By R. Vincent Tupaz
For Variety

BEST wishes and regards to Mr. Guam, Dan Munoz as he treks to Hawaii to compete in the Stingrey Classic. Bring home the gold! Also congratulations to the Simon Sanchez Sharks, who earned a double dose of gold Saturday as the 2007 IIAAG Champions in boys’ high school hoops and IIAAG Cup as well. Also to the Norte Dame Lady Royals who took Rugby’s top spot and were dominant all season long. And good luck to both the George Washington Lady Geckos and the Southern High Lady Dolphins as they compete today for the IIAAG Softball Crown today. Let’s continue to encourage our athletes to strive for the best.
Speaking of encouragement, I was at a recent ceremony for a civic group. Their keynote speaker told a story that he hailed as true. It was a story of a group of young men at the University of Wisconsin who were said to possess great literary work and were extremely talented in the use of the English language. The men met regularly to read and critique each other’s work and they were relentless and even mean in their criticism. So much so that they aptly named themselves the “Stranglers.”
The women of the university put together a like-minded club called the Wranglers. They, like the men, read and critiqued each other’s work, but were softer and more encouraging in their criticism, even praised the feeblest of attempts by members.
Years later a study compared the success of the two clubs. The accomplishments of the men versus the women were significant. Of the literary accomplishments of the Stranglers not much was worthy of note. However, amongst the Wranglers emerged several writers of national renown including the author of the Yearling, Majorie Kinnan Rawlings .
The study revealed that the education and talent level of both were similar. However the significant difference was while the Stranglers strangled each other with critique, the Wranglers looked for the very best in each member’s work. The Stranglers promoted an atmosphere of contention and self-doubt. The Wranglers highlighted the best, not the worst and constantly offered encouragement.
As I listened to that story, I couldn’t help but relate the lesson of the tale to athletes on the field and fans on the side lines. As I watch and report on games, I often become uncomfortable when fans get personal. It’s sad and a shame that such action is ingrained in the mentality of some people and often is brushed off as part and parcel to the competitive spirit of sports.
Fans in theory are there to support their team of choice. Case in point: cheerleaders. They offer cheer and encouragement to their team; often with a cheesy “you can do it” based rhyme of sorts. Of course there’s the occasional “rah rah rah kick’em in the knee,” but still, there’s no personal attack on an athlete or ref.
In the stands on the sidelines, it’s often quite a different tale. An impact player or ref may be called a derogatory name because a fan disagrees with a call or is frustrated that the player is just on a roll and can’t be stopped. Let’s make a pledge here and now to stick to a spirit of encouragement from the bench. Laud good plays from both sides and keep the spirit of the fight alive on your team by offering encouraging words and tips. Never-mind the mistakes or mean-spirited statements. That’s what practices are for…
R. Vincent Tupaz, is a former beat reporter for the Variety, journalism teacher, and entrepreneur and a “has been” football player and coach. Currently he’s an all around nice guy. Feedback, comments, and or suggestions are always appreciated via email at mvsports@gmail.com . Please send angry comments as SPAM or elsewhere.