Sportsmanship

Radio hosts fired after mocking former player with ALS

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:31:00 +0000

Former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason has Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. He is putting up a courageous fight while working with his Team Gleason Foundation on a cure and helping those who live with ALS.

Gleason was a guest columnist this week for Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback. He discussed his personal battle with ALS and how his family and others are supporting him. Gleason also wrote about his foundation's work and his refusal to allow ALS to defeat him.

There was nothing controversial about Gleason or his column. The controversy began when Atlanta-based sports talk radio hosts Steve "Steak" Shapiro, Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino decided to make fun of Gleason and his condition during their "Mayhem in the A.M." morning show on 790 The Zone.

Here is the full audio of the segment mocking Gleason (email subscribers click here):

Shapiro, Cellini and Dimino have all been fired by 790 The Zone and the station issued an apology addressing the behavior of its former employees and showed a good deal of humility and regret toward Steve Gleason and his family.

Case closed, right? Relative to this particular situation, the answer is yes. When speaking about the culture in sports which allows us to say and do anything we want to a rival, the issue is far from solved.

790 The Zone is the flagship station of the Atlanta Falcons. Now, the Falcons had nothing to do with this radio stunt and have come out publicly denouncing the behavior of Shapiro, Cellini and Dimino. Nonetheless, the rivalry between the Falcons and Saints is well-documented and some people take rivalries too far.

Done right, rivalries are part of what makes sports fun. Some of the best games are rivalry games. The Chicago Cubs almost always give my Cardinals a good game no matter what the records are. Chicago fans come in droves to St. Louis and vice versa. Restaurants, hotels and local attractions all benefit.

Poking fun at your rival is even OK as long as it's team-oriented, light-hearted and not personal. Mocking Steve Gleason is very personal, has nothing to do with the Saints team and ALS is terminal. So, there's nothing light-hearted about this attack.

You can't just say or do whatever you want to a rival because they wear or cheer for the other uniform. I know what some of you are thinking. What about freedom of speech? What about it? Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. Translation: Atlanta P.D. can't arrest the hosts for what they said, but they can certainly be fired.

Moreover, the damage to their reputations may be irreparable. Rivals and enemies are not the same. Your enemy wants to get rid of you. Your rival simply wants to defeat you so the two of you can play again. Know the difference.

Charges dropped against coach accused of knocking out opposing player

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:29:00 +0000

Nathan Harris is a free man. Whether he should or shouldn't be is still a matter of debate among the many thousands of people who saw the video of him hitting and knocking out an opposing player. Nonetheless, a judge dropped child abuse charges against Harris last week.

The 38-year-old was a coach on a Salt Lake City area youth football team last season. An opposing running back seemed to break away from his defense for an easy touchdown when Harris delivered a blow under the boy's chin as he ran along the sidelines.

The story originally broke last October and it was even featured in our Worst Sportsmanship Moments of 2012 list. In case you missed it, here's the video again (email subscribers click here).

How did Harris escape jail time? Well, his defense argued that the boy he hit didn't suffer injuries as great as originally thought. Attorneys were able to produce video of the kid going back in the same game. I'm not going to use this page to argue evidence. However, those of us involved in sports know that athletes go back into games with concussions all the time.

The pros do it and they have doctors on the sidelines. Kids are lucky if someone remembers to bring the first-aid kit. Whether the boy had a concussion or was able to shake it off doesn't matter. A coach hit a kid in an attempt to stop him from scoring.

While the court has made it's decision, the youth football league in this case has one to make as well. Will it let Harris coach again? This is important because Harris seems eager to return to the sidelines. He told the Deseret News, "If they need me to coach, I'd be happy to coach. I don't think people should shy away from coaching just because of this story."

People should not shy away from coaching. People who hit kids should not only shy away from coaching, they should never be allowed near a field, court, track, mat, rink, ring diamond, pool or gym again.

Sportsmanship Scholarship applications due TODAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:58:00 +0000

That's right. June 14 has arrived. The Sportsmanship Scholarship deadline is TODAY. If you graduated from a St. Louis area high school in 2013 and you have exhibited good sportsmanship on the field of play, then you are eligible. However, your completed application must be submitted to our office by the end of today. You can email your application to salexander@stlsports.org. You can fax it to 314-621-1391 or bring it by 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 500, St. Louis, MO. Even if you've been a severe procrastinator, you can still download the application at sportsmanship.org. Enough from me already - get to work. Time is running out. Good luck to all of you.

