“Bounty” system delivers a terrible message for young people

Professional sport is big business.  It’s about money—and winning. 

That true sportsmanship is not always (ever?) at the forefront of “game plans” and motivational strategies—when the result is the only thing that matters—is not a shock to anyone.

But recent revelations that some NFL coaches (in particular, former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinate Gregg Williams) have routinely employed what is referred to as a “bounty” system are profoundly disturbing.

Pro football, by its very nature, is already a physical, often violent sport.  It remains wildly popular, though the violent aspect of the sport is finally beginning to receive attention, especially as we discover that more and more former players, sadly, are living out their lives with dementia and various ailments that are clearly related to hitting—and being hit—throughout their football careers.

So it is ironic that, at a time when the world is finally beginning to take issues such as head trauma and concussions (and the long-lasting repercussions of such injuries) seriously, that there are still coaches who apparently “teach” professional players to try and injure opponents so those players are “knocked out of the game”.  And, the players are rewarded if they manage to knock an opposing player out.

Williams was once the Head coach of the Buffalo Bills.  We encourage you to read the article (linked to WIVB) which details some of the concerning elements of the impact this kind of behavior at the professional level can have on our youth.

We know young people are often influenced by how adults and especially sports “heroes” act.  Here’s hoping this is one example that will be punished severely by the powers-that-be at the NFL level, sending a message to all youth coaches and players alike that this kind of behavior—and thinking—is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.  

Gary Carter: remembering an individual who did more than play the game

Occasionally we post here about professional athletes who set an example—good and not so good—for our youth.  While there seem to be far too many instances where an athlete is seems to care for themselves and not much else--much less about being a positive "role model" for youngsters, a former baseball player who died last week after a serious illness provided us with a tremendous example that should be an inspiration to all.

Gary Carter made his name as a famous athlete, a celebrated player with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets.  Without cataloguing his long list of baseball accomplishments, suffice to say he excelled at his position (catcher) such that he was voted in to the prestigious baseball Hall-of-Fame.

My favorite story about Gary Carter was recounted years ago by a former Globe & Mail newspaper columnist by the name of Marty York.  I don’t have the story in front of me but recall that it was published in and around 1993.

Some background is in order.  Carter was a very popular ballplayer, because he played hard, played well and treated those around him with respect.  He smiled easily and wasn’t afraid to show emotion on and off the field.  On a personal level, when I was a young man in the broadcasting field in the 1970s, and not at all well-known, Carter, a true “star” athlete, made the time on several occasions to be interviewed, even though there was nothing I could, as a no-name reporter for a tiny radio station, do in return for him. 

Interestingly, as York told his story, it became clear I had not been alone in being on the receiving end of Carter’s generosity of spirit toward those with a lower-profile than himself.  He was one of those rare high-profile public figures who simply “got it”, as people like to say.

Evidently, back in the early or mid-1980s, when Carter was in his ball-playing prime and very high profile, a young freelance reporter was down in Florida at spring training.  The young man tried to ask several players for a brief interview so he could earn a few dollars as a “stringer”, providing stations with interview “clips” from players.  He was no doubt hoping to make a name for himself.  But he was rebuffed by every player he approached.  Eventually, he summoned up the courage—even after those earlier rejections—to ask Carter if he would mind answering a few questions.  Carter not only said yes without hesitation, but he took the unknown reporter into the team’s dugout, sat down and spoke with him at length.

That young reporter went on to a fine career in the media, no doubt bolstered, in part, by his success in being able to garner interviews with an important ballplayer like Gary Carter.

For his part, Carter went on to become a World Series hero but like all athletes, eventually had to retire—in his case, after 19 seasons as a major leaguer.  Then, when Carter was looking for a career after baseball off the field, one of the things that attracted him was a new job opening up—the role of color commentator/analyst with the expansion Florida Marlins.  And who just happened to be the individual responsible for hiring the analyst?

Well, it so happened it was the same young man who Carter thoughtfully gave time to many years before, when that young man was a “nobody”.  Hundreds of ex-ballplayers applied for that one job, all hoping for their shot at staying in the game, or at least starting a second career.  Many had been dismissive of “the media” in their own playing days, or carried a poor off-field reputation because of their attitude.   But they no doubt thought their “name” would be enough to land them this gig.

You can guess who actually got the job.  Carter.

Most people know the old line about, “Be nice to the people on your way up; you’ll meet them all on your way down…”.  But for me, this “story” is about much more than that.

Carter brought joy to his work.  By all accounts, and by my own personal experience with him, he treated others with respect, simply because it was the right thing to do—not because he was going to get something “back”. But far more than a job, or a Hall-of-Fame achievement, what he got back was the admiration and deep respect of former teammates, friends, family and fans across North America. 

The attitude he consistently displayed is one that he carried with him through the rest of his too short life.  A touching story on the Carter’s passing can be found here:

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/7583267/hall-fame-catcher-gary-carter-dies-age-57

A life well-lived is always a great life lesson for young people—but not just for them.

