Honor

I recently wrote a piece about not compromising in matters of principle. It was yet another of my self-righteous sanctimonious pieces where I preach the virtues of knight-like behavior. My fellow Camelot fans will know this as “C’est Moi!” behavior.

My attention was recently drawn specifically to issues of honor. There was an incident which involved an issue of honor, or the lack thereof, which I’ve written up in a nebulous fashion to protect the innocent. I look forward to posting it someday in the nebulous future. For the moment I’d like to discuss honor in sports. That should be safe.

My running buddy, Dave, sent a video link to me of a “wrong ball” trick football play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkA3nxuMJoM

The quarterback and center called out to the opposing team that the wrong ball was on the field. In a casual fashion the center handed the ball to the quarterback who walked it over to the sideline where the coach was calling for him to bring it over. All the other players stood in place on the field looking bewildered. Before the quarterback reached the sideline he started running for the end zone and a touchdown.

It’s humorous at first viewing, but disturbing when I take a moment to think about it.

First off, this was a recreation league football game for kids. Is a win in a kid’s league football game that important to a coach? It’s sad to pull a cheap trick like this just to win a low stakes football game.

Secondly, these are lousy values to be teaching a bunch of impressionable young kids. The coach is teaching that it is okay to use any means necessary to win. Isn’t this “the end justifies the means” philosophy; Machiavellian ethics for elementary school?

Thirdly, the write-ups on the web say this is actually an illegal play. The offense cannot verbally mislead the defense in this fashion. It’s a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. I didn’t know about that, to quote Forrest Gump, but I say amen.

I see dishonorable behavior all too often in sports. The baseball catcher claims to have tagged the runner out after a close play at home plate, and the runner claims he was safe. In football the wide receiver claims defensive pass interference and the defensive back claims offensive pass interference. In basketball the players claim that the ball went out of bounds after touching the other guy; likewise in soccer. It seems like the athletes and the coaches are constantly working the referees so the next call that is made will go in their favor. In the “ball” sports you cannot compete unless you cheat and press the border lines as much as the other team. Holding, unsportsmanlike conduct, moving screens, interference, hand checks, fouls, penalties, and trick plays; I get tired of it all.

Why couldn’t the base runner in baseball admit the truth when he knows that he was tagged out? Why do the football players have to intentionally interfere when catching passes, or intentionally hold the other player when blocking? Why couldn’t the basketball player signal that the ball should go to the other team when he knows the ball went out on him? Surely their parents taught these athletes honesty at home, so why isn’t honesty and honor also ingrained in sports?

When I examine my bias for cross country, track, road races, wrestling, and swimming over the “ball” sports, I wonder if my bias is based on the fundamental honesty and purity of these sports. Cheating is rare, and fouls are even rarer. Fouls are incidental and unintentional. There are no tricks, trick plays, or working the officials. The primary element is pure athleticism in head to head competition. That’s what I love and respect.

Again, as Forrest Gump would say, that’s all I have to say about that.