It has often been said that sports is the only part of the paper that celebrates the successes of mankind while the rest of the pages underscore its failures.
That being true, emotion is at the epicentre of all sport and we had several exceptional displays of raw feelings this week, all of which underscored the meaning of espirit de corps and courage in combat.
– IPTL: Djokovic withdraws from IPTL
– Andy Murray: Davis Cup glory to spur on more success
– #360stats: A history of the Davis Cup final in numbers
As the world of cricket acknowledged the first anniversary of the death of Aussie Phil Hughes from an on field accident there was another goodbye in neighbouring New Zealand.
You would have had to have a wooden heart not to break down and get misty eyed watching the video from Eden Park in Auckland as an army of his mates and ex All Blacks performed a gut wrenching final haka for rugby legend Jonah Lomu before 12 of them acted as pallbearers for that last journey.
Thousands of fans came to pay their respects and even in adversity there was such a sense of comradeship that the only words which, befittingly, came to mind were from Julius Caesar when Brutus says: “If we meet again, then we’ll smile. If not, then this parting was well made.”
And when it is not a salute to a fallen soldier it is a tribute to a captain of the game who finally decides to call it a day and walk away. Basketball giant and Lakers poster player Kobe Bryant finally announced the party was over and did it with a long poem which starts poignantly enough: “I started rolling my dad’s tube socks.”
And shooting imaginary Game-winning shots In the Great Western Forum I knew one thing was real: I fell in love with you. A love so deep I gave you my all — From my mind & body To my spirit & soul.”
All criticisms of his having overstayed and not displaying the genius of knowing when to stop fell away as the five-time NBA champion who changed the game with 32,623 points told the world, “My body knows it’s time to say goodbye.”
One of the three all-time greatest hoopsters Kobe had the sense to realise the cake was getting a trifle squishy.
For lovers of the underdog, the brilliant display by Mancunian Tyson Fury to beat the odds and dethrone Wladimir Klitschko to become world heavyweight champion set the stage for a super week in British sport.
For then came a glorious chapter in tennis history that had stayed unwritten for 79 years. Andy Murray led the charge against Belgium and in the reverse singles took on David Goffin in a just short of three hour battle and a punishing final rally that ended with a winning lob.
The scenes of excitement as team mates rushed on to the court and tumbled in a heap over Andy were more reminiscent of a cricket match or a soccer goal than a relatively staid tennis finale.
The last time Britain picked up the cup was when Stanley Baldwin was Prime Minister and Bunny Austin and the incomparable Fred Perry got them past Australia.
If the celebrations went on endlessly on court and after there was good cause for them seeing as how with elder brother Jamie the siblings had pulled ahead in the doubles match.
Only two other brothers have partnered each other in the Davis Cup and been victorious. They were Reginald and Lawrence Dougherty also of the UK (winning the doubles from 1903 to 1906) with the losers in 1904 being Belgium again.
It wasn’t easy after the gruelling match to lift the 110 kilo Dwight Davis trophy but the team got it together and up in the air with ease. In tragedy as much as in success there is a cleansing and sport per se was uplifted.
With the tawdry goings on in FIFA and the bruising dealt to world of athletics plus the provisional ban on Russian to make it to the Rio Olympics and the general fear that drugs and cheating have made a mockery of records the events of the week though some of them sad and some nostalgic, did send out one message; when the hurly burly is done, the battle lost and own, sport is worth saving… and more.
