Player

Ever since Art Modell stole the Browns from Cleveland in 1996, I've found it hard to say anything good about the Baltimore Ravens, either individually or as a team. After last night's game against the Cowboys, however, I can say this:

Derrick Mason is a player.

Mason, a wide receiver, played through the searing pain of a dislocated left shoulder. He left the field after re-injuring it in the third quarter, but he returned just five plays later, sneaked into the back corner of the end zone and caught a touchdown pass.

Watching the video replay, it was obvious that Mason's left arm was useless as he ran his route. He managed to bring his hand up far enough to secure the catch, falling backward onto his right side. As his teammates rushed toward him to celebrate, Mason turned his painful shoulder away, his arm hanging limp by his side.

Mason has what my high-school football coach called "a whole lotta wanna." In a world of prima donnas, Derrick Mason is a player.

Behind the glitz and soap-opera serials of sports are stories of courage and character. Willis Reed, Michael Jordan, Jack Youngblood, Kellen Winslow, Sr. and Emmitt Smith are remembered for playing through pain. Cal Ripken showed up for work 2,632 straight times. Chris Spielman walked away from the NFL to be with his wife as she battled breast cancer.

If we pay attention, we'll find those stories in every sport, in every game. When we look past the overpaid, over-hyped stars, we'll see the players.

That's what keeps me watching.