“U” Know What?("U" Stink!)
The University of Miami (FL) is one of America’s more esteemed private universities. Many are its alumni who have gone on to make great contributions to all facets of American life. Over the past 30 years, the school has also developed into a football powerhouse.
According to the Wikipedia entry, “The University of Miami is the most successful Division I football program of the past quarter century. During this period, UM has won five Division I national championships (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001), the most of any Division I school in the nation (Nebraska is second during this period with three national championships). Between 1983 and 1991, UM won exactly half of the Division I national football championships, with four national championships in eight years. UM has produced two Heisman Trophy winners, Vinny Testaverde (in 1986) and Gino Torretta (in 1992). UM also has more of its graduates on current NFL rosters than any other university in the nation, leading some to label the UM football program "NFL U". Three former UM football players--Ted Hendricks, Jim Kelly, and Jim Otto--have been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the highest accolade afforded former NFL players, following hugely successful NFL careers.”
Presently there are 30 NFL players who played collegiately at “The U”.
All of the honors and accolades mean nothing today, because of what transpired in Saturday’s football game with cross-swamp rival Florida International. In the second quarter of the game, Miami scored a touchdown, and the player who caught the TD pass celebrated in a manner to which the FIU defenders took offense. An ugly brawl ensued, where players were swinging their helmets around like clubs. This was a whole lot more than push n’ shove, if it were anywhere but an athletic field, we’d be talking felony A&B, here. This was malice and mayhem, there’s no other way to label it. The day after this digusting display, both schools handed down the usual stern warnings slap-on-the-wrist punishments. Come Bowl season, it will all be forgotten by the syncophants in the media. The issue is whether such punitive measures are enough to prevent another incident such as this from occuring somewhere else.
Having played competitvely in the fields of my youth, (oh, so many years ago) I was sickened by the spectacle as had been replayed ad nauseam over the weekend. The game of of which I speak herein is not the business of professional football but the love of the amateur game at all levels where (practically) no one receivies financial renumeration.
Organized football (be it the secondary school or collegiate variety) is a demanding activity. It requires sacrifice, the ability to absorb emotional and physical pain and commitment. It is a violent activity, involving the collision of people to attain a particular collective purpose. The actual game that teams play each week is a rush of pure adrenalin compared to the drudgery of afterschool practices running windsprints, laps and doing drills (especially if your role is being the tackling dummy for the starters). It’s not fun, nor is it intended to be.
Among the first things in which football players are instructed is how to control their aggression. They learn to hit or tackle their opponent as hard as possible, but when the coach or referee blows the whistle, the aggressive behavior stops. Fighting or aggressive acts that occur once play has stopped have long since been outlawed, because the regualted activity is violent enough and demands focus to properly execute. Players are taught to make the play to the best of their ability, regroup, and move on to the next one. That is why Saturday’s FootBrawl game most offended the people who have played the game compeitively.
Most importantly, what participants receive (BMOC’s and scrubs alike) through participation are positive values that carry through their entire lives: a commitment to shared goals, teamwork, industriousness, commitment and sacrifice. A self-confidence that's vital to survive challenging conditions and the discipline required to meet many of life’s difficult moments. You were part of something, and whether you lost touch with the people with whom you shared the experience decades ago, most guys feel as if it contributed positively to their personal growth. Maybe certain parts of your body ache on damp days more than the rest of the world, but getting banged around was part of the price you were willing to pay to be a participant.
So, when you put on the uniform of old RHS or PU and run out on the field on Friday Night or Saturday, you take many things with you. Not simply the values and experiences, but also the representations. You represent many things, your school, teammates, and community and family; ultimately you represent yourself.
Bringing these considerations to Saturday’s disgraceful exhibition, what most observers found dismaying was the appaling lack of discipline by the players. While everyone is responsible for their actions, a collective breakdown of discipline is a failure of leadership and coaching. The coaches are primarily responsible for developing and enforcing discipline and order. That such behavior would occur at such a high level of play is astounding, because even at the lowest levels of compeition it would not be tolerated, even for a moment. The appropriate first step would have been for both universities to immediately relieve the coaches of further duties.
