There have been a lot of them, but this has to rank up there.
quote:
Is Ian Williams the anti-Beckham? Williams, a 29-year-old soccer player from Wales, threw down his crutches and took off his cast in order to kick the winning goal in a professional soccer game recently. That's kind of hardcore, I must say. Williams had only been on the bench to give his team the minimum number of uniformed players in the match between Pontlliw FC in their local derby with Pontarddulais Town.
With the scores locked at 1-1 in the 85th minute Williams begged to be sent in and moments later blasted a shot into the top corner of the net with his injured foot. He threw up and was taken off in agony moments later.
"When we were still drawing 1-1 with five minutes left to go, I was dying to get on. I asked the boss to let put me on, and he said 'if you think you're up to it, then go-ahead.' When the ball hit the back of the net I couldn't believe it."
I can think of any number of athletes who would rip off a cast in the heat of a close game. But it takes a very special coach to look at a player on crutches and wearing a cast, and say "Ah what the hell, get in there." Remind me never to go to a Welsh doctor.
There goes his career.... kinda crazy though, how can a coach think thats the best thing for his player/team?
elFreak
inb4 kirk gibson.
also jacques plantes and maurice richard.
also paralympics.
noikeee
What is John Terry's picture doing here?
elFreak
Maurice "Rocket" Richard
quote:
In one game against the Boston Bruins, Richard was hit so hard that he lay motionless on the ice, blood pouring from his head. Fans thought he was dead, as the Canadiens' medical staff rushed him off the ice. The score was 1-1. Soon a dazed Richard was back on the bench, half-blind from blood running into his eyes. Suddenly he skated back into the game, grabbed the puck and raced up the ice. Bruin players tried to defend against the bloody, glassy-eyed Richard, but he closed in on Bruin goalie, Jim Henry, and managed to flip the puck into the goal.
this man was so loved in this city, that when he died he laid in state at the center of the ice and the lineup to visit was over a km long.
Jacques Plante aka the inventor of the goalie mask.
quote:
The turning point came in a game at Madison Square Garden on November 1, 1959, when a powerful slap shot shattered his nose. After receiving a total of 200 stitches on his face, he decided he had paid his dues to the gods of the national sport and stubbornly held his own against coach Toe Blake, who believed a player had to "fight for his life" to play well. That same night, with his face sewn from nose to lip, Plante agreed to return to the ice only if he was allowed to wear his mask, which he had worn in practices since 1955. This cream coloured mask drew a mix of criticism, admiration and wisecracks. Nevertheless, the team won by a score of 4 to 1. To keep wearing the mask [which he was supposed to give up once he was healed], Plante outdid himself by leading the team on an 11-game winning streak and eventually winning the Stanley Cup the following spring.
iammesol
quote:
Originally posted by noikeee
What is John Terry's picture doing here?
He's watching the effects of his vodka on Williams' play.
Lebezniatnikov
quote:
Originally posted by elFreak
Maurice "Rocket" Richard
dayum.
elFreak
the man transcended sport and even started the "quiet revolution" (the majority french population rebelling against the minority anglophone rule.)
a very great man.
i was lucky enough to be at the last game of the montreal forum in 1996, and when they introduced him for the post game ceremonies he got a 10 minute standing ovation that even made him cry.
it is crazy how much one man did through sport for his people. Keep in mind, athletes were not rich in those days and for years he also had a day job as a machinist in a factory at the same time.
