I often think we, as an American society, have gotten things way out of whack. We've gone overboard regarding the matter of sports in our country. Especially the “winning at all costs” attitude and philosophy.
If you think I am over stating my case, attend a University of Kentucky, Louisville, basketball game, or many other so-called major universities in our country today. Go sit in one of the super grandstands on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in many of our major cities and listen to some folks sitting around you. You might think their very being and life depended on the score and outcome of that contest.
Now, I must admit that those thoughts have come with my aging, as I once did not feel as strongly as I do now. For the few brief years that I coached, I thought winning was pretty important, and I had many a late night and early morning blues the following day still trying to shake off a loss. I was not totally crazy, but I have stood at the bank of that pit and looked in at myself and a few of my associates. Again don’t get me wrong, I believe that the participants should try to win any contest, and winning has its merits.
But what I see today with our society is that we are placing too many athletes and, I will add, coaches in positions they do not merit and we are definitely spending too much money in the area of sports. Today ten year old stadiums, previously built with taxpayer’s monies, are now being told, “We need more sky boxes.” Come on, I grew up when the Cleveland Browns or the New York Giants football teams played their games at the baseball stadiums of their respective baseball teams in their cities. It appeared to me that folks showed up for the games, and at the end of the game they declared a winner and loser.
“Congratulate the temporary”
For almost everyone on any level, sooner or later victory often goes another direction. Very few things in life are permanent, and so it’s true with winning, it is only temporary.
December 26, 2013
Keep on,
Larry Adamson