Rivalries: An inevitable path to a lack of sportsmanship

Rivalries bring both positive and negative aspects to sporting events. However, in all levels of the sporting world today, rivalries seem to generate negative actions. Since when has it become OK to treat someone like complete crap just because they go to a different school and play for a different coach. Yes, I am all for the sense of family and brotherhood in sports, but that does not mean treating people from other teams poorly.

Rivalries are seen in all sports at every level. The Red Sox- Yankees rivalry may be the best in baseball history. Does it give Jason Varitek, a well respected baseball player, the right to punch Alex Rodriguez, a mostly hated player in the Boston region, during a playoff game? Some fans love it, some fans think athletes are more like punks. Both have many reasons for loving or hating it, but the lack of sportsmanship is inevitable nonetheless.

As a high school football player, I am prepared to hate my opponents. I am supposed to want to hurt them, make the suffer, and flat out destroy them. I am a new student to Holliston High School, although I have been living here for my whole life and have many friends here. But because I went to a private school my friendships have expanded beyond to nearby towns. I have many friends from the town of Hopkinton, including my girlfriend. One of my football coaches singled me out and said it was a "border war", which is OK, but does not give any reason on why I should hate them. I do want to beat them badly, but I don't need to hate them to do so.

With a sense of hate comes a sense of a "bad ass" anger. Shoving, biting, and swearing are all part of present day sporting events. It's no longer if you score a touchdown or hit a three, but whether you knock somebody out or embarrass someone and rub it in during the process of scoring. Rivalries are can be great - just look at Bird vs. Magic - but with vulgar actions in sport rivalries today, rivalries can produce negative outcomes and sportsmanship can be lost.

Most kids who grow up playing sports want to be a professional player when they grow older. As a kid I would watch the pros and pick out my favorite players. I did look up to them and tried to imitate them when I played. If a player shows no sportsmanship why would a little kid who thought of him as a hero show any himself. Pro athletes need to notice how important their actions are as well as their talent. They are being viewed by many fans, including young children, and sportsmanship is an important aspect that should be taught throughout the sporting world.

Rivalries will always exist, but the choice of whether sportsmanship will be part of a rivalry is up to today's professional athletes. I hope athletes will begin to show their respect for each other, because it makes the games both more fun to watch and play.

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Theres no "I" in NBA

It was not long ago when a basketball fan would check to see if the NBA game he was watching wasn't an And1 commercial. The sloppiness and "one on one" style has seemed to dim down this season, and teams are simply playing more like a team. And not only is it more fun to watch but it is producing positive results. The Celtics have multiple superstars on their roster, but it seems that every game they share the ball more and more. As a fan you like to see the movement and extra passes made by your team for an open shot instead of a disgusting, no look heave towards the basket.

The NBA is bigger, faster, and more skilled than ever before. No one-man team will be able to win consistently. Even a captain or a leader needs to rely on his teammates. A player can't average 50 points every night although sometimes it is doable, but does not necessarily guarantee a win. The faces of the Celtics include Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. All have been in the NBA for several years and are making more money every year. No matter how heavy their pockets may be, they still play basketball because they love the game. Not to long ago, if NBA players received their pay checks they didn't care how many wins they obtained that season but how many cars, houses, or diamond necklaces they could collect.

A prime example of the NBA playing less sloppy and have better chemistry throughout the league is the Olympic games. One would think that combining multi-millionaire professional athletes who are not used to sharing the spotlight and put them all on one team would lead to a catastrophe. However, the 2008 United States basketball team led by Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski all received gold medals through hard word and determination. The team showed composure and compassion towards the game in a way that they were almost untouchable. They did not care about personal stats or how many threes they could make in a single game which led to victory after victory. And when they did receive the gold medals they hung them around their coach's neck to show how grateful and thankful they were. This is American sports, this is what the NBA should be all about. When the players on the team care more about winning and less about the amount of credit they receive, the goals and success are limitless. It is also more fun to watch as a spectator and generates positive energy throughout the NBA. November 19th 2004 a brawl took place in an NBA game. The Pistons were playing the Pacers until the players on the court began a fist fight. The night ended with fans being charged at by NBA players and a truly embarrassing moment for the NBA. However, the progress the NBA has made with teamwork and the positive attitude players now have has done a great deal. "Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." Vince Lombardi

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