Unlikely sources provide perspective

On Saturday I finally came to grips with Davidson’s run in the NCAA basketball tournament. The epiphany came courtesy of an aging Australian, known more for what he hasn’t done that what he has, and a recovering drug addict.

Months after Kansas held off the Wildcats in the regional finals I still can’t wear a Davidson shirt without at least one person stopping and saying something like, “Davidson! I loved them.” Or, “Davidson should have been in the Final Four.”

Yet, that 59-57 loss to Kansas still gnawed at my stomach — defeats in which any number of plays, and not just Jason Richards’ final, ill-fated 3-point attempt, would have made all the difference usually do. It still does. It always will, but finally the gnawing has subsided.

I sometimes say, “Davidson had the ball in Stephen Curry’s hands with a chance to beat the eventual national champions. I’ll take that every time.” True, but still ...

Which brings us to the Aussie and the Addict.

The Aussie was golf’s lovable loser long before Phil Mickelson ever turned pro. With 87 professional victories and two major titles (the 1986 and ’93 British Opens), Greg Norman is one successful loser. But with at least two runner-up finishes in each of the other three majors — including his legendary collapse at the ’96 Masters — Norman became the quintessential choke artist.

The Addict was baseball’s top prospect until drugs crept into his life and forced him out of baseball for nearly four years. On Monday Josh Hamilton, a former crack addict, had Yankee Stadium rocking during the home run derby.

Things like 28 homers in one round aren’t supposed to happen. Thirteen in a row? Ridiculous. But it did happen and it happened to a man who just started playing baseball again in 2006... not only are things like that not supposed to happen, they don’t.

At some point, probably around the time of Hamilton’s third 500-foot blast, one thought crossed my mind: This. Isn’t. Real.

It was. Years from now we won’t remember that Justin Morneau captured the 2008 Home Run Derby. We’ll remember the Addict because in that moment, anything was possible. Not only did I imagine that Hamilton could hit one of the park, I expected him to.

Today, the Aussie will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the only major he’s won. This, also, should not be happening.

Following his Augusta collapse in 1996, Norman faded from the spotlight around the same time some guy named Tiger took it and held it. Until this weekend.

Norman hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since 1997. He hasn’t been a serious contender in a decade. Hell, he hasn’t even been working to be a serious contender. His preparation for this year’s Open was a honeymoon with former tennis champion Chris Evert.

We’re talking about a guy who has no business holding a 54-hole lead on the Nationwide Tour. Which is why, it doesn’t matter really whether he wins. The unlikely story has already been written, all that’s left is to pen the epilogue.

Years from now, we won’t remember who won the 2008 British Open (unless it’s Norman.) We probably won’t even remember that Tiger wasn’t there. We’ll remember The Great White Shark, the Aussie. Norman may lose, he’s often done so in the past. He cannot, however, fail when he’s already succeeded.

Which brings us back to Davidson.

A school of Davidson’s size and academic profile is not supposed to come within a play of making the Final Four. It. Doesn’t. Happen.

The moment Richards launched Davidson’s final shot of the 2008 season carried with it the fates of two teams. And a possibility. As the ball sailed towards its own fate an event that just doesn’t happen, briefly could become real.

The ultimate outcome didn’t matter. Crafting the mere possibility was enough.

Enough, even, for a long-time loser like Greg Norman.

Contact Trantham at jeremy.trantham@blueridgenow.com