This morning is no different from any other.
Yes, I love sports. It was disappointing that the Redskins lost last night and all of us in the D.C. area can mutter the all-too-familiar phrase “There’s always next year”. You know what though? It makes no difference in my life how the Redskins fared. Just like the past twenty-plus years, not winning a Super Bowl means diddly-squat at a personal level.
The Seattle Seahawks were the better team last night. My own feeling is that they are the better team, period… last night being no exception. They outplayed the Redskins at every level. The Seahawks rightfully deserved to win. The Skins were clearly outcoached and outmatched. It was embarrassing, to say the least. Still, it doesn’t matter.
So, last night I tipped my hat to the better team. Well done, Seattle! I wished them continued success throughout the playoffs and in the off-season. This morning? Well, the outcome of last night’s game is history. Ryan and I have work to do and Seattle’s victory impacts us not at all.
To me, the game was played on the field. Two adversaries squared-off to decide a victor. Nothing more. There will be tons of second-guessing. For the immature, mean things will be said and insults will be flying. Some people in Seattle will undoubtedly be poor winners. There are those in Dallas and Philadelphia that will revel in our defeat.
Again, it just doesn’t matter.
I will tell you this, no matter how much my team is put-down and ridiculed (some of it well deserved, I might suggest), I will not be out kicking people in the head about it. Sticks and stones, baby!
via davegranlund.com
We as fans need to watch sports for the purpose intended. Enjoyment. The spirit of competition. The thrill of the game. Entertainment. To us, it should be a social event and that is where we should leave it. Otherwise, when taken to the extreme, it could land a person in prison for 2-10 years with a felony malicious assault conviction and destroy good people’s’ live. Were these people raised by a pack of wolves? That is not being a good fan. Hell, that’s not being a good person. It’s uncivil and downright scary.
This is why I am a huge supporter of the website Fans Against Violence. In return, they are supporters of ryansrally.org and promote this site. Beyond this simple courtesy of helping each other out, we are not affiliated otherwise. You can get to this through my TBI Links page. I urge you to get behind this effort in “taking back the stands” and join their growing list of people and organizations who advocate proper fan behavior. Their message is so important that the NFLs Oakland Raiders franchise has teamed up with them and they were featured on ESPNs Outside the Lines this past October. As for me, I’ve been a registered member for years now and visit the site often. It’s purpose is noble and right.
Here’s the segment on ESPN. Be cautioned, it shows violence and fans in some serious brawls. It sickens me to know Ryan was a victim of this behavior!
Oh, and just one more comment on last night’s Redskin defeat. It just doesn’t matter.
Thank you so much for the amazing words! We hope that through our work we can help to ensure what happened to Ryan never happens again! Ryan and your family are always in our thoughts and prayers. We appreciate your support of Fans Against Violence.
Excellent, excellent, excellent…..
Well said amigo.
Ken, I agree ,they are just games for enjoyment and yeah,we’d like our
team to win, but any winning or losing should definitely stay in park
and not be carried over ..Ryan wouldn’t be putting everything into getting better
now, if all believed this .. The video was very good ,Hope all teams join
and all PEOPLE
love and a good day to you all
Gail
Bravo, Ken. A bow to your insight and wisdom, so eloquently stated. People come first — before sports, before stuff, before winning — people come first.
Those who lose touch with that understanding, lose touch with what is truly relevant in this life…and at the end of the day, they will neither fathom nor find true happiness.
Please give your amazing, strong, handsome son a big hug from me, and tell him how proud I am of him.
Keep telling it like it is, Ken — I’m worried about the passive acceptance of violence in our world today, especially with the younger people, some of whom seem to have trouble separating fantasy from reality. Reality is flesh and blood — and the good that can increase happiness in this world, along with the bad that can just as quickly destroy it. It’s a choice we all make every day.
Love, prayers abiding, faith and much hope.
Hugs, Paula
Ken, I just joined FAV. Anything to bring attention to the brutal assault on Ryan and Brian that night count me in! To be assaulted for saying “The Phillies Suck”, heck, on any given night any sports team in America can be filled in for ” The ______ Suck”. To know that other young adults stood by and watched their assault take place is also repulsive. When parents don’t teach their children to stand up for what is right, how to behave in a civil way to others, and how to be responsible, groups like FAV are formed. Hopefully FAV members will speak up at games, sports bars, and in general to reverse any situation they see going in the wrong direction. I do not wish another family to go through what the Diviney family has had to go through. Although the Diviney’s have tremendous community support, most TBI families do not.
Thought-provoking commentary, Ken!