The Whole world is suffering because of the bad team we have in Washington, on both sides of the aisle.
We really can’t blame the Redskins so much if the funk has rubbed off on them. But, there is a bigger problem under the surface, and it is us, our “in your face” culture that my friend Jim Bayne has written about in his weekly column for the Culpeper Star Exponent….and here it is! ENJOY.
IT’S ABOUT TIME
It’s about time. I’m referring to the new rules which are being (and in some cases have been) imposed on some levels of the so called “sports” activities across the land. The NCAA has issued new rules to curb the celebrations which many participants in collegiate games seem to take such pride in performing. Pride which is for their own glorification and attempt to gain a little “highlight reel” time.
This has been a growing phenomenon at all levels from pee wee league to the professional game. It used to be that if a player engaged in acts of self promotion the coach would see that he received the seat at the far end of the bench and wouldn’t be heard from again until he had shown that he respected the team, the game and his opponent. However, somewhere along the line it became acceptable behavior to strut, point to the sky, waggle your finger at an opponent, chest bump (although in most cases it amounts to a belly bump—particularly at the professional level) etc.
I’ve pretty much lost interest in watching most games at any level because of the propensity for self adulation on the part of nearly all participants—that goes for the fans also who scream “we’re number 1” for any reason at all. I don’t know when it all got out of hand but it seems that since the late 1940s it has been becoming more and more prevalent. I watched a bit of the Washington-Atlanta game last Sunday and was really disgusted when a Washington player actually did his job and then crossed his arms over his chest and strutted like a duck. They are behind by a couple of touchdowns and he is making like he has taken them to the Promised Land. I’ve never been a big fan of the New York Yankees but have you noticed that they (and their manager) do not have their names on their uniforms? That is part of being a team culture and not playing for individual adulation.
Let me give you an example from the college level. In a story by Steve Yanda of the Washington Post he told of a player who rebounded a shot with a slam dunk and upon landing howled, gesticulated etc to the delight of his coach who said it “ignited” his team. Under the conduct rules now proposed for this year that player would be assessed a technical foul. When this particular player was asked about this rule he is quoted as saying “If I get a dunk like that again, I might just have to get a tech”. Right—two free foul shots and retention of the ball by your opponent—that’s the team spirit baby.
It is a shame that athletic endeavors have evolved to this. It should not be necessary that officials be placed in the position of enforcing standards of sportsmanship—enforcing the rules of the game is tough enough. Players should be taught that the acts we are witnessing will not be tolerated and this should begin at the lowest level of organized sports.
A closing observation. Did you see where Robert Benmosche, CEO of AIG since last August apparently opined that he might quit due to the restrictions on executive pay which was a part of the $80 Billion bail out that AIG received from we the people? Taking a line from a hit song of a few years ago “here’s a quarter, call someone who cares”.
Tags: Washington Redskins
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