A couple of weeks ago, I was in Chicago for a professional meeting of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, where one of the scheduled speakers was Mike Eruzione. Please tell me you know who Mike Eruzione is. Please…
Okay, I realize that not everyone is a sports fan, but Eruzione played a [...]
So they were intense games, “friendly” only in the soccer sense of the word, meaning a game between two countries that doesn’t count in a record book. But the games mattered to those playing, and that in itself is the glory of sports. To not play hard, to not compete, is to disrespect both the game and your opponent. But, just as on the world stage, the games ended with respectful handshakes and hugs, the sharing of water and smiles.
It’s a beautiful game. A wonder. A statement of faith in each other. A blessing cup.
Enjoy the Olympics. Cheer on your favorite athletes and rejoice in the competition and the victories. But here’s a more important challenge: Emerge from the Olympics with a better sense of your own call, your own race. Then go run it.
Here’s the point of all this, really. If you don’t like the culture, make your own…or help others make their own. Instead of paying $50 or $100 bucks to see a megastar at your local arena, support or create your own small venues that put the spotlight on the gifted but lesser-known artists who may never find their way (or want to find their way) to top 40 radio, MTV or the Grammy Awards.