THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 6, 1995 TAG: 9511060027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Tom Robinson
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Away from the boorish prattle about huge money and larger ego that sours even optimistic souls, the march of sports competition continues to provide reasons to keep the faith.
You might have noticed that the region just experienced one of those weekends of affirmation. A special one, in this season of traditional harvest, that makes you stand back for a moment's appreciation of the good that's been sown around here.
Take a backward glance and decide which was better for you - Virginia's to-the-wire triumph over previously invincible Florida State; Virginia Tech's decisive move into the Big East driver's seat by trouncing Syracuse; homegrown Joe Smith, two years out of Maury High School, making his NBA debut at age 20.
Or Princess Anne's mighty Mike Majette becoming the area's all-time leading rusher with a 316-yard performance; Portsmouth's ultra-smooth Aaron Sparrow wrapping a legendary career at Norfolk State by throwing for 438 yards and three touchdowns despite a separated left shoulder; the Hampton Roads Admirals pulling off a surprising home-and-home sweep of Richmond to take an early share of first place in the East Coast Hockey League.
On top of that, the University of Richmond's football resurgence, which doesn't get much ink here but is impressive just the same, rolled on, unimpeded by New Hampshire.
An improbable victory by William and Mary at Delaware would have made the weekend that much more satisfying. But the Tribe, valiant in holding Delaware's vaunted offense to 150 fewer yards than it averages, lost by three points in an attempt to end the longest Division I-AA winning streak in the nation.
Feel good about all that? We should. It also reminds me to never take for granted the degree to which committed individuals, for their fulfillment and our entertainment, have driven themselves and their teams toward excellence, regardless of sport or competitive level.
In doing so, the reflection on the region and state, by association, is overwhelmingly positive. Virginia beating Florida State, Tech winning the Big East or Joe Smith slamming home an NBA dunk won't necessarily make us better citizens. They can, however, perhaps even without us realizing it, set standards for personal achievement that can be directed into all kinds of pursuits, athletic or otherwise.
They set the bar higher, so to speak. And who these days can't use as much inspiration as they can get?
Then again, there's the vexing case of Alonzo Mourning's money grab, the clumsy situation that jolts seekers of the high ground back to reality. The young millionaire from Chesapeake, a rare talent risen from the harshest of domestic circumstances, has always been all business on the court.
That he is all business off the court, too, is understandable, I suppose, yet depressing.
Mourning, offered anywhere from a reported $70 million to $91 million by the Charlotte Hornets, flatly rejected it and actually lashed out at George Shinn, the man willing to make Mourning and his dependents filthy rich into the next millennium - if they aren't already.
In forcing his way out of Charlotte, Mourning wrecked that franchise's plan for itself and its fans, whose loyalty his move mocks. ``It's business,'' is Mourning's mantra, and he answers it faithfully.
Fortunately for sports lovers to whom business is a rude gate-crasher, the weekend proved there's still plenty of good to go around. by CNB