What's Your Point?

We've all seen this if we are followers of any sport to any degree. There's an awful lot to talk and think about here so I love it for that reason. On the other hand I got thinking yesterday about how dearly I would just ONE time love to see an athlete get a goal, basket, homerun, knock out, touchdown, try, century, ace, touche, or whatever, and then point to the ground. In all likelihood that would be taken as a salute to the Evil One or the polar opposite of the point to the sky, and maybe therein lies the source of most of the controversy over these gesticulationary celebrations.

After watching the above video we all know the runner should in all fairness be pointing at the two guys who harmlessly bounced off him feebly attempting tackles. A sort of, "Thank you for sucking" point that would ALSO probably get him into trouble. His second best option would have been a self-chest slap, a point to his feet or quadraceps, or a Hulk Hogan jersey rip muscle flex although again we're entering into excessive celebration penalty territory. Even a point to the coach to acknowledge the brilliant choice of play would have made a lot more sense. To me.

I understand the religious reverence behind a lot of these celebrations and that the player may not be thanking the Man upstairs for including that particular play in His predetermined destiny for the cosmos but for giving him the health, wealth and good fortune to be in a country, family and state of circumstance that allowed him to practice football and reach the skill level that enabled that previous play to take place. But for some, yeah, they are. They are thinking God took the time to write their meaningless little game into the great Master Plan for this universe. For THEM I think the point to the ground I'd like to see symbolizes digging. Digging for clues, facts, knowledge, etc. However, I suspect that a point to the ground, in some games, in some areas, just might be appropriate in that that's where the athlete will be soon enough after the God-fearing spectators charge the field and lynch the poor misunderstood touchdown celebrator.

Willful ignorance is something I think there is no excuse for in this age where if we have ANY desire for knowledge we can so very easily find out what we want. Or at least read the theories. Even in matters of spirituality, which I believe are properly pursued in absence of proof, scientific or otherwise, I cannot abide those who put such exuberence into statements and shows of belief and so little into boning up on exactly what it is they are announcing to the world that they believe.

Thank you Heather for forwarding this absolutely perfect example of what I'm talking about! The Bible verse tattooed on this joker's arm is Leviticus 18:22 forbidding men to lie with men as they would with women for it is an abomination to the Lord. "Well," thought Joker, "seems clear enough. I'll just get some permanent scar on my flesh to proclaim to the world that I believe this." Tattoo of Leviticus 18:22 forbidding homosexuality: $200. Not knowing that Leviticus 19:28 forbids tattoos: priceless. "Do not scar your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:28 Context is a BITCH!

Leviticus also says no pig shall be eaten for though its foot is cloven it chewith not the cud. Camel on the other hand chewith the cud but its hoof is not cloven so don't eat that either. And no blood of any kind so any steak should be well done. And you shouldn't trim your beard or round the edges of your head, I guess this might mean haircuts?, (???). And in your burnt offerings salt, oil and frankinsence are a must but no leaven. No honey either. Never, never. Wonder if that's on Joker's OTHER arm...

Ever hear the song, "The Boxer"? "Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest." It's a psychological principal with absolutely no scientific proof but it's pretty obvious to Simon, Garfunkel and me. When we live life there are plenty of examples of human behaviour to back this up. Scientific method is our perception and replication is what happens when we've been on the Earth for a while. It's quite interesting how the mind seems to work. Even without a complete and concise understanding of why a person believes something, they will fill in blanks, assume and often in the face of massive contrary persuasion cling to their belief all the more desperately! We have psychological theories that back this up, and although I am only a half believer in psychological theories, (I believe in the logical, not the psycho part of it), they make sense.

"Closure" is one that I think is coming into play when people's belief systems are incomplete and they just don't care.

This picture is a good example of how we can ALL see things that aren't there. Well, I should never say, "all". There may be some people who can't see in this picture the face of Satan but let's move on, shall we?

Assumption is another one. We will readily assume bridges from the unknown to the confortable if it brings us back to what we want to believe or hear. And we often assume the worst as this

awesome song by the Arrogant Worms shows us. See what you miss not living in Canada?

So I guess what I'm saying is that even though a person can't, (in my opinion), possibly find evidence that God made me score this touchdown, I think it is wise for athletes who are going to brazenly brandish their beliefs in endzones, at home plate or on any field of play, to try to come to some idea, free from psychological shortcuts like closure and assumption of how their success came about. Learning is born of contention. I want my athletes to question and look for answers, not just do what they're told. THEN if they want to signal a shout-out they might not be so maligned. Who knows, they might not even be penalized.

So back to the pointing at the ground. The ground being the most natural thing on the field, (assuming it isn't Astroturf I suppose), next to the players themselves. I've played a lot of sports. And when I'm not playing them, like, ohhh the last 15 years or so, I'm watching them. If an athlete playing basketball is a foot taller than anyone else then he should celebrate a dunk by pointing to a ruler. If a swimmer has webbed feet he should point to them after breaking an Olympic record. But assuming the athletes are of similar talent, strength, size and conditioning, which they usually are nowadays, I believe there IS something that can set a player apart. It's a natural phenomenon. It has been called many things in sport: being in the zone, going with the flow, being on fire, being on one's game, feeling it, riding the bull, what have you. And having experienced this, (and can't at this moment think of anything I'd rather experience), I think it is this natural/spiritual kind of trip that these skyward pointing athletes may be giving God credit for. And I'm not saying they're wrong, I just question the point to the sky. Maybe like a father, who KNOWS some of his genes were responsible for his athletic child's success, when that child gets on camera and says, "Hi, Mom!"

Buddy, the narrator of some of my favourite short stories written by J.D. Salinger is in awe of his older brother, Seymour's athletic abilities. He asks Seymour one day how he can improve his marble playing and Seymour says, "Don't aim so much."

There is a Taoist allegory of a cook who worked for Prince Wen Hui who the prince saw carving up an ox one day. When the prince compliments the cook on his "art" the cook says it goes beyond an art. "The senses stop functioning and my spirit takes over," explained the cook. "A good cook changes his knife once a year becuase he cuts, while a mediocre cook has to change his every month because he hacks. I've had my knife for 19 years and have cut up thousands of oxen with it yet the edge is as if it were fresh from the grindstone."

How to get ready access to this "zone" this spiritual athleticism is the mystery. I think humility is a large part of tapping in to it. Almost every athlete I can think of who attained this athletic evanescent gift for an extended period of time has been extremely humble. Gretzky, Jordan, Rice, Gwynn, you LOSE that humility and - Tiger Woods. But my question is how humble IS the skyward point? It could, I suppose be viewed as giving credit to God but couldn't it also be taken and even MEANT as an unbelievably arrogant statement that the pointing athlete has somehow gained the favour of a God who has neglected the other athletes? And wouldn't then a point to the ground signifying, "I will remain grounded and won't let this success go to my head," be preferable?

I don't subscribe to the idea of punishing celebration like the NFL, (No Fun League), does. I just like to see athletes who celebrate appropriately and give credit where credit is due. The skypoint makes me want to throw a flag at the athlete like the ref in the video. Or SOMETHING...

The vid at the top was from a high school game. American high school football games attract more viewers in the States than NHL games. "Even wise men can't deal with fame and wealth." At least that's what the ancient wisdom says. For the young guys just think about what you're doing and how it will be interpreted by others. Actually think about it BEFORE you do it.

P.S. There's no face of Satan in the closure pic. I was just joshin'. Why did you see one?