Here, the Crickets Chirp.

Okay. I’ll just come right out and say it.

I don’t understand Cricket.

In my defense, I’ve never truly investigated. I see Cricket all the time on TV. I watch a lot of shows from the BBC, and Britbox, and such. Scads of people in those shows are always playing Cricket.

Personally, it looks a little crazy-boring to me. The outfits are cute and all. But the schematics simply look pasty, at best. Brits will also play Football on occasion (our Soccer). And, they will row. And then there is Cricket.

In my heyday, I was a the Jock of all trades. I played about any sport that would come my way. I also “followed” every major professional sport. My brain was “competition” wired. I understood. I thrived in the wide arena of sports.

These days I have mellowed. But I haven’t lost that crisp comprehension for the workings of the sport world. Yet, there is Cricket. It seems to me that they aren’t really competing at all. That they are just fooling everyone with a little “Play” they are performing.

I mean, a guy goes out there “once” and screws up somehow. Then he takes his little bat-paddle, slings it over his shoulder and heads for the showers. He’s done, stick a fork in him. Something he did ran him right off the Cricket Field. It is all very reserved and polite.

I don’t get it.

Here, in America, even our “tamest” of sports go a little viral. A little volcanic. Take yesterday at the US Open. That’s golf.

Five people were injured and two were hospitalized during Friday’s second round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Somehow, a golf cart rolled into spectators. Apparently with gusto. Now, I’ve been around golf carts. And unless someone is holding the gas pedal down, they don’t move very quickly. Even if it did putter along, most breathing, upright people should be able to dodge the thing.

Yet. Then, it happened again. “Unfortunately, during today’s second round, there was an incident involving a golf cart on the 16th hole that resulted in three spectators and a vendor being injured and requiring medical condition,” the USGA said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor their conditions.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but I smell something rotten in Denmark. I’d be calling the Golf Cart Police without further ado.

But that’s not all. The tempers are flaring there. Take for instance Patrick Reed, on the 18th hole. He flubbed a few shots, and he went a little weed-whacker. He was hitting out of a sand trap, unsuccessfully. Upon the error, he took his wedge in both hands and snapped the shaft over his leg.

You won’t see that kind of action in a Cricket Game.

I know this must seem inconsequential to many of you. Your cups of coffee, steaming your noses, as you peer over the rim, and read. You think, “Polly. What, what, what does this have to do with me, or my day?”

Here is a little story I’ve recently heard about golf that might clear things up.

Noting that her husband looked more haggard and disgruntled than usual after his weekly golf game, his wife asked what was wrong.

He answered, “Well, on the 4th hole, Harry had a heart attack and died. It was terrible! The entire rest of the day, it was hit the ball, drag Harry, hit the ball, drag Harry!”

Okay. Maybe not. Let me try something else.

….
Did you know why Cinderella was terrible at playing sports?
She was always running away from the ball.

….

Alright, that’s not it either.
The big life lesson is this. You can’t always believe what the world tells you.
And here is one of the big truths.

Sometimes, winners really DO quit.
And sometimes, quitters win.

Take, smoking, for example.

=========

“The only way to prove that you’re a good sport is to lose.” – Ernie Banks

========

“I’ve learned that something constructive comes from every defeat.” – Tom Landry

=======

“Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.” – Laird Hamilton

========