Sportsmanship (definition from Webster Dictionary): conduct (as fairness, respect for one’s opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport.
As we observe sports from NASCAR, baseball, football, hockey, dance and soccer (just to name a few), it appears America has lost the basic concept for sportsmanship.
Sports competitions have become a media fanfare where the worse one behaves, the more media time they receive. The media rewards such acts from what Tonya Harding performed on Nancy Kerrigan to the fans pelting Jeff Gordon on the race track with trash. Media coverage was intense and young competitors were sent the message that unsportsmanlike conduct received the coverage. How many news items can you recall being covered when an athlete did something nice to a teammate or opponent? There have been a few but not many!
Due to modern technology with access to the Internet and the 24 hour sports channels, we have all of this negative information at our finger tips. This was not available 15 years ago, as we only had our local news coverage and the national news coverage was very limited.
The most ironic unsportsmanlike conduct goes unnoticed by the individual or team performing such acts until it is beyond repair. What I mean is that at most times, the team or individual performing such acts, have no clue that the general public is appalled at their behavior. Have you ever been in a venue where several teams are competing against each other and noticed that when it is time for applause the team with the “worst sportsmanship” ends up clapping for themselves? These teams with the unsportsmanlike conduct are so wrapped up in being “concerned about what their opponent is doing” when their focus should be on their own team’s performance that they end up getting beat! This leaves the general public to applaud for opponents that they do not necessarily care for, however they are grateful that the unsportsmanlike team was beaten by someone! Anyone, other than the team with the unsportsmanlike conduct!
By the time the “unsportsmanlike” team or individual realizes that the sports community does not like to be associated with them or even compete against them, it is too late and they are faced with a decision to close up their team’s shop or relocate to an area where no one knows their reputation.
What are we truly teaching our children? That bad behavior gets huge rewards? Children live what they learn and it is scary to think that the generations behind us thrive off of conflict and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Mark Martin’s son, Matt is an excellent example of “sportsmanlike” conduct around each and every turn of life. Matt will be one of the next generation’s great ones, as Mark has taken the time and effort to make sure that Matt Martin understands and executes sportsmanlike conduct daily.
Parents, we all want our children to succeed in whatever sports they participate in. However, “Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; It will satisfy your hunger, but it won’t taste good.”
Take the time to teach your children the harder lessons of life, which is how to be gracious losers.
It is very easy to be a gracious winner.
Until next time,
Robyn Snell
Senior Staff
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Timely comments indeed since the Bristol race was won by Jeff Burton, probably the exemplar of sportsmanship in NASCAR. (and my personal favorite driver…) -K-
Matt Martin has given up racing per his father, Mark!
Thanks, Jerry. I didn’t know that, but I found this note on Wikipedia…
During a March 8th, 2008 airing of Speed Channel’s Trackside, Mark Martin (Matt’s father) announced that his son Matt ended his racing career. Mark Martin stated his son wants to concentrate on his education but didn’t rule out a possible return to racing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Martin
Wonderful article, Robyn! Just this weekend my son got “taken out” at the plate (in baseball) while playing catcher by a much larger child who then laughed as my son went flying threw the air, helmet landing in the dirt. Needless to say, both baseball teams got the “sportsmanship talk” from coaches. Very timely comments indeed!
EXCELLENT ARTICLE …but i fear it was lost on the fans …NOT THE ATHLETES ! See as long as people continue to watch - these overpaid EGOMANIACS will continue their BALONEY ! I have gotten so sick of hearing professional athletes complain , that i no longer watch ANY SPORTS !! if i feel the need to see something i DVR it so i can at least have the comfort of knowing im not counted as a viewer for their ratings ! ONLY when these spoiled brats are in the poorhouse will they realize how good they had it !!
Fans are generally unsportsmanlike in Nascar, more so than the drivers. Using your example of trash being thrown onto Gordons car when he passed Earnhardt in wins. The only time drivers don’t show good sportsmanship is when a microphone is shoved in their face after a accident or mishap. To say Mark Martin shows good sportsmanship is funny. Mark Martin dumps a race leader and takes out a rookie and says how much he hates it for the guy he wrecked, but does he do the sportsman like thing no!
He states how much fun he is having in victory lane. I know that isnt the best example in the world, but i just don’t feel as though Mark is who he wants you to believe he is. If he were he would have retired for Roush with respect. The other point i wanna make is you can’t bundle every sport together like that , and if you want us to show our kids the right way take the WWE off the air. There is nothing good from watching it for our children. Cheating, name calling and using foreign objects for weapons. Attack that before professional sports.
I do understand your article, but I just thought these were points that needed made.
Shane Skirvin