Sunday

Well, I thought I would get back to the blog earlier than this.  But a little of this, a little of The Winniferous, a little of that, and pretty soon, it's Sunday night.  That, and I really didn't have much to add to the intelligence of the universe.

The pro golf season officially ended this weekend with the top 30 in season points playing for a $10 million dollar payday in Atlanta.  I watched some of it each day and it was good theater.  The guy who won, Bill Haas, is a 29-year-old middle-of-the-packer who has won a couple of times over the years, but he's never been a headliner.  That changed today.

Here's the link to a youtube of the shot that will be all over the web this week. 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ-pJ8YRl-A  It was really a remarkable shot at the most critical of moments.  My guess is that the shot was so singular that it will stay with him the rest of his life.  Which brings me to the thought for today's discussion: a person's defining moment.

We hear that term somewhat regularly in sports, although it should not be confused with the over-hyped CBS Sports' love affair with the One Shining Moment video at the end of each NCAA basketball March Madness.  Defining moments happen not only in sports, but in all areas of human endeavor.  Business.  Politics.  Art.  Science.  You name it.  How 'bout this as a list of true defining moments:

1.  Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon.
2.  Clint Eastwood, "Go ahead, make my day."
3.  Ted Kennedy's night in Chappaquiddick.
4.  Captain Sullenberger's landing on the Hudson River.
5.  Rosa Parks taking her seat on the bus.
6.  Dwight Eisenhower and D-Day.
7.  Jane Fonda's visit to Hanoi.
8.  Sandra Day O'Connor's appointment to the Supreme Court.
9.  Steve Jobs and the Apple computer.
10.  Martin Luther King and I Have a Dream.

These are all extra-obvious, but it is an interesting exercise to go through some records to identify the item, event or factoid that becomes inseparable from the individual.  I'm guessing that someone already has a board game out there that uses a variant of this concept.  Craig Wilson is likely already on Wikipedia and checking with the Patent Office to secure the rights to another of my ideas.

In sports, the day's performers in the Top Plays become youtube stars almost immediately.  But fame is fleeting for these shining moments as tomorrow's games will yield a new cast of players performing amazing feats.  But when time has passed, and people remember the exceptional visuals, a defining moment begins to emerge.  While team sports produce endless great plays, only a few live on years later.  Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception comes to mind.  Bart Starr's quarterback sneak to win the Ice Bowl against Dallas.  Flutie's Hail Mary against Miami.  (I could go on, but you get the point.)

I think each of us has shining moments every so often, when the moon and the stars line up just so, and you have a situation of notable success.  You complete a physical challenge after much hard work.  You achieve an educational goal.  A business effort goes especially well.  But how does an ordinary person like you or me have a defining moment?  A singular event that makes you what/who you are going forward?  And how many defining moments do you have in a lifetime?  Hmmm.

I'll take a quick shot at that question (while reserving the right to look further at my response at another time).  I say that for most of us, defining moments happen by chance as opposed to effort.  You go to the golf course as a single, and get paired-up with a guy who owns a business who needs an employee with your skill-set.  You meet your future spouse in a class you signed-up for because of the time-slot.  You stop at the coffee shop and meet a guy who becomes your best friend.  (This stuff does go on every day, for sure.)

But some of these defining moments do result from the actions that we take, or the commitments that we make. Hey, I enlisted in the USAF, and through the extensive education that ultimately came with that choice, I was able to eventually get to a career path that I'm not sure that I would have taken otherwise.  I chose to be a care giver for Mother, and that certainly was a life-changer for me.

Really past my bedtime now.  More on this topic tomorrow.  Make Monday a good one.

BCOT