You can learn lessons from sports. Like, no matter how bleak things look, you should never give up. Never. Today the Minnesota Vikings notched the biggest comeback in the history of the NFL, coming back from a 33-0 deficit at halftime to win in overtime, 39-36.
I watched the first part of the game on television. For the Vikings it was a disaster–a long kickoff return by the Colts, a pick six, a fumble, a blocked punt for a touchdown. I think it was 20-0 Colts when I turned it off and went to the gun range and Total Wine. I checked back much later on my phone and the Vikings had come back but were still trailing by eight, 36-28, with a little over two minutes to go. And they were down to their last play, facing a fourth and 15.
Next thing I knew, my son texted me to say that the Vikings had actually won the game in overtime.
Here are some of the highlights. I selected this video, the Vikings’, because it is shorter than the other highlight videos on YouTube. So please excuse the homerism. They will show a Vikings highlight and you have to look down to see that they are behind 33-0 at the time. The play I want to focus on comes near the end, the screen pass that Dalvin Cook took 64 yards for a touchdown that, after a two-point conversion, tied the game. (Update–this is Scott: Cook’s touchdown play comes at 14:15 of the highlights video posted here.)
How many times have you seen a long gainer where the ball carrier is tackled at around the five yard line, giving rise to a goal line stand and disappointment? Here, Cook took no chances. He had no intention of going down until he was in the end zone. It was a great run after the catch.
Sports are there to inspire us. Otherwise, why are they there at all? I am actually not that much of a Vikings fan–Game 6 is the sports moment that I will never forget–but the lessons of sport are universal. In this case, the lesson is: no matter how bad things look, never give up.
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