'IN THE HEAT OF COMPETITION’

By Ba Ipe

This is the operative phrase in the world of sports. Players of opposing sports team could exchange hard words in the course of the game. Or they could push, elbow, and bodily position themselves to gain advantage. Or they could trade punches, kicks, and scuffles in some extreme cases. But in most instances, everything is forgiven and forgotten after the game. This is all in the spirit of sportsmanship.

An untoward incident happens in a game because it is “in the heat of competition,”sportsmen argue. When competition heightens, an intense interplay of emotions follows. There is an temporary insanity on either team. Hence, verbal and physical conflicts happen Athletes, who have the desirable level of emotional intelligence (EQ), would argue that it is just a game, which does not deserve the loss of civility, rationality, and sense of equanimity.

Athletes, especially the professional ones, normally discipline themselves and believe that physical contacts are just part of the game. They are trained to forgive and forget after the game, leaving all those feelings of animosity in the playing field. That is why opposing players, after the game, exchange handshakes in the spirit of sportsmanship.

But there are exceptions. Jose Offerman, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Major Baseball League (MLB) during his prime, faced a lawsuit. Playing in an independent baseballs league, Offerman experienced an emotional blackout when he attacked the pitcher and the catcher of the opposing team with his bat, hurting them.

Using a bat in an altercation is a big no-no among baseball players. They usually leave their bats and confront the players in the other team. They are disciplined to engage in a fight using their fists. Absolutely no bats. They are trained to guarantee a fair fight.

Offerman is now defending himself from the lawsuits. I am not sure what happened but the issue has been brought for court litigation, as the opposing players, who were struck by his bat when he went into a rampage, suffered head contusions and broken arms and loss of income as a result of the disability.

Will Jon Amores of Jose Rizal University suffer lawsuit as a result of his one-man amok against the opposing players of the College of Saint Benilde? Athletes are trained to think that many things happen in the heat of competition. Thery abhor court litigation because it is a messy process. Most likely, the opposing teams and school authorities will just talk it over. A suspension or fine will do. But Armas will have to mend his ways. School authorities will make sure that he would be aptly punished and he won't repeat the same mistake .

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