Two weeks ago when the Elite Eight came to a close, the sports world quickly shifted all of its attention to Indianapolis. The Final Four, college basketball’s crown jewel was set to take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis. But it was not just the college sports world that was focused on the state of Indiana.
On March 26th, Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed into law Senate Bill 101, known as the Religious Freedom Act. The bill immediately launched the state into the middle of a political controversy. Opponents of law argue that it allows for discrimination against the LGBT community, while proponents of the law say it simply promotes religious freedom. Some national pundits even called for the NCAA to move the Final Four out of Indy. USC Athletic Director Pat Haden announced he would not travel to Indianapolis.
I am the proud father of a gay son. In his honor, I will not be attending the CFP committee meeting in Indy this week. #EmbraceDiversity
— Pat Haden (@ADHadenUSC) March 31, 2015
The controversy surrounding the new law has barely gone away, despite the law being amended. The Final Four allowed for a great escape. For a few hours Saturday evening and a few more Monday, the Final Four let us forget about our problems. As we watched Duke edge out Wisconsin in a great back and fourth game we were reminded that there is still good in the world. There is something special about watching athletes compete at the highest level. As we watch, we are many times taken back to a special time in our own lives. While some may not admit it, there is a part of everyone that wonders back to your own child hood as we watch the game. We are taken back in time, a time where every afternoon on the drive way spent shooting hoops with the rest of the neighborhood was just as important as the championship game we watched Monday night. It’s a time when our biggest problem is arguing over a foul or out of bounds call.
Monday even included some of that same drama, with a few questionable calls from the guys in strips. But for those few hours, when our biggest complaint is about a call or two that didn’t go our way, we are reminded of that special role sports play in ours lives. The players for Duke and Wisconsin put everything on the line and allowed us to take a break from the real world. That is the beauty of sport. It finds a way of bringing us together.
No matter where you come from, or what you do for a living or even your view on Indiana’s Religious Freedom Act, sport has a unique and important way of bringing us together. At least for a few hours, thanks to the Final Four, we were all able to watch and cheer on young men, from two different universities as they poured their hearts and souls into one last final game.
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