Sports Talk: Wes Welker’s Less-Than-Championship Seasons
Wes Welker was a New England Patriot held in huge regard, but he dropped a pass in the Super Bowl that would have defeated the New York Giants and provided the Pats with their fourth championship. It was a tough catch, but one that someone at his pay grade is supposed to routinely make, and which he often made during the season.
Yet he couldn’t retain it after getting his hands on it on that critical third down, the Patriots couldn’t run out the clock, and the Giants got the ball back and marched down the field to win.
Wes Welker is now a Denver Bronco, and was indecisive this week as to whether to field a Patriot punt at his own ten yard line with about 90 seconds remaining in overtime. When he allowed the quite catchable ball to bounce, it struck one of his teammates, the Patriots recovered it, and they kicked a field goal to win as time ran out.
Bill Russell, the nonpareil basketball star, said that champions perform best when under the greatest pressure. I always thought Welker was overrated, a decent receiver graced to be thrown to by Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. He wouldn’t be as good with lesser passers, though many receivers are.
My point is that a great many people can be excellent on an average day, but the tipping point comes in the crunch: in front of the buyer, standing on stage, catching the pass that could win the game.
You don’t want to be average on what could be an excellent day.
© Alan Weiss 2013
