When the Game's Over

ZBu: It was late at night on a Saturday my senior year of high school. Huddled up in a circle on the outfield grass, down on one knee were nine eighteen year olds looking around an empty field under the bright lights. Some stared aimlessly. Some had anger in their eyes. Others tried to no avail to fight back tears. These were nine eighteen year olds realizing the past four years were over, life was about to change forever and they had fallen short of a goal they had been working so hard towards... a state championship. Some knew they would move on and play again in college but others realized their time on the field was done. Such is the life of an athlete. Such is life in general. Everything you have come to know can be taken from you and over in an instant. But to this day, now ten years later, I remember looking around at my teammates and feeling so proud to have been a part of such a great team filled with many different personalities who cared for each other nonetheless.

I was reminded of this moment in my life while watching North Dakota State's post game press conference last night after being ousted from the NCAA tournament by San Diego State. I really hadn't thought about it in a long time though its one of those life moments that never leaves you and that's probably because I was one of the guys fighting back tears knowing I'd never play again. Something I really love, however, is that even though it has now been a decade since I played on the Wando baseball team, if I ever see any of my teammates out and about, now matter how long its been, we can pick right up and have a conversation as if we were hitting balls off a tee hours before. These are guys I'm forever connected to because we once shared the same hopes and dreams while growing into men together. The North Dakota State's men's basketball team will undoubtedly feel the same way towards each other and if nothing else can always have a drink and discuss the time they knocked off a higher-seeded Oklahoma in their final season.

Our last blog was about kids getting out and being more active. I stand by everything we said in that piece and kids should be able to decide for themselves whether or not they want to play sports. But its nostalgic moments like the one described above that really makes me hope my son or daughter invests in athletics. Not simply for a healthy body but for a healthy soul that has felt heartache and bliss all at once. The rest of life is too serious not to lose yourself in a game that can hurt badly at times but only makes you stronger in the long run. Win or lose, the memories and experiences are yours forever.

PAV: I got chills when I thought about that moment after our 4th loss of the season to Stratford. We were nationally ranked and we had really no business being so. We had no top prospects to name (no offense to Mike). We lost to a team that had two current MLB stars. We could've won! That's what I keep telling myself. I'm sure the North Dakota State team is saying the same thing: "If we could've stopped Xavier Thames, we had that game." The comaraderie those guys will feel after a great season by all measures will be everlasting.
The overwhelming feeling I'll always have about our amazing 2004 season will be that we were nationally ranked and outs away from a State Championship DESPITE our coach. Ask any of the 15 guys on our roster that year and all but one of them will tell you that. It was a moment in my life when I learned I could lead and when I learned that just because someone may be older and more experienced than you doesn't mean they are greater than you by any means. We won that year because we had faith in one another at all times. Can't learn that from Call of Duty.

Go Outside!

Pav: Recently, my wife and I were talking about how important we thought sports were in helping us become who we are today. Playing sports, especially team sports, helps you overcome lots of things. Social anxiety, self-esteem, leadership, coordination and just knowing that you can challenge yourself are only a handful of things sports can hep you either hone or overcome. I wish I were more active now and I think all the time how sports would always be a way for me to escape frustrating or otherwise negative situations. Just being outside and getting a little bit dirty can get you over the hump.
What I've noticed recently, though, is a lot of kids aren't active. I know its no secret that tons of kids play video games for hours on end, but having first person experience with two, albeit young, kids of my own and a nephew whom I'm with every day I've noticed a lot of kids could really care less whether they get outside or not. I'm going to digress...
I just watched a video of my dad and his brothers and their friends in 1962! It shows a bunch of kids, ages ranging from probably two to teenagers. They are running outside, trying to mount horses bareback, riding tractors and letting it rip in that primal way you know only exists in those moments when you have the freedom of childhood ahead of you. If you were to interview one of those kids today, not one of them would tell you they'd rather be inside playing board games (my weak attempt at a contemporary alternative to video games). My point is, you discover what you're made of when you're out in nature; getting bloody and bruised and sweating is well worth the effort.
I'm not against video games at all. I think they tap into different parts of us and can help with problem solving, spatial skills and imagination (article).  The real difference, to me, is that you're exposed when you're being physical with other people. Your body is vulnerable to injury. Your ego is vulnerable to embarrassment. If you get hurt in a video game, you start over. If you get beat by another player, you don't have to listen to their taunts. You are insulated in a very comfortable world while at your game console. Sports make you uncomfortable and I think everyone should have to go through that to learn what they are capable of. This article backs me up --> get active!

