Everybody loves do-overs. Or at least they should. I am actually a connoisseur of do-overs, clinging to every Monday and every sunrise like a fleeting opportunity.
But this is not a column about do-overs, but do-agains. It can be too disheartening to fret about the things you could have done or should have done, but reminiscing about the blessings you have had and wanting to re-live them takes you down a much healthier past.
While there are certainly many life experiences that rank right at the top of the “do-again” list, today we will focus only on those of the sports variety.
Here are just a few of those journeys I would be eager to retake:
— During my long career covering high school sports I have literally covered more high school championships than I can count. It would be a joy to go back in time and take in every one of those again. The interviews with the players and the coaches, living through each crucial play, watching how the competitors and fans celebrated the wins and worked through the losses and disappointments. There is nothing quite like it and frankly it doesn’t get any better than the high school level.
I knew several men that would take time off work to go watch the MHSAA State Basketball Tournament each year, rarely missing a game.
I was able to cover one of the first football state championship games when the MHSAA began the playoffs in the 1980s, and have covered state track meets, golf tournaments, and tennis tournaments, as well as softball, baseball, and soccer.
— the 1985 College World Series and 1996 NJCAA National Baseball Tournament were both special.
Mississippi State finished third in the 1985 event held at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha back when the true double-elimination format was in play. The guts those ‘Dogs played with is forever etched in my memory. I still remember Jeff Brantley pitching his final game while suffering from muscle cramps due to pure exhaustion.
Meridian Community College finished second in the 1996 JUCO World Series, falling 4-3 to Northeast Texas in the championship game. That MCC team was chock full of stars including the likes of Paul Phillips, Eric Adams, Jason Smith, and Scott Cheek.
After falling in the first game of the double-elimination tournament they fought and clawed all the way to the title game. It was an unforgettable journey that would be worth traveling again.
— The 1986 Masters was one for the ages. There is nothing like the roar of the patrons of Augusta National Golf Club when one of its favorites is making a run at the lead. That certainly was the case on April 13, 2016 when the legendary Jack Nicklaus shot a 65 on the final day of The Masters to claim the title.
He recorded an incredible 30 on the closing nine holes to take a one-stroke lead over Tom Kite and Greg Norman.
— I’ve covered many college football games but two hold a special place in my memory. One was Mississippi State’s amazing 27-23 upset of No 8 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. The Bulldog win was engineered by senior quarterback Don Smith and first-year MSU head coach Rockey Felker, a Mississippi State legend long before he ever became a coach.
State had opened the season with a 24-17 road win over Syracuse before heading to “Rocky Top.” I’ve never seen so many people get so quiet so quickly as when MSU took the lead for the final time in the game.
The other is “The Immaculate Deflection” Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State played at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson in 1983.
I was actually standing on the sidelines near the goal line when Artie Cosby launched what appeared to be a game-winning 27-yard field goal for the Bulldogs. I can still hear the sound of Cosby’s foot striking the ball and visualize the ball as it appeared to be on its way to splitting the uprights dead center.
But then, it happened. A gust of win caught the ball and the pigskin began spiraling straight up and then fell to the ground a couple yards short of the goal post like it had been shot out of mid-air.
State fans roared as the ball left Cosby’s foot. It got eerily silent as the ball fell harmlessly to the ground. Then the Ole Miss fans erupted with joy after realizing the Rebels had just claimed a 24-23 win as what will go down as one of the most amazing endings ever for an Egg bowl.
— The 1992 State Games of Mississippi was the inaugural event of what has become an annual trek to Meridian and the surrounding area each summer to take part in olympic-type events. Many men and women played big roles in bringing the dream of the State Games to life, but it would be hard to deny the role that Dr. Bill Scaggs and Randy Hodges played in making them a reality.
While the individual events were all interesting and challenging, the spectacle of the Opening Ceremonies and the parade of teams as they filed into Ray Stadium continues to take my breath away. There is nothing like amateur and youth sports and this was the birth of a magical event for many years to come.
— The 2000 NJCAA Men’s Division I Soccer tournament was a historical one for Meridian Community College, as the Eagles won the National title with a 2-0 win over Bryant & Stratton in the event played at Tyler Junior College in Tyler Texas.
MCC, led by head coach Steve Clements, defeated Essex County 4-1 in the quarterfinals and Springfield 3-1 in the semis to set up the title match.
Meridian’s Damani Ralph was named the most valuable player of the event and was joined on the all-tournament team by goalie Ryan Simms and Andrew McLeod.
— I virtually lived in West Point, for the first week of June in 1999 as Old Waverly Golf Club played host to the U.S. Women’s Open. From early in the morning until late at night myself and a team of reporters, photographers, and editors covered the top women’s professional golf event in the world for the Daily Times Leader of West Point.
Julie Inkster easily won the event, recording a 16-under par score of 272 to win the 72-hole championship.
I will always appreciate publisher Bill Elderton and editor Layne Bruce for giving me the opportunity to head up the paper’s coverage of that event.
That’s all for this week, but who knows what memory lane we will travel together in the future.
Austin Bishop, AKA The Old Sports Dude, has been covering high school, college, amateur and professional sports since 1975. He is currently pastor of Great Commission Assembly of God in Philadelphia, Miss. He may be contacted by email at starsportsboss@yahoo.com.
