Today, Perfection is Spelled "B-U-E-H-R-L-E"

I'm a sports fan. Above being a Colts and Senators fan, I am a sports fan. So when something truly transcendant happens, it is especially moving. After all, the greatest moments in sports are all about transcendence. Fans of every team in the NFL (other than the Patriots) celebrated when David Tyree made "The Catch." Why? Eli Manning overcame immense pressure in the pocket, threw an absolute prayer, and David Tyree, a fringe receiver who found himself in the right place at the right time secured the ball between his glove and his helmet, and kept the New York Giants' Super Bowl dreams alive. When Jonathan Sanchez was throwing his No-Hitter a couple weeks ago, everyone was rooting for this pitcher who had recently been demoted to the bullpen suddenly finding himself, throwing what should have been a perfect game, if not for an error in the 8th inning. Great moments in sports captivate you, but they are even better when they involve the likes of Tyree or Sanchez, because they aren't superstars. They're the Everymen in the sports world of Ubermen. What I saw from Mark Buehrle today cemented him in my sports memory for the rest of time. I was not fortunate enough to see his no-hitter, but I did get to see the unforgettable 9th inning, and trust me, I will never forget it.

What does it all mean? Mark Buehrle is the kind of guy we'd like all professional athletes to be. He's not a showboater, he doesn't get his name in the paper for indiscretions off the field. He plays the game, and above all, he is more than simply a baseball player. He has recently stated that he wants to be a father above being a baseball player. He's perfectly content with finishing out his current contract, and leaving the game of baseball to be a significant part of his kids' lives. When was the last time you heard Terrell Owens say that? I truly wish there were more Mark Buehrles in the world of sports, because it would mean for more great moments like this.

Sidenote: Mark Buehrle, Randy Johnson, Sandy Koufax, Jim Bunning, Cy Young, Nolan Ryan, only modern Major League Baseball players with 2 or more no hitters. That's some pretty impressive company to be in. To just give you some perspective, Mark Bueherle was considered a throw-in in a recent trade in my fantasy baseball league, because the numbers he puts up aren't incredible, on a day-to-day basis. However, he has moments where he rises above the conditions, and becomes something bigger than baseball, like he did today, in throwing a perfect game, and like he did a few seasons ago in throwing a no-hitter.

People have described Buehrle's game as one that isn't overpowering. He's not going to blow you away with 98 mph heat. Instead, he plays "Baseball Lite" and gets everyone through the game in about 2 hours, dusts himself off, and prepares himself for the next start. All of this is coming from a guy who isn't even playing his best (or so we thought) baseball at this stage of his career. He doesn't walk a ton of batters, being in the top 10 pitchers in walks per nine innings 5 times over the last 10 years. Buehrle's numbers over his career are above average, but they are nothing that really grabs your attention until you look at the list of players he's in the company of in throwing multiple no hitters. Mark Buehrle just seems to have "It," in that some times he just can't be touched when he takes the hill, and July 23rd was one of those times.

All of that transcendence is great, it makes a great backdrop for the story. The 9th inning is what people are going to remember about that game. A full count strike out, a running-into-the-wall snowcone catch, dropped, and then caught again by Dwayne Wise , and finally a groundout to Alexei Ramirez that allowed everyone to be able to breathe again, and celebrate what truly was a great achievement. This game helped me realize that rooting for a pitcher in the 9th inning of a perfect game is possibly the most captivating moment on the field of play in any sport. You are living and dying with every pitch. Every ball he throws is one step closer to imperfection, and every strike he throws inches him closer to immortality. This is never more magnified than, obviously, in the 9th inning. I think there may have been some Rays fans that were actually, deep down, rooting for Buehrle to do this when it came to the 9th inning. It's an incredible moment that everyone wants to celebrate and be a part of. It's a moment I consider myself lucky to have been a part of.

You know what's great about all of this? I watched the 9th inning of the game, and it was captivating. It was a moment of greatness. I got right on my laptop and started writing this post. I needed to give my brother a ride to baseball practice, so I had to take a break from writing this. I put my shoes on, walked out to the car, turned it on, and the radio came on, as it always did. As I pulled out of my driveway, I realized "Perfect Situation," by Weezer was playing. You just can't make moments like that up. It's days like these, in the dead of July, when baseball hasn't quite reached the heat of the pennant race, and when none of the other sports are in action, I remember how great it really is to be a sports fan. Thank you, Mark Buehrle.