SPORTSMANSHIP

A Kodel Party Initiative

The President's Council on Fitness

is changing to

The President's Council on Sportsmanship.

We especially have to remove drugs and players (aka) role models from sports to tens of thousands of kids. We will promote exercise and nutrition, teamwork, integrity, self-control, anger, and above all, sportsmanship. We will encourage states to formulate role model programs in every community from the ground up.

We will increase the importance of how the game is played.

The unfortunate reality is, winning is tied to capital gains. Sports at the higher levels, is business, pure and simple. Cheating at your business is never justified. It is stealing--from the fans, the innocence of youth, your teammates, and the athlete.

Cheating is as hollow as a victory gets. Kids watch college and pro sports and that behavior is emulated. We want to provide children with a more solid foundation of core ethics and the principles of sportsmanship.

When a Denver Bronco football player (Manning's team-mate Aqib Talib) forcefully and with malice of forethought gouged at a lineman's eyes (Dwayne Allen) he should have had to turn in his uniform FOREVER! It was blatant, purposeful, disrespectful display of the worst sort of sportsmanship ever.

He walked right up to Allen after a play and jabbed his rigid index and middle fingers through the face guard right into the eye of a man, his opposing 'teammate.' Instead he took a one game suspension and a little NFL patty-cake fine and then had the audacity of entitlement nerve to seek an appeal. This is what's so ugly with professional sports.

It's driven by greed, winning at any cost and rationalizing by not taking responsibility. Had I been the coach, owner, or General Manager, I would have not only kicked his ass off the team, but had him prosecuted for assault with the intent to maim.

Shame on the team and ownership (John Elway) and rest, demonstrating a complete disregard for league leadership! Children are watching!

Sportsmanship is honorable!

The very nature of competition is to have a clearly defined champion. Not every Olympic athlete earns a gold medal. Not every major leaguer hits 400. However, another truth, which lasts long after the game has ended, the whistle has blown, the bell has rung, or the last ticktock of the game clock ends, is how you played the game. For this is what truly matters. Did you cheat or play with honor & integrity?

Over the last several years, the line has been blurred by coaches and players alike. Coaches tripping players; players faking an injury, also on the behest of the coach, so the lightening quick speed of an offense is slowed; players in the NFL have been seen stomping other players in the head and the groin, and so on. Steroid use in Major League Baseball is a national tragedy. (So is lying about it--under oath.) And yes, they are all truly sorry .... (for being caught).

Winning at all costs is not the direction society wants. It is that very doctrine which betrays the game of "sport" which is carried forward in life. As a society, we cannot function as a team if there are cheaters and liars amongst us, winning at all costs deserves no honor or respect. This is a social and a moral issue and not necessarily the business of government. We do need your help to keep our kids healthy and enjoying their childhoods for as long as possible.

Be conditioned, be trained, and execute as flawlessly as practical, and win or lose, no matter how badly you want the win, or how badly you are disappointed, hold your head high in either case, for you are a pure sportsman if you played hard giving your best effort, and you played with honor. Not only will your fans and coaches and communities

respect you, you will respect yourself.

The Kodel Party vision for America the Beautiful begins in Oregon

SPORTSMANSHIP

A Kodel Party Initiative