Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated’s Bob Martin as published on the CNN website.Most everyone following the Winter Olympics has seen multiple reruns of Lindsey Lacobellis’ celebration for winning, correction, for almost winning the women's snowboardcross, the one she had in her back pocket just prior to the actual finish line. “Would of, should of and could of” are a poor substitute for a Gold medal that someone else got to take home. This is the kind of film footage that will haunt her the rest of her natural life as it will be shown at every Olympic competition as a lesson on how not to count your chickens before they hatch.
I’d go a step farther and explain that there is a difference between spontaneous jubilation for having won and poor sportsmanship. It happens in football games; the cocky in your face theatrics of rubbing the opponents noses in it for having scored a touchdown. In baseball it shows its ugly head when the star slugger smirks at the pitcher and stands at home plate watching the majestic arch as the baseball clears the upper deck railing in right center field prior to sauntering around the diamond.
What ever happened to winning graciously, acknowledging and respecting the competition? The spot light is on each of us as we shine or, in this case, tarnish the metal which we are made of.
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