The Humanity of Sport

Off Topic
#1

During the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics, I saw
Yao Ming – an NBA player from China, carrying his country’s
flag … accompanied by a small boy.

The boy was 9 year old LIN Hao Linweiguju, who after digging
himself out of rubble of the school he once attended, returned to
that same rubble in an effort to rescue other students.

I then saw Yao Ming, who is over 7 feet tall, lift the small boy up
to his (Yao) shoulder so the child could get a better look at things.

What was said next, totally said everything about the humanity of
people at their best… I mean at their very best. There this 7 foot
plus basketball player and this little boy who tried to rescue his
classmates …the commentator said … “ With the little boy being
raised up to Yao Ming’s height, I wonder who’s looking up at who?”

Athletic competition, in its proper perspective, can bring together
the finest qualities of the human sprit. A true gift our kind that we
should strive for on and off the field.

Coach B

#2

Great post, some of my fondest memories that I will take to the grave have been either related to my own sports stories, or professional events.

Who remembers in November of 2001 when George Bush threw out the first pitch of the World Series, and at that point, nearly every single person in the world outside of Arizona was rooting for the Yankees, including this one hardcore RedSox fan.

My favorite sports moment of all time however, Brett Favre going out after his dad’s death and having maybe his greatest game ever. Forget all this stupid drama with the Packers management, It was impossible to watch that game without tearing up, that was one of the few games I’ve ever watched that I would say transcended the sport and was able to connect with the audience on a human level. Thats why players like Favre, Jordan, and Armstrong are so universally loved. They are all arguably the greatest ever at what they did, but when we watch them they seem like normal people. We see ourselves in them and get to connect with them on a level we never thought we could. They all played their sports with a level of humility that just seems absent among alot of players today, and maybe its only after overcoming adversity like they all have that they realise how lucky they are, but whatever reason it is those are the kind of athletes that can make their jobs more than a game.

#3

I have to say Coach Baker, you write some of the most meaningful, morally important, posts that I have ever seen on a sports website. Please, keep them coming, its something every young baseball player should read and try to relate to, or just think about.