You can get an award for THAT?

Have you heard of the Oscars? How about the AVN awards...wait don't answer that. Believe it or not, some people aren't familiar with the ESPY Awards. The full name is Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards which gives a hint of its significance. It was created and broadcast by American cable television network ESPN in 1993. At one time awards were chosen variously through voting by fans; sportswriters, broadcasters, sports executives, and sports persons, collectively experts; or ESPN personalities. Now, winners have been selected online fan balloting conducted from candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. Here's a list of 2009 winners:

Special Awards
Arthur Ashe Courage Award: President Nelson Mandela
Jimmy V Award For Perseverance: Don Meyer, Northern State University coach
Best Comeback: Dara Torres, Olympic swimmer.

Best Female Athlete: Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
Best Male Athlete: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Best Moment: US Swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay
Best Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Best Coach/Manager: Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Best Game: Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
Best Championship Performance: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Best Play: Roethlisberger to Holmes Super Bowl Winning TD
Best Upset: US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Best Record Breaking Performance: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Best Sports Movie: The Express: The Ernie Davis Story
Best Male College Athlete: Tim Tebow, Florida Football
Best Female College Athlete: Maya Moore, Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Jason Lester, Ironman Triathlete
Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Erin Popovich, Swimming
Best International Male Athlete: Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Sprinter)
Best International Female Athlete: Lorena Ochoa (Mexico, Golf)

Individual Sports
Best Baseball Player: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
Best NBA Player: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Best WNBA Player: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
Best NFL Player: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Best NHL Player: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Best MLS Player: Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy

I had a mini-tantrum on this blog about LeBron not shaking hands after the NBA Championship. The bottom line --- he's still a phenomenal player. He didn't get a championship ring but it's nice to see him getting recognized for THAT. Sportsmanship is a two way street. I can't sit all pompous behind a computer while athletes are competing. That's like five grown men sitting in the woods with high powered rifles shooting Bambi and calling it a sport. Sometimes people have to get off their ass and do the right thing. Here's my salute to all the ESPY recipients. Well done!!!

Guinness World Records

Guinness World Records is a reference book with all the world records. This includes human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. I call it the genius of Guinness. Really, where else could you find out the heaviest weight dangled from a swallowed sword is 55 lb 1 oz in Italy, on 19 April 2009; within the same flaps containing a story about the longest leg hair being 6.5 in long?

It got me wondering if there was any type of acknowledgement for sportsmanship. Well, during 2008 in North Haven, Connecticut there was something similar. A record was made when twin brothers, Angelo and Ettore Rossetti, held the longest tennis rally to benefit charity. They did this for 14 hours and 31 minutes. Incredible.

A 2007 Internet article (China.org.cn) about massive Guinness Records in China discussed how over 5,000 students did push-ups together and more than 10,000 people ate lamb kebabs at the same time among other things. In my opinion, their obsession to create records drives the coordination of thousands of Chinese people. Most of these mass activities focus on traditional Chinese culture and games which makes it interesting as opposed to lame. One of the professors interviewed said he, "worried that under the serious market competition, the Guinness challenges will become more profit-oriented than embodying the true spirit of competition and sportsmanship." Pretty deep.

I hope the Guinness records are around in the same fashion for another 55 years because they allow everyday people to be memorable. Although many of the records don't involve physical strength, they involve passion and adrenaline. It's also one of the most stolen books from public libraries in the United States which means I better check my teenager's room!

Why I am really here...

I began this weekly blog back in September. It wasn't because I had a calling from a higher power to discuss sports. It was because I am completing my undergraduate degree and maintaining a blog was a class requirement. Don't act suprise. If one college is doing it, I'm sure thousands are doing the same. There hasn't been a new, fresh, outside of the box ideal since jazz...but don't get me started down that road. When it was time to chose a specific blog topic, I remembered what my 8th grade Social Studies teacher told me regarding a thesis. He said, "write what you can prove and not what you're emotionally attached to." Strong words from a guy that sat next to 80 year-old nuns all day. But, I think sportsmanlike conduct is a grey area that I can argue for or against depending on my mood. Considering the sizable number of blogs with similiar topics, someone is whispering "ditto" or giving me a cyber high-five.

