Sports AND The Black Man…
When I went away to Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio to college I hated sports and I hated Ohio State football. I took NO pride whatsoever in any of the many, many victories the outstanding football team under then coach Woody Hayes had at the time. I saw the players as exploited and I thought the young men should have been paid something because the school made millions of dollars off the team, yet the players were barely given a fresh drink of water for their troubles. The players may have gotten scholarships, but in my eyes then, that wasn’t nearly enough. The issue of whether college sports players should be paid something for the four years they play while in undergraduate school has been debated by many. But I had come to hate exploitation and I just saw the players, even though some of them went on to get millions of dollars to play for professional football teams, as exploited people.
All I can say right now is that I’m very happy for Terrell Pryor and the Ohio State team for winning THE Rose Bowl today, Friday, 1-1-2010—the first day of the year. They won the game soundly 27 to 17. This is a sea change for me. Usually I could care less about the Ohio State game, but recently I joined the Ohio State Alumni Association and I’m hoping on working with them on some positive, proactive projects to help poor veterans in our community in Delaware very soon. This victory gives me the heads up that things will work out for me in the coming year. It makes me feel proud as a Black man because there were so many great Black players on the team including their talented Quarter Back, Terrell Pryor and so many others. There is also a sense of pride because it was Ohio State—the school I graduated from in 1978—a long, long time ago—regardless of the color of the team’s players….
I don’t know any of the other players and I don’t even know who the current head coach is, but I am proud of this win. I just wanted to tell you this to let you know that people can change. It may take several years, but opinions can change and people can change for the better. They CAN get their heads out of the sand and listen to different view points and can even be won over. Like my USANA coach Anne Reid says, you have to keep dripping on them. Never give up on presenting me with an idea or your opinion… I am always willing to listen. You don’t have to agree with me all the time. That is the great thing about all the new technology and the electronic networking—everybody wants to share their opinion. As long as we can all act like civil human being, this is a great thing. Remember we can agree to disagree. Life is too short to fight over a difference of opinion. The important thing is to keep informed and to listen to more than one source for your information…
Again, my CONGRATULATIONS go out to Ohio State, their Coaches, ALL the players and fans, and their Quarter Back Terrell Pryor for their BIG VICTORY today!! Go Bucks!!!
When I went away to Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio to college I hated sports and I hated Ohio State football. I took NO pride whatsoever in any of the many, many victories the outstanding football team under then coach Woody Hayes had at the time. I saw the players as exploited and I thought the young men should have been paid something because the school made millions of dollars off the team, yet the players were barely given a fresh drink of water for their troubles. The players may have gotten scholarships, but in my eyes then, that wasn’t nearly enough. The issue of whether college sports players should be paid something for the four years they play while in undergraduate school has been debated by many. But I had come to hate exploitation and I just saw the players, even though some of them went on to get millions of dollars to play for professional football teams, as exploited people.
All I can say right now is that I’m very happy for Terrell Pryor and the Ohio State team for winning THE Rose Bowl today, Friday, 1-1-2010—the first day of the year. They won the game soundly 27 to 17. This is a sea change for me. Usually I could care less about the Ohio State game, but recently I joined the Ohio State Alumni Association and I’m hoping on working with them on some positive, proactive projects to help poor veterans in our community in Delaware very soon. This victory gives me the heads up that things will work out for me in the coming year. It makes me feel proud as a Black man because there were so many great Black players on the team including their talented Quarter Back, Terrell Pryor and so many others. There is also a sense of pride because it was Ohio State—the school I graduated from in 1978—a long, long time ago—regardless of the color of the team’s players….
I don’t know any of the other players and I don’t even know who the current head coach is, but I am proud of this win. I just wanted to tell you this to let you know that people can change. It may take several years, but opinions can change and people can change for the better. They CAN get their heads out of the sand and listen to different view points and can even be won over. Like my USANA coach Anne Reid says, you have to keep dripping on them. Never give up on presenting me with an idea or your opinion… I am always willing to listen. You don’t have to agree with me all the time. That is the great thing about all the new technology and the electronic networking—everybody wants to share their opinion. As long as we can all act like civil human being, this is a great thing. Remember we can agree to disagree. Life is too short to fight over a difference of opinion. The important thing is to keep informed and to listen to more than one source for your information…
Again, my CONGRATULATIONS go out to Ohio State, their Coaches, ALL the players and fans, and their Quarter Back Terrell Pryor for their BIG VICTORY today!! Go Bucks!!!
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