What is sportsmanship? To some, the term denotes proper conduct while participating in a sport. To others, it’s how athletes and coaches handles themselves after something doesn’t go their way, and how they are able to react in a public scene.
Considering the prevalence of amateur sports, it is important that the athletes and mentors that young people are watching every day continue to set a good example.
Unfortunately, the collegiate and professional sports scene has let proper behavior fly out the door with more and more poor sportsmanship on display practically every single day.
Take, for example, recent college basketball events. In a game on February 1st, Liberty and New Mexico State were playing a seemingly normal game until NMSU player Robert Carpenter threw a vicious punch at Liberty player Shiloh Robinson while battling for a rebound. Carpenter’s unbelievable act came as a surprise because Robinson did absolutely nothing wrong. It was a simple rebound battle where Carpenter lost his cool, leading to an ugly display. The following day, Carpenter was suspended by the university. He has still yet to be reinstated, and it is uncertain if he will ever play basketball again.
Another instance of poor behavior came the day before the Carpenter incident as Northwestern coach Chris Collins had a complete meltdown. Late into overtime, Collins thought his team was unfairly officiated against; his reaction was to run out onto the court and scream at the referee. He was fined $5,000 and a public reprimand from the Big Ten Conference was issued for his violation of the conference’s sportsmanship policy.
Of Sports Illustrated’s top 50 most influential sports figures, basketball players and personalities take the majority, occupying 16 of the spots. The real question is are these people really as influential as they seem?
Too many of today’s college and professional players seem cocky, brash and rude, but why is it that they come off this way? Many will say it is purely ego, as most carry themselves as if they are just better than the rest — because they are talented athletes, the rules don’t apply to them. And it is a shame to see that some fans turn the other way and act oblivious to the bad things these athletes are doing just because they are good at sports.
Sportsmanship used to be something that was completely admirable throughout every sport in the world, but now it just seems an afterthought.
Sports like baseball and hockey once had titans, led by Willie O’Ree and Jackie Robinson, who helped to break down the color barrier in the 1940s. Now, sports have a problem that may reach the same heights as the color barrier, if something is not done soon.
