The Way Balls Bounce

IN THE FICKLE LEDGER OF COMPETITIVE ATHLETICS, how an athlete performs in one game or during a single play can define an entire career. Sheryl Swoopes will be remembered for her 47-point performance last week as she led Texas Tech to the national basketball championship. Forgotten was Swoopes’ 31-point semifinal game and career as a high school phenom. In the men’s championship, Chris Webber of Michigan scored a team-leading 23 points, and in the game’s dying moments had possession of the ball. Instead of sinking the winning shot, he mistakenly called an illegal time-out, allowing the opposing North Carolina Tarheels to hold their winning margin. The now legendary play will always be remembered as Webber’s moment, but not his time.