Dodgers and Diamondbacks embarrass the game in silly brawl

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:16:00 +0000

I have openly criticized youth and high school teams for engaging in dangerous team brawls on the field. The potential for injury is great and the behavior embarrasses the sport. Last week, I wrote about a brawl during a softball game where a parent was arrested for assault.

Many condemned the softball brawl as shameful and lauded police intervention. What about the pros, though? What happens when they have a senseless brawl? What happens when the umpire does his job correctly and the teams feel the need to fight anyway? Judge for yourself after watching the following clip of Tuesday night's Dodgers-Diamondbacks game (email subscribers click here).

This just has to stop. The pros must exhibit the same behavior we want on the youth level. Pro sports continues to be one of the few places where a person can commit assault without penalty of law. The umpire was correct in ejecting Ian Kennedy for beaning Zack Greinke and he did it immediately. What was there to fight about?

Maybe the L.A.P.D. officers on-hand could have come down and arrested Don Mattingly, Steve Sax, Matt Williams, Don Baylor, Mark McGwire, Skip Shumaker and others. Maybe if they had spent a night in jail cooling off, they would get the message.

Kids, parents and their coaches watch these guys and emulate everything from their swing to their right hook. A parent gets arrested for biting, but pros can throw each other over the dugout rail without consequence.

April, May and June showers bring Sportsmanship

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:00:00 +0000

It certainly has been a tale of two summers for the Sportsmanship Brigade. In 2012, the St. Louis area couldn't buy a drop of water. Our grassy plains became unsightly, brown patches of dust. Fast forward to 2013 and communities all over are strengthening levee walls and seeking higher ground in some instances. St. Louis is the new Seattle. Rain has certainly been plentiful in the Gateway City.

As you may have guessed, this has led to numerous baseball and softball cancellations. Kids are a resilient bunch, though. If there's a chance to play, they'll gladly take it. Playing in the mud is nothing new for them anyway. It's the adults that get all freaked out. This brings us to last Saturday morning when the Brigade took in a 5th grade softball matchup between St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Immaculate Conception-Dardenne.

The following report was sent in to the Sports Commission by Brigade Captain Donovan Lucas:

We picked coach Jim Morrissey for Immaculate Conception and Brooke Piessner for St Elizabeth. Coach Morrissey greeted each player and high-fived every player when they left the field no matter how well they did. Brooke was the catcher for St Elizabeth. Brooke cheered her team, shouted encouragement, and gave the team instructions during the game. She was a positive force even when her team was down by a lot. Both teams played hard and were good sports. We were especially impressed with St Elizabeth as they had only 8 players.

Brigade member Becky Limback with Brooke Piessner and her coach

Becky doing her best Where's Waldo impersonation with Immaculate Conception

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.

Foundation Director issues challenge to local schools

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:28:00 +0000

I was on KTRS-AM on Wednesday morning with McGraw Milhaven on his show McGraw in the Morning. Milhaven and I discussed the St. Louis Sports Commission's Sportsmanship Scholarship and the general frustration I was feeling from segments of the St. Louis area. If you weren't up at 6:30 a.m. listening, here's the interview in its entirety. (email subscribers click here).

Where is my frustration coming from? Well, it comes from where personal struggle and professional success intersect. If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know I grew up receiving welfare and food stamps, attended St. Louis Public Schools through 8th grade and graduated from Ladue High School. You are also aware of my past as an educator and my current work at the Sports Commission. I'm asked quite often how did I make it when so many others I knew and grew up with did not.

My answer is always the same. Kids like me - and honestly kids everywhere - make it because of opportunities. Kids are smarter, stronger and more resourceful than we think. They just need opportunities. The Sportsmanship Scholarship represents an opportunity. Two-thirds or more of our scholarship applications come from private schools or what some may consider well-to-do public districts. The kids from those schools are great. Their parents and coaches are responsive and get things in on-time.

However, the number of applications from inner-city schools or what could be called disadvantaged districts is extremely low. That's not good...not good at all. While I cannot guarantee that a kid from the inner-city will win the Sportsmanship Scholarship if he or she applies, I can wholly guarantee one will not if they do not apply. We all know tons of good kids. We all know good kids who show great sportsmanship and character when they play their chosen sport.

