Would You Let Up?

I am watching the Italy - Finland ice hockey game at the Olympics, and as expected, Finland is winning (currently 9-0) with ten minutes still to play in the third. I might have to update the score again, and again. However, it reminded me of a game of field hockey I played as a kid against the top team, where by half time we were beating them 7-0. Their coach was livid, screaming and swearing at these poor kids to the point that their parents took them home and the game was abandoned.

At the time and for many years after, and perhaps because I barrack for the underdogs, I have always felt bad for the team getting demolished and have thought that maybe once beyond doubt, if the team should let up and not embarrass them. For instance, the game I am watching is the previous gold medal winners, against a team that only qualifies because they are the host country. Is it bad form to destroy them so completely?

However, while I still "feel" for the losing team that has little hope, I also think that perhaps not letting up is a sign of respect. It isn't about scoring more, it is about respecting the other team enough to keep playing. I think if I was in that kind of situation, I would find it disrespectful for the winning team to "go easy" and not play to push harder. It would be even more demeaning.

It's not that they don't love to win.. it's that they don't hate to lose.

Losing sucks. But the reality is that Italy is unlikely to beat any of the top teams unless there is some kind of massive stroke of luck. However, they also don't want to lose, so they go into each game and play each game, giving their best, all the way through, no matter how bad they are losing. They don't let up. Even though now the score is 10-0 with a few minutes left, they are still pushing, still defending like it is the final and scores are tired, still trying to score.

11 - 0

I just had a discussion with Smallsteps that no matter how down, no matter how unlikely to win, a real player plays to the buzzer. No giving up, leave nothing in the tank. This is one of the reasons I like to watch the Olympics, because there are people who have almost zero chance of winning, but they are there and their success is not the medal, it is competing - many of them having to struggle through comparative adversity just to get there. They represent their country, but more importantly, they represent all their supporters that helped them get there. And they represent themselves and can show what they are made of - harder stuff than almost everyone else on earth.