Our last two posts have dealt with Tiger Woods, a sports figure with a name that is known around the world. Tiger came in 2nd at the PGA, which was played at Hazeltine Golf Course in Chaska, MN. Hazeltine hosted the U.S. Open in 1991, where a lightning bolt struck several spectators, killing one, and nearly killing a friend of our family, John Hannahan (whose son Jack now plays for the Seattle Mariners). These days, there is another Bolt drawing lots of attention: track star Usain Bolt.
My research assistant Nikki (who also happens to be an All-American sprinter at the University of St. Thomas) and I had an interesting conversation about Bolt last week. Nikki is a track purist. She was very turned off by Bolt's showboating at the end of the 100 meter sprint in the Olympics. Bolt appeared to taunt an opponent, while finishing in a world record 9.69 seconds, even after slowing down at the finish. Nikki was not alone: Bolt even drew a reprimand from IOC President Jacques Rogge. Bolt's performances over the past year raise several compelling questions about the nature of competition and sportsmanship.
1) Should we have been surprised by Bolt's hotdogging at the end of the Olympics? The 100 meter champion is generally recognized as the "World's Fastest Human". To get to that stage, against the fastest and twitchiest of the fast-twitch muscle fibers, sprinters must be confident, even cocky. In fact, sprinters are sometimes regarded as an arrogant bunch. Are we surprised when people whose careers are defined by hundredths of seconds engage in this type of bravado?
2) While few would argue taunting an opponent can be justified, Bolt claimed that, "I wasn't bragging. When I saw I wasn't covered, I was just happy". Why did Bolt's actions bother so many? Was it taunting or was it Bolt simply caught up in the moment?
3) Many fans and journalists were equally critical because Bolt had a chance to break the world record by a more substantial margin. Bolt slowed down noticeably as he finished the race. Do we have the right to impose our beliefs on athletes, or should Bolt be allowed to celebrate as he pleases? In basketball, a player looking to score when his or her team is already up by a comfortable margin is viewed negatively. In baseball, teams that are ahead by large margins adhere to an unwritten rule that they won't steal any bases. In Bolt's case, and probably because track and field is timed, fans expected him to run as fast as he could throughout the entire race, even if that meant defeating his opponents by a larger margin. Does Bolt have an obligation to run his fastest, even if a race is in hand? Why would this be considered "running the score up" in some sports, and not in track and field?
4) Last week, Bolt shattered his own 100 meter record, running it in an astounding 9.58 seconds. He then ran the 200 meters in 19.19 seconds, once again bettering his own World Record, a record that broke Michael Johnson's seemingly unbreakable 19.32 200-meter race in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. What amazes me is how much attention Bolt's 100-meter Olympic race still receives, when he just won the 100-meter and 200-meter World Championships and set World Records in both events? Is it time for the public to move past Bolt's races in Beijing and appreciate his remarkable accomplishments from the past week?
5) What lessons can we teach our children from Usain Bolt? Regardless of one's thoughts on Bolt or his actions, the issues that have been raised provide much fodder for interesting conversations with our children about excellence, sportsmanship, and humility. So often, we ask our children how their day was and receive the monosyllabic "Fine". Open-ended questions on topics that interest children are great ways to start real dialogue. Below are seven possibilities of questions related to Usain Bolt that may be useful ways to engage our children in important discussion.
a. Should Bolt have run his hardest once he had the race won? Why?
b. Should runners who have no chance of winning run their hardest, even after they have no chance to win? Why?
c. How can athletes like Bolt win with grace and humility?
d. What are appropriate celebrations after a victory?
e. What are some cultural factors that might help explain Bolt's celebration (his 100-meter gold was the first gold for Jamaica in the 2008 Olympics)?
f. Why do the media always seem to point out the flaws in people?
g. Should athletes be role models differently than other adults?
In the case of Usain Bolt, we see another excellent example of the ways in which sports can teach our children valuable lessons. Moreover, we see a case where they may not be a black-and-white answer. We should challenge and encourage our kids to see different shades of grey as they form their moral compasses. Asking our children to elaborate on Usain Bolt is one small way we can help them clarify their thinking and prepare themselves for situations where they will be challenged to win or lose with grace. What other questions can we ask our kids in cases where athletes behave badly, or are portrayed in a negative light?