For example, www.stlsports.org/sportsmanship/index.php
You need to do the secret handshake to get from this site which has a bunch of stuff about sportsmanship pledges, donations, scholarships, and donations to get to Solomon's blog. It was worth the dna samples just to read his mission statement: "Sportsmanship is a blog that showcases the respect, fair play, civility, and fun in sports. We will discuss the good, bad, and the ugly topics in sports - with the intention of making the sports experience better for all." He's not doing it for the grade although he is affiliated with the St. Louis Sports Foundations. With his Facebook fans, glare free photos, and variety of topics it is a "good read" as Oprah would say.

I conducted more searches because I thought it would be a nice ideal to showcase another blog. I got leery when I began pulling up things with "Indian" in the title. It could have been American Indians or it could have been blogs on the other side of the world. I'm not as adventourus (or lucky) as Tareq and Michaele Salahi. Also, I don't want my Internet connection interrupted by Big Bro. So let's assume you get the point that there are ethical blogs. One's that take notice to the little things for whatever underlying reason. And did I mention some take donations?

Help me out on this one

The first order of business is to congratulate Baldwinsville on their win last weekend. They are the undefeated Section III High School football champs! If you'd like to read more about them, check this site out: www.baldwinsvillefootball.com

Now, have any of you taken the time to follow the World Series of Poker? I go to college, work, raise three boys (+ a husband); so Joe Cada winning it and 8.5 million dollars was one of those things that missed my radar. When I learned he was 21 years old, my radar malfunctioned. At that age, I got paid once a month and it was approximately $700. I worked anywhere from 40-100 hrs a week. And as my boys have painfully heard at least once a day, I "ate rocks" for breakfast. To turn on the television and see high school athletes going from pimples to professional status in sports is irritating because they earn 100 times more than me. But at least they spend time training,promoting, playing,etc... And here comes Cada -AKA- Mr. Ego. One of my favorite lines from an interview with Cada was, "college bored him." Everyone has their own opinion and hopefully their own tax preparer. This is after all America the land of opportunity. People can play a variety of sports and be rewarded.

Here's my question to you: what defines a sport nowadays? Pool games, chess tournaments, and food competitions are being labeled sports. Does it have to be competitive? How about a monetary prize? Rules set in stone or some "cut and paste" politically correct guidelines? I know it goes beyond the physical aspect that was synonymous with athletes/players at one time. Since the definition of a sport seems to be changing, it might be necessary to reengage the definition of sportsmanship as well. Give me a little feedback.

The Bees might sting someone tonight!

Where is Baldwinsville, NY? Well, it's a village in Onondaga County. The population was 7,053 according to the 2000 census. Traditionally, their school district athletic program has been the butt of jokes within Syracuse city limits. I know because I was one of the main people, figuratively, cracking ribs and vertebra with laughter. It wasn't anything personal because Manlius Peeble Hill, Fayetville-Manlius, and Christian Brother's Academy tickled my funny bone as well. All the schools that were known for their high standardized test scores (and nonexistent racial diversity) were the worst at sports. Well, times have changed. F-M has an awesome track program; CBA has sponsored every athletic immigrant Madonna wouldn't adopt and they have an incredible soccer team. MPH is still MPH...

However, the Baldwinsville Bees deserve the spotlight. Their football team is 10-0. They won their first sectional crown in 20 years. When you see footage of Malik Burks rushing 243 yards or hear about starting Senior QB, Niko Manning's dedication, you can't help but wish the team the best as they head towards their next conquest. Tonight they play Union-Endicott in the state quarterfinal game at 1700hrs (that's 5PM for you civilian types). If you think I'm connected to these guys, your kinda right. I work in the Baldwinsville school district. But, I still live within the Syracuse city limits which makes it weird. The Bees are a group of good kids with raw talent, maturity, and utmost sportsmanship. You can't find a trace of a smirk on my face as I sincerly wish them the best of luck tonight and for many seasons to come!

unfAIR Jordans

Have you heard the latest nonsense surrounding Mr. Jordan? No, he didn't light another cigar across smog-filled California state lines. In fact, it's not that Jordan. It's his son, Marcus, who attends school at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Unknowing to me, Adidas is the school sponsor. Well known to Marcus, who decided to wear his Dad's shoe made by Nike which caused chaos. The guidance on these situations is as follows: "Shoe and apparel contracts with schools normally guarantee that all student-athletes will wear what is made by the contracted shoe and apparel company unless the athlete, for some reason, can’t wear that specific shoe because of medical reasons and a custom shoe can’t be made." Now, some sides say he was given permission to wear his Dad's shoe. Other's say he wasn't. I don't really care. What I don't understand is why he wanted to wear them in the first place?

