... And the agony of defeat. The old ABC Wide World of Sports program used to open using that line. The show has been gone for years, but that expression lives on because it so perfectly captures the sports experience. Even those who have never been big sports fans often enjoy the passion of those who are, appreciate the determination of talented athletes, and "get it" when a sports metaphor is used off the playing field.
The impact of sports on society is something I often think about, so I was happy to talk about it with award-winning Baltimore Sun sports columnist David Steele. He is the featured guest on Say It By Heart the week of September 8th. David is just the person to talk to because in addition to his ability to bring the fun of sports to a conversation, he is also the co-author of Four Generations of Color and Silent Gesture: The Autobiography of Tommie Smith.
You may have seen the famous picture of Tommie Smith, standing tall wearing his Olympic Gold Medal in Mexico City in 1968. Fellow teammate John Carlos is lower, to the right, wearing his Bronze Medal. Both men hold their Black Power salute high and their heads low. It was a powerful demonstration of their disgust at the discrimination faced by African Americans at home. They were criticized and even received death threats. Many people believed, some still do, that the international sporting venue was the wrong place for politics. Yet politics touch everything. Even this year, many people had significant issues with China hosting the Olympics. Baseball players have testified before Congress about steroid use, and football legends were on Capitol Hill with concerns about how the NFL treats its veterans.
Most importantly, there's just something about sports. Something that allows us to feel fully alive whether participating or watching. That's fine by me.
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