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Sports, Jamaicans and respect for heroes
Published: Sunday | July 25, 2010
Noel Tappin (stooping third from left) was a member of the Melbourne football team which defeated Lucas 2-0 to clinch the Senior League title in 1960. Standing (from left): Terrence Goulbourne, Albert McDermott, Dickie Coke, Alva Anderson and George Thompson, stooping (from left): Almando Gibson, Emanuel Raymond, Noel Tappin (captain), Peter Taylor and Bunny Clarke. Sitting is Peter Murray. Melbourne also won the Eric Morin KO tournament. - File
Tony Becca, Contributor
Over the years, starting in 1930, when George Headley made a century in his first Test match, Jamaicans have excelled in sport, and in doing so have made Jamaica great in the world of sport.
In fact, for the past 80 years, and especially so since the Black, Green and Gold was raised on Independence Day in 1962, Jamaicans have achieved so much in sport, in almost every sport, including a cold-weather sport like bobsled, that countries, many of them much larger in size and in population and much richer when it comes to money, have been looking on in awe and wonder.
Over the years, Jamaica's sportsmen and sportswomen have really made a great contribution to the international recognition of Jamaica; and in the past two years, that contribution, the impact, has even been greater.
In 2008, at the Olympic Games and in 2009 at the World Championships, Jamaica, led by Usain Bolt, who left the world standing and staring in amazement after his world-record runs in the 100 and 200 metres at both events, was simply magnificent.
The cheers were deafening following Beijing and Berlin, the shouts that the Jamaicans were the greatest were plenty and so, too, were the calls for the Jamaican Government to invest in sports and to spend more of the people's money in sports.
More money for sports
According to the people, and especially so those in sports, the people are so gifted that more money should be spent on every sport in an effort to really make this country the best in sports.
In response to the people's call, the Government has been cautious.
Although it has promised to look at helping community sports, and although it keeps talking about the use of the so-called Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium and the money it can make from it, it has not, thank God, or at least not yet, opened the national purse to all who call.
This country, without a doubt, has produced some of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen in the world; and this country, a tourist destination, has benefited from its greatness in sports.
When it comes to need, however, there is much more to this country than sports.
The priorities in this country, like they are in many other countries, include things like proper health care, education, housing, security and food.
On the other hand, recreational and elite sports is important to a country like Jamaica. Sports, for example, helps the development of people, it helps the national psyche, it helps the nation, and there can be no question about that.
For a Government to spend the people's money on sport, however, on elite sport, the government has to ensure that the priorities are taken care of.
It needs to know that the poor, for example, are looked after, that the sick is cared for, that there is a roof over the head of the citizens and that education is there for all.
On top of that, there is a feeling around the world that elite sports, professional sports, should look after itself. In other words, unless it can contribute meaningfully to the economy, elite sport should go where it can carry itself and not depend on government's money to carry it on its back.
Whereas Government has a responsibility to fund recreational sports - sports in the schools and in the communities - unless it is part of the economy unless it becomes part of the country's investment programme it has no responsibility, or very little responsibility, to fund elite sports.
In other words, and especially so when it cannot finance its priorities
its priorities, why should a Government get involved in something which it simply cannot afford, something which, while providing fame and probably fortune for a few, believe it or not, sentence a vast number of people to a life of misery and suffering?
What is really important, however, is this: the success of elite sports should depend not only the people's ability and dedication but also on the people's love for the sport, and on their passion for the sport.
Based on what is happening in Jamaica, however, despite the talent of the people, with all the cheers, the shouts of greatness, the calls for Government's money - for all, if not most of it and regardless of the consequences - the love and passion for sports in Jamaica is not strong enough to carry elite sports to where it wants to go.
Caring for sports
To foster elite sports means caring for sports, it means attending matches, it means purchasing things like souvenirs and other fund-raising gimmicks, it means devotion, it means more than cheering winners, and it means remembering great players of the past - heroes of a previous generation.
On Wednesday, it came home to me, once again, that with all the talk, with all the cheering of winners, Jamaicans, a lot of them, probably most of them, do not really love sports.
