The following depicts sportsmanship, with both good and bad examples, because sportsmanship is important to the future of sports.

1. Sportsmanship
By: Xavier Rivera

2. Sportsmanship is a polite behavior by athletes, coaches, and fans during a competition, it is playing
fair, it is respecting all people involved. In doing this, good athletes excel both on and off the field.

3. ETHICS: Owners &Coaches
The Good Side
• Terry Francona showed the community what sportsmanship is all about.
Current Red Sox coach, John Farrell, found out he had lymphoma and
needed chemotherapy treatment. Terry Francona, former Red Sox coach
and current coach of the Cleveland Indians, told Farrell he was going with
him for his first treatment. This is friendship, integrity, respect, the list could
go on. In an article from ESPN Francona was quoted as saying, “Because in
this game, you run into so many good people and so many friends, and then
there’s a handful of people that are friends not in baseball, but outside of
baseball. And he’s certainly one of those for me.”

4. ETHICS: Owners & Coaches
The Bad Side
• The girlfriend of Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers, released a video
that showed racial remarks that the NBA would not tolerate. The new
Commissioner, Adam Silver, band Sterling from the NBA for a lifetime and
requested his sale of the team. Sterling was racist, disrespectful to players,
coaches, and African-American people all over. He displayed one of the
worst cases of sportsmanship by an owner of a diverse team that I have ever
witnessed in my lifetime.

5. Health & Safety
When a player is injured, the necessary precautions
need to be taken. Safety protocol is put in place to
protect the athlete and should be enforced no matter
what the situation is.

6. Health & Safety
In an ESPN article about Jacoby Ellsbury, it stated how he
was hurt and it was shrugged off by medical staff as a
minor injury. In reality, after getting not one, but two
MRI’s, he was found to have 5 fractured ribs. He also had
injured nerves and muscles surrounding the ribs due to not
be diagnosed properly and overcompensation. The fact
the medical staff outright refused to give him and MRI for
a “bruise” is ridiculous and something should have been
done to the staff involved. This is another clear example of
an injury that was taken seriously by the proper staff which
could have resulted in something way more severe. On
top of the fact that he was misdiagnosed, people jumped
to conclusions about his playing ability because there was
no real proof of injury at the beginning. This is an unethical
injustice all the way around the board.

7. Athletes & Community
Professional athletes are looked up to by youth athletes
everyday. It is important for them to show sportsmanship
on and off the field. They are constantly in the public eye
so everything they do and say is a open book. David
Beckham uses his money to support numerous different
charities including UNICEF,The Red Cross, and Peace One
Day.

8. Athletes & Community
Tamika Catchings is a woman’s basketball player who
recently retired after playing all 15 years with the
Indiana Fever in theWNBA. She is hearing impaired
and knows what it is like to be bullied. Tamika runs a
foundation called Catch the Stars, where she focuses on
self-esteem, fitness, literacy, and mentoring youth.
She supports numerous different programs throughout
Indianapolis by volunteering her time and giving
financial support.

9. Fan Behavior
Having fans can be a great motivator for athletes. In
Green Bay, when a touchdown is made, the player does
the Lambeau Leap, which is when they jump onto the
wall right with their fans. What is better than having
your favorite receiver in your face after scoring for your
favorite team?

10. Fan Behavior
Sometimes fans take it to another level though, and
this can be a distraction to the team. If fans keep it
respectful there is good spririt all the way around.
When fans turn disrespectful, it takes away from the
game.

11. Conclusion
• I do believe that sports ethics will improve because new rules are put in
place every year to make the players safer and punishments for bad
behavior more severe. At the beginning of most athletic events an
announcer reminds all the players, coaches, and fans to be respectful. I am
confident with the new rules in place and the pressure for good conduct,
that sportspanship can only only get better. As people learn to have respect
for others, sports will become a fun family outing for all to enjoy.