I’m SO Tired Of Bad Sportsmanship In Professional Sports

While watching the Super Bowl last night with friends an argument ensued about sportsmanship. It started when Seattle scored on a touchdown pass on New England Partiots cornerback Derelle Revis. Going into the game there was at least a little banter in the press about the two great corner backs in the game, Darelle Revis of the Patriots and Richard Sherman of the Seahawks. Honestly these two man are easily among the very best in the game as far as talent goes.

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Well when Revis was scored on , Sherman wasted no time at all to find a camera on his sideline and hold up the numbers 2 and 4 while smiling. 24 of course is Revis' number and the taunt was to say, "See I am the best, 24 just got scored on" ?????? Really?

How was this in any way necessary? It is one thing to celebrate a victory or an accomplishment, reveling in the failures or perceived failures of others is just wrong. To me, there is just NO QUESTION about it. It even goes beyond poor sportsmanship.

So in my living room I had a couple of friends who thought it was "great for the game" and Richard Sherman "a personality". I couldn't agree less and when I asked my friend who has children how proud he would be of his kids playing school sports if they were on the sideline mocking the other team's failures he got it right away. The problem is with "heroes" like Richard Sherman out there it will be happening more and more.

The fight at the end of the game was just another example of how little character matters in professional sports anymore. When people wonder why Yankees short stop Derek Jeter was so popular the answer is , you would never see him behaving this way or with anything less than class in victory or defeat. I just wish that still mattered.