e have now
reached that
stage in the
legend of the
comeback
when stories emerge of
those who spurned the
once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to witness
sporting history.
But as much as tales
titillate of fans deciding
that last Sunday would be
better off spent at B&Q
searching for a new
lawnmower rather than
at Headingley hunting a
miracle, celebrity dictates
that Chris Wilder takes
centre stage in such
folklore.
On Monday, the
Sheffield United manager
promised “the sack” for
any member of his staff at
the club mentioning Ben
Stokes and the cricket.
Wilder was due to attend
the fourth day of the
third Test, but elected
otherwise and, as the
Ashes were resurrected,Wilder
made great
sacrifice in
skipping
the Ashes
Only in sport are
fans ‘happy’ to
turn their backs
on witnessing
history, writes
James Corrigan
Cup final when
Manchester United were
1-0 down going into
injury-time, emulating a
phenomena observed up
and down the land every
Saturday. Supporters are
indeed curious beings
who, in this regard, fit
into three categories.The Wise Before
The Event
On Saturday night at the
2012 Ryder Cup in
Chicago, I ran into an
elderly couple who were
golf-mad friends of my
father.
On the hotel bar’s big
screen, the highlights
showed Ian Poulter
birdieing the last five
holes to afford Europe at
least a gasp of life and
David Feherty boomed:
“This game is tied at
10-6!”
“Not a chance,” the old
boy sniffed to me. “We
aren’t bothering with the
singles tomorrow. We’re
off to the Chicago
Institute of Art instead.”
Late the next night,
when the laptop had run
out of “Miracle of
Medinahs”, I spotted
them back in the bar, the
husband’s head slumped
over a large bourbon.
“But we did get to see
Picasso’s The Old
Guitarist and it was
worth flying over fromWales just for that,” his
wife told me. “B------- to
Picasso,” he replied.The Rash and Entitled
A few minutes to go, your
team are 2-0 to the bad
and in a pathetic attempt
to prove you are, in fact,
in control of your
weekend’s destiny, you
storm out, throwing
hands up in disgust.And then, 200 metres
down the road, you hear
a roar and then – just as
the fob clicks the car door- you hear another. It is
the one occasion in your
life when you will feel
both stupid and elated at
exactly the same time.
The Miami Heat
faithful have a reputation
for this. In the 2013 NBA
play-off Finals, thousands
departed with the team
five points down in the
final minute of Game 6.
Within seconds, LeBron
James was doing his
thing and hundreds of
defectors were trying
desperately to get
back in.
“They were banging
on the glass doors, like
those zombies in Dawn of
the Dead,” an observer
told The Miami Herald.
“The police were called
and kept them locked
out. They deserved it.”The True Supporter
But wait, is not there a
time when it is
permissible to leave or
stay away, because you
know your presence will
affect the result?
That feeling can run
ever so deep. For
instance, Saturday
afternoon listening to
Cardiff City away on
Radio Wales is not
complete until I have
switched it on and off five
times, screaming: “They
never score when I’m
listening – especially if
Rob Phillips is
commentating.”
At the 2017 Super
Bowl, Zak Kornbliet
whispered to his father:
“We have to go.” It was
only the third quarter,
but New England were
28-3 down to Atlanta and
Dad understood.
“That was the Patriots’
seventh Super Bowl in 16
years and the only two
they’d lost were the only
two times we’d been
there,” Joe told ESPN.
“Zak was certain we were
cursed.”
The Kornbliets split
and New England duly
launched gridiron’s
greatest fightback.
“Friends say I must regret
leaving, but not one bit,”
Zak said. “Because it
wasn’t Tom Brady who
did that – it was me.”
Entirely irrational, but
Zak gave up his own
experience for his team.
The ultimate fan sacrifice.
And perhaps Wilder
falls into this gallant
camp, and perhaps he did
not go to Headingley
because he was sure
Australia would prevail if
he was there. If he starts
skipping Sheffield United
matches when they are
six points off safety, we
will know he is one of us.Still sulking? Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder on Tuesday after missing out on a miracle
W
It is the one
occasion
when you will
feel stupid
and elated at
the same time
In tomorrow’s Sport section
Sam Wallace
The expert verdict on
Gareth Southgate’s
England squad
so his mates texted him
pictures of his empty seat
at the Leeds ground.
Wilder is in good
company. George Best
left the 1999 EuropeanREUTERSFinal whistle
16 *** Thursday 29 August 2019 The Daily Telegraph
RELEASED BY "What's News" vk.com/wsnws TELEGRAM: t.me/whatsnws