Simple joy of sports feels good

Bob Lipper / WSLS NewsChannel 10
Published: April 21, 2007

Is it OK to talk about sports again- Is it all right to think about games- Is it permissible to root for the R-Braves or your high school tennis team or the Spurs or the Sabres on TV- I mean, really root, really let loose - you know, without feeling just a little bit guilty-

Who knows what's right, what fits, what's appropriate. Virginia Tech played a baseball game against Miami on campus last night. Was that OK- Was it all right- Was it too soon- Was it all right- Was it OK-

You can make yourself a little crazy going back and forth with this stuff. Something terrible happened in Blacksburg five days ago, and we're still reeling from that blow. Still learning all that we should know about the victims and more than we need to know about the gunman who took their lives.

Still in mourning.

But breathing. Living. Working. Moving. Getting on with it.

Listening to music. Going to plays and movies. Taking the kids bowling.

Watching games.

So maybe it's OK. Maybe a night out, a favorite CD, supper with friends - maybe a ballgame - is a good thing at a time like this. Sports is a wonderful bonding agent, you know. Not a healer. Not a mender of broken and aching hearts. But a diversion. A cleansing breath. A hint of sunshine breaking through the darkness.

It's a struggle. It surely is at Thomas Dale High, which lost one of its own - former basketball and baseball player Matt Gwaltney - on Monday. Yesterday was supposed to be a big deal for the Knights - head-to-head duels on a number of fronts against county rival L.C. Bird. Instead, a candlelight vigil was held at Crump Stadium in tribute to Gwaltney, and all those games have been postponed.

The other part of the equation is that Dale's baseball, softball and soccer teams were in action Thursday.

"We're still going to school," said Lee Batten, the Knights' activities director. "The athletic part of it has to go on with it, too. We're trying to keep things at the school as normal as possible. But we've all been affected by what went on up at Virginia Tech. No question, it's difficult. It's been a difficult week for everyone in the state - and in our country."

So maybe it's OK. Maybe it's OK not to feel you're being uncaring if you get caught up in Bulls vs. Heat in the playoffs or Dirk vs. Steve for the MVP award. Or if you lose yourself in a debate over what the Skins should do with their first-round pick. Or if you're into A-Rod's home run binge or Little E.'s negotiations with his stepmama.

Or if you found yourself at English Field on Tech's campus last night for some baseball and togetherness. If baseball, softball and soccer can provide a group-hug environment for a couple of hours this weekend in Blacksburg - well, there's nothing wrong and a lot right with that.

Elsewhere, the sports world is issuing condolences. The Nationals wore Virginia Tech ball caps the other night, for instance. The R-Braves did the same for a couple of games. All the University of Virginia teams are displaying Tech's logo on uniforms or equipment this weekend. NASCAR will do the same on its cars during the next three races - Phoenix, Talladega and Richmond.

"We wanted to make a simple but strong gesture of remembrance," said NASCAR boss Brian France.

Simple and strong being everything you'd want in this moment.

There was an item in the paper a couple of days ago about how the Orioles had activated outfielder Corey Patterson from bereavement leave.

Around here, we're all being activated from bereavement leave.

Contact staff writer Bob Lipper

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or (804) 649-6555.