“For greater things
have yet to come…”
It was just Saturday when
I thought no man in professional tennis was capable of taking down the great
Rafael Nadal. Then, along came Stanislas Wawrinka. A man who had never won a
set against the Spaniard (in twelve tries) ended up defeating the champion in
four sets. A Swiss player took this year’s Australian Open men’s final, and it
wasn’t Roger Federer. Wawrinka won the match with his strong serve and pestering
forehand. It was an upset in a Grand Slam littered with upsets on both the men’s
and women’s draw.
The possibility of an
upset win makes sport intriguing. It provides an element of the impossible that
serves to cultivate a buzz. This excitement never seems to get old. We are
thrill seekers, yes. But more than that, we are fans who pull for the David to
defeat the Goliath. How many times have we witnessed a bracket buster during
March Madness only to find ourselves jumping on said underdog’s bandwagon? How
sweet is it to see that obscure country earn a gold medal in the Olympic Games
by defeating one of the world powers? Is it not hard to get caught up in the
thrill of a come-from-behind win, especially one that is unexpected and
seemingly out of reach?
It’s true of most
things in life. There are some among us who shop at the mom and pop store and
shun the corporate giants. We may buy the Grammy winning songs on itunes, but
we purchase the entire underground punk record in the store the day it is
released. We’re always looking for the next big thing, the next breakout brand
or artist or athlete. But what we really like is discovering them first, for
ourselves. Most of us like to be on the verge of something yet to come. The
greater things that are to come are what keep us going.
This holds true for me
too. I cheer for three of possibly the most loved/hated teams in America: the
Yankees, Cowboys and Ohio State Buckeyes. They dominate their sports in terms
of power, prestige and perceived talent. The popularity of these organizations
has little to do with why I became a
fan. I would like to think that the more each of these teams becomes an
underdog (if ever any of them do), the more I would be excited to root for
them. There is definitely something to be said about the Goliaths who can
overtake anybody. They’re predictably great.
But, there is still plenty to be done…and that is where the hope of possibility
lies. I think in terms of what lies ahead for me and know there are still
things to be done. Greater things.
“…and greater things
are still be done in this city.”
