Many of you are probably thinking something like, “How the heck can Hockey represent sportsmanship with all the fighting?” Here is what makes Hockey different from the rest.
While it is absolutely true that Hockey is one of the most physical sports (Sports Illustrated says it is the 2nd toughest sport [Boxing #1]), it is also the one where those who play can also see the big picture. In the other major sports where ones-self and ones-own are glorified in success, Hockey stands in stark contrast by showing respect to those who came up short. If you have ever been to a youth, high school, college, or playoff series deciding pro game, you have seen the handshake line.
After almost every game growing up, no matter where they are in the world, both teams line up and shake each other’s hands, win or lose, champion or not, to congratulate each other on their efforts. It is a tradition in-grained into the sport. Some of my proudest moments being a Hockey fan have been watching Stanley Cup Champion after Stanley Cup Champion follow this model. Buzzer sounds, throw gloves, sticks, and/or helmets into the air, mob the goalie, hug teammates (sometimes cry), put on champs cap, and then automatically like it has been built into their very being, line up as a team and shake hands/hug every player and coach on the team they just defeated. They don’t celebrate their victory during the handshake line; they celebrate the game, and the grit, passion, and determination it takes to play.
This type of sportsmanship is rarely if ever seen in the NBA, NFL, or MLB. When one of those sports crowns a champion, the winners are mobbed by reporters and other officials looking for that chest-thumping, self-boasting sound bite / video clip, and the losers are left to maybe congratulate a former teammate before disappearing into the mob and going to their locker room. When a big name player loses, he gets interviewed about why he and his team failed, and oftentimes he congratulates the other team but berates his own.
The question to ask here is which image do we want to send to kids? Do we want kids to realize that you can interrupt / put off celebrating long enough to show respect to your opponent, or do we want them to see that winning isn’t just everything, it really is the only thing.
Lastly, I want to cite some statistics about success beyond sport. What follows are the graduation rates among NCAA Div. 1 male student athletes as reported by the NCAA and its member institutions in their 7-year trend report of Sept. 2008. I also injected my own opinion by including their most likely career after sports in [brackets]. The statistics didn’t surprise me one bit, did they surprise you?
Ice Hockey- 84% [Manager/Entrepreneur]
Football (1-A)- 67% [Car Wash Attendant]
Football (1-AA)- 65% [Burger Flipper]
Baseball- 66% [High School Gym Teacher/Coach]
Basketball- 61% [Drug Dealer/Gangbanger]
Check back soon for my next article: Top 3 Greatest Sports Moments Ever
25 November 2008
11 November 2008
Unsportsmanlike Conduct II: College Game Day Edition
Every week the SEC, Florida St. or Miami (FL) provide numerous examples of the behavior mentioned in the previous post and now they go unpenalized. And nothing in my recent memory surpasses Michael Vick’s little brother Marcus’ actions in what proved to be the final game of his college career (Google: Marcus Vick stomps on opponents’ leg).
There are two major differences between the college game and the NFL. One is that school bragging rights are often on the line and because of this; the players are often encouraged by more than just their own egos, such as having thousands of their fellow classmates egging them on. The other major difference is that all NCAA student-athletes sign code of conduct agreements stating that they will exhibit good sportsmanship both on and off the field. I don’t think that chest-thumping and taunting the other team fall in line with that code of conduct.
The problem extends beyond the players too. School officials, government officials, and sponsors/boosters are also involved in these unsportsmanlike behaviors either actively or by inaction. Kudos, to Virginia Tech for kicking Vick off the team, but shouldn’t it have happened sooner? His Wikipedia page documents his frequent brushes with the law in significant detail. Vick spent his entire freshman year suspended for numerous criminal convictions. He was allowed to play his sophomore year, but had several more incidents occur both on and off the field (including the leg stomp). That still didn’t get him kicked off the team. It wasn’t until he was again convicted of various misdemeanors that VT finally had enough and gave him the boot.
In 24 career games at Virginia Tech, Vick threw for 2,868 yards, 19 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while also running 184 times for 492 yards and 6 touchdowns. My favorite one of his statistics occurred off the field where he was arrested 9 times!
Every time Michigan and Ohio State play each other in Columbus, we get to see unsportsmanlike conduct at its best, and not by the players. In 2006, when both teams entered the game 11-0 and ranked #1 and #2, the hotel Michigan was staying in conveniently had its water and power shut off. Then when the Wolverines arrived at the Horseshoe, Ohio State Troopers stopped the bus and illegally searched each player’s person and belongings “for drugs”. I don’t know whether those events affected the outcome of the game or not, but conveniently for OSU, the final score of the game: OSU: 41 UM: 38.
If I was a college administrator, I would ask myself what is more important, winning football games or teaching boys how to be men and contributing members of society. I would hope that everyone who knows me knows how I would answer. It is far more important to me that collegiate athletes become contributing members of society than champions or Heisman winners.
Enough is enough! College sports are supposed to be about giving a student a chance to also be an athlete, hence the ordering of the title student-athlete. As a society we must stand up for sportsmanship and demand that the NCAA and its member institutions enforce their codes of conduct, and punish athletes, school and government officials, and sponsors/boosters who violate them.
Stay tuned for the conclusion: Unsportsmanlike Conduct III: Hockey, a Beacon of Hope.
There are two major differences between the college game and the NFL. One is that school bragging rights are often on the line and because of this; the players are often encouraged by more than just their own egos, such as having thousands of their fellow classmates egging them on. The other major difference is that all NCAA student-athletes sign code of conduct agreements stating that they will exhibit good sportsmanship both on and off the field. I don’t think that chest-thumping and taunting the other team fall in line with that code of conduct.
