Milestone for America

The big sports story in the mainstream media has faded away from David Beckham's $250 million dollar soccer contract and has shifted to the fact that both coaches of the Superbowl teams are black. It is the first time in history that one black person has coached a team in the Superbowl, let alone two.

I notice something else about these coaches that I find even more amazing. Neither Tony Dungee nor Lovie Smith raise their voices at their players. They are positive, instructive, and encouraging in their manner and their teams have defeated all sorts of "In your face" coaches on the way to the big game.

I have been told by coach after coach that "You have to get 'em fired up. You gotta make 'em mad." I had always been told that this is what it takes in football because after all..."Football is the controlled application of violence."

I had always thought that was the definition of WAR, not a game for kids...silly me.

When my wife told me that our oldest son was going to start playing soccer, my reaction was, "Huh?" Today, 16 teams and two wonderful soccer careers later, I am a huge fan of the game... And mostly of the coaches who never seem to yell at their players. When they do raise their voices, it is on the order of an instruction or tactic and never ever the old football standby of, "What's the matter with you?" The one question to which no child ever has an answer, except for, "I am a failure, coach."

I would love to see that question banned from this planet.

Every sport has its culture. It is rewarding for me to see American Football catching up to the rest of the world.

Go Colts!

Peace,

Steve