Sportsmanship, etc.

So lately I've been thinking a lot about sportsmanship and how, for the most part, it's gone to hell. I saw this (the youtube clip) on ESPN the other day and all I can say is, 'wow.' That's one of the most emotional stories I have ever seen. Props to those girls. Some people rag on women's sports and deem them to not even be sports. I think this proves them all wrong. Would you see this via MLB?...probably not.

The next clip after that, I believe, was the owner of the White Sox swearing about them using... every other word (I kid you not) was bleeped out. C'mon. Really? Does this guy think just because he has a ton of money, he can act like he's the most important person in the world? Apparently so. And, I suppose, he must think it's ok that somewhere a kid is probably looking up to him and thinking, 'wow, that's cool.... I'm going to talk like that now, because he does.' It's ridiculous.

I suppose I am not one to talk about sportmanship, using that word directly. I've never played a sport at any level, other than: just for fun... although, it does exist there, as well. I am a band dork... a tuba played to be exact. BUT I have learned that you a) Respect people b) Treat people how you'd expect to be treated c) Realize that everyone has their own weakness, but at the same time, everyone has their own strength and d) Value everyone on your "team" (in my case, it was the other members of the marching band or ensemble). I feel that this is a lesson that some professional and college athletes have missed OR forgotten along the way. Professional athletes have NO excuse to act in the manner that *some of them* do. As I stated before, just because you make a ton of money does NOT give you the right. Remember, you can't take it all with you when you go... at heaven's gate you'll be right beside the guy that's unemployed and has no money to speak of. You're a role model, you're a millionaire, and what's more is that you get paid to do what you LOVE. Not everyone is that lucky.