ZBu: We obviously have a lot of things in common (see Class inseparables yearbook picture) and in this case I definitely agree. My absolute favorite thing to do growing up in Baltimore was to go down to the corner store, buy a rubber ball, and throw it off my row home's wall imitating Cal Ripen with my baseball glove. The next big step was waiting for the older guys on the block to invite you to play street hockey or basketball against the other kids in the neighborhood. I know its cliché but I really stayed outside until the street lights started to come on and my mom called me in.
With that being said, I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Is it really that kids aren't active or are they a by-product of unbelievable technological advances and a complete shift in parenting styles? Imagine if your dad and his brothers had the new Xbox complete with 5 to 10 games and multiple controllers. Is it possible they would be more tempted to stay inside playing these games with incredible graphics while still messing with each other and learning some humility? Is it also possible that your dad and his brothers could play Xbox all day long because their parents allowed this to happen, don't have horses, and feel their kids are safer inside then out? I think so.
As you pointed out, video games definitely serve a purpose with kids and can help them grow in many different ways. There is also absolutely something to be said about getting outside, playing sports and discovering yourself like kids have been doing for centuries. Ultimately, I think it comes down to the impossible task of parenting in an age more advanced than any other. Even if you limit your own child's video game playing, he or she can still go over to friend's house and spend more time inside. I think we just have to continue to show them the benefits of both and understand kids are inherently active. If we show them the benefits of sports and are enthusiastic about them, they'll come around.

PAV: I think you really hit home with the "impossible task of parenting..." in the times we are in. My wife and I second guess all the time if we are making the right decisions about what our 5 year-old does and is exposed to. I know I can be overbearing with my expectations and I actively curb that when I can. I think the goal should be to figure out what your kid responds to naturally. My son plays tee ball 2-3 times a week, has Tae Kwon Do lessons twice a week, and LEGO class once a week. He is allowed to play video games (tablet only) on weekends. That's a lot of stimulation for a little kid, but I know he responds positively to all of it. He gets tired during the week, but I enjoy the fact that his busy little brain and uncoordinated little body get a good workout.  You'll soon learn about this, future dad...

Keeping it Real

ZBU: I had originally intended to throw this topic up at the end of our Court Storming post but later decided the subject deserved its own spot. So who is keeping it real? Well in my opinion, its Ian Kinsler, the infielder who is now a member of the Detroit Tigers. Ian made some news worthy statements recently when being interviewed by ESPN the magazine. He is quoted calling the Texas Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels "a sleazeball" and saying he hopes his former team goes "0-162" this season.  Kinsler felt slighted by his former team's G.M. because he found out about being traded for Prince Fielder well before actually being told in person and he apparently had various other issues with the team's front office. Kinsler is of course being ripped by various media outlets for his comments now but let me be one of the few to say I LOVE IT! I'm so sick of the politically correct, garbage statements that most athletes make. I am especially sick of the "buddy-buddy" attitude many athletes have toward each other. This is why I loved when Kevin Garnett shunned Ray Allen in their first game against each other after being teammates for 5 years in Boston. Ray went to go shake his hand and make small talk before the tip and KG just looked the other way. You are now the enemy. This is competition and your career not some Sunday over 40 church league. Bird and Magic would never have played grab ass before a game started. Pete Rose ran over the catcher in an All-Star game that meant nothing!  I say good for Ian Kinsler. You're not a Ranger anymore. They traded you because they believed they could upgrade. Instead of saying thank you for the time spent in Texas, why not say screw it I hope they lose every game this year because they are now the enemy. If your boss swapped you with another employee at another company would you put on a smile and thank him for having you at the company or would you say the hell with them and use it as motivation? I know what I would do...I'd keep it real.

Pav: This sort of reaches a larger subject for me. People are more and more guarded about what they say in general. I think people should say exactly what they think or keep their mouths shut. I'm obviously not condoning anyone walking out into the world and shaming everyone they know because they are in a bad mood. What I mean is, when someone asks you a question or your opinion about something, just say what you really feel. I would much rather interact with someone who is up front and completely hates me than someone I can't figure out. It's not fun to guess at peoples emotions and motivations. It's a waste of time and energy I'm not willing to engage in.

I think Ian Kinsler is going to catch some more shit because of this silly incident, but he is totally entitled to say what he said. He felt slighted and acted accordingly. He should be respected for that. He was treated like a commodity like athletes often are and he should be mad. I hope it motivates him. 

Court Storming

ZBU: We got a double topic post today as a new issue arose within the last day that I wanted to touch on at the end. First things first. By now everyone has heard about the fight that broke out between fans and players after Utah Valley's 66-61 overtime victory over New Mexico State. If you haven't, have a look https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2al0WUXpCXg. It was a pretty wild scene and to be fair it could have been avoided if New Mexico State guard K.C. Ross-Miller wouldn't have lost his cool and launched the ball at Utah Valley's Holton Hunsaker just before the buzzer. This act was definitely the spark that ignited the chaos. But let's be honest...it's really a surprise this doesn't happen more often in what has become a cliché ritual after wins.

Now I have to point out I have never had the pleasure of storming a court but I know people who have and they all say its a memorable experience. I absolutely think everyone should get to experience it once but when you have fans doing it on a weekly basis, it has to lose its meaning. Not to get all psychological here but I think this can be related back to how kids are raised these days. In the era of "every player gets a trophy," this generation's college students can't be left out of anything, so they have to storm courts like they used to see on tv after big games. Their fatal flaw, however, is they put no meaning behind their celebratory acts. They just do it so they can say they did. But as I said, when every kid gets a trophy and everyone has stormed a court, the passion and meaning are long gone. Do I think a court should be stormed every once and a while? Absolutely. Should you see it happen every week on ESPN and has it become redundant? Without a doubt.

