From Politics to the NHL, A Show of Grit!
If you have been following the news cycle during this week, you might know the word ‘Grit’ has been featured often! Most prominently, Democratic Presidential Candidate Amy Klobuchar has been touting her ‘Minnesota Grit’ as assurance to voters that she could take on the likes of Mike Bloomberg and Bernie Sanders. I’ve gotta hand it to President Trump’s grit as well, campaign rallying before the Nevada caucus to shore up his base!
Off the debate stage, author Charles Portis passed away at the age of 86 in his home state of Arkansas. Portis is the author behind the John Wayne classic , ‘True Grit’! Portis’s 1968 classic was a NYTCo Communications best-seller and for good reason. Portis wrote about the grit of a 14 year old girl who was out to avenge her father’s murder ! In the movie adaptation, Wayne’s portrayal of Rooster Cogburn led to John Wayne’s ONLY Oscar as an actor , but as we know Wayne showed his grit each and every movie he made, Pilgrim!
With Klobuchar touting her grit, the passing of the author behind ‘True Grit’, the week was full of the spirit of Grit! That translated on to the NHL ice in Raleigh, N.C.!
While nothing could truly match that miracle by gritty Team USA 40 years ago Saturday night against Russia, I think God put David Ayres in net for the Carolina Hurricanes for a reason! That reason? To make a miracle of sorts 40 years to the night of for himself, the Hurricanes, the NHL and AMERICA!
God touches the grittiest of the hard worker to make magic as well on this Earth. His hand tapped an AHL zamboni driver to be the EMERGENCY goalie for an NHL franchise against his native Maple Leafs!
USA TODAY recapped it this way , “After Carolina goalies James Reimer and Petr Mrazek left because of injuries, the Hurricanes were forced to turn to 42-year-old David Ayres…Ayres entered in the middle of the second period after Mrazek went down. Even though he allowed two goals on the first two shots against, Ayres made the next eight stops to preserve the 6–3 win. He got paid $500 per a try-out agreement contract and was allowed to keep his jersey.”
For this opportunity, it is clear the Hurricanes recognized the GRIT of Mr. Ayres, who will now have an extra special time practicing with the Maple Leafs as he usually does! (Even though he actually stopped them in real gameplay, I’m sure the boys will still love him while ribbing him about it!)
So, Amy Klobuchar; the late Charles Portis; and the Goalie-In-Chief for the moment David Ayres don’t focus on the despair, but their own grit! Why don’t we leave despair behind and focus more on our own grit!
Sources :
USA Today recap : https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/4849645002
Klobuchar on Grit : https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/politics/watch-klobuchar-says-she-has-redefined-the-word-grit
NYT on the Passing of Charles Portis: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/02/17/obituaries/charles-portis-dead.amp.html
