WHYN DayBreak with John Baibak

WHYN DayBreak with John Baibak

Want to know more about John Baibak? Get his official bio, social pages & articles on NewsRadio 560 WHYN!

 

Football Teaching Lessons And Making Us Wonder

Someone asked me the other day why I like doing football games so much.  

I quickly replied that emotionally speaking the game and the people were the purest of thought.

All you have to do is look at the last week or so to figure that out.  

It was a normal football game for the Whitman Hanson football team.  They were playing a team from Silver Lake and having no real problem in scoring.

While teams approached the line of scrimmage, one of the officials collapsed on the field.  He fell face forward to the artificial surface.

As the teams looked on in stunned disbelief, it was a senior and a sophomore, both players that immediately knew what was happening, how serious the situation was and then sprung into action.

Ethan Phelps and Jack Sweeney ran to get the Automatic External Defibrillator.

While that was happening, as it turned out Sweeney's dad, an EMT at the game massaged the official's heart and brought him back to life.  The official transported to the hospital where he survived.

The AED wasn't used.  But, how many, given the same circumstances would have known what to do.  Two young people taking a break from the emotions of the game, to do what was right.  They were taught well.

Football is intense.  

Emotions run high.  But common sense and the ability to know what to do is always in the forefront.

While that shows us the good of the sport....there is also the numbing.

When Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs caught a 75 yard touchdown pass to tie the game with the Patriots--- it seemed so innocent.  As he stood in the end zone waiting for the accolades of his teammate...a 20 something fan in the front row threw beer on him.  The actions caught seen by the nation.

Really?  

The fan was barred from the stadium for life.

And then there are the growing number of teams on the lower levels that make a statement by refusing to shake hands.

Why?  What difference does that make?  Good question.  Who teaches these impressionable people that that is what should happen.

The game, more so than any other on the face of the earth...brings out emotions.  Some of it good and some of it not so much.

But it seems more and more that for every good thing that happens in the sport, something else happens that makes us say "what just happened?"

And, that is sad for all.

Fortunately guys like Ethan Phelps and Jack Sweeney are there to make us smile that good things will happen in the sport and in life.



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