The problem extends beyond the players too. School officials, government officials, and sponsors/boosters are also involved in these unsportsmanlike behaviors either actively or by inaction. Kudos, to Virginia Tech for kicking Vick off the team, but shouldn’t it have happened sooner? His Wikipedia page documents his frequent brushes with the law in significant detail. Vick spent his entire freshman year suspended for numerous criminal convictions. He was allowed to play his sophomore year, but had several more incidents occur both on and off the field (including the leg stomp). That still didn’t get him kicked off the team. It wasn’t until he was again convicted of various misdemeanors that VT finally had enough and gave him the boot.
In 24 career games at Virginia Tech, Vick threw for 2,868 yards, 19 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while also running 184 times for 492 yards and 6 touchdowns. My favorite one of his statistics occurred off the field where he was arrested 9 times!
Every time Michigan and Ohio State play each other in Columbus, we get to see unsportsmanlike conduct at its best, and not by the players. In 2006, when both teams entered the game 11-0 and ranked #1 and #2, the hotel Michigan was staying in conveniently had its water and power shut off. Then when the Wolverines arrived at the Horseshoe, Ohio State Troopers stopped the bus and illegally searched each player’s person and belongings “for drugs”. I don’t know whether those events affected the outcome of the game or not, but conveniently for OSU, the final score of the game: OSU: 41 UM: 38.
If I was a college administrator, I would ask myself what is more important, winning football games or teaching boys how to be men and contributing members of society. I would hope that everyone who knows me knows how I would answer. It is far more important to me that collegiate athletes become contributing members of society than champions or Heisman winners.
Enough is enough! College sports are supposed to be about giving a student a chance to also be an athlete, hence the ordering of the title student-athlete. As a society we must stand up for sportsmanship and demand that the NCAA and its member institutions enforce their codes of conduct, and punish athletes, school and government officials, and sponsors/boosters who violate them.
Stay tuned for the conclusion: Unsportsmanlike Conduct III: Hockey, a Beacon of Hope.
01 November 2008
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: “Narcissistic Football League”
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a passionate sports fan. Those who know me well also know that I really dislike the NFL. I love football. Even though it’s only my third favorite sport (Hockey #1, Baseball #2), I just prefer the college game. And unfortunately, I am beginning to have major issues with college football too. But here is why I have issues with the NFL.
For the last several years I have watched as the NFL has gradually evolved into a show rather than a game, and a big part of that has been caused by allowing showboating and unsportsmanlike conduct.
In the past, the players from each team would run their respective plays and when the play was over they would get up, high five and go back to their huddle to prepare for the next play. Frequently you would see acts of sportsmanship as players on opposing teams would help each other to their feet, exchange slaps to the butt or helmet, and the occasional pat on the back before returning to their respective huddles.
Now we get to watch the glorification of disrespect and poor sportsmanship, and of self instead of team. After a successful play, players are frequently seen to prance around the field while furiously thumping their own chest, striking some thug pose to show everyone that they are “playas” and not “players,” or waiting for teammates to join them so that all of them can engage in the previously mentioned acts. My personal favorite has always been when a defensive player sacks the quarterback and then stands over him and taunts him.
Terrell Owens is a prime example of this behavior, though he has severely toned down of late (probably due to his lack of success on the field and not because he has matured). A couple years ago, SportsCenter spent at least 5 minutes a day showcasing and glorifying his behavior as acceptable by letting us watch it from three different angles and having it included as a Top 10 play of the day or week. I got to see T.O. score and then pull a cell phone out and call somebody while still standing in the end zone and holding the ball. The next week, he pulled a sharpie out of his pocket, autographed the ball and then chucked it into the crowd.
I am so sick and tired of seeing these actions, and they set such a horrible example for the youth of America. What are we teaching our children about respect and good sportsmanship when we encourage and cheer for this type of behavior?
And as if that isn’t all, this type of behavior, which in the past would have been completely unacceptable and severely penalized in the college game, is slowly creeping in and becoming more acceptable.
Check back soon for Part II of Unsportsmanlike Conduct: “College Game Day Edition”
For the last several years I have watched as the NFL has gradually evolved into a show rather than a game, and a big part of that has been caused by allowing showboating and unsportsmanlike conduct.
In the past, the players from each team would run their respective plays and when the play was over they would get up, high five and go back to their huddle to prepare for the next play. Frequently you would see acts of sportsmanship as players on opposing teams would help each other to their feet, exchange slaps to the butt or helmet, and the occasional pat on the back before returning to their respective huddles.
Now we get to watch the glorification of disrespect and poor sportsmanship, and of self instead of team. After a successful play, players are frequently seen to prance around the field while furiously thumping their own chest, striking some thug pose to show everyone that they are “playas” and not “players,” or waiting for teammates to join them so that all of them can engage in the previously mentioned acts. My personal favorite has always been when a defensive player sacks the quarterback and then stands over him and taunts him.
Terrell Owens is a prime example of this behavior, though he has severely toned down of late (probably due to his lack of success on the field and not because he has matured). A couple years ago, SportsCenter spent at least 5 minutes a day showcasing and glorifying his behavior as acceptable by letting us watch it from three different angles and having it included as a Top 10 play of the day or week. I got to see T.O. score and then pull a cell phone out and call somebody while still standing in the end zone and holding the ball. The next week, he pulled a sharpie out of his pocket, autographed the ball and then chucked it into the crowd.
I am so sick and tired of seeing these actions, and they set such a horrible example for the youth of America. What are we teaching our children about respect and good sportsmanship when we encourage and cheer for this type of behavior?
And as if that isn’t all, this type of behavior, which in the past would have been completely unacceptable and severely penalized in the college game, is slowly creeping in and becoming more acceptable.
Check back soon for Part II of Unsportsmanlike Conduct: “College Game Day Edition”
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