By Bill Nestor
Last week’s celebration for the Fourth of July was one of the biggest I’ve ever seen. It had to bring on record sales for fireworks in North Central West Virginia. Forget needing an I.D. to purchase them; if you were out of diapers, you were old enough to buy some wick burning, heart-pounding, sky lighting fireworks!
The fireworks are always the grand finale, but the lead-up is always impressive as well. Parades, barbeques, concerts, and parties that run deep into the night are all part of the July 4th celebration.
Winning always brings celebration. In this case there is a huge reason to celebrate because we gained our independence a few years ago in 1776. If you can’t celebrate Independence Day, what would ever be worth a celebration?
There has been debate for years (not all the way back to 1776, but close) about how much is too much celebration is too much when it comes to winning a championship. The topic came up recently when the Oklahoma City Thunder were crowned the champions of the National Basketball Association. Some fans described the scene in their winning locker room as that of a funeral home. It was more of a somber scene than that of some of the more recent victors.
Some speculated that the players and the coaching staff for Oklahoma City had so much belief that they were going to win that they envisioned the title clinching many many times before and the real thing was anticlimactic, thus inducing a less than stimulating response.
Regardless, there is no doubt that the Thunder took a more businesslike approach to the postgame celebration than other previous winners.
Let’s take it down a level or two and talk about the collegiate and high school levels. Those celebrations tend to be a little more festive. Sure, the p[layers deserve to celebrate their accomplishment. Just think about the time investment put into an average season. In many cases, when off season weight training is included, it becomes a year-round investment.
Add in all of the ups and downs and the wins and losses that a team goes through together, it is emotionally and physically exhausting. It’s all going to come bubbling out at the end of that title tile when your team just claimed the number one spot.
There is a major concern, however, that needs to be addressed on an even lower level. We need to teach our children respect. Somewhere along the line it has been lost and we need to get it back. Before a team starts their victory celebration, they need to acknowledge the opponent. You see coaches scurrying around trying to herd players into line. Respect for others starts at a young age and should carry on, but somewhere it gets lost along the way.
We fought for independence all those years ago and we are fortunate to have it today. Let’s celebrate it, our victories, and most of all, each other as a unified country.
That will do it for now! Until next week . . . take care and God Bless!!!
