While I stayed away from practically all specials and documentaries on the 10th anniversary of 9/11/01, I really didn’t mind the little snippets that I got to see throughout the day via sporting events.
That’s because they didn’t focus on the tragedy of the day, they focused on the heroism of the day. First responders, police, firefighters, emergency medical services, they were the ones being saluted today, from one coast to the other and around the world.
I watched a moment of silence prior to an English Premier League soccer match, longer than any I’d ever seen. I missed the ceremony before the Dodgers-Giants game, but only because I was watching the one before the Seahawks-49ers game, and I even heard the F-16 fly by near my neighborhood.
And then I watched the pregame ceremony and features before tonight’s Cubs-Mets game, where they brought back members of the 2001 Mets team, and showed a story of a family that was profoundly affected by the loss of the husband/father on 9/11, and how Mike Piazza’s homer 10 days later helped start the healing process for them all. After the story, there was Mike Piazza, in tears before he was about to be interviewed, and here I was crying along with him.
It was great to see some ex-Mets being interviewed during the game, and the images of how the 5 boroughs of New York City are still thriving, 10 years later, and of course the men and women of the armed forces and first responders, enjoying the game. I do agree with some folks online that these people need to be saluted, or at least acknowledged and thanked, on the other 364 days of the year that they work.
Of course, the Mets game went into extra innings, which seems to happen whenever I watch a Mets game on ESPN. And I watched them lose in 11 innings, 10-6, because, as so many point out, I’m a fan. Loyal to the end. Plus, too lazy to check if anything else was on.
Anyways, I regret taking a short nap earlier during the Mets game, because now I feel wide awake. Arrgh.
One last time for the day: Never Forget.
