Versailles News
By Kathy Monnin
I have never been a big sports fan. I can take or leave most any sport. I’ve participated in volleyball, softball, track, tennis, and some basketball but I did not like the competitive energy necessary to play the game and without it the sport simply could not hold my interest. I suppose I lacked the ability to be a good sport. To win I would have to capitalize upon my opponent’s weaknesses and bring out my killer instinct, which left me feeling ashamed of such desire to defeat, and if I lost, I was embarrassed of my inadequacy. I could not turn off the feelings of aggression once they were engaged.
Perhaps because I distance myself from watching sports and various competitions (except when my grandkids are playing) I don’t understand the fascination, yet there are many fanatical people who follow a particular team. These people call themselves fans, but some of those same people are offended when they are described as fanatics, from which the word fan derived.
Perhaps the word fanatic upsets them because it’s meaning is “a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause.” And words such as “zealot, extremist, militant, dogmatist, devotee, sectarian, bigot, chauvinists, partisan, radical, activist, and diehard,” are synonyms.
Nonetheless I have many friends and acquaintances who vehemently opposed the Bengals during the Super Bowl, simply because they were fans of other AFC teams. Where is the logic in that? These people had the choice of cheering “for” the Bengals or the Rams, but they chose to root “against” the Bengals. Some of these same people chose to attend a Super Bowl Party along with about 80 others. When these individuals grumbled about calls that questioned the legitimacy of the Bengals’ victory, even before the game was over, they revealed their disdain for the Bengals.
I recognized the ugliness, that I personally know well but don’t like to experience, coming forth from others. I’m not talking about things said in jest or good fun. I realized I don’t care to witness it any more than I like to feel it. I do respect everyone’s right to their opinion, and I am not responsible for their behavior, only mine, but it was disheartening. Again, I repeat I am not a big sports fan and my experience while watching the Super Bowl reinforces my reasoning. I wanted the local team to win, especially since the Bengals have been AFC Champions three times but never Super Bowl Champs. But that is just the way I am wired.
This is a personal perspective, that I felt like writing about. No names were mentioned. Consider this a contemporary interpretation of Aesop’s fable, “The Dog in the Manger.”
Here it is in case you do not remember it: A Dog asleep in a manger filled with hay, was awakened by the Cattle, which came in tired and hungry from working in the field. But the Dog would not let them get near the manger and snarled and snapped not allowing them to eat the hay even though the dog himself could not eat the hay.
“You cannot make sweet wine out of sour grapes” ~Thomas Fuller
“The masses do not like those who surpass them in any regard. The average man envies and hates those who are different.” ~Ludwig von Mises
“Envy always shooteth at a high mark.” ~Catalan Proverb
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, Feb. 19, Karaoke in the Versailles Vets Club Bunker beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 19, Corn Hole Tournament at the Ansonia Legion from 7 to 10 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 20, Chicken Fry Dinner at the Versailles Vets Club starting at 4 p.m. Open to the Public, Dine in or Carry-out. The phone number is 937-526-5959.
Monday, Feb. 21, Memory Lane Dance held at the Greenville VFW from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Open to the public, with music by Tom Everhart. Admission is $5 at the door.
Friday, Feb. 25, Jen’s Burritos at the Ansonia Legion from 5 to 7 p.m. Followed by the Newlywed Game beginning at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 26, Versailles FFA Omelet Breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon. Please RSVP.
Saturday, Feb. 26, Karaoke with Troy Boy at the Ansonia Legion from 8 p.m. to midnight. The kitchen will be open from 7 to 10 p.m.
Happy birthday wishes to Shawn Peters, Mary Lou Francis, Angie Minnich, Jeff Stammen, Deb Godwin, Tom Barhorst, Eileen Floan, Reyna Shardo, Barb Marchal, Larry Luthman, Joan Bergman, Lyn Bliss, Beau Barga, Tina Alt, Eva Henry, Emma Middendorf, Mary Bruening, Matthew Myers, Becky Myers, Jace Bergman, Brenda Smith, Fischer Spencer, Leah Jo Clark, Elaine Langston, Tammy Shafer, Amanda Riley, Dustin Lewis, Hayden Bartrum, Lois Ann Baker, Angela Moeder, and those I missed as their birthdays approach, as well as, anniversary wishes to Susan and John Klosterman (19), Rose and Jeff Whittaker (23), Linda and Bill Spahr (43), Marlene and John Schmitmeyer (49) and all couples celebrating anniversaries.
Please extend your sympathy to the family and friends of Jason Grieshop (39), Judy Ann Mann (61), Arnold Westgerdes (88), and all those who have passed as well as those we hold within our hearts as the anniversary of their passing nears. Please give your prayers of comfort and healing for the sick, those who struggle, the suffering, the caregivers and those who mourn the loss of their loved ones.
As an act of kindness, excuse irrational behavior, we are all guilty of it from time to time. For this reason, we cannot judge a person because of one circumstance. We are a mixed bag of emotions, complicated by injuries, illnesses, upbringing, etc. As members of the same human race, we must do our best to have each other’s back through prayer, word, action, and deed. None of us are perfect but if each of us strives for greater understanding and unity we elevate others too.
Kathy Monnin is a volunteer citizen columnist. She can be reached at [email protected] or at 423-0914. Feel free to contact her with Versailles news and tidbits. Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.