If little Jordan, who might be a nice guy, wanted to show support for his Dad's legacy maybe he should go to the gym and practice his game more often. Maybe he should have attended UNC. Maybe he could have done like LeBron and skipped college and went straight to the pros. He could've worn his Jordans while sitting on the Bulls bench. But, no that wouldn't happen because he lacks the skill to play on a professional court. So now that we've all had a reality check and he's at UCF, why not act like a UCF player and wear what the rest of the team is wearing. This ball of confusion cost the school a contract. Adidas pulled out of their contract seven months early. I don't know if it's totally Marcus' fault because you've got a coach, parents, and some other incidental people along the way. It relays a poor message about team commitment and sportsmanship.

Bowling 101

When I was a young girl, there was one Mom on the block (shout out to Mrs. Booker) who would take a couple kids to the bowling alley. We could do anything we wanted with one exception: when you went to the line, you had to be respectful of the person on the next lane. I remembered that rule for many years. As an soldier stationed in Germany during the early 1990s, I could bowl on the Kaserne for $1.50/game. I bowled during lunch, after work, and even on the weekends. There weren't any kiddie bumpers on any of the lanes, smoking and drinking were encouraged and because of the competitive nature of most soldiers, the victories were swift.

Now, I live in Upstate, NY and the games cost a small fortune. There are screaming kids everywhere. But worse of all, when I go to the line I find myself waiting an eternity for the person in the next lane. The person inches to the left, then to the right, they raise their head slightly...I feel like they are going to pull out rosary beads. I take my turn. Still, I must admit I am torn between what's good sports etiquette and what's good sportsmanship. According to Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home by Emily Post, "apart from the technique of each sport, or the rules of each game, the etiquette or more correctly, the basic principles of good sportsmanship, are the same." She goes on to say, "And to be a good sportsman, one must be a stoic and never show rancor in defeat, or triumph in victory, or irritation, no matter what annoyance is encountered." I don't need to conduct a bunch of research and play devils advocate. I know right from wrong. Etiquette is a sub-category of sportsmanship. That makes both essential to bowling. Would you agree?

I don't have patience like Mrs. Booker so I'm sticking to the Wii!

Damn Danes

Caroline Wozniacki is guilty of being born into an athletic family. Her mother played on a women's national volleyball team. Her father (and coach) played football professionally overseas. Her older brother Patrik is a professional football player. Although she is the only Danish woman currently in the Top 300 on the Women's Tennis Association, she still finds time to enjoy handball, soccer, and swimming. Did I mention her Polish born parents speak to her in their native language? Keep all these things in mind as I maneuver to a match last Wednesday at the Luxembourg Open with the hometown's very own Anne Kremer. The lead had been held by Wozniacki. However, she had been suffering from a hamstring injury and would not have been able to play the next opponent if she advanced. Her father, speaking in his native tongue, suggested she retire from the competition. Sounds like a sportsmanlike gesture? Not so fast...the comments were picked up over the microphones and suspicions rose.

Long story short, no wrongdoing was found. Just an athlete doing what she would have wanted done for her. Do you think the investigation was justified? Or, do you think there might have been a little paranoia based on the language differences?

Terrell, meatloaf, and me

Have you ever watched the T.O. show on VH1? I can't speak for other people who visit this blog, but I promise I won't laugh if you have contributed to the ratings. In fact, I have been known to change to his show and put the tv on mute while I watched him swim across the pool. I imagine he's saying, "Yolanda, you make the best meatloaf...Yolanda, your smarter than Condolezza Rice..."

