Little Leagues; Little Minds?

Every once in a while we come across a story where sports and life become one and the same.

This was the case during a Little league game not so long ago. By now, some of you already know what happened but for those of you who do not here's an ever so brief description.

When a slugger for one team came up to the plate, the opposing coach decided to walk the kid. Fair enough. Intentional walks are part of the game and a strategic option available to a manager. The only problem in this case was that the batter who followed was feeble - because he had cancer. Naturally, he struck out. Game over.

SI's Rick Reilly felt compelled enough to write about this story and subsequently it became a national sensation. Did the coach do the right thing? Or were his actions over the line?

In his favor, the argument will go something like 'well, he is part of the game so therefore part of the strategy.' Can't argue with this explanation.

On the other hand these were 9-year old kids. I'm sure that kid who was walked wanted to a chance to slug the ball. If he is Major League material there'll be plenty of opportunities to be walked in the future. This didn't have to be, to me anyway, one of them on this day. There's a time and place for everything. It's a fine line between teaching kids on how to to strive for excellence while having the aptitude to know when to act with grace, respect and honor. Then again, I happen to be one of those guys who would send an underdog to take a last kick in a soccer shoot-out. The message is bigger than the sport.

To submit the coach missed the point may very well be valid. He may go through life just fine and perhaps go on to claim he was a winner at every level should he find a career in coaching.

Maybe. But he's already failed miserably on what makes us all inherently decent. Taking the side of humility could have been one of the greatest gifts he could given every single kid that day. His legacy would have been set and rightfully so. Alas, he had his reasons and priorities set.

Strike three! You're out. Game over.