifts, but for her wisdom and compassion, on full display in this radio interview where she talks about culture, kids, double standards, her own introspection....it's really interesting, if you have 45 minutes to listen. Here's the link: http://www.foxsportsradio.com/player/?station=FSR-PR&program_name=podcast&program_id=jasonwhitlock_podcast.xml&mid=23049473
Let's think about the losing. Really feel the loss. Doesn't this resonate? Doesn't this get you at the gut level? It sucks. It reels. It debilitates. Then, and only then, when there is nothing close to dreamy, when the pit is dense and heavy...then, and only then, can we ask ourselves to pick up the faith, not the truth, but the faith, and rise up and walk. There is nothing stronger than a gospel of walking the dog days. It's basketball after all. There are winnings and there are disappointments. Let them all go. Blow them away and start again. It's just a part of living.
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