Calm down, it’s only a game isn’t it? Isn’t it?
This ain’t your daddy’s back yard scrimmage
A day after my beloved hockey team, The Washington Capitals forgot to show up for their game seven against The New York Rangers and end up being bounced, I woke up with allergy symptoms. As I sniffled and wiped my teary eyes, my three-year old son looked at me with an air of understanding and said, “Daddy, I know the Caps are now out of the playoffs but don’t worry it’s just a game”. Well I’ll be dang! Out of the mouth of babes…
Well son, sorry to blog it to you but it ceased being ‘just a game’ a long time ago. When professional athletes are paid more than the real professionals who save lives and educate world leaders, it is not just a game. In fact, I am not sure if it can even be called a game anymore. ( Maybe a business franchise, a team of thugs, a gang or a group of rich spoiled brats won’t be that far off but your dad never said that and there are a lot of good teams out there and a lot of athletes are also good law abiding citizens).
Son, just last year, downtown Vancouver was laid waste, buildings were burned, looted and vandalized, all because their team, The Vancouver Canucks lost game seven of the Stanley Cup finals. Read it all here. People were hurt, son. Human lives were disrupted. Perhaps they didn’t get the memo that it was just a game.
Last year alone, within the space of a few months, three hockey players died. Two were from suicide and the other from drug overdose. Son, I should not be telling you all this gruesome stuff at your tender age but it’s reality, not a game. People don’t need drugs to play a game. I could also tell you about the NFL and NBA where the players travel with armed posses and engage in illicit activities. Drugs use is rampant, not that you would know what rampant means.
My boy, remember how daddy’s blood pressure soared to dangerous levels as he watched the playoffs? That’s serious stuff, son. Serious stuff.
Snakes and Ladders is a game, hide-and-go-seek is a game but when it comes to pro sport, it’s ‘not just a game’ my little one. Now excuse me while I go blow my nose.
Related articles
- Daddy and the hockey game (caramieandtheboyz.wordpress.com)
- ‘It just feels different’: Caps, Rangers talk Game 7 (aol.sportingnews.com)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/16/vancouver-riots-2011_n_877924.html
