Editorial

The Gazette, our local newspaper, features an interesting editorial. The editor sporadically writes a column when he has an axe to grind. God forbid he actually do his job as editor and write a weekly column. Kristie alerted me to the editorial when I called her on my way home. The article got her so worked up that she actually wrote a letter to the editor (I read it. It's excellent and she needs to send it in. It trumps anything that will follow, but I thought I'd add my two cents here as well).

This week he writes about his son's decision to not go out for seventh grade football, opting to go out for drama instead (which his father conveniently advises).

Now our editor doesn't miss a chance to get his digs in at some of his favorite targets -- public officials, the local tubing business, and athletics -- while plugging his favorite subjects -- annexing from the city, the drama club (last spring our choir and band teachers were foolish enough to allow him to distribute the drama club awards during the concert - and he didn't shut up for close to 20 minutes!), and model airplanes. This time he uses his column to take a shot at sports.

If you have read this blog before you know that I have taken my fair share of shots at athletics too, though I am a coach. I stand by the belief that athletics enhance a student's high school experience. They should not supplant their academic experience.

However, the problem with the editorial - besides the axe grinding and cheap shots - is he is putting words in his son's mouth and twisting the whole thing around to meet his own needs.

Here is the paragraph that has Kristie and I worked up --

"He [the editor's son] truly loves being with his friends and participating in sports for fun. Although not one of his reasons, he does not like what he identifies as the "sports mentality." The idea that you put everything aside (including family) when you join a team and winning is the most important thing. Everything else comes in second. He doesn't want to be one of those people."

Not great writing. I know (you should read the rest of the rag if you want to see some horrendous writing).

As Kristie points out in her response, what the editor neglects is the simple fact that drama and athletics can -- and should - co-exist and mutually benefit one another. That's the way it is where I teach. If you examine the choir kids, you will find the top athletes and scholars. This is a relatively healthy environment for kids with athletics, choir, and school enhancing the students' experience.

The editor, though, seems to think he can only build up his drama club by knocking down athletics. Kristie is living proof that this doesn't need to be - she loved choir and drama as well as playing four sports (and never earning anything lower than an A in any of her classes).

Personally, I have a problem with the editor's underhanded agenda.

If you look at that paragraph, you'll see his little digs right away. Now, we live in a very small town. It's not like we have Pop Warner football leagues or things like that. We do have some elementary school sports programs as well as summer rec, but if his son is just entering seventh grade, how does he really know that his son has been playing sports strictly for fun when he has not even had a chance to be exposed to organized athletics? That would be like me saying that Casey enjoys acting for the fun of it but doesn't want to go out for the drama club. I hardly consider what Casey uploads on youtube as organized theatre.

Next, the editor claims that the sports mentality was not one of his son's reasons for quitting. So why mention it at all? And is "sports mentality" - though it's in quotes - really coming from his son's mouth or - more likely - his own?

Third, who says that all sports have that mentality? At Lincoln, our head football coach goes out of his way to foster a true football family with his seniors and their parents. You should see their final senior recognition night. Coach Mumm puts a strong emphasis on academics and leadership. He exposes his seniors to leadership building activities and makes sure they are role models. For example, in their team meetings every morning he has a leadership activity, right a long side the offensive and defensive game plans. He also has scheduled time this fall for his seniors to work with elementary kids about making good choices. He even has a gold dot for all of his players to put on their cell phones. The gold dot is to remind them to "do the right thing" at all times. To drive this point him, his seniors will wear a blue shirt with a gold dot on the front every Thursday. The back of the shirt reads "do the right thing." Does that sound like someone who has a so called "sports mentality"? Mumm also refuses to give out awards - as do several of our coaches - because it is not about winning and personal achievement - it is about building - and here is another of Mumm's slogans - "a lifetime of memories." Athletics enhance this.

Simply claiming that in order to be an athlete you have to sacrifice your family in order to win is as ludicrous as saying that only nerds, faggots, and freaks go out for drama.

Finally, the editor concludes that "He [his son] doesn't want to be one of those people." I thought this wasn't even one of his reasons? Didn't the author even read the second sentence of his own paragraph? If he isn't putting words in his son's mouth there, he certainly is twisting his son's decision to not play athletics into an act of martyrdom.