David Friedli

By the Dashboard Lights

February 7, 2008

In Search of Perfection

There are millions of happy New York Giant fans this week, and if you are one of them, congratulations.

Whenever an underdog upsets the favorite, it is news.

To do it on the biggest stage, in the brightest spotlight, in front of the largest audience brings even more notoriety.

Congratulations. Giants football fans who have supported their team game in and game out can be proud of two accomplishments: being Super Bowl XLII champions and beating a very good New England Patriots team.

However, if you are someone who simply wanted to see the Patriots get beat so they didn’t finish the NFL season undefeated, you could use a reality check.

Many sports fans get caught up in wanting to see the underdog win.

When it happens, it is classic sport. Just because a team or an individual is favored to win does not give them the laurels without earning them.

It’s why the game is played.

And players pursue perfection. They would like to play the perfect game.

Tiger Woods wants every drive in the fairway, every chip to check up, every putt to dive in the hole.

Nadia Comaneci wanted every balance beam and floor routine to be a “10”.

The Patriots were looking for 19-0. They will have to settle for 18-1. It is a great season.

It’s important to cheer for success, not failure.

A few years ago, Jason Dethlefs wrestled in the State Tournament, attempting to do what no other Nebraska wrestler had ever done: complete a high school career with four state titles and having never lost a match.

Think about that for a minute. Over 130 matches in high school. No losses. Four years, four state championships. Dozens of gold medals from other tournaments.

A perfect, winning record.

The sell-out crowd at the Devaney Center cheered wildly…against him. Most didn’t know Jason or the young man who he wrestled against. They only knew one thing: he’s undefeated and he needs to be beaten.

The crowd of 10,000 fans didn’t beat Jason, but his opponent did. A dream of a career without a loss was ended. Fans provided polite applause at that accomplishment.

The pursuit of perfection is not an easy one. Occasionally, the favorite needs the encouragement of fans to make the dream come true.