COLUMN: Thrill of victory

Oct. 18—For years, Wide World of Sports ran a classic commercial that espoused "the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat."

It was not just a brilliant marketing slogan for a TV network's sports coverage, it was an enduring tribute to the trials and tribulations that are sports.

So it was this past week of high school sports in the Sanders/Mineral County jurisdictions.

As a guy who had quadruple coronary bypass surgery two years ago, it was almost more than my retooled ticker could take.

But it's also why this guy loves sports.

The opening salvo in the heart rhythm tug of war came Friday night. And it happened right here in this spare bedroom/office I use to write about sports.

I try to cover all the bases for sports fans in the two county area. That's seven high schools, all with at least two sports going on each season of the school year.

I'm no math wizard, nor do I play one on TV, but that amounts to 14 "base" sports to report on each week. Throw in cross country, golf, tennis, wrestling, etc and it quickly becomes more than 14.

But for me, a retired guy who was looking for a good post-retirement, beer and pizza, "part-time" job, it is a good fit. I tried bartending for a short time, but quickly realized I do not have the patience or temperament to be a purveyor of adult beverages.

At any rate, Friday I was watching Lima play Alberton in a six-player football game in Alberton. Because my clone machine is permanently broken and I cannot be in more than one place at a time, I was watching the game online in the sanity and comfort of the aforementioned bedroom/office.

No popcorn machine here. No fans chanting and stomping their feet. Just one sports nut feeding his sports habit.

So any way, the game between two teams who have combined for one win this year and often "suit up" seven, or even six players for a game due to injuries and low student population, was all I could hope for as it relates to that thrill of victory thing.

It was a back and forth affair all game long. Several lead changes later, the outcome of the game hung in the balance. Then, with time running agonizingly fast, or agonizingly slow, depending on your perspective, the quarterback for Lima began circling the backfield, dodging would be tacklers along the way before finally breaking into the open field and running about 30 yards into the end zone as time ran out. The last second touchdown enabled Lima to escape Alberton with a 39-38 win.

I'm spent at that point. Alberton is a team you watch and find yourself rooting for, unless your kid plays on the other team.

That type of moment is what they make heart rhythm medications for.

Less than 24 hours later, I was parking my behind on a bleacher seat inside the gym at Thompson Falls High, anticipating the pending showdown between two of the best volleyball teams in this area.

I wasn't disappointed. It was another, down-to-the-wire contest.

In this case, Charlo, the visiting team and leaders of the Western 14C conference volleyball race, took control of the match early on and in seemingly the blink of an eye held a 2-0 set advantage. Bring on the math, that is one set shy of a match victory.

But, while the Lady Vikings were dancing on the court, Thompson Falls, one of the top teams in the Western 7B conference race, was shifting to another gear and looking to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

There were amazing volleys along that comeback trail. T Falls came out of nowhere and tied the match at two sets each. Where's my medication, I kept thinking.

The contest would be settled by a fifth-set tie-breaker, volleyball's unique way of avoiding a third column in the standings log for "ties".

And in keeping with the weekend thriller theme, the fifth set when into "overtime", settled only when Charlo managed to tie the set, then produce two exciting points to clinch the tie-breaker and the match.

Game, set, match...on steroids.

And with the playoffs a heartbeat away, one can logically assume more drama is on the way. I will need to make sure my prescriptions are filled.

The agony of defeat and the thrill of victory.

That, in a nutshell, is what I love about sports.

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