The Human Condition

     One of my favorite lines in the Eddie Murphy movie, "The Golden Child," is from the Tibetan monk, who wistfully told his daughter, "These marvelous Americans, they have the power but they don't know how to use it."  It was too much like stereo-typing, but then again, there are some that make the line the cold truth.  Certainly, these three contribute to solidify the monk's statement.     


Blood Boil

     Some say that if not properly punished, the offender will be doomed to repeat the crime.  Barely punished two years ago when she castigated and threatened a USTA official, Serena Williams again unleashed her fury, this time on a chair umpire who gave her opponent Sam Stosur a point due to a fault.  Not satisfied with just arguing, Williams then accused the umpire of being the same umpire from the past, saying, "It was you."  It turns out, not only is the umpire a different person, she's not even from the same country! That just reads too close to "Y'all look alike." for comfort for me.  Being one of the few successful African American players on the tennis circuit, Serena is in a position to influence a tremendously large amount of minors who strive to better themselves through the sport.  Instead of showing class on top of her physical gifts, she once again showed poor anger management, lack of courtesy and borderline racist behavior.



It Takes One to Know One

     China's basketball team, beleaguered by Yao Ming's retirement and successive losses to Iran, is feeling the pressure to win in the FIBA Asia Championships this year.  Nobody feels the pressure more than Coach Bob Donewald.  In their game against the Philippines, with Philippines' Coach Rajko Toroman complaining to the referees, Donewald inserted himself into the conversation, saying, "We're just too big and they're too small.  He's (Toroman) an a**hole." Then, he goes ahead and hides behind his assistant coach when the Philippines coaching staff took exception.  Donewald is a coach, a teacher.  He's in a position, hell it's his job, to shape minds of young men, make them better people by teaching them discipline.  Instead, he resorts to foul language and revels in being a gutless bully.  It's evident not only in his actions, but in the fact that the Chinese National Team has been involved in no less than three bench-clearing brawls since Donewald began his coaching tenure.


Money Doesn't Buy You Class

     Everyone in the world probably knows about Floyd Mayweather's controversial KO win over Victor Ortiz.  After being deducted a point for an illegal headbutt, Ortiz proceeded to hug Mayweather as an apology (for a 2nd time).  Mayweather made a motion to reciprocate the hug, but then kept his hands in front and proceeded to punch Ortiz just as he was releasing the hug.  Defenseless, Ortiz was completely knocked out.  Never mind that the punches were deemed legal and that everyone "must defend themselves at all times."  What Mayweather did was dishonorable not only for a boxer but also for a human being as well.  Who punches someone who is defenseless, coming from a hug?  To top it off, in a post-fight interview with legend Larry Merchant, Mayweather refused to answer for his actions and proceeded to berate Merchant with an expletive.  Being one of the greatest boxing talents in the history of the world, Mayweather is one of the sport's (very) few certified stars and with the sport struggling as it is, he could go a long way in helping boxing reclaim it's title of "sweet science."  Instead, he takes easy ways out, ducks challenges, berates a legend and boasts of his millions in a time when his country is in a down economy.



      
     Sports are games, meant to be played and enjoyed by at least two humans, to build friendships and companionship.  Sometimes, sports bring out the competitiveness in people.  Humans, pumped by adrenaline, forget what sports were first created for, but that is no excuse.  It would be highly irresponsible for me to be like the monk and condemn all Americans as boorish people who waste their opportunities to change the world, but these three certainly do their great country (and its admirable citizens) no favors at all.