Not Every Loss Hurts the Same: The One Game Matthew Golden Wishes He Could Forget
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Matthew Golden has played in dozens of games, but there’s one that still haunts him — and it has nothing to do with the final score.
It was supposed to be just another Saturday night under the lights. Another chance to showcase his talents. Another chance to win. But halfway through the second quarter, everything changed. A brutal collision left one of Matthew’s closest teammates crumpled on the turf, motionless. The crowd fell silent. Coaches sprinted across the field. Matthew stood frozen, helpless, watching someone he considered a brother being taken away on a stretcher.
“It didn’t feel like football anymore,” Matthew would later admit. “It felt like the world just stopped.”
Despite the team eventually rallying for a victory, Matthew didn’t celebrate. The score didn’t matter. The stats didn’t matter. All he could think about was that moment — the fear, the helplessness, the sudden reminder that some things are far bigger than wins and losses.
Even now, years later, when fans ask about his toughest game, he doesn’t name a playoff or a championship. He names that night. A night he wishes he could forget — but knows he never will.
