Sports help to make the healing process easier
By: James Mason
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Sports
Originally published: 4/20/07 at 4:37 AM EST
Last update: 4/20/07 at 4:36 AM EST
Originally published: 4/20/07 at 4:37 AM EST
Last update: 4/20/07 at 4:36 AM EST
However, it's times like these where sports can play a huge role. It seems like when things go wrong or tragedies happen, sometimes an affected community can find a team to latch on to. As silly as it may seem, having a team to root for that represents you can definitely boost your spirits.
Yet, it definitely happens. The movie "We Are Marshall" was about the tragedy involving Marshall's football team, and the push to continue the program despite what happened. Other examples are Bo Kimble and Loyola Marymount's NCAA run, the Patriots Super Bowl run after 9/11, the Yankee's going back to the World Series in 2001, and many more that I can't name off the top of my head.
A perfect example of this was last year's New Orleans Saints team. Before Hurricane Katrina, the Saints were one of the worst franchises in sports, period. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, the Saints became relevant to every American. After a nomadic season in which they played seven home games in San Antonio, the Saints returned to New Orleans in 2006.
Many people, especially myself, questioned why a city would spend so much money to bring back a crappy football team, when that money could've been used to do something positive for the city.
Their first home game was a Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons. The house was packed that late September evening and the Saints improved to 3-0. At the time I wasn't impressed. I said that people were missing the point by celebrating so much over a football game. I questioned how big of an impact the team could really have, and while I didn't state it in the column I wrote Sept. 29, 2006, I expected them to return to their doormat ways.
Yet, they continued winning games, eventually earning the two seed in the NFC playoffs and earning their way to the conference championship. Along the way, the team helped energize the city. As they won, they lifted the spirits of everyone in the city of New Orleans. Regardless of how rough their week was and how bad their situation was, the city could count on watching their Saints play on Sunday, which also helped return some sense of normalcy.
Yet, it definitely happens. The movie "We Are Marshall" was about the tragedy involving Marshall's football team, and the push to continue the program despite what happened. Other examples are Bo Kimble and Loyola Marymount's NCAA run, the Patriots Super Bowl run after 9/11, the Yankee's going back to the World Series in 2001, and many more that I can't name off the top of my head.
A perfect example of this was last year's New Orleans Saints team. Before Hurricane Katrina, the Saints were one of the worst franchises in sports, period. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, the Saints became relevant to every American. After a nomadic season in which they played seven home games in San Antonio, the Saints returned to New Orleans in 2006.
Many people, especially myself, questioned why a city would spend so much money to bring back a crappy football team, when that money could've been used to do something positive for the city.
Their first home game was a Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons. The house was packed that late September evening and the Saints improved to 3-0. At the time I wasn't impressed. I said that people were missing the point by celebrating so much over a football game. I questioned how big of an impact the team could really have, and while I didn't state it in the column I wrote Sept. 29, 2006, I expected them to return to their doormat ways.
Yet, they continued winning games, eventually earning the two seed in the NFC playoffs and earning their way to the conference championship. Along the way, the team helped energize the city. As they won, they lifted the spirits of everyone in the city of New Orleans. Regardless of how rough their week was and how bad their situation was, the city could count on watching their Saints play on Sunday, which also helped return some sense of normalcy.
