Juxtaposition

Yesterday, I saw this clip posted on Youtube.  Talk about sportsmanship.



It also coincided with my reading of several definition essays from my College Comp 2 class.  As it turned out most of the drafts were very poor.  Students wrote in generalities and tried to BS their way around defining much of anything.  All this despite my constant refrain of specifics, specifics, specifics.

So to drive the point home, I used the following videos to try and show them the meaning of some of the abstract concepts they chose to define - like sportsmanship, triumph, dedication, belief, love . . .

My point was to have them chuck all the generalities about, say, teamwork in favor of giving me one clear image or short narrative or glimpse into what it really feels like to work as a team or to succeed as a team or sacrifice for the good of the team.

I am amazed by these videos.  I hope the point was driven home.  We'll see on Monday when their final drafts are due.

Talk about defining love and commitment:



I was reading about this father, and in an interview, he said that when his son was born with such special needs, the doctors told them they should institutionalize him.  But his parents wouldn't hear of it.  They sacrificed and committed themselves to giving their son as normal of a life as possible.

This family should be mandatory watching for every family in America.  Why there isn't a reality TV crew permanently stationed five feet from these two is something I can't figure out.  Yet, we get to watch hours of Honey Boo Boo.



Talk about dedication and beauty:



The dedication this father shows for his son - working all night, sleeping for a few hours, and then going to class and band practice with his son - is an example for every father.  Whenever I get grumpy because Cash wakes up at 1 and then 3 and then at 4 and then again at 5, I just think of this man and what he does for his son.  Suddenly, my momentary discomfort seems laughable.

Talk about sportsmanship and sacrifice:



Imagine picking up a stranger you are competing against and carrying them across the finish line?  Every time some dumb NFL player blows kisses to the crowd after catching a first down or does some silly dance after scoring a TD or grandstands in some other idiotic way, remember this video and what it really means to compete and do something great.

Talk about triumph and being part of a team:



This is a college cross country team.  Their coach is dying of Lou Gehrig's disease.  As a tribute to him, the team, which is part of an incredibly successful cross country program over the years, dedicates themselves to winning this competition.

This athlete perfectly illustrates what it means to give it her all and to sacrifice.  If she doesn't finish, the team will not win.  If anyone even touches her, she will be disqualified and their goal will be ruined.

Yet, somehow she find the strength to crawl to the finish line.

Whenever we are tired or angry about something trivial (having to wait an extra 10 minutes in line at Wal-Mart or that it's just too difficult to make it to the gym or that extra Girl Scout Cookie is just too good to resist) just remember what this athlete is willing to do to achieve a goal.

Yet, despite all of these amazing individuals, you still have folks like the following examples -

These fools from Red River who decide to dress as KKK members for a hockey game (during Black History Month no less).



And this stellar roll model, a former youth hockey coach in Canada who is so upset after a hockey game that he decides to trip a 13 year old opponent.  As it happens, the boy breaks his wrists while falling.  Recently the man was sentenced to 15 days in jail.



His attorney tried to plead the moron's case: “He’s rebuilding his life after this incident,” Bellows told the assembled press after Tremblay was sentenced. “It’s horrible. He put in years and years coaching hockey, he put in years and years as a scout master. And that all over … because of one incident when he was off his antidepressants for three weeks.”

Well, I just find it hard to feel sorry for him.  You shouldn't need to be on antidepressants to not it's not cool to trip a child.