For the love of the game

I am writing this early Saturday morning, watching nine year olds work on their shooting fundamentals. For all you looking, this is where the game is at.

I once watched an interview of Mike James, where he was talking about his love of the game. That stuck with me, and more than anything, that is what I remember when I hear his name. And I love him for it.

The game comes first, then the players, and the teams, then the fans… and then the rest. The game comes first…

So the main thing is to keep the ball in play, so I can boo, and taunt Mike James, like I did all series, for the flop, and for the airball, and the other airball… And still, call the play he is going to make the moment he touches the ball, his team up by one, at the end of the game. Up four…

So really, this whole divide between us and them exists as long as the ball is in play. After the last whistle, there are only players, and the random people brought together by their love of the game, to watch the players play. If you take the game out of the equation, these are just random people, coming face to face, at a time of heavy emotional turmoil.. If you take the game out of the equation, this becomes a situation that requires heavy policing… If you take the game out of the equation, all is left is a black hole that would swallow us all.

Protect the game, and the game will take care of the rest. Else, there is no amount of policing that can control this. All on his own, and all bets are off.

For the love of the game…