Sportsmanship, Macho Image, & Common Sense

When Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University hit her first home run of the season, it seemed like a dream come true. The dream was shattered quickly when she rounded first base and missed the base and came back quickly to touch the base and twisted her knee so badly that she couldn't move. Sara's teammates could not help her under the rules of softball and only a pinch runner could have been inserted but that would have resulted in a single instead of a home run. When players from the opposing team (Central Washington University) heard this, two of them picked up Sara and carried her around the bases allowing her to touch them all and complete her homer! This was no ordinary game as the two teams were in the playoffs and the losing team would be eliminated. When Western Oregon won the game 4-2 thanks to Sara's three run homer, Central was eliminated from the playoffs and also lost the conference championship. Who do you think the real winner was in this game?

Jason Taylor is a 34 year old All Pro defensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins. He decided to compete in the dance competition on the popular TV show "Dancing With The Stars". It turns out he is not just pretty good but very good and indeed has an excellent chance to make the final three dancers. As a fan of the NFL, I and I believe most people are in awe of a football player being able to adapt from the gridiron to the dance floor. Not so with his macho and disgusted general manager, Bill Parcells! When Jason tried to talk with him recently, Parcells ignored him and has been openly critical of his being part of the show as it must not be the image he is trying to shape for the Dolphins. With all the publicity the NFL has gotten in the past few years with their players spending more time under police investigations than time in the training rooms, an All Pro dancing up a storm sounds like a role model not a problem.

What's the connection, you ask? More and more, I find that women in sports might be getting it right more than the men! If Bill Parcells were playing for Central Washington, do you think he would have picked up Sara to help her around the bases? Do I think Jason would have picked her up and carried her around the bases? Yes, he would have and he might have taught her how to do the fox trot while doing it!

Ephesians 4:31-32 "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Monday Morning Message Sent 5/5/08

Back to List of Archived Messages