On Wednesday, a memorial service was held at Sts Peter and Paul Church for Noel Tappin, the famous 'My Son', one of the most versatile sportsman in the history of schoolboy sports, one of the country's greatest footballers ever, a nice man if ever there was one, and unless I do not know them, unless they were sitting under the benches, there was not one member of the Jamaica Football Federation or one member of the ministry with responsibility for sports present.
With a love like that, with a passion like that, with a disrespect for a great one like that, with such disregard for one of the people's hero, why should a Government, any Government, and especially one with the problems of Jamaica, spend more of the people's money on sports.
Apart from the priorities, apart from the 'freeness' mentality of many Jamaicans who want to reap without spending, who want someone to pay for everything, from a soda to dinner, while they enjoy themselves kicking or hitting a ball at whatever level, and who believe they have a divine right to be sent to every tournament around the world - even though they are novices without a chance of qualifying much more winning - handing out the people's money would be a waste.
When it comes to the love of sport, to the full support of sports, Jamaica has a long way to go. In fact, in many respects and based on its short memory and its lack of respect for those who achieve in sports, Jamaica is lucky to have produced so many great sportsmen and sportswomen.
On Wednesday morning, it was good to see old-timers, people like Tappin's schoolmate Vin Lumsden; his Melbourne clubmates Victor Beek, Ruddy Marzouca, Alva Anderson, Peter Murray, Oloy Hoo, 'Lumpy' Edwards, Jimmy Richards and Laker Levers; his opponents like, Danny Maxwell, Bobby Williams and "Blubber" Campbell of St George's College Old Boys; and representatives of a younger generation, Jamaica greats like Neville Oxford and Allan 'Skill' Cole, who came out to say thank you to an outstanding pioneer of sport and to a master footballer.
CAPTION: Noel Tappin (stooping third from left) was a member of the Melbourne football team which defeated Lucas 2-0 to clinch the Senior League title in 1960. Standing (from left): Terrence Goulbourne, Albert McDermott, Dickie Coke, Alva Anderson and George Thompson, stooping (from left): Almando Gibson, Emanuel Raymond, Noel Tappin (captain), Peter Taylor and Bunny Clarke. Sitting is Peter Murray. Melbourne also won the Eric Morin KO tournament. - File
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports5.html
Published: Sunday | July 25, 2010
Noel Tappin (stooping third from left) was a member of the Melbourne football team which defeated Lucas 2-0 to clinch the Senior League title in 1960. Standing (from left): Terrence Goulbourne, Albert McDermott, Dickie Coke, Alva Anderson and George Thompson, stooping (from left): Almando Gibson, Emanuel Raymond, Noel Tappin (captain), Peter Taylor and Bunny Clarke. Sitting is Peter Murray. Melbourne also won the Eric Morin KO tournament. - File
Tony Becca, Contributor
Over the years, starting in 1930, when George Headley made a century in his first Test match, Jamaicans have excelled in sport, and in doing so have made Jamaica great in the world of sport.
In fact, for the past 80 years, and especially so since the Black, Green and Gold was raised on Independence Day in 1962, Jamaicans have achieved so much in sport, in almost every sport, including a cold-weather sport like bobsled, that countries, many of them much larger in size and in population and much richer when it comes to money, have been looking on in awe and wonder.
Over the years, Jamaica's sportsmen and sportswomen have really made a great contribution to the international recognition of Jamaica; and in the past two years, that contribution, the impact, has even been greater.
In 2008, at the Olympic Games and in 2009 at the World Championships, Jamaica, led by Usain Bolt, who left the world standing and staring in amazement after his world-record runs in the 100 and 200 metres at both events, was simply magnificent.
The cheers were deafening following Beijing and Berlin, the shouts that the Jamaicans were the greatest were plenty and so, too, were the calls for the Jamaican Government to invest in sports and to spend more of the people's money in sports.
More money for sports
According to the people, and especially so those in sports, the people are so gifted that more money should be spent on every sport in an effort to really make this country the best in sports.
In response to the people's call, the Government has been cautious.
Although it has promised to look at helping community sports, and although it keeps talking about the use of the so-called Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium and the money it can make from it, it has not, thank God, or at least not yet, opened the national purse to all who call.
This country, without a doubt, has produced some of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen in the world; and this country, a tourist destination, has benefited from its greatness in sports.
