Laura Bassett: My Heart Broke for Her
As a person with a very competitive nature when it comes to athletic competition, and one for whom it took some time to become a graceful loser, watching that goal at that time broke my heart.
And while I was rooting for England in this particular match, I would have felt the same way if the result had been reversed. No one in that stadium could have felt worse than Laura Bassett. Watching her reaction brought tears to my eyes. Seeing it again this morning brought more.
I have an abundant well of empathy, which is why I am not a conservative, and as an athlete, the cruelty of that ending left me a bit hollow. But such are the vicissitudes of life.
I was thinking that I should do something in support of a young woman I would like to hug, to tell her that everything is OK, that she is loved, respected, and that we all make mistakes. Because nobody with a passionate and competitive nature would ever want to walk in those shoes.
And then I remembered that I had the keys to a blog.
While I doubt that this will ever catch her eye, I want it to be known, that had I the extra scratch to get one, I would proudly wear her number on a jersey with her name on the back of it. And I haven’t done that since I was a preteen.
By all accounts she is a wonderful teammate and gritty competitor and excellent defender, without whom England might very well not made it to that point in space and time, the intersection of which, good people would not like to place their enemies.
And contrary to this articles main point. I would most certainly feel the same sympathy for any male own goaling during such a point, in such a game, and on such a stage.
I know from own goals, my life seems to be riddled with them. I test limits, push the edge, attempt to find the breaking point, and often find myself on the wrong end of it. Yet I am still on the proper side of the ground, trying to keep moving forward. I also know that when they occur, there is no one in the world (however small it might be at the time) that is more upset than me. Letting others down in any situation is tough, letting others down when you have a reputation of doing the opposite, is even harder, that is, if you have a soul.
Something tells me that this one is not gonna let last night keep her down.
Well said.
Thanks Jane!
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Nice post. My wife and I felt the same way when we saw it.
Thing is, something like this is gonna follow you for the rest of your life.
Just ask Bill Buckner.
Just ask Bill Buckner.
I kinda hope that will not be the case this time. Though he really got the shaft, and the Redsox at least h wad a chance to finish that off with a game seven.
It’s not like she is dealing with the curse of the bambino, or long suffering Boston fans.
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oh, pammycakes…
oh, pammy pt 2…
On topic: I too feel bad for Ms. Bassett, not merely because she feels terrible, even tho occasionally stuff happens, but because a helluva lot of the English punters are nuts.
Off topic response to bbkf:
Jesus H Nintendo Christ with a Princess avatar, why do you post such things? I looked, because I trust you, and I read, including the TOC on the comments saying that genocidal posts may be deleted if noticed.
What are the comments therein?
Genocide
re: Genocide
re: re: Genocide
re: re: Genocide tone troll
re: re: Genocide shut up, tone troll
re: re: Genocide tone troll is ISIS
re: Godwin had a point, both Hitler and Obama are ISIS
I mean, I just had breakfast…
And happy 4th!
One of my mentors, the taller of the two fighters here, lost a gold medal match in the 1980s Olympics when he grabbed the back of his opponent’s gi in order to execute a hip throw, and the fabric on which the guy’s number was printed ripped off so that, instead of picking the guy up, he found himself seriously overbalanced, waving a piece of cloth. A ten year-old could have pushed him over at that point.
Years later, he would laugh when he told the story, but I have no doubt that it stung him at the time.
Jesus H Nintendo Christ with a Princess avatar, why do you post such things? I looked, because I trust you, and I read, including the TOC on the comments saying that genocidal posts may be deleted if noticed.
oh…as soon as I posted the link, I was like, “oh, shit! Why did I do that?!”
Many, many mea culpas for not posting the actual article I where I read about the harpie’s latest misguided rage filled rant…
http://freedomfest2015.sched.org/event/185e3f2eed686cfb90250b254315805b
Which is more likely: Hitchens’ ghost showing up or a logical and reasonable D’nesh D’Felon D’Souza showing up?
Ag, he only says that because none of the living atheists ,(Myers, Dawkins, Harris, Pups, me) will talk to him, despising him as much as any reasonable person would.
So, I volunteer – you’re a slimy piece of lowlife Jeebus-using wormpoo. And that’s all I have to say to you.
Dinesh has just been busted posting a fake picture of Hillary with a Confederate flag on her wall. Isn’t he just adorable? Couldn’t you just?
So, Distort D’newsa is one of those people who saw Clint Eastwood’s 2012 RNC sketch, Old Man Yells at Chair, and thought that particular performance piece needed to be emulated. SMH.
