It is just a game. These are words that sports fans dread to hear. When people ask sports fans why they get so invested into something they cannot control, it is sometimes hard to answer that question.
Lately, there have been some stories in the sports world that can shed some light on this issue and that give sports fans a reason to keep on watching and following their respective franchises.
Philadelphia 76ers sign Kevin Grow:
The Philadelphia 76ers are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference this season and their fans have not had much to cheer about, but the signing of Kevin Grow made more than just 76ers fans smile.
Grow is a high school senior with down syndrome who lives in the Philadelphia area. Grow scored 14 points and scored three 3-pointers and a buzzer beater over the final two varsity games of the season after Bensalem High School coaches decided to put the team’s manager of four years into the
game. After this performance, the 76ers decided to give Grow a ceremonial two-day contract.
As a part of this contract, Kevin Grow participated in pregame festivities and took part in the team shoot around with his favorite player, Evan Turner. In addition, Grow got his own jersey with the number 33 on it, and he was showcased in the high five tunnel when the players took the court for the game and stood with his team during the national anthem.
Seattle Seahawks Fullback Derrick Coleman’s Journey:
Fullback Derrick Coleman has been the more popular inspirational story that has caught national attention. Coleman has battled a hearing impediment since the age of three, but he has overcome it with the help of hearing aids and the ability to read others’ lips.
Coleman has faced insurmountable odds but he has beaten them by making the Seattle Seahawks roster after being an undrafted free agent second-year player. Coleman is the first ever legally deaf player to be a part of an NFL offense and has succeeded by in becoming a Super Bowl champion after the Seahawks 43- 8 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVII last month 43-8. Currently, his story is being shared as part of Duracell’s #TrustYourPower campaign.
Remember Nick Pasquale:
Nick Pasquale was a redshirt freshman wide receiver at UCLA but he was known for being inspirational and feisty by his teammates. On Sept. 7, 2013 a motorist killed Pasquale after walking home from a party in San Clemente, Calif. He was a player who was not on a scholarship and only played one play his entire career as a Bruin.
He was considered as UCLA’s version of “Rudy” and was known as “Pac-Man” in the locker room. He grew up a big UCLA fan and always dreamed of playing for the university’s football team.
Also, he did have a football player’s build because he was 5 foot 7 and 170 pounds. In UCLA’s next game against Nebraska, quarterback Brett Hundley wrote “R.I.P #36” to pay homage to the team’s fallen teammate.
The Bruins were trailing the Cornhuskers 21-3 in the second quarter until they outscored Nebraska 38-0 in the final 31 minutes to defeat the Cornhuskers 41-21. Hundley later said, “I felt like we needed to get his win for him and we had to honor him. We realized this game is bigger than us now.” This victory will be one the school will never forget.
These stories remind sports fans that what happens off the field can have more value than what happens on it. They not only give people faith in humanity but also perspective on life. In the end, it gives another example of how a sporting event can mean a lot more than that to more than just the sports fanatic.
Phil Novotny can be reached at philip. novotny@spartans.ut.edu.