"The key elements to a successful sled team are a steady driver, and three strong runners to push off down the ice... ICE? Ice!"
Sanka Coffie
Cool Runnings
1993
Ice, frigid temperatures, and a dream. Four men and a banished coach take on the adventure for glory, as they embark on an out of mind, out of body experienced mission to race downhill in speeds of ice, more measurable than a heart's dedication. Cool Runnings taught the youth that dreams are capable of accomplishment. Cool Runnings taught the novice, that unobtainable perception is often at times realistic interpretation.
" I am feeling very Olympic today, how about you?" - Sanka
As I begin my week of Olympic inspired movies, I begin a journey into the mindset of athletes; coaches, trainers; families and friends as they experience highs and lows, ups and downs, medals upon medals of competition. Support systems come in different elements; in this case... a warmer, yet appropriate element in Jamaica. Yet, it wasn't enough to convince a team of men to succeed; it was more than enough to teach a man a desire to win.
I often wonder how qualifying determines the athlete.
This year in Vancouver 2010, Jamaica didn't qualify in the bobsled race; however, every Olympic four years I think about this film and how it opened my eyes to what it takes as a man, an athlete and a hero to perform in such critical elements. I think about the egg; remember when Sanka held that egg? He kept the egg as his lucky egg. One with his Armour in all senses of the matter to unbreakable solace on the ice. The egg symbolized a hard exterior and a make up of chemistry on the interior; well, at least it did to me. That bobsled was hard on the exterior; but with lives and dreams and desires on the interior surpassing all chemistry; and teaming to not crack.
"Cool Runnings" means "Peace Be The Journey." - Derice Bannock
If we look at competition in regards to athletes, sports, challenges, races, sprints, qualifying and even Olympic medals; we look at the soul in each one of those positions. Cool Runnings, in all actuality was based on a true story; men taking on the frigid temperatures in Calgary while embracing snarls and rejection in the sport's community. They ended up not winning the gold, they didn't win the silver or the bronze; but, they won within themselves.
Admiration, devotion, dedication and teaming set this group a part from the men they were before they thought they ever had a chance. The Olympics is about chances; taking that risk to persevere; surpass the odds and become a champion. Ultimately, a champion stands for himself in the eyes of his country; yet sees his dream in the eye of his own reflection.
"Come on, Kurt, what you're doing here is wrong, and you know it! Now if this is about you and me, let's lay it all down now. All right, sixteen years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life: I cheated. I was stupid. I embarrassed myself, I embarrassed my country, my friends, my family, my teammates, and my coach. Hey, if it's revenge you want, take it. Go ahead, disqualify me, banish me! Do whatever you want, but do it to me! It was me who let you down, Kurt! It wasn't my guys! They've done everything you've asked of them! And they did it with all of you laughing in their face. Hey, it doesn't matter tomorrow if they come in first or fiftieth. Those guys have earned the right to walk into that stadium and wave their nation's flag. That's the single greatest honor an athlete can ever have. That's what the Olympics are all about. Sixteen years ago I forgot that. Don't you go and do the same." -Irv Blitzer
Sometimes the times we least expect a victory, is the time we utmost win the reward. When life hands you and I second chances, we must take them; if we don't we may have missed out on the competition we have within ourselves to be the best we can be. Sometimes we become better inside that interior and learn to maintain that hard exterior humbly; but, at the end of the day its you chasing that victory, and its your support system that roots you on.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
bobbot
Alpha Whiskey
Gary Gladstone
fingerlakeswanderer
Dennis Knight
Gabby Fox
Salon.com
Comments
Thanks Thoth!