0
0
As we bounce towards the end of 2024, it’s time to reflect on the year that is almost over and unpack the most important single thing that happened and what it all means.
It all begins and ends with this: Caitlin Clark is the Sportsperson of the Year. She should also be Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. No one impacted American society more than Clark Kent did this year. Kids, parents, men, women – everybody became captivated by this 22-year-old basketball phenom who swishes bombs from 30 feet away from the hoop. The thing about this that’s so stunning is there are no more than three or four men who can do what she does, and generally not as well, and no women can do it. Her logo 3s are unmatchable by almost anyone.
But it’s more than the luscious Logo 3s. It’s the Larry Bird/Pistol Pete/Joker passing wizardry. She led the WNBA in assists as a rookie and was voted First Team All WNBA honoring the top five players in the entire league.
Never in our lives have we seen so much fascination with a single female athlete and, arguably, with any athlete ever. There’s something about her we can’t get enough of. It’s her reassuring and familiar midwestern looks, long black hair, a 100-watt smile, a competitive fire, the way she talks with fine-tuned eloquence and poise, the way she genuinely seems to like being around little kids, the number of autographs she signs, the way she makes her teammates laugh, the way she makes them play better, the way she practices he craft endlessly, ceaselessly.
It’s her dedication, her daring to be the greatest basketball player she can be – and the best female player ever.
It takes guts and enormous sacrifices to have the audacity to be the best at what you do. She’s on track to do that and it’s something we all find fascinating, admirable, and curious about.
What a young woman. What an American. What a joy, a sweet sensation, something good to talk about and wonder about and watch play in a way no other basketball player ever has.
Sadly, feeling jealous of her popularity and talent, WNBA players tried to break her spirit which was classless and unbecoming. They shoved her to the ground. They swatted her in the face. They said she wasn’t as good as advertised.
She overcame all of that.
Not by taking the bait. By playing great. She made all of them look small.
If she never plays another basketball game or hits another Logo 3, she will have left a memory with Americans they will treasure and be inspired by for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, her career is just starting. We get so much more Caitlin Kent Clark to follow into the stratosphere next year and beyond.
Kids who have admired her will try to practice and play like her. They will want to be as great as she has become. A few of them may rise to that level or close. Even if none of them do, she has given them all hope they could be great and demonstrated that if you practice your craft enough, whether shooting a basketball or anything else, you have a chance to become as great as you want to be. She has taught them the value of hard work, that getting what you want doesn’t come without practice and pain and people who want to pull you down.
Throughout 2024, from the NCAA Final Four journey to the heights of the WNBA, Caitlin Clark showed them that attaining superb levels is possible. She gave children hope.
She gave me hope to continue practicing writing. If Caitlin can work at her craft, so can I, and maybe some good will come of it. Maybe someone will be more motivated to uplift their own lives. She reminded me the effort was worthwhile regardless of the outcome.
2024 was The Year of Caitlin Clark. With an irresistible style and ability to come through in the clutch, she did her thing with a flair and elegance we’ve never seen before anywhere.
Author Profile
-
Sammy Sportface, a sports blogger, galvanizes, inspires, and amuses The Baby Boomer Brotherhood. And you can learn about his vision and join this group's Facebook page here:
Sammy Sportface Has a Vision -- Check It Out
Sammy Sportface -- The Baby Boomer Brotherhood Blog -- Facebook Page
Latest entries
BonusJanuary 19, 2025From Obscurity to Superstardom: Sportface Salutes His Latest Heroes
BonusJanuary 17, 2025Bob Uecker Taught Us to Laugh At Ourselves
BonusJanuary 15, 2025Cowardly Lions Won’t Go Commando, Bro
BonusJanuary 15, 2025Not Delivering Value, Paying Players Is Ruining Higher Education
