Spirit of a sportsman, heart of a champion

Recently, two people who have inspired me greatly (and millions more, I am sure) retired from their respective professions.

Michael Schumacher and Andre Agassi.

Both of them are totally inspiring in their ways. Both of them had a set of common attributes, the fierce competititive spirit, a champion's heart, grit and poise.. and not to mention their distinctive styles and panache.

Michael Schumacher's genius is obvious to anyone who has followed F1, and his competitive spirit is legendary. It was only fitting that he went down fighting in his last race, rising from the bottom of the field in the Brazilian Grand Prix to finish fourth. He even managed to clock the fastest lap at the end of the race, on what turned out to be his penultimate lap on a Formula One track.

He summarized his feelings at the press conference after the match,
and said that the song "My way" described his feelings perfectly. I remember having heard this song sometime. I searched for the lyrics on the net - and just thought should put it down here .. I think it's simply awesome:

And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, I'll say it clear,
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain.
I've lived a life that's full.
I've traveled each and ev'ry highway;
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Regrets, I've had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.
I've loved, I've laughed and cried.
I've had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.
To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
"No, oh no not me,
I did it my way".
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way!

That kind of summarizes Schumacher in a way, I feel - brazen and fearless (at least on the track). He was also a very good team player.

Andre Agassi has been an enigma. But I have been amazed by the way he matured into a true champion as the years went by. And his professionalism, focus and discipline.

He had a great rivalry with Sampras, and for years, it was never a true rivalry because Sampras always had the upper hand, coz he was a better player overall and had too much of an overpowering game.

But in the analysis at the end of the day, I think Agassi is equal in stature to Sampras, if not more. His record of winning all the four Grand Slams is just one of the tangible pieces of evidence for that.

He has been such a strong and interesting personality, much more multidimensional than Sampras - and his life off court kind of mirrored what he achieved on court I guess.

He also managed to find a nice balance in his life too, with his marriage to (the innately supercool!) Steffi. (I know I talk as though I have known her for years :-))

I feel that his charity work just accentuates his true greatness.

Both had their failings too, I suppose - in Schumacher's case, I guess he was a little too competitive at times. And Agassi in his early years was a bit rash and irresponsible.

But then .. even Achilles had a bit of a weak heel.