Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Eyes On Boston


Of course I was going to have to say something about the tragic events in Boston. It was at a sports related event wasn't it?

So every year around this time, there is the Mecca of marathon races going on. 2,700 marathoners who have run marathons over the last year to get qualifying times, paid exorbitant dues, traveled, trained, and prepared for the 26.2 mile foot race known as the Boston Marathon.

I'm a runner, but by no means am I a marathoner. I kind of wish I was, but I'm just not built for it. I'm working towards it, but we shall see.

Let me just say that I have a respect for marathoners, especially those who run the Boston Marathon, for no other reason than you have to qualify to run in Boston. This is the elite of the elite. I was even proud to say that I knew a marathoner.

Then yesterday happened, this is something that every sports reporter, or sports person hates to see happen.

Locally there are a couple of morning show guys that I had bumped into off air and I asked them, during the whole stink with Penn State and Joe Pa, how they were "enjoying" covering that (very tongue and cheek of course). One of the men that I was talking too said that he hated it, because its sports, "were like the toy section in the news world."

I agree because things like what happened in Boston yesterday... never happen. Well, until it did.

As soon as I heard the news I was hunting for information on the runner that I knew would be running. I knew the pace that he was wanting to keep and that would have put him close to the area, if my calculations were correct. And I was. I found out last night that this runner was crossing the finish line when the bombs went off. He was hit in the shoulder by flying debris, but was okay.

Now as thankful as I am that the runner I knew was okay I had to stop and reflect on the events that had unfolded.

I came to a couple of conclusions. Let's start with the reason this was so horrific wasn't because it was on our soil. We've had way worse go on, and carried on. Now I'm not trying to lessen the tragic events that unfolded at the Boston Marathon by any means, but it made me wonder why this was such a over tragic even that justified hour long specials the same night.

Here's what I've come up with, sports in any fashion is a level playing field and allows people to come together in celebration who might not have come together other wise. What more perfect example than the Olympics? Every country comes together on one stage to compete for the gold and prove they are the best in the world. Nations are brought together on one stage in a peaceful competition. Nothing can upset a joining of nations or a joining of people like a bomb.

And was I the only person to notice that where the bombs went off initially was behind an area of the race where lots of flags from other countries were placed? That alone made a statement to me.

Then I was reminded that it was Tax Day yesterday, so it could have been any whackadoodle with an agenda.

The fact of the matter still remains this, people were shaken and that was the point, but remember that this is Boston. A city that has roots steeped deep in patriotism and the we can get back up mentality.

The Red Sox went on to win their game last night. Which I was glad to see, Boston needed a win in more way than one.

So this week runners, athletes, walkers, or anything in between, when you lace up your shoes, do it for the three lives that were lost in Boston and all those that were injured, both physically and mentally. And remember that there might be people who can no longer do what you can. Not because they made a bad decision, but because they did what they loved to do.

That's just this sports junkies opinion.  

No comments:

Post a Comment