Thorpe, God, and a Soap Box

#1 posting 4.18.2006

Thorpe is back. Today it is about sports & religion.

AAU ACTION
MN
At 10 am this Saturday at Eden Prairie two high powered teams will battle it out. North Tartan 16/17s will be facing the Metro Stars Black. Both rosters feature 07s and 08s.

COLLEGE COACHING NEWS
HAWAII
BYU Hawaii has named Wendy Anae as the coach for the new women's basketball program. The Pacific West schools are adding women's baskteball for the 2006-07 season. Here is the press release from BYU Hawaii http://w2.byuh.edu/sports/Athletics/releases/04-17-06Women%27s%20bb%20coach.htm
MN
As reported SW MN State has name Mike Jewett coach. Here is the Marshall Indpendent's story on the selection. http://www.marshallindependent.com/sports/articles.asp?articleID=2312

ALL STAR NEWS
MICH
The first Blue Water Area All Star game will be at Richmond, June 17th with girls games at 2 pm featuring C/D players, and 5:30 featuring A/B players. Here is the Port Huron Times-Herald with more details http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060418/SPORTS/604180333/1006

CONFERENCE NEWS
WI
Southern Wisconsin is sorting out its conferences. The Southern Lakes conference is on the way out, and its members are being dispersed to other conferences around the area. Here is the Wisconsin State Journal article describing who is going where http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/index.php?ntid=80504&ntpid=3

THORPE ON A SOAP BOX

We found Thorpe. He was on the 6th hole of Glenview.

I am trying to figure out why Kevin has asked me to contribute to his website. I guess its because when you are finished coaching and retired in another state you don’t worry about being politically correct anymore and just get up on a soapbox and talk. I need to re negotiate my contract.

You know being Easter Sunday and watching athletes bring God into athletics got me thinking. When I see athletes thanking God for their success or pointing to the sky after a home run or a touchdown it got me thinking: I hope God doesn’t spend his time watching golf or football. I hope God cares less about who wins or who makes the big play. I hope he is spending his time caring about the poor, making life more livable for the people living in pain, helping people find cures for diseases that cause suffering, helping people get along and understand just because people are different doesn’t mean they are wrong, helping people work toward peace and not glorify war.

Sports are a game and lets not make it bigger or more important than it really is . I remember one of my players getting ready to score her 1000th point. The TV was there. Her family and relatives were there. Before the game she said what if I don’t get it. She was feeling a lot of pressure, I remember telling her to go up to the 4th floor of the hospital and find someone with tubes in them fighting to stay alive. Bend down and tell them that you have a big problem. You might not score your 1000th point tonight and TV and your entire family is here. If that’s the most stress she ever has in life she will probably be OK.

Lets keep things in perspective. I like the quote " I felt sorry for the man with no shoes until I saw the man with no feet". I hope everyone had a nice Easter holiday.

Dave Thorpe

Next up: tomorrow afternoon