When it comes to need, however, there is much more to this country than sports.
The priorities in this country, like they are in many other countries, include things like proper health care, education, housing, security and food.
On the other hand, recreational and elite sports is important to a country like Jamaica. Sports, for example, helps the development of people, it helps the national psyche, it helps the nation, and there can be no question about that.
For a Government to spend the people's money on sport, however, on elite sport, the government has to ensure that the priorities are taken care of.
It needs to know that the poor, for example, are looked after, that the sick is cared for, that there is a roof over the head of the citizens and that education is there for all.
On top of that, there is a feeling around the world that elite sports, professional sports, should look after itself. In other words, unless it can contribute meaningfully to the economy, elite sport should go where it can carry itself and not depend on government's money to carry it on its back.
Whereas Government has a responsibility to fund recreational sports - sports in the schools and in the communities - unless it is part of the economy unless it becomes part of the country's investment programme it has no responsibility, or very little responsibility, to fund elite sports.
In other words, and especially so when it cannot finance its priorities
its priorities, why should a Government get involved in something which it simply cannot afford, something which, while providing fame and probably fortune for a few, believe it or not, sentence a vast number of people to a life of misery and suffering?
What is really important, however, is this: the success of elite sports should depend not only the people's ability and dedication but also on the people's love for the sport, and on their passion for the sport.
Based on what is happening in Jamaica, however, despite the talent of the people, with all the cheers, the shouts of greatness, the calls for Government's money - for all, if not most of it and regardless of the consequences - the love and passion for sports in Jamaica is not strong enough to carry elite sports to where it wants to go.
Caring for sports
To foster elite sports means caring for sports, it means attending matches, it means purchasing things like souvenirs and other fund-raising gimmicks, it means devotion, it means more than cheering winners, and it means remembering great players of the past - heroes of a previous generation.
On Wednesday, it came home to me, once again, that with all the talk, with all the cheering of winners, Jamaicans, a lot of them, probably most of them, do not really love sports.
On Wednesday, a memorial service was held at Sts Peter and Paul Church for Noel Tappin, the famous 'My Son', one of the most versatile sportsman in the history of schoolboy sports, one of the country's greatest footballers ever, a nice man if ever there was one, and unless I do not know them, unless they were sitting under the benches, there was not one member of the Jamaica Football Federation or one member of the ministry with responsibility for sports present.
With a love like that, with a passion like that, with a disrespect for a great one like that, with such disregard for one of the people's hero, why should a Government, any Government, and especially one with the problems of Jamaica, spend more of the people's money on sports.
Apart from the priorities, apart from the 'freeness' mentality of many Jamaicans who want to reap without spending, who want someone to pay for everything, from a soda to dinner, while they enjoy themselves kicking or hitting a ball at whatever level, and who believe they have a divine right to be sent to every tournament around the world - even though they are novices without a chance of qualifying much more winning - handing out the people's money would be a waste.
When it comes to the love of sport, to the full support of sports, Jamaica has a long way to go. In fact, in many respects and based on its short memory and its lack of respect for those who achieve in sports, Jamaica is lucky to have produced so many great sportsmen and sportswomen.
On Wednesday morning, it was good to see old-timers, people like Tappin's schoolmate Vin Lumsden; his Melbourne clubmates Victor Beek, Ruddy Marzouca, Alva Anderson, Peter Murray, Oloy Hoo, 'Lumpy' Edwards, Jimmy Richards and Laker Levers; his opponents like, Danny Maxwell, Bobby Williams and "Blubber" Campbell of St George's College Old Boys; and representatives of a younger generation, Jamaica greats like Neville Oxford and Allan 'Skill' Cole, who came out to say thank you to an outstanding pioneer of sport and to a master footballer.
CAPTION: Noel Tappin (stooping third from left) was a member of the Melbourne football team which defeated Lucas 2-0 to clinch the Senior League title in 1960. Standing (from left): Terrence Goulbourne, Albert McDermott, Dickie Coke, Alva Anderson and George Thompson, stooping (from left): Almando Gibson, Emanuel Raymond, Noel Tappin (captain), Peter Taylor and Bunny Clarke. Sitting is Peter Murray. Melbourne also won the Eric Morin KO tournament. - File
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports5.html
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