Second Best Still Beats the Rest

Now that summer is almost here, many of us Islanders are bracing ourselves for impact with summer 2012. Whether that means signing up for summer sessions, packing for internships or taking that dive into the “real world” by graduating, we will all be competing for a top spot somewhere. I myself will be trading my sandals and shorts for hiking boots and subzero pants for an internship in Alaska. However this wasn’t the only internship I had applied for in the Great White North or in the World for that matter. The whole process made me wonder just when do you decide to throw in the towel?

            My favorite example has to be Olympic figure skater, Michelle Kwan. She began seriously training when she was eight years old with her sister. By the time Kwan was ten she had financially crippled her family in order to pay for skating coaches and rink time. At the age of 13 Kwan competed as an alternate in the 94’ Winter Olympics taking home 8^th place. Then competed in 98’ Winter Olympics only to be awarded the silver. Finally when all of America thought the 02’ Winter Olympics would be her year, Kwan is robbed and settles with the bronze. By the time the 06’ Olympics rolled around Kwan faced one set back after another and ultimately said “Joi gin” (goodbye in Cantonese) to life at the Olympic level.

            Before you stop reading and start assuming I left you with a terrible underdog story think of it like this, Kwan not only made several multi-million dollar endorsement deals in the years she spent figure skating but also got the opportunity to travel around the world, appear in several movies and TV series (like the Simpsons) and she’s also probably the only figure skater you can name (if you can name others you probably aren’t from South Texas).

            But perhaps a simpler tale of relentless underdogs would be that of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, Notre Dame’s 1975 defensive end. After two years at a private college trying to prove he was fighting Irish material, Rudy was accepted on his fourth try in 1974. Another grueling year later he makes the practice squad and literally the last opportunity he would ever get to play for Notre Dame is given to him his senior year the final play against Georgia Tech where he manages to sack the quarterback and is to this day only one of two players to ever be carried off the Notre Dame football field.

            So you see Islanders, it’s not always whether you are the “best” or finish in first place that counts, sometimes it’s all about who’s going to remember you when you aren’t on top. What stories will people tell when you aren’t around? If this is your last play, you better make it count.