So Much Determination, Doe: Visa Canada Blog
Rule #76: No excuses. Play like a champion.
Every now and then, a sports story comes out that makes you both cringe and fills you with respect at the same time. Most recently, that story is the one of Olympic sprinter Manteo Mitchell.
A few days before running in his 4x400m race for the USA, Mitchell injured his leg on some stairs. As many athletes in any sport often do, he tried walking it off and telling himself he was OK. About 200m into his 400m race, Mitchell discovered he was very not OK as he felt his leg break.
Did he stop? Did he hit the deck and cry? No. He channeled his inner Greg Jennings (NSFW) and finished the race. His efforts got the Americans into the 4x400m final where they (sans Mitchell of couse) earned a silver medal.
As a huge hockey fan, it got me thinking of some great instances, of old and more recent times, of players playing through the pain. Here are some of those times.
1. John Madden
You have to keep your head up in the playoffs. In the seventh game of a series? Even more so. John Madden found this out the hard way after accidentally getting drilled by teammate Tomas Kopecky. Did he come back to finish the game? You bet he did. Wasn’t pretty though.
2. Steven Stamkos
Another Game 7 incident, Steven Stamkos took a Johnny Boychuk clapper to the face. While Boychuk can lower the boom, Stammer’s only saving grace might be that it wasn’t Zdeno Chara shooting instead. Still came back with a cage on and all patched u- well, at least with a cage on.
3. Tyler Carroll
Tim Brent is known throughout Leaf Land as the shot-blocking phenom, but feast your eyes on this amazing effort by the Guelph Storm’s (OHL) Tyler Carroll, and prepare to cringe over and over again.
4. Maurice Richard
It would be insulting to point out one particularly badass incident or accomplishment of Maurice “the Rocket” Richard. Forget his career – Richard fought injuries his whole life. One particularly badass accomplishment of Richard’s however came when he scored eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) after helping his family move all day. In Canada, this act of bad-assery was considered so badass they made a commercial about it.
5. Bobby Baun
Pinched nerve, Bobby? The damn thing’s broken! Just like Manteo Mitchell, Bobby Baun continued onward despite having a broken leg, and the effort was heroic. Instead of getting his team into the final for the 4x400m race, Baun scored an overtime-winner in the playoffs.
What are some of your favourite moments of determination in sport? Leave a comment and stories will be entered into a randomizer for a prize courtesy of Visa! The prize – a $50 pre-paid VISA card.
Good luck!
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I know it’s a bit out of scope (this being a hockey blog & all) but to me, the toughest in my book was George Reed of the SK Roughriders.
In 1970, he broke his streak of 6 consecutive 1000+ yard seasons. Why? Because he broke his leg. Didn’t stop him from playing the next 6 games on that broken leg, or from piling up 800+ yards that season. On a broken leg. As a running back. The next season, he fired up what would be another string of 5 1000+ yard seasons.
Going back to the Playoff year of the Leafs, There’s always 2002 where Gary Roberts and Darcy Tucker had 1 good shoulder out of the 2 of them but still managed to carry the team on them to the Eastern Finals. Also on the topic of Gary Roberts, he was a beast too! Even came back from a broken neck to continue his career.
I have to say that you probably named some of my top favourite moments Steve.
Steven Stamkos’ puck to the face is one of my personal favourites though. After that hit I thought he would have left the game, so it was a real shock that he just strapped on a cage and was back on the the ice.
There was also a moment at the the World Juniors that will always be my number one moment of determination. During the IIHF 2011, Jaden Schwartz broke his ankle in the second game, but he returned to the ice, despite the pain and scored on a PP. But because of that choice he made he was forced to watch the rest of the tourney on crutches. Two days before Canada lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Russians in the gold-medal game, Jaden’s family received news that there was nothing left that they could do for his sister Mandi, who Battled leukemia for two years. At the end of the tourny, Jaden hobbled his way to his sister at Regina airport and draped his silver over her neck. Mandi later died in April, at the age of 23. For that IIHF 2012, Jaden was named cappy of Team Canada and he played in honor of his sister, and went home with bronze.
Now that’s what I call determination.
For the IIHF 2012** damn autocorrect…. -_-
To be honest, every time you see a player take a puck to the face, or loose a few teeth only to return in the next period makes me proud to be a hockey fan. After watching football (soccer) at the summer Olympics, its clear that hockey breeds the toughest athletes.
Get pushed too hard on the pitch and your down for 20 minutes. Get a carbon fiber blade jabbed into your cheek? no biggy – just skate to the bench, get glued up, and stay on for the ensuing power play.
Dat runner broke his f***in leg do. I don’t know how da f*** he was runnin right there. Oh shit, the Jamaican relay team, one of the fastest runnin teams in the world! But, he put the team on his back do.
But seriously, I would have fell down and cried if that were me. Props to Manteo. He really proved his name in that race.
When one thinks of hockey toughness and determination – you’ve got to consider Jeremy Roenick! Broken jaw? Broken thumb? No problem! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CThbqIXS8xM