Monday, January 18, 2010

Thank goodness I'm heading south


I was a little disgusted yesterday as the Vikings ran up the score on the Cowboys. It would have been one thing if they had scored while trying to run out the clock, or scored with the backups in, but it wasn't cool that they did it while their starters were still in, passing three times, including going for it twice on 4th down. I have enough of a problem with bad sportsmanship, but I had a greater problem with the people who DON'T have a problem with the way the Vikings carried themselves at the end of the game.
The two responses I heard were that A) The Cowboys are professional athletes and B) they are the Cowboys, so somehow they deserve it. Well, the Vikings are professionals too, so they should be better at showing respect to their fellow professionals, especially when this group of Vikings should have no ill will towards this current group of Cowboys. And that's the other thing. This group of Cowboys has been a listless band of players who haven't accomplished anything, nor have the been bombastic in their self congratulation, or outwardly arrogant, not any more than any other NFL team. Other than the owner, this group of player has been downright likeable. Why should they be punished for the sins of Michael Irvin and Charles Haley?
And if you weren't instilled with the same values of sportsmanship, I was, there isn't much I can do, except get upset, at which point you would call me old fashioned or a whiner, and I'll continue to think you are classless where it comes to sports
The worst I heard involved a Vikings fan taunting a Bears fan because his team was still in the playoffs, and the Bears fan was dying. I don't care who you are, that's disgusting. OF course, the taunter didn't think so, and of course, I had nothing to do but get mad at how despicable some people can be. I don't understand how these games can turn people so ugly.
And that, in a nutshell, is why I take my road trips. It's nice to get away for a while, but also it's nice to go to a game simply to enjoy a game. Next weekend, I'll be on my way to Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Missouri to watch them take on Murray State. Having no affiliation with either school, I can simply enjoy the game.
This might be the first game I go to that the road team wins. Murray State is a very good team, having only 3 losses on the season, at California, Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky, programs that are clearly more elite than their typical OVC opponents. In fact, Murray State is 8-0 in their conference schedule thus far. The Racers feature a young team, and may well be a force to be reckoned with on a national level in years to come.
Contrast that with SE Missouri State. The Redhawks draw much of their roster from local community colleges and are generally juniors or seniors. Three of their 7 total wins on the season have come against non Division 1 opponents. If they have one shining star, it's that their coach's name is Dickey Nutt. That's pretty awesome.
I just got a GPS to take with me for the trip. I've been playing with it and it's been way too much fun so far. That's what I need this weekend. I need to have some fun with my sports.

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