Names In The Headlines

I’m tired of reading about doping, gambling, dog-fighting, and the all-around stupidity that has infiltrated the headlines this week. The athletes and officials who have sullied their sports with their greed and idiocy deserve public humiliation, but I’m too tired of their antics to even mention their names right now.

Instead I want to mention these names:

Mike Coolbaugh. Skip Prosser. Maggie Hilbrands.

Mike was a minor league coach who tasted big league dreams for a second before finding his niche as a father and a mentor.

Skip was a leader on and off the court, inspiring young basketball players to push their limits while gaining the respect of his colleagues from coast to coast.

Maggie was on the verge of becoming a teenager and unleashing a wealth of talent on the diamond.

This week, all three died doing what they loved most.

In light of these tragic deaths, it’s easy to think that sports are trivial, and they are… until we remember how much of these people’s lives were devoted to them and that’s when they gain such poignancy.

The cheaters who have dominated our headlines don’t deserve to be a part of a sports world where true competitors like Mike, Skip, and Maggie have walked. They don’t appreciate the gifts they have and the stage they’re on. Instead they squander these precious moments to boost their egos and pad their wallets. They dishonor themselves, fans, and every other athlete, coach, and referee who views sports through the lens of fair play.

They dishonor people like Mike, Skip, Maggie, who I wish could have cheated just once... just enough to cheat death.