http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/2015/04/24/making-plea-civility-sports-letter/26310873/
Letter to editor in today's Clarion Ledger
When I first saw the now-infamous MSU baseball warm-ups, I thought it must be a joke. Surely the institute of higher learning, of which I am proud to call myself an alumnus, would not wear officially licensed athletic gear to contain an implied profanity directed at a rival school. But this actually happened. It is small consolation that Adidas has taken responsibility for this embarrassment.
Listen: Sports rivalries are a good thing, but when they devolve into hatred and mean-spirited insults, everyone loses. Is this what we want to teach our children? How about we teach them to compete hard on the playing field, while maintaining respect and civility towards even our most bitter rivals? This is how I was raised, but these days it seems outdated. Teach respect anew; never is enduring sportsmanship a reality unless learned early.
Lee Wooldridge
Shreveport, Louisiana
Letter to editor in today's Clarion Ledger
When I first saw the now-infamous MSU baseball warm-ups, I thought it must be a joke. Surely the institute of higher learning, of which I am proud to call myself an alumnus, would not wear officially licensed athletic gear to contain an implied profanity directed at a rival school. But this actually happened. It is small consolation that Adidas has taken responsibility for this embarrassment.
Listen: Sports rivalries are a good thing, but when they devolve into hatred and mean-spirited insults, everyone loses. Is this what we want to teach our children? How about we teach them to compete hard on the playing field, while maintaining respect and civility towards even our most bitter rivals? This is how I was raised, but these days it seems outdated. Teach respect anew; never is enduring sportsmanship a reality unless learned early.
Lee Wooldridge
Shreveport, Louisiana
