Everyone Gets A Ribbon!

NYT:

 "It is not with a hearty handshake and pat on the back. It is not, as some athletes suggested (presumably jokingly), with a swift kick to the rear end. Rather, the near-medalists — and a few not-so-near-medalists — receive a personally inscribed, autopen-signed, formal Olympic diploma.

“It’s kind of like the one you get for participation,” said Mercedes Nicoll, a Canadian snowboarder who finished sixth in the women’s halfpipe competition at the Vancouver Games in 2010 and was given such a certificate. “It’s really nice. I mean, it’s not the same as medaling, of course. I know some athletes who win medals like to show them around to everyone, but I don’t do that. It’s a piece of paper. I think that would be kind of dorky.”

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The practice of handing out a ribbon for all participating athletes happened in my day.

Athletes, and I mean real hardcore athletes - like Olympians and professionals - don't subscribe to such progressive feel-good projects.

Sports and athletics are about WINNING. Nothing more, nothing less. Yes, it's important for kids to get out there and play and participate but we shouldn't ignore the basic premise of competition is to beat your opponent. It's unfortunate some kids are better than others but it is what it is.

When I was in grade school a friend named Bruno (who thought I was the best player. Oh, the pressure) organized a 'who was the best soccer player' battle royale during lunch. It was to determine who was the best soccer player - me or Mario.

Mario and I later ended up team mates in our early to mid teens and formed a talented partnership on the field. Admittedly, while I had my strengths, he was probably more talented. He went on to play longer while I fell behind because of a knee injury.

Anyway. I think I lost 6-5 or something in a tightly contested game.

Point is, I had to deal with the loss and accept that there were possibly better players than me at an early age all by myself. I didn't need a teacher to come and give me a fucking ribbon. Recognition is nice but don't patronize me.

That's how sports people think and it annoys me to have to listen to non-sports people try to tell me what's a 'healthy' view on things. We hate to lose and don't need to be told 'what matters is you participated!" Maybe some kids need it but not us.

That's the value of being in sports. It teaches you so many life lessons it can't be quantified or measured in a piece of paper or diploma.

That's what these boobs who come up with all this garbage - including the increasing disturbing trend of games ending in ties - don't get. Largely because, they probably were on the losing end of things and never got over it. So they project by handing out ribbons to make sure no one is hurt. In their efforts to keep self-esteem healthy, they actually do a disservice to kids because they actually think they're better than they really are.

Nothing is worse than seeing a kid brimming with over confidence ultimately fail at a try-out. I've been my share of those and lemme tell you, when we felt someone was too good for their own good, we were relentless in putting them in their place.

I remember a time at a practice when one player was fluffing his peacocks a little too much for another player (the best player around who ended up with Team Canada). He nudged me and said, 'that guy bugs me. I have to put him in his place.'

The first chance he got he cracked him with a vicious slide tackle. He ran back to me, and winked 'Think he got the message?'

That's sports. And we mustn't - nay - can't remove this tribal reality. We should ignore outright a proposal that would attempt to do so.

I hate to lose so much that I don't play team sports anymore because I can't put in a full 100% because of my knees. So why bother?

I know people say play 'for fun' but it doesn't work with me. Nothing burns me more inside than watching someone I know I can match but can't because of my knees. So I have to, for example, let them run by me for a goal. How is that fair to anyone?

Pisses me off.

So, yeah, in my case, they can take their diplomas and shove it.