There was no press conference to make the announcement. There was no ESPN special. No one was taking their talents to South Beach and money was left on the table. All there was was a simple man with extraordinary talent making a decision to play the game that he loved in a place that was screaming “Welcome Home”.
When I woke up this morning to check the Giants score in hopes that they had lost to the Vikings last night, I almost had a heart attack when the ESPN.com homepage loaded a giant picture of Cliff Lee in a Phillies uniform. Upon reading the news, I was instantly excited and a little shocked. In my mind, there was no way that the Phillies could have competed with the New York Yankees or the Texas Rangers when it came to compensation which meant that Cliff Lee in Philly was not an option. As I continued reading, I got a little choked up knowing that when it all came down to it, the decision was made based on the ideal of following your heart rather than show me the money.
I love sports. It’s a love that is true and above all else, it is pure and uncomplicated. Everyone has their teams and you bleed for them. True fans possess an unwavering sense of loyalty. Through the good years and the bad, you stand by your team and start every new season with the hope of this being “the year”. Close games have the ability to make you feel nervous butterflies and great moments give you a sense of joy that tugs at your heart strings, sends chills up your spine, and puts a smile on your face.
But with this one decision, we see a side of sports that we don’t always get to see. Today, Cliff Lee showed us class. He showed us heart. Sure, Lee will have quite the paycheck for the next few years but it could have been bigger. And yes, the Phillies have become an elite baseball powerhouse so the chance to be a World Series contender is also available to him in Philadelphia but in sports nothing is guaranteed and it’s always anyone’s ballgame. For Lee, it was all about finding a place that he felt connected to and that is something that goes beyond just dollars and cents. He was searching for the right fit.
Personally, I am not a money motivated person. Money is nice but the truth is that it sometimes consumes us. We spend all our lives trying to make it, most of the time there never seems to be enough of it, and even if we have it, it can’t buy us happiness, just things. No amount of money can buy the feeling you got when you picked up a basketball and learned to dribble. There is no price tag on scoring your first touchdown. The only cost of winning the 100M dash at your track meet is the blood, sweat and tears that went into your preparation for the event. No money is exchanged for the delight you get when your team wins the big game or you get to see a buzzer beater finish. Yes, the tickets for the major sporting events or the equipment you need to play cost money, but the feelings and passion come at no charge. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat are free.
I am happy that Cliff Lee is a Phillie again but not just as a diehard Philadelphia fan. I am happy because of how he did it. In the year when LeBron James broke the hearts of every person in Cleveland by going on national television and publicly breaking up with the city who loved him, it is nice to see someone in a similar position pick up the phone and thank a team that has been good to him even though he has decided to go in another direction. Cliff Lee showed class in leaving Texas and showed heart in choosing to play in Philadelphia despite the lesser salary. It’s a common America Proverb that states, “the best things in life are free,” and although Cliff Lee was far from free or even a bargain, the excitement we will get when he takes the mound knowing that he could have picked any city but chose Philadelphia will be something that we could never buy. We should keep in mind today that tax brackets change and money comes and goes, but pride, integrity and heart are priceless. And of course for everything else there is Master Card J
“The difference between the old ballplayer and the new ballplayer is the jersey. The old ballplayer played for the name on the front. The new ballplayer cares about the name on the back.” - Steve Garvey (Baseball Player)
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