Send me those applications. Tell me about those kids. Nine St. Louis area kids have received a total of $20,000 in the Sportsmanship Scholarship's four-year existence. One young man has graduated and eight others are well on their way. I am challenging every St. Louis area high school coach, parent, teacher and administrator to send me one kid.

Surely, among the thousands you teach, coach and raise, there is one worthy of the Sportsmanship Scholarship. Surely, one young person among you is deserving of this opportunity. Apathy and indifference are terrible burdens for a community to carry. Instead, let's rise to the occasion! The deadline to submit applications for the 2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship is Friday, June 14. The application can be downloaded by going to sportsmanship.org. If you have any questions, please email salexander@stlsports.org or call 314-345-5130.

Parent arrested for biting in huge softball brawl

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Fri, 31 May 2013 22:57:00 +0000

A fight broke out this week between parents, coaches and players after a close play at third base in a softball game between the Texas Street and Hillsdale youth teams in Mobile, Alabama. The girls are 14 and 15-year-olds. Their behavior and the behavior of those teaching, coaching and parenting them skews much, much younger.

One parent was charged with third degree assault after she bit another parent in the stomach. Yes, somebody's mother allegedly bit another adult in the stomach. Didn't we all learn it wasn't nice to bite when we were two or three? This kind of immaturity is what produces incidents like the one in Mobile. To be honest, it's even more ridiculous than I can describe. Check out the Fox10tv.com video below (email subscribers click here).

"If one swings, we all punch." That's what one of the young ladies said in the piece. What kind of mantra is that? What kind of nonsense is that? It's softball! There's no fighting in softball! "If somebody pushes you, what are you supposed to do? Walk away?" Yes, young lady! Yes! You are supposed to walk away. The alternative is the police coming to arrest someone's mom and your team being kicked out of the league.

Kids have no chance when adults don't act their age. Kids have no chance when adults don't lead. Kids have no chance when the coaches are throwing punches and the parents are biting. In the video, the adult speaking on behalf of one of the teams utters the non-word 'unsportsmanship.' Unsportsmanship is not a word. And this is not some veiled swipe at the woman's vocabulary. I'm using her non-word as an example of the biggest problem in youth sports: Adults can't teach what they don't know.

The Sportsmanship Initiative has tools for your coaches and parents that will keep youth sports safe and enjoyable for kids. Our partnership with Coaching Coaches, LLC enables us to provide the best coaches' training and parent program possible. If you are interested in not having a 40-person brawl in your league, but you are interested in the best experience possible for kids, please call 314-345-5130 or email salexander@stlsports.org.

Rutgers can't get out of its own way

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Tue, 28 May 2013 16:38:00 +0000

How difficult is it to find someone in athletic leadership who doesn't have a history or been accused of mistreating players? It's seemingly very difficult if you're Rutgers University. Incoming athletic director Julie Hermann is supposed to bring a fresh face and a new direction to the Scarlet Knights. However, it seems the ghosts of the Mike Rice and Tim Pernetti era have returned to Piscataway.

Former Rutgers men's basketball coach Mike Rice was fired in April after video of him using homophobic slurs, profanity and even kicking a player went viral. Former athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned after negative pressure mounted in response to his handling of Rice's alleged mistreatment of players. New Jersey governor Chris Christie even expressed his displeasure with the situation publicly.

Determined to move forward, Rutgers hired Julie Hermann earlier this month. Hermann has over 25 years of combined experience in coaching and athletic administration on the college level. Her hire seemed to be a good one for Rutgers. Hermann comes in directly from Louisville - which had one of the great athletic years in school history in 2012-13.

The Louisville football team upset the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl. Louisville's men's and women's basketball teams advanced to their respective title games with the men winning a championship. Conversely, Rutgers men finished 11th in the Big East in basketball. The nearly automatic women's basketball team missed its first tournament in a decade and the football team lost the lightly-regarded Russell Athletic Bowl to Virginia Tech.

If Hermann could bring some of Louisville's winning Mojo, that would make her hire worth the trouble. Yeah, but then comes that word...trouble. The Newark Star-Ledger reported over the weekend that while Hermann was head women's volleyball coach at Tennessee, players accused her of ruling "through humiliation, fear, and emotional abuse."

