High school football is immensely important locally. Our team is almost always nationally ranked, goes to the play-offs every year, usually the semi-finals, and holds several state records, including the one for the most championship wins.

With that kind of record comes alot of pressure, and sometimes coaches, players, and especially fans can forget it's only a game. Usually people get so into the "winning", they forget about the lessons the kids are suppose to learn in the process.

Here is a story I found a link to on the local football forum. I thought it was quite touching.

[ 11-02-2002, 07:38 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

Great story Ronn

Speaking of sportsmanship - I notice that NBA players no longer shake hands with the opposition at the start and end of games. They just walk off court at the end of the game, they don't even shake hands with their own teammates. When did this start happening? I'm certain that during the Magic-Larry days this still used to happen. :confused:

I'm not a big NBA fan, so I hadn't noticed that Memnoch, but it sucks!

Why wouldn't the teams greet and congratulate one another? :(

Back in college I played lacrosse. For those of you who don't know the game it has more injuries than any other sport; twice as many as the next closest sport which happens to be American football. In lacrosse sportsmanship is taken very seriously. Players shake hands before and after the game. The home team also hosts a party for all the players after each game. The rules also reflect the need for sportsmanship. In one game one of my teammates was knocked unconcious. When he regained conciousness he was given an unsportsman=like conduct penalty for cursing when he was hit in the head.
Compare that with today when players openly taunt the opposition during the game even at the middle school level.

<font color="cyan">That is immensley touching, and because of the kindness shown by the people on that field by allowing that lad to complete his dream, it gives the human race hope that all is not lost. </font>

This story re-minds me of the movie rudy. Also another touching story. And the world needs more acts of kidness like this one. Maybe we would not have to live in fear all the time.

Nice one Ronn

LOL Magic used to take greeting the opponent to the next level, he hugged and kissed Isiah Thomas before a game. :D

Around here most people take hish school football way to serously. You should have seen an artical our local village idiot put in the paper a few weeks ago. It was down right embarasing.

But back on subject, yeah I think sportsman ship is lost in most major sprots today. I dont watch many, just the NHL mainly, bur yeah its pretty much lost in the big 4 american sports...Beside hockey of course [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Hey at least they shake hands.

I think the NBA is the worst about this subject. Those guys really irk me.

Well, in rugby (and rugby league and cricket) the gamesmanship flows thick and fast on the field (just ask the Poms [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] ) but afterwards all is forgotten as everyone heads down to the pub for a few schooners and a bit of a yarn with the bloke you were smashing on the field an hour or so ago. :D