Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Although I have mentioned my older brother here and there on my postings I have not yet told about the most cool experience a sport fan can have. Most of us who love sport dream of the diving catch, the game winning home run, the three to win. We imagine ourselves on the biggest stage rather that be the Olympics or the height of any other athletic profession. My older brother, Tyler Grisham, upon graduation from Clemson University began a three year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his first season he played in a few games before inviting my family and I up for a December 26th game during everyone's Christmas break. Tyler had played sporadically the games before but saw an entire half of play during their game against the rival Baltimore Ravens. He looked open a few times to us but we did not care if Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and the rest of the Ravens D were covering him, we wanted a catch. It was more amazing than anyone could imagine. It was playing in the front yard with that guy, my brother, all over again, except he was the best in the world now. The game was close and in the fourth quarter a pass came his way on a big third down and four. He caught the pass on and out pattern for fourteen yards and kept the home team alive. The drive ended in a field goal by kicker Jeff Reid and eventually sealed the win for us after a few bonehead plays by the Ravens. Seeing him in the tunnel after the game, being surrounded by other professionals, it was as if he had made it. It is the most awesome thing to think about a middle school kid running around a large neighborhood with weights in a back pack worked hard enough in a stream of time in order to rise him to compete with the best football players on earth. Like many great and joyful things it can not be put into words but it was and is my most favorite sports memory by far and I can nearly guarantee it will stand for a lifetime.




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