Hermann's credibility has also been called into question as reports have surfaced about a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed by one of her former assistants. The assistant coach, Ginger Hineline won a $150,000 settlement from the University of Tennessee in 1995. When asked about the lawsuit and Hineline's wedding video used as evidence in the lawsuit, Hermann said she didn't remember attending the wedding.

Nevertheless, Hermann is shown in pictures of the wedding party. She extended well wishes to Hineline and her new husband in the video and she caught the bouquet. Yes, Hermann caught the bouquet but doesn't remember being at the wedding. She also doesn't remember the letter submitted by her players and denies calling them names I won't write in this space.

The first responsibility of any school or athletic program - from pre-K to college - is to provide a safe environment for students. This means kids should be safe from physical as well as mental harm. This means that those in charge must do their homework when checking backgrounds on potential coaches and administrators. Coaches must be trained in technique and temperament. The CNN video below sheds more light on the situation (email subscribers click here).

Something tells me Rutgers president Robert Barchi will be getting another phone call from Gov. Christie.

Sports Commission to award $5,000 scholarship

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:50:00 +0000

Sportsmanship Scholarship recipients, a set on Flickr.

The St. Louis Sports Commission's Sportsmanship Scholarship awards $5,000 annually to a deserving St. Louis area high school senior who exhibits outstanding sportsmanship in athletic competition. Administered by the Sports Commission Associates - the Sports Commission's young professionals group - the scholarship is part of the organization's ongoing Sportsmanship Initiative and efforts to promote sportsmanship in the community.

Please go to sportsmanship.org to download the nomination packet or call 314-345-5130. Nominations must be received by June 14, 2013. The recipient will be selected by July 31.

Simple, isn't it? This scholarship is about sportsmanship - its potential, practice and reward. The criteria are plain and straightforward. It does not matter how many touchdowns, baskets or goals an athlete scores. It does not matter how many times the team made the state playoffs. It only matters how the athlete treats others on the field.

'Others' take on a special significance relative to the Sportsmanship Scholarship. Respecting your coaches, teammates and even younger members of your club team is great. However, none of them are technically 'others.'

Volunteering at a local shelter or leading the canned food drive are tremendous examples of community service, but it's not sportsmanship. How did you treat your opponent? How did you treat the person you don't know? More to the point, how did you treat the person that it's usually OK not to like?

St. Louis, like all communities, has some strong rivalries: Kirkwood-Webster, Hazelwood-McCluer, Vashon-Sumner, University City-Normandy, Clayton-Ladue. There are many others, but you get the idea. How did you act when your biggest rival hit the deck? Did you reach down to help him up?

The goal you scored in the playoffs wasn't really a goal. What did you do? Did you accept an ill-gotten score or did you do the right thing? It's often said that character is what you do when no one is looking. Well, sportsmanship is what you do when everyone is looking.

Sportsmanship cuts both ways. It is a double-edged sword that strengthens the athlete and encourages the fan. When you download the application please read the bios of past scholarship recipients to get a better understanding of what the committee is looking for. Good luck to all of the applicants and above all - remember to be a good sport!

For best sportsmanship...just add water

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:02:00 +0000

"Make sure you have fun!" This was the rallying cry from Sts. Joachim & Ann's coach for his 4th grade softball team. The girls took the field Friday night against Immaculate Conception-Dardenne. A mostly dry day on Friday gave way to increasing cloud cover which became a steady stream of rain over the Joachim & Ann field.

Weather was an issue. Sportsmanship was not. The Sportsmanship Brigade opened its umbrellas and took in a great spring game. But even better than the pitching, fielding and hitting was the attitude and overall team spirit of Joachim & Ann.

They had a cheer for almost every situation. Joachim & Ann had the bases loaded in the second inning and a cheer erupted that ended with "...a nerd on third!" The kid on third did some kind of wild dance responding to the signal from her teammates.

The Brigade was very impressed with the Joachim & Ann team as well as its coaching staff. Joachim & Ann will use its pizza party to close the season later this summer. Parents and coaches of the Joachim & Ann community should be proud of the kids and proud of themselves for the tremendous job they're doing.

Good luck to the Flames this season and make sure you keep the fire of sportsmanship burning!

Flame on!

Adult failure radiates from Jay Harris decision

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

ESPN ranked Philadelphia area high school senior Jay Harris as the #2 wide receiver in the state of Pennsylvania and the #17 senior in the state overall. As you might expect, Harris received several scholarship offers from Division I programs such as Penn State, Old Dominion Temple and Michigan State.

