March Madness? Stop the Insanity!

I just learned that because our high school basketball team is playing in a semi-final game this afternoon, not only is the high school letting out early, but my son will be one of only three fourth graders in class.  About 85% of his fourth grade class will be gone to the game.  For the quarterfinal game earlier this week, almost 75% of his class was gone to the game.  Doesn’t anyone see this as inappropriate?

I have always been under the impression that schools were intended for education, and that sports were extra-curricular events.  They are outside the curriculum, added to the education process.  I accept the high school letting out early for the game, although I would be pleased if they didn’t.  (The high school didn’t let out when my high school basketball team went to the state tournament.  The school administration apparently thought we should be in class.  I guess that makes me old school.)  But fourth graders?  Maybe I could see it if a brother was playing on the team.  But 85% of the class?

I’ve also had people cast aspersions on my character this week because I didn’t go to the quarterfinal game, nor did I listen to it on the radio.  “Pastor X went to the game,” implying that I would somehow be doing the pastorally appropriate thing by dropping my sermon preparation, prayer time, visitation schedule, etc., in order to attend a quarterfinal basketball game an hour’s drive away.  “Didn’t listen to the game? Have you lost your interest in basketball?”  No, actually I was working and didn’t feel the distraction would be appropriate.  Besides, I’ve never much cared for listening to basketball on the radio.  Baseball lends itself beautifully to radio.  Basketball?  No, not really.

I am excited that our high school team is in the semi-finals.  I hope we win.  I might go to the game if it’s the state championship – it’s a Friday evening, so we could make it a family night event without missing school or work. 

But, since I didn’t attend or listen to the quarterfinal game, I’m apparently considered to be less of a pastor and less of a fan.

Because my son didn’t attend the game, he gets to spend the afternoon with two other classmates.  Doing what?  I have no idea, but I hope it has something to do with education.  And I hope he understands that we believe his education is more important than a high school basketball game.

March Madness?  Yes, it is.  But I don’t know what to do to stop the insanity.

Dubai Update

In my previous post, I noted the unjust actions of the WTA event in Dubai, where Israeli women's tennis player, Shahar Peer was denied a visa to play.  There have been a few news updates on the situation:

The men's ATP event in Dubai is going on now, and defending champ, Andy Roddick, withdrew from the tournament because of the Peer situation.  Roddick didn't make a big deal about it, but his withdrawl was the right thing to do.  Way to go, Roddick!

The WTA levied a $300,000 fine against the Dubai tournament and required assurances that all players will be allowed to play next year.  They also gave Peer rankings points and a winnings share equal to her average performance last year.  A good, appropriate move on their part.  A number of WTA players, including winner Venus Williams, supported Peer verbally.

The women in the tournament were already in Dubai when Peer was denied entry, so they would have had to cover travel expenses, and stars would have forfeited performance fees.  Peer stated that, in spite of her unjust exclusion, the show should go on.  Good for her.  Though it still would have been a laudable gesture for at least one player to have withdrawn.

So there were some good responses to an ugly situation.  For that we can be thankful.

It's Tough to Do the Right Thing

Last week, Venus Williams won the Dubai Open, but Shahar Peer was not allowed to play.  No one on the women's tennis tour, apparently, protested.  It's hard to do the right thing when there's so much money involved, and so many people who will be disappointed, or so the story goes.

Peer was part of the main draw for the tournament, but was denied a visa because she is an Israeli.  They cited security concerns.  (Today, the men's tournament begins, and an Israeli men's doubles player, Andy Ram, will be granted a visa.  Apparently it's easier to provide security for a man than a woman.  Why the double standard?)  The UAE waited until the other players had flown in from all around the world before they denied Peer's entry into the country, thus making it difficult for the tournament directors to protest by canceling the tournament.  The WTA expressed "deep disappointment" about the situation, but did nothing at the time to address the injustice.  Venus Williams spoke a few platitudes about the situation, but even then said she didn't "want to rock the boat or upset people."  She spoke of her father's battle with racism in the USA, but wouldn't speak up about this injustice.  I was disappointed with her response.  Not surprised.  Just disappointed.

The other players didn't pass on the opportunity to play in the tournament with extremely lucrative prize money.  Some said they didn't want to disappoint fans, and, besides, they were already there ready to play.  Not a single player withdrew in support of Peer.  Apparently there has been no word from the various sponsors, either.

It's not easy to stand up for injustice, to stand against big money that's offered, to fight against the system.

It's not easy, but it would have been great if someone had done it.  Anyone....

Sportsmanship in Tragedy

Back in my home city of Milwaukee, sportsmanship was held high in the face of tragedy.  The descriptions of the night bring tears to my eyes.  Two intentionally missed free throws would usually be cause for being bothered that the rules of the game were being flouted.  But in this case, the missed free throws were the right thing to do.

The story involves a developing rivalry between a team from DeKalb, IL and Milwaukee Madison High School.  One of the Madison players lost his mom suddenly the day of the game.  The DeKalb team offered to cancel the game, but the Madison coach said that their opponents had driven 2-1/2 hours to the game, and his players wanted to play, so the game would go on.  DeKalb told them to take their time, and when the Madison team was ready, they had only 8 players and it was over 2 hours late.

To everyone's surprise, in the 2nd quarter, the player whose mother had passed away appeared and wanted to do more than sit on the bench and cheer.  He wanted to play.  The problem is, since he wasn't on the pre-game roster, it would cost a technical foul, and two free throws.  The Madison coach understood, and was willing to take the technical to put the grieving player in the game.

The player entered during a time out, and soon the Madison coach was arguing with the referees, that they didn't want the technical foul.  But the rule are the rules.  So, he asked for a volunteer to take the free throws... and miss them on purpose.  A senior volunteered, and his two free throws travelled a few feet in the air and rolled across the end line.

Madison went on to win, but that wasn't the story line, and isn't what the players and fans at the game will remember.  They'll remember a gesture of respect in a moment of grief, and they'll remember the friendship of rivals that grew around the postgame pizzas, each pizza shared by 2 players from each team.

Rivals who are friends, and who respect the sorrow of their opponents.  That's something rare.  If only all rivalries were shared by friends who could share pizza together... and miss free throws when it's the right thing to do.