I hope that all high school football players got to see that disgusting brawl during the Miami-Florida International game last Saturday.
That was the way not to act and was human behavior and certainly sportsmanship at its worst. Those involved not only disgraced their team and their school but themselves. They made no one proud.
Games are about winning, to be sure. I don’t think anybody will ever tell you they’d rather lose than win. But it does matter how you play the game and how you win or lose.
I’m a true believer in being humble in victory and gracious in defeat. I believe the game should be played with fire and passion and with joy and fun, but also with a quiet confidence. To see two teams go at it with everything they have and then in the end to meet and offer sincere congratulations. Not just the obligatory hand slap, but a handshake or gesture that means something and really conveys the honor it was to have competed. And it is an honor because not everybody has what it takes to be a part of a team.
To win with dignity is just as important as losing with dignity. To gloat, to taunt, to rub it in is no way to act in victory and conversely to sulk to blame others and not to acknowledge you opponent is no way to lose.
How you play the game does matter and it should never be forgotten.
This week on Football Friday, we hope to cover 27 football games involving schools from 18 counties.
Here’s the list; of course, as always subject to change:
Millbrook at Leesville RoadFuquay-Varina at CaryDurham Jordan at PersonChapel Hill at Durham RiversideEast Chapel Hill at Southern DurhamSoutheast Raleigh at ClaytonWakefield at EnloeEast Wake at GarnerFranklinton at BunnMiddle Creek at Lee CountySanderson at Wake Forest-RolesvilleUnion Pines at TritonSouthwest Edgecombe at Northern NashWilson Fike at Southern NashRocky Mount at Nash CentralWilson Hunt at C.B. AycockOverhills at South JohnstonGray’s Creek at Harnett CentralNorth Moore at Jordan MatthewsNorthern Durham at Durham HillsideEastern Wayne at Wilson BeddingfieldJack Britt at Douglas ByrdRichmond County at Seventy-FirstGreen Hope at ApexNorth Edgecombe at Northampton WestSouthern Vance at Northwest HalifaxSoutheast Halifax at LouisburgWe certainly appreciate of you who have called in your score to us. That is the best way to ensure that your team’s score gets on Football Friday. It’s always the home teams responsibility, but some times it slips through the cracks. So the more calls we get, the better. Our toll free number is 1-888-472-9725.
Remember -- Football Friday at 11:35 p.m. on WRAL-TV.
