When I first looked at the list of words there were to choose from on character, I was dumbfounded. There were twenty-seven values to choose from, all of them equally important. So after reviewing the list three or four times and getting the personal opinion of others, I decided to choose Sportsmanship. I chose it because instead of having to choose one moral, I chose one that combines them all.
True Sportsmanship seems to be becoming more and more scarce in today’s sports world. Just turn on the tv to Monday Night Football, and you’ll see two grown men insulting each other like eight-year-olds. Or if not that, then they’ll be dancing around with little or no form. To quote Jay Leno, “Imagine how bad it would be if football didn’t build character. ” Whatever happened to the Walter Payton days of yore? The days when a player would intimidate you with their skill, not their mouth. However, this infection of unsportsmanlike conduct has not only infected professional football.
Just the other day in the NBA, a player attempted to assault a ref who threw him out of the game. Then, there was when Roberto Alomar, a baseball player, spit in the face of an umpire a couple of years back. These events sadden me and often make me want to change the channel. Sportsmanship is not something just exclusively for sports though.
Sportsmanship should be used in all areas of life. I realize that most people don’t start dancing around or attacking each other on an everyday basis. I know it is not easy to just let some things go, but the harder people try, the better it will be for all of us. Just try and keep your cool and respect others like the great ones did and you will be fine.
Well, that’s my law of life. I hope everyone, including me, thinks about it the next time they’re disrespecting someone on or off the field. After all, who wants to be the guy watching Jamal do the dirty bird?
