One week ago, my son and I attended a game which marked the 3rd playoff appearance by my high school alma- mater in the past 60 or so years. I wrote then that I didn't think they, or their opponent belonged in the playoff tournament. A week later, I think that observation has been partially vindicated. The score in the Area round of the 2A Div. 1 playoffs: Newton-62; Hearne-13. Hearne defeated Malakoff last week 41-7. I can only imagine the outcome had the draw for last week's game been such that Malakoff played Newton in the first round instead.
What does it say about a team who squeaks into an expanded playoff system and gets annihilated by a much better opponent? Many will argue "that's just the way it is," and they are right. But, I go back to my original argument in this thread - why invite those who don't really belong? Is there any benefit in allowing more teams in so they can feel good about their season?
Why do I make this argument? Frankly, sport is such that no matter what extent someone tries to make everything fair, at some point it just won't be. There are always bigger and faster players. There are some schools that just develop better players in droves. That usually means that only a few schools are truly successful and the rest are part of the pile.
I remember during the course of high school getting word of district realignment and discovering we would no longer play some of our most hotly rivaled opponents. The way it was explained to us players then was it was a chance to be aligned with teams that we can compete with better. I didn't realize it then, but the realignment process was set up so that the UIL could promote "fairness" so that better teams could not keep a long-standing advantage over weaker ones. Since our school was mostly outmatched by the teams in our district, the prospect of being aligned in a "more favorable" district was very attractive.
Once, after the alignment process had ended, one of our coaches told us "men, you shouldn't be relieved that you won't play those teams anymore. Your new opponents will also be a challenge to you. It should make you sad that you likely will never get the opportunity to get revenge for the last time your old opponents beat you." He was right. We played other schools, with which we had no history and saw long-standing rivalries abandoned. According to UIL rules, it had become necessary to be realigned because many of our rival schools had grown significantly. Still, there would be no chance for revenge or to redeem ourselves as a team against those foes. We also found the new alignment to be just as feisty as the the old one and garnered very limited success.
There has always been a struggle in athletics. There also has been a winner AND, sadly, a loser. Having been on the losing side for most of my athletic career, I have to say losing, far more than winning, builds character. My coaches throughout junior-high and high school sports, who were likely considered also-rans in their profession by their peers, are still some of the most esteemed people in my life. They taught me life would never be fair and, win or lose, the only thing that would matter at the end of each night would be how much effort I gave in each contest.
Why is it, then, that we as parents try so hard to insulate our children and to protect them from the lessons of life? I'm not saying that we should just let them go and learn everything the hard way. That would be ridiculous and stupid. I think our kids deserve the best opportunities we can give them. Sometimes it's important to step in a protect them from something that is potentially a destructive force in their lives. More often, in concern for self-esteem, we intervene and rob them of the richest lessons they will ever learn in life.
At some point, however, we have to teach them that life will not be fair. We have to teach them that most of life's situations and circumstances don't have a story-book ending. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, because there will always be a winner and a loser.
It's ALL about how you play the game.
2 comments:
I'm not even going to attemt to have an idea about what you are talking about. the truth is, the only sports i know anything about is football. and as far as that goes, all i really know anything about is the Idianapolis Colts! and lets hear it for the Colts! today we make it to 10-0. i have been on this earth for 25 years, i have a real dedire to understand and "get into" baseball. but the truth is this, i know nothing about baseball, not much about football, and i really enjoyed watching the Colts win today with my wife. thats right, i watched the whole game. Go Colts! but you know the best part of the day was spending the day wife, and spending the morning praising our God with my wife. understand, i am not cutting anyone for not pointing this out themselves, i am just more excited than i have ever been about the milestone my wife and i turned over today.
AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!!!
I hope you're not a bandwagon fan. I'm a fan of sports, but I don't like bandwagon types.
I also don't care for the "we" fans, either. It's a pet peeve. Like I said, I've always been a fan. But, there's a stark difference between the team and "we" from a fan's standpoint. When you suit up and actually get on the field with the team, it becomes a "we" thing. Until then, it's a "you and them" proposition. Try walking on the field as a fan...you might spend the night in jail.
It's good you and your wife spent the day with God and football, though.
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