The Thin Line

Since the war between the United States and Iraq began, many in the sports world have taken it upon themselves to bridge the gap that divides the two.Coaches, players, owners, journalists and reporters have all jumped at the chance to add their opinions on the most public of stages.It all began when the first reporter or journalist popped a tape recorder, microphone or notepad in an athlete’s face and asked for his or her comments on the war.The responsibility lies primarily on the outlets through which the information is being transferred. If the medium is not provided for the sports world to comment, then all comments and opinions will remain private.The sporting community should not make international issues a staple of conversation. Sports is sports, war is war, and international issues, similar to the prior, are international issues. There is nothing that links the two. The only binding ties are the war’s ability to stop sports or to take away from the coverage of sports.Certain media outlets have been charged with the responsibility of covering both. Yet, in some of their attempts to complete both objectives, they have managed to run them through a collision course.Even the specialty channels, such as ESPN, have come dangerously close to taking sports past the boundaries that have been set. The bridge needs to be broken down. Let the sports reporters provide sports, and the news reporters provide the news. There is enough confusion to be passed around. The last thing that is needed is the world’s most beloved sports figures opinion on the situation.Since Sept. 11, arguments have been made by many in the sporting community that sports is a sanctuary where people can find refuge from the depressions of war. If sports begin to allow war to drive to the forefront of its agenda, then the refuge is accepting the very enemy from which it should provide escape.