Even David Beckham got a red card as a parent: lessons for all of us

A great little story surfaced recently.  Long-time soccer star David Beckham “revealed” in a light-hearted way (you can see the full story and video by visiting here… http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/8414829/beckham-sent-off-during-kids-soccer-match  ) that he had recently been banished from the sidelines of a youth soccer game.

In fairness, it wasn’t a game involving his own son, evidently. Apparently, the referee in a U8 game, I think it was, sent off a young player for reasons that aren’t revealed in the story.  Beckham apparently called out to the ref to essentially say, “Hey, he’s just a kid.  You can’t toss him out…”

When Beckham persisted, the referee ended up throwing Beckham off the sidelines, and the longtime soccer idol had to watch the rest of the match from behind the field fence.

I can see both sides to this “disagreement”.  Beckham no doubt thought it was silly to send such a young player off the field.  But the bottom line is, the referee has to be in control and has to have the authority to make all decisions without interference from subjective and biased parents/spectators in the stands or on the sidelines.  And that applies even to an international "star" like Beckham—who no doubt felt he was protecting the child in some fashion.

The referee saw or heard something, clearly, that no one else had noticed—I’m guessing language, or inappropriate behavior or a serious foul of some description.  Even at these early ages, messages have to be sent about fair play, behavior, etc.  And as importantly, the role and authority of the referee has to be respected by all—whether “mistakes” are possibly made or not.

With this as a backdrop—and more and more youth soccer teams preparing to go outdoors before long—it may be timely to think in terms of appropriate behavior and the right “attitude” heading into a new season, especially from a parent perspective.

Please click here to see our article on “Soccer Sideline Etiquette for parents”.

And remember the David Beckham story!

Yet another college coach leaves his hand-picked recruits out on a limb at the last second

When Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano signed to become head coach of the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was clearly a big day for him—and a major career decision.

As exciting as it no doubt was for he and his family, it was one that left behind many others whose futures were also affected, perhaps negatively.

There is almost no good time for a head coach to leave a major college sports program.  In fairness, while extremely well compensated, these individuals can also be fired at any time, so their looking out for their own future is, on the one hand, entirely reasonable.

The difficulty comes when a coach recruits a player—as Schiano had while with Rutgers—and gives recruits absolutely no indication about his possible intentions to leave the school.

Personal negotiations for that “next job” are always hush-hush, and understandably so, but if a coach recruits a player with the assurance that he, the coach, will be at the school, it does raise an ethical question—at least when that same coach turns around, without warning, and sings to coach somewhere else, either at another school or as in this case, in the NFL.

The story as reported by ESPN explains things more fully here

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/7506907/rutgers-scarlet-knight-recruits-wait-greg-schiano-never-arrives-meeting?eleven=twelve

Like most anyone else, a coach has rights.  But I do wonder where all the recruiting talk about values, being a team player and keeping your commitments goes when the person who promoted those “values” leaves town suddenly?

As the ESPN story indicated, some recruits and their families were scheduled to meet with Schiano at 8am on January 26.  No one knew why he was not at the meeting.

Hours later they had their answer:  He had signed to go to Tampa Bay.  Rutgers would have to find a new coach, and the players Schiano recruited would have to decide if they still wanted to go to Rutgers, or look elsewhere—with “national signing day” just days away.

A tough decision for Schiano, no doubt, but an even tougher one, it seems, for the young men who had committed to spend the next four years of their young life attending Rutgers—and playing for him.

Tim Tebow: whether he’s a good quarterback or not, what matters is that he is authentic

We often wonder if there are many (any?) true role models left in sport for young people to look up.

Oh, there are countless individuals in the world who quietly, privately, lead generous lives and influence youngsters in a very positive way.  Those individuals rarely seek—or receive—recognition for what they do.

But when it comes to professional athletes and the example they set (as we’ve touched on here many times), it is sometimes hard not to be let down.  Often the most famous athletes are not necessarily the best role models.  They don’t want to be—and it may not be at all fair to expect them to be.

But sometimes you come across an individual who happens to be an athlete, successful, well-paid, high-profile and still manages to cut through the bravado, ego and clutter of that world—and who make a real difference in the lives of others.

By all accounts, one of those fairly rare individuals is Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.

Tebow’s sometimes near-miraculous run in helping his team get to the second round of the playoffs came to an abrupt end this past weekend against the New England Patriots.  But in terms of what I’m writing about today, that hardly matters.  The issue is not whether this young man is a great quarterback (he is a wonderful athlete—the jury is out on whether he can be a top NFL signal-caller…).  People can debate that if they’d like.

But when it comes to his being authentic or not, everything I’ve seen and read about Tebow suggests he is just that: real.

This is not about religion, or his particular religious beliefs.  I personally endorse his willingness to talk about his faith.  Perhaps more of us should.  Maybe more high-profile people with a “platform” should.  The opinions on that will vary.

But this individual helps others and seems to genuinely care for others.  A writer for ESPN, Rick Reilly, says it very well in this piece:   http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow

The thing is, every story, every interview we hear about Tim delivers the same consistent message:  this guy is authentic.

So like him as a quarterback or don’t.  But when we moan and complain that professional athletes don’t “get it”, when one does, we should at least acknowledge it and not turn away and dismiss them simply because he or she expresses themselves publicly about something that we may not endorse or support.

