I originally wrote these thoughts on December 24, 2001. I want to keep them as I think they're poignant, so I'm posting them here.
Today I am saddened by the loss of a person. He's not related to me, he's not one I would call a friend as I didn't know him. He's not considered a great American hero, by any means, but he was for some reason a hero to me. I am sitting in my home on Christmas Eve, watching ESPN, and a replay of Dick Schaap's Flashing Before My Eyes comes on, and it nearly brings me to tears.
This morning as I prepared to go to work, I turned on ESPN and watched SportsCenter's morning edition, and it was announced that Dick Schaap had passed away due to complications following hip-replacement surgery. I had missed him on ESPN for the past few months, noticed his absence from his normal seat on The Sports Reporters and missed the intelligent commentary he had on the sports world, but I was shocked by the announcement of his death. I had no idea that this man who had always appeared so healthy and vibrant, was suffering and had now passed on. I was immediately saddened, but I truly had no idea why.
As I watched the autobiographical promotion of his book, I suddenly realized what it was that saddened me. I remember growing up, watching Dick Schaap on Sunday mornings whenever I missed church due to illness, or sometimes, lack of desire. I remember thinking that he had to have the most annoying mannerisms of anyone I had ever seen on television. His direct, purposeful movements, and jerks of his head while talking were cumbersome to me in my youth, yet became welcome as I grew older. I realized what it was that endeared him so much to me this night as well. He was a man, much like my grandfather, who loved the purity of sport. He was a man who (as I learned tonight) went against the grain, and was not afraid to stand up for what he felt was right. But it wasn't those things, it was his love of the true athletes of his days.
I grew away from sports during my college and post-college years, as I thought I was much too intellectual for sports. I then had the opportunity to work amongst some of the greatest sports fans in the world. I was able to remember what I loved about sports. What is it about sports that makes men love them so? Why is it that my father and I can talk about nothing, except sports? Why is it that my favorite memories of my grandfather are reading the sports page to him as a very young boy? Sports, more than anything else in this world, has more of an ability to bring together and break though those things which are so trivial, but seem so important.
Can anyone truly believe that black (my best friend in college was black, and he always told me that he wasn't born in Africa, so he was black, not African-American) and white relations have not been helped immensely by sports. Think of the great advances made in interracial relations since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball. Racism was a part of America to great degree only 35 years ago. When I was born, things were much better, but still strained. I think of my sports heroes, and I'm thankful to have Michael Jordan, Barry Bonds and other black athletes in my circle of heroes.
When the tragedy of September 11, 2001 occurred, all major sporting events were put on hold, respecting the sorrow, agony and fear of all Americans. But more than anything else since that time, sports have helped Americans to try to return to normal lives. We were able to witness what could only be described as one of the best World Series ever (though my Yankees lost, it was still great to see such a series), we have been able to watch a legend, Michael Jordan, return from retirement to show that though he is older and may be slower, he still knows how to lead a team. I've been shocked to see an adopted team, the New England Patriots, play their way to the playoffs, much to everyone's surprise. I've been greatly impressed by the Titans resolve to end the season on a positive note, to see Steve McNair play better than he ever has. I've been able to watch my fantasy football team perform (and somehow win with low scores).
And I've been able to get back to a normal life. While the terrorist attacks affected me only slightly compared to others, I think it would be impossible for them not to have affected me in some way. And being able to watch SportsCenter, to watch football, to watch my BYU Cougars almost have another undefeated season, yet get screwed by the BCS; being able to focus on something other than pain and sorrow, yet feel the great patriotism I have has allowed me to become stronger.
So why is it that my TV stays on ESPN when I'm alone? Why did the passing of Dick Schaap affect me so? Simply, I love sports. I love the struggle of man versus man. The struggle of physical versus mental. I love hearing terms like "The Frozen Tundra of Green Bay" and "Miracle Mets." I love hearing about Vince Lombardi, and Coach K, and Dean Smith and other coaches. I enjoyed hearing Dick Schaap's thoughts about sports. He truly loved sports too. It is so very much more than putting a ball through a hoop, or running a ball downfield for a touchdown, it is the great equalizer.
I'll miss Dick Schaap. I'll miss his love of sports, especially baseball. I'll miss his candor in speaking about sports. I'll miss what he reminds me of... my grandfather. Everytime I hear his son Jeremy's voice on ESPN, I'll think of Dick's calming voice, that unmistakable voice that just said sports to me.
I hope I'll pass on many things to my son. One those things is my love of sports. I hope he'll grow up and love to sit and watch the game with me, just like I loved watching the game with my Dad. I hope he'll grow up to be a fan of the true athletes, those who, like Mark McGuire and Dale Murphy, played not for the money, but because they loved the game. I'd like to think he'll be successful in sports, but I recognize the reality of my athletic weaknesses and fear that they'll pass on to him.
This being Christmas Eve, I think of the gifts we've been given by our Heavenly Father, and I think that sports has to be one of them. We get so much joy from playing, and watching and talking about sports; we break through so many barriers thanks to sports; we overcome so many things through sports, I can't help but feel they are a heavenly endowment for our enjoyment. I for one am very grateful for those things. I'm grateful for people who helped me to love sports, like Dick Schaap.