Classless act may get airport workers fired

NFL teams travel by chartered jets and team buses pick them up on the tarmac before heading to the hotel. Pro athletes draw big crowds, media and other distractions. Having them move privately and quietly is probably the best situation for everyone involved. So, how did the New Orleans Saints team bus get pelted with eggs on the tarmac of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on Wednesday? Did some rabid Atlanta Falcons fans sneak past security in a misguided show of team loyalty? Would you believe the airport workers themselves were responsible for this nonsense? Check out the ESPN.com video below (email subscribers click here).


It appears this is what happened. Saints players used Twitter to describe what was happening to their bus. Backup quarterback Chase Daniel wrote, "Wow, as we're boarding buses on the tarmac @ Atlanta airport, we start getting eggs thrown @ us by airport workers! Guess they do hate us!" Tight end Jimmy Graham chimed in as well, " Bus just got egged after landing in ATL by the ramp workers. Classy!" Hartsfield-Jackson officials released the following statement on Thursday:

"It has been confirmed that eggs were thrown at the New Orleans Saints' charter bus as they departed the ramp at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport last night. Airline workers were in the ramp area. Airport and airline officials are investigating the incident and further information will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, Atlanta police will augment airline security presence during the team's departure." The Saints and Falcons will play in prime time on Thursday night in what is sure to be a hotly contested game. However, overzealous fan behavior has reared its ugly head once again.

'Know Your Role' is a consistent theme on this blog and throughout the programs of the St. Louis Sports Commission's Sportsmanship Initiative. Knowing your role lets you enjoy the game in a chosen capacity while respecting the others. If you're an athlete, play the game and let the coaches coach. If you're a coach, give your team the best strategies for success and let the officials call the penalties. Choose a role for yourself and respect the others. This applies to real life as well. If you're serving in an official capacity, it's not the time to be a fan.

Several people will probably lose their jobs over what amounts to a juvenile prank. On the other hand, the alleged behavior of certain airpport workers has embarrassed the city of Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and the Atlanta Falcons. This is also a teachable moment for our kids. Adults get into big trouble when we behave poorly, too. Kids get grounded. Adults get fired. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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'Fireman Ed' quits Jets because of poor sportsmanship

It doesn't matter which NFL team you root for, some things are just iconic and deserve a tip of the cap whether you like the actual team or not. The Dog Pound in Cleveland, the Cheeseheads in Green Bay, and the Black Hole in Oakland are all examples of rabid fans showing team spirit to the nth degree. In New York, you had this guy (email subscribers click here):



Notice I said had. 'Fireman Ed', aka former New York City firefighter Ed Anzalone stepped down as his favorite team's unofficial mascot on Sunday. The Jets lost badly to the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving night and looked bad doing it, but that's not the reason Anzalone is stepping aside. By all accounts, his health is fine and the team's 4-7 record is not an issue. So, why did Gang Green's number one fan retire his fireman's helmet for good? As a guest columnist for New York's Metro newspaper, Anzalone wrote the following:

"On Thanksgiving night, I left the Jets game before halftime. This was the second time in a row I left before there were four zeroes on the clock. We have had much worse teams than this and I never left before. I pride myself in that, because I am not a quitter. I decided to leave Thursday because the confrontations with other Jets fans have become more common, even though most Jets fans are fantastic. This is an indication of how society has lost and is continuing to lose respect for one another.The stadium has become divided because of the quarterback controversy as well. Whether it’s in the stands, the bathroom or the parking lot, these confrontations are happening on a consistent basis."

For perspective's sake, Anzalone has been a Jets fan since 1975. The team won Super Bowl III in 1969 - meaning Anzalone has never seen his beloved squad win a championship. It's not frustration over losing, though. As Anzalone lamented, the team has gone through much worse. Rich Kotite yielded a 4-28 record as head coach. Bill Belichick scribbled "I resign as HC of the NYJ" on a piece of paper the day after being introduced as Bill Parcells' hand-picked successor in 2000. It's fan behavior. It's poor sportsmanship that has driven him away.

Sports are supposed to be fun for everyone. When they stop being fun, people quit. This goes for little people as well as not-so-little people. If poor fan behavior can chase away a man who used to run into burning buildings for a living, what do you think it does to your 6th grader? One win can erase 50 years of losing. However, one incident of poor sportsmanship can ruin someone for a lifetime. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol  

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Suh's character also hits below the belt

If your Thanksgiving was anything like mine, it included a lot of family, food and football. The NFL trifecta was a nice side dish that went well with all the turkey. However, a certain part of the Texans - Lions game left most of us with a feeling slightly worse than indigestion. Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is the reigning "dirtiest player" in the game as voted on by his fellow players. Suh has been suspended and fined multiple times for his behavior on the field. Yesterday's game just added to his less-than-desirable reputation. In case you missed it, check out the video below (email subscribers click here). Warning: The following video contains a violent act directed toward a sensitive part of the human body. This content may not be suitable for all viewers. Parental discretion is advised.



