Friday Night Blights
For the record, I’m writing this column before the big Gilroy-Live Oak rivalry game. I’m writing it before the title-deciding Hollister-Palma rivalry game.
So maybe Justin Sweeney ran for 300 yards and took the CCS rushing title last night. Or maybe he ran for three and the Mustangs suffered their second straight blowout.
Doesn’t matter.
Maybe the Haybalers put the finishing touches on an undefeated TCAL season with a rousing win at Palma. Or maybe they blew a late lead and a chance to win the league title outright.
Doesn’t matter.
What matters most is that we all remember this is still HIGH SCHOOL athletics.
This is STILL just a game.
Tired of hearing that? Me too.
In all my 22 years, I’ve yet to meet a bigger sports fan than myself. And after all the painful losses suffered by my teams, I’ve yet to feel better after hearing, “It’s just a game.”
On occasion, though, a reminder is needed. On occasion, you get the feeling people are taking sports a little too seriously.
Did you catch some of that Green Phone column in Friday’s paper? All it took was a 24-point loss in an otherwise splendid Gilroy season to suddenly turn this team and coaching staff into a bunch of villains – apparently.
One woman seemed almost offended that quarterback Peter Mickartz was allowed to be awarded Mr. Mustang at halftime of last week’s Homecoming game. She implied the five minutes he missed with his team in the locker room would’ve made the difference in the game.
No matter that Mickartz was the least of Gilroy’s problems. No matter that head coach Darren Yafai was simply letting two of his players (Titus Karvon was up for Homecoming King) enjoy a little part of Americana.
No matter, because the Mustangs lost and that’s just not acceptable.
Apparently neither is a little team pride. You remember Gilroy’s thrilling win at Palma last month?
For the first time in GHS history, the beast was slain. On the field after the game, coaches cried. Players cried. It was a special moment.
In the middle of all those hugs, senior Shea Lemos told me that “the whole team was going to go down in history,” and that any time people thought of Gilroy football, “they’re going to think of this team.”
To me, it was a heartfelt quote with a lot of truth to it. To a certain Green Phone caller, though, it was “an insult to every other Gilroy High football player that’s ever played.”
He called Shea’s comment “absurd” and said the players should realize “they’re not as great as they think they are.” He went on to say it was “interesting” the Mustangs had fallen a spot or two down the standings and that “the team is NOT going to go down in history.”
No matter that if the Mustangs won last night, they became the first GHS team in nearly 20 years to go 8-2 in the regular season. No matter that they already became the first GHS team to ever beat Palma, and with an upcoming CCS appearance could still make even more history.
No matter that this person waited until Gilroy lost to make his point. No matter that Shea is one of the classiest, most articulate players on a team full of classy, articulate players.
No matter, because the Mustangs lost and that’s just not acceptable.
Unbelievable.
Note to all our readers: Next time you decide to call up the Green Phone and single out someone, single out the college coach who gets paid millions while his school is laying off professors and raising tuition. Or maybe the professional athlete who gets paid millions while threatening to bail on his team if he doesn’t get more.
Heck, single out me. I get paid to do this and if I want to dish it out, then I’ll be more than happy to take it.
But the next time you get the urge to pick up the phone and criticize a teenage student-athlete, I urge you to take a deep breath and remember something we sports fans tend to forget on occasion …
It is still HIGH SCHOOL athletics.
It is STILL just a game.
Brett Edgerton is a columnist for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at be*******@************ch.com.