Harris signed a letter of intent in February to attend Michigan State. Awesome! Kid works hard and realizes his dream of playing Division I football. If he continues to improve while playing in a conference like the Big Ten, professional opportunities may await him in the future.

Sounds like a good story so far, right? No...not so much. Jay Harris has given up his scholarship at Michigan State to become a rapper. Look, I like rap and respect rappers. This is not about rap although some will undoubtedly chuckle and/or make negative comments about the world's most popular music genre.

This is about taking opportunities off the table and going full-bore into one that may be over before you can blink. Harris could have earned a degree, pursued a professional athletic career and honed his rap skills. He didn't have to give it all up. College campuses are where many contemporary rappers develop.

Harris could have easily pursued rap by performing at college parties and other campus events. Rick Rubin started Def Jam Records in his...wait for it...dorm! Ludacris graduated Summa Cum Laude from Georgia State University. Chuck D and Flava Flav formed the legendary group Public Enemy while students at Aldephi University where they both graduated.

Yes, Flava Flav has a college degree. So, you have no more excuses.

Harris' decision speaks to a lack of guidance in his life. As much as I write about parents and coaches being too involved, someone should have stepped in to redirect this young man. There are some mistakes we can't let kids make. The opportunity he was afforded and is now giving up should not have been taken so lightly.

We all know most kids will not be offered a Division I scholarship. Lottery odds are often better. Harris is one of those fortunate kids whose sports skill could be life-changing. His parents and coaches should have impressed that upon him more.

Parents and coaches must encourage kids to maximize every opportunity. It's impossible to lock an open door. Let's make sure our kids open every one they can. Jay Harris' stage name is Jay Datbull. We'll see if he becomes the next Pitbull or his music becomes just plain bull.

Sportsmanship on Tour(s)

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:31:00 +0000

South St. Louis County is home to several great parishes and St. Martin of Tours adds to the area's stellar reputation. St. Martin's 5th graders hosted Immaculate Conception in a cold, but compelling baseball matchup on Friday night.

With a game time temperature of 60 degrees and a howling wind, the weather favored the gridiron more than the diamond. The Brigade gathered a few jackets and we went to work. Both teams played hard and played well. However, St. Martin's kids encouraged one another and showed tremendous team spirit.

The Brigade couldn't decide on one standout so we picked them all. We're suckers for good sportsmanship.

The Book of Ezra

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:50:00 +0000

The Sportsmanship Brigade made its way to Barnhart, Mo. on Wednesday evening for a 6th grade baseball matchup between St. Joseph - Imperial and St. Francis of Assisi. A soggy turf and the threat of more rain didn't put a damper on these boys' spirits. They played with great intensity and had fun in the process. Particularly, St. Joseph's second baseman displayed leadership beyond his years.

Ezra is his name and he could very well write a book on sportsmanship and respect. He encouraged every pitcher who took the mound and made sure his team remained focused until the last out. Ezra's selection by the Brigade seemed as natural as him patting a teammate on the back.

Ezra and the St. Joe - Imperial team

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who visit youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, officials and fans who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card from a local business. To volunteer as a Brigade member or to request a visit from the Brigade, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.

Referee death reveals societal failure

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:39:00 +0000

"Stay in a child's place!" This command was directed at me many times as a youngster. My mom used to let me know that I was crossing a line and to take a step back. I didn't like hearing it because it made me feel as if my place as a child was less than that of an adult.

I was wrong. My mom was protecting me. She planted the seeds of the mantra I now use in my professional life - Know. Your. Role. As a whole, our kids do not know their roles. They call us by our first names and answer "What!" when called. Many have little respect for their parents and almost none for other adults.

We have all heard about a team taking on the personality of its coach. Kids take on the personalities of their parents as well. Disrespectful parents often produce disrespectful children. The death of youth soccer referee Richard Portillo as the result of being punched by a 17-year-old player reveals a complete societal failure in the area of respect.

I have written extensively about referee assaults. Some states even have "referee assault" on the books as a felony. Florida will give you up to five years in prison for it. Still, referees are treated poorly - as if they have some stake in athletic contests beyond calling them fairly.

You can't watch a game of any kind on any level without someone complaining about the officiating. Referees are called names, cursed at, assaulted and now they're getting killed. The young man accused of killing Portillo did not know his role. He's a player. It's not his job to challenge the official. As a kid, it's certainly not his place to raise his hand to an adult.

