Struggling to cope in a world without any sporting action? Fear not. In our latest series, we put together a list of videos you can watch to fill that void and get the adrenaline pumping again. Here are the picks for this week, ranging from horseraces in 1956 to some hardcore hockey action from 2015.
When Devon Loch did a Devon Loch
Any Manchester United fan will remember Alex Ferguson's forlorn quote ahead of the final match of the 2011-12 season, with City ahead on goal difference and needing only to beat Queens Park Rangers at home to win the Premier League: ""We'll go to Sunderland to win, it's our duty and responsibility," he said. "It could be like Devon Loch - stranger things have happened in football." It was a reference to the 1956 Grand National steeplechase horserace, when Devon Loch, the favourite, was five lengths ahead with 40 yards of the race to go. Then he jumped, lost his footing, flopped on his belly and lost the race. Till today there's no real explanation why he jumped - maybe cramps, maybe a shadow... Today, it's used as a metaphor (not just in sport) for an individual or a team comfortably ahead but inexplicably failing to complete a win with the victory line in sight. (In happy news, Devon Loch survived and lived another six years and of course longer in sporting lore.) - Jayaditya Gupta
Football Rebels - Socrates and Corinthiana Democracia
Eric Cantona hosting a show about Dr. Socrates. Food for the soul. The 25-minute video has some great footage as it shows one of the most fascinating phases of Socrates' life. A time when the captain of Brazil promoted democracy and free elections (through his club, Corinthians), while his nation was under an authoritarian military dictatorship. A fantastic footballer on the pitch, the greatness of Socrates lay off it, in how he understood that football was so much more than just sport. Rebel, philosopher, revolutionary - this is absolute gold on one of the game's truly great characters. - Anirudh Menon
Che GOATness
GOAT-shoat, I'll show you goat. Even a non-football-fiend like me watched most of the 2002 Champions League agape for the spinning dervish that was Zizou. Everyone remembers the second goal, but look from 7:33 to 7:39 and drool. As the commentator says, "che control." The man won a Euro and a World Cup, people. Took his dire, squabbling team to another before headbutting an Italian. Che GOATness. - Sharda Ugra
Free Solo
This Nat Geo documentary about rock climber Alex Honnold's audacious attempt to scale a 900m rockface in the Yosemite Valley is pure edge-of-the-seat stuff. I was lucky enough to catch it on the big screen during a limited release last year, when it won the Oscar for best docu feature. Aside from the spectacular visuals from the actual climb, it also offers a rare insight into the mind and personal life of an unusual, eccentric and extraordinarily-talented athlete. The thrill of it almost makes you uncomfortable. With every step of his, you realise why it eclipses most other sporting achievements. One mistake and it's over. No 'Strike One'. No second chances. No returning to training the following day.
The question you keep asking yourself throughout is why and how someone can be possessed by an activity where death is constantly lurking. It is perhaps best answered by Alex's mother in the film: "When he's free soloing, that's when he feels the most alive. The most everything. How can you even think about taking that away from somebody?" - Saket Parekar
There's also a nice E:60 feature on the making of 'Free Solo', and bonus -- there's further reading material right here at ESPN.
A 10-goal thriller in Raipur
Devoid of all context -- the Hockey World League was an ambitious project launched to give all the world's teams a chance to qualify for the Olympics and the World Cup, but stands discontinued now, not least because it had idiosyncrasies like a final in a Semi-final, and semi-finals in the Final -- this match is a perfect illustration of the adrenalin rush that top-level hockey between two attacking teams can be.
India, playing on their home turf at Raipur, began this bronze medal match with two early goals conceded, but powered by the drag-flick expertise of Rupinder Pal Singh, they manufactured a 3-2 lead going into the final nine minutes. Inspired perhaps by Rupinder, Netherlands' own penalty corner specialist Mink van der Weerden stepped up to put away three drag flicks as the lead was regained twice by India, before van der Weerden's third goal -- and the sixth in nine minutes in the match -- took the game into a shootout. - Debayan Sen