Here’s an interesting story. A golfer who has qualified for NAIA nationals with his winning team, intentionally loses a playoff for the individual title so an opponent can go to nationals as well. The conference team and individual winners advance, so the one who lost wasn’t taking a spot away from another, only giving up one of his two spots to an individual he deemed worthy.
There’s been debate on whether this is right or wrong. I’m fine with the gesture. Athletes are competitive and try to win almost every single time. But if there’s an opportunity to shed the competitive side for a compassionate side without cost to yourself or your team, why note exhibit another quality. I think the player who made the gesture could have done so a little more subtly, by missing a putt or hitting another bad shot along the way rather than driving the ball 40 yards out of bounds off the tee. But that’s being nitpicky.
We’re launching “M-T Sports Chat” Friday
Dan Jones
We are launching “Mail Tribune Sports Chat” at noon Friday. The format: One of our staffers visits with a local athlete each week, talking about them, their team, their sport, etc. There’s a little story in Friday’s paper about it. Log on at noon Friday to www.mailtribune.com/mtsportschat to watch or participate. We’ll take questions and comments live.
Dan Jones, our newest staffer, is the driving force behind the project, with much help from web editor Julie Wurth. Dan will be the point person for the interviews. He’s chatting with McKenna Storey of North Medford’s top-ranked softball team Friday. Before coming to the Mail Tribune in January, Dan did 70-some webcasts in the same format at the Roseburg News-Review. It proved to be a popular, interactive experience.
A little about Dan. He’s 24, grew up in La Grande and played varsity tennis in high school, graduating from La Grande High in 2003. He attended Oregon, majored in journalism and graduated in 2007. In addition to working as a full-time sports writer at the Roseburg paper, he interned at the La Grande Observer and the Idaho Falls Post Register. Dan is single and enjoys movies, hiking, reading books and trying new foods. An avid eater, he’s considered a second career in competitive eating.
In fact, as popular as his sports chat show was in Roseburg, it was rivaled by another video presentation in which he sampled a vareity of canned foods. Readers/viewers sent in suggestions for “Dan Try This.” It appeared to be a brave and riveting venture.
While there’s less risk involved in M-T Sports Chat, we think it will be equally entertaining and hope you join us.