THE GREAT QATSPY® The Quapaw Aviation Tactical Sportswear Performance Yukon Outfitters The Yellowstone Papers
BY: Charles W. Boatright
Why Sports Are So Important to U.S.- As a Country and As an Individual for Teamwork, Sportsmanship, Perseverance, Achieving Goals and Leadership
Several Sports announcers in regard to the 2022-2023 Bowl Season Games commented that there are too many bowl games. I would have to disagree with their premise. First of all, it gives schools exposure that wouldn’t have had that opportunity on a national stage to play a sport that has been played since Rutgers and Princeton played on November 06th, 1869. This was just four (4) years after the Civil War ended on April 09th, 1865.
Football resembles its older cousin, the sport of Rugby, that I enjoyed playing until my mid-30’s. My knees finally gave out after football and being discharged from the U.S. Army and I had to focus totally on my golf game.
There were three Bowl Games that Impressed me, due to their competitiveness and Passion for both teams in those games:
FIRST BOWL GAME, UCLA Versus PITT
The first Bowl Game of 2022 that I would like to focus on was the Sun Bowl where UCLA played PITT, where I attended college. That game came down to the last 40- seconds of the game where PITT moved the ball down the field into field goal range to kick a game-wining field goal where PITT won just by 2- points. The score was UCLA– 35 vs. PITT– 37. Both teams’ competitiveness was demonstrated right up to the last few seconds of the game that demonstrated how important perseverance is in achieving success in our lives. Never Give UP!
What was unique about this game between UCLA and PITT was that it started out spirited where passions were running high on both sides during warm-ups. But this is where sports provides us life lessons that we can learn in how to harness our energy and passion and redirect it to be disciplined enough to stay with the game-plan as a team.
It is easy and tempting as an individual to settle a personal score, but that isn’t how you win games or be successful in life. The best way to settle a score is to focus your efforts on being successful on the field of play and to play as a team. Even if it is an individual sport, there is still a team effort between one’s mind, body, and heart. Just remember, the best revenge is in LIFE is being successful. HERE’S WHY– You don’t have to make excuses, apologize, or lower your standards when you’re successful with perseverance and determination based on sportsmanship.
Even in an individual sport, you still have a team concept consisting of your mind (subconscious), body (health/fitness), and heart (passion), a coach or mentor, trainer or fitness buddy, fans, and family that believe in you and your capabilities. It is true that an individual doesn’t live to themselves. Even a boxer in the ring can’t give in to their own passions and abandon their game plan. There are people in their corner giving them strategy for every jab and punch to be strategically placed.
Second Bowl Game, Ohio State Versus University of Georgia
The second Bowl Game was the Peach Bowl between Ohio State and University of Georgia where emotions and passions again were running high. That game came down to Coach Kirby Smart calling a strategic timeout late in the fourth quarter, when he recognized a formation by Ohio State that looked to be setting up to run a fake punt on Georgia’s 34- yard line to make a first down with 8:58 in the game to get into field goal range.
That game did have a field goal attempt later on in the game by Ohio State trying to win the game in the last few seconds that missed wide left. The final score was Ohio State– 41 vs. Georgia– 42. This again reveals how sports shows that you can never give up, but to persevere to the last second on the clock, with a win or loss, you can’t GIVE UP! NEVER look at the scoreboard; just concentrate on the process and procedures that you train with in practice. Winning is a by-product of preparation, perseverance, processes, and procedures.
Ray Lewis (RL52) a former NFL Linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens has a quote about greatness- Greatness is a lot of small things done well, stacked up on each other.
The Third Bowl Game, Mississippi State University versus Illinois
Then the third Bowl Game was the ReliaQuest Bowl between Mississippi State vs. Illinois, where there were already passions and deep emotions after the sudden death of Coach Mike Leach on December 12, 2022. The key here was that Mississippi State was playing for something, instead of playing against something. If you want to develop a significant sports psychology– Play for something, instead of playing against something.
You can develop more of your God-given talents and skills when you are playing for something, rather than playing against something. The score of the ReliaQuest Bowl was MSU- 19 vs. Illinois 10. Both teams played the game of their lives. As expected, this game was a hard fought defensive game for both teams.
A Japanese Word Kaizen- Continuous Improvement
In the Japanese language there is a term called- Kaizen, which means continuous improvement. This goes back to Ray Lewis’ quote about greatness. When you play against something, it limits you to one opponent and/or one objective; but when you are playing for something, you can develop an unlimited potential beyond what you think or dream.
The great Coaches of sports allow an individual to discover one’s full potential and strengths through hard work and challenges their players that even they might not even know or be aware of what they have. A great coach develops the athletes mind, body, and the ultimate resource, their heart and soul, the athlete’s passion, not just for the game, but for life.
When I watch sports, I’m watching more for an athlete’s sportsmanship that embodies a whole host of values that can be applied to life- I wrote a book that my grandfather started in 1927 that I was able to finish this last year called- THE SPORTS BIBLE- YELLOWSTONE PAPERS about sports psychology applied to sports and life:
Here is a short excerpt from that book on the importance of Sportsmanship- If more churches used the sportsmanship concept in their messaging, they would have people lined up to hear their messages every weekend and twice on Sunday. Even Jesus Christ used parables to deliver His messages to the masses that changed the world, so it isn’t that unique of a concept to use Sportsmanship and a sports concept, as even the Apostle Paul used sports in his writings-
1.4 Develop Passion of the Game
For an athlete to perform at the top of their potential and game, they have to develop patience, perseverance, with purpose and passion. Sportsmanship is essentially a passion for the game and for life. Sportsmanship consists of– humility, integrity, commitment, perseverance, respect, honor, honesty, fairness, sacrifice, responsibility, preparation, focus, discipline, building confidence, expecting the best of oneself, trustworthiness, and a hard work ethic, just to name a few.
1.4a For someone who has been married over 30- years, you’ll learn that LOVE isn’t as much an emotion, as it is a commitment and discipline to someone else. LOVE has to be treated like any endeavor that requires hard work, by working through the good and bad times and still appreciating both. And just like a team, they will have to work through the good and bad times and still appreciate both. But those different views by two individuals are what make a team better. You never want 100 percent agreement on every issue all the time; hammering out a process is what makes the process better. If you don’t hammer out a process, it won’t hold up under performance.
There is another important lesson that sports teaches us, for those that understand the values of wins and losses- We use losses to gain experience and we use our successes to build our confidence. This is the same principles used in life, as well. You will learn more from a loss than you will ever learn from a win.
I have another book on KINDLE on how I got into the best shape of my life, even at age 65 by understanding the importance of three things- WHAT and WHEN to eat, followed by developing a healthy FITNESS program. My fitness program is based on Cardio-Aerobic Strength Training or (CAST). It has allowed me to even model my sportswear from my Flight Operations Center Collection. The link below will take you to KINDLE to purchase this book. Also below is a photograph of me at age 65 after we did a photoshoot for our Flight Operations Center Collection.
My Book on KINDLE: DELPHI DIET & CAST FITNESS System:
The photograph below was taken on December 03rd, 2022 after we did a photoshoot for our Flight Operations Center Collection at age 65.
Our Flight Operations Center Collection:
