IN THIS ISSUE:

FRONT ROW

Youth Sports:
• Which Country Has the Worst Sports Parents?
• It’s Time Parents Acted Like Children
• Extreme Makeover: Sportsmanship
Jocks Behaving Exceptionally:
• How Much Is Your Integrity Worth?
• Officials Notice Good Sportsmanship
Michael Josephson's Commentary: Basketball Coach Proves That Character Counts


SIDELINES

Announcements
Trivia Test: Who Were the NBA’s First Three-Peats (Losing and Winning)?
You Make the Call: Roethlisberger or Tebow?
Principle of the Month: The Importance of Developing Character in Athletics
Say What?
Trivia Test Answer

FRONT ROW

YOUTH SPORTS

Which Country Has
the Worst Sports Parents?

A Reuters/Ipsos survey of 23,000 adults in 22 countries found that more than 35 percent of adults worldwide have witnessed a physically and/or verbally abusive parent at a children’s sporting event.

So, where is the most unsavory behavior and conduct observed?

Could it be Italy, whose fans are known to be rather overzealous? (Nope, but they were third with 55 percent of respondents witnessing unsavory parental behavior.)

How about Argentina, whose soccer fans are renowned for their extracurricular activities? (Uh-uh, they were fourth at 54 percent.)

Ah, then it must be Australia. They can be a might rowdy. (Nah, they were sixth at 50 percent.)

Unfortunately, the statuette for worst parent conduct went to the U.S. with a shameful 60 percent.

“It’s ironic that the United States, which prides itself in being the most civilized country in the world, has the largest group of adults having witnessed abusive behavior at children’s sporting events,” said John Wright, Ipsos senior vice president.

Here is the entire list from worst parents (top) to best parents (bottom):

United States (60%)
India (59%)
Italy (55%)
Argentina (54%)
Canada (53%)
Australia (50%)
Spain (42%)
Belgium (39%)
Great Britain (37%)
Sweden (35%)
Germany (35%)
South Korea (34%)
Poland (32%)
China (31%)
Brazil (31%)
Russia (30%)
Netherlands (28%)
France (26%)
Japan (25%)
Mexico (25%)
Czech Republic (24%)
Hungary (16%)

[marketwire.com, 4/7/10]

It’s Time Parents Acted Like Children

Staff writer Robert Bird Brown posed an intriguing question in Westminster, Maryland’s Carroll County Times: “What if sports parents behaved like kids?”

What would such a world look like? For one, you might see parent referees in the stands to enforce spectator rules. If a parent accumulates too many fouls, the opposing team could get a free shot or the home team would have to take a player off the field.

You might see a parent help an opponent off the field or hear a parent compliment an opposing player for a good play.

You might see a child give feedback to her parents for their performance. “Mom, I can’t believe you yelled at the referee!” or “Dad, did you have to embarrass me by banging on the glass after we scored?”

And what might you see after the game? “Wouldn’t it be something,” Brown wrote, “if parents lined up for the ceremonial handshake and shook hands with one another?”

[carrollcountytimes.com, 2/21/10]

Extreme Makeover: Sportsmanship

Five years ago, the goal of Pratt High School in Pratt, Kansas, was to join a bigger and better league. The problem was, no league wanted them because of their long rap sheet of poor sportsmanship.

Superintendent Dr. Glen Davis, along with Activities Director Curtis Nightingale, decided to clean up their reputation. Their remarkable turnaround serves as a model for other schools who've dug themselves into a hole, character-wise.

First, Nightingale met with leaders of the student section, who told him, “Our job is to make the opponent afraid to come here and play.”

Nightingale said they were wrong. “They should fear us because we’re good, not because our fans are belligerent.”

He next met with parents and community leaders and went on a speaking circuit in which he asked, “Are you fans or officials?” Gradually, the community came around.

“We said our community needs to be an example of positive sportsmanship, and we wanted each governing entity to adopt it,” superintendent Davis told The Pratt Tribune. During the next five years, a sportsmanship coalition was formed among the Pratt and Skyline school districts, the Pratt Recreation Department, and Pratt Community College.

“People think [sportsmanship] is your cheerleaders, but it’s your community, how your fans act in the stands, the politeness of your band in coordinating with another band, your cheerleaders leading positive cheers, your pep club section.”

If an organization or program doesn’t adhere to Pratt’s guidelines, “There’s not a place for you to play in this community,” Nightingale told the community. “It’s a united front that we present.”

The results were impressive. In 2009 and 2010, Pratt received tournament sportsmanship awards, and this year Pratt was invited to join the Central Kansas League for the 2010-11 school year.

“One of the first questions they asked was ‘What have you done about bad sportsmanship at your school?’ because they all knew,” Nightingale said.

For the first time in years, he was able to lay out in detail all the things they had accomplished.

[pratttribune.com, 4/7/10]

JOCKS BEHAVING EXCEPTIONALLY

How Much Is Your Integrity Worth?

Integrity is practicing what you preach, being what you say you are, believing what you say you believe, and doing what you say you’ll do. It means resisting temptations and pressures, holding onto your values, and doing the right thing even when it may cost you more than you want to pay.

But how much more? Could you keep your integrity if doing cost you $100? What about $1,000? Would you uphold your honor for $10,000?

During the Verizon Heritage golf tournament last month, golfer Brian Davis faced an ethical dilemma that went far beyond even those figures.

If Davis won, he would have gotten his first victory on the PGA tour. He would have earned a two-year exemption to the tour, including an automatic berth in the Masters. And he would have brought home a ton more money. The difference between first and second place was $411,000.

All that was going through Davis's mind when he took his backswing from the rough on the first hole of the sudden-death playoff with Jim Furyk.

Rule 13-4 says if a golfer’s club moves any loose impediment on the backswing in a hazard, it’s a two-stroke penalty. Davis thought his club might have nicked a solitary reed on the way up. But he wasn’t sure. It could have moved, but it was imperceptible. No one else saw it.

Despite so much that hinged on his decision, Davis didn’t hesitate. He summoned a tournament official and told him what he thought happened. The infraction was so miniscule that it took a film review of his swing in super slow-motion several times before it was finally confirmed that he touched the reed.

“I could not have lived with myself if I had not,” Davis told the official, who told the press afterward: “He’s class – first class.”

According to a 2010 Josephson Institute survey of 30,000 high school students, more than 60 percent of respondents felt they needed to lie or cheat to succeed. “A lot of our youth believe you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” said executive director Rich Jarc. “These are our future doctors, lawyers, and bankers.”

Businessweek writer Scott Sochnick pondered those statistics in lieu of Davis’s action. “I can’t help but wonder what some of the guys at Goldman Sachs would have done had it been them instead of Davis that day.

“Maybe a friendly game of golf is the best litmus test for anyone seeking an investment bank with which to do business. Before entrusting your money to someone, wouldn’t you like to know whether he’s the kind of player who kicks the ball into the fairway or neglects to count a whiff as a stroke?”

Since the incident, Davis said he’s never had more positive feedback from losing, with e-mails and text messages thanking him for counterbalancing the negative stories about steroids and scandals.

“With what's been going on around the world, people are looking for a positive story and for somebody to do the right thing,” he told the magazine. “When times are bad, people look for good.”

[badbeatspoker.net, 4/19/10; businessweek.com, 4/22/10]

Officials Notice Good Sportsmanship

It’s nice when game officials are so impressed by exemplary behavior that they feel compelled to report the incidents to authorities. The following comments were recently sent to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association:

Wrestling (Mineral Point vs. Port Washington)
“All the wrestlers were very cordial when spoken to. I have never heard so many ‘yes sir’ responses. When the matches did not end in Port’s favor, not a single coach, teammate, or wrestler lost composure. On the flip side, Mineral Point did not display excessive celebration after each win. I left the mat feeling energized.” – Official James Sewrey

Hockey (Fond du Lac vs. Appleton)
“Both sides maintained great discipline around the net. No team gave any extra hits or trash talking. In fact, defending players were polite in letting the other players skate away after the whistle. The handshake line was patient, handshakes were firm, and both teams had their heads held high as they congratulated each other. Groups of players stood and talked afterward with friends from the other team. As an official, we wish every tame had this sort of standard and professionalism.” – Official Tony Stemberger

