Published: July 22, 2008 02:17 pm            

COMMENTARY: Let’s put boasting in its proper perspective

Bragging must just be a natural part of sports.

I remember back when I played a little, I used to defend my on-court mouthing by saying, “It’s not bragging if you can do it.” By the time I reached college and thought I played a mean game of pick up basketball, I had the art of trash talking down to a science, asking defenders where they

wanted me to sink the next shot from and winking at them when it did go in on occasion. It wasn’t that I was a particularly good player or anything,

I guess it was just part of my so-called game.

I find that while my game has changed over the years, my bragging hasn’t slowed down a bit.

Nowadays, the bragging about sports achievements either comes in the form of doing so about my children or even my wins as a youth coach. Sounds a bit pathetic in the whole scheme of things, doesn’t it?

It’s funny how we have these testosterone-fueled needs to boast about sports accomplishments that will mean very little in life, and sometimes pass up the opportunity to do so about things that have a greater impact in our lives and the lives of people around us.

I fell victim to that just this weekend.

When we arrived home from a baseball tournament late Saturday night, I made a point to call my parents and tell them that Gunner, my

oldest son, hit a home run in his first at bat and that the team played great and took fourth place.

I didn’t do the same thing when he brought home his report card with straight A’s during the school year. I didn’t do it when he and his brother,

Kobe, learned new Bible verses at church, and I didn’t call when they got prizes for reaching reading goals in the Accelerated Reader program at

school.

Sure, I got around to telling the grandparents about those achievements too, but it was much later and in casual conversation. I didn’t make

a specific effort to do so like I did with the baseball game.

Sports is a different beast of sorts.

Sure, you want to root for your kid’s team to do well, but in the end does it really matter as long as they did their best, had fun and even learned something?

It’s somewhat hypocritical of me to say as much since I’ve been on the boastful end of things so often, but it still needs to be said.

I’m very proud of all the accomplishments my children have in life, but sometimes fail to place the importance on those achievements the

way I do on sports, and I think that is the case for many of us.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t brag about our kids, or even the teams that play for when they do well. By all means, parents and adults should be supportive of children.

What I’m saying is that the pride should not be limited to sports achievements, or that those accomplishments need to be put into perspective

with everyday accomplishments.

I wrote what ended up being a national award-winning sports column when I was in college about Cal Ripken Jr.’s amazing consecutive game played streak and how he was honored for playing baseball when others in the world went as many or more years on their jobs without so much as a note in the newspaper. The column spawned a great deal of positive feedback, but I apparently didn’t take it to heart, because I continue

to fall victim to the sports boasting attitude.

Just a couple weeks ago I told someone about how well a second- and third-grade basketball team I coached did during the last school year, winning all but one game.What I failed to tell that person while I was bragging about my “coaching expertise” was that the very day was my 14th wedding anniversary. It’s odd that I seemed more proud about the way an elementary basketball team played that having been happily married for nearly half my life. That’s just one example of many I could use. And we all do it.

Some may tell you that we should slow down on the bragging about our children, but that’s hogwash in my book. What we need to do instead is remember that all things in life should be kept in perspective. What we boast about and place importance on helps prioritize things for our children.

While I love sports and am thrilled with the on-field accomplishments of my children, like every one else, I need to slow down and let them know I am also proud of them for doing well in school, learning things at church, helping with chores and getting along with others.

Maybe if we put the emphasis on other things that we do on sports you would see surgeons chest bumping one another in hospital halls after saving a life or a school teachers fighting through crowds of autograph seekers on their way to and from school. If that sounds ridiculous to you,

just maybe you to need to reevaluate your priorities.

        

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