As someone who has enjoyed sports & games her entire life, sportsmanship was something that my parents worked very hard to instill into my attitude at a very young age (That and how to be humble, but I'm still working the humble part!). Of course, it was easy being a good winner, what was hard was taking a loss and having a good attitude, and not dwelling on it to the point of never getting over it (again, I'm still working on that part).
I have to be honest, I'm got the good sportsmanship down. It's been a long time since I've played a sport, but the last time I lost I do remember making a point of going over and congratulating the winner. When I'm in a show ring with my goats and someone else ends up first I do my best to at least tell them well done. (Sometimes there's not a chance due to either one of us rushing to get the next goat in the ring.) And as a coach for little league you have to have good sportsmanship. You have to line up and congratulate the other players, no matter the age, the team, the winner, even if you don't feel like it.
But the one place where I have the hardest time for good sportsmanship is bound to get a laugh from everyone....The time when I have the hardest time showing a "Conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing." is when it comes to the Houston Astros.
Ask me what happened in the 2005 NLCS and I can tell you the plays that led up to Pujols' home run, that caused us to lose. Then there's that home run that was hit by the Astros in 2001 that the ump called a ground rule double because he saw it land in front of one fence, and missed the second fence in the bull pen.
And I can't forget today when he could call a strike to save his life and threw Roy Oswalt out in the third inning. In what could very well be Roy O's last game here as an Astros.
Yeah, I know the number one rule in baseball is not to argue with the ump, but then the ump has rules he should follow as well, and this one didn't seem like he could. But then it could just be my unsportsmanlike conduct showing, and it showed again a few minutes later when an Astros hit a pop up and I muttered, "Oh good!! Hit the ump in the head...Get on base AND take out this ump!!" Yes, I know it was both an unchristian and unsportsmanlike attitude, but at that point all I cared about is that we were down by four runs, the ump had just thrown out my favorite pitcher and it just might well be the last time I would see him in an Astros' jersey.
Yes, I know as the eldest child & a coach to many impressionable young children it's not an attitude I should have. It's one of the MANY areas in my life I am working on. And at this rate I think it will be one of those areas that will take many prayers and years to accomplish.
So, there's your warning. If ever you go to a Major League Baseball game be well prepared for me to not only cheer my team on, but to also yell at the other players (nothing bad I promise!) and to argue with the ump.
I have to be honest, I'm got the good sportsmanship down. It's been a long time since I've played a sport, but the last time I lost I do remember making a point of going over and congratulating the winner. When I'm in a show ring with my goats and someone else ends up first I do my best to at least tell them well done. (Sometimes there's not a chance due to either one of us rushing to get the next goat in the ring.) And as a coach for little league you have to have good sportsmanship. You have to line up and congratulate the other players, no matter the age, the team, the winner, even if you don't feel like it.
But the one place where I have the hardest time for good sportsmanship is bound to get a laugh from everyone....The time when I have the hardest time showing a "Conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing." is when it comes to the Houston Astros.
Ask me what happened in the 2005 NLCS and I can tell you the plays that led up to Pujols' home run, that caused us to lose. Then there's that home run that was hit by the Astros in 2001 that the ump called a ground rule double because he saw it land in front of one fence, and missed the second fence in the bull pen.
And I can't forget today when he could call a strike to save his life and threw Roy Oswalt out in the third inning. In what could very well be Roy O's last game here as an Astros.
Yeah, I know the number one rule in baseball is not to argue with the ump, but then the ump has rules he should follow as well, and this one didn't seem like he could. But then it could just be my unsportsmanlike conduct showing, and it showed again a few minutes later when an Astros hit a pop up and I muttered, "Oh good!! Hit the ump in the head...Get on base AND take out this ump!!" Yes, I know it was both an unchristian and unsportsmanlike attitude, but at that point all I cared about is that we were down by four runs, the ump had just thrown out my favorite pitcher and it just might well be the last time I would see him in an Astros' jersey.
Yes, I know as the eldest child & a coach to many impressionable young children it's not an attitude I should have. It's one of the MANY areas in my life I am working on. And at this rate I think it will be one of those areas that will take many prayers and years to accomplish.
So, there's your warning. If ever you go to a Major League Baseball game be well prepared for me to not only cheer my team on, but to also yell at the other players (nothing bad I promise!) and to argue with the ump.
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