And the truth is, it’s not an act.  With Tebow, it’s not about just “getting it”.  It’s who he is, which makes his impact even more special.

Penn State problems may run even deeper

Many are aware of the unfortunate situation that has unfolded in recent months around former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.  The allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior are still being dealt with through the legal system.

But it was also telling to read of a separate issue on campus to do with the state of the football team, a program that has been a source of great pride at the institution for decades.

As the school’s team was preparing for its January 2 Bowl game, it suddenly found itself in a situation where it’s first, second and third-string quarterbacks may not be available to play.

The first team quarterback had engaged in a fight with a teammate.  The second-string quarterback was facing discipline because of an apparent “prank”, as his coach called it, whereby an item was taken from a store on campus.

The third-string quarterback, who has been academically ineligible in 2011, was waiting to see if he would be eligible in time for the Bowl game.

A story in USA Today details the various issues facing the team at

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/story/2011-12-19/penn-state-uncertain-quarterback-situation/52086586/1

The point here simply is:  Many athletes on scholarship—perhaps most—earn their paid-for education through their talent and hard work, and show their appreciation by continuing to work hard and behave appropriately throughout their years at school. 

It’s impossible to judge the individual circumstances in the case of the aforementioned Penn State players, but id does remind us that some young college athletes may not fully appreciate the privilege of receiving a “free” education—four years, covered in full in return for playing a sport.

The value of such an education, if taken seriously, goes well beyond the tens of thousands of dollars it saves the young athlete and/or their family during the young person’s undergraduate years.  It potentially sets them up for the rest of their lives.  Most of these athletes will not play sports professionally, but they will lead (hopefully) productive and inspired lives- anchored in part by their university and college experience.

The tragic Sandusky episode aside, it is just unfortunate to see a program at an institution like Penn State going through this kind of circumstance, where some players seemingly abuse the privileges that they had earlier earned.

Pujols departure his choice, but not a question of respect

One of the things that can happen to any of us is that, when things in our life seem to go really well, we can feel a bit “heady”.

It’s that sense that we’re on top of things, maybe even on top of the world.  We may feel we can do or say what we want and damn the consequences.  Some may even believe there won’t be consequences.

Sports fans may be aware that baseball star Albert Pujols recently signed a 10-year, 250 plus million dollar contract with the Anaheim Angels.  He decided to leave the franchise (St. Louis) where he was loved by the organization, teammates and fans and helped the team win two World Series championships.

He had already earned in his career millions more than most people would ever earn in their entire life—in the best dreams.  But he decided to leave St. Louis anyway, a city considered one of the most fan-friendly baseball markets in America.

The interesting twist to the “story” is that Pujols’ wife apparently felt it necessary to publicly explain why the family made the decision that it did.  Unfortunately, the explanation has left some observers puzzled, and feeling as though Albert may need what some call a “reality check”.

Here is an excerpt from the recent story published on ESPN.com

"The offer that people have seen on television I want to tell you what, listeners especially, had that offer been given to us with a guarantee, we would have the (Cardinals) bird on our back," Deidre Pujols told 99.1 Joy FM, a St. Louis-area Christian station that received some of its initial funding from Albert Pujols.

Deidre Pujols, speaking with interviewer Sandi Brown, who is her friend, said the couple initially had no plans to ever leave St. Louis or the Cardinals, the only team the first baseman had ever played for.

"When it all came down, I was mad. I was mad at God because I felt like all the signs that had been played out through the baseball field, our foundation, our restaurant, the Down Syndrome Center, my relationships, my home, my family close," Deidre Pujols told the station. "I mean, we had no reason, not one reason, to want to leave. People were deceived by the numbers."

She indicated the key moment was the Cardinals' initial offer of five years and $130 million.

"When you have somebody say 'We want you to be a Cardinal for life' and only offer you a five-year deal, it kind of confused us," Deidre Pujols said. "Well, we got over that insult and felt like Albert had given so much of himself to baseball and into the community ... we didn't want to go through this again."

That Pujols, at the age of 32 still a very talented professional, to be sure, felt a five year contract offer (worth well over 100 million dollars) was “an insult” is seemingly a perplexing comment.

It’s hard to imagine the millions of people in the United States and around the world who are out of work, or working in difficult conditions and drawing a modest annual income or taking on two jobs two stay above the poverty level, won’t find those comments alarming and self-centered, not to mention out of touch.

In particular, it is perhaps ironic that Pujols', who has clearly "done good" in the St. Louis community, in the same breath seems to set himself apart as, at the very least, being on a different level than the everyday people he apparently aids through his charitable endeavours.  If he feels  "insulted" by a 130 million dollar offer because it is not enough, what is the message for those youngsters- and their families- who are truly disadvantaged?

But this is the age of celebrity, and as I mentioned earlier, when things go well, people feel pretty special, and things get “heady”.

No doubt Pujols has done some important charitable things in St. Louis and will continue to do so in Anaheim.  But it may now be difficult for many to see him in the same light he was seen in before these comments were made.