ZZ is top. He knows his ‘merde’, oui?
Here’s the thing, Seve Ballesteros never won a US Open or a PGA. Tom Watson needed a par, at the age of 59, to win a sixth open. Made bogey. Lost the play-off. Fergie never quite worked out how to beat peak Pep Guardiola. Jimmy White made six world finals and lost them all. The great Zizou got himself sent off in a World Cup final. Are these guys failures? Are they not great? Are you not entertained?
Different shades of success
Really? Must everything be so binary? Are there no shades of grey? On the contrary, falling short polishes the legend. Is Jimmy Johnstone less great because of his drinking? Is Tiger less phenomenal because he was unfaithful? The truth is that it takes guts, heart, cojones, gallusness to put yourself up for public scrutiny with the knowledge that the verdict might go against you.
I have nothing but bewildered awe for anyone who chooses to publicly express themselves, in sport and elsewhere. Ach, it’s maybe a very Scottish thing. I’m 55 and I’m doing ok. But there’s always that nagging doubt, a feeling that you’ll be found out, at curling, at work, at life, that you’re not good enough. We boast then we cower. But you know what? Some days – most days – showing up at all, is a good result.
Many things can be true at the same time
Bruce Mouat and his team lost last night.
Bruce Mouat is the best player in the world.
Bruce Mouat is an openly gay athlete who inspires countless people who might be struggling with their identity. He sees the big picture, has hinterland, takes his role model status seriously. Yet, wears it, like his greatness, lightly.
In my head, Bobby Lammie is still that ridiculously talented ten-year-old that I used to give lifts to the curling in Stranraer. Hammy is always the guy who jumped on a curling stone and flew up the rink, literally curling before he was walking. Grant Hardie might just be the GOAT. These guys are supreme ambassadors for their sport, for their families, for their various communities, for Scotland.
Back to Burns
As always with me it comes back to Robert Burns.
In his Address to the Unco Guid, he says:
“Then at the balance let’s be mute / we never can adjust it. What’s done we partly may compute / but know not what’s resisted.”
In short? I don’t care what colour their medals are. Celebrate these guys and champion everything they represent. We may never see their likes again.
Because it’s later than you think.
More on Scotland:
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