Basketball (Kiel vs. Waupun)
“The gym was packed, and electricity was in the air. Each team had a star player who went at each other the whole game – in a good way. They were competitors and leaders on the court. When the game got intense, they kept their cool. When they addressed us, it was with courtesy. The fans on both sides were in no way disrespectful to each other or us. They merely cheered their teams. My partners and I expressed to each other afterward what a great game it was and how much we enjoyed being a part of it.” – Official Dave Birch

MICHAEL JOSEPHSON'S COMMENTARY

Basketball Coach Proves That Character Counts

You’ve got to love the Butler University story, the Cinderella team that fell only a few inches short of winning the 2010 NCAA national basketball championship against Duke, a perennial high achiever during March Madness.

Maybe David and Goliath is a better metaphor.

Butler’s coach Brad Stevens, 33, was only 3 years old when Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski began his coaching career. Hardly anyone knew Brad Stevens’s name before the tournament while Krzyzewski has been famous for decades. Stevens makes $350,000 per year (still more than the university’s president), but that’s only a fourth of what Coach K earns.

What I really love is that his success is based on intelligence, determination, and good character. Without any credentials to speak of, he left an early corporate job to start a career as a coach.

The son of a physician and a college professor, he was a solid but unspectacular player at DePauw University where he was a three-time Academic All-American nominee. Like Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke team, his players have a graduation rate in excess of 90 percent.

That's significant in lieu of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s recent lambasting of the NCAA for the fact that 25 percent of teams in the 2009 tournament graduated fewer than 40 percent of their players. “If you can’t graduate two out of five of your players,” he declared at the annual NCAA convention, “what are they doing at your university?”

Stevens’s calm, positive coaching style reminds many of another Indiana-born coach, John Wooden.

This season was no flash in the pan, though. In fact, Stevens has begun to accumulate one of the most successful coaching records in college basketball, winning 86 percent of the 104 games he’s coached at Butler.

Kudos to Coach Stevens for proving that character counts. And kudos to the Butler team for a great game and a great season.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

For an archive of Mr. Josephson’s commentaries, click here.

	ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sign Up Now for Our Most Affordable Sportsmanship Seminars Ever On June 18, Josephson Institute will present its first one-day Pursuing Victory With Honor sportsmanship seminar at our very own headquarters office in Los Angeles. It will save you money (only $198) and time (one day instead of two). The seminar will show you how to integrate character-developing activities into your sports program and how to respond to challenges and questions from student athletes, fans, officials, parents, and colleagues. Learn more » And in August, we'll host two more one-day sessions in Colorado. We'll let you know the exact dates and locations in a future issue
	TRIVIA TEST
Who Were the NBA’s First Three-Peats (Losing and Winning)? Which of these NBA teams was the first to win three consecutive titles? Warriors Celtics Bulls Lakers Spurs Which of these NBA teams was the first to lose three consecutive titles? Syracuse Natls/Philadelphia 76ers St. Louis Hawks Lakers Knicks Warriors See the answer below.
	YOU MAKE THE CALL
Roethlisberger or Tebow? Hypothetical situation: You’re an NFL owner and can acquire either 1) a player with proven skills but poor character, or 2) a player with unproven skills but sterling character: Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Pros: Two-time Super Bowl champion Cons: Reckess behavior, questionable character, scandal magnet Or Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Pros: Two-time BCS national champion, Heisman Trophy winner, upstanding character, Christian missionary Cons: Untested as a pro, questionable skills, drafted low Who would you take? Ben Roethlisberger Tim Tebow Neither I don’t know Click here to vote Results of Last Month’s Poll Did Michael Vick deserve the Ed Block Courage Award? Yes. His teammates voted to give it to him. Vick: "I've overcome more than one can handle or bear." 18% No. NFL/Ed Block Foundation should disallow it because Vick discredited the award and its founder. 72% I'm not sure. 10%
	PRINCIPLE OF THE MONTH
The Preamble: The Importance of Developing Character in Athletics In a research paper published by the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs (School of Education, SUNY Cortland, in Cortland, New York), authors Matthew L. Davidson, Kelli Moran-Miller, and Jeffrey Pratt Beedy propose a blueprint for performance success and character development. “Most coaches recognize that achieving excellence requires hard work, perseverance, self-discipline, and determination. In other words, performance character – the knowledge, habits, and dispositions necessary for success in sport, school, the workplace, and other performance contexts. “But cultivating performance character is only one part of a coach’s educative charge. They also must focus on developing their players’ moral character – the intangibles of moral excellence such as integrity, honesty, and concern for others that moderate our personal desire for success with issues of justice and a concern for the greater good.” The document goes on to discuss such aspects as 1) character develops best when it’s caught and taught, 2) character thrives within a community or team context, 3) opponents are allies, not adversaries, in character development, 4) character development enhances leadership, 5) sportsmanship is the final fruit of many vines, and many more. Read the complete report here. The Preamble of the Arizona Sports Summit Accord states that “The values of millions of participants and spectators are directly and dramatically influenced by the values conveyed by organized sports. Thus, sports are a major social force that shapes the quality and character of the American culture.” Nearly 50 influential leaders in sports issued the Arizona Sports Summit Accord in 1999 to encourage greater emphasis on the ethical and character-building aspects of athletic competition. Read the full text here.
	SAY WHAT?
“What did it feel like to desert your team?” – The fourth most preposterous question asked by an NFL team before NFL Draft Day (to Florida State safety Myron Rolle, who passed up his senior season to accept a Rhodes Scholarship) “You’re as good as me now at Augusta.” – CBS sportscaster Nick Faldo moments after Phil Mickelson won the Masters “I don’t give a (bleep) that the relationship didn’t work. Not only did he abandon her, he abandoned us for a lot of our lives. I have a hard time forgiving that.” – Former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber on his philandering father in a 2004 interview; last month Tiki left his pregnant-with-twins wife and their other two children for a 23-year-old NBC intern “Do you play in a G-string or a jock strap?” – The third most preposterous question asked by an NFL team before NFL Draft Day (to Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy) “It must be some thrill for Joe Torre, finishing out his managing career working for the Real McCourts of Los Angeles.” – New York Daily News sportswriter Mike Lupica “Tiger Woods refused to apologize for his swearing at the Masters. He’s stopped pursuing Jack Nicklaus’s records and begun listening to Richard Pryor’s.” – Comedian Argus Hamilton “I’m going to say it: He’s a dirty player. He’s always swinging elbows, man. I’m hurting right now because of an elbow he threw. It’s unbelievable. It’s one thing to be competitive and compete. But don’t be a dirty player, man.” Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah on Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett “Does being a white running back make you feel entitled?” – The second most preposterous question asked by an NFL team before NFL Draft Day (to Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart) “Telecasts that will get higher ratings than the NHL playoffs: 1) WNBA Husbands, 2) Reruns of The Tyra Show, and 3) PBS documentary on how North Dakota was occupied by early settlers.” – Orlando Sentinel sportswriter Mike Bianchi “What is the incentive for a youngster to be a good sport? You don’t get on ESPN for being a good sport.” – Former Duke basketball player Steve Vacendak addressing a college workshop on sportsmanship “Is your mom a prostitute?” – The most preposterous question asked by an NFL team before NFL Draft Day (to Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant) ~ Classic From the Past ~ “The Yankees are only interested in one thing, and I don’t know what that is.” – Baseball player Luis Polonia
	TRIVIA TEST ANSWER
First to win three: Lakers While in Minneapolis, the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks in 1952 and 1953 and the Syracuse Nationals in 1954. The Celtics were the second team to sweep three straight. First to lose three: Knicks The Knicks lost to the Rochester Royals in 1951 and to the Lakers in 1952 and 1953. They would not see another finals until 1970 when they got revenge on the Lakers.
	CONTACT US
Josephson Institute 9841 Airport Blvd., Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA 90045 (310) 846-4800 (800) 711-2670 http://CharacterCounts.org http://JosephsonInstitute.org
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