Unfortunately, my dreams aren't his reality. Let's put that on a grander scale. As much as we (the fans) fantasize all athletes are nice people, some aren't. Yet, being unpleasant or annoying doesn't mean they lack sportsmanship. If you watch ESPN and read the billion sports blogs in cyberstadium, Terrell Owens has been getting a bad rep for several years. Some of that was based on injuries. The majority were people jumping on the bandwagon saying things ranging from, "he's arrogant" to "he's a bad example of sportsmanship." One writer called him the "C" word---a cancer. Until recently, I believed the hype. Then I looked at his record. If you ignore the last couple of months or so, he has performed at a high level. I heard about all that hype with Garcia and I still believe Owen's, um let's call it, "unpolished interview skills" may have gotten him into more trouble than his intent. Besides, remember when Kobe was accused of sexual assault and Shaq started singing like a canary? Basically he said Kobe was an unfaithful freak way before this incident. Teammates run their mouths. That's immaturity or inappropriateness at it's worse. I still don't see the poor sportsmanship. Oh yeah, he spikes the football and puts on a little touchdown show. Not cool and he's paid the fine, or should I say fineS. I really think that whole thing is the equivalent to a NBA player dismissing the easy layup for a grand slam dunk. It's embarrassing to the defensive player but somehow it breaks the monotony of up and down the court. And the crowd wants it as much as the peacock displaying his (or her) spectacular skills. Am I so overwhelmed by those Hershey biceps that I'm missing the big picture? Can't wait for an answer. My radar has detected a missed handshake between Belichick and McDaniels that takes priority!

...Yolanda don't leave me alone with all this money
...You're the only one who understands me

the greatest

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
That's universally known as words from boxing great, Muhammad Ali.

Here's another:
"If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize."

What do either have to do with the sport of boxing? Not a damn thing. But, they were catchy words that got your attention. Attention slowly turns to loyalty along the way. Some called it poetry, the dozens, or trash talking. Did it really matter his words were labeled? The intent was to loudly communicate he was going to fight with all of his heart and win. Now check this out (read with a less than intelligible high voice)...

"I felt Holyfield was using his head illegally. I told the referee I wasn't getting any help, so I went back to the streets to smoke him. I cannot defend it, but it happened." Those words came from former heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson. His words seem more like fingernails against the chalk board.

Besides women becoming more involved, the sport of boxing has not changed much in my view. However, its ambassadors have moved in directions that make the fans longing for the good ole days. The days before Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield's ear. But those days included incidents like Duk Koo Kim. Things are not black and white in the world of boxing. I personally don't enjoy boxing. I do admire and respect anyone passionate about what they do; and that's what Ali's mouthy campaign boiled down to. Do you think Ali's words (sometimes accompanied by a mini-comedy show) was an example of good or poor sportsmanship? Keep in mind he retired with a record of 56 Wins, 5 Loss, 37 KOs. I want to close this out with one of my favorite quotes where he says,"I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world."

Do you think Presidents make good sports?

It's Thursday. Someone in the world is giving birth. Someone is dying. Someone might be winning at the crap table. But for me, it's laundry day. I work my way through a teenager's smelly soccer socks. I can't understand why my middle son has those "daisy duke" track shorts and three expensive Under Armour outfits in the basket when he has been sick all week . To top it off, the baby has a stain on his tee that has me dry heaving. I wonder if Mama Lincoln or Mama Taft went through this. No, they couldn't have. My curiosity got the best of me and I goggled, "athletic presidents." The result was presidents of local and national athletic groups. After a couple more attempts, I found Richie Whitt with a Dallas blog. He must have an uneventful life like me because he created a list last year that included:

10. George W. Bush His first-pitch strike – in a bullet-proof vest -- before Game 1 of ’01 World Series at Yankee Stadium is best sports moment ever for a U.S. President
9. Woodrow Wilson Played center field for Davidson College
8. Richard Nixon Scrappy linebacker at tiny Whittier College
7. Jimmy Carter Played baseball and ran cross country in the Navy
6. Teddy Roosevelt Boxed at Harvard and played tennis on the White House front lawn
5. Ronald Reagan Played football at Eureka College and portrayed “The Gipper” in Knute Rockne
4. George H. Bush Left-handed first baseman led Yale to baseball’s College World Series in ‘48
3. Dwight Eisenhower A linebacker/running back at Army, the “Kansas Cyclone” hurt a knee tackling Jim Thorpe in 1912
2. Barack Obama Lanky lefty led Occidental College’s basketball team in scoring in ‘79
1. Gerald Ford All-American center led Michigan’s football team to National Championship in ’33

