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Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Players having greater respect for other
When I was a kid, there was mutual respect on the field. Tussles were actually fun.
When I got older, there was a shift. In a friendly game, guys would spike slide into 2B, keep their hockey sticks high, drape themselves over the guy with the basketball. One of my closest friends even instinctually stuck out his knee as I ran past him. I was shocked. He quickly apologized, obviously embarrassed that he would take his killer instinct out on me in such a friendly game. It was a kill-or-be-killed attitude. It works fine when you are being paid, but if you are playing on the weekend, that weekend warrior bullsh!t is just bullsh!t. I like a good scrap when it’s all in fun, but not when the other guy is serious about it. Hence, guys like me gravitated toward golf.
Brendan Shanahan, one of those warrior-type players in the NHL, who is now part of management and in a position to do something about sportsmanship:
While the play develops quickly, Colborne makes no sudden movements just prior to, or simultaneous with, the hit; placing the onus on Boyes not to hit him in the head. While I believe Boyes’ assertion that he did not intentionally target the head, this is a reckless hit and is now illegal.
I just love this. There’s no better way to send a message than a only-Nixon-can-go-to-China approach (or Kirk-makes-peace-with-the-Klingons for some of you). Players respect former players.
You don’t get that attitude shift in MLB (yet). You still don’t get that separation between intentional and reckless. Basically, as long as it’s not intentional, then being somewhat reckless is ok, just part of the game. That’s bullsh!t.
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