The LSU Tigers women’s basketball team won the first title for their school in history. What an accomplishment! How proud could these players be?!
Obviously not enough for Angel Reese, speaking for her winning team.
Jill Biden not only invited LSU to the White House after their victory, but chose to include the runner-up team, Iowa. Reese referred to the Hawks being invited as a “joke.” This attendance of the secondary team will not diminish the triumph of a first championship, the honor of being invited to the White House or the pride LSU has for its players. Who instilled this type of awful sportsmanship into our young people? Parents, look within.
Beyond this inability to stand proud on one’s own, Reese has brought in the race card. If the Hawks had won, “we (LSU) would not be getting invited to the White House.” This refers to the opinion of Reese that because LSU is predominantly black and Iowa is predominantly white, if the white team won, LSU’s achievements would be diminished.
When did winning and trying fiercely hard to be successful become a matter of politics? Of victimization?
Now, of course, Jill Biden has apologized and Reese has become the darling of high-profile athletes. She now has 1 million followers on Instagram. Here we are in 2023. Some school athletes have trained relentlessly to be brats, adults have been trained to apologize for anything and everything the least bit challenged by said athletes, and, as if poor sportsmanship isn’t enough to get the attention, a person can always cry racism. If a young person wants to be an athlete, be sure to arm them with every excuse possible to be a bad sport, winner or not, and an embarrassing representative of their team.
What on earth has happened to being proud for the sake of effort and skill? Parents, look within.
Molly McDonald, Salt Lake City
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