Richard Portillo was a father himself and his family will miss him. Watch the NBC Latino story below about what his daughter had to say about the incident (email subscribers click here).

We must show greater respect for referees and teach our children to respect adults in general. How we raise and coach our kids will determine which team they will be on. Remember, prison uniforms have bright colors and numbers on them too.

Referee dies after being punched by player

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:56:00 +0000

Richard Portillo, the youth soccer referee who was punched last week by a player after a game, has died. This is a follow-up to last week's post chronicling the incident which initially put Portillo in critical condition. The Newsy.com story below provides further details (Email subscribers click here). Please keep Mr. Portillo and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

From the mouths of babes...

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:33:00 +0000

KMOX sports director Tom Ackerman is a huge supporter of the St. Louis Sports Commission and its Sportsmanship Initiative. He's helped us with multiple trivia nights, golf tournaments, the Musial Awards and countless other events. Tom knows what sports means to the St. Louis region and he certainly understands what sportsmanship is all about.

His parenting skills aren't too shabby, either. Check out the tweet he posted early Wednesday morning:

Driving home from the Cards game last night, I listened to the Kings tie the Blues.My 6-year-old: "So everyone gets to play more, right?"
— Tom Ackerman (@Ackerman1120) May 1, 2013

To put things in perspective, the St. Louis Blues hosted the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of their first round Stanley Cup playoff series on Tuesday night. St. Louis dominated most of the contest only to have the Kings come back and tie the game late to force overtime.

Rather than get upset that the hometown team may let one slip away, the younger Ackerman was happy that there would be more hockey - that everyone got to play a little more. Keep up the good work with the little one, Tom. More play never hurt anyone.

For all you homers out there, the Blues did win 2-1 in overtime.

Referee in critical condition after attack from teen player

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:16:00 +0000

A Salt Lake City man serving as a referee for a youth soccer game in nearby Taylorsville (Utah) is in critical condition after being punched by a 17-year-old player. Various news agencies are reporting that the referee issued a yellow card to the youngster after what he thought was a serious soul on the field. The young man responded by punching the 46-year-old in the face.

Initially, the man's injuries were considered minor, but his condition worsened after his arrival at a local hospital. He is in critical condition as of Tuesday with severe head injuries. The incident in question occurred on Saturday and the 17-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault.

It's usually my default position that all kids should be allowed to participate in sports. The alleged behavior of the young man in question goes beyond the pale, though. His being on a team with other impressionable teenagers sends the wrong message.

The sports environment has to be as safe as possible - for the kids, coaches, officials and fans. Let's hope the referee recovers and the young man gets the help he needs.

Brigade Night in America

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:05:00 +0000

Finally! Big Sol has come back...

Division I athlete shortens career to save a life

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:16:00 +0000

University of New Hampshire senior Cameron Lyle will donate bone marrow on Wednesday to a 28-year-old stranger who is suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Doctors have informed Lyle that the man has about six months to live without the transplant.

Lyle, 21, is a shot-putter at New Hampshire and was training to compete in the America East Conference championships next month. He will forego this opportunity for something far more important. It didn't start out that way, though. Lyle was no different than thousands of other college students across the country.

Health drives are held on campuses all the time. When Lyle was screened in the school cafeteria two years ago, he never thought it would lead to anything significant. That all changed when Lyle received a call earlier this year saying he may be a match for someone. He completed a battery of tests which confirmed him as a match for the would-be recipient.

As the realization set in that his senior season was over, Lyle kept things in the right perspective. "It's just a sport", he told ABC's Good Morning America. "Just because it's Division I college level doesn't make it any more important . Life is more important than that. So, it was pretty easy." Please take a moment to watch the Good Morning America segment below (email subscribers click here).

Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.

This story represents pure selflessness. Cameron Lyle is not donating bone marrow to his mom, dad, sister, brother, friend or teammate. He's giving to someone whose name he doesn't even know - someone he may never meet. Lyle gains nothing but the intrinsic reward of knowing that when someone needed him, and only he could help, he did.

Many of us have these opportunities and we choose not to act on them. Maybe yours isn't donating bone marrow. Maybe it's helping a kid with her homework, cutting your elderly neighbor's lawn or volunteering as an assistant coach on a local youth sports team this summer. Lyle's story may make you cry. I hope it also makes you think. How can we use our abilities - athletic and otherwise - to help someone else?

