It’s the recent NBA final series and the worth of our “Delly” as he has become affectionately known but in real life goes by the name Matthew Dellavedova, which had me thinking about the worth of players in any sport? There is always the ridiculously talented who’s fame becomes plastered upon billboards and advertising merchandise that we all know and identify with. Well maybe not identify with, perhaps just idolise in a fashion that only Sports stars or Rock Gods can be. I believe that these are carefully balanced by the somewhat less talented player, often coined with the terminology of; “Where did he/she come from?” “How did they get so good without any of us noticing?”
Well I’ll give it a try. Is it because they never had that natural talent and rather that they kept on going when everything was in their way? Was it that they never gave up and at every heartbreaking juncture, they simply got up, dusted themselves off and tried again, only this time even harder?
Yes that is my supposition.
Not bad then, that the worst player in his position would become a starting player in the final two teams left. Not bad, that he was arguably the most important in at least two of the games in the series of five.
It seems to me that the accidental hero is actually less an accident than the ridiculously talented.
You see the talent will make it and that is no accident. Show me an accidental hero and more than likely they will be a journeyman high on effort and heart.
Show me a champion and they can be either!
I have always had more of an affinity with the player who grinds out a career, rather than the sublimely talented. Let’s not miss the point here, they are all talented. It’s just that after the biologically blessed the thing that separates the rest are work rate and mindset.
Just have a look through my favourite of sports, AFL. How many champions have you forgot who walked through the tradesman’s entrance of the Rookie draft. Only getting a shot after feeling like they had missed the party or the show.
Sometimes these accidental heroes become so good that people forget their inglorious entrée unto the main event. Dean Cox anyone? Last year my team’s fortunes were turned around in some ways by a discarded player come rookie Anthony Miles.
I’m not telling you who to barrack for, rather have a closer look and a little understanding for the players who take the rocky road and not the easy one. Who in your team has become the so called accidental hero? Who in your team has become much more important to the team than you ever thought possible?
I often hear the terminology that Player X would not be good enough to play in a Premiership. Have a closer look. Each premiership team has a player or two that supporters would have once cried out as lacking, due to their abilities crying they should not be there. Sometimes that player is the difference and therefore a premiership would have not been gained without them. Mitch Morton was a player that I was happy for my club to let go, only to see him pop up at the last minute in a Sydney side destined for glory. I definitely didn’t think that was possible.
It’s over to you, have a rethink about some of the players we cast off with a whim.
They might just be your next premiership hero.
Mark Vorstenbosch is a passionate Richmond Supporter and Sports enthusiast.
You can Follow Mark on Twitter via @Vosstiger
You can banter with him and other Richmond Fans by going to www.yellowandblack.com.au