My friend and webmaster Skip has been admired by many for his way with words, as well as his way with wisdom. I didn’t need to be reminded of it because it’s one of the things I value about his friendship, but it’s always nice to see something like this recent FaceBook post he wrote because then I know others are getting to witness his genius. He manages to cut through the current political situation with a sports parable that is powerful and insightful. It speaks for itself, and it speaks volumes:
Say what you will about hating the Yankees, and boy do I hate the Yankees. But I can’t say that I’m not sad about what happened to Mo Rivera. He’s a class act and I respect him as a player. I hope it’s not the end for him. The greatest closer the game has ever seen deserves a better exit than that…
This post from 8 years ago got me thinking. I have been a Red Sox fan for as long as I can remember. But I have never shied away from giving proper respect where it’s due. As was the case with Mo. He deserved respect because of the way that they played the game. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t ‘rooting’ for him. But I admired him nonetheless and wished him the best and the respect that they earned. I can reconcile this and still dislike the Yankees and all that they stand for. At the same time I can say, as a Red Sox fan, that Jonathan Papolbon was a gigantic douchebag and wasn’t worth respect from a Red Sox or Yankee fan alike. Sure he had a couple of wins but that didn’t change the fact that he carried himself like a tool and disrespected the game and the fans.
So why can’t people be like this politically? Let’s be honest here … Most of you are just rooting for “your team.” That’s the god’s honest truth. You can oppose someone and be civil to someone who has earned respect. And you can also realize that you can still love your team and realize that a player on it hasn’t done anything to earn your respect and supporting them because they are on your “team” makes you blind to the fact that they don’t give a shit about you regardless of whether or not you are a fan. ~ Skip Montross