Parent shooting incident ends Little League season

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:11:00 +0000

The North Vallejo (Calif.) Little League season is over. I know. Spring has just begun. There's no way baseball is over. Well, it is for over 200 kids. Earlier this week, two parents who have kids on a tee ball team of five and six-year-olds were involved in altercation when one parent fired a gun at the other.

There is no need to go into a long diatribe about this situation. It speaks to the fact that adults can and do ruin sports experiences for kids. Watch the KGO-TV story below (email subscribers click here). Kids pay the price when adults are irresponsible.

Obama hosts local good sports

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 00:39:00 +0000

The Sportsmanship Brigade made its first trip to Barack Obama Elementary in North St. Louis County on Friday afternoon. It was also our first chance to see the kids in the America SCORES St. Louis program this spring soccer season. Obama entertained Walbridge Elementary in two games featuring third through sixth graders. The girls played the first contest with the boys taking the field after.

Both games were fun to watch and the kids had a blast. However, the actions of the Walbridge girls on the sidelines during the second game caught our attention. These young ladies gathered in a tight huddle about five minutes in. They broke with a handclap indicative of a team about to take the field. Instead, they became an organized cheering squad for the boys. The girls yelled, clapped and danced the entire second game.

No one told them to do this. They could have just ignored the boys and talked among themselves. We were impressed by their conscious show of solidarity with the boys. The Brigade turns into a bunch of softies when it comes to team unity. We couldn't help ourselves. Pizza for everyone! As for the title of this post, I couldn't help it.

#BostonStrong: An emotional tribute to Beantown

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:19:00 +0000

The terrorist bombing of the Boston Marathon earlier this week has affected us all in some way or another. Stories of profound loss have saddened us. The reality that there are people in the world who would do such a thing frightens us. Sports, however, unite us. Sports have a lasting place in American society because they are a microcosm of who we are as a people.

They have a calming affect. Sports feel normal. When the games restarted after September 11, 2001, we began taking baby steps toward what would become a new normal. The same is taking place in Boston this week. On Wednesday night, the Boston Bruins hosted the Buffalo Sabres in the first major sporting event in the city since the terrorist attack.

In an emotional pre-game ceremony, Boston showed strength, unity, resolve, compassion and the first signs of healing. Frank Viverito, president of the St. Louis Sports Commission (and my boss), often says that sports are important because they bring people together. Frank's certainly right this time. Please have a look at the Boston-Buffalo pre-game ceremony below (email subscribers click here).

And a special thanks to my good friend, Maria for sharing this video with me.

Kid hits buzzer beater from mid-court, both teams celebrate

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:42:00 +0000

Professional teams often allow youth teams to scrimmage against one another at halftime during regular season games. Such was the case earlier this month when the Toronto Raptors hosted the Washington Wizards at the Air Canada Centre. A consistent theme of this blog is that the essence of youth sports is fun. I'll repeat it. Kids play sports to have fun.

If you don't believe me, have a look at the end of the youth scrimmage below (email subscribers click here).

Both teams are celebrating with the kid who made the shot. These are 11 and 12-year-old kids and their natural impulse was to celebrate with the opponent. I wish I could say these kids have some advanced understanding of respect and civility. That may or may not be true. What is true is the fact that a kid just like them made a half-court buzzer beater on an NBA court.

You can't beat that type of sports experience with a stick! All of the kids will remember this moment forever. They'll be telling their kids and grand kids about it. Some may even insert themselves into the role of the shooter. Nevertheless, this is what youth sports is all about. This is the kind of experience we should strive to create for our kids everyday. While we may not have an NBA arena for them to play in, we can certainly treat them like all-stars.

Who drew baseball's color line?

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Sixty-six years ago today, Jackie Robinson officially broke baseball's color line when he took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson became the first African-American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era. Please take note of the term 'modern era.' Robinson was not the first African-American to play Major League Baseball.

As a matter of fact, there were two before Robinson and they were brothers - literally. Moses Fleetwood "Fleet" Walker played for the Toledo Blue Stockings from 1883-1884. His brother, Weldy, also played for the Blue Stockings in 1884 as a mid-season call up. The Blue Stockings folded at the end of the 1884 season and both men went to the minor leagues.

