Deflategate

The controversy surrounding the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts is now entering the second week--and has achieved cult status with a skit on Saturday Night Live this past weekend.  Much has been made of the air pressure used in the Patriots' footballs, and for good reason.  Reports coming out of the NFL now seem to confirm that the footballs were below regulation pressure, making them easier to handle.  What remains unclear is who was responsible for the deflated balls, or what the punishment will be for the individual and/or the team. 

At this point, I should admit that the I come from a family of Patriots fans, but a teenage desire to differentiate myself from my family drove me away from the Patriots (and served to annoy my family in the process--a double win for any teenager.)  However, I watched the game this week and have been following the ensuing story with an interest in sportsmanship, and only a minor bias against my family's team.  I freely admit, as have many Colts, that the Patriots were the better team on the field last weekend, regardless of the air pressure in the footballs. 

Whether any of the Patriots players or coaches ordered their (and only their) game balls to be deflated so that they would be easier to handle or whether it was done accidentally or by a ball boy trying to help the team, the Patriots benefited from the deflated balls, and there should be some ramifications for this.  The system currently in place calls for, as I understand it, a $25,000 fine and the potential loss of a few draft picks. The fine in place is 0.5% the cost of ONE 30-second Super Bowl commercial. 

The biggest problem with the #Deflategate controversy rests with the inherent fairness of the game of football, and of other games.  Kids across the country (or at least across New England) look up to Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski and the rest of the team.  In my opinion, the Patriots played the Colts with an unfair advantage. They didn't need to, but they did anyway.  Play Like a Champion research shows that children play games because they are fun.  Adults watch games because they are fun.  A big part of the fun for kids and adults of all ages is knowing that the game is fair and governed by mutually agreed upon rules.  When the game stops being fun, children stop playing, and adults eventually stop watching. While the popularity of football won't suffer due to the current controversy (in fact, this controversy has kept the NFL in the news during what is normally a slow week,) for the game to endure, and for games to continue to be enjoyable at every level (youth, high school, college, co-rec, and professional) fair play must reign supreme.

The views in the blog are those of the author, and do not represent the views of the Play Like a Champion Today organization.  And for the record, the author still hasn't decided who to route for in the upcoming Superbowl. 

Big Wins and the Bigger Picture

Today's blog post was written by Quentin Collie, a senior English major at the University of Notre Dame. Quentin is a student in the Social Foundations of Coaching course taught by Play Like a Champion Today founder and directors Prof. Clark Power and Kristin Sheehan.

The Seattle Seahawks just delivered a dominant performance in their 43-8 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.  The Super Bowl is one of the great American sporting events.  Millions of people gather in living rooms and restaurants, food and drink abundant, to watch the game.  Friends, family, strangers.  People all connect and share in this experience, regardless of whose team is competing for the Lombardi Trophy.  When the lights are brightest, the commercials are loudest, and the smells of hot wings and pizza fill the air, it can be easy to get caught up in the commercialization and pure entertainment aspects of the sport.  We should not forget, however, the power of community and inspiration that these sports possess.

This inspirational and bonding power of sports is exemplified in the story of Kevin Lee and his experience with Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks on a segment of ESPN’s “My Wish” from August of this year.

Though Peyton Manning, because of his age-defying comeback from injury and record-breaking season, garnered much of the media attention during the two weeks leading up to the game, it was second-year Seahawk QB Russell Wilson who came out of the game victorious.  Though Wilson has made a big splash in the NFL in his first two seasons, he has faced great amounts of doubt throughout his career.  Much of this adversity and doubt stemmed from Wilson’s height.  Standing at 5’11”, Wilson’s frame is less than optimal for an NFL quarterback.  Despite this, Wilson has now achieved the greatest feat in his sport by leading his team to a victory in the Super Bowl.

Russell Wilson’s attitude and perseverance serve as examples and inspirations for not only athletes, but for all those who face challenges and have a passion for the game.  One person who Wilson has personally inspired is twelve-year-old Kevin Lee.  One of the main reasons that Kevin feels like he has been able to relate to Wilson is their height.  Just as Wilson has a short stature for his position, Kevin stands at 4’4”, a short height for his age.   Kevin’s challenges and struggles, however, extend beyond his height, as his short stature is a result of a rare heart condition that has caused much trouble throughout his life and prevented him from playing contact sports.  In addition, Kevin was born legally blind.  As a result, Kevin has been battling since he was born, displaying a positive attitude, resilience, and will that is not matched by many people.

Despite his limitations and challenges, Kevin has still developed a passion for a major contact sport: football.  This past summer, through ESPN’s “My Wish,” Kevin got the opportunity to meet and hangout with Russell Wilson and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks.  From viewing Kevin’s interactions with Wilson, head coach Pete Carroll, and other players, it is apparent how much joy Kevin received from the experience.  You can see how he looks up to these players as role models, friends, and inspiration and finds importance and joy through football. 

While the image of the Seahawks players celebrating their championship on a confetti-covered field is a meaningful moment, we should also remember moments such as Kevin’s practice with these same Seahawk players and think about the personal inspiration and bonding experience that these moments and sports can provide.

Photo courtesy of ESPN

And by the way, Kevin predicted a Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory before the season even started.