Classy

In general conference last October, President Uchtdorf said something that hit pretty close to home for a lot of people:

Perhaps there is no better laboratory to observe the sin of pride than the world of sports. I have always loved participating in and attending sporting events. But I confess there are times when the lack of civility in sports is embarrassing. How is it that normally kind and compassionate human beings can be so intolerant and filled with hatred toward an opposing team and its fans?

Especially this season, I've loved cheering for my Cougars. There's nothing quite like being in the Marriott Center and cheering them on, especially when they're playing so well.

Other teams, of course, are entitled to the same joy. But one team in particular has bothered me for quite some time, taking cheap shots at our religion. San Diego State's student section is known for being witty and energetic, but sometimes they cross the line. It really bugs me when they wear white shirts, ties and name tags when they play BYU.

Would they dress like monks and nuns when they played Notre Dame? Of course not. That's disrespectful of something important to Catholics that they hold dear. So, how is dressing like LDS missionaries any different?

But when I heard about SDSU head coach Steve Fisher's statement to their student section before last Saturday's game, I felt happy. It gave me hope that there's still some civility in the crazy world of sports. It said, in part, "We cannot cross the line into topics that are out of bounds and distasteful, particularly making fun of one’s religion."

I'm pretty sure—correct me if I'm wrong—there weren't any shirts and ties at the game last Saturday. Classy, coach. Very classy.

And, thanks.