As BYU beat Baylor Saturday, Sept, 10, we can all learn a valuable lesson in empathy.
Disappointment set in when BYU’s kicker missed two game-winning field goals late in the game. Despite this, BYU won. But more importantly, we were able to learn a valuable lesson when we saw Jaren Hall hugging his crying kicker, Jake Oldroyd, on the sideline.
As fans of sports, we get angry at players for making mistakes that cost us a win. Too often we forget players have feelings like us. The burden for them is much heavier than anything a fan will feel — the player often feels they let their teammates, coaches and fans down with their costly mistake.
The rock band U2 has a U.S. music video of a kicker missing a game-winning field goal and living with the burden in the song, “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of.” So, while the win was nice, the lesson learned at the end of the game by Hall hugging his crying, burdened teammate was the real win. He set an example for his teammates, but also to us as fans.
Ryan Woods
Centerville