We’ve all seen ’em. The flash back videos of past legends in their prime. Usually accompanied by some high tempo music and a gritty voice over. Sometimes just the ‘in the moments’ screams from the commentators that day.
But Thursday night, there was no music. No fancy video editing. No mysteriously historic voice. Just the crunching of shoulder pads in the trenches and silence of the crowd as Adrian Peterson crossed the goal line yet again.
Normally we just say something like, “AP again? Man he’s nice.” or “look at AP doin’ his thing.” but this time was different. This time Peterson crossed into rare NFL air by scoring his 100th career touchdown.
The most mystifying part about this is we are watching the aforementioned moments live in action. We are seeing one of the all-time greats show us why he is exactly that.
The old stories that your dad tells you about the guys he watched growing up. The guys that the barbershop debates are about, that’s what we are seeing. Oh, and there was another one of those guys on the other side of the field last night in Larry Fitzgerald.
Just think, 10, 15, 20 years from now, if you’re not already, we are going to be telling those same stories. The stories about who and how great Adrian Peterson was. How AP or AD (All Day) use to make elite athletes look second rate on a regular basis.
And it’s not like its some normal, show up to work and then leave career. Peterson has faced MAJOR obstecles. We’re talking about a man that tore an ACL in 2011 and rushed for 2,097 yards after returning 9 months later. One of only 6 players to ever rack up 2000+ yards in a season.
Not only that, follwing a year of suspension you would expect AP to maybe have lost a step being almost 31 as an NFL running back. Instead he has 1200+ yards and 9 touchdowns already this season.
Passing the century mark in scores (95 rushing, 5 receiving) Peterson continues to pad his already impressive Hall of Fame resume.
I speak for a lot of us when I say that we are spoiled by greatness. Our generation has seen great professional athletes like Michael Jordan and Bo Jackson. All the way thru the Bradys, the Bryants and onto the LeBron James and company.
We watch these athletes and most often don’t appreciate what they are doing until it’s time to retire. Now we will watch the Aaron Rodgers and Steph Curry’s of the sports world carry the next generation forward.
I look forward to many memorable moments that athletes like Adrian Peterson, the ones like him and those to come will give us. The future is bright.
Well done Clifford!