ATHLETICS AND SPORTS HAVE A ROLE IN LIFE......BUT THEY ARE ONLY GAMES............

The San Francisco 49-ers heartbreaker loss to the New York Giants in yesterday's National Football Conference Championship Game, is a disappointment for those of us who are their fans, but the depth of our feelings should have reasonable limits that keep the outcome and the athletic contest it was in perspective. Athletics and Sports play a prominent role in society, in the United and throughout the World. They form, shape, and develop our physical, interpersonal, abilities and our appreciation and loyalty to, and for, individuals and teams who play them exceedingly well. In some ways Sports have become a Religion for those who participate in, or follow them. That being said, civility and mutual and self respect must be maintained, no matter the outcome of an athletic contest we are fans and followers of. So it is shocking that in response to the two mistakes made by the 49-ers player Kyle Williams yesterday, that resulted in their loss to the Giants by a score of 20-17; has drawn fierce anger to the degree of hatred and evil, the response is garnering online.
The online outcry in vehement reaction to Kyle Williams foibles in Sunday's Game, are uncalled for and outlandish, especially the inhumane Tweet that says...He, his wife, and children, should die, because of his mistakes in the Championship Game. When a game, sport, or athletic competition, becomes more valuable than human life, then it is seriously time to re-evaluate our priorities and integrity. Even seasoned athletes make mistakes, yet alone a 22 year old football player at the beginning of his professional career. The fact that the San Francisco 49-ers went 14-4, in a near miraculous season of competition to get to the NFC Championship, means although they will not play in this year's Super Bowl, they possess the possibility to be in the hunt even more successfully next year............Fr. Troy