Pav: I think the Indiana Pacer's incident with Stephen Jackson and Ron Artest is a huge reason fans' interaction should be severely limited. The problem is that everyone wants to be as close as possible to the action. People want to be seen next to these athletes so they can be a more intimate part of the experience. The problem is, spectators CAN'T be a part of the action. The sanctity of sports is gone, then.  It only ever hides in the nooks and crannies between social media and fan interaction. Those spaces are disintegrating. I think the Pacer's incident proves that people can't handle being so close to the action a lot of the time. I realize there are two sides to the aggression in the example I'm using, but its hard to protect an already vulnerable athlete from any one of thousands of possibly drunk, likely angry fans. Athletes should be left to celebrate or fight or cry without your drunk asshole friend shoving his face in the camera doing the "suck it" gesture. I do, though, think there is certainly a place for mass celebration...

If you're South Carolina (not picking on the Gamecocks) and you beat No. 25 Kentucky for your fourth conference win of the year, you aren't special and you've won nothing. You are celebrating something less than mediocrity. You are celebrating the fact that you are inferior. This happens almost once a week in whichever conference happens to be televised. Where do you go from there?

Mike Krzyzewski says that Duke fans only storm the court for Championships. Expect greatness from your school or team. Don't celebrate getting lucky or the fact that you beat a perennially great team on a bad night. I went to The U as a freshman in 2004 thinking I would for sure see a championship football game of some kind. It never happened. In fact we were pretty average for the four years I was in Coral Gables. We never celebrated victories as though it would be the only one we'd ever have. I can guarantee we would've found a way around the security wall if we'd won a National Championship, though. We need to give our athletes (professional and, um, otherwise) the respect that we expect them to be better than the game before. Respect them enough to hold them to higher standards than the mediocre.

Arizona Anti-Gay Legislation and the Super Bowl

ZBU: So to kick off our first topic, allow me to briefly summarize the situation. Earlier in the week, the Arizona legislature passed a bill named the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Its proposed purpose was to restore freedom by allowing businesses to refuse to serve anyone on religious grounds. Now, one thing this blog will never be is political propaganda aimed at one side or another. Its not because either of us don't have strong beliefs, but rather because I've found pieces that reveal their allegiance for one side or another  to stir innate stereotypes about the writers and the subject. Its sad but true.

Anyway, the bill obviously caused a scene as many viewed the law as a way for legislators to discriminate against gay people. Basically, your old anti-gay sentiment bill disguised as a pro-freedom law. Now, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was ultimately vetoed later this week by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. Many have questioned, however, whether she did so because she thought it was morally wrong or because she was under a lot of pressure from powerful groups...mainly the NFL.

The League put out a statement basically saying how their policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness and they would closely follow the decision in Arizona to formally make the bill a law. It is believed they were going to move next year's Super Bowl from Tempe if the bill wasn't vetoed. This would obviously have resulted in a couple million dollars in lost revenue for the state.

With everything that has gone on this year from the Richie Incognito vs. Jonathan Martin saga to the upcoming historic season with Michael Sam as the NFL's first openly gay player, the move by the League is not surprising. And there are other obvious opinions to draw from this story; Arizona has some crazy representatives and the statement by the NFL was pretty noble. But really what business is this of a sports league? When did the NFL become mob-like with its political intimidations?

Has the NFL grown too powerful?

Pav: I think the NFL has a mandate to be as powerful as they have been. Their regular season games get more viewers than World Series and NBA Finals games do on a regular basis. The NFL is America's most lucrative sport and easily the most popular.

The irony of the question of whether the NFL is too power hungry is that they nearly chose to pull the Super Bowl out of Arizona based on their cultural beliefs while Arizona nearly chose to leave those who live "alternative" lifestyles in the dust based on an opposite set of cultural beliefs.

So, no, they aren't too powerful. Google can pick and choose where their headquarters are, where they hold seminars and at which tech expos they present their new products. You better believe it would benefit any city in America or anywhere else to have an employer like Google bring their clout and the revenue that comes with it. Same goes for the NFL.

The NFL may have coerced the queen governess of Arizona to veto the conservative bill. But, if I had enough sway over a business partner and I saw a decision they were about to make would hurt my reputation as a leader of acceptance or at least an entity trying to promote social acceptance, I would certainly intervene in my own interest. Is that wrong?

Actually, the NFL has held this power for a long time. Long before the Goodell era. In fact, the last time the NFL vacated the Super Bowl from a specific venue was in 1993 in...ARIZONA. Arizona passed a bill to NOT recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an official holiday. They were on the slate to host a Super Bowl and lost that opportunity because of the same kind of radical policy they tried very recently to pass. They of course repealed the law a year later and were given the 1996 Super Bowl. That state is lucky to be in such a warm climate or no one would ever consider bringing business there.

I was so ready to get political on this. Glad you said what you said, though, ZBu. I don't think my political opinions, however acute, should cause anyone to form a complete picture of what online persona (thank you Steven King) I try to bring out in the blog.

The NFL is king. For now. Let the king play throne games until his reign is through.