You Have To Earn It

Baltimore Orioles fans hoping for their team to win two of three games against the Tampa Bay Rays were disappointed yesterday. The Orioles, who find themselves, against all preseason predictions, in the midst of the fight for a postseason playoff spot, lost as Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen allowed no baserunners at all through eight innings, and then gave up a leaf-off double to Jorge Mateo in the ninth.

Mateo got to third and eventually scored on a wild pitch, so Rasmussen lost his perfect game, his no-hitter and his shutout in a matter of minutes, but the Rays won the game 4-1.

And this baseball game in August of 2022 reminded me of a football game in 2002.

What, you ask? 

It takes 27 consecutive outs to make a perfect game. As the Orioles came to bat in the ninth they were behind 4-0, and winning seemed a totally remote possibility.

But instead of taking three weak swings and folding their tent, the Orioles went at it hard all down the line, and did their best.

The football game that came to mind was between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants in January, 2002. Giant defensive end Michael Strahan, now seen daily as an affable host on Good Morning America, was chasing after the individual record for sacks (tackles of the quarterback). 

The opposing quarterback was Brett Favre. The game was almost over with the Packers ahead by nine points, and "for some reason," Favre deviated from the planned play, and staggered around for a moment with no blockers around, because they were playing the play that was supposed to be happening.

Like a house of playing cards, Favre fell to the ground, allowing Strahan to pile on top of him for the "record-setting" sack # 22.5. Packers tight end Bubba Franks, pulling out to block for a running play, could only watch with dismay as his quarterback was tackled with no opposition.

 At the time, Strahan celebrated his accomplishment, but later, he came to see things in a different light. In a 2013 version of "A Football Life," a 2013 documentary produced by the NFL Network, he said, "I caught so much flak over it... It's not worth it, because everyone looks as if one sack that they question is the defining moment of my career," Strahan said.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Dale Hoffman, put it exactly right, to my mind, in his column after the game:

"Not that Michael Strahan did anything wrong Sunday. He just didn't do enough right to be where he is."

Had Strahan gotten the sack during the time when the game was still competitive, all the glory of the record would have been his. He can't feel good about a sullied title, just as pitcher Rasmussen of the Rays would feel cheated if the Orioles had all taken desultory swings to give him his perfect game.

Everyone should do their best at all times in any job, or accomplishments are devalued.