Well, since I posted about the pep rally for the ND @ UNC game, I guess I have to post about the game itself. In case you missed the result. UNC won 29-25. ND had 6 turnovers. You don’t deserve to win if you give the ball away 6 times. My kids were disappointed about the loss. Time for a teaching moment.

Earlier in the day my daughter played her best game of soccer in the five years she has been playing. She scored a goal and played well on both sides of the ball before going into goal and making some great stops. She also gave up a few goals that she had no chance to stop anyway. (She later confided she wanted to play hard in memory of our hamster). She did. She didn’t see it that way. Her team lost. She gave up some goals. In this case, I told her it was OK to be a little upset about the loss because it was her team but that she also should feel good about her play. Honestly, she played great.

Now, to Notre Dame. This is a case where the disappointment should last for about five minutes (maybe five hours). Yes, I am a fan. Yes, I am a graduate. Yes, other fans will question how much of a fan I am. Yes, I know victory brings revenue which helps the school. But BIG Yes, I know I can do nothing about whether they win or lose.

And, it is just a game. Yes, a game that provides a diversion. A game that helps kids go to school. A game that helps generate pride in your university. A game that can teach about character, discipline and winning. I am a fan of sport. I am not a fan of misplaced priorities and over the top behavior in the name of sport.

As individuals, as a country, and as a world we have bigger issues to deal with than who won or lost this weekend. In the grand scheme of things, it was a game. The game was played on October 11. Also on October 11 an American soldier or Marine (the name has yet to be released pending notification of next of kin) was killed by an IED. On Wall Street, credit remains locked tight which is stifling our economy and any hopes of recovery. With a few weeks to go until the election it is tougher and tougher for the fact checkers to keep up with the spin doctors. And just like the game, I can do nothing about those things.

Unlike those things, I can do something about my own financial condition, my own health, my own relationship with my family and my own state of mind. Sure, in the face of all those issues in the last paragraph it would be easy to get discouraged. But just like each team kept fighting yesterday until the last second (here is one of those what can sports teach us moments) we must keep fighting for ourselves. I must work on the things I can that will affect and impact my life.

I chose to attend the football game because I am a fan, because it was fun to do with my kids, and because I want my kids to experience the excitement and learn the connection between academics and athletics.

I chose to get over the loss. How about you? What do you need to get over? What are you doing to help you be in charge of your life?

Today, we are going fishing.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 12th, 2008 at 1:36 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.