The spirit of team sports has changed a lot from the time I was a kid. There are many differences in today’s sporting world, and some of those changes have been positive while others have been negative.

In the past, I think “hard work” was considered to be more valued where today inclusion might be more prized. I remember one of my professors from college would call this a “clash of values” where one side is not necessarily wrong but different things might be seen as more valuable.

Only time will tell if this is the right path for society to take. But I do think that the spirit of team sports is an essential part of the American character that helps to define us as a people. Of course, there are many other aspects of society that define us, as well. But it is mostly undeniable that this is part of our collective identity.

Hopefully, we can all enjoy the upcoming Super Bowl and appreciate the things that matter most in life and in the communities that surround these events.