Please understand the point of this post. It's not to highlight the poor and dangerous behavior of a professional athlete. The bigger issue is for those of us who work with kids. Ndamukong Suh has immense talent. He's big, strong and fast. Many experts called him the best defensive lineman to come out of college in 30 years and he could have easily been the number one overall pick in 2010. Suh comes from a family that believes strongly in education. Knowing Suh would make millions in the NFL, his parents still required him to stay in school and finish his degree in construction management from the University of Nebraska.

Suh overwhelms most NFL offensive linemen. He's not a guy who needs to take cheap shots to gain an edge. Teach your kids to display character above their talent. Do the right thing for no apparent reason instead of the opposite. Knocking people down when they're not looking is easy. It takes much more to help them up. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Taylor's 138 takes selfishness to a new low

The sports world is going ga-ga over Grinnell College guard Jack Taylor's 138-point scoring frenzy. That's not a misprint. Taylor scored 138 points in his team's 179-104 victory over Faith Baptist College on Tuesday night. What you won't hear very much on the highlight shows is that Taylor took 108 shots - including 71 three-point attempts. That's not a misprint, either. If a guard takes 71 three-pointers, it means the ball never really got past the top of the key. None of Taylor's teammates took more than six shots. Alright, hold on a minute. Maybe there's a silver lining. Maybe one of Taylor's teammates recorded a ton of assists. Nope. The assist leader for Grinnell had a grand total of five. Basically, the only time Taylor's teammates touched the ball was when they passed it to him on the inbound. For the record, Taylor posted a new NCAA record 138 points, 3 rebounds and NO assists. Shocking!

This style of play is the fastest way to get your kids to quit. Jack Taylor was the only one playing basketball Tuesday night. The other kids were just working out. It's understandable in basketball to stay with a shooter who's on a hot streak, but a streak doesn't last the whole game - even for Taylor. In the midst of a gaudy scoring spree, it's important to note that Taylor hit less than 50 percent of his shots. Sometimes the ball didn't go in and he still wouldn't pass it. Please don't treat the non-stars on your team like backup singers. Let them all play and let them all contribute. If you wish to view it, Taylor did an interview with ESPN about his record -setting performance which you can see below (email subscribers click here). As for me, I'm going in the kitchen to help my wife with the green beans. Until next time...

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Sol

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Concerns about sportsmanship in high school blowout unfounded

Little Rock (Ark.) high schools Hall and Fair met in a season-opening girls basketball game last week. The game remained competitive until just after the National Anthem. Hall sprinted out to a 28-0 lead in the first four minutes. Sensing the game was getting out of hand, Hall coach Selita Farr pulled her starters and decided against using pressure defenses the rest of the way. The strategy didn't help. Hall defeated Fair by a score of 88-0. Basketball games aren't supposed to end in shut-outs. Watch the THV story below to find out how this game got so far out-of-hand (email subscribers click here).

Basketball is intentionally fast-paced and teams have too many opportunities to score. Someone will almost always hit a lucky shot. What happened to Fair High is the result of poor preparation. When your team is on the wrong end of an 88-0 score after the other team has essentially given up, then your kids weren't prepared. That responsibility falls squarely on the coaches. While it's important for every kid to get the chance to participate in sports, it's also important for them to be prepared. The situation is similar to playing a game for the first time as a little kid. Everyone else may know how to play, but the new kid doesn't - and it's not much fun for him. We owe it to our kids to make the game as competitive as possible.

Think about the girls on the Hall and Fair teams. Hall's starters got to play all of four minutes and had to sit the remainder of the game as if they got into trouble. Fair's girls could clearly see their opponents were just going through the motions and they still couldn't stop them or score on them. What kind of experience was this? Every team has a bad game and someone will always be last in the standings, but every team should be ready to play. Fair's coaching staff really needs to examine what they're doing and make sure their girls are in the best position to succeed in the future. Success occurs when preparation meets opportunity. Seizing opportunities without being prepared is like...well... my 9-year-old seizing the opportunity to drive my car. Yeah, it's going to end badly. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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In case you missed it...

Last night, St. Louis Priory boys soccer coach John Mohrmann was profiled on KSDK Newschannel 5 here in St. Louis. Mohrmann will be honored tomorrow night at the 2012 National Sportsmanship Awards. In case you missed, have a look at the story below (email subscribers click here). For more on the National Sportsmanship Awards, please visit nationalsportsmanshipawards.com. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol
 

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National Sportsmanship Awards story on KSDK tonight

Be sure to tune in to tonight's broadcast on KSDK Newschannel 5 in St. Louis at 10 p.m. CST for a special look at coach John Mohrmann and his St. Louis Priory soccer team. Coach Mohrmann will be honored at the 2012 National Sportsmanship Awards this Saturday November 17. After watching the following preview (email subscribers click here), please visit www.nationalsportsmanshipawards.com for more on the night where we celebrate all that's right in sports. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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