I personally would not have included Nixon. He creeps me out. I would have thrown in JFK for general purposes. He was in lots of pictures sailing or playing football with his brothers. I would have squeezed Clinton in there. He did some Rugby back in the day. Plus, he's such a charismatic person, I think he could con the other team into forfeiting...which brings me to my point. Some people might think politics and sports make horrible partners. I think there might be some sort of drive (I'm not going down the hunter-gather road) that makes a person a favorable competitor in both arenas. Do you think President Obama, an avid basketball player, would throw an elbow under the boards? Is it possible Eisenhower grabbed a face mask on the downlow? Share some of your thoughts about Commander-in-Chief sportmanship.

The definition of sportsmanship.

Let's just speak hypothetically for a moment. Say you were a soldier. A good soldier stationed in South Korea. You and your wholesome friends decide to have a weekend getaway. Somehow you pass out and awake to find yourself stuck in a turtle ditch. But you're not alone. There's a Newport smelling stranger weaved between you and the drain. You wonder to yourself, "I'm not sure how this is going to play out but damn, how did it all begin?" That's kinda the mentality I had when I began this blog three short weeks ago. I jumped into the examples without presenting a definition upfront. Well, take a look at the woman in the picture. Don't tell me you need more. Here's some text to accompany the living, breathing example: F-E-L-I-S-H-A. That's Mrs. Felisha Legette-Jack!

She exhibits fairness in following the rules of basketball and I've had the pleasure of knowing her for 32 years. Our mothers were co-workers at a CNY hospital. That meant our paths would cross during summer cookouts and funerals. A silhouette of us must have resembled Willy Wonka beside an umpa lumpa. Our Virgo bond allowed us to get along despite a three year age difference and a mere two or three feet height difference. Let's fast forward to Nottingham High School in 1984. I was a Freshman on the JV squad while she was the Captain of Varsity. Muscle covered her once fragile frame and she was a force to be reckoned with under the boards. The coach, Ms. Spease, was demanding and obnoxious. But, like Joe Jackson, she molded talent and developed a star studded team. They won two State Championships.

After Nottingham, she went to the best college in the developed world--Syracuse University. That was when I officially crossed the line from friend to fan. Her respect for her opponent and the game was evident every time she stepped on the court. It reminded me of a Mike Singletary quote: "do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play." She was named Rookie of the Year in 1985. By the time she graduated she was 2d leading scorer and all time leading rebounder for SU women.

Since there wasn't a WNBA established, it was logical that she turned to coaching after college. She was a high school coach from 1989-91; the following two years an Assistant coach at Boston College; back to her alma mater as an Assistant coach from 1993-2000; Michigan State from 2000-2002; Hofstra from 2002-2006; and currently at Indiana University. Now don't think she went to all these places and just collected a paycheck. She guided Hofstra to one of its best seasons and has taken the Hoosiers to back-to-back 18+ season wins. Plus, they had to two trips to the postseason. One of those little known facts about her is she was a double major in college (child/family studies and psychology). As a coach at SU, she was credited with 100% graduation rate of the players. The lady gives all she has on and off the court.

Felisha is married and has a son. I strayed away from that because she's an incredibly private person. Considering how available she makes herself for members of the community, I think she should be able to have her own space. And she'd probably kick my pygmy ass if I did step out of line! Just kidding. She's a good-hearted person. She's gracious as a winner or loser. She transcended gender and racial barriers because of her attitude along with athleticism. I hope sharing her story makes another competitor stronger from beginning to end.

Anyone hungry???

Remember those pleasantly plump kids that participated in hot dog eating contests? Everyone in my neighborhood thought they were the biggest losers. Well, nowadays the hot dogs have been replaced with buffalo wings, ribs, pizza, doughnuts, cheesecake, deep-fried okra, and philly cheese steaks to name a few. Competitive eating is more than a trend. It's become a popular profession with individual prizes averaging $10,000 per contest. If you go on Facebook you can meet the "eaters" (that term still makes me laugh) under Major League Eating.