As regards the brawling players themselves, the next step would be to suspend them for at least one year so they may fully understand the gravity of undisciplined behavior. They’d also be required to attend programs that counsel personal responsibility as a condition of maintaining their athletic scholarships. These kids are fabulous athletes, of that there is no doubt. However athletically gifted these kids may be, universities need to consider what type of student-athlete they allow into the program. Do they need to recruit athletically gifted miscreants or should they be looking for kids who wish to benefit from the academic experience with a reputable private university as a springboard for a career after football?
What separates “The U” from the FIU’s of the world is that it's a breeding ground for professional football players. The expectation for these kids is to be one of the lucky few who make the leap to Sundays in the NFL. Such is generally not the case for the players at FIU or Harvard. "The U's" football program graduates less than half of the kids, and unfortunately has a long and inglorious record of being a rogue program where many of its alumni have committed many regrettable acts off the field. But as long as the football program continues to be a cash cow for “The U”, the administration of the university is complicit in these ongoing escapades. Statistics say that the majority of these kids won’t graduate and even fewer will cash in in NFL riches. Being a weak side linebacker or a strong safety may be a nice accomplishment, but what will it do for you when you’re in your forties with no degree? Being a “used-to-be” is, to quote Dean Wormer, “no way to go through life, son.”
According to the Wikipedia entry, “The University of Miami is the most successful Division I football program of the past quarter century. During this period, UM has won five Division I national championships (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001), the most of any Division I school in the nation (Nebraska is second during this period with three national championships). Between 1983 and 1991, UM won exactly half of the Division I national football championships, with four national championships in eight years. UM has produced two Heisman Trophy winners, Vinny Testaverde (in 1986) and Gino Torretta (in 1992). UM also has more of its graduates on current NFL rosters than any other university in the nation, leading some to label the UM football program "NFL U". Three former UM football players--Ted Hendricks, Jim Kelly, and Jim Otto--have been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the highest accolade afforded former NFL players, following hugely successful NFL careers.”
Presently there are 30 NFL players who played collegiately at “The U”.
All of the honors and accolades mean nothing today, because of what transpired in Saturday’s football game with cross-swamp rival Florida International. In the second quarter of the game, Miami scored a touchdown, and the player who caught the TD pass celebrated in a manner to which the FIU defenders took offense. An ugly brawl ensued, where players were swinging their helmets around like clubs. This was a whole lot more than push n’ shove, if it were anywhere but an athletic field, we’d be talking felony A&B, here. This was malice and mayhem, there’s no other way to label it. The day after this digusting display, both schools handed down the usual stern warnings slap-on-the-wrist punishments. Come Bowl season, it will all be forgotten by the syncophants in the media. The issue is whether such punitive measures are enough to prevent another incident such as this from occuring somewhere else.
Having played competitvely in the fields of my youth, (oh, so many years ago) I was sickened by the spectacle as had been replayed ad nauseam over the weekend. The game of of which I speak herein is not the business of professional football but the love of the amateur game at all levels where (practically) no one receivies financial renumeration.
Organized football (be it the secondary school or collegiate variety) is a demanding activity. It requires sacrifice, the ability to absorb emotional and physical pain and commitment. It is a violent activity, involving the collision of people to attain a particular collective purpose. The actual game that teams play each week is a rush of pure adrenalin compared to the drudgery of afterschool practices running windsprints, laps and doing drills (especially if your role is being the tackling dummy for the starters). It’s not fun, nor is it intended to be.
Among the first things in which football players are instructed is how to control their aggression. They learn to hit or tackle their opponent as hard as possible, but when the coach or referee blows the whistle, the aggressive behavior stops. Fighting or aggressive acts that occur once play has stopped have long since been outlawed, because the regualted activity is violent enough and demands focus to properly execute. Players are taught to make the play to the best of their ability, regroup, and move on to the next one. That is why Saturday’s FootBrawl game most offended the people who have played the game compeitively.
