Promoting Sportsmanship and Peace: Why Fighting for Your Team Isn't Worth It.

Photo Credit: The US Sun

In the above photo, Jason Kelce is seen wearing Kansas City Chiefs gear. This isn't a random choice; he's there to support the team his brother plays for—the same team that defeated the beloved Eagles in the Super Bowl last year. It's not uncommon to see our sports heroes wearing gear from other teams, usually because they were born in that state and that team was their childhood favorite before the NFL. As fans, we often overlook this. In fact, I've never seen teammates from the same team get into a fight because one was wearing the wrong team logo. Unfortunately, we often witness confrontations between opposing teams. In hockey, it's even part of the culture, and in other sports, it occurs quite often, typically due to the high stakes on the field or court. These conflicts are part of an athlete's personal life and usually consist of mere pushing and shoving before returning to play. We understand why athletes may occasionally engage in such altercations. We understand the passion and principles that occasionally lead our athletes to boil over.

Defending our team's honor has become an increasingly violent problem in recent years. In the past, fans would simply recite the home team's chant, and that was the extent of it. Nowadays, people are getting into fights, and tragically, some have even died after an altercation. I've come across one too many news stories about fans being seriously injured or losing their lives at a game. It's hard to argue that these violent acts aren't initiated by fans of opposing teams. Do you remember that young man wearing the Patriots jersey at the Las Vegas Raiders game? The Patriots' owner eventually gave him seats in the owner's box after the torment he endured at the game. Mr. Kraft rewarded him- not for punching the Raiders fan in the face—because that didn't happen—the Patriots fan did nothing but sit there and ignore the taunts. Mr. Kraft rewarded him for his sportsmanship, setting a prime example of how we should respond when someone antagonizes us.

Too often, I hear fans defending their behavior and using the city's name as if they are single-handedly protecting the city's honor by resorting to violence. Have you ever seen a mayor give a key to the city to a fan involved in a fight? Have you ever seen a tweet from Jeff Lurie saying, 'Thanks to all the fans who beat up the Dallas fans in the stands; thank you for protecting the Eagles' honor!'? No, you've never seen such a tweet or words of affirmation from team owners thanking fans for fighting. Furthermore, have you ever seen players express gratitude to fans for fighting? Have you heard of a player paying for the legal fees that follow after someone is arrested for disorderly conduct and assault? NEVER.

Considering the amount of violence in the world, if you truly want to combat villains, why not sign up and serve in the military?  Or you can make a meaningful impact in the world through nonviolent acts of protecting the honor of your team. In reality, when we talk about the NFL, about a million people sit in seats on any given Sunday, and it's safe to say that the majority of them act civilized. However, as fans, we should make a pact for ZERO tolerance for fighting or making anyone uncomfortable at a sporting event. Before I became a father, it didn't bother me as much as it does today. I've witnessed too many innocent bystanders getting hurt. It has to stop.

Let's make a pact and show the upcoming generation what is truly worth fighting for. As you can see, Jason Kelce is a great example, and I hope people take a moment to ask themselves, 'If Jason doesn't care about the colors he wears, why do I?'