The following quote is from Sports Justice – A Sports
Blog with Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle commenting on Tiger Woods: “He's a good
reminder to be careful about building up people to be more than they are. His
skill was hitting a golf ball. If we made him out to be more than that, some of
that blame is on us.” We anointed
this guy, as we continue to do others. We gave him a free pass when his conduct
on the golf course was juvenile. We continue to do this. I have had a chance to
be around and sometimes coach some of the icons of sport. They are just people,
people who have an exceptional skill set in a narrow range of sport skills,
they are not gods. The problem is that society has not held these people
accountable for their behavior inside and outside their sport. They can do no wrong.
One again this is the result of anointing these people and putting them high on
a pedestal out of reach of the rules of society and normal social mores. How
many children does Tom Brady have to father out of wedlock before he is held
accountable? How many millions does Michael Jordan have to lose gambling before
he is held accountable? It goes on and on. It is a fair question.
Honestly this
why I am not a fan of big time sports. I know too much. On the other hand I
love watching kids play. I love to see the thrill of a great play, excitement
from learning a new technique, and yes the agony of defeat. It is real, but
even that is being taken away by greedy adults with early scholarship
commitments, showcase camps that bankrupt the parents and start the anointing
process early and often. Tiger Woods is just a symbol for all the excess we
have fostered upon ourselves. We all need to look in the mirror and see what we
can do differently. Part of it is recognizing big time collegiate and
professional sports for what they are, entertainment pure and simple. It is
the modern day Roman circus. I have not watched one minute of the Winter
Olympics. I did not watch one minute of the Super Bowl. Why because I can’t
handle the hype and the hypocrisy. A luger is killed on what is clearly a dangerous
course. What happens, the show must go on! I appreciate the athlete’s hard
training and effort, but that is getting lost in the hype and the money.
I sure
wish I could be positive and optimistic but that is where we are today. We can
and must do something. We must insure that sports at the youth and high school
level are given back to the kids. Allow them to be kids and play. No worries
about scholarships and contracts, just play! Only one team or individual can
win the contest, but that does not mean everyone else is a loser!