Last Sunday night, it was expected that a routine field goal in the game-ending play would give the Baltimore Ravens a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and a place in the playoffs.
       The possibility of a field goal winning the game was the result of a missed extra-point kick by Pittsburgh— a mistake very rarely seen in professional football.
       With the opportunity to win the game as a result of the other team’s mistake, Baltimore moved systematically toward victory in the closing minutes of the game.
       But it was not to be. The Baltimore kicker missed the field goal. A second mistake in a few minutes gave the win to Pittsburgh.
       I was rooting for Baltimore. As I watched in anticipation of the ”winning” field goal, I was mindful that any win would be the result of the Pittsburgh’s mistake and that another mistake -- by Baltimore - and Pittsburgh would win. 
       I would have preferred a win grounded in the winning team’s performance rather than the mistakes of the other team.
       In sports, as well as in other aspects of life, the missteps of others create opportunity.