By the time you read this, the World Series will probably be over. As of this writing,
before I leave on vacation, we know who is going to play, a Yankees vs. Dodgers
classic. There is no lingering bad taste of a cheating franchise, something that will
cling to the Astros for years, nor is there a sense that the best teams didn’t make it.
Though there were other fantastic teams, there is little question that these two are
worthy of a championship.
Still, it has been a weird sports year. Eight days ago, my favorite NASCAR driver
failed to make the next round in the playoffs. Then an opponent was disqualified, and
he was back in. Yesterday he won a race, locking him into the Final Four. New York
won the WNBA championship yesterday for the first time, denying Minnesota a fifth
title. The incredibly successful Men’s Basketball Coach at the University of Virginia
retired last week at only 55 years of age, having decided that he cannot do what he
loves in an age of constant transfers and NIL (name, image, and likeness) money. And
while the World Series may have a feel good side this year, we cannot forget the
White Sox’ ignominious season or the way the A’s abandoned Oakland.
Locally, we had a youth football league collapse, at least partially due to parent
behavior.
Sport has been around forever. Unfortunately, so has cheating. Add money to the mix
and it all gets worse, never mind the “billionaire’s welfare” of stadium deals.
Still, there is something to be said for appreciating what these bodies can do, from
Simone Biles and Josh Allen to that kid who just did a face plant during early
morning ice time but got back up and kept going. We are, as the psalmist said,
fearfully and wonderfully made. And even if there is a certain “bread and circuses”
aspect to sports fandom, the camaraderie of cheering on your team is one more thing
that brings folks together. And sometimes, we even rise above our individual team
loyalty in loyalty to the sport itself. After all, the fans of that other team are not evil.
Well, most of them anyways.
Let’s go, __________!
+Gary
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