My Arguments with the Atheists (seeking a dialogue with Christopher Hitchens via séance)
this is just distort denewsa, doing what he does best: outlandish stunts to put himself back on top…he’ll do and/or say anything to make quick buck, with as little effort or intellectual processes as possible.
the thing that galls me is this:
The Studio: Special Event Luncheon: ($75) Dinesh D’Souza “What It’s Like to be a Political Prisoner in America” (Introduction by Steve Forbes) Special edition, autographed copy of “America” for all lunch attendees. Courtesy of Grpyphon Editions.
fucking kidding me? “waah, waah! i got caught doing something incredibly stupid and illegal after becoming filthy rich, (in)famous and revered by wing nuts everywhere for my intellectual prowess…get a pretty cushy sentence even after wearing out the sentencing judge’s goodwill with my histrionic wailing about political persecution despite having zero evidence of such…i get to spend my days at home in my mansion, but, boo hoo…i have to spend my nights in a detention center.”
i will say, however, that i am impressed with his complete disregard for truth, and his willingness–nay, it’s something other than that–his absolute need to say absofuckinglutely ANYthing for a buck, no matter how un-self aware or disingenuous. his projection skills are possibly the sharpest i’ve ever seen. he admits that it was his ‘mission to marry the all-American girl’ and yet obama’s the one with the anti-colonialist rage? he really is quite a specimen, when you think about it…what that specimen is, however is wholly open for debate.
from the link provided by jr:
In an interview in the latest issue of the New York Times Magazine, D’Souza said “If you put my rap sheet alongside the Clinton rap sheet, I think that would be almost a prima facie case that they have gotten away with far more than I have.”
omfg, d’souza, shut the eff up! he seriously does not get it, does he? always the victim…always somebody else’s jealousies, somebody else’s fault. jesus died…go home and bite your pillow…
Just ask Bill Buckner.
I kinda hope that will not be the case this time. Though he really got the shaft, and the Redsox at least h wad a chance to finish that off with a game seven.
People keep blaming Buckner, but he never should have been in that position in the first place. Boston had game 7 wrapped up by the 7th inning but their relief pitching SUCKED. Hell, Buckner even started a rally batting in the 8th.
/Red Sox fan since 1973. OMG I miss Yaz.
Speaking of complete disregard for truth, and willingness–nay, it’s something other than that–his absolute need to say absofuckinglutely ANYthing for Teh Cause!,
Surprise surprise surprise! Teh whingenuts are reviving “Nein Nein Nein” Cain’s false attack on planned parenthood to attack Hillary (because she received the Margret Sanger Award back when).
Love this pic (which I lifted off their site and put on imgur so don’t worry about clicking): http://imgur.com/WfGIHST
It’s at Allen West’s (R; DSM-IV) site. http://www.donotlink.com/fuyr
Oops. Fag tail. Er, umm, I mean tag fail.
Did my last comment get caught in the filter because I used the f** word?
Corrected copy follows
Speaking of complete disregard for truth, and willingness–nay, it’s something other than that–his absolute need to say absofuckinglutely ANYthing for Teh Cause!,
Surprise surprise surprise! Teh whingenuts are reviving “Nein Nein Nein” Cain’s false attack on planned parenthood to attack Hillary (because she received the Margret Sanger Award in 2009).
Love this pic (which I lifted off their site and put on imgur so don’t worry about clicking): http://imgur.com/WfGIHST
It’s at Allen West’s (R; DSM-IV) site.
http://www.donotlink.com/fuyr
Top TOP! finish! Great goal. I was ignoring engerlund in WWC, but that was well worth the whole thing.
Speaking of sports and “the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat”: in the Tour de France yesterday, in the first African team to race there, one man had his lifelong dream come true as an Eritrean rider named Daniel Teklehaimanot got the polka-dot jersey. He held it today as well.
Sadly, on the way to the sprint finish yesterday, current yellow-jersey holder Tony Martin crashed and broke his clavicle. He had to head for immediate surgery back in Germany and couldn’t even start today’s stage “ceremonially”. Out of respect, previously second-place rider Chris Froome didn’t wear the jersey this morning even though he could have. He should rightfully inherit it tonight (assuming nothing crazy happens).
And there ends another “a sport that nobody in the U.S. watches” update.
Hey, I watch. For the crashes. Like N.A.S.C.A.R.
Plenty of them to see so far, that’s for damn sure. Should settle down a bit in the second week.