“If you never failed, you’ve never lived”

With all the thrills and triumphs in sports, there are also the disappointments and failures.  A player might not make varsity, a team might be upset by a weaker opponent or a player might suffer a season-ending injury.

As the video below shows, failing and setbacks are part of life.  Ultimately, people are judged by how they respond to setbacks, not the setbacks themselves.  Life = Risk.  Try your best.  Never give up.

The Best Motivational Video

How yo-yo play has progressed

“Walk the Dog,” “Rock the Baby,” and “Around the World,” were some of the yo-yo tricks that were popular in my neighborhood.  But, oh how yo-yo tricks have progressed.  Check out the video below of Canadian Jensen Kimmitt winning the 2010 World Yo-Yo Contest.

The oldest surviving yo-yo dates back to 500 B.C.  The toys were made of clay, wood or metal.  In the 16 Century, Philippine hunters used rocks with strings attached to hunt animals from trees.  The word “yo-yo” means “come-come” or “return.”

Donald Duncan purchase the Yo-Yo Manufacturing Company based in Santa Barbara, California from Pedro Flores, a Filipino American for $250,000 in 1929.  Although the company did well for many years, sales slowed in the late 1950s and early 1960s.  Duncan paid for a new TV advertising campaign in 1962 that sent sales skyrocketing.  The launch of the Duncan Butterfly was a huge hit.  Duncan ultimately lost his trademark on the word “yo-yo” and several other manufacturers entered the marketplace.

Today, yo-yo contests abound.  In some contests, contestants must perform 25 looping tricks to regulation standards and can only miss one.  Technology improvements have made today’s yo-yo very different from Duncan’s Butterfly.  However, Duncan still sells about 2 out of every 3 yo-yos in the U.S.

Canadian National Champion Jensen Kimmitt wins the the 2010 World Yo-Yo Contest

Rugby’s Greatest Play: “That Try”

According to the BBC, “The Barbarians are a unique rugby club, with no natural home, membership by invitation only and a philosophy based on adventure and attack.”  In 1973, the club’s play matched their philosophy when they took on the touring All Blacks from New Zealand.

The most exciting rugby play — “That Try” — by Gareth Edwards came early in the match and helped the Barbarians to a 23 – 11 win.

Cliff Morgan, the announcer, described the try like this, “Kirkpatrick to Williams.  This is great stuff!  Phil Bennett covering chased by Alistair Scown.  Brilliant, oh, that’s brilliant! John Williams, Bryan Williams. Pullin. John Dawes, great dummy. To David, Tom David, the half-way line! Brilliant by Quinnell!  This is Gareth Edwards! A dramatic start! What a score!  Oh that fellow Edwards.”

Edwards was voted “The Greatest Welsh Player of All Time” at a Players’ Association dinner in 2001.

1973 Barbarians vs. The All Blacks — “That Try”

The ultimate catch

“Ultimate” is the new moniker for the sport previously known as “Ultimate Frisbee.”  With Wham-O’s trademark of “Frisbee” in the way, the sport’s powers-that-be decided to drop the latter part of the name.  In the Ultimate match-up shown below, Sockeye took on Ironside.  Sockeye’s Andrew Fleming makes an incredible catch begging the question:  is Andrew Fleming the Dwight Clark of Ultimate?

The Catch

Look Before You Leap

From free fall jumping to motorcycle acrobatics, the video below features jumps that will make you nervous just watching.  The final sequence shows Joseph Kittinger making the highest parachute jump. On August 16, 1960, he jumped from the Excelsior III at 102,800 feet.  He fell 4 minutes and 36 seconds reaching a speed of 614 miles per hour!  It was the fastest speed achieved by a human through the atmosphere.  Kittinger was also the first person to fly a gas balloon solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

10 Biggest and Best Jumps Ever video

Two-year-old catches trophy fish with Barbie fishing pole

Muskies are a notoriously difficult fish to catch. The largest member of the Pike family, they are sometimes referred to as “the fish of 10,000 casts.”

During the Minnesota Walleye Opener last weekend, 2-year-old Ella was fishing with her Barbie fishing pole on Round Lake near Randall, Minnesota. With a hook and worm, she had just caught her first fish. She was reeling in the small sunfish when a big muskie swallowed it whole. Suddenly, she had a much bigger fish on her line. With the help of her mom and grandfather, the fish was brought in. The muskie measured 30 inches and weighed 20 pounds.

Ella thought she had caught a shark. After a photo was taken, the fish was released. The Barbie fishing pole survived the experience.

ENJOY THIS VIDEO

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