The Unforgetable Fire

Perhaps you haven't noticed all the attention that's returning to the
late great basketball life of Pete Maravich thanks to what's being described as a sensational new book "Pistol" by Mark Kriegel.

As turning 50 back in January reminds me,
I've got a lot more behind me than in front, though you never know when the fountain of youth will be uncovered.
It gives one pause however to having lived through a very different time when it came to viewing our sports heroes.
There was no nightly highlite show, let alone entire networks dedicated to the best of our time.
If you were lucky, your hero was on the "Game of the week".
If not, you waited and you read.

Today's highlites of the past simply don't do justice to the greats of my youth.
There is no doubt that today's athletes are bigger, stronger and faster than those of yesteryear.
For every Bobby Hull that could fire a slapshot through a brick wall,
every team has 20 of them now.

Stronger perhaps but more electrifying ?
I think not.

I didn't see the Rocket but I was told of a fire unmatched.
Before Gretzky & Sidney.
Before Magic, Bird and Michael.
Before Tyson.
Before Bonds.
Before Brady & Manning.
There was Pistol Pete, Bobby Orr, Joe Namath & O.J.
Willie Mays.
Muhammid Ali.

You didn't see them every day but their glow of flash worked wonders on imagination and will last MY lifetime.

Sorry if you missed them.