Sporting the love on Valentine’s Day

By Danny Alcocer
Sports Editor

Being as it is Valentine’s Day can I get some love, people?

No, not hugs and kisses, I’m talking about sportsmanship.

This month when you’re out buying your sweetheart’s chocolates and roses, shop around for some patience. While on your field of competition-be it basketball, baseball, softball, or even bowling-gosh darn it, show some good sportsmanship.

As I witness sporting events it seems as if the comradery is gone.
Athletes today seem to be more into self-gratification than they are for their team. College athletics, while competitive, are meant to showcase the outstanding abilities of some of the finest athletes in the nation.

However, they are not meant to show off some of the finest tempers in the nation. MCC hasn’t had the best year as far as sportsmanship is concerned.

There was the infamous riot at Riggs, but let’s put that behind us and look towards the future.

This February, let’s try to limit the technical fouls, do away with the heckling and trash talk. Let’s get back to sports in its purest form. At the end of the game when you are shaking hands with your opponent, look him in the eyes.

Be genuine about congratulating them on a game well played, as opposed to just going through the motions. Remind your teammates of the good things they have done this week.
Instead of bringing up how they turned the ball over that one time, or how they shouldn’t have made that error.

Let’s find the true appreciation of sport, that we all once had. Winning is important, but every college athlete reaches a breaking point. A crossroad, if you will, in which they question what they have been doing for their entire lifetime.

Is it worth the time?

Am I strong enough to deal with this?

Do I owe it to my teammates not to quit?

Is this sport right for me?

I cannot answer these questions, but I can tell you that great sportsmanship could only help. We can all recall when we were seven years old playing soccer and the highlight of the game wasn’t the score, but getting the treats at the end of the game.

Captains, treat your team to Dairy Queen after the game or at least bring some Little Debbie treats for the locker room. Assistant coaches, go buy some oranges slices cut-up and ready to be devoured at half-time, just like when we were seven.

Athletes, I dare you to take yourself back to the time when you loved your sport. When, regardless of the time of day or whether all you wanted to do was play.

This Valentine’s Day remember why you are a college athlete…for the love.

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