Enter Cap Anson. Adrian Constantine "Cap" Anson is one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history. He played first base for three teams in the late 19th century. It has been 115 years since Anson played his last game, but he remains 20th on the all-time hits list with 3,081 and 11th all-time in RBI with 2,076. He was also a lifetime .334 hitter. Anson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

Unfortunately, Anson was as racist as he was talented. He had at least two documented run-ins with Fleet Walker and his brother, Weldy. On August 10, 1883, Anson refused to take the field when his Chicago White Stockings were set to play Toledo because he did not want to play against an African-American. Walker was the only one on the team.

Another incident occurred in 1884. Anson again refused to play against Toledo. He was beside himself because the Blue Sockings had two African-Americans this time as Weldy Walker had joined the team. Anson was quoted as saying he would not play with "chocolate-covered coons." Anson's intolerance did not stop there. In 1887, he refused to play in an exhibition game against the Newark Little Giants because they had an African-American starting pitcher.

Soon after, Major League Baseball owners entered into a "gentlemen's agreement" to not sign any black players. Make no mistake. The color line was meant to be drawn in black permanent marker - with an emphasis on black. The color line was aimed directly at African-Americans. Native Americans and Hispanics met with comparatively little resistance and several of them played during the time blacks were banned.

Anson's influence was no different than that of current players. Management often acquiesces to the wishes of star players and guys like Cap Anson carried a lot of weight. It's important to remember what happened then so it never happens again. This post is dedicated to Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby and their contemporaries. It is also dedicated to Fleet and Weldy Walker, George Stovey, Jimmy Claxton and Charlie Grant.

These men were either fired from their teams outright for being black or they had to endure masquerading as another race until they were eventually discovered. Grant even changed his name to Charlie Tokohama. His secret got out when a bunch of his black friends came to watch his tryout with the Baltimore Orioles. What would have happened if men like Anson had used their celebrity and influence to draw people in rather than keep them out?

That's a good question for us today. Everyone has gifts. Are we using those gifts to help others? Are we building people up or tearing them down? Baseball no longer has a color line because of Jackie Robinson and all the people who helped him cross it. Life has many other lines, though. Who are you helping to push across?

Assumption vs. St. Ann for the Sportsmanship Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Solomon Alexander) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:02:00 +0000

It's a rare occurrence when two teams of great character and great skill meet for a championship on any level. On Sunday, April 14 at 1:30 p.m. inside the beautiful Danis Field House on the campus of St. Louis University High School, Assumption-O'Fallon will play St. Ann-Normandy for the CYC Intermediate (8th grade) Closed Division Championship.

For those who are unaware, the Closed Division of CYC means the kids on a particular team can only play for that team during the season. This will be the ultimate matchup. Respect meets Civility. Sportsmanship meets Character. Fair Play will go one-on-one with Integrity. Ladies and gentlemen, we have the Irresistible Force vs. the Immovable Object!

The Sportsmanship Brigade had the opportunity to see both of these stellar teams on their way to this weekend's title game. We witnessed Assumption-O'Fallon win impressively over Sacred Heart-Florissant last Saturday. The crowd was very much pro-Sacred Heart and Assumption only dressed five players. Even with the numbers and crowd against them, the boys showed maturity beyond their years.

They helped opposing players up after tough plays. One Assumption player gave a Sacred Heart kid a pat on the back in comfort when a controversial call when against the Florissant team. We couldn't find just one deserving player. So, we recognized all five.

Brigade members with the Assumption team

St. Ann-Normandy met the formidable St, Mark on Wednesday night and before severe storms hit the St. Louis area, these teams nearly shot the lights out - combining for 105 points in only 28 minutes of regulation. Although St. Ann played hard, dove for loose balls and dribbled through a tough St. Mark defense, the young men never lost their composure.

St. Mark came back from a 12-point third quarter deficit to take the lead late in the fourth. Naton Smith of St. Ann would not let his team fold its tent, though. Smith rallied the troops with his play and his encouragement. Strength of will doesn't show up on a stat sheet, but everyone could feel Smith's presence as St. Ann held on for the victory. It's appropriate that Smith's teammates rallied around him for this photo as they did during the game.

Smith (center) and his teammates are on-point

No matter who you root for, these kids represent what youth sports are all about. If you have a chance to see the game, check it out. Admission is free and and seeing two teams of young people doing the right thing is priceless.

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.