When Heroes Need Help

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (2 Corinthians 12:7)

Last evening ended on an interesting note for me. As many of my friends know, I am still a fan of the Edmonton Oilers, even 30 years after moving to that other Alberta city just 300 kilometers south on the QE2. And occasionally I post a bit of hockey commentary – yeahs or laments – one way of being in touch with friends (or enemies😀), mostly those who understand the game, and some who do not but they indulge my reasons for cheering for a team obviously not as good as those who win Stanley Cups! It’s been a while. I cheer for the Oilers because they used to win Cups! Actually it was five Stanley Cups during the 1980s, a decade when I lived in that ‘City of Champions’ while serving as pastor in a young lively new church full of fans who regularly gifted their pastor with tickets to the game. My oldest son, whose room was filled with Oilers paraphernalia, knew more stats about Wayne Gretzky than I could even begin to comprehend, and even now, living in Ontario (2 hrs time-zone difference) and himself a high-school teacher, often stays up late so as to ‘catch the third period’ even though it’s time to be in bed already.😏 It's very much a sentimental family thing!

So last night all about victory and about cheering! What a way to get back into in-person winter time activity. And yes, the hockey world’s hero, none other than Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, got Rogers Place fans rocking again, third period ice littered with caps ‘n hats – thanks to yet another hat trick! Second game of this season and already a three goals contribution to the Oilers’ 5-2 shellacking of our Calgary Flames is no small thing. The battle of Alberta is on, and there is promise of an interesting and profitable season for the National Hockey League. And the paparazzi were ready - several very timely shots of McDavid’s proud grandma.

This comes fast on the heels of a contrasting image. Another hero is faring not so well. Carey Price, touted as best goalie in the world, and who backstopped the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Finals this last June, did not show up for first game of this season. Also not showing up for training camp the week before, it was announced jointly by NHL and NHLPA that he has voluntarily entered a player assistance program, available for players dealing with mental health and related personal issues (Sportsnet.ca). Not a broken arm or torn ligaments; no it’s more personal than that.

What is the price of superstardom? The media flap and the players’ praise and accolades for Price’s incredible goals against average GAA and achievements to date give a bit of hint at the price. Price (interesting name?) has always performed at a level beyond expectations, and this in professional sport always leads to even higher expectations. All of this for a young man, along with relationships and marriage and three small children, even while focused on coaches and training, honing the skills and the game. Yes the game! Professional sport is employment, high risk employment, and like all employment situations, there are always the official and unofficial realities. Carey Price is a rather private person, and as a confessing Christian he recognized a precarious circumstance - in over his head. Nothing new to his wife and those nearest and dearest to him. Canadiens’ General Manager Marc Bergevin, seemingly in shock himself, used the simplest unadorned words speaking to the media. Their celebrated superstar goaltender “is a human being.” Aah, yes he is!  

And so was/is Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Nathan McKinnon, and ...  I think of other players on other teams: Marc Andre Fleury of Vegas (now Chicago) has hot and cold streaks, Edmonton goalies Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen seem to understand each other enough to recognize they too have the hot-cold challenge, and therefore need each other as backups in the good sense of the word and as per decisions by coaching staff. That is a mental thing and requires the amazing concept of teamwork – quite apart from all things positively or negatively analyzed by the talking heads during intermissions. Many other illustrations come to mind, including hothead Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, who actually communicates authentically and credibly to his players once they get used to his sturm und drang as us Germans would say. Then there are the players with attitude like Tampa Bay's Corey Perry (recently with Montreal and longtime Anaheim Ducks), Boston’s Brad Marchand, and Calgary’s bad boy Matthew Tkachuk. Their attitude is more interesting than their quality of play – although each of these is an above average player. Attitude is something which fans pay for also, some with more glee than others!

I could easily continue now with description of heroes, rascals, and entertainers in my favorite professional sport, but right now I'm thinking about a deeper mental human condition looking us squarely in the face as professional sport tries its post-pandemic resumption. There are other undeniable issues - concussions, racial and other mental inequities - coming to light also in NFL, NBA and Olympic competitions. Professional sport needs review. We the fans need review. Several points, and each would warrant many paragraphs, but not for now.

-       One. Professional sport is actually a great dehumanizer. This cry of a thoroughbred superstar may be a waker-upper for many others that the price of these amusement events is too high. Today’s games are a modern version of the Roman gladiator games where humans fought animals or condemned criminals to the death, and all for the entertainment of the spectators. 

-        Two. Life, and especially the life-cycle includes winning stretches and losing stretches. In the Bible there is a ‘loser’ John the Baptist who cried some phrases already familiar from the Old Testament, Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth (Isaiah 40:4, Luke 3:5). This was his introduction to Jesus the Christ, the one who would help with these ‘stretches’. A sample: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”…”Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:3,7-8).

-        Three. Faith, or ‘the religious life’ actually can be a considerable burden for someone who misunderstands it. Christians, for example are divided into at least two groups: those who see God as an all powerful judging force - hoping, working, praying, and oft-times wondering why no miracles or solutions; and those who see God as the still small voice. Eg Elijah after some amazing accomplishments, still needed that still small assuring whisper (1 Kings 19:12). Muslims, as people of the book (Quran) pray 5 times daily. Indigenous recognize Creator in the four directions, ceremonies, plants and animals of mother earth. Works and Grace, two long-debated theological themes still before us. God, larger than our labels, more available than we are inclined to recognize.

And fourthly. Faith can also be the greatest gift for life, the ticket to all its fullness (John 10:10). Us human beings - and why be ashamed about that - have a need to be in relationship with our Creator, the one who knows us better than we know ourselves. And so, even if in a stretch of much cheering, need to be careful not to become addicted to winning (or pretending we are winners - applicable to every one of us even outside professional sport). My compliments to Carey Price for this very realistic demonstration of his faith, allowing the help he needs, claiming the grace, the mercy and the love available for him, whether or not he continues as the hero between the pipes. And Connor McDavid is probably aware of this too, especially in those games when he scores only one goal.