Parlor Spider...Step In, Little Fly

Insightful thoughts and/or rants from atop the soapbox from one who wishes to share the "right" opinion with everyone.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Miracles Do Happen...and Sometimes They Don't

Maurice Clarett was SOOOO close to a big career and gajillions of dollars. He blew it on a series of misadventures.
Art Schlicter was a can't-miss quarterback from Ohio State until gambling got in his way.
Marcus Vick might be the latest casualty among those who are on the precipice of fame only to see it slipping away. THE BIG CHOKE happens to many of us who don't happen to be on the national stage, too. I just hope the Record-Herald doesn't pick up this story:
It was nine-pin tap day in my bowling class. The class was much smaller due to a school trip so I had a chance to bowl with the students; it was my second foray into rolling a ball this term. Usually, I help students individually and keep things moving smoothly with error correction, lane problems while listening for inappropriate words emanating from the juke box.
The first game was hotly contested, but I ended with a 166, one ahead of Brunswick and a few more up on Phil. The second game was a surreal thing of majesty. After a couple of strikes I began to talk some smack to my playing partners, but after five in a row, the pressure began to mount. By the time I was in the seventh of a would-be perfect game, the other lanes had noticed and the noise began to increase. I would like to say there were shouts of encouragement among the "Don't choke!" comments, but that might be going too far. In the ninth frame, I stood alone: eight perfect frames behind me. Everyone else stopped to watch. The ball left my hand, went Brooklyn side and knocked all ten pins to the deck. I leaped into the air, gave my double chop block to the knees salute, and the crowd erupted.
As soon as I stepped to the lane for the tenth frame, everybody gathered around making choke signs and hollering motivational things like "No pressure!" "How many 300 games have you ever bowled?" and "This is the big one...don't blow it!"
As the ball left my hand, I knew that I'd missed the second arrow, and the ball careened far too much to the Brooklyn side. I turned dejectedly, not wishing to see the sad result. The ensuing ovation made me turn to see that, alas, a miracle had not happened, and two pins were left standing. Nobody paid attention to the sleeper spare I picked up or even the next ball to end with a 273 game. Fame had eluded my grasp.
"I knew he couldn't do it" "What kind of bowling teacher leaves two pins?" "Ha Ha!"
I couldn't be upset with them because I HAD choked...big time.
Chances are, Faces In the Crowd won't care. I'm just another "could-have-been-famous" guy in the dumpster of sports. Miracles DO happen; just not to me.

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