I know all of you will enjoy reading this article. I know I did:
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=38&u_sid=948937
And people say our kids are all bad. What a bunch of crap! Enjoy.
Thanks for that story. I played a year of JC baseball. One of our trip sponsor’s was The United Way. The paid for some of our travel expenses, we had to volunteer to help out with Special Olympics. Talk about a life changing experience. It certainly gives the words happiness and accomplishment whole new meanings.
And people say our kids are all bad.
The folks that say this, forget what they were like as teens/kids (really, they remember what they want to remember) or are trying to sell you a book/program/idea to make the kids “not bad”. (or they just like to bitch)
Kids are like highway drivers. 98% of them are good, but the only ones you remember are the 2% that cut you off, swerved in and out of traffic and rode your bumper. It reminds me of when I was a teen and my dad would tell me how hard he worked, how he saved his money, did his homework, etc. Then, I’d go talk to my grandpa, and he tell me “Your dad was a jackoff that was only interested in cars and girls”. Good ol grandpa.
Kids are in fine shape. Kids today are interested in the same things as kids in previous generations: sex, driving, spending money. But, you would be surprised at how many kids would be as selfless as the young wrestler in that story, if they were put in that position.
Every generation complains about the kids of the next generation. That’s a rule of nature … I think.
Note: I forwarded that story to the wrestling coach at my school. Read a good message, shared it with others.
What a great story. As a former high school wrestler, I can only hope that I would have done the same at that point in my life.
We had some guys on the team who wouldn’t even let the coach use them to demonstrate a move if it meant them ending up on their back.
Thanks for sharing.
Great article!! I’ve printed it out for my nephew–a first year high school wrestler.
clm
I sent that story around to co-workers, wife, etc, and they all enjoyed it. See what joy you brought to a bunch of people’s lives?
I think you give sports too much credit (the title of your post). Sports would be if the guy beat the living crap out of the kid and then pinned him or he quit. That’s just sports. You win, no mercy. You let up one ounce, and it may cost you everything.
What deserves the credit is humanity. The kid is a person who realizes the joy of winning and self-accomplishment. He realized that this kid may never feel that as others do. So, he wanted that kid to have that sense of accomplsihment and the joy of winning at least once … so he did what he did. Not because of sport, because of humanity.
I’m not trying to be a wise-ass and I realize you didn’t sit down for an hour and think up the title of the post or how it would be interpreted.
I was just thinking for the last hour (I’m giving final exams … ZZZZzzzzzz) or so about what “sports” really is … and it’s cruel. It’s harsh, and it’s extremely judgemental. If you are weak, you will get crushed. Sports says “second place is the first loser”. Sports says “silver medals suck”, etc. Sports says (like the EA commerical), “I’m better than you and I can prove it”. without that, it’s not sport, it’s just a game.
Whenever someone brings a little humanity into the realm of sports it is always heart-warming, b/c we’ve all felt the harshness and coldness of sport reality. We all know the sorrow of defeat lasts much longer than the thrill of victory. Sport says there can only be one winner. Humanity says the winner can be all of us.
All of us are better people for you sharing that story with us. Thank you.
TripleThreat, I’ve got a different idea of what sport is all about. To me, if you finish in last place, and you busted your ass to get there, you left nothing back, you win. To me, REAL sports is respecting your opponent, trying your best, shaking hands when it is over with.
I do see your point though. Very valid.
I actually heard this story while listening to the Dan Patrick Show yesterday, and heard the tail-end. How I remembered it today in the office is a miracle in itself!!!
Come to think of it, I will change the title of the original post. I don’t know what though!
To me, REAL sports is respecting your opponent, trying your best, shaking hands when it is over with
Isn’t that the very definition of sportsmanship?