The Inspiration of Dwight Clark
RIP Dwight Clark, owner of one of the greatest catches of all time.
I think the photo of Dwight Clark elevating to make “The Catch” is probably the best football photo ever taken. Probably the most iconic football photo ever taken. The Dwight Clark catch photo is just a capture of a perfect moment of what makes football great and represents the best of the sport in one image.
Watching The Catch in real time now almost makes it seem quaint. From an athletic perspective players do more impressive feats every week these days. Clark got some nice air and it certainly wasn’t easy, but when I watch the replay now I mostly marvel at Joe Montana facing 3 Cowboy lineman ready to chomp him to bits and delivering the strike anyway. But the photo of The Catch? Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
It has the triumph and the majesty of football in it. The fatigue of the players in the background, already slowing down because they are out of the play and are now just spectators like the rest of us. The desperation of the Cowboy Everson Walls as he knows he’s out of position to stop the pass yet trying anyway. I actually love that you can’t actually see Dwight Clark’s face, it makes the photo somehow grander. It hides the face of strain and grit that we already have with Walls and instead makes it look more elegant. The fact that we can’t see Clark’s face kind of makes it easy to place almost any player in his shoes and makes it represent football players as a whole. This is the kind of stuff we tune in for every week. Cool ass football shit like a dude making an epic leap to grab the gamewinner. That’s what makes football great. Those are the moments and the snapshots you use to tell the history of the sport and explain its greatness to people who don’t follow it. Dwight Clark has one of the greatest football moments ever captured in one of the greatest sports photos ever. The rest of his career almost doesn’t matter. That’s the kind of moment and legacy any athlete would dream to have. As long as football matters in any way, Dwight Clark will remain in our hearts because of this moment.
I hope he can rest easy with that. RIP dude.
Also the photo features the Cowboys getting owned so that’s another reason it is good.
Dave….that hovertext was jumping the gun.
RIP to the 49ers hero on a play that shouldn’t have worked
I just had a PTSD flashback about Alex Smith.
Which one? There are so many.
Coming from someone whose handle is the Saints QB, I would guess he’s referring to The Catch 3
Either that or that really dumb Alex Smith scramble for a billion yards :-(.
Joe Montana says that’s the best pass he ever threw. It’s beautiful to think about the convergence of the perfect execution of skill and clutch timing in a game. Throwing the perfect pass when it matters the most. When they come together they become legendary plays, and every player involved is instantly immortalized by the moment.
Football cannot come back soon enough.
RIP Dwight Clark.
As a big 49ers fan. I agree that it was the perfect pass. Arriving when it needed to be there. But I heard an interview that Montana did, where he said that play was suppose to be a throw away and that is what he intended to do. He never expected Clark to get that high to catch it. He was expecting it to go out the back of the end zone and then be ready for the next play. He was just as amazed as everyone else when Clark hauled that pass in.
I honestly thought the kid was gonna hang himself or jump off a building at first. Thanks for corrupting me, Dave.
*sad boing*
Pure legend.
On the bright side he passed still being on of the best human beings. He did not regress withCTE and turn into a monster which so many players become. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a game at Candlestick and he was just a stand up guy. From the stories of his final days he was still a kind and gentle soul and though he passed too soon from a horrible disease at least he left this world with the same kindness he should throughout his years RIP
At least he was an inspiration…
Still can’t belied Clark got his rep ruined by being the first GM of the new Browns
R.I.P.
RIP Dwight Clark. Fuck ALS.
O hope his family is doing good. Losing a family member is tough. Rip Dwight clark
I still get chills when I watch that play. I wasn’t born yet when it happened but after becoming a 49ers fan I deleted into their history and watched every available footage, this is the one play that continues to give me chills. A play and a throw that wasn’t suppose to happen. In an interview I had seen, Joe Montana had said that this play was chosen for the specific reason that it was a safe play. A play that could be thrown away if nothing was available. That was Montana’s intention which is why the ball was so high up. Montana never expected Clark to get to it, it was gonna go out the back of the end zone and they would try again on the next play. Montana was just as excited as all the fans were when Clark got up there and snagged that ball out of the air for the touchdown. It’s amazing to think that, that play will always be one of the most iconic moments in 49ers and NFL history. R.I.P. Dwight Clark, you will be missed and will always be remembered.