8.3 Sportsmanship Case Study

By Solomon Ward

My Definition of SportsmanshipI would define sportsmanship as the combination of respect, honesty, and compassion displayed during a competition.

Where Can I Find Sportsmanship?Everyone knows players are expected to display sportsmanship on the field. However there are other lesser-known sources of sportsmanship:

1. Owners and Coaches2. Health and Safety3. Athletes within their communities4. Fan Behavior

Owners and Coach

After his NFL coaching career came to an end, Sam Wyche began to focus on promoting sportsmanship within sports of all levels. He currently instills these values in the high school he currently coaches at.

The head of the Pittsburgh Steelers was fined $100,000 for standing in the way of Jacoby Jones during a kick return. He placed Jones in great risk of injury and simultaneously damaged his reputation and that of the Steelers.

Owners and Coaches have a responsibility to control their own behavior as much as they are responsible for the behavior of their players.

Health and Safety

January of this year I experienced my most severe injury ever. While attempting to block a layup I flew into the wall behind the basketball hoop. I subsequently broke my wrist while attempting to avoid slamming into the wall. I was asked if I could continue to play, to which I replied, “I don’t know” as my pride would not allow me to exit the game. About twenty seconds into the play I realized I had severely injured myself, and asked to be removed from the game. I was then given medical attention from a volunteer at the gymnasium. He gave me ice, which did not seem to ease any of the pain. About five minutes later the manager of the gymnasium made me a splint out of cardboard and tape. Given the severity of the injury and the lack of medical personal in the gym, I believe that the employees were properly ethical in dealing with my injury.

During a 1985 game of Monday Night Football, the football career of Joe Theismann was ended on one hit. After being sacked by Laurence Tayler, Theismann had a compound fracture in his leg (looks gruesome on film). Laurence Tayler showed great sportsmanship by frantically motioning for medical personal to attend to Theismann. However the manner in which the medical staff took care of Theismann could be described as unethical. According to Theismann, “When [he] was transported from the gurney into the ambulance, they forgot to pick up [his] right leg and [he] remember[s] asking the attendant, ‘Can someone pick up my leg?’” Leaving his injured leg dangling in such a way is neglectful and careless. This is classic example of unethical medical attention in sports.

Medical Staff are expected to follow all regulations and appease any discomforts expressed from players. Equal attention should be provided to all players, regardless of skill level.

Athletes and Community

Magic Johnson is an example of an athlete whose actions have provided positive impact on his community. Since contracting HIV in 1991 he has given a great deal of money of towards treating HIV as well as improving Los Angeles. He created the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 with a which aimed to help prevent HIV/AIDS. Years later it would expand into educational and other programs that aimed to address issues of diverse urban cultures. He combined his passion for combating HIV and the city of angels by creating The Magic Johnson Foundation.

Lance Armstrong’s actions had a negative impact on the cycling community as a whole. His steroid use in addition to his years of lying about it, ruined Armstrong’s reputation with fans. The result of the revelation was heavy backlash; he was disassociated from various charities and damaged the image of the sport of cycling for many years to come.

Athletes of all kind, but especially at the professional level, should be providing a positive impact on his team's community.

Fan Behavior

One example of the dangers of an unregulated group of fans can be found after a high school basketball game in my home state of Connecticut. After what was thought to be a game winning shot, Hall’s students rushed the court in celebration. However, as it turns out Conrad had called a timeout with 2.2 seconds left. During the rush fans began to get into scuffles that resulted in police intervention. Finally 10 minutes later they were able to resume play. This never should have occurred had fans of both side acted as if they were sitting next to their mother.

In my opinion, there are few greater feelings than having a crowd cheer you on. One memory that comes to mind is also quite an obscure one, it was eighth grade field day. I was one of four representatives for my class in our grades relay race. When I was passed the baton I heard cheers from my friends and classmates, louder than ever before. As cliché as it may sound I think the cheers must have helped me run even faster because we actually ended up winning.

Fans are responsible for representing themselves and their communities during sporting events. This means they are expected to behave with respect and positivity.

Conclusion: What does the Future hold?Given the trends in political correctness and tolerance I can predict a significant improvement in the ethics of sports players, owners, and fans alike. I believe society is catering more and more to the opinions of those who feel victimized by various forms of intolerance and as a result sports leagues will be more diligent in protecting the morality of their sports.

Works Cited"Former NFL Coach Talks about Good Sportsmanship." WYFF4. N.p., 16 Feb. 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Maquinana, Ryan. "Mike Tomlin Fined $100,000 for Actions in Steelers' Loss." NFL.com. NFL, 4 Dec. 2013.

Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Farrey, Tom. "Chris Paul: Citizen-athlete." Espn.com. N.p., 29 Nov. 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.

"Lance Armstrong." Wikipedia.org. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.

Healthline. N.p., 29 Jan. 2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.

Thank You For Your TimeHere is a pun, consider it a reward.