Most importantly, what participants receive (BMOC’s and scrubs alike) through participation are positive values that carry through their entire lives: a commitment to shared goals, teamwork, industriousness, commitment and sacrifice. A self-confidence that's vital to survive challenging conditions and the discipline required to meet many of life’s difficult moments. You were part of something, and whether you lost touch with the people with whom you shared the experience decades ago, most guys feel as if it contributed positively to their personal growth. Maybe certain parts of your body ache on damp days more than the rest of the world, but getting banged around was part of the price you were willing to pay to be a participant.
So, when you put on the uniform of old RHS or PU and run out on the field on Friday Night or Saturday, you take many things with you. Not simply the values and experiences, but also the representations. You represent many things, your school, teammates, and community and family; ultimately you represent yourself.
Bringing these considerations to Saturday’s disgraceful exhibition, what most observers found dismaying was the appaling lack of discipline by the players. While everyone is responsible for their actions, a collective breakdown of discipline is a failure of leadership and coaching. The coaches are primarily responsible for developing and enforcing discipline and order. That such behavior would occur at such a high level of play is astounding, because even at the lowest levels of compeition it would not be tolerated, even for a moment. The appropriate first step would have been for both universities to immediately relieve the coaches of further duties.
As regards the brawling players themselves, the next step would be to suspend them for at least one year so they may fully understand the gravity of undisciplined behavior. They’d also be required to attend programs that counsel personal responsibility as a condition of maintaining their athletic scholarships. These kids are fabulous athletes, of that there is no doubt. However athletically gifted these kids may be, universities need to consider what type of student-athlete they allow into the program. Do they need to recruit athletically gifted miscreants or should they be looking for kids who wish to benefit from the academic experience with a reputable private university as a springboard for a career after football?
What separates “The U” from the FIU’s of the world is that it's a breeding ground for professional football players. The expectation for these kids is to be one of the lucky few who make the leap to Sundays in the NFL. Such is generally not the case for the players at FIU or Harvard. "The U's" football program graduates less than half of the kids, and unfortunately has a long and inglorious record of being a rogue program where many of its alumni have committed many regrettable acts off the field. But as long as the football program continues to be a cash cow for “The U”, the administration of the university is complicit in these ongoing escapades. Statistics say that the majority of these kids won’t graduate and even fewer will cash in in NFL riches. Being a weak side linebacker or a strong safety may be a nice accomplishment, but what will it do for you when you’re in your forties with no degree? Being a “used-to-be” is, to quote Dean Wormer, “no way to go through life, son.”
Schools like “The U” pull in millions from the sweat of these kids; at a minimum shouldn't they furnish them with a complete education that will allow them every opportunity to succeed in life. Saturday afternoon cheers fade damned quick.
Before the ESPNization of sport, reporting on collective activities were the norm. Now, the focus is on the “celebrity-athlete”, the shameless self-promoters. Kids see people like “Prime Time” and “TO” and think that to get on ESPN and get an agent and make big bucks in the pros, it’s necessary to employ the same tactics. Now, it’s not simply a matter of winning the game on the field, it’s all about “trash talking” in the days leading up to the game and not to defeat, but humiliate your rival in the process. Part of this strategy is to disrespect an opponent in a moment of celebration. A disciplined opponent would save the guy’s number for a moment of vulnerability later in the game rather than immediately challenging stupid behavior. However, a disciplined player in a jubilant moment is taught not to taunt his opponent but to celebrate the achievement with his teammates. Something is wrong here. Our student athletes are not being instructed properly in the things that truly matter in life. Hell yeah, they can run like the wind and throw the ball a mile, but if they lack a basic sense of sportsmanship, and fair play, all these athletic gifts mean very little.
posted by Richard | 7:59 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home