“The kick is no good! Hooked wide left.”
—Sean McDonough, ESPN, 11/25/2006
Jad Dean stood just outside the shadow of the WestZone, in the light of mid-afternoon. He was lined up to attempt a 39-yard field goal.
The year was 2006. The leaves were turning. Dean’s Clemson Tigers were down 31-28 against rival South Carolina, with 18 seconds left in the game. I was at home, in Irmo, South Carolina, close enough to the television to pick out the pixels. I was rubbing my bare chin—a nervous habit—sending up prayers and pleas, hoping that I’d see the football tumble through the uprights.