I had a very full weekend, and so I was not at my computer much. WCACs
was Saturday, consuming my day from early (for a Saturday) until fairly
late (I got home around 8:30-9pm). It was a well spent day, though PVI
did not do as well as they could have. Many of our guys didn't seem to
have their heads in the matches, and our performance reflected that.
Still, we had four guys in finals, and several more took third.
Unfortunately our heavy weight was injured in his final match, I have
not heard officially, hopefully they were mistake, but the trainers
think he broke his collar bone, which would put him out for St. Alban's
and states. I have to feel sorry for both him and the team. Michael did
well, but not great. He lost his first match, in which he could have
done better, won his second match decisively, and then lost his third.
He lost to the wrestlers who took first and third respectively, but my
impression, having wrestled myself, having watched my team, William and
his team, and now Michael and his team, is that Michael could have won
at least one of those, especially that match against Good Council (the
first one).
Sunday I went to St. Veronica's 10:15am mass. I must say that it is nice
being able to leave at approximately 10:05 and get their at 10:13,
though I am aware that this is not something to depend on (I didn't hit
a red light at the Fairfax County Parkway), and I would of course like
to get there earlier most of the time anyway. It is also nice to have an
instructive homily. Many times you are confronted with the seeming
dichotomy between sequestering your faith from the sight of others and
being "Holier than thou" (as my Mom would say), the kind of person who
no one much likes who may or may not live their faith well, but who,
regardless, tries to push their faith in your face. It is an easy trap
to fall into, on either side. Addressing the side that is, I think, more
of a danger for me, we are called to be missionaries, to work for the
conversion of others, we must be demonstrative in our
faith, people around us must know that we are Catholic,
and our lives must be such that they will be
drawn towards that faith. Fr. Pollard (spelling?) gave some advice on
threading that needle. We must do what is required for our own welfare,
praying before meals, even in restaurants, and even when around people
who wouldn't. We need not pray aloud. We must provide for the needs of
those dependent on us, parents must share their experience with God
enough to provide a concrete example for their children not just of
ritual and tradition, but of life and the meaning of faith in it. Beyond
that, we must attempt to gage the effects. What will be more effective
at drawing people to God, will the overt display put them off, if so
hold back, or will it cause them to question, to speak, if so let them
see.
Later Sunday I went to Chris and John's Super Bowl Party. I haven't ever done this before, I haven't even watched football in ages, almost certainly not since my father died. I do not know that I would go again. I was strongly reminded of why I dislike football. It is such a pointless game at a professional level. And seems so silly to me as a wrestler anyway. I know that there are, must be people, who feel the same way about wrestling, but emotions are nothing if not subjective. I am reminded of the times football players have attended their first wrestling practice. None of them has found themselves prepared by the fall season of football for the rigors of wrestling, even though a football game is much longer than a wrestling match. And the difference in practice is not in vain, the wrestling match, I have been told, even by a good football player, requires more in 6 minutes than the football game does. Regardless, football strikes me as a bunch of "dumb jocks" (intentionally invoking the stereotype) slamming into each other with occasional displays of skill (some running and catching, some throwing contain skill). The displays that the players create only serve to reinforce this position. The dancing after a touch down or a good play especially seems out of place, excessive, crass. Wrestling is not entirely immune from this, after a pin, you will often see arms raised in victory, a bellow as emotion is released. It is to some extent inherent in competitive personalities, and so I think it is the excess and silliness of the football display that disgusts, not its presence alone. Let us not forget, also, that the wrestling match begins and ends with a hand shake, wrestlers are required to walk onto and off of the mat as gentlemen, and few football players appear to attempt to be gentlemen. It is interesting as a side note that we respect less the DeMatha wrestlers, who do not meet our (PVI's) standards, as compared to other schools we wrestle, even though DeMatha is unquestionably one of the very best, and consistently one of the very best, schools we wrestle.