On the first non-football weekend of 2022, sports fans were treated to a far less ethical degree of fanfare. At the conclusion of CBS’s nationally televised NCAA basketball game between the universities of Michigan and Wisconsin, the Wolverines’ head coach Juwan Howard struck the face of a Badgers’ assistant while going through the end-of-game handshake line. The incident immediately intensified, with three players proceeding to throw punches at their opponents on the hardwood.
Obviously, the moment was awful. At the end of a game — yes, by definition basketball is still a game — grown men who coach almost grown men couldn’t handle their emotions respectfully. No wise one wants to see such happen. Hence, to deter a repeated scenario, not only have fines and suspensions been handed down, but many have called for more.
One of the calls for more to keep this from happening again — advocated for by multiple high-profile athletes or commentators, such as by Rex Chapman, Patrick Ewing, and ESPN’s Dick Vitale — is to eliminate the handshake line at the end of the game.
As Vitale opined, “Too many incidents!”
So let’s get this clear…
The handshake line is an age-old, orderly practice of demonstrating good sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is good. Sportsmanship means treating one another with respect — never teasing or bullying, never whining or making excuses, being fair, encouraging, and generous, and taking pride in a win but absolutely never rubbing it in…
Good game… It’s over… May we be gracious in victory or defeat…
Graciousness. Regardless of who wins.
And yet, isn’t the whole thought of getting rid of the handshake line a microcosm of all that’s wrong with society today?…
People are actually encouraging not practicing sportsmanship — not practicing what is good.
So let’s get this straight. People behave poorly so in order to deal with behavior we know to be less good, we lower our expectations for them. We no longer adhere to a cultural standard of what’s good and right and true…
Why be respectful?
Why be gracious?
Why not even whine, make excuses and rub it in?…
We see it in all sorts of contexts and in various arenas. We see it in coaches and players… pundits and politicians… activists and celebrities… so-called leaders… and far too many on social media…
I realize that the handshake line may be hard when the competition has been fierce and some of the tactics have been perceived to be brutal. I realize it’s not always a pleasure to greet kindly the one who has bested me that day.
But we are missing out as a society when we begin to let any of the above serve as justification for lowering the ethical, behavioral bar. We are making culture worse — meaning more polarized, less empathetic, less honoring of other people — when we no longer advocate for sportsmanship. Regardless of victory or defeat.
The widely respected Michigan State coach, Tom Izzo, agrees. “No shaking hands, that’s typical of our country right now. Instead of solving the problem, let’s make an excuse and let’s see if we can just — instead of confronting and demanding that it changes — let’s eliminate it so that we don’t have those problems.”
Exactly. Coaches and players. Pundits, politicians, activists, celebrities, leaders and all of us on social media… we’re not solving any problems when we lower the behavioral bar.
Let’s expect better from one another. From self, too. May respect and graciousness never be a lesser priority.
Respectfully…
AR