These guys train like you would do for any other type of competition. There are associated health risks with this as well. But, they have organizations that oversee all that technical stuff. According to the International Federation of Competitive Eating, "there are safety standards...it has to take place in a controlled environment with proper safety measures in place." And like any sport there are stars that shine a little more than others. For example, Sonja "The Black Widow" Thomas is a beautiful, petite, Korean born American. At first glance, you'd swear she could use a couple of burritos in her life. Those who've competed against her realize she got her nickname and 30 records because she takes her job seriously. There's Ian "The Invader" Hickman from Sterling, VA. He got my attention because he's noted for his great sportsmanship. What the ...? Do you get bonus points if you wipe your mouth after each bite?

I looked into it and yes, depending on who you talk to, there's an Eaters Code of Ethics. The Association of Independent Eaters was started by Arnie "Chowhound" Chapman. Officially, his organization states, "no separating, mashing, dunking, or other mutilation of contest food." In an unofficial interview (http://www.videojug.com/tag/interview-with-chowhound) he talks about the fellowship and respect that goes along with this sport. If someone is struggling, pour some water on their head or hit them in the stomach. You know the Marines have their code (God, country, corps). I have mine (family, country, Jim Boeheim). If that works for Chapman and the eating world, it's cool with me.

Mr. James, I had to take it there!

I am a hip hop junkie. I'm not in the closet. I don't need a recovering member of the Four Tops to lead an intervention for me. Just give me a Public Enemy cd and I'm high. But a dose of Jay-Z will suffice during hard times.

Last night I was watching his latest video and you'll never guess who had a cameo...Lebron James! I understand why Jay has Kanye West, the biggest baby in rap, appearing in his videos. They are on the same label. But, to add another? Oops, I said I wouldn't bash athletes. Let's put it this way, he's challenged, "in a gracefully defeated" way and I'm mad Jay even gave him a spotlight. Yes, it's been 90+ days since Cleveland lost to LA during the NBA playoffs. Both teams played well and the better team won, of course. However, all of that was quickly overshadowed by the selfish unprovoked act of Lebron. Why didn't he shake hands?

The entire city of Akron, OH idolizes him. He gives bikes to children during the Summer and school supplies during the Fall. I didn't read this in a tabloid. Shawn, my ex-boyfriend, has developed a Stan/Eminem relationship with Lebron. He tells me the poor man's schedule and activities way too often. I know he was ranked #1 for points per game during the playoffs. I realize he kicks butt in free throws. He's not exactly Carmello Anthony or Earl "the Pearl" Monroe but he's good. Which leads me back to the question: why didn't he just shake hands?

I heard that he didn't like to lose and to shake hands was an acceptance of his loss. BULL! Basketball is a team sport. If other members of the team can "humble" themselves, then he should be able to as well. Also, the Cavaliers have an impressive record. This means other teams have taken the time to shake hands in the face of defeat. This is bigger than sweaty palms touching. If that was the case, no one would ever go near Dennis Rodman. It's about tradition and good sportsmanship. In my opinion, neither are negotiable.

Excuse me while I sneak a sip of New Boyz...

When is enough...really enough?

I am the proud mother of three active boys. Two inherited my competitive gene. The other merely plays for the sake of the post-game snack. But, that doesn't bother me at all. My philosophy about organized sports is the children get exercise, learn group dynamics, and of course, better their skills at that particular sport. Notice I replaced the usual "team player" with "group dynamics." Team player implies someone "takes one"; while "dynamics" sounds more like leaders are being developed on and off the court/field. Well, during one of their many soccer games, it became obvious the other team was not much of a contest. Our coach put in the bench warmers. But to be honest, Dick Cheney and Hugh Hefner could have wiped these boys out! The crowd gave the coach a piece of their mind. I'm sure the members of the losing team must have gone through a spectrum of emotions: anger at themselves, anger at their teammates, anger at their opponents. I'm sure hearing their parents scream profanity at the coach and the zebra-clad villain, takes the defeat to another level. Ironically, the parents on our end were not sympathetic. They figured, "if they can't stand the heat get out the kitchen." I was really torn because I don't believe in all this politically correct, "everyone is a winner", nonsense. Someone has to lose. You can take the situation and practice harder or quit the team. At the same time, there's enough estrogen left in my household that I have some sense of empathy. Would I want to be that parent? Or better yet, would I want my child to be put in the position of that team?
Should the game have been stopped? Should the winning coach encourage his team to go softer on these guys? What is the sportsman code